I love the way you lie

Thistle lay in the shadows of the trees, her head on her paws. Her tail curled around her side. She watched as three little puppies lay in the middle of the ground sleeping away the day. They were still so very young, even though they seemed so much bigger than they were, granted they moved around a lot now, and exploration was their best friend. However, they still needed frequents at least right now, all too soon that would go away as well.

She let the sun warm her toes as only they were in the sunlight. Lookign around with wide blue eyes she briefly wondered if she would have someone to talk too today. Ragnar was off probably protecting and strengthening the borders, and she was here laying in the shade, waiting for her pups to get up so she could play.

[size=x-small]ooc: if you don't mind I'm going to join in here, since I'm lame and haven't gotten around to starting one for us, hahah <3[/size]

Today was the day Surra intended to begin his rounds. He gave himself a goal for the first few weeks in the new territory - meet and have a good conversation with every single one of his packmates. And first on his list was Ragnar's wife, Thistle. He had meant to meet her before Stavanger Bay was even being explored, and then had meant to bring her something when she still had the children at the Ridge in the transition, but things had gotten hectic and... no more excuses. Today was day one of a new beginning.

Surra padded softly through the forests at the heart of the Bay, ears pricked and tail swishing back and forth with fervor. His calm blue eyes scanned around him, but it was his nose that was doing most of the work. He could smell a hare nearby, and he intended to catch it. Snaking around one last tree, the target came into sight, and Surra froze, one paw in the air. He was downwind of it, and it's back was to him, so he had a serious advantage. He moved slowly into position, then surged forward, jaws open. The hare must have heard him last minute because it tried to leap away, and for a split second Surra's heart dropped in disappointment, but in a last-ditch effort he twisted around and surged forward again, and by some miracle he felt fur on his tongue. A swift flick of his head broke the small mammal's neck, and Surra let out a long breath, slowing his adrenaline, before setting off at a trot towards where he smelled the children's den, hoping to also find their mother there.

He was in luck, it appeared, as she came into view, laying the the shadows of some trees. Surra had appeared a few feet in front of her, and he stopped where he was, relaxing his ears to a neutral position as he dipped his head low to her in greeting, unable to speak with a mouthful of game. After he was sure she saw him, he padded forward, and placed the hare just in front of her, in her reach if she desired it but not too close if she didn't. "You must be Thistle. I have heard much about you," Surra spoke quietly, giving her a slight smile. "I'm Surra." He paused, then gently touched the hare with his paw as he spoke again. "It's not much, but I figured you could maybe use a snack, taking care of these little troublemakers." Surra gestured with his muzzle towards the pups, hoping that he wasn't coming off as too awkward, as was sometimes the case when he forced himself to be social. It would usually wear off once he moved to actual conversation, but the greetings-and-small-talk thing was not usually his strong suit.

ooc: No problem at all I don't mind.

Thistle laid in the dirt her fawn colored head on her paws and a small glimmer of amusement in her eyes, as she watched the puppies in their throes of sleep. She hadn’t met half of the wolves that belonged to the bay. She was anxious to meet Verinne, the man who caught her friend’s heart, but she also had heard of a Surra and a few others.

Thistle looked up as a wolf stepped into her view. He smelled like Ragnar so she didn’t move, far too comfortable to do so. She did however lift her downy head to give him a once over, and a small nod of hello. She smiled in greeting; well met Surra I am Thistle Cloud yes. I hope it was certainly good things you heard. She chuckled to herself then, knowing it was probably nothing bad, she had not done anything to deserve anything, else as of yet as far as she knew anyway.

She looked at the hare and then laughed out loud when he spoke of the children. yes they are definitely a handful at the best of times. So tell me Surra do you like it here so far? Much better than the ridge yes?

When she gave him a nod and a smile in greeting, Surra felt himself relax. He remembered Ragnar saying how social Thistle was, and how she wouldn't mind a visit, but he had still over thought things a little and worried he would come at a bad time, when she was occupied with the pups or something. But, she seemed to welcome him. "well met Surra I am Thistle Cloud yes. I hope it was certainly good things you heard." Surra smiled, dipping his head as she chuckled, appreciative of her friendliness. "Of course they were good things." He also remembered the tone in which Ragnar had spoken of her in - such affection and respect.

He was glad when she laughed at his statement about the children. Surra knew that his humor did not always come across the way he meant it to, since his voice was so level that it was oft taken for being all too serious. "yes they are definitely a handful at the best of times. So tell me Surra do you like it here so far? Much better than the ridge yes?" Surra settled back on his haunches as she spoke, and when she asked him how he liked this new place, at first he tilted his head up, eyes roaming the tree tops around them, a slight smile crossing his lips. "I love it here. Its..." he paused, searching for the words. "It feels more like home, to me, than the Ridge did. It feels more real." He turned his blue eyes back to her fawn-colored face, and for a moment they hardened in seriousness. "Safer, too." With the bear that killed Pump, and the Isle wolves pressing close, the Ridge had turned more hostile than home. And especially with pups in the pack, safety was at the forefront of the priority list. He paused again, as his eyes softened to their usual calm. "You and the little troublemakers have settled in well, I hope?"

Thistle was a much more social creature than her husband, another way that they complemented each other well. I am glad they were good things. She smiled at him, she studied him for a moment. He had strange markings, but what could she say Tveir was strangely marked with paws like her fur against darker brown, and a mask of the same light brown. His coat looked as if it had been blended just right, it was interesting.

Thistle smiled and spoke The ridge had felt like home to me, until the lands began to change and bad things began to happen. Pump was my friend, and the isle wolves should not have come so close, and before you even came there was a landslide. I do not like to believe in curses, but even I question whether or not the land was cursed.

She listened to his next question and a small chuckle came off her lips yes so far we have, the pups though they settle in easily, they were not that invested in the ridge yet, they had just began to go outside a few days before everything happened so to them it is not a big change. However, I am settling in slowly, but surely I just need to find a good place to put a small growing of plants, and I have to decide whether or not to talk to Ragnar about going back to the ridge and gathering the plants I had there, or if I should just gather new ones around here. She was merely making conversation, she would approach Ragnar on her own, when the time came

"The ridge had felt like home to me, until the lands began to change and bad things began to happen." Surra nodded at this. He, for a moment, worried that he had offended her by saying the Ridge had not felt like home to him, but her tone hinted nothing of the sort. "Pump was my friend, and the isle wolves should not have come so close, and before you even came there was a landslide. I do not like to believe in curses, but even I question whether or not the land was cursed." Surra's eyes widened slightly at the mention of a landslide. He hadn't known about that. The young male nodded again, sadly, realizing that the old Ridge wolves, the ones who had been there before him and still were around, had been through a lot.

Thistle chuckled lightly at his next question, explaining how the pups had easily settled in but she, herself, was doing so a little more slowly. Surra chuffed in understanding. "I am slow to settle in anywhere, so I understand. I did not ever find a den back at the Ridge, during my entire time there, believe it or not. And I am still looking for one here," He admitted, with a sheepish grin. At the mention of her plants, Surra's ears pricked as he remembered Ragnar mentioning his wife's trade way back when. "Oh, yes, you are a healer by trade, are you not?" He was curious about the healer trade, though he was not interested in becoming one, it couldn't hurt to one day learn a few basics from Thistle. "If you would like any help with the plants, I would love to be of assistance," He offered genuinely after a pause.

She smiled at him and his wide eyes. Yes it is strange isn’t it all the terrible things that happened there. Pump was the second alpha we lost. She did not voice the thought that plagued her, that if the alpha spot was cursed in the ridge, had they stayed she could have lost Ragnar. She kept that to herself, but anyone could figure out that it worried her.

Thistle chuckled, We don’t really have a den yet either, I don’t think anyone does. We are still working on it. SO do not feel bad that you haven’t found one yet. She saw his ears perk up and she smiled yes I am a healer by trade. She loved her trade, she enjoyed helping others. She smiled I would like that especially since my husband will probably not let me go without a escort if at all.

She grew silent as she voiced what she knew to be true. Blinking her eyes she asked him a couple questions, Where are you originally from? Have you been around her long?

"Yes it is strange isn’t it all the terrible things that happened there. Pump was the second alpha we lost." 'The second?!' Surra thought, taken aback. He froze for a moment, before letting out a breath he didn't realized he had been holding, and shaking his head sadly. Thistle didn't have to say anything regarding Ragnar, Surra made the connection almost immediately. He was not a superstitious man, but still, he was glad they had moved territories to this new, much safer one.

"We don’t really have a den yet either, I don’t think anyone does. We are still working on it. SO do not feel bad that you haven’t found one yet." Surra relaxed, then, and chuckled lightly. He was glad he wasn't the only one. She confirmed that she was, indeed, a healer, and said, "I would like that especially since my husband will probably not let me go without a escort if at all." Surra smiled at that, and dipped his head. "I would be honored," He said lightly.

"Where are you originally from? Have you been around her long?" She asked him then. As Surra considered his response, he slowly lowered himself to the ground, allowing his hips to twist to the side so that his back legs lay to one side of him, though the rest of his torso and his front legs lay sphinx-like, and his head stayed up. "I wouldn't say I am from any particular place. I was born into a small nomadic pack comprised solely of my family, and we moved around a lot. North of here, though, I suppose." He paused. "When I was a year and a half old I left to find my own way. I was a loner for half a year, then came to Teekon Wilds and considered my options for a couple weeks before joining the Ridge." That seemed so long ago, now, Surra thought.

She heard the whistle of the breath betwixt his lips and gave him a small self conscious smile. Realizing that he had figured out her unspoken words, she couldn't help it though, and maybe it was selfish of her to be more worried about Ragnar than anyone else, but he seemed to be the most vulnerable only because he was the Jarl alpha.

Thistle chuckled and said quietly Thank You Surra, very much. You may have just allowed me to win the argument I am sure will follow, simply because he will not want me to go to dangerous territory. They were both stubborn wolves, and their arguments were sometimes hilarious simply for that reason.

Thistle listened with rapt attention and when he finished she spoke Well I for one am glad you found us and joined our little family. I myself lived with my parents and two brothers, my brothers left soon after they were 6 months old, I waited a little longer myself, but then I to left and came here. I however did not look around, but joined the Ridge simply because it reminded me of home.

"Thank You Surra, very much. You may have just allowed me to win the argument I am sure will follow, simply because he will not want me to go to dangerous territory." Surra dipped his head with a smile, pleased that he could help her. He was already growing to like and respect this woman - she was so friendly and kind. Surra wasn't much of a talker but nature, he was much more of a listener, but he found he didn't mind speaking more than usual, with her. He could see how she would be an excellent healer.

She had listened so attentively to him describing his origins. Surra appreciated that. If the young male was sensitive to anything, it was to whether, when he did choose to speak, someone listened. He had found a few times in the past that he would choose to let the words flow from his mouth, an unusual occurrence for the normally quiet man, only for another to seem disinterested. This highly discouraged him from continuing speaking - negative reinforcement, as it was. But this was not the case with Thistle - she listened to him in a way that only made him feel more relaxed, and more able to speak. This, he greatly appreciated.

"Well I for one am glad you found us and joined our little family." Surra would have blushed at that, had he not dark fur covering his face. He looked away from her for a moment, flattered, convincing himself to just accept the compliment and not brush it off as he was wont to do. But he soon turned his blue eyes back to her, returning the favor of listening attentively to her words, as she described how she came to the Ridge. He nodded, pausing before deciding to ask another question of her. "If I may ask, how did you and Ragnar come to meet?"

Thistle was not a talkative wolf usually; she was rather a quiet individual, preferring to pass the day with simple things she loved. Perhaps it was to watch her children play. Or to hunt for herbs and scents that she could and those that she found. She had found once that if you rubbed against some of the flowers and crushed them against you, they gave you that smell for the day. It was fun to do, she didn’t do it often, but she enjoyed doing it none the less. That was something she wouldn’t have found out, if she hadn’t passed a day in quiet contemplation.

Because of her simple and quiet nature, she was a very good listener. Her mother was much the same, though even more so than she. Her mother had this quiet timbre that made you want to curl up at her feet. Her throat ached for a moment as she thought of her.

Thistle laughed at the next question merely because it was a funny story. actually the first time Ragnar and I met, he was going by the name of Bjorn and he helped us save another wolf that had been covered with debris from the landslide. I didn’t speak with him then though, however a few days later I was healing the wound he had received also from the landslide, and he had a delusional fever, and I had to argue with him about his fresh nature and his advances. He won me over in the end though obviously. She chuckled again at that happy memory. It had been frightening then, but now it just made her smile.

Thistle laughed at his question, and Surra's ears pricked up, expecting an interesting story. Not that he doubted an interesting story to begin with - he could see, as different as Ragnar and Thistle were, that their meeting had to be... well, interesting. He was not disappointed. "actually the first time Ragnar and I met, he was going by the name of Bjorn and he helped us save another wolf that had been covered with debris from the landslide." Of course Ragnar was going by another name. Surra could see the often mysterious man hiding his identity - he didn't know that it was more of taking on that name than hiding his own, but the basic idea still would not have surprised him, had he known that part of Ragnar's history. And, there was a mention of that landslide again. Surra was inwardly glad he had missed that part of the Ridge's history - it was probably a terrible time for the pack.

"I didn’t speak with him then though, however a few days later I was healing the wound he had received also from the landslide, and he had a delusional fever, and I had to argue with him about his fresh nature and his advances." Surra couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. It probably wasn't funny at the time, but hearing it now, knowing things had turned out for the better, he couldn't help but find it funny. He could only imagine Ragnar in a delusional fever. He muttered an apology for his laughing, shaking his head and trying to hold the laughter back as Thistle finished her story. "He won me over in the end though obviously." "Obviously so," Surra chuckled along with her.

For a moment, his mind wandered as his chuckle faded, and a strange feeling came over him. In a moment of trust, he spoke softly, his eyes turned to the sleeping pups. "One day, I would love to have what you and Ragnar do, and children of my own." A second later, realizing that he had just bared a part of his soul to her, he cleared his throat, suddenly uncomfortable. Surra was generally a private wolf by nature, and quiet, and thus his inner emotion did not often show, let alone to another that he barely knew. He was about to say something else, excusing himself or something, but he figured better not to make himself seem more awkward, and clamped his mouth shut, blue eyes looking at his paws.

Thistle knew now why he had been using a moniker rather than his own name. It was to protect his oldest adopted son, from finding him out. She did not fault him that, he had wanted the boy to spread his wings, while he watched in the outskirts.

Thistle chuckled at his own snort of laughter, No need to apologize it was funny afterwards, first time though I was scared absolutely stiff, in case you haven’t noticed my husband is a big man and I’m not exactly a large woman. She smiled again then and shook her head, It is still funny now when I think of it, and occasionally I will remind him of it. She nodded her head at his comment at being obvious.

Thistle smiled at him and spoke softly No need to be embarrassed by that, and my husband will probably allow you to have pups of your own when you take a mate. He is not one to stop that, in his former home, everyone had children and he holds to that ideals. Unless of course we are all sickly or something, but of course that is common sense.

She leaned forward and brushed her muzzle across the top of his head in a kind gesture, I am glad you shared that with me really and truly and please anytime you want to talk freely I will listen gladly. She offered him the chance to take the bite and leave if he so wished, while also allowing him to stay and speak about anything he wished.

[size=x-small]ooc: last post for me. not gonna lie, I teared up writing it and it got a little away from me with the length haha, Thistle really touched Surra! thanks for the wonderful thread, I would love to do another soon! <3[/size]

Surra was glad that she had not been offended by his snort of laughter in response to her mentioning Ragnar being delusional. "No need to apologize it was funny afterwards, first time though I was scared absolutely stiff, in case you haven’t noticed my husband is a big man and I’m not exactly a large woman." She had said. He smiled and nodded, tipping his head in understanding at the mention of how large Ragnar was. Surra wasn't a small man either, and Ragnar did not outsize him by much, but just that little extra bit of height and weight along with the scars that covered his face and body, not to mention the Alpha's intimidating demeanor... Surra himself remembered when he first met the man, and had felt the slightest bit afraid himself, though he would never have shown it then or admit it later. Knowing and trusting the man now, however, he had developed a deep sense of respect and loyalty towards him.

Thistle responded to his soul-bearing moment softly, her voice soothing Surra's discomfort. "No need to be embarrassed by that, and my husband will probably allow you to have pups of your own when you take a mate. He is not one to stop that, in his former home, everyone had children and he holds to that ideals." The grey-brown male looked up at her as she said this, and though his ears were still splayed out to the side in embarrassment, a soft smile crossed his lips. "Unless of course we are all sickly or something, but of course that is common sense." Surra let out a barely audible chuff in understanding. He would never think to endanger the Bay further by doing such a thing and a time like that, he realized. They were his family, now, and he would never act selfishly and hurt them.

Surra was almost surprised by the touch of her muzzle across the top of his head, and at first his ears flattened back, but as her touch withdrew they slowly perked up, and he could feel himself relax. "I am glad you shared that with me really and truly and please anytime you want to talk freely I will listen gladly." That was all the young male needed to hear, whether he knew it or not. After a slight pause, he reached his nose forward and lightly nuzzled the side of her neck, in a gesture of affection and respectful submission. "Thank you," he said softly once he had drawn away. "That means a lot to me, really."

With a glance up to the sky, and the sun that was beginning to slowly sink in the late afternoon, Surra slowly drew himself up onto his feet. "I will let you rest, now," The young male said, feeling much more relaxed now. "I'd like to get at least one more hunt in before the day is done, if you don't mind me taking my leave." He remembered the offer he had made to her earlier. "If you would like someone to go with you back to the Ridge, please feel free to call to me," He dipped his head low to her. "Otherwise, I'm sure I will see you again, soon." He gave her a moment to respond if she would, before touching his nose to her shoulder in farewell, and then turning and padding back into the trees from whence he came.

That was one thing that Thistle could say, her husband had never tried to intimidate her. Gruff and a little rough around the edges of course, but he was not intimidating. He allowed her the leeway to make her own choices, only putting his foot down on some things, such as the whole situation with Nerian.

Thistle nodded her head with a chuckle, I will not be getting much rest I assure you. As the next moment a small mussy brown head poked his head out of the puppy pile to allow his eyes to rest on his mother. Thistle dipped her muzzle towards the sleeping puppies, that were slowly waking up. Have a good hunt Surra. She pushed herself to her feet and walked delicately over to the pups, a small smile on her face.