Horizon Ridge i do like to be beside the seaside

Björn listened as Bazi responded that she was not ill but that instead the bathing in salt waters was a ritual. The word, familiar though not in his native tongue, brought a spark of recognition to the icy depths of his irises. Common tongue, or old Norse - it did not matter. Björn’s own people were big on their rites and rituals and had more than the Viking often cared to delve into if it was not of the importance of the moment. “What sort of…ritual…is that?” Björn inquired, pausing to draw his salmon pink tongue across his nose once. “What does it do?” His questions, though, lacked the firmness of any of his previous ones, having made a transition in the softer state of curiosity. She did not appear to be a Viking, but looks could be deceiving Björn knew. He was good at being deceptive and cunning and he, of all, should know that nothing was as it really seemed. Maybe it was some sort of rite of passage, as the Vikings had, watching trails and further, executions when they came of age. Perhaps, it was something sort of like that, though their leader’s lack of belief in Gods - for the way she had spoken it made it sound as if she had no faith at all - it was surprising thing to consider.

Björn watched her bathe in the sea, watched as the waves lapped over her before they tumbled to the shore, their foaming rushes stretching to meet his paws which remained just far enough of it the sea’s grasp to keep them dry, though the spray and brine of the wind that rolled off the turmoil ridden sea sprayed him, nevertheless. “Do you feel any different?” Björn asked her as she approached him, though he remained unsure if she was supposed to feel different, or not. For a brief moment, the savage was taken aback by her wide, sad looking eyes. His brow furrowed as he asked, “Why do you look so sad?” though it did not immediately occur to him that he could have been the reason for her gloomy mood. “I will escort you back, yes, but hold a moment,” Björn said quickly, after she spoke of leaving. “I can’t leave without playing the part of hospitable warden, would you like something to eat?” And even if she declined his offer to eat, he still planned on insisting that she took something with her. Despite the savageness of Björn he had his customs and traditions and to break them would be to bring the wrath of the Gods upon his head.