Ragnar moved through his Ravenblood Forest, a limp quail clutched in the firm grasp of his jaws, salvia dripping down along the bird’s rich feathers. It made Ragnar hungry to clutch and taste the bird. It was a decadent torture because the quail was not for him. He had went through the pains of hunting it, nearly losing it twice when it had squirmed out of his grasp and rose into the air but fortune had smiled upon him for the silver Viking had finally caught it. It wasn’t even for his wife. While it was true she had claimed to not have much of an appetite Ragnar had not failed to bring her food continuously in the hopes that she would eat and be strong to be able to go through the hours of labor that were upon her in any given minute. She was due to give birth within the day, hours maybe, even. Though she had not complained of pain he had heard her soft gasps — very different from the surprise gasps when the children kicked; no these gasps were harder and Ragnar sensed (perhaps a paternal instinct) that his children were soon for the world. The quail had been a sacrifice to Odinn and Ragnar planned to bring it to Huginn and Muninn who frequented the forest often for the Allfather to consume in his honor and to carry a prayer to the Allfather, as well.
He had just reached the tree — a crab apple tree that resembled very closely the tree of life, the nine realms identifiable upon it, the soft cries of the ravens overhead a symphonic melody to the Viking’s ears who revered the creatures and saw them as good luck.
Glimpsing once at the ravens in dismay he offered them a grim smile before he turned and headed towards the direction of the howl and the rapid beating of paws against the earth. Against sacred ground. Shrugging into the small clearing of space he barked sharply to command the attention of the sprinting creature, sharp, icy Caribbean blue eyes fixating upon the wolf who …appeared unwell (at least Ragnar was not sure why he would just keep running - if the worn path of the ground was any indication he had probably been at it for some time) to the silver Viking.