It was hard not to feel a fondness for Julooke, even while it was strictly a platonic one; the fondness a leader felt towards his subordinate that proved to be as ambitious as himself when it came to proving worthiness. Often times, Ragnar was wary of ambition in others because he made judgments based off of himself, what he would do. There wasn’t much that Ragnar wouldn’t do — had killed his own brother for a woman whom Ragnar had only wanted because she was forbidden and once his interest and the thrill of the hunt faded he had discarded her for the next. The Viking’s ambition was a dangerous thing and yet it allowed him his freedom, it allowed him to hold steadfast to what he wanted, what he believed and remain unyielding in these posh Summer lands. He was not afraid to do what others would not, lacking the morality to tell him that something was ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. He was Pump’s enforcer, was sated by being her Second in Command because he had to be, for now, and he also respected her.
“Do not worry about it,” Ragnar dismissed with a twitch of his lips upwards. “You have proved you can organize and communicate directions well and you don’t play around. Hunts should be quick and simple.” The more they were prolonged, the more the wolves ran the risk of getting tired, as well. Exhaustion to Ragnar meant sloppy mistakes that could potentially be costly; and Ragnar did not want her obvious skills to go unnoticed by Pump because it was Pump’s approval she needed, in the end. Ragnar’s power was limited but he was devoted to his subordinates and would do what he could for them, even if it was not much. At her question he glimpsed, too, back down at the stiffened body of the doe. “I’m always hungry,” He grinned at her impishly, communicating that he was all for awarding them some of their prize. “I would take some to Thistle. It has been a while since I have given her venison,” Ragnar hadn’t spoken it as a command but as a question since the prize was Julooke’s and it was her decision on what they did with it, in the end; subtly as he did so expressing his respect for her without coming right out and saying it.
