The look of shock on Julooke’s face was not entirely unexpected to the Viking and for a moment he wondered if she was disappointed in him. He studied her for a second longer trying to gauge any further reaction but looked away at her ‘hmm’. The problem was, he might not have been opposed to letting his wolves dine on the sacrifices but they had never done it in the Cove, they had always buried them and that was what Ragnar suspected the Gods wanted. He would not take from the Gods and invoke their ire in him or anyone else. His reverence and love for the Gods was great …but so was his fear of them. They proved they had not qualms of giving with one hand and taking with the other and he was sooner appease them than upset them lest they take something truly dear to him like one of his children. The All-Father had already taken four of them once before they could even be born and Ragnar wasn’t about to test Odinn or any of them.
He let her brave on ahead of him without feeling the need to match his pace to keep up. He did not fear the ancient woodlands here and had not scented or sensed any kind of lurking danger. The Viking ambled on behind her at his own, leisurely pace enjoying the stolen moment of serenity. He did not like letting Horizon Ridge go too long without his presence but he knew Thistle could handle it for however much longer he was out here. He did not intend to stay for too long today, but it was nice, also, to let the burdens that had plagued every waking and sleeping moment of his life to be lifted for a time. He glimpsed up as he moved searching for the one eyed raven so that he might show him to Julooke only to let out a grunt when his subordinate mock pounced on him, after the thick foliage had began to rustle. He recoiled back some, ears laying half mast atop his skull as he let out a barking ‘heh’ noise and indulged her in her play by attempting to playfully tackle her to the ground as it was his goal in mind.