<style type="text/css"> r1 {color:#5e6d7c; font-size: 10px;} .r1box {background-color: #0b0c14; width: 500px; margin: auto; background-image: url('http://i.imgur.com/TdbsUHq.png'); background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 1px solid #4b4e55; outline: 10px solid #1f2633;} .r1text {margin: auto; width: 350px; color:#313d4a; text-indent: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 15px; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 420px; margin-bottom: 30px;}</style>
For a moment, Ragnar swayed as he limped, so close to home now, eyes sliding closed again, and imagined that he could hear the shrieks of children’s laughter, the sound of Thistle’s laughter like the soft lull of his favorite lullaby. The sounds were beckoning the silver Viking home. The bear hadn’t gotten anywhere near anything vital, and the tears in his flesh where the bear’s claws had sliced through fur and tissue and sinew, were not that deep at all but he had lost a lot of blood and in the wake of it he was aware that even these dream sounds were too unreal. The lullaby of a happy life, of his wife and their children varying colors of the sun and the moon and some of sand and snow was not his life. At least, not yet. Their first litter of children had yet to be born. The Viking’s eyes opened with reluctance and willed his body forward to limp, each step heavy as he drew towards @Thistle Cloud as she approached, her medicines in her grasp.
Ragnar had meant to lay down so as to make it easier for her to tend to her, but the action was anything but graceful. The uninjured side of his body collided with the hard earth roughly and he curled around himself - somehow - and attempted to lick the fur matted with blood and wounds clean though his reach (mostly because of his bulky body) wasn’t all that impressive, just catching the edge of the longest, middle claw mark.
When he hit the ground she visibly winced, that had to hurt and he contorted almost like she did to reach his side, though she was pretty sure she had some serious weight on him, she could probably hold him down with her bulk alone as of late.
Mumbling she shuffled over to him holding her herbs in her mouth. Snapping at his muzzle she grumbled at him good naturedly.
"Stop that Ragnar I'll take care of it.
With that she began to clean the wound. It wasn't very deep, but he had been running on it and he had lost a lot of blood. She looked at him then looked at the wound and spoke again. Some days Ragnar i think you get hurt just so I am touching you. she was teasing, though she was worried the blood loss alone could be deadly.
If Ragnar had known that Thistle thought him and reckless went hand in hand he would have corrected her. He did not perceive himself or his actions as reckless, had learned that you couldn’t afford to be reckless since he had been Lead Berserker. The life of his men would have been at stake and sometimes it was better to let the enemy take the initiative. See what they would do; but maybe to her it did seem as if he were reckless. Unfortunately, he was not a God (though even his Gods could bleed and die) and injuries came with the job. With his way of life. Ragnar did not notice her wince when his body collided with a heavy thud to the hardened earth, clouds of dust billowing out around him where he had disturbed it. As he attempted to clean his wound for her she snapped at his muzzle, teeth near the leathery flesh of his nose - for the love of Valhalla he’d been trying to help her — but ceased his licking to fix her in one eye, studying her as she grumbled (albeit good naturedly but Ragnar didn’t pick up on this the oblivious man he was) and gave into her demands with a begrudging, exasperated sigh.
Despite his exasperation — the fact remained that while there were some things that he would not budge on with her she had somehow managed to grab his heart. Or …he had given it to her. Either way: she had it and the Viking was a little more willing to at the very least try to see her way. To take into consideration her side.
The feel of her tongue gliding over torn flesh, exposed sinew and matted fur was, somehow, a soothing feeling. A comfort. It brought Ragnar to the realization that he had come to rely on Thistle heavily - not just as a Healer but as his love and his wife, the mother of his children. She was all of that and more - if it were a possible thing; and further more he learned as she smoothed her tongue repeatedly over the blood matted fur and open wounds that he trusted her impeccably. Wholly. Ignoring her comment about him purposefully getting injured just so she would touch him (admittedly it was a perk) but if he wanted her to touch him he would have just asked. Ragnar wasn’t very timid - if at all, truthfully.
Thistle realizing that he had been trying to help and did not realize she was teasing leaned over and gave him a lick to the muzzle. I know you don't like this Ragnar, but we don't want any delusional fevers now do we.
If he had spoken to her of trust she would have agreed that she trusted him whole heartedly as well. it was strange the one wolf that most wouldn't trust merely from scars alone she trusted more than anybody.
Thistle was momentarily caught off guard and looked up at him and with a quick swipe of her tongue over teeth she smiled. I love you too, more than you know Thistle smiled again and then bent back to the cleaning of the wound. It wasn't very deep, but it had cut some of the muscle which was not good, but he would be fine it would knit back together if he would treat it correctly and keep the herbs she was going to put on, on it. She bent down and then looked back up and spoke asking quesitons. Was anyone else hurt? Did you get the bear to leave the territory?"
Thistle leaned towards his face then, and he felt her tongue glide across his muzzle, mixing his blood, the blood of the bear and her saliva against the short, velveteen fur there, covering the smaller scars that marked his muzzle in rich crimson. His nose was full with the scent of blood, the bears, his own. The scent did not turn the Viking’s stomach as it might have others. He was born in and grew up in blood. He had smelled it many times, and even the sickly sweet scent of decaying bodies. He was not as desensitized to it as he had once been when raids were a regular thing and battle loomed right around the corner at almost all times.
Apparently, this declaration of love had caught Thistle off guard, which was amusing because it was not the first time he had ever said it to her, but her surprise, he realized, probably wasn’t all that unwarranted given that it had sort of just spilled from betwixt his lips without any conscious thought. Despite that, he was not just casually throwing it around. He truly did love her. Somehow, impossibly, but truly all the same.
That's good Ragnar you all got away with minimal damage. Even your's isn't all that bad though it will be painful and definitely itchy since your muscle has to pretty much knit back together. She tilted her head looking down at it one last time and then sat down on her haunches. She began to clean the blood from her own paws and then she would get around his wound and on his face since she had left a streak of blood there, though her own streak of blood that he had originally put still went across her muzzle. Though she was unsure what it meant she somehow knew it was important so she left it there.
Ragnar lifted his head to study his wife as she murmured her words of contrition. Though she explained to him that she had not meant to make his wounds ache any more than they already did, Ragnar was unable to understand, precisely why she was remorseful. This was more likely than not borne of his own refusal to ever show remorse for the things that he did — and it was true that the words “I’m sorry” would never slip betwixt the Viking’s lips just as they had never done previously. The wolves of these lands were too quick to those words of remorse around, though Ragnar did not doubt that Thistle meant them, but still.
Thistle had felt bad for hurting him,but that was the way of things. She was a healer she was in this trade to help others not to hurt them, so it bothered her even when it was needed to hurt another. She would hurt another if it was best for them when she was healing, she would hurt another if it came down to her life or her families life and theirs, but if she didn't have to she wouldn't for any other reason. It was how she was made, it was her own inner compass.
Thistle laughed at his grumblings and nodded Yes I suppose they are and you would know. She stood and gently padded over to him albeit a bit ungainly and lay down resting her head over his back but watching him out of the corner of her eye. She ran her muzzle gently across his shoulder blades and listened to him explaining the significance of the blood that she wore on her cheek.
She blinked it was a beautiful tradition none the less and she would wear it with pride now evne more so that she knew what it meant. Though her blood ran cold at the thought of him dying, she knew it was the way of things and if Odinn was to take him as her husband would say it was meant to be. As much as she disliked agreeing with that it was the truth of the matter regardless. But he swore up and down that he was not going to die young, in a way that comforted her but also scared her, because how could she put as much faith in that as he did. It would not keep her from healing him every time and worrying every time, but at least it would give her some small comfort perhaps in the back of her mind. She licked his muzzle then and whispered You better always find me Ragnar or i just might box your ears. She smiled then a slow soft smile.
The sound of Thistle’s laughter, so soon after Ragnar had finished his man grumbling in regards to irritated and itchy wounds let the Viking knew that his wife found his grumbling to be amusing. He spared her a cheeky little grin for a few seconds before a stoic expression stole over him once more. The feel of her head resting against the junction of his shoulder blades, and the warmth of her body against his own was enough to make Ragnar sigh with content.
Yes they will Ragnar in less than a week truthfully. She had not known if she told her husband that yet or not, but the pups would be here soon she could feel it. The cramps got harder and worse sometimes you could almost see them rippling across her abdomen and her teats were swollen and leaking. Those pups would be here sooner than most knew.
He did not expect her to jump up and wash it off that very second and if she had — well maybe not jump considering the action alone might be enough to force her into labor — he would have coaxed her back to his side before she got very far. Ragnar, himself, was too comfortable, with his wife resting against him, his body slowly unwinding from the heat of battle. He felt cooler now, the medicines she had slathered on his wounds working, and beyond that he was contented to just relax and enjoy this moment, here, with her. Not something Ragnar did a whole lot of given his penchant for always keeping busy with something.
Thistle would have laughed herself silly if she had heard her mates thoughts about jumping. She could not jump anytime soon, let alone walk correctly half the time. Whatever any one thought the small female was large and it was actually quite hard for her to keep upright most of the time. She unbalanced quickly and easily as well. sometimes it made her laugh others it irritated her adn she wanted to rant and rave.
Thistle nodded Yes indeed it is your large sons that they are Ragnar. It would not surprise me a bit if they come out locked in combat the way they all wrestle and writhe around in there. Just as she said that a rather sharp kick intoned itself upon her ribs and she chuckled See even they agree. She chuckled at her mate and licked his face. We will practice will we I can't say that I will find that unpleasant. You plan on making sure I am pregnatn as soon as next year comes around huh. She teased him gently pulling on his neck fur.
There was a smirk accompanied by a soft snort of acknowledgment, curt and short lived though the noise was when Thistle mentioned that they were his large sons. Ragnar had nearly all but forgotten about Crete’s conquering of Thistle, the night, ironic though it was shared in the same forest, Ravensblood, that Ragnar had planted his own seed within Thistle, taking what she had offered him that night — several times that night — because she had wanted it, too. In all of reality, Ragnar had nearly forgotten about Crete’s existence period because her one night lover didn’t matter anymore. Ragnar had earned the prize of Thistle’s love, had taken what was rightfully his, and with her forged a bond that, should he ever come traipsing back, would never be in danger of being compromised — at least that was how Ragnar liked to fancy their love, how ever harsh and barbaric it was. Ragnar had squashed out all the remaining competition until he was confident enough that no more existed. Even if Crete did by some unfortunate circumstance find himself back in the Teekon Wilds Ragnar had ensured that he would not be welcome back into Blacktail Deer Plateau by informing his leader and brother of the crimes committed — even if it wasn’t technically considered a crime; and her certainly wasn’t and would never be welcome in Horizon Ridge unless Ragnar had finally moved on to claim Ravensblood. At that point, Ragnar wouldn’t care if they let his deceased brother’s ghost it. At that time it would no longer concern or pertain to him.
Her confidence in the way she spoke of the children in her womb as his made him begin to believe it himself, all over again (they weren’t Ragnar’s but genetic specifications didn’t matter, they were his by claim and therefore his children period).
Thistle knew that in all reality the pups could not wrestle yet and upon birth they would be deaf and blind however she could easily imagine once they aged they would be extreme wrestlers. Blue eyes locked onto blue eyes dancing with merriment and desire the latter not being hard for her husband to induce in her. Thistle chuckled at her husband oh they did. well then I guess I better get used to boys and pregnancy.
Ragnar put much stock into things such as prophesies and superstitions. Half of the time, Seers never gave direct answers and Ragnar had learned that more or less they were up for open interpretation. Or at least that was what Ragnar assumed, where it was right or not he couldn’t be sure. His interpretations had yet to cause Thor to strike him dead so he decided that his assumption was safe. At least for the time being. The prophesy that Ragnar would have many sons had been as clear as crystal, not some crafty worded response or his least personal favorite, the returned question worded differently to make a wolf deduce that what they desired to see would be so. Though Ragnar believed in a Seer’s powers, he also believed that the Gods did not always answer them — after all they were busy, too and surely they could not answer every single question every single wolf had.
Thistle being who she was and how she was raised did not know or put much stock into seers herself. However being who she was she also did not make fun or anything of the like those who called themselves seers and those who revered them. After all they could be truth behind them and she wasn't about to mock them or anything for fear something bad would happen simply because she was ignorant of their ways and sights. Secretly she would be glad to give Ragnar many sons at a seers vision or without.
Thistle licked his face and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper those gods and seers of ours are awful smart I plan on bearing many sons. the slip of tongue she hadn't realized came about. though if she had realized it would not have surprised her. She had decided that she would fully accept all the viking ways for the simple fact that she wasn't about to get left behind by her children that would come soon enough on its own when they went on their own adventures.
Ragnar grinned at the feel of his wife’s tongue on his face as she licked it though he could not tell if it was purely an affectionate gesture or also because she wanted to clean his face of the grim and blood that had covered it, too. He did not grim and blood; then again he had never considered that it might have grossed her out. The idea, even as he thought it, sounded a little ridiculous especially for a healer who had to be unafraid of exposed organs and blood and gore because that was their profession, whether they could save the injured or could not giving them the knowledge that they could not be saved, that they would die. It wasn’t precisely a trade for the faint of heart…or stomach. Just like being a Warden or Warrior wasn’t.
She thought about his question had she really accepted them. She thought she had but in a way some of her reasoning was selfish. She thought perhaps that was not exactly a good thing. I have though in part for selfish reasons so I don't know if thats very good. I wish to coincide with you and our children though it is also nice to know someone more powerful than I is watching over all of us in a way.
Ragnar canted his head towards her, slightly, in a bird-like manner as she confessed that she considered part of the reason she had accepted them was selfish and then spoke that she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing. Ragnar contemplated it in silence, if her being selfish was a bad thing in regards to their Gods. Her …fear — Thistle had not came out and said it, or even really expressed it; merely Ragnar assumed that was what it was — of how her supposed ‘selfishness’ might be perceived by the Gods reminded Ragnar, unbidden and rather unwelcome, of Nerian’s God. How he was strict and apparently unforgiving in the way he unequally lorded himself over those whom that were devout to him.
Thistle shook he head at him and the ease to which he could ease her fears at least about the Gods that he revered anyway. There were some things she knew he would not be able to ease ever. For instance the days he went on raids she would fear for him until he came home, or even if she was there she would fear for him. Though he was capable and strong there was always the chance one day. And no matter what he said about that she would always fear it, regardless if Odinn told him he would leave to a ripe old age. It was in her make.
Thistle chuffed at him in mock irritation Go to sleep then With a small smile she laid her head back across his back and shoulders and closed her blue eyes. Always willing to take a nap these days.