Blacktail Deer Plateau night of the wilds

For @Peregrine !

It was not often that Ragnar left the Bay these days, with his Outrider trade earned some time ago, and even then being the Jarl did not afford him the leisurely time to go off at his conqueror’s heart desired. Despite that he had made Thistle his Queen she still turned to him to the ultimate decision, just as he had asked her too, though he trusted her enough to know how he ruled and how he made his decisions. It was, mostly, the harder decisions that he was not so sure she as capable of making because his Queen Wife was softhearted. It was what made them so vastly different from one another, and what made both of his wives so different from one another. Ragnar was the enforcer of his rules, his laws, the way of his people and his culture and though he didn't doubt her per say he wondered if her bleeding heart might allow her to forgive too easily. Had Syver disrespected and challenged her as he had done to Ragnar would she had been able to make the decision that Ragnar had? To chase him out and threaten death if he came anywhere near the Bay ever again? Many Norse had this misconception that they could do whatever they wanted because Ragnar, too, was a Nord; but it begged the question that if they thought the sharing of a culture would share them for disobedience then were they really Norse? Their culture did not excuse disobedience and more often than not it led to death.

Regardless, he did not plan to be gone long and had told Thistle his destination previous to his departure. He wished to speak to Peregrine after hearing that Junior had apparently, left them. He had it from Gunnar whose information Ragnar trusted, but because he was just a boy decided that it was better that he find out from someone who, probably, knew a bit more. It was odd to hear that Junior had left her family on the Plateau, and a little disheartening to the Viking that she had ran off with some 'womans pack' instead of going to the Bay where she knew she was always welcome. It wasn't though, as if Ragnar had spoken to her as of late. Many pieces of the story were missing and the Scandinavian could not help his curiosity, or his worry.

When the platinum colored Jarl reached the borders of the Plateau he stopped, being sure to leave an adequate distance between them and himself, before he lifted his head and let out a call for the Readleaf-DiSarinno man, hoping that Peregrine wasn't too busy to answer some of Ragnar's questions, and hopefully, reassure him.

TABLE CODE BY JOHN

Peregrine did not leave his bed this morning. For one thing, his ribs hurt. For another, the air was cold and his hot (in more than one sense of the word) wife was curled around him like the world's loveliest shawl. Why on earth would he want to move? He could lay here all day, to be perfectly honest with you, though he supposed Fox would eventually wake and wander off to do foxy things.

Before that time could come, a howl rose up into the chilly air, summoning him. "Oh. Damn it," Peregrine muttered, already rising despite his reluctance. He unwound his limbs from his mate's and kissed her drowsy browsy. "I'll be back in thirty, firecrotch. Keep the bed warm for me." After one last lick, he pivoted and hastened to his borders.

Ow, ow, fuck, ow, he thought as he clambered down the towpath to his borders. He didn't let on to his pain outwardly, not wishing to appear weak in front of his guest. "Ragnar," he said as he closed the distance between them. "What can I do for you today?" Ask me anything, his dusky eyes said for him. Although Junior was gone now, Peregrine would never forget that this man and his family had saved his little girl's life.

It did not occur to Ragnar that he might have roused Peregrine from his slumber — this was likely because Ragnar rose at the butt crack of dawn or earlier every day and he just naturally assumed that every Alpha did as well, though he knew that Thistle slept longer than him on most occasions. It was rare that his Queen Wife, or Priestess Wife for that matter, rose before him except for the rare occurrences when they did and Ragnar was left slightly miffed that no one thought to wake him and let him sleep in. The scarred Scandinavian's eyes of caribbean ice found Peregrine's silhouette as the ebon colored male approached, greeting him as the Redleaf-DiSarinno closed the distance that had been previously between them.

Good Morning, Peregrine, The man's name was a bit of a mouthful for the Northerner to say, 'Peregrine' ringing funnily from Ragnar's lilted accent. Nevertheless, even if Ragnar had been aware of the nickname Crete's brother went by he did not presume that they were on good enough or close enough terms for using such things. My son Gunnar has told me that Junior has left you for some woman driven pack? Ragnar asked Peregrine, getting straight to the point. Not that I don't believe my son, but he is young and mistakens things, so I was hoping that maybe you could clear up some things for me, Ragnar hesitated then, scarred ear slicking back to half mast atop his scarred crown before his let out a breath of air. I guess I shouldn't be so concerned but I can't change the fact that I am. If what Gunnar says is true what do you know of this woman pack? I knew one when I was the Jarl of Odinn's Cove, Ragnar was all for strong women but he didn't believe that one sex was more superior than the other; despite that sons were more desired in his culture than daughters.

Of course he didn't tell Peregrine that he had also stolen the Amazon Queen's son, either, but that was neither here nor there and had little to do with the supposed woman's pack that Gunnar had spoken to him of. Or so Ragnar hoped, anyway.

TABLE CODE BY JOHN

The instant Ragnar opened his mouth, Peregrine intuited why he was here. The Jarl had to come to inquire about Junior. The black Alpha's ears tilted backward, which was probably rather indicative of his answer to come. Peregrine couldn't help but notice that Ragnar's did the same. If anyone could understand his sentiments on this matter, it was probably the scarred Scandinavian standing before him.

"Your son isn't mistaken. Junior absconded with a band of religious she-wolves. I tried to talk her out of it but it didn't stop her. I couldn't stop her," he added, which was difficult to admit, especially in front of a fellow Alpha male. How had his five-month-old daughter thwarted him? "There was nothing I could do, short of tie her to the plateau." He exhaled, then pursed his lips. "She's a Warrior and Outrider, strong-willed and adventurous." Peregrine sighed then. "And my mate, who's closer to her age, insisted she was old enough to make the choice for herself. At the end of the day, there really wasn't any room for argument."

Ragnar had mentioned some knowledge of a similar pack, so Peregrine was forced to admit, "I met the leader but I know very little about them as a whole. Any information you can provide me would be great... unless, of course, you're going to tell me that my daughter's being transformed into a brainwashed religious zealot," he finished dryly.

Ragnar's brow furrowed in contemplation as Peregrine confirmed what Gunnar had told him as truth, causing a deep 'hmm' to rumble in the strong column of Ragnar's throat for a few seconds, scarred and unmarred ears slicking back to rest at half mast atop his skull. Ragnar wasn't one to knock religions, especially given his resolute and unwavering dedication to his own in which he would probably fall into Peregrine's religious zealots category but from what Gunnar had told him — something about women are superior and men are inferior that made him weary. And in truth it didn't sound like Junior at all since she was pretty tom-boyish. Or at least, that was Ragnar's impression of her but in reality what did he know? Nothing but his own opinions. Ragnar didn't voice that he'd be pretty pissed if one of his mates tried to interfere by telling him to let his baby girl go with a religious bunch of hyped up she-wolves who thought that they were superior over not just men but likely everyone else if his dealings with Quetzalcoatl was of any indication; given that it was his only experience with any female who considered herself superior over men it was all he had to go off of. However, Ragnar understood that Junior had put Peregrine between a rock and a hard place. She was old enough to make her own decisions but there was always the worry of 'what if she made the wrong one'? The parental instinct that they knew what was best (even if it wasn't true). While their job as parents never really subsided there came a time when they had to cut them loose and let them do things their own way, and make their own mistakes.

I cannot say for certain that the pack Junior ran off with is similar to the pack that I knew up North but from what Gunnar had told me they sound pretty similar, And that was what concerned Ragnar. The Queen of the Amazon Pack I had dealings with, Quetzalcoatl, Her name, even still, felt strange on his tongue, lilting at the wrong places with his accent. She and her women thought that they were the superior to everyone, but especially over men. Men were nothing more than slaves and breeding tools to them. I'm all for women and men having equal amounts of power but there comes a time when it is exaggerated too much both ways. Likely, it wasn't what Peregrine wanted to hear but Ragnar wasn't going to lie or sugar coat anything. Gunnar had said as much to Ragnar which was why he believed concretely, even with second hand information, that Coatl's Rise and this new spawning women pack were extremely similar.

I do not want Junior to be brainwashed like that, Of course, it wasn't his say and there was nothing he could do, but wouldn't that eventually mean that she would think that Ragnar, Peregrine, Gunnar, Eirikr, and her male siblings — any males she had ever came into contact with — were beneath her? And if she didn't then it meant she couldn't fully commit herself to their ways? Ragnar didn't know but he couldn't say that he had ever seen this coming. Do you know what made her make this decision? He asked out of concern for her more than to pry in Peregrine's personal life. Such things typically did not interest Ragnar, and he only asked because it concerned Junior.

TABLE CODE BY JOHN

Peregrine took a moment to digest Ragnar's words before he spoke in turn. "Is it bad that, of all the things Junior could've gotten mixed up in, I'd prefer a group of raging feminists over almost anything else...?" He briefly and guiltily met the other male's eyes. "I'd rather she think herself superior than the other way around," he elaborated, "though, of course, I'd prefer she were still here, learning my ideologies, rather than with some group of strangers, learning their unorthodox beliefs." Peregrine sighed in frustration.

Ragnar wondered if he knew what had made the young girl decide to flee into the arms of these zealots. "Junior took issue with the idea that myself and my new mate would be having more pups in the spring. She found out about it — I'm not even sure how or where — and then threw a temper tantrum and ran away. The next thing I knew, she came back... just to tell me she was leaving for good." He sighed again, more despondently this time.

"I don't want her to be brainwashed either, Ragnar. But what can we do?" He found Ragnar's gaze again, holding it this time. "I might think Junior's foolish and flighty but I would never hurt her or force her hand, especially not now that she's old enough to take ownership of herself and her life. I can only hope that it's not as bad as we think... or that, if it is, she'll realize her mistake and come home."

Yet would Junior come to the plateau in that event? "Actually, Ragnar, if anything goes amiss with her new life, she's more likely to run to you than to me. When she left, I warned her that there may not be space for her if she changes her mind. I didn't say it just to be a callous jerk either. The plateau's doing very well for itself and we're at max capacity more often than not. Just because she's my daughter, she doesn't get a free pass at the pack's expense. Especially not with her penchant for breaking ranks." Realizing he was trying to justify himself, Peregrine stayed his tongue and bit back a third sigh.

Congrats on reaching (over) 1,000 posts, by the way! :D

No...it isn't bad. There are worse out there, Even so, Ragnar wasn't so sure that it was necessarily the best thing but then again, in truth, he had no right nor room to talk. Sounds like Gunnar, Ragnar remarked in a quiet, contemplative voice. Out of all of his children it seemed that Gunnar had the hardest time coping with Nerian as his second wife. Not that I divorced Thistle because I haven't...it's uh complicated I suppose. To Ragnar it was pretty simple but he hadn't came here to talk about himself, he only brought up Gunnar so that he could sympathize with Peregrine about it. He understood what it was like to have a child who did not like to accept change, though luckily, Eirikr and Gyda didn't seem to be bothered either way about the new addition(s) to their family, and at least Gunnar was willing to work with Ragnar on it — though in reality the boy had no choice because he was far too young to decide he wanted to leave.

As much as it causes us worry? Ragnar inquired, wondering idly for a brief moment if it was strange for Peregrine to think that Ragnar, too loved and worried about his daughter as if Junior were one of Ragnar's own. Junior had been easy to love and Ragnar admired his foster daughter's fierce and independent personality greatly. Nothing, really. I learned with my elder sons Týrr and Bragi that you just have to let them do what they want, you have to let them make their own mistakes. It's hard, Odinn knows parenting isn't simple. If it was simple than everyone would do it. Though Ragnar wasn't so sure that he should have ever been allowed to have kids.

I'm glad to hear it, Packs could sometimes be fickle things, as in the case with Wheeling Gull Isle, but the Plateau was one of the oldest packs in the Wilds, besides the Bay (if we're counting it's original founding as Horizon Ridge which Tokio does). Despite that Ragnar didn't believe in alliances he considered the Plateau something of an ally pack in unofficial terms if only because he, himself, was on good terms with Peregrine and Blue Willow. Both circumstances of which had been unintentional but not unwelcoming to the Vikings. Ragnar understood that packs would come and go but it was good to have one or two stable, and elder packs. Packs with roots. If that would ever come to pass I want you to know that she would be welcome in the Bay and that I would see to it that she was taken care of, But Peregrine already knew that Ragnar would take care of Junior, as he had done it before. But that may never happen. She might find her calling with these female wolves. As long as she was safe and happy, Ragnar supposed, that was all that mattered.

TABLE CODE BY JOHN

Peregrine cared very little for the affairs of wolves outside of his pack, though Ragnar's family was a special exception. He gave the other man a curious look when he mentioned his complicated relationship, then again when he mentioned a pair of older sons. Were they Thistle's? Or did Ragnar also have an ex-wife? Considering Crete in that mix, they certainly had their fair share of romantic drama, Peregrine thought. Little did he know.

"Thanks, Ragnar. I hope she's happy with those women... but if she isn't, it is reassuring to know she can and probably will fall back on the bay," Peregrine said. He paused, then added, "Is there any other news to give? Or anything you'd like to ask of the plateau?"

Ragnar offered his dark companion a soft smile, rare and genuine in it's origins when the other man thanked him. In reality, Ragnar wasn't sure if he'd said anything worth Peregrine's appreciation but, regardless, accepted it. Maybe Ragnar had managed to put some of Peregrine's worries to ease. It hadn't exactly worked for Ragnar himself but it came to the point where he realized, and had to admit, that Junior wasn't his daughter and the amount of concern he felt for her was, probably, concerning. She might not have been his real daughter by any stretch of the imagination, but that would be like saying he did not love Eirikr, Gunnar and Gyda because, technically, they weren't his, either. Love, Ragnar had came to find, didn't have limitations like that. If it worked out for Junior then great, but if it didn't she wouldn't be without a home as long as she wanted it. None that I can think of, He kept up on the idle chit-chat of the valley, but figured that anything small that he knew, likely Peregrine did too. It was nice to see you again, Peregrine. The words felt a little strange coming from the Scandinavian's lips, if only because Ragnar meant them. Granted, he didn't hold anything against Peregrine for what Crete had done — they were two different men — but it was strange upon it's own given the fact that long ago Ragnar had deduced friendships outside of his own pack to be...irrational. Not that he would have called what they had a friendship per say but he didn't certainly didn't see Peregrine as an enemy, and he was higher on Ragnar's personal scale of acquaintance.

Attempting to shove the complicated thoughts from his mind Ragnar took a small step back. I should probably be heading back, Despite that Ragnar had full confidence that Thistle could hold down the fort for the little bit that he was gone but too much time spent away from the Bay made the Jarl feel antsy. Thank you for answering my questions. He did not depart right away though, waiting to see if Peregrine had anything else to add, or not.

TABLE CODE BY JOHN

"You too, Ragnar," Peregrine replied genuinely. Like Ragnar, Peregrine didn't place much value on relationships outside of his ranks. The Scandinavian and his family were one of the rare exceptions. He could never forget what they'd done for Junior. Those few weeks when he'd thought her dead had been devastating. Without Ragnar and Thistle, he would've been bereft of his daughter for his entire life instead of just a few miserable weeks.

"Safe travels, friend. Give my regards to your wife and children," the swarthier Alpha said, dipping his muzzle respectfully. He waited for the scarred male to turn and go, then watched for a moment before turning and heading back up to the plateau proper.