Sleeping Dragon and sometimes, we only know how to crumble

All welcome! Maybe @Gluskap, @Rebekka, and/or @Hush?

The night is early, not fully dark yet, but the last of the sun’s colors are slowly sinking into the earth. What’s still illuminated now will be gone within the next few minutes and Thuringwethil knows she should settle somewhere for the night, but doesn’t find herself compelled to just yet. She draws away from the borders for the night, knowing there are at least two others scouting overnight. With the threat of the grotto looming nearby, she’s not going to be vulnerable to anything stupid they may pull.

Thuringwethil follows the length of a narrow stream that flows down the mountain. On hot days, it is often dry, but with the rain earlier in the day, it has a little to offer. She drops her nose to take a drink before continuing on to a ledge the hovers over the northern peak of the mountain. The night is quiet, more than usual, and her mind wanders a little to Wildfire and her eventual return—and what news she might bring back with her.

The Grotto's presence had annoyed, no, riled, the mute, pushing him to bolster the western borders more fiercely than before. He finished one of these patrols right before the sun fully disappeared, a yawn creaking through his maw. He was tired; the day hot and wet and sticky. He rejoiced in the soft cooling of the night, though it did nothing to ease his thirst.

Hush brought himself to a creek, gladly lapping up its cool water. As he rose, licking the droplets from his soaked muzzle, he noticed a canine shaped figure in the shadows. He chuffed, walking towards the figure, only to have her features become clearer in his pale blue eyes; Heda. His head dipped and he whimpered in greeting to the Commander.

Thuringwethil doesn’t get far from the creek when she hears the whimper of another and her head swings around the find Hush. In what is left of the light—which isn’t much—she looks him over. He is one on the borders frequently after the breech of the grotto wolf and has continued to reprove his stay within Drageda. In fact, with the new changes, he’d been easy to assign to his new role within Dragedakru and she offers him a slight smile, shifting her weight to approach the coywolf.

“Hush,” she says softly, her tail arched high offering a gentle wag. “I hadn’t gotten to tell you. I’m glad you came home.”

It had taken some time for Thuringwethil to open back up for Hush. He’d been a follower of Gyda from the beginning, she knew his favor toward the viking—not to say he didn’t equally respect her, but she understood—and had been thankful for his stay in the meeting where the other viking simply gave up. The thought alone left a bitter taste in her mouth and she hopes, briefly, for the sake of the other she never crosses paths again.

The young leader breaks the thought and returns her attention to her Rauna, nudging his nose with her own before stepping back once more.

Hush right now

Though Thurin probably didn't see it in the darkness, Hush's face was largely occupied by the huge smile he was wearing. He was glad to finally hear those words come out of his Heda's mouth, glad that she was finally putting whatever respect she had for him into words.

She stepped forward and gently nudged him. Hush took the opportunity to lick her chin and nudge her back, his way of a thank you, his tail wagging furiously and a steady whimper eminating from his throat all the while.

His excitements causes a thrum of her heart, feeling the tongue against her chin and she steps back to look at him. She hadn’t expected him to be so thrilled but there’s a part of her that enjoys it. His loyalty, while questioned, remained strong. Through the famine, through Gyda stepping down, she knows where his roots are buried.

“Have you met the puppies yet?” she decides to ask, twitching an ear. He’d spend a lot of time around the den as guard but she’d never caught him inside. Gyda has her fondness for the mute and while it wouldn’t surprise her, she’d already gotten excited about introducing him to them.

To his chagrin, Hush hadn't seen the puppies. As much as he wanted to, he had been preoccupied with the outside threat, as well as his other mundane duties. He made sure Gyda was well fed, and therefore the pups, but he never saw the fruits of his, and the rest of the pack's, labors. The mute shook his head, wondering if he would finally have a chance.

Puppies can join if they want to. :)

There’s a hint of surprise that Hush hadn’t been given the opportunity to see them yet but she supposes some of that had to do with her, and perhaps Gavriel. None of that matters now as she jerks her nose for him to follow and she trots at a leisurely pace in the direction of the mother’s den. She’d gotten to know them well each night—and with Gavriel back her time hasn’t been as frequent—but she looks forward to the day she can see them running around the territory just like any of the others.

As she approaches, Gyda is standing outside and stretching her legs. Perfect timing. They exchange a few words, their intention, and she glances to the side to see if the male is ready. Gyda wanders away for a drink of water, Thuringwethil stepping into the den first to make sure they are all okay and then invites the mute inside.

“Their names are @Freyja, @Thyri, @Hvitserk, and @Eske,” she says as touches each of them gently and respectively.

Hush was excited as he followed Thurin to Gyda's den, the scent of milk and puppies growing thick in the air as they approached. He smiles at Gyda as she stands outside, nosing her gently as she walks away, his focus soon pinpointing on the small bundles in the den. His head pushes in, and he sees the four of them squirming in the darkness. They probably looked like their parents, naturally; one boy and three girls, all bearing the marks of both Viking and Drageda. He couldn't see their markings very well in the dark, but he could tell that one was very pale, perhaps white? and another dark, perhaps gray or brown. The other two hand similar tones, a dark color on top with white underbellies. No matter how different they looked, they all were adorable to him. Hush let out a soft whimper that sounded more like a squeal than anything.

It does not take long for Hush to settle in the den and look upon them, making sounds of his own. Thuringwethil lowers her nose and nudges a puppy closest to her before she glances back to watch the male. She’d trusted him a lot longer than she’d let on, putting him through the ropes, but as a final founding member of Sleeping Dragon, he’d have a special place in her heart. The others, albeit Lucani, often fall to the wayside, as well as those along the way, and she’s glad Hush hadn’t fallen to the same fate.

He nosed them gently, eventually rising and walking out. They were cute, but were nothing but wriggling potatoes that he didn't want to wake. No one needed squalling pups this time at night. He turned to Thurin and smiled, his head nodding. He nudged her chin gently, his way of saying thank you for the opportunity. He couldn't wait to see them grow into proud members of Drageda. But for now they were adorable bundles for him to squeal over.

Hush does not stay long in the den and she is thankful he knows when to back out. Heda would have given more time if he’d lingered but eventually he would go. Thuringwethil picked herself up, carefully, and exited the den behind the male. Once he thanks her, she smiles briefly before it disappears. She lingers by the opening of the den for a moment, letting Hush go about his business, before Gyda returns and Thuringwethil returns to her own business.