Arrow Lake — disappearances, after all, have explanations. usually.

blodreina feels the journey in a way she would not have before, despite that she is not as far along as aure is. she feels the weight of tiredness press upon her limbs and the weight of her fissuring heart in her chest. the decision to leave behind all she'd ever known, the pack she'd stood behind so fiercely and so loyally hadn't been easy and there are moments of doubt. she could have easily fled to sangeda but the threat of war still looms even for them. without a commander they are lost. perhaps they'd found atajar. perhaps there was a heda to keep the other branches at bay. perhaps blodreina doesn't wish to live in the shadow of her parents, love them though she does. the truth was that she didn't want to see drageda fall, not when she only remembered it as being strong and she didn't want to leave the teekon wilds. it's the only place she's ever lived and it's where she wants to raise her children. she thinks that when they tell gyda about her departure from drageda that the viking queen will understand.

still, she goes back and forth, only to steel her resolve the closer they draw to pack lands. to appear uncertain ( when it is already too late ) would make her appear weak, flighty even. is she not blodreina? the great wanlida? in spirit, perhaps, for she would never bear the rank again.

aure and her twin speak for their ragtag kru and when they finish blodreina — never one to let others speak for her ( or at least, do all the talking ) — steps forth with a respectful bow of her head ( realizing that the last time she'd done this was for heda ), we come armed with skills to offer your ranks, too. at least, she knows for sure that verx, aure and herself have trades. the other two women and aure's twin she doesn't know but beyond names but that is of little consequence at the moment. regardless, blodreina doesn't want to be just a number. she wants them to know that they're more than capable of pulling their own weight especially because she fears just being a number may not be enough especially as they plea for diaspora to take in not one but two pregnant women; and beyond that she wants to put her skills to use ...at least until she is unable to ( and she thought the morning sickness was bad, ha. ). the life growing within her own womb is at risk and blodreina finds that fact bolstering her fierce determination to ensure she has a place to safely deliver and raise said life.