Stavanger Bay [j] the break

@Ragnar

She had gone as quickly as she had come. Though nightfall darkened the light of the sun, she did not slow in her movement. A quietness fell over her as she followed scents on the air now, unlike the last time she sought out her brother. Where before she was lead by her dreams of a raven, today she forged her own path. She paused, tasted the air, and moved forward. Cautiously she approached the strength that was Ragnar's scent. Surely his borders were here, then? She peeked over the rise and took in the view of the ocean. It had been long since she tasted the sea.

The moon was rising steadily and she watched it with hungry eyes. Hati had not been deprived of stories when she was learning the of the worlds, and knew well the one of her namesake. She had been named for the great wolf who chased the moon, hoping to one day devour it; and now, as she looked at the crescent glow in the sky, she understood. She left to explore more of her dreams, but that was not where her duty belonged. She was not a seer, after all. The chilling silence that gripped the night was her only company for now as she waited for her brother to greet her. It was not his pack she had joined last, but the strength of his scent here with the others was promising. Hati had always questioned his willingness to follow rather than to lead.

Ragnar had been finishing up his patrols for the night, making his last leg on the stretch of beach — paying close attention to the break of arch in the cliff that barred the way into Stavanger Bay's lands. It was probably the easiest way for wolves to sneak onto their territory though not many of the trespassers, except for two of them, had ever utilized it. Not that trespassing into his land was a smart idea. Indeed, it had ended badly both times for Ragnar's mercy had been depleted the times before. The one had nearly died at Ragnar's jaws and the other had been chased out alongside one who Ragnar had not trusted much from the beginning. Normally, Ragnar wasn't so suspicious of his own ilk but the boy had given the Seer in the scarred Scandinavian a bad vibe. It was for the better, as far as Ragnar could be concerned. Maybe if he killed a few of them and put their bodies on grotesque display outside the borders others would get the message. No more. Prisoners were a lot of upkeep anyway. More time and effort that he did not have nor did he want himself, or any of the other members of Stavanger Bay to have to waste.

A pale silhouette caught his eye, draped in moonlight and for a second his heart nearly stopped as his body ceased it's forward movement to stare at her. Móðir. He shook his head quickly, chasing the notion away viciously. It was highly unlikely that Kenna would have braved the trip, especially when she had a new mate and her favorite son in charge of Odinn's Cove. Which left only one more realistic option. Hati. His only sister had returned to him and he had much to share with her. Hati, Ragnar cooed to his baby sister as he approached her, stopping when he was within a stone's throw of her. He had not held her wandering heart against her, for they were an adventurous people, curious to boot. They roamed and they conquered.

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As she waited for her brother's patrol, she lost herself within the sea. Her eyes followed the waves back and forth before scouring the shoreline, wondering what treasures lay buried in the sands. Hati took pleasure in the most simple things, even shells; but for Ragnar, treasure was held at a higher standard than shells. The more she explored the beaches from afar, the more excited she was to finally get to know the part of her family she had not yet had a chance to meet. Perhaps now she could apologize to Sköll if he was still here, but was not worried if he wasn't. Forgiveness wasn't completely unknown to them.

Her ear pulled and she followed, suddenly awake from her ocean dreams. Ragnar had materialized while she was distracted and she patted her tail softly against the ground to greet him. She took a small step forward and ducked her head, touching her nose to the bottom of his chin before pulling back. "Ragnar," she said with a smile, glancing back toward the sea for a moment. "A hidden gem," she breathed, regarding the cove. She turned back to him and offered an apologetic smile. "There was much to see," she started with a soft chuckle, "but I am ready to join you." This place was not like their home. There were many things to see, new things, and new people. She dare not approach boundaries she could smell, but she did observe. Traveling alone, however, was not something she quite preferred to do, especially after losing her companion, Sköll.

Shaking her thoughts away, she curiously eyed her brother for a moment before a sly smile crept onto her face. She sniffed toward him gently and cocked her head. "You have little ones?" she asked, excitement dancing on her tongue. She herself was barely a yearling, but through Sköll she learned great patience and the importance of young. They were vital and Sköll's teachings had not gone unnoticed, however subtle some may have been.

Ragnar offered his baby sister a lick upon her cheek, drawing in her scent, foreign and familiar though it was. I keep mistaking you for mother, Ragnar admitted to her with a soft chuckle. He meant that as a compliment, of course. Kenna had been the desire of many Berserkers even after her youth, though it was Eitri she had fallen in love with and now, the young Sigurd. The scarred Jarl smiled at her assessment of his pack lands, lifting his icy Caribbean eyes to give it a quick over before they settled back to her. Odinn led me here, Ragnar breathed to her. Seeing Odinn was nothing new for the Berserker; it was such a natural part of his life that it was rare if he didn't glimpse the All-Father. He came to me as a Raven, Hati ...a one eyed raven and brought me to this Bay where my family and pack could be safe. Safe from the bear that had taken Pump's life and safe from the intrusion of Wheeling Gull Isle. One of those, at least, Ragnar knew to be gone. He had not been to Horizon Ridge in quite some time and did not know if the bear that had ended their leader's life was still around or not.

Welcome home, Hati, Ragnar murmured to her in a welcoming manner, smirking slightly at her. He had worried about her at first, but then his worry had lessened. She had not been the small wailing infant he had known in Odinn's Cove. She was nearing adulthood and Kenna had taught her well, he knew. He knew it without having witnessed it because Kenna was his mother too and Ragnar liked to think that he knew her. For a moment the Jarl hesitated, before he fixed her in another stare. Sköll left some time ago for Odinn's Cove. There is always the chance that he may come back. Especially, Ragnar felt, if he knew Hati was back in the Bay. Ragnar missed his friend's young son but had not tried to stop the boy when he had confessed his want to leave. Not so little anymore, Ragnar corrected her with a soft laugh. Two sons, Eirikr and Gunnar; and a daughter, Gyda. They will be four months old soon. They grow by the day. I have a foster daughter named Junior wandering around these Wilds somewhere, too, Because he couldn't forget Junior. She is shared between her biological parents and Thistle and myself...it is a long story. Ragnar took a pause before his lips parted to speak once more. I have two wives now, as well.Do you remember my slave Nerian? She is a free woman now and my second wife. I hope to have children by her before the end of the year. Ragnar was a busy man, literally.

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When he mentioned Kenna, Hati smiled sadly. She was close to their mother, and was probably why she took an attachment to Sköll as well. Though she knew little about what it meant to fancy someone when she was living in the Cove, she did know her mother was popular. She never thought about it, and probably never would; not like that, at least. When Ragnar spoke of Odinn, her features lifted into a smile. She had not known of Pump's death but was not affected, as she did not really know the woman from her brief time in the pack that was not Ragnar's. "Wheeling Gull Isle?" she questioned, but as Ragnar moved on, she assumed it was no longer important.

Welcome home, Hati, he had said. The way he said it warmed her and she smirked back at him. "It is good to be home," she cooed, watching as his eyes caught hold of her. Was he hesitating? Was there bad news? But what he said next did not entirely surprise her. "I see," she commented, turning her head toward the sea. "I wish to see him again, to thank him. He was not angry, I hope," she teased, knowing it wasn't like that. She chuckled softly before turning back to Ragnar.

"Two sons," she said proudly, knowing that somewhere within the conquering heart of her brother he secretly favored sons. She raised a brow as he mentioned Junior and the strange predicament they seemed to be in with the child, but she didn't question it as he went on to say it was a long story. When he spoke of Nerian though, her brow raised higher. "Oh?" she asked, interest piqued. She knew it was not uncommon for men of their culture to take more than one wife, her own mother explained this to her, but she had never thought much on the matter. Nerian knew much of their culture, but she wasn't sure how much Ragnar's first wife understood.

"What of your first wife? I don't believe I've heard much of her," she mumbled, implying her true question. Did his first wife accept this? Hati had learned that, outside of their culture, it was taboo and wrong to take more than one wife. Though she was but a yearling, Hati began to think more on it than she ever had: would she like it if she had to share a husband? Her own gaze dropped as she thought on this.

They had claimed the Isle right outside of Horizon Ridge, do you remember it? Even if she didn't it wasn't of much consequence, in reality. They acted the victim for being so close to us but they are gone now. Poor leadership at it's finest. Ragnar's smirk was grim and malicious all at once. He didn't even have to do anything to the Isle pack for they had destroyed themselves and it had been a sweet thing to hear about. He had his suspicions about if they would last, or not. It turned out that his intentions were correct. I doubt it. This is Skoll we are speaking of. He is a lot like his father, Ragnar smiled, this time, though it was laced with sorrow as opposed to mirth.

I will have more, Ragnar was so convinced of this that he felt no need to add an 'I hope' to the end of it. Odinn had told him that he would have many sons and he took the All-Father on his word. Thistle? She lies to me when she says she is okay with it. I know she is not and I hurt her, He supposed that he should not have expected anything different from an outsider to their culture. I cannot make her see that it is not an insult to her. I am trying to take care of Nerian like I promised her I would. Especially after what Vali had done to her when I left... Ragnar trailed off in the hopes of sparing his young sister the gruesome details if Hati did not already know. She had been younger then and Ragnar did not know if Kenna still worshiped the ground her youngest son to Eitri walked on.

Anyway, He did not wish to speak of the mess he still had but tried to ignore with his multiple wives. It would only anger him if he continued to think and speak on it. Instead he looked to her as an invitation for her to tell him of her adventures.

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