Stavanger Bay Heavy Hearts

Thistle walked back to the pack lands, her heart somewhere in her throat. She told Gunnar to stay with his three brothers, and his sister and she continued on. She stood looking out over the land, she had lay claim to with her husband. The land that she had lain with, birthed and loved on. Now, she wasn't sure if it was worth it, for she was all alone. Steeling her backbone, she let out a song. A sad song, a song of lost, but also a song with an undercurrent of revelation, of joy. For they would celebrate her mates life, they would celebrate all he had given them, but they would have their seven days to grieve.

She called out to @Aesop and @Charon , to @Levi and @Atreyu , then her song reached out to @Lyric and though her 4 little babies could not join them in this, and Gunnar could not either as he watched them. Her song reached out to @Ragna @Jorunn @Floki and @Kaylan . She lowered her muzzle and she stood with tears sliding down her muzzle, and blue eyes full of unshed water. This was not how this was supposed to go.

Levi had sensed something was wrong. Ragnar had been away for many days, taking a trip as outrider for the bay. Levi knew, instinctively, that something was wrong, but what it could be, he didn't know. It was with a heavy heart that Levi responded to his mother's song. He lifted his grey muzzle into the air and called to her, mixing his own song with sadness and joy, things mixed equally in his life. He understood the pain that his new siblings would feel at the loss of their father. At least they were young enough to not even know they were missing a father. Levi envied them that bliss.

Aesop was spending his days preparing for his next venture out to meet Alastor, but it would seem that that trip had to wait.  A poignant song that spoke of immeasurable grief and pain rose about the land, and Aesop's heart caught in his throat.

Ragnar was dead.

He had not known the man well, but still he let his voice join that of Thistle Cloud and Gunnar, raising in exultation of a brave man and lament of his loss.  And when he let his voice die away, he knew that he could not yet go.  He would be needed here.

Not sure if we were supposed to reply to this, but I'm gonna do it anyway <3

At the precise moment her mother's song rang out, Ragna received the gift of sight. Though she could not hear the lament of her people, the Shield Maiden responded by looking upon the bright, blue world with unadjusted eyes. She glanced around at the emptiness of the den, her mother and father gone, leaving her surrounded by her siblings. And though she knew not that she was doing so, her own cries joined the din, though for reasons more basal than mourning. And so with the passing of her father, her life truly began.

It was evident that something had gone terribly wrong the moment Thistle's song reached out to Charon. Charon had spent much of his time helping out with the pups, searching for a place of his own, a den -- but he was picky so he had not made much progress as of yet -- patrolling the borders and doing his best to help the pack out. When he heard Thistle's song, Charon started to make his way to where she was, for it was clear that Thistle was in distress and could use someone near.

Before he reached Thistle, the songs of Levi and Aeop joined to grief Ragnar's life, and though he did not stop or turn around, Charon took a moment to lift his nose into the air and howl with them before he continued his journey again.

When he reached Thistle, Charon pressed his nose gently underneath her chin and nuzzled gently. Then Charon withdrew, the usually so talkactive boy knowing nothing good to say and refraining from speaking for the moment, hoping that his presence would somehow fill the tiniest bit of the hole the loss had left behind.

The howl rang out clear as day, interrupting Atreyu in his search for some morsel of food. As usual, the call only went half-regarded and he set off at a lazy trot towards where the sound had come from, tail flipped over his back casually. It was when the howls of three others intertwined with Thistle's that he really stopped and regarded her song. It was deeper than usual, more sombre and mournful, creating a tune that sent shivers down his spine as the other members of the pack added their own voices. The boy stood stock still, one ear cocked as he listened, before his stomach suddenly dropped and a harsh realisation dawned upon him — the Jarl was dead.

A barely suppressed whine slipped from his throat, and Atreyu wandered forward several steps, stopping and retracing them, before falling into a sit, unsure of what to do. The howl had been only to announce Ragnar's demise; Thistle wasn't calling them to her. Not yet. Had she known? Had Ragnar been sick? Was that why he had been so scarce? Yet at the meetings, when their litter had been born, he had seemed fine. The boy felt hot tears well in his eyes, and he quickly swiped them away with a paw. Perhaps he had misheard; had Ragnar taken down another, some trespasser or prominent figure?

The yearling stared into the forest where the howls originated, battling with the urge to run screaming towards the Alpha and demand answers, or simply grieve with her and the others. Instead, he sat silently, quivering from shock. He would give the family time to grieve, but he wanted to know what had happened. He wanted to see Ragnar — whether he was dead or alive.

Thistle stood stock still while other howls joined hers. She even returned the gentle nudge from Charon, extremely appreciative of the peppered boy. She tilted her head and looked down. Wondering what she could do, and how she could get past this. Frankly she had no idea. The pain was worse than anything she had ever imagined. It resonated from the inside out, and her heart felt tight and squeezed. How would she live without him? Despite the fact that she had too. She sniffled gently, and lifting her muzzle one more time she called to the two she wanted to bury him. @Aesop and @Atreyu . She called them to her, hoping that they would come quickly. 

She turned towards Charon and sadness filled her up. Charon, can you help bury Ragnar, when the other two come? I'll help too of course. Then she waited silently hoping to end the day. All she wanted to do was cry, and hug her babies, all of them even the ones too big to be hugged and those adopted.

Greatly subdued by the news of the Jarl's death, Aesop came to the conclusion that he would have to postpone his next visit to see Alastor.  Loathe as he was to do so, he could not leave now.  Especially not for so long.  So even as calls still went up to mourn the loss of Ragnar, Aesop began to mentally plan just how to get that message out to his friend on the other side of the Wilds.

Finally, Thistle called for Aesop and Atreyu, and with a heavy heart he answered the call.  He howled to let her know he was on his way, then broke off in a swift lope to find her.

When he did, he saw that she stood with Charon.  Devastation and heartbreak hung heavy in the air, and it hurt him to see his friend so.  He approached and prodded her neck, her shoulder affectionately, hoping to provide some comfort.  Being verbally supportive was difficult, but this he could do.

After he listened to those around him, Levi decided to go to his siblings. He found Ragna within the den and nudged her gently, licking her head and gathering his siblings to him, trying to calm them. Both Ragnar and Thistle Cloud were gone, one more permanently than the other, and it was his duty to protect his siblings. Without any preamble, he started singing to them, hushing and shushing them when they cried. He had no milk, but he hoped his familiar presence would calm them for now.

Levi was not here, and it was probably for the best. Charon was afraid that his brother might be too hurt to see another family member deceased -- he had perhaps not physically seen the deaths of their biological family, but Levi had always taken it very poorly. It was probably for the best that he did not come in person; little did Charon know that his brother was in fact with Ragnar and Thistle's children, their siblings, in many ways, soothing them and playing a useful part of the mourning in his own manner.

Aesop arrived first, and Charon nodded quietly at him. Charon held strong, even in Levi's absence, because he felt breaking down sobbing wouldn't help the situation any. "Is here alright?" Charon asked Thistle Cloud when she asked them to help bury Ragnar's body; he waited for Thistle to either start digging or confirm the place was good enough before starting to dig.

It seemed his wishes would be granted, as Thistle called him and Aesop to her then, and Atreyu got to his feet sluggishly, moving forward with no urgency. He still couldn't wrap his mind around it. Their Jarl had been there one day and gone the next. He struggled to think of what could possibly have taken down the viking, and the questions churning in his mind spurred him onwards, picking up his pace as he closed in on the scents of his other pack mates. He had sensed unrest a few weeks before, something to do with the pack further along the coast. While he had never encountered the members of the Sound, he had heard of their rather...strange antics. Had they something to do with it?

Eventually, he arrived to the small gathering, his expression grave despite the millions of questions he had. He stared at Charon before turning to the Alpha blankly, unsure of what to say to the kid who had now lost two fathers or to the mother who had to raise a new litter alone. Of course, it was up to the pack to help bring up the pups, but there was so little of the pack left. Staying silent, Atreyu dipped his head as he drew up beside Aesop, ready to do whatever he was asked.

Thistle nodded her head, Here is fine. in seven days we shall feast. To honor him, whether we do it together or apart. I myself will be making my own sacrifices in honor of Ragnar. Come. SIghing softly, Thistle bent her back to the task. Tears tracing her muzzle, to fall and mingle in the sandy earth. She did not really pay attention to those around her, too lost in her own grief. She continued her work silently and diligently while her mind followed back to the happiest of times with Ragnar. She loved him with her whole being and to have him gone, well it felt very much like someone had ripped her apart and let her bleed out.

Charon wondered what Thistle meant when she said 'sacrifices'. He hoped she would not take her own eye, for while Charon respected his parents' belief in the Gods, he himself was sceptical about their existance. Ragnar had always worked hard to keep the Gods happy. He had given his own eye to them, his soul, and much more, and yet here he lay, dead and cold, and with too few wolves for comfort left in the vicinity.

Alongside the others, Charon dug to help bury the body, silently thinking about these things. He would remember Ragnar positively, for all the things he had done right and for raising him when his own parents were no longer there to do so. The realisation that Ragnar was really gone was a tough one to fully realise; even when looking upon his deceased body.