At first Verdandi hated all of the snow, and ice, and cold.  They hadn't seen much else of these strange new lands since their arrival a few weeks back and she was so over huddling up for warmth at night, sick of eating snow to quench her thirst, and angry that she'd slipped and fell on more than just a few occasions.  Now, however, the fae was growing quite used to the climate.  Perhaps even learning to fancy it.  There were secrets hidden in locations like these, some so great that they must have been placed by the gods themselves.

They'd found another secret today in the location they'd stumbled upon.  Stones glittered like brilliant heavenly diamonds all around them in a way that made the woman believe just for a moment that she'd died and entered one of the great halls.  "Thor is smiling upon me, Freydís, and Freyja upon you."  she grinned, marveling over the wonder before them.


”Speech”  ’Thought’

Føðesk ulfr i skogi.

These lands were strange, intriguing even, but Freydis did not fancy them in the least. Where they were wonderous and beautiful, so too were they cold, and harsh, and not so apt to sustain life. Their travels had brought them here sure, and so had their Gods, but it seemed only misfortune had followed them since they left home.  

At Verdandi's prompting, Freydis couldn't help but take in their surroundings. Where her companion saw glittering stones and diamonds, Freydis saw chilling heights, and cold nights. It certainly didn't feel like Freyja's blessings had been given. "Are you sure they are smiling and not laughing?"

Róta wasn’t quite sure how she came to the basin. One minute she was sneaking some of Idunn’s private stash, and the next, well everything was back. She wasn’t sure if it was the mead she had swindled the poor trader out of, or if their priestess cousin had cottoned onto her misdeeds and laced the stash with something a bit more potent to teach her a lesson, but her head was throbbing as emerald slits squinted against the pale reflective stones she had curled herself up against.

Voiced came shouting into her ears, though history had long since told her they were probably speaking at regular volume and the gods were just punishing her for excess. She heaved herself up from her nook and shook, the way her fur puffed making her seem even rounder than usual as she glanced about to try and spot her surprise company. “Well you certainly won’t find Lofn dwelling in these parts, I’m pretty sure they are laughing.”

“Speech”

only dead fish go with the flow

The fae shot an unamused look toward Freydís before continuing in her observation of the glittering stones.  How was it that the woman could be in a place like this and not feel any of the magic at all?  Verdandi thought she was supposed to be the pessimistic one.  Oh well.  Perhaps only Thor was smiling today.

The unfamiliar voice took her by surprise and almost caused yet another slip and fall on the ice, but Verdandi caught herself just in time.  Her eyes scanned wildly for the source, and finally landed upon a woman that... actually looked like she could be a distant cousin or something.  They had a similar color palette, but the stranger's patterns were in all the wrong places to suggest something of closer relation.  She even spoke of one of their gods.  How could she possibly know of their gods?  Verdandi looked at Freydís with bewilderment obvious in her eyes.  

"Are you okay?  What do you need with the goddess of healing?"

”Speech”  ’Thought’

Føðesk ulfr i skogi.

The stranger's presence wouldn't have been unnerving had she not spoke in such a way, had she not mentioned their Gods. Freydis met Verdandi's gaze in hopes that her companion might notice the subtle suspicion on her face. They hadn't.. been followed had they? It had been a very real concern, ever present in the back of the mottled wolf's mind as they worked to put distance between themselves and their former home.

Still they were two to her one, and so long as she didn't have any friends fluttering about, even the size difference wouldn't be that much of a concern. "She looks fine to me." She stated in reference to Verdandi's query before continuing on. "More likely we've stumbled upon Niflheim than into any hall."

“Comfort, healing, I don’t need healing, I need more mead.” Her eyes were still squinted against the stupid bright stone. “This is a bad place to have a hangover.” She finally declared, dragging her parched and fuzzy feeling tongue against her teeth as she stumbled forward, looking for any patch of shade to better make out her company. “Idunn be damned, I wonder what she laced it with.” Her words were harsh but the smirk on her lips betrayed no bad feelings, despite the metallic taste that was not blood in her mouth and the incessant pounding of her head.

The other’s caution was lost on her bleary eyes, she could only assume if they understood the words she spoke and if they praised her cousin’s gods, then they were probably okay (unless they came from the same place the Trygg’s had fled from but there was something ever so slightly off in the accent, the scents were all wrong). Besides, she was currently on the outs with their family’s gods, (unless they leaned towards troublemaking), so she hardly had to worry about others calling them against her. “I am called Róta, and my family come from the far north. It isn’t often I run into others that speak our tongue.”

“Speech”

only dead fish go with the flow

"...Idunn?"  The fae whispered to her travelling companion.  Was this wolf implying that the goddess of youth laced her drink with something?  That didn't sound very... in character, as far as Verdandi's knowledge of the deity went.  Though she supposed it was entirely possible that the stranger could have been speaking rather of someone named after the goddess.  She herself shared a name with one of the norns, after all.  Hopefully that was the case and they weren't standing around talking to some weirdo.  Or worse.

"Verdandi... And we could say the same.  How long have you and your family been on these lands?"  Knowing might clear up some of the worry the pair seemed to share.  She was sure that between the two of them they'd be able to tell if the woman was lying or not.  Hopefully.  But there was no way that this wolf had anything to do with their home, right?  Surely they'd recognize her.

”Speech”  ’Thought’

Føðesk ulfr i skogi.

Freydis watched the woman, judging her movements and searching her expressions in an effort to either prove or disprove her theory that this woman had been sent after them. Was it truly a coincidence that they spoke the same tongue, even though her scent and accent were off? Could she not have been from a sister band, or even just hired from somewhere else entirely?

The pastel woman introduced herself after Verdandi, offering a simple, "Freydis." before allowing her companion to continue along in the line of questioning. Surely they would have the answers they were looking for shortly. After all, the woman had them alone, so if she was going to try something, why not just do it?