It's a cold night, you're feeling surprised and finding yourself in trouble

It had meant to just be a quick dip to take the edge off the itching heat that was crawling beneath her skin. Of course her mate would choose this time of year to slip off to Nihon. Her molars clenched as she considered the predicament she now found herself in with the sun well below the horizon and the temperature dropping rapidly. Whoever had left the net behind needed their hide tanned. The fine wire ensnared the crystals about her neck and her deer fangs were not making short work of the tangle. She was still belly deep in the estuary, unable to haul her own weight and that of the net any further through the reeds, and shivering as the moon rose higher in the sky. "Ferfucksake!" It seemed as if anything could go wrong, it would right now.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

The evening was a bracing one, and Víðarr was grateful for that. He thrived in the cold, the chill. It was beautiful, and made him feel closer to home than usual. Brilliant. He tossed his head as he moved, strides long and confident. It was getting dark, and he'd already hunted for the family but still... well, listen, the shadow had an appetite. A hungry sort of beast, one that was just as happy to slip off and hunt for himself once it was clear everyone else was settled. Keen senses trained on prey, but soon distracted. There was someone else out here, and that someone sounded like they were none too pleased. Víðarr's head lifted, trying to figure out where the sound had come from. "Hej?" It was more curious than anything else. He was trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, moving through the high spring grasses toward the water. A woman seemed to materialize in his field of view, chest deep in the water, and she didn't look happy about it. Still, it didn't look like she was drowning necessarily just... not moving? "You are... okay?" Víðarr squinted, trying to make sense of her predicament.

Sedna would have whipped her head and thrown the man a do I fucking look like I'm okay? face, but her movements were restricted by the tangle of fine line that had her pinned in place, so as it was, the best she could throw him was a sidelong glare. But, she also didn't expect to see anyone else any time soon and didn't much fancy being stuck here for days. It didn't seem like this was a place people often came. She took a deep breath and forced a heavy sigh from her body. Unless he was the one that left the net here... “Caught in a fishin' net.” She reluctantly ground between clenched teeth. “Uh,” She wasn't very good at admitting she needed help at the best of times, but she managed to unhinge her jaw and she took another breath. Getting frustrated wouldn't solve anything. “Would yer mind givin' me some help ter at least get outta the water?” Between the two of them, they could probably manage to haul it out. She didn't expect him to stand in the water long enough to get her untangled.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

The scowl, the glare, frankly it was deserved. It was true, who would just decide to be in the water like that, and on an evening that was threatening to be this cold. Víðarr considered for a moment that maybe it was a trap to get him in the water too, but the shadow would take his chances. The whole being careful around strangers thing wasn't typically him, anyway. "Oh, shit." Caught in a net would make sense for her restricted movements. The shadow moved to the water's edge, trying to properly assess the extent of the net. The low light of the moon reflected just enough off the net that he could really see it, tangled around the woman's crystalline fur.

"Yes, ah... we cut you free? Carefully cut," Víðarr offered some affirmation on the last bit, realizing that it probably sounded a bit... well, at least a bit uncomfortable. Without waiting for confirmation from the woman, he whistled softly for Månsken and began to wade into the water. The owl perched carefully at the full height of his shoulder as he entered the water, feathers ruffing indignantly at the wet and the cold. Still, it didn't seem to trouble Víðarr any. As the shadow neared, he gathered the extent of just how tangled she was.

"Víðarr"

Sedna hadn't given much thought to birds when Chips had decided to stick around her, but watching the silent and graceful owl fly down to land on the dark man's shoulder made her take a note to poke her tongue out at her ibis the next time she saw him. She also wouldn't be leaving Otis behind, but he was busy tending to Fuji's latest bout of injuries and someone had to stick around while she went on her stroll.

Now that the man drew closer, she could make out more of him. She ignored the pang of homesickness in favour of a grin when he suggested cutting her free. That would make things a lot less complicated, as long as he didn't get caught in the net too. “I've already dragged it a bit, so most 'o'it should be out that way,” she tipped her chin towards the deeper water. “I've got a small blade on m' tail, jus a bit tricky ter wave it around this close ter th' important bits, not quite enough control.” Urgh but she didn't want to go waving her tail around, not when he was trying to help her. Still, she lifted the sodden appendage to where the owl could see the bindings holding it in place.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

There's a quiet charm that seems to wrap around the shadowy viking. Víðarr does what he can to not come off threatening, hoping that if he relaxes, so will she. There's the flicker of a smile playing on his features, living in his bright eyes. Saving a lady in distress isn't his usual bit, but maybe it suits him. Maybe. As he took stock of the situation, Víðarr was grateful for the bit of extra height he had on her. It was an easier vantage point, and he quietly considered the crystals where they caught and tangled.

"I'm going to lift it so my friend here does not cut you with his beak," Víðarr's words were gentle, colored heavily with his lilting northern accent. The owl scowled indignantly at the shadow, but followed as he was asked. As gently as he could, Víðarr lifted the sections of net one by one, and his companion cut each strand loose. It was a time consuming process, using a degree of precision he wasn't particularly used to. Still, something about the methodical work was satisfying. "Tail... knife. Never seen that before, I like it." It's a quiet remark, one that comes as Víðarr moved closer to her rear.

After some long minutes, it seemed to the shadow that there was little left of the net trapping her above the surface. "What was on your back is gone, but is there ah, trouble under the water?" There was concern on his features, taking a step back to take a better look. The moonlight was a fickle light source, after all.

"Víðarr"

The compliment given for her small blade made her feel warm, but now was hardly the time. With her torso mostly freed she was able to lower her head and unhook any remaining entanglement around limbs with ease. When he asked if there was any further trouble under the water, she easily shook her head and offered the man (and his companion) a grateful smile. “Thanks,” she offered with ease, trying to stop the shiver that ran through her body as she carefully began to pick her path back towards the shore. Once she was on dry land she could finally try and shake some of the water from her coat, but she had been stuck for quite some time, and so she was chilled to the bone.

“It's a good thing yer came along, I don't think I woulda got out of there on m'own.” With solid sand under her paws and the worst of the excess water shaken free, she could finally get a good look at the man. It was a good thing the accent was entirely unfamiliar (and her family didn't get this tall back home), otherwise, she might have mistaken him for one of them. “Sedna,” she introduced herself through chattering teeth. She thought it was supposed to get warmer in the spring?

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

Once Víðarr was certain she was adequately free, he joined the woman on the slog back to shore. The water certainly got chillier at night, and Víðarr was grateful for the layer of insulation beneath his coat. In truth, the man didn't miss many (ahem, any) meals. A capable hunter and a man who showed his love for his family through food, there would be leftovers and nowhere to store them. Couldn't let that go to waste, after all. Call it a dad bod, or something like that. As they made their way to shore, the shadow looked to his owl perched in the nearest tree. "Tack," and a nod-- she was dismissed. Glad to be freed of service, the bird made herself scarce.

Making sure he was clear of the woman, Víðarr shook the water from his coat. He hadn't been in the estuary nearly as long, and more of his pelt had been above water. That, and he nearly radiated heat, something about the viking blood that ran hot in his system. "I am glad I did," the words aren't quite what he hoped them to be, but he's no poet. Still in a virtual knife fight with the common tongue every time he tried to get into a conversation, some things were harder to change. "Víðarr Trygg," an introduction of his own as he takes the time to really see her. Sedna. A soft sort of smile coloring the corners of his lips, the light in his eyes.

"You are cold, come." An observation, and an offer. The shadow offered his side, moving to settle at the base of one of the stately trees, upon the mossy ground. He wouldn't press the issue, but she was cold and Víðarr could probably fix that.
"Víðarr"

Sedna only felt a slight twinge of trepidation before her hormones got the better of her. Fiery eyes narrowed and a smirk pulled at the corner of her lips. She allowed her hip to drift into his own and she joined him on the short journey to the tree. “Is tha'an observation or an order?” she asked with an arched brow, suggestion heavy in her tone. After all, there was more than one way to warm up, and there wasn't really a reason to not test the water, he'd already been so obliging and maybe it was fate that threw them together in this lonely place?

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

The smirk, he liked that. There was fire in her, and Víðarr could more than appreciate that. Trying not to be too much of a jackass would be in his best interest, given the situation. Sedna did always have the option to stab hm, too, if he took things too far and didn't catch a hint. Still, there was no denying that she was cold, and Víðarr could at least help her out there. His eyebrows lifted just a bit as she spoke. "I'm just saying, it would be a shame for you to freeze after all that," he chuckles, a brassy, rumbling sound echoing from his chest. The shadow made himself comfortable here.

He dared drape his head across her shoulders, testing the waters. Something told him that she'd be rather direct if she wanted rid of him, and he hadn't picked up on that vibe so far. That, and there was no better vibe check than a stabbing.

"Víðarr"

Perhaps it was that there wasn't much like coming to terms with your impending slow death from exhaustion and eventual drowning only to be saved by a stranger, or maybe it was the hormones or just a general magnetism between them? She wasn't really in the headspace to question it too much right now, but she would probably wonder about it down the track. When he draped his head across her shoulders she turned her head to nibble at the longer fur about his cheeks suggestively, a decidedly playful light dancing behind her eyes for all the exhaustion standing in the frigid water under that weight had bought on her. If he really wanted to help her warm up, she was more than willing to guide him in the steps.

Fadey fade fade.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed