it’s not rare the find the Viking boy trekking through the area, brow furrowed as he navigates the leaf-littered earth. with winter just around the corner, ice threatens to settle along every tree branch and stump, adding a tremulous uncertainty to every step. trekking through the undergrowth, Styrmir lifts his head and sniffs the air, frowning at the foreign scent that touches his nose. hackles rising, he slinks forward with mounting suspicion, thinking only of his family and their subsequent safety. no matter the detriment to his own health, he won’t let anyone threaten their safety. he’d sooner die.

Up to her no good antics. She found she rather liked approaching strangers, they always were so different from each other. Illusion observed the boy from a distance, a flicker of curiosity stirring within her. He looked like he was her age, but where had he come from? She thought it was only a handful of pups that were allowed to venture out into the world so young, just like her. Maybe it wasn’t so uncommon? Then what was mother spewing earlier?

Drawing closer, Illusion remained hidden from view, her slate figure masked by the shadows of the underbrush. She could sense the tension in the air, the sense of unease that seemed to cling to the boy like a shroud. It was clear that he was on edge, but why? The girl didn’t understand fear, so she could not understand his caution.

As he sniffed the air, Illusion held her breath, wondering if he would discover her. A frown, his fur standing on edge, and he was coming straight for her hiding place. Well. She wouldn’t just let him.

The girl stepped out before him, her eyes locking onto his with a mix of curiosity and boldness. “Hello.” She called out softly, her voice carrying on the chilly breeze. “You found me.” Her words were laced with a subtle, giggly charm, a calculated attempt to gain his trust through the idea that this was a game. She stalks, you find her. Easy.

illu

the boy draws up short, brows furrowing as blue eyes scan the newcomer from head to toe. a…girl? whatever he’d been expecting it certainly isn’t this. but Styrmir falters for only a moment before recovering himself, lips peeling back to reveal bared teeth as he marches forward. the stranger might be a (very pretty) girl, but she’s still, in the Viking’s mind, a perceived threat. “state your business,” he demands, voice a low growl. well, the pup equivalent of a growl. “why were you hiding?” he aims to move until they’re scarcely an inch apart, utilising his size to bear down on the smaller pup and make his intentions clear: if she tries to run, he will pursue.

The much larger boy is all business, no fun. His sudden assertiveness catches Illusion off guard, but she refuses to show any signs of intimidation. Instead, she met his fierce gaze with a defiant stare of her own, refusing to back down.

“State my business?” She echoed, her voice calm and steady despite the tension crackling between them. “Why, I could ask you the same thing.” She held her ground as he closed the distance between them, his larger form looming over her. But she didn't flinch. Instead, she stood tall, refusing to be intimidated by his display of dominance. She even batted her lashes up at him, a little smile curling the edges of her lips.

“As for why I was hiding,” The silver eyed girl continued, her tone completely amused, “I was watching you. I wanted to see if you’d make for a fun playmate!” Voice a soft chime, the girl giggled softly; her body language maintaining that of a non-threatening posture. But her eyes sparkled with mischief as she stood there, daring him to challenge her confession or maybe he would be inclined to play her games?

illu

"i wasn't hiding," growls Styrmir, wanting to scoff at the thought. "i was tracking you." he draws himself up, a strange warmth suddenly filling his face. that...didn't come out the way he'd intended. "because you're lurking near viking territory," he hurries to tack on, nodding briskly. already he can feel the situation getting away from him; there's something about this girl that sends his mind spinning in several different directions at once, twisting him up until he can scarcely tell up from down. it is decidedly not a welcome sensation. this only worsens when she shifts closer, voice silky and inviting. Styrmir sketches a brow as she closes the gap, resisting the urge to step away. to back down now would be a display of weakness, but it's kind of...hard to think with such a pretty girl in front of him. juststaring at him with those big silver eyes. honestly, has she no sense of manners? of decorum? giving himself a mental shake, Styrmir utters a low growl just for the grounding effect. he needs to make this girl realise that he's the one in charge here, not the other way around. perhaps, if he just gives it time, she'll show her hand accidentally. then he can play her right into his own pair. "what...kind of games?"

Illusion's lips curled into a delighted smile, her eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and something darker. "Oh," She cooed, her voice dripping with sweetness that contradicted her true nature. "Tracking me, were you? How very diligent of you." She took another step closer, her gaze unwavering as she looked up at him, enjoying the way he seemed to squirm under her scrutiny. She adored it.

“Viking territory? How thrilling." She tilted her head slightly, her silver eyes never leaving his. "But you see, I wasn't lurking. I was simply... observing. There's a difference." Her tone remained light and playful, but there was an edge to it, a hint of something more coy.

As she drew even closer, her fingers brushed lightly against his arm. “Games…" She repeated, her voice a soft, amused whisper. "Why, the kind where you never quite know what's real and what's not. The kind where one wrong move could cost you dearly." She leaned in, her breath warm against his ear. She puffs her chest up, tucking her chin into the fluff of her breast as she peeks up at him through half lidded eyes. "Are you sure you're up for it? Because once we start, there's no going back."

She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes again, her smile widening.
illu

her touch on his arm draws a shudder through the boy, and it’s a fight not to - what? pull away? close the distance between them? Styrmir shakes the thought from his head, his frustration mounting. every time he thinks he’s backed this girl into a corner, she flips it around on him and leaves him feeling just as wrong-footed as before. a part of him almost wishes she would just attack him, so they can have it out right now with teeth and claws. the boy is more versed in bloodshed than words; he can’t exactly challenge her silver tongue to a spar, can he? well, not any spar he would win. the thought is disconcerting, angering.

”i’m quite certain,” he drawls, trying to keep his voice level. stern and unbothered, a mask of neutrality, though inevitably some of his rougher edges peak through. no, the boy is no diplomat. “i am willing to pay any device you demand of me, should circumstances require it.” it’s a bold claim, but there’s something about this girl that makes him want to risk it - to risk anything, if it means there’s a chance of putting her in her place. “are you?” he challenges, fitting his voice to her ear, leveraging his superior size over her. “because i won’t go easy on you, little shadow.”

Illusion's smile widened at the sight of his struggle to understand her actions, her demeanor like that of a predator savoring the thrill of the chase. “I want to know your name.” She said, her voice dripping with honeyed mockery, and curiosity. “I won’t fight you without knowing it.” She whispered, her fingers tracing delicate patterns on his skin, really – testing how far she can push him. The girl is tricky like that, she is eager to see what she can make him do. It’s all her touch means, as she has come to understand it can make others drop their guard around her.

She stepped back slightly, just enough to let her gaze meet with his, the intensity of her silver eyes locked solely on him. “Anything I want? What if I want loyalty?” That had always eluded her, as no one was loyal to her. This girl who wanted the world and then some. She didn’t need to pretend, she realized, here with this grumpy boy. That’s why she said it. To see what he would, could risk. To see him falter and stumble over his words. Take it back. Her smile turned sharper, as she tilted her pretty little head. “I won’t go easy on you either~” It’s a taunt. A dare.

She leaned in again, lips against the shell of his ear, her voice dropping to a whisper. This she’s seen adults do many times before, and her practice was perfect. “Shadows are elusive, slipping through your fingers and evading all capture. But they also envelop the light, and consume it. Are you ready to see just how dark things can get?” Dark as the girl before him, who spent her time in caverns, collecting small animals to dissect and display. But he wouldn’t know that. Illusion pulled back, her eyes never leaving his, her smile a blend of sweet innocence and challenge. It’s all fun and games here, or is it?
illu

a growl pulls from his throat at her presumption. though the patterns she traces on his skin threaten to distract him, he manages, “you’ll fight me regardless, girl. i owe you nothing.” and yet, he can’t deny that he wants her to know it, wants to hear her wrap her lips around every syllable. wants his name in her mouth. he fits his mouth to her ear just as she’s pulling away, his breath stirring the fur there. “it’s Styrmir. Styrmir Trygg.” he fixes her with an expectant look. “and what mortal name have they attached to you, demon?” for that is surely what she is; a demoness wearing the skin of a girl. he can see it behind her eyes, otherworldly wrongness.

loyalty. it’s both surprising and not, simultaneously. Styrmir tilts his head, examining her with that fierce blue stare. ’tread lightly, boy,’ the voice pipes up. she’s been unusually silent throughout this encounter, and it’s almost a relief to hear her now. ’she aims to make you her creature.’ Styrmir sinks his claws into the dirt. “loyalty is a precious commodity, earned over time. i doubt you’re capable of inspiring it.” he can’t quite pin his desires down, too young to fully give them credence, but they prickle beneath his skin all the same. she certainly inspires something within him, but his only experience with loyalty stems from his devotion to his siblings, and that feels nothing like this.

he stills as her breath ghosts over his ear, lips curling as his heart quickens in his chest. are you ready to see just how dark things can get? he whirls on her, brows lowered in a severe line. “do your worst.” Styrmir is moving before he’s made a conscious choice to do so, a snarl splitting the air as he aims to knock her over and pin her to the ground. should he succeed, he’d put a paw to her throat, firm but not heavy enough to crush.

Illusion's silver eyes gleamed with amusement as she took in his growl, the sound reverberating through her in a thrilling way. His defiance only added fuel to her fire, and she reveled in his resistance. “Oh, but I disagree, Styrmir Trygg.” She purred, savoring the way his name felt on her tongue, each syllable rolling off with deliberate slowness. “You owe me the pleasure of saying it.”

As he comes close, whispering his name into her ear, she shivers at the sensation, a delightful one full of anticipation and satisfaction. Her gaze never wavered from his as he demanded her name in return. Oh, she’s eager to give it. Her beautiful name. “Illusion.” She replied, voice sweet yet laced with an edge of promise. “A name that suits me well, don’t you think?”

His declaration about loyalty made her laugh, a soft, melodic sound that carried an undercurrent of mockery. “Loyalty, earned over time?” She echoed, tilting her head in a way that mirrored his earlier gesture. A copy, a tactic. “I inspire more than you realize, Styrmir. But let’s not pretend you’re unaffected.” She saw the confusion in his eyes, the conflict between what he thought he should feel and what he actually felt. It was delicious. She was becoming a master at reading others, though not perfect quite yet. Maybe it was her ego that brought such thoughts to her mind.

When he moved, swift and fierce, she didn’t resist. Instead, she let him pin her, the thrill of the force behind his move coursing through her veins. As his paw came to rest on her throat, harsh but painless, she gazed up at him, her smile never faltering. Her eyes softening as she cooed, “Do your worst?” She echoed, voice a whisper that was both a challenge and invitation. Her own claws dug into his chest, a mirror to his action, showing that she wasn’t entirely defenseless. “Oh, Styrmir, I intend to.”

illu

she doesn’t resist him, doesn’t fight to free herself or spit obscenities and that only angers him further. it’s as though she wriggles determinedly out of his every attempt to define her, to stamp a firm label on her forehead and push her into a neat little box. categorisation. for so long there’s only been three columns: family, pack, and enemies. but here she is, this little wisp of a girl breaking apart his careful constructions with little more than a glance. Styrmir gnashes his teeth, and a low growl rumbles up in his chest, beginning as a murmur and increasing with every second. he presses his cheek to hers, a paw still on her throat, and that growl reverberates through him and into her, a raucous orchestra of discontentment and spite. and something darker, hotter. something he dare not name. Styrmir shifts, and for a moment he imagines snapping her pretty neck and leaving her for dead. the thought is repulsive and appealing, a dichotomy swinging through him like a pendulum. the thought of her leaving, of pushing him away, makes him oddly furious. she belongs here, beneath him. contrarily, she should really be fucking off right about now, shouldn’t she?

Styrmir aims to rub his nose against her cheek, still growling, then withdraws with a sharp jerk of movement. “don’t come back here,” he snarls. “in fact, don’t let me ever see you again. because if i do, little shadow, i’ll destroy you. that’s a promise.” his jaws snap shut, and he lets her up a moment later, shifting his bulk so she can slip away. it makes him furious, her imminent departure, and that, in turn, is even more infuriating. witch. “and i always keep my promises.” he levels her with a look strong enough to flay skin from bone, then turns on his heel in blatant dismissal.

"Styrmir Trygg"

Illusion’s eyes sparkled with an unsettling mixture of calm and mischief as Styrmir’s anger grew. She didn’t struggle against his grip, didn’t hurl insults or plead for mercy. Instead, she met his fury with an unnerving tranquility, even delight. His cheek pressed against hers, the growl vibrating through both their bodies, a symphony of frustration she enjoyed; his disdain, his attention – whatever form it came in. While Styrmir’s thoughts teetered in directions she couldn’t possibly know, the girl remained poised, her eyes locked on his, unflinching.

His threat hung in the air, but Illusion’s response was a soft, mocking smile. “Oh.” She whispered, her tone laced with amusement, “Do you think you can so easily rid yourself of me? You can’t get rid of your shadow.” As he shifted, allowing her to slip away, Illusion rose gracefully, brushing off the encounter as if it were a mere trifle. She tilted her head, her gaze lingering on him with a mixture of pity and challenge. How could she leave this alone? This angry boy, this source of entertainment? She was in the spotlight where she belonged, even if she was in the dirt below his feet. “I’ll be sure to remember your promise.” She said, her voice sweet yet sharp as she watched him turn on his heel. “But remember this, Styrmir – your threats don’t frighten me. I want to find out if you really will destroy me.” The extent of his promise she did not know, but the girl wanted to find out. She feared nothing, not pain, nor ire.

With that, she turned, moving away with a lithe grace that seemed to taunt him further. She paused once, looking over her shoulder, her eyes gleaming with a promise of her own regardless if he saw or not. “Until next time, Styrmir Trygg.” She purred, before vanishing into the shadows, her usually steady heart pounding gloriously.
illu