Summer had crept up on them, but it was still early. Still, Víðarr had come to terms with the fact that he was going to be confined to the north for... for the foreseeable future. The heat anywhere south of here would be uncomfortable, and then unbearable. Maybe Víðarr was a bit of a baby about things of the sort, but that was fine. If he was alone, he could probably complain. Really, he'd become enchanted by the woods, and by the red forest beside it. Though they had decided to make camp in the shelter of the wall, he found himself venturing further and further into the surrounding areas day by day. No, the shadow was really starting to take a shine to this place. Today, he'd crossed the river, and made his way back to the marble wash. This place was... strange. He still didn't know what to make of it. Still, the marble was cool beneath his paws. It was smooth, and it seemed to reflect light in the most otherworldly way. Strange, and wonderful. Strange, and beautiful. Víðarr could relate to that, and maybe that set him at ease as well. He quietly laid down upon the marble, making as much contact with the cool stone as he could. Around his shoulders, he could feel the afternoon sun. The shadow was okay. He was alright. Víðarr could get used to this. VÍÐARR Ragnarök awaits.

After her brief chat with Sanngriðr, she'd taken a few days to think about how she wanted to broach the topic of talking with him, not wanting to come on too strong and make him close up, but also feeling it would be a good idea to try and subtly get him to express his thoughts and feelings. She knew he was quite a stoic wolf, but she wanted to know his thoughts on the whole thing, if he felt it was the right decision, maybe even pry from him his plans for what they would do next as a group. He had taken on the role as their leader, and Iðunn was perfectly fine with that, ecstatic even, to know that one with a strong religious faith would be the one leading at the helm. She was more than content to sit back and simply observe, only stepping in when her knowledge was required. She had followed his trail further north, leaving enough of a gap so it wouldn't seem like she was purposefully following him, and brought with her a small snack in the form of a plump hare. Its head was held carefully in her jaws, the lifeless body swinging from side to side as she ambled along the snowy ground. Perhaps an offering would allow him to open up more easily than if she simply sat beside him and started pestering him with questions. Iðunn found him laying down on the strange marble rock, sticking out sharply with his dark fur against the white snow and rock. She let out a loud huff to let him know she was there, before dropping the hare beside him and nosing it closer with her muzzle. "A gift," she said simply, before moving back to settle down in a similar position, lettering her back legs stretch out to the side as she got comfy. The cool snow was nice beneath her, and with the addition of the heat from the sun she felt quite happy and content to lay there quietly for a short while. Maybe it would be a good idea to let him speak first, to see if he was even open to the idea of having a conversation.

Stoic. Stolid. Though Viðarr didn't necessarily mean to be, it was far more difficult to express his emotions than he could really imagine. Their upbringing as children had been... turbulent. Even after his older sister had swept them away, some things were hard to let go of. She'd done well to spirit them off on an adventure, and he was grateful for that. The larger reasons... well, he didn't need to know. What he didn't know, in this case, would certainly hurt him. Víðarr had done well without much hurt thus far. Probably best to keep it that way. The shadow hadn't been in place for long when Iðunn joined him. She was lighter on her feet, but not entirely imperceptible when it came to the strange, marbled grounds here. There would always be a clicking of nails here. Strange, but fascinating. All of it had been strange, since their arrival, and he's found himself more enchanted by it than he cares to admit. The priestess crossed to his side with a gift. Víðarr offered a grateful smile-- though he was full grown now, the boy still ate like you wouldn't believe. "Share with me," the words were gruff, equal parts invitation and command. Iðunn always looked so thin, and the shadow knew not if it had to do with the fineness of her bones or something else. Víðarr is not cold with his blood, but the shadow is quiet by nature. VÍÐARR Ragnarök awaits.

He invited her to share the meal with him, and she considered lightly rejecting the offer, but thought better of it. She wanted him at ease and happy before they talked, and accepting to share the meal would most likely be the better option. "Thanks," she said softly, leaning closer to tear off a back leg, holding it between her front paws as she began to slowly chew away at the meat, sinews, and crunching on the small bones. It was a calming action, a bit like when she would chew on a dried out tendon while her thoughts wandered, but with the added benefit of being more filling to her stomach. Iðunn was quiet as she ate, taking her time to devour the leg, her eyes half closed in contentment. Sometimes it was nice to just exist around her family, not needing to always be chattering away like a flock of birds in the trees, but she was also here with a goal in mind. So the peacefulness would need to be broken regardless of what she wanted. "How are you finding these lands?" She asked after crunching away at the last few foot bones of the hare, now turning her full attention onto Víðarr. So far this place seemed the most like home, even though it was a bit warmer than she would have liked. But there was bountiful prey, and an easy water source nearby. If the group as a whole liked it enough, perhaps they may even set up a permanent home here, one where they could create a pack that fit their ideals better than the ones they had been forced to adhere to at home. Not that she had been against all the laws of home, but there were a few she had personally disagreed with that would have lead to dire consequences if openly expressed.

Sitting and eating side by side was a comfort. Family. His family. Maybe there's a possessive nature to Víðarr, but it's not in the worst way. His family came first, and his family came above all. He could spend time with his cousin in the moment, and be better for her company. The silence between them was filled with the quiet crunching of teeth on bone, and the stillness of the afternoon in the Wash. It was peaceful out here. It was peaceful among them, not bound by the necessity of language. Comfort. Comfort stretched far beyond the usual graces when it came to family like this. Family like theirs. For that, Víðarr is grateful. When Iðunn finally speaks, the shadow has a mouth full of hare. He takes his time chewing it, and considering. Ah, there was a question to him. Thoughtfully he swallows, icy gaze gentle on the great expanse of marble before him. "Rather well," Víðarr's tone was warm, though his words were tepid. Voicing his exact feelings was... it was hard. Harder than he even realized. "The weather speaks of home," though not exactly. It was warmer here, and darkness seemed to arrive every night. Summer would bring a true thaw, or so it seemed. Still, it was more like home than any place they'd seen so far. "I like the woods very much."" There it was, more words than Víðarr had strung together in... in a long while. Maybe weeks, maybe longer than that. Still, he speaks the truth. "What do you think?" VÍÐARR Ragnarök awaits.

He was silent for a bit after her question, and she watched as he thoughtfully finished the bite of hare he had in his mouth. His words made her feel a little more relaxed, glad that he didn't hate the spot they had set up in camp. That meant he was happy, or at least happy enough she didn't need to worry about it. Sanngriðr could be left to worry about him as she always did. Iðunn hmmed softly in agreement at his comment about the weather; it was a bit warmer than she was used to, and the sun patterns were wildly different already, seeming to set and rise at the same time regardless of the time of year. But overall, it wasn't that bad, and she could maybe get used to it with time. Víðarr continued speak without her needing to prompt him, and had she not had such good control of her emotions she would've raised her brows in surprise. This was the most words she had ever heard him speak in such a short timeframe, and so she let him continue to speak uninterrupted. He raised a question of his own, and to that she offered a shrug of her shoulders and a sharp click of her tongue. It was not too bad, but it could also definitely be better. "It's a bit warm, I'm hoping the Summers here aren't too intense but... I think with time, we can make this place feel like home.". She then fell quiet again, allowing her gaze to flick between the marble rocks, taking in the different streaks of colour. Iðunn didn't want to watch him too intensely and make him feel self-conscious, even though her usual demeanour was one of staring almost unblinkingly at others. This was a bit more of a delicate conversation, and so she would keep her staring to a minimum. Finally she spoke up again, her words soft and gentle, as if trying to calm down a raging beast. "Do you think of home often?" That was the question she had really wanted to ask him, to find out what he knew and what he was thinking about, and hopefully it wouldn't shut him down and make him go quiet.

He is quiet and thoughtful. Víðarr doesn't always do the best with words, preferring to allow his actions (and family, to be fair) to speak for him. They were all so much more well inclined to speech. Instead, the hulking shadow was more comfortable acting. Doing and being, all of the action words that he could throw out there... he can hunt and he can fight. Víðarr can take life in his hands and seize the day, but he was not so good at speaking. Not so good at conveying his thoughts. Maybe it's why he chooses to remain silent more often than not. Another bite of the hare, and he's thoughtful as Iðunn speaks. A bit warm, that was true. The shadow nods. Yes, they could make it feel like home. "We make it feel like our new home." It didn't need to feel like the home they'd left, after all. He supposed that it could feel like a different place. It was... it was a different place, after all. The shadow chewed another bite of the hare slowly, thoughtfully. The carcass was down to the bones and the pelt now as he polished off the last bite. Over time, Víðarr has become more accustomed to his cousin's usual unblinking manner. She was a strange creature. Granted, they all were. Maybe it was genetic... maybe it was contagious. Víðarr was okay with that, though. Do you think of home often? Víðarr hummed to himself for a long moment, absently beginning to scrape the hare's hide with his teeth. Something to keep him busy while his mind was working. "Not particularly," and he'd leave it at that. What use was there to looking back? They weren't going that way. Looking towards the future was really what had kept Víðarr going for so long. "I miss the festivals, though." He met Iðunn's gaze for a moment after the admission. Back home, they'd be looking towards midsummer soon. Equal parts saturnalia and religious rite, it was a damn good time. VÍÐARR Ragnarök awaits.

She picked up on the insistence of a new home, and that gave her a lot to think about. It also gave her some hope, that he would thrive better here where as a group they could decide what they wanted their home to be like, rather than falling back to what they were taught. She'd bring that up with Sanngriðr when they next saw each other, and perhaps it would give her cousin some relief to know that Víðarr seemed to be doing well here away from their parents and superiors. "I like that idea," she said as she watched him begin to scrape at the hare's hide with his teeth. Once properly cleaned up it could be useful to pack her herbs into so she could carry them around more easily, or perhaps to lay upon soft moss to make one of their beds even more comfy to lay upon. So many decisions just for a simple hare pelt, compared to the countless amount that would need to be made once they structured their new home into a more orderly affair than just their ragtag bunch of escapists. That was a burden Iðunn was glad she did not carry, but her cousin seemed more than up to the task of doing it. To hear that he didn't think of home often was... somewhat reassuring, if she had to be honest. It meant he likely wasn't thinking over the specifics as to why the group left without a word. That knowledge should also be passed onto Sanngriðr, more for peace of mind than anything. Their gazes met at his voicing of missing the festivals, and she hummed softly in agreement, the right corner of her mouth lifting up in a small smile. Yes, the festivals had been a highlight back home, and something they surely needed to keep going here. "We should continue the festivals here, then." Even if they were slightly altered, Iðunn was sure it would bring some happiness to the group as a whole, and give each of them something to look forward to.

Rhythmically, Víðarr's tail thrummed on the marble behind him. The priestess liked his idea... good. To have someone else on board would be a promising thought. Very promising. There were things at work that he didn't realize, and didn't understand, but that was okay. He could sit with Iðunn and speak candidly, for as much or as little as he would speak. Her presence was comforting, as the presence of holy folk often are. He allows space for silence, cleaning the hide with a near-obsessive attention to detail. The shadow had an eye for such things, after all. The festivals... some of them had been wild, and he'd been barely old enough to truly enjoy them. Sure, he'd been able to steal away some honeyed mead, and enjoy the smoke from some of the ceremonial herbs, but there was so incredibly much more. Víðarr could only imagine the things, the wild things, that they could all be getting into. If they could bring their festivals here, they could certainly share them with everyone. The hospitality of their people had been the stuff of legends, but not without ulterior motive. They'd be able to bolster their numbers with loners, and draw them into the fold. That, and they could judge the strength of neighboring packs... so many thoughts coursing through his head, and the shadow had to smile about it. "What would you say if I wanted to start a pack of my own, here." His icy gaze returned to the pelt, making sure to clear every last bit of flesh away. Víðarr didn't want his cousin to know that he was concerned about her reaction, so he'd busy himself instead. VÍÐARR Ragnarök awaits.

To see such a display of happiness from the man was pleasing, not to her but surely Sanngriðr as well. It meant he would thrive here, as long as they continued to nurture him where extra help was needed. But given the other woman's fiery and protective nature Iðunn had no doubts he would be well looked after, and she would do her best to make sure everything was all well with the gods for them, so that they could build up their new home using the blessings of the gods as guidance. Surely with all of that the group couldn't fail at their goal. The silence stretched on between them, both of them deep in their own thoughts as they lay together, the only sound the soft scraping of teeth on hide. Finally, Víðarr spoke up again, bringing up a question that had her brows raising. She stared at him in her unblinking fashion, but it seemed as if his own attention was focused on the cleaning of the hide. A soft exhale left her, very much between a sigh and a snort as she thought over his words. A pack... it was a lofty goal to say the least. But the group was strong, and surely there were other like-minded wolves out there they could use to bolster their ranks. They could be very hospitable when it benefitted them, as evident by Barghest joining their motley crew. "Something along the lines of you picked a good spot for it." Her words were quite even in tone, muzzle canted ever so slightly to the side. If he was bringing this up then it surely meant he was beginning to feel comfortable here, to which Sanngriðr would hopefully approve to learn of. "Have you given any thought to who else you'd need to recruit? We number too in few for a prosperous pack as of now," Iðunn continued on, finally blinking once, though her gaze had yet to leave his face. It would take much dedication and hard work, but she believed he was fit for the role, and would support him if he decided to go through with his idea.

It was unlikely that Víðarr would ever know or understand that he'd been their charge all along. Sanngriðr certainly didn't want him to know. She didn't want him to know the reasons that she'd stolen off with the boy and his littermates, and instead kept the grand secret. She didn't want the boy to know that she thought him too soft of heart... but he was. Softer in the heart than any of the others, Víðarr would have broken. The rest of the litter would have likely been fine, but it was the shadow himself that would have been overall impacted poorly. The eldest sister, the solitary sister, wanted a better life for all of them. It was with this in mind that she'd led them away, and together they'd fled. Víðarr was none the wiser. Between his elder sister and Iðunn, he really had turned out alright. A striking young man with a decent heart, though he didn't always know how to use it. Even if he didn't know how to process his feelings, even if he didn't have the best way of speaking... he was a good man. For that, he'd be in their debt forever. In Víðarr's mind, he would make a good alpha too. There would be confidence there, and the same zeal that he approached everything else in life with. As with all things, if the gods willed it, then it would be true. That was the best he could hope for. The hide was peeled from the remainder of the carcass, and mostly scraped clean. With the amount of spit that had soaked into it (forgive Víðarr, and his nerves over this particular conversation), it had become quite pliable. Taking a moment to assess, he set about removing the last of the flesh. Tomorrow, once the light had returned, would probably be a good time to start soaking and curing the hides that they'd been gathering up. This one, from the hare, would be a good size to turn into a bag for Iðunn to stash herbs. If they were going to stay put for a while, they could afford to store more than what they could carry on their backs. Her answer wasn't fuck off or hell no, so that was a good start. Recruits... that was true. They'd need to make connections and look outside their family. It took him a long moment to answer, looking up from his project. "There's that man my sister likes, the weird looking one," was that meant to be confidential information, that she liked him? She hadn't specifically said it, but there were some things you could just tell. Sanngriðr could kick his ass later, that was fine. Okay also weird looking one probably wasn't the most polite way to explain but... well, with all of his colors, if the shoe fit. It wasn't a judgement passed, only an observation. "You're right, I need to... put myself out." He'd need to put himself out there to the world. A scary concept, but an exciting one too. Víðarr was a fan of exciting concepts, after all. VÍÐARR Ragnarök awaits.

As predicted he was silent for a short time after she aired her question, but she was in no rush that day and so simply lay there in silence. When he eventually spoke up her brows raised high on her forehead, mouth opening just enough that her overall expression could be mistaken for surprise. Sanngriðr liked someone? Her lips threatened to twitch up in a smile, her mind already supplying her with a myriad of ways she could tease her cousin about her brush. That was so unlike Sanngriðr, but it was also highly amusing. This day was just getting better and better. Iðunn met his gaze when he looked at her, doing her best to school her expression into one of mild neutrality and curiosity, even as a hint of amusement danced across her features. "Barghest?" He was the only newcomer she was aware of that fit the description of 'weird looking', and in fact he was the only newcomer she was aware of at all. Were there even others she had yet to meet? Surely not, or she would've known by now. He continued on then, musing aloud about putting himself out there. As a would-be alpha Víðarr would need to go out and talk with others, loners and pack wolves alike, to show that he was diplomatic enough to lead a pack. She believed in his ability, as did the others in their little group, or hopefully they did, but those not aware of them didn't, and they were the wolves he would need to truly prove himself to. But that also meant speaking in the common tongue, as she had only met one other wolf that even spoke their native language, and Víðarr wasn't the best at that. He was certainly passable, but perhaps there was room for improvement. "If you would like, I can help you practice speaking in the common tongue better?" There was nothing in her tone that would suggest she was teasing or making fun of him, and it was a genuine question. If he wanted practice she would be willing to help, even if she much preferred the way their language sounded. "I could use the practice myself," she quickly added. Her pronunciation could use some work, particularly with certain vowels and sounds, and perhaps if they practiced together it would be an easier task.

Though usually stoic, Viðarr took great joy in teasing his sister. The valkyrie was too serious, mostly. The teasing was meant to help her lighten up, relax, live a little. He couldn't help it... after all, what were little brothers for? The man smirked to Iðunn, nodding once. "Yes, that one," a light shone in his eyes. Viðarr couldn't help it. It was true that his sister wasn't likely to appreciate the teasing at her expense later, but that was okay.

Other newcomers she wasn't aware of... not yet. Viðarr had taken a shine to Kiela in their brief meeting, but there was no way he could simply invite her to come along. No, that would be too forward, and he was left to hope that he'd come across her again. In his heart of hearts... yes, he hoped. After all, how could he not? Still, the shadow tried to push the thought from his mind. Couldn't be too overly eager. Couldn't pin too many of his hopes on her appearing to him once more.

The shadow stretched, grumbling to himself. Carefully, he set his chin on his paws and looked out at the sunset. "This language," he began slowly. "It tastes weird." It was a complaint, but one in good humor. Viðarr was in good spirits tonight, and in good company. Practicing speaking the same language as the others who lived here... it was important, even if it was a massive pain in his ass. The shadow supposed that he could make it happen. "Thank you," the words to Iðunn were quiet, but they held weight.

"Viðarr"