Éldi retreated east with the deer held tightly in his jaws. It was an older fawn, sick and ailing. He didn't see the mother and so he and Kaler coordinated to put the fawn out of its misery and gain a nice lunch as well as a pretty pelt. He headed toward the beach, seeking to hear the sound of the ocean but that also meant navigating around the strange human ruins that dotted the land. The sky was a rich blue and the sea even richer. Settling on the golden sands he set the deer down, pausing as he thought he saw something move against the strange, stone structures. There was a hard surface that seemed like ice but it was not cold to the touch, in fact it was rather warm. Éldi called out to Askr, his raven, who flew down to begin helping him with skinning the fawn. Kaler had gone off to rest in the shade somewhere.

Hjarrandi would be raiding soon, but until then Eyrun needed something to distract her. The western lands that they'd been staked out in were rapidly losing her interest. She was used to more harsh terrain, in fighting for survival - not in sunbathing the days away. At least the effects of the volcano seemed to be dissipating, and with the changes... it seemed some of her band-mates were venturing close and closer to the volcano again, herself included. Today she had grabbed hold of Eldi's scent and decided to follow it to see what he was up to. She didn't know him well but she knew getting to know the rest of Valkyrie's gang was important.

Even if it meant traipsing all over Boreas to find them, apparently.

Soaked to the core, Eyrun finally emerged from the chilly waters onto the shore of Daager Isle. Eldi's scent had gotten lost at the edge of the mangrove forest, by the water, and she could only presume he'd swam here rather than washed away somewhere. Her guess was confirmed when she caught another whiff of his scent, accompanied by that of his companions, and continued on after it. Her attention was briefly captured by the strange structure that inhabited this place. For a while she moved among the rubble of the forgotten buildings before abandoning them, seeking out Eldi again. "Running away from Valkyrie, are we?" Eyrun called out lightly when she finally caught up with him, her tone light and teasing, knowing that Eldi's loyalty wasn't something she needed to be questioned.

Éldi carefully worked his jaws along the throat of the fawn where he had delivered the killing bite. More blood began to pour from the wound but he could always clean that up. Right now he just wanted to get a decent cut around the head. From there he started working carefully down the center of the the fawn's belly while Askr used his beak to precisely begin the skin, snipping hide from muscle. He worked until he'd exposed the guts and quickly called Askr over. The raven then carefully snipped the guts away from the body cavity while Éldi gently used his paws to maneuver the pile of organs onto the ground. Ohhhh he was ready for lunch but he wanted to get the hide snipped away quickly so that it could start to dry. Hopefully, there weren't too many predators on this island that would be attracted by the scent of the kill.

A light, teasing voice echoed out and his head snapped up. Smiling in relief, he replied. "Oh, a man just needs to get away some times. I don't know how you but I'm ready to head up north. How have you been? Eyrún right?" He hadn't had much of a chance to get to know the newer members of the band. He'd been working hard for wares to sell at the blót and then with the eruption his focus had shifted to keeping everyone fed. "You're welcome to join me for a meal as soon as we get this fawn skinned. Though if you want to start on the organs they're free."

Eyrun hadn't known Valkyrie before she'd come to Boreas, though she'd heard of the feisty woman from her companions back home. Having never been the type to stick close to home much anyway, running off to find her and her supposed gang was a splendid idea - and so far it'd been working out quite nicely. She'd be hard-pressed to find a single complaint; the only thing she wasn't completely sure about was if any of her band mates were quite as religious as she was, but so long as they were existing in unison with her own ideals she wouldn't complain. If there was one thing she knew it was that faith was variable and she couldn't expect everyone to think exactly like she did.. as nice as that would be.

As she approached Eldi, her eyes narrowed as she focused in on what he was working at. Instantly the scent of his kill made her salivate once she noticed it, letting a faint grin tug at her inky lips as she drew closer. "The north does sound good right about now," she agreed easily. Her homelands had been harsher than the western lands they'd been familiarizing themselves with and now that the volcano had seemingly calmed she was eager to move, and hoped Valkyrie would decide to relocate them soon enough. "Eyrun it is. And I've been well. Eager to move on, but well enough. Eldi, right?" She knew his name but was content to go along with his pleasantries.

"Ullr shines on us today," her smile softened as he offered her some of his kill. While she often felt entitled to things that were not her own, or that she had not earned, it was different when it came to a fellow Hjarrandi member. Waiting didn't sound enjoyable, not with the fawn still fresh and warm, and Eldi had offered - so she gladly padded over to the organ pile he'd made, easily finding the liver and beginning to feast on it, pleased at the warmth of the meat as it slid down her throat. "What is it you're doing out here, anyway?"

Éldi and Askr continued their work, fangs and beak working evenly along the lines of the fawn. Éldi then used his jaws to grab hold of the flesh and he started to peel it as Askr hopped along the muscle, helping to snip the flesh off as cleanly as he could. With a final tug they pulled the pelt free and laid it aside with the fur side down to work on tanning later. For now though Éldi licked his jaws and grinned at Éyrun. "Aye, I'm Éldi and I have to say I appreciate your presence. Feels good to shoot the breeze. Seems like we've been harried ever since the eruption. The deer meat is ripe for the picking if you'd like any."

He moved toward the deer's head and immediately started working his powerful jaws below the creatures brow bone, over the eye sockets where the skull was weaker. A few sickening cracks sounded before Éldi looked back at Éyrun to explain himself, pausing for just a moment to admire the way the light hit her coat. "I'm going to tan the hide. It'll be good to either keep myself or to use as something for trade at the next blót. To tan it I need the deer's brain. Kind of gross I know but effective! So, what have you been up to since the eruption?"

Eyrun watched the two of them work, curious as to what kind of things Eldi could make with fawn's pelt. Using armor and trinkets in battle wasn't really her personal style, but she wondered if he was working to help supply the band with anything they might need for future raids. "Indeed it does," she agreed that it felt good to catch up, especially with bandmates that she was less familiar with. Truthfully Hjarrandi was all she had in terms of comrades and she fully intended to integrate more seamlessly with the rest of Valkyrie's band. This was a permanent thing, as far as she was concerned - a life spent with a few like-minded wolves, spreading chaos as they took what was rightfully theirs and spread their reputation across the land? That sounded like a damn good plan to her.

She wondered just what her faith meant to Eldi, if anything. His name suggested a similar upbringing but she couldn't be quite so certain. Eyrun nodded, listening as he finally explained what he was doing with the fawn. A brow raised as he worked at the thing's brain, not exactly disgusted with what he was doing. "I haven't been doing much. Readying myself for whatever Valk has planned for us next." It was mostly mental preparation, though physical training was important too.. though since coming to Boreas she'd been mostly on her own, even when traveling with the band, and she was about as physically prepared as a wolf could be. Save for her lack of true fighting experience, of course. "I should probably get a few fights under me before we raid," she suggested after a moment, licking the blood from her lips, though it had already stained her pale coat and would likely need more than a quick swipe of her tongue to truly disappear. "I hear you're quite the fighter. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two," her eyes widened, obvious interest gleaming in her pale gaze, a hint of suggestion touching her voice.

Éldi's jaws continued working away at the skull until he finally had enough of a space to show the deer's brain. Weirdly enough, a number of animals had just enough brains to tan their own hides. It was ironic but definitely a blessing from the gods. He used his paws to fish out the brain and with a deft flick of his wrist he flung the organ out onto the deer hide after snipping the spinal cord. He started mashing the brain onto the pelt and nodded with a grin as Éyrun spoke. "I remember her mentioning a raid. I hope it will be this summer. If I have to go another season without a proper raid I'm going to go mad!" He started smearing the brain across the pelt, working it's particular juices into the hide. Askr sat not too far away and at some point Kaler, his bobcat companion wandered over. The cat gave a nod to both then flopped down and stretched out.

Éldi looked over to Éyrun with a mischievous grin. "Aye, you could say that and I would certainly love to. Perhaps, after I finish tanning this hide and you've had time to digest we could go a few rounds?"

Whatever Eldi was doing was messy but she wasn't exactly disgusted by it. Rather, she was intrigued - watching Eldi work with attentive, obviously interested eyes. It wouldn't even be a stretch to say she looked excited as she watched him work, noting the way he worked to remove the deer's brain with ease before discarding it onto the hide. She appreciated a wolf who wasn't afraid to get their paws dirty. It was an admirable quality and one she hadn't seen in quite some time, come to think of it. She raised a brow at his reply, nodding eagerly. "I think I'm already on my way there," she commented with a sharp laugh. "How was it you met Valkyrie, anyway? I heard about her from the wolves back in my homeland. She made quite a name for herself there."

The thought of living the life she did was appealing to her. Honoring her gods, and her ancestors, by living prosperously? It sounded like a dream come true. So far Valkyrie had only lived up to what she hoped was true about her, and Eyrun had no complaints, despite feeling a bit anxious in the time leading up to their first official raid. "If you think you're up for it, I certainly am," Eyrun teased back, flashing him a playful grin in return. Would he kick her ass? She wasn't sure, but what she lacked in skill she certainly made up for in spirit, so hopefully she'd put up a good fight. It sounded like a splendid plan either way.

Éldi continued to work at smearing the brains into the hide. It had a distinct scent that would stick to his paws but he planned to wash them off later. The slight acidity of the organ was working to process the hide and he was quite pleased. He worked hard at what he was doing. Muscles flexed as the sun beamed down and underneath his thick coat he was beginning to sweat. Just a bit more elbow grease and he'd be done.

"How was it you met Valkyrie, anyway?"

Éldi grinned. "We grew up together and even back then she had quite a reputation as a warrior. She was the best in our class, that's for sure." Back then he'd been a round, uncoordinated little thing. It wasn't until his ninth month that he finally started to look like a warrior.

"If you think you're up for it, I certainly am."

Éldi grinned lifting one of his paws up and licking the remaining goo off of it. "Well, I'm done here. How do you feel about right here, right now?" He grinned and moved to face off against her.

His work ethic was attractive, Eyrun had to admit. As much as she appreciated a wolf who was dedicated to their group, or to their faith, it was equally as important to focus on one's self at times... regardless of what skills you were trying to hone. This sort of thing wasn't Eyrun's forte but she was intrigued by his methods and thought to ask more later about what he was making, if he didn't decide to trade the tanned hide after all. Maybe she could learn a thing or two from him, not just about fighting but about crafting too. Eyrun was a lot of things, but too proud - at least to admit there was much she didn't know, and so many ways she could improve - certainly wasn't among her personality traits. Especially when it came to an equal such as Eldi.

She grinned at his answer, not at all surprised at Valkyrie's reputation among her peers. As a Finnvi, Eyrun expected little else of her blood, however distantly they were related. "That sounds perfect," Eyrun answered him with a wry grin. She had no qualms about sparring without notice, and it seemed neither did Eldi. The thought made her heart race excitedly in her chest. Within giving Eldi time to prepare further, and not caring if he was fully clean, she kicked off and made to charge him. Though she was smaller, she wasn't going to try to be crafty and use her agility to her advantage. Her attack style was unpredictable and fierce, despite her build in comparison to his, and immediately she aimed for his muzzle, hoping to come toward him at a slight angle and barrel into him, clasping her jaws around his own wider muzzle and force his head down.

Eyrún Freyleif Finnvi vs Eldi for Spar
Round 1 / ?
Age:  Over 2 Year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Novice Intellectual

Éldi quickly set his defenses in preparation for the battle. He knew he was more experienced but he still wanted to be prepared. He wanted to make a good showing for Eyrun. Dare he say he wanted to impress her? He was also eager to see her move. This would be fun. He licked his lips but was given little time to prepare himself as she suddenly rushed him. Oh, fighting dirty? He liked that!

Her jaws went for his face and he swiftly ducked, her teeth slicing across the top of his head as he moved. His head rotated sharply to his right as he sought to catch the underside of her upper neck in his jaws. He'd welcome her crashing into him, feeling that the impact would be harder on her lighter frame than his sturdier one.

Éldi Rudolfrson vs Eyrun for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Extra large
Build: Heavy
Offensive Battle Accessory: Battle bracers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Bear skull helmet
Companion 1: Bobcat, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Raven, Male - Flying
Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Hunter
Specialty: Marauder

Fighting dirty was definitely her style, despite what the most effective fighting style might be for a wolf of her size and build. Though she was far from the smallest wolf she'd encountered, she was slender and leggy, built for speed rather than brute strength - and yet Eyrun wasn't one for going with what might be expected of her. Her passion was raw and unbridled, though no doubt friendly in nature, as she charged Eldi and hoped to catch him by surprise.

She had no time to discern whether he anticipated her attack or not. He ducked, though her fangs grazed the top of his muzzle hard as he pulled away. Suddenly he was going for her neck, close to where her neck met her cranium, and the force nearly knocked the wind out of her. She struggled to keep her balance, trying to shake him off of her, quite a difficult feat given his size in comparison to her own. It took most of her strength to push back against his force, claws gripping into the ground as she tried to maintain a hold as she pried away from his bite and hopefully barrel into him again, aiming for nowhere in particular.

Eyrún Freyleif Finnvi vs Eldi for Spar
Round 2 / 2
Age:  Over 2 Year
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Novice Intellectual

Éldi's fangs dug through fur and flesh as he obtained a grip. It wasn't quite where he'd been aiming but it would do and he did his best to hang on though Eyrun wasn't going to make it easy. She bunched herself up and then threw herself into him. Her ferocity caught him by surprise as the force of her body slammed into his chest. He gasped and in doing so lost his grip. Fool! He quickly dove forward again, seeking to grab her by her scruff, lifting up both his forearms as he hoped to wrap them around the base of her neck in a strong hug that would keep her close to him and hopefully prevent her from pulling a similar move again. What a woman though! He was enthralled by her fierce style of fighting.

Éldi Rudolfrson vs Eyrun for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Extra large
Build: Heavy
Offensive Battle Accessory: Battle bracers
Defensive Battle Accessory: Bear skull helmet
Companion 1: Bobcat, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Raven, Male - Flying
Skills: Master Fighter & Expert Hunter
Specialty: Marauder

And the winner is...

ELDI	EYRUN must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Eyrun: 283.15 (82, 91, 45, 56 - Adjusted to 86.1, 91, 47.25, 58.8) Eldi: 309.00 (40, 34, 44, 73 - Adjusted to 48, 40.8, 44, 80.3)

- Tealah

Though she used her (admittedly quite a bit smaller) weight to barrel into his chest, Eldi held strong - and though he briefly lost his footing when she dove him, he quickly regained it and moved to grab her by the scruff. She'd been so engrossed in her own attack that she barely noticed the direction of his jaws, and so all at once she was being lifted, his forelimbs lifting and moving around her neck. His grip had its intended effect, and made it clear to Eyrun that he'd bested her. She was a proud woman but not too proud to admit defeat, and she slackened under his grip, letting out a loud chuckle between her ragged breathing.

"Hopefully that satiates you for now," Eyrun teased, still feeling exhilarated from their little fight. It was a far cry from a proper raid but anything that got her blood flowing was more than welcome, especially if it meant a fight as good as this one. "Don't hesitate to ever seek me out if you need a little excitement in your life. Feeling bored and restless is never healthy." Eyrun grinned as she made to wiggle free from his grip, though her posture was slack as she reclined on the ground, trying to relax and catch her breath for a moment.

Éldi's heart beat rapidly in his chest as the battle ensued until at last he was the victor. He quickly released her and stood back grinning and panting from the effort. Sweat was beading upon his brow from the physical exertion in the heat of the a wonderful summer evening. Of course, he couldn't deny that Eyrún herself had something to do with the heat he was feeling. "For now, but I have to say, I could find the experience to be quite addicting."

He sat down and took a moment to catch his breath. "I would say the same. Perhaps, if you like, we can on a little adventure some time. Maul a few coyotes, climb a few mountains." He wasn't quite sure what other than he'd like to spend some more time with her.