He'd tracked the scent of his family here, but it seemed he was too late. They were no longer within the Willows, and really, he didn't know where to look next. With the pack being dissolved, Viðarr couldn't help but want to track them down. As soon as he was satisfied that Celeste would be safe, he'd be able to bring together the plan. The plan that he'd been sitting on, he'd been forming since the encounter with the statue in the fall and the ghost not long after. All of those things that haunted him. He needed his family to do it. Viðarr swore, he'd do things right this time.

He came to rest within the Willows, taking stock of his situation. If he were them, where would he go? What would his next move be? For now, all the shadow knew was that he was hungry. Viðarr moved to the edge of the pond, watching the fish silently. After a long moment he pounced, scooping one up in his jaws. Not graceful, but he'd get the job done.

"Viðarr"

She longed for the cold. To feel the frost of the mountains upon her features. Her dense fur, now slightly thinned out, felt different, off, not hers. Which was why she was headed north. Away from Auster. Away from the balmy, wet, warm, salty environment. It felt... too much like Iga down there. Simply thinking of the name of the place that ruled Nihon put a bad taste in her mouth. Why did she stay there? It was something Tenshi thought about often. Her mind always circled back to Hanzo and the pack. He took her in when he didn't need to. He showed her mercy and gave her a chance in this new foreign land. That she was thankful for. But sometimes the bamboo was too much... Hoping to lay herself down in the powdery depths of the north, Tenshi made her way beneath the Willows. A mere resting place for herself to get a drink of water before moving on. As she approached the pool, a sudden splash caused her body to freeze midstep. Both ears flicked forward as her antler crown lifted. Steel blue eyes peered through the hanging branches to spy the shadow of a man leaping in for a fish. Studying the massive figure for a moment, Tenshi let out a sigh of relief. The figure was indeed familiar and his name somehow felt fresh in her mind. Vidarr. Yes, the man she had met at the top of the falls. What a sight he had been. Slowly the mountainous woman approached. The slight sheen of her golden accent would give her away well before she was ready. She wouldn't mind though. As she emerged from the brush and let her toes dip into the pond's water, she kept her gaze on him. "It has been a while," her low tones spread across the distance until they reach him. She can feel each and every piece of hair on her body as she stands there, waiting for him to notice her. Would he remember her?

One fish was a snack, two was a meal... or was it three? Four? Who really knew. Viðarr wasn't really sure how many fish would make a meal. Was he even hungry? Frankly, he was pretty much always in a state of I could eat. For now, he would try for two fish. Sitting quietly on the bank of the pond, watching the fish as they swam. Still chilly enough to be cold, but the the shadow was a dense, broad creature. He lives for the cold. He was born for this, really. The first fish had come easily, and he could only hope the second would as well.

In the same breath that he realized Tenshi was near, Viðarr clumsily grabbed another fish from the water. It was much the same way a small child would grab a banana. Sure he used too much force, but the shadow certainly wouldn't be dropping it. Head high, with a little bit of victory about him. Yes, he had grabbed this fish with his bare jaws. It flopped for a moment before going still. Viðarr was soggy, chest deep in the pond, as he looked up to Tenshi where she stood. He was quite the sight, frankly. A bit of a mess, but in a devil-may-care way.

"It has," his tone and smile are both warm. Viðarr pulled himself from the pond, setting the second fish down beside the first. "Come, Tenshi, sit and eat, tell me how you've been," the words are genuine. Accent playing comfortably within his words, especially now that his grasp on the language has improved a bit. Broad and warm, he welcomes the woman and her company.

"Viðarr"

There is an expression of amusement on her face as she sees him stumble into the water. Magically, he returns with a fish between his jaws. How the many falls clumsily into the water and still managed to catch something was honestly impressive. Her brow raises slightly as he acknowledges her presence. While he regards her in warm tones, she responds with a gentle smile. Though their previous time together had been brief, she remembers how easy it had been. How... much she had enjoyed it. Stepping fully from the brush and coming closer to him, she takes a seat. Her stomach almost squeezes shut at the sight of the fish. While she is grateful for the food that is provided by Kuroo and the others, she is also growing tired of fish. She misses the hearty stews of root vegetables and venison. Even the gaminess of snowshoe hare. Shifting her expression into a grimacing smile, she waves a gentle paw. "I will skip the meal, but will stay to catch up," she says as she moves her gaze away from him and his catch toward the wavering willow branches. "I have been healthy. Tojo-kai is where I settled. I believe I have buried my hatred and passion for revenge. But..." the woman hesitates as she flicks her gaze to look at him from the corner of her eye. There is a beat of hesitation as her ears fold back and then forward again. Only a half-second where one could guess that she wasn't being entirely honest with herself. "I miss the mountains. The cold and the snow. I miss home. I am lonely. Tojo-kai is almost too secluded for someone as family oriented as me," Tenshi feels her heart clench as memories of her passed loved ones flash in her mind. Her mate, her pups, her family, her pack, all gone. Decimated for politics and sheer brutality. She had spent so much time shoving it down so that she could start life anew. Had that been the right choice?

Clumsy but confident, such is his way. There's no reason not to be confident, in Viðarr's mind... though maybe that's misguided. His warmth is easy, laid back. There was no reason not to be relaxed. Tenshi's grimace doesn't go unnoticed, but the shadow knows better than to pry. He doesn't know her well enough, and it's not his way. Still, the shadow studies her openly-- he can't help it. She did seem well, strong, capable, healthy. And yet there was something else under it. Something Viðarr doesn't know how to name but gives heed to. It's something that lives inside him, too.

Still, it seems to him that they're kindred spirits.

Tenshi speaks of Tojo-kai, and Viðarr nods softly. It was a spare few days ago that he'd crossed paths with Hattori. He'd been pleasant, both similar and dissimilar from the shadow himself. Still, he's struck by the memory of the woman before him and her quest. She'd wanted revenge against them, and now to see the passion buried... he thinks for a moment. For a long moment. Viðarr had watched his sister bury feelings that she couldn't give words to, and watched what it did to her. "Burying those feelings has consequences," it's an observation, one shared with neutrality. He speaks as a friend. He speaks as someone who is all too familiar with those consequences.

Gently, the shadow listens. The fish are gone in a matter of mere moments, but they are not his focus. Instead the shadow listens intently, attention undivided. "Why do you stay?" There was a restlessness that lived deep in the shadow's heart, one that wouldn't be tamed. The pining for the trees, the snow, the mountains-- this is a feeling he understands. Still, there was a reason he'd stayed in the desert with Celeste. There was a reason he stuck by them now, though he understood that their time together was finite. There are things you do for those you care about, and Viðarr cared deeply. But what was her reasoning for staying in the south, isolated? Was it getting to be time for him to move on, too?

"Viðarr"

Burying those feelings has consequences. His words ring in her ears. A short huff of a laugh allows her chest to lurch for a moment. Closing her eyes softly, she gives her head a shake. Not in disagreement, but rather she agreed. "I have spent many nights alone wondering that," her accented words are lowered as she finally reopens her steel gaze. Too many nights alone. She is not used to that. Before arriving here on the island, before the tragedy that had fallen her family, she had spent every night curled up in a pile of puppies and her loved one. Oh, she missed him. The way his thick fur felt against her cheek as she rested her chin over his shoulders. Every night she spent alone, the more her heart closed off. Feelings she thought she had for Hattori were out of mere loneliness. She believed that if maybe she allowed herself some grace, some room to believe that she could fall again, that maybe it wouldn't hurt so much. But the ice that surrounded her cold heart would not melt, no matter the time she spent down in that balmy, warm, and wet bamboo maze. The only one she was fooling was herself. Not even Hattori believed her feelings to be honest and she was glad for it. She could feel her teeth grind together as she pushed the well of emotions down. A memory of them, her and Vidarr, atop that waterfall resurfaces instead. What had she told him then? What had she felt in her chest? That passion. The hatred. The ignition to light a blaze so high it would envelop all of Auster. Where had that gone? Why had she settled so quickly? While she was thankful for the company that Tojo-kai had brought, they were not her family. They were not who she was meant to spend the rest of her life with. But would she be better off alone? The answer to that was always no. Why do you stay? Vidarr knew the right things to say. Tenshi sighs as she looks away from the willows and again at him. Meeting those icy blue eyes that were so alike to hers, she feels her skin shudder. "Because I fear being alone," the admittance is full of shame, regret, and disgust. The journey to these continents, the journey to the south to find the Hattori who was believed to be dead, all of it had struck a cord in her heart. All it did was remind her of how alone she was and after he allowed her to stay, she welcomed the company faster than anything. She had enjoyed the giggle of pups and the chatter of others. The noise of the pack had allowed her to forget her true feelings. But what was so bad about being alone? Why had she not given herself time to be alone more? Was it simply complacency that left her longing to be embraced by someone? To allow herself to settle somewhere she didn't belong because going to bed at night alone was terrifying. How could one not call her a fucking coward? There were plenty of wolves in Tojo-kai now that they didn't need her. Sedna was a magnificent healer and Fuji was on her way to becoming just as great. The new girl, Kiriko, was spirited and lovely. Raijin was pleasant, the boys, Usagi and Kuroo, weren't going anywhere either and neither would Askell. Their numbers were small now that most of the pups had gone off on their own, but they still had numbers. Would Hanzo miss her? Would he ask her to stay? Part of her knew that he wouldn't care. Part of her knew that she was lying to herself. That she shouldn't have settled and let herself believe that he could open himself up to liking her. She was of the mountains, the cold and ice. He was of Iga, royalty and grace. They were from two completely different worlds that were not meant to mesh. Where had she gone wrong? What had she done to deserve this? Why was she allowing it? "If I left, I would not know where to go," she finally adds as she holds his gaze steady.

Feelings were complicated. Emotions, all of them... Viðarr would be the first to admit that he didn't know how to deal with them properly. In his eyes, they're something that he can simply bury under other things. Emotions were buried under things he understands-- bury them in alcohol, in plunder, in bloodshed. That is how the shadow handles feelings. All of those things had a price, but they were small in comparison to the toll that true processing would take. There's a reason that Viðarr is the way he is, after all.

Tenshi is cut from a very similar cloth. Still, her introspection is something that Viðarr doesn't envy. If she was trying to bury those feelings, it didn't seem to be entirely going her way. She wonders if she's made the right choice... but he does not pry. There was a fire inside her, and it drew him in. Had that flame gone out, or was it just dormant, somewhere beneath the surface? Though he could not make an enemy out of Hattori's pack, the shadow considers for a long moment. There are things they can do with that spark, and channel that energy into something that could benefit them both.

And there's the idea that she doesn't want to be alone. Viðarr nodded softly, as this is something he understands. There's safety in numbers, yes. Giving up happiness for safety, for stability? It sounded like a fate worse than death, at least to the shadow. Maybe she felt differently, and maybe it was a dramatic train of thought. Still, the viking studied Tenshi with an intense gaze. He was thinking, processing. "What if you were not alone?" It was a loaded question, one that came with an offer attached.

While she says she doesn't know where to go, he has an answer for that too. "You can come with me." Viðarr had already resolved to speak with Celeste about parting ways, especially with Rota's return and the impending mouths to feed. As soon as he was confident they were safe on their own, he would take his family and be out of their hair. The girl had come far, and Viðarr was proud of her. Spreading her own wings would be important, and he had his own quest to continue on as well. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself, but Tenshi's company would be more than welcome. Still, it would depend on what she had to say about it.

"Viðarr"

She nearly lost her breath when Vidarr asked about the possibility of her not being alone. How would that even be possible? Her lips parted slightly as she fought to find the right words. Closing and opening her mouth, she wasn't sure what to say. Looking away briefly to the creek that wove through the willows, she focused on her breathing. It was only a few seconds of silence before her steel gaze made it's way back to Vidarr. Those baby blues and shadowed face. While Hattori had been nice to look at, there was something more comforting about Vidarr's features. Something wild, untamed, and inviting. Something she craved. A deep breath caused her to gasp as he followed up with something she was not expecting. Her eyes peeled wide as her ears tilted forward to attention. Against her will, her tail flicked a few times. But she didn't want to be too hasty. She had questions she needed to ask. She had to choose her words carefully. "Would we be staying somewhere permanently?" It was the first question, but not the last. "Who else would be with us?" Tenshi knew he had family, she remembered their previous conversation. "I would need some time. I cannot just leave Tojo-Kai without speaking with Hattori first," her chin nods slightly as she resolves that she would leave. The idea of returning to the mountains. Of being in a closer-knit family unit. Of having a chance at a life she would ultimately enjoy more than living in the bamboo. "If I choose to be with you, where could I find you?" Tenshi finally asks as her expression settles into a tense nervousness. She can feel her heart quickening with excitement and a hopefulness she hadn't felt in a long time.

The life of the vikings-- wild. Free. Untamed and unhinged. Likely emphasis on the unhinged bit, but that was okay. Really, they'd gotten this far just as they were. Just as they had been. Just as they would always be. Viðarr knew well enough that he couldn't and wouldn't change for anyone. There is a warrior here, at rest beside the mountain woman. Never once does his gaze leave her face. Viðarr remains deep in study, watching carefully for a reaction. Hope flickering in his chest.

Her expression, her tone of voice, it speaks volumes. Where Tenshi had questions, Viðarr had answers. They were reasonable. "We will make a permanent home eventually, but for now, we travel. I know there are others that share the beliefs of my people, and I want to bring them together. I want to search the north and find the perfect home within it," there's something musical to his tone. Excitement, and a lilting accent as he speaks. Viðarr's eyes glimmer softy, dancing with excitement. Who else, she asks. Another fair question. "My sister, Róta. My cousin, Iðunn. I have a few friends scattered across the north who I will speak with, too." Hs heart beats softly in his chest as he thinks of Tove, of Kiela. Viðarr needed to track them down, to ask if they'd come along too.

Viðarr nods, glad that she wouldn't be abandoning Hattori outright. The responsible thing to do, the right thing to do. "You are worth waiting for." A soft smile in his usually stoic features as he watches Tenshi. There was something about her in this moment, like she could and would share in the dream. The dream that he'd been spinning in his head for nearly a year now. Viðarr's heart soaring in his chest, he offers her the band's next planned location. "Emerald Valley, for this season. I will stay with the Stargazers until it's time." He offers the information with some weight to it where it sits between them. Hope. By the gods, he has hope.

"Viðarr"

His excitement is palpable. The way he looks at her. Those piercing blue eyes that hold her steel gaze. Her own chest tightens with hope as his lilting speech fills her ears. A permanent home in the north. Somewhere cold and possibly snowy all the time. Again, her heart patters just a little faster. It had been far too long since the mountainous woman had even seen snow. She missed it. Tenshi nods carefully as he states that he wants to find the perfect place in the north and brings others as well. Of course. There was more safety with numbers and they would prosper if they had more too. If only she hadn’t been blinded by what she felt now was stupidity, she could have been at home in the north sooner. Feeling her breath catch as he smiles and says she’s worth waiting for, Tenshi blinks a few times. Her? She can’t help but return the smile. Her own cheeks feel rosy as her lips turn up in her own tender smile. Appreciation flickers across her face as she turns her muzzle away slightly. Why was she feeling like a young pup meeting a handsome boy for the first time? Was following your heart always like this? She is brought back to the conversation when he tells her that he’s staying in the Emerald Valley with Hattori’s son’s band. Another nod because she can’t really find the words. What she really wants to do is reach over and plant a kiss on his cheek or wrap in a hug. “Thank you,” is all she manages as she feels her body vibrate with excitement. Tenshi couldn’t wait to return to the bamboo and tell Hattori of her plan. As much as she would miss Sedna and her brood, she needed to feel at home. “I cannot wait for what the future has in store for us,” Tenshi adds as she brings her steel gaze back to his. Everything felt all too real in that moment. The dirt beneath her. The wind whistling through the willows. The water trickling through the creeks nearby. She felt it all as if the world only excited with just the two of them in it. They would do great things together indeed.

There are things that Viðarr understands now, perhaps even more than he had a year ago. He understands now more than ever that family isn't just blood. It's something more than that. Something deeper than that. It's something that holds them all together. A family is the ones you're fated to. Sitting here now, with Tenshi, he understands that more deeply and more clearly than words can state. The gods had pulled them back together. They had a plan for him. It seemed they had a plan for her. Whatever the plans for the two of them, the gods had smiled upon it. This much Viðarr is sure of. Home is wherever your family is, and Viðarr would be leading them with that in mind. Beneath the watchful eyes of the gods, they would thrive. Flourish. Viðarr can feel it with his entire chest.

It seemed the red string of fate was tangled up in their paws. Viðarr was glad for it. Gaze gentle, he studies the woman. Watches for her reaction, watches as she processes his proposal. There's a glimmer in his eyes, one that's reflected in hers. Though Tenshi had left things open ended, leaving him with an if I choose to be with you, the shadow can't help but feel confident. Though things hinged upon Hattori letting her go, he's confident. He was doubtful the man would demand she stay, if she wanted to take her leave. "Thank you for trusting me." After all, Tenshi was choosing to put her trust in him as a leader.

The flapping of wings draws his gaze for a moment. It's the first time since settling down to speak with Tenshi that he takes his eyes off her. A raven soaring overhead before going out of sight among the trees, it's enough to further validate everything on his mind and in his chest. The gods could see him, set down the path that they'd chosen. When his gaze returns to Tenshi, it's much like Viðarr is seeing her for the first time. A new light, something that surrounds both of them. Though he couldn't describe the feeling, it's unlike any he's felt in all his years. "What would you like for it? For your future?" The question was weighty in his mouth. Together, they are not just dreaming. Together they'd weave their destiny.

"Viðarr"

She is comfortable in the silence that lies between them. Even as she looks into his eyes, she knows the future is bright and will hold great things. Unlike Vidarr, the bird that lights the air is not an omen to her or much of anything other than a sign that her life was in her paws, not someone else's. Tenshi is thankful for the time she has had in the bamboo, but it is time to move on. Feeling his gaze upon her is a fresh interaction that she hasn't experienced in a long time. Unlike the scrutinizing gaze of Hanzo, Vidarr's gaze is gentle and curious. Tenshi enjoys the feel of his blue eyes upon her. She almost blushes. "Don't think me trusting you will mean I won't keep you on your toes," she teases as her gaze flickers to him. A mischievous smirk tickles her lips as she lets out a light laugh. Ah yes, they were indeed going to do good things together. Together. It was strange to think that. Even though their fates are now more intertwined than ever, she does not want to admit how quickly she is falling for his handsome features and tender words. Her mouth does not move as she mulls over his question. What did she want? Well, part of that is easy. "I miss being a mother," her voice is soft as her gaze moves from him toward her paws. She can feel her heart pause and her chest hitch as she remembers the brood that had been taken from her way too soon. Her jaw clenches as she gives her head a gentle shake. "I need excitement, Vidarr. I want to go on adventures. See the world that I came to. Meet others and make friends and create a new family. I would like to meet your sisters," her smile is shy as she still refuses to look at him. Is this the stuff he wanted too? Surely he knew how capable she was. They had sparred before and she had bested him. She wouldn't let him down. While she was quiet, stoic even, she was personable and kind. Any pup was her pup and hers to keep safe, even if it didn't come from her. But having her own... she'd do anything for that feeling again. "What do you see in your future?" Tenshi poses as she finally looks back up at him, her eyes holding a little sparkle.

Being charming in a foreign tongue can be a knife fight with nuance, but it seems that Viðarr has managed to navigate it fairly successfully. Sitting here, spending time with her... it's as if Viðarr is allowed to feel again. Really feel, in ways that he has a hard time putting into words. It's a comforting experience. For all of the plans, all of the beautiful things in their future, Viðarr allows himself to be in the moment with her as well. They could be both, he decided. They could do both. Anything to keep her by his side for a little longer, to delay her return to the south just a bit more. It's a selfish desire. They will have so much time soon but... well, Viðarr can be shortsighted. He's allowed himself that.

"I expect nothing less." The words come with an understated grin, a ration of warmth. Viðarr respects her. His heart gives a squeeze as she speaks of being a mother, of missing being a mother. It's by the same token that he longs for puppies of his own underfoot. The Stargazer children were so wonderful, so lovely. Only privately does his chest ache for his own. "I long for the day when I can raise my own," he muses, tone gentle despite the heavy weight to his words. Víðarr's gaze lingers on Tenshi's for a moment. He would only sort of try to conceal the idea that he was picturing what it would be like with her. Not really trying. Not really trying to hide that fact, but just enough to provide plausible deniability.

Excitement, adventure, all of the wonderful things. Víðarr's eyes seem to dance with it, flickering with life. He can't help it. All of the things Tenshi speaks about, they're all things that he himself longs for. The very reason he's setting out on this quest, as it's set before him by the gods themselves. Though she doesn't look Víðarr in the eye, he can see the smile on her lips. The shadow is enchanted, hanging on her every word as she speaks. Tenshi mentions meeting his sisters as well, something that he'd be sure to arrange. A colorful bunch, one he loved dearly... what would they think of her? Strong and capable, Víðarr had no doubts they'd approve. "You will meet them soon." A glimmer in his gaze. He was looking forward to it.

And her question, her gaze intense and brilliant on his. The glimmer that reflects his own, that's enough to make his heart beat a bit faster in his chest. "I am going to make my family and my gods proud." The words come with their own weight. "I will build something strong, fierce, and beautiful for them. Adventures, excitement, danger, all of it. It will be incredible." Incredible. A good word, one filled with promise and all the wonderful things.

"And I see you, by my side." It's not an afterthought, no. Instead a bit more softness enters his voice. Where moments before there had been conviction, a sort of divine spirit flooding his system, this is different. This is gentleness, tenderness from the viking. Maybe it's a hope. Maybe he's manifesting it. Víðarr can't hold the sentiment at bay, though. In whatever capacity she would join him, he's pleased to have Tenshi here.

"Viðarr"

Tenshi felt young again. Sitting beside him beneath the willows as if they had no other obligations. It was tempting for her. To never go back south. To follow him now. Yet, she was an honorable woman and knew that she could not just desert Tojo-Kai like that. To do so would be burning a bridge she knew Vidarr could not burn. This was so different though. How he spoke to her. Even through his thickly accented tones, there was warmth and charm that made her cheeks flush and her tongue tie. She was reminiscing when Sedna's brood was just mere pups when Vidarr mentioned he longed for pups of his own. Her eyes widen slightly before they crinkle at the edges as she smiles. Somewhere, she is imagining them in a mountain valley, fresh snow has fallen, and a large litter running around their paws. There is a fire crackling nearby, his sisters tending to it, as they come to join them. They're both happy and healthy. Oh, she could daydream forever. "I'm certain you will get that chance," she muses in an almost teasing manner. A hint in her gaze as she continues to stare at him. Not in a weird, awkward way, but the kind of way you look at someone you know is meant to be near you. She hadn't felt this connection in a long time. A tingle of excitement begins to course through her as her smile brightens. "I can't wait to meet them," Tenshi adds as her tail thumps the ground a few times. Ah, to be a part of a family again. The one dream she couldn't deny ever wanting. Her heart feels close to bursting as she continues to gaze into his icy baby blues. Fate put them together for a reason, she was sure of it now as he told her that he would build a wonderful life. It was the sort of life she wished to have again. And maybe she would one day. Another moment for a daydream until he stated softly that he saw her by his side. Tenshi's mouth drops open. Recollecting herself, she tries to find the words. Attempts to pull herself into something more capable. She can't so instead she does the first thing she can that comes to mind. Leaning forward, she pushes her muzzle up against his in a tender, fiery kiss. The fur along her spine raises as she holds him there for what felt like an eternity. With her whole world on fire, she melts into his shoulder to help brace herself. While she doesn't want to pull away, she does after she felt satisfied enough to say it was a good kiss. Breathless, she stares at him once more. "I will stay by your side until the day my soul reaches for the heavens," her voice is breathy and warm as she continues to lean into him, not wanting to separate for fear she'll never feel it again.

There's a hint here, and it's enough that Viðarr picks it up. His heart pounding in his chest, and a little rush in his head... fuck. There's a pounding in his chest now, too, and he doesn't even know what to say to her. The look in Viðarr's eye... it says enough. He's fairly sure that it says enough, or more than enough. There's something here. Something here, a gravity, a magnetism. It all seems to center on her, in this moment.

Tenshi wants to meet him, his flesh and blood. They're colorful, but he's fairly certain they'll like her. A strong, capable, competent woman-- they are really not so different. The pair of them tangled up in a red string, that's something he can't deny. That's something he won't deny. Held together, tangled up in each other, in the same way that he's tangled up in her gaze right now. Viðarr would admit, he quite likes it here. Together, they can daydream all the things that will be their reality soon enough.

The kiss... it's the kind of tenderness, the kind of kiss that stops time. Like nothing, absolutely nothing else matters. Drawn in, lost in it. Wrapped up in her, wrapped up in all of it. His hear aches, his head aches, and around him the entire world seems to spin. Tenshi is at the heart of it all. At the center of it all. The ache in his chest is one that he can't name and can't describe. It's all Viðarr can do to hold to her, to return it with all of the tenderness and fervor. An eternity, but by the time it's broken he's already wanting more. Needing, in a way that he cannot describe.

"I will save you a seat next to me in Valhalla." It's spoken as a promise. Reverent. Viðarr cannot help himself to lean in and kiss her on his own volition now, not wanting to waste another moment. By his side, in this world and the next. By the words he speaks, the shadow swears it.

"Viðarr"

His words mean everything to her. A promise to keep until they cross the bridge to Valhalla. While it is not her religion, it is something for her to also believe in. Her gods are different. They are not so kind or generous but they are enough to keep you going. It is his promise and those of the gods that keep her going. It is also his kiss that lights her inside that keeps her going. Breathless, she meets his lips with eyes closed. Her chest hitches and she doesn’t want it to stop, but she has to. There is work to be done. There is someone else she must speak to. After what feels like a century, she pulls away from him. Releasing her held breath, Tenshi blinks slowly and looks at Vidarr. She wants to engrave the image off him into her mind. “I must go now. I should wasted no more time preparing to leave Tojo-Kai,” her voice is breathy as she stands to her paws. Leaning down to kiss him one last time upon the cheek, she adds extra effect by dragging her tongue over the bridge of his nose. “Don’t go falling in love with anyone else while I am gone,” she teases with a wink before turning to disappear between the hanging willow branches. /exit Tenshi unless stopped