It hardly mattered how much time had come to pass, the curtain of the ancient willows here still sung of home to the wayward Archer. The acrid tang of freshly peeled willow bark and the whispering of the leaves as they caressed each other in the breeze bought her a peace that she had only found some distant cousin of within the tall walls of the bamboo maze. She lazed on the bank of a stream that flowed down from the hot springs, a paw dangling in the water where warm water mixed with cool and took the edge off the sulphur stink that would turn her stomach so easily, especially in her current condition.

Otis fished another sprig of mint and some sweetgrass from his pouch and offered it up to her, and while she pulled a face, she knew better than to delay taking the medicine offered. The last thing she wanted to do was have her throwing up slow down her journey home.

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

Viðarr had been doing more and more exploring in preparation to pull his band back together. He needed to get a handle on the land and those who lived here, needed to understand what and who he was up against out here. Get to know those he could, and remain relatively neutral while doing it. Couldn't make a bad first impression, at least not until they were knocking down their doors to take their shit. The viking needed to appear like he wasn't a threat, at least for now. Maybe that was easier said than done. For now, the shadow would gather his information and wait.

Speaking of first impressions, Viðarr is pretty sure he catches a familiar scent on the wind. He'd only just seen Sedna, and already she was, back in his path? Not that the shadow would say no, the woman was good company. As he tracked her scent through the willows, he couldn't help but smile to himself. Really had outdone himself, pulling a girl that was all the things he liked-- capable, sturdy, and easy on the eyes. A triple threat.

"Couldn't stay away, could y--" the words die on his lips as his gaze falls on her. She was pregnant. Too many emotions all at once, absolutely flooding his system. "Are you okay?" She looked rather... green. Still lovely, don't get Viðarr wrong, but green around the gills. Though it was likely the wrong emotion in he moment, the shadow finds himself absolutely delighted by the prospect that they were his. Giving the timing they had to be his... right?

"Viðarr"

Sedna was chewing on the proffered greens purposefully, hardly paying attention to the surroundings as she tried to bring herself back to solid ground. She couldn't understand how it constantly felt like she was rocking about on a raft in a stormy sea, but she supposed, that was how it went sometimes, the body did weird things when you were pregnant.

The voice that came to her was familiar enough for someone she'd only met recently, and a grin pulled at her lips before her eyes even opened to fall on her saviour. "Honestly, I 'ave been better, but this isn't my first time, an' it's just as horrible as I remember." She thought about getting up for a moment, then thought better of it. She tipped her head to the open space beside her. She hadn't really done enough talking last time, and maybe she could have a little bit of fun to get back at him for her current predicament. "I didn' get around ter mentionin' my husband when we met, yer should meet 'im now he's back." There was a teasing lit to her voice, a smirk pulling at the corner of one side of her lips. There was no point breaking the news gently, after all, who knew where it might go?

“Speech”

we wear red so they don’t see us bleed

He really does like milfs, and this only serves to highlight that point. Just as horrible as she remembers-- oops. Víðarr doesn't envy the position that she finds herself in, that's for certain. "Is there any way I can help?" Though he cares, the shadow is a fish out of water when it comes to anything... like... this. He's doing his best to be supportive, especially figuring that the whole thing is likely his fault.

Husband-- Víðarr freezes for a moment, his eyes going wide. The teasing in her tone was lost on him for the moment, overridden by the fact that he may very well have fucked up here. "Your... husband..." he repeated slowly, some sort of horror coloring his expression. Shit. "Does your husband uh... know about..." he trailed off, gesturing vaguely with his muzzle. What were the chances that there would be a price on his head or his hide now? Was Sedna in danger? Were the pups his, or her husband's? Were they all in danger?

Too many thoughts for him to actually sort out what he was thinking, Víðarr is near frozen with it all.
"Víðarr"

When he asked if there was any way she could help, Sedna shook her head. It was just one of the unfortunate side effects of having her insides squished by too large bodies. With time, it would pass, just like the inability to breath and the need to pee so often. Her later words seemed to have her desired effect and she grinned broadly, "Relax," she suggested casually, "we aren't exclusive, he 'as other kids, probably more'n I know about..." She shrugged, it really didn't bother her, and she doubted it would bother him. He would probably like the Viking as much as she did... Maybe even more?

She let her paw dangle a little longer in the running water. "Never did figure out where ter track yer down, surprise?" She offered, trying to make light of the whole situation.

"speech"