The never ending story

@Kajsa

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This day, like many others, Stjornuati ventured from the mountain in seek of plants and herbs and other items that would assist him in his practice. There were many things he could seek, of course, though the man usually found himself focusing upon one or two things rather than gathering what he could. He would map the topography of the land in his mind, associating physical and botanical landmarks to locations that he discovered and explored, especially now that he was "new" here once more and the lands had seemingly... shifted.

This day, he sought one of the most abundant things in the tundran landscape: moss. Not to collect it, per se, but to see where it was most abundant, so that when his stores needed filling, he did not have to wonder or wander about. With the spire of ravens at his back and a copse of evergreens and frozen falls ahead of him, the gilded vikingr ventured the lands beyond Mordfjall's north, his feathered companion Synin flying high above him.

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The sun was just barely rising over the horizon, the soft rays pushing through the soft cracks and crevices of the clouds. The splotches of sun raining down onto the snow gave the alabaster blanket a ghostly and enchanting look. The towering trees that littered the vast land brought a sense of serenity, peace, and quiet. But the blissful silence was interrupted by a frigid gust of wind. The air soared about, shaking the tree's pines, causing the snow that lay atop them to come tumbling down and form small mounds on the lithosphere. Pine cones rattled furiously before they plummeted down to the floor as well, shedding their seeds. Just as the wind rattled everything about, it didn’t forget the outsider.

The bone-chilling current sent surges of shivers down her spine, causing her multi-hued pelt to stand on its ends, reaching for whatever gods would listen to her. Heavy paws percuss the snow, indenting the blanket with her movements. It was.. well.. whatever here in the land of the unknown, but it felt like winter. The fur that enveloped her being also seemed nonexistent because it didn’t feel like it was helping her. The skin that hid her muscles slowly turned red due to irritation and the blood that was rising. Shoulders jutted up and down with each footfall, her limbs dragging Kajsa to wherever they would take her. She was amazed that she was still standing because quite frankly, her limbs had gone numb. The snow embedded itself between her toes and sank into her fur, dampening it, adding more weight to her journey.

Clouds of carbon dioxide billowed before her facial features, only to evaporate before her eyes as she continued to trudge on. She was determined to make this place her home, whether her body liked it or not. Grumbling through her thoughts, Kajsa let a huff of breath flood through her nasal passage. She had hiked through the land for days now and was growing weary. She’s had enough for the time being. Heavy lids pulled down desperately, trying to close her eyes so she could fall into a slumber and catch up on some sleep. Inhaling deeply, her chest clearly rose, her lungs expanding as much as they could without sending a painful sting through her body, and then quickly deflated. Sleep was taking over her, and she was tired of fighting it. But just as her body begged her to give up, to lower herself into the ground and fall victim to the sandman who was teasing her line of vision, a scent came crashing down. It bombarded her senses, forcing her to awaken. A wolf. Another wolf. It had been Gods knows how long since she had seen another, especially upon arriving to this god's forsaken place. Elated, the she-wolf forced herself to push forward, to find the mystery that lay ahead. 

A few paces ahead, a figure came into view. It was a large, dominating male who seemed to be preoccupied. The brute before her was gorgeous. Made of fine silks of cream, ivory, and gentle tans, he was a breath of fresh air. Powerful legs carried him well, and his long, luxurious fur made her practically melt. What stood before her was no man, but a god. And she was a Godeater. A smile pulled upon her lips as she slowly approached him, her sea-blue eyes never leaving his form, "You come here often, handsome?" She cooed with a voice of silk. "Could use a bit of guidance around here."
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He should have expected to come across another; in a way, he did. He always seemed to encounter another being, be they wolf, creature, or prey, but today was different for some reason. He couldn't place why, exactly, but something in the wind ruffled his fur in more ways than one. Perhaps it was the way the wind blew through the trees, or the clouds hung in the sky, or the song the birds above him were singing. Or perhaps it was those things aligning in just the right way, in a way that no other things could possibly align. Such were the intrinsic methods of the hringja, the call that thrummed deep in his chest and rattled his very bones, feeling as though it would be loud enough to deafen him, if it were a sound of the living world.

Such a feeling made him pause, only to turn and see what it was that pulled at his soul in such a way. It was when the snow cleared briefly that he saw her, maroon eyes pinning to her form almost immediately, the darker parts of her coat standing out to make her instantly visible. The kona slunk her way forward in a way that he knew was done to draw his attention and, being the heathen he was, Stjörnuáti did not try and stop himself from letting his gaze follow the way her form swayed with each step. Ears pushing forward, the rest of his posture remained rather cool and collected, a statue of ice true to his stoic nature.

“Ja,” He answered easily, unaware that it wasn't a true question but something more nuanced and intentional. “Where is it that you are trying to go?” For he would never be one to turn away a stúlka í neyð — damsel in distress.

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The man that stood before her was perfect. He was tall, handsome, and held the perfect amount of muscle. He was a sigh of an obsolete god, and it thrilled her. He was everything she could have ever wanted in a partner or one-night stand. There was just something about him as if a connection had snapped in place as her pale blue eyes peered at him. Her heart hammered within her chest, a constant war drum vibrating throughout her frame. It was an odd sensation. It rattled her insides, making her very aware of her emotions and thoughts. Typically speaking to males was a walk in the park for her. She'd throw a compliment here, they'd throw a compliment there, but this man... held a different aura. It was dominating and heavy, but at the same time made her heart sing. 

As she approached, his scent flooded her nostrils and she found herself drinking him in. The gentle tones of his pelt were a perfect contrast to her own darker hues. His eyes were an enchanting maroon that felt like pools of crimson. Everything that he was, she was the opposite. It was almost comical. In the blink of an eye, she could see her future. Herself plastered in his side, marveling at the silk-like texture his fur provided, small pups barking about with a home in the background. It was a sweet image but just that, an image. A mirage of something that more than likely would never happen. Just like this meeting -- it happened by chance. Once the two parted ways, Kajsa would more than likely never see him again. It's why she never allowed herself to get attached. It's why it would not happen now. Whatever fluttering emotions she felt as she approached the beast, the female worked quicker to squash them. 

Footfalls came to a halt as she stood in front of the other, a few feet apart. His words shot goosebumps along her skin, her fur rising to reach up to the gods. Not out of fear and not out of anger, but out of curiosity. The tone was deep as it embedded itself into her bones, sinking into the marrow of her core. The she-wolf could listen to him speak for hours and not get tired of it. It was like a song perfectly crafted for her ears. 

"Not too sure," she admitted with a small smile. "I woke up not too long ago around these parts, so you could say I'm pretty frazzled." It was true. Waking up in an unknown home was a bit traumatizing. Plus, it was cold. The snow had dampened her fur, adding extra weight to her already tired frame. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and absorb the heat of another, or lie beside a flame that would coil around her in tuffs of smoke. But there was no fire here, and she didn't have any place to call home. Thus, her aimless wandering. "How about you? You seemed pretty interested in..." Kajsa faltered, her eyes trying to follow his previous line of vision. "A plant?"
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“Ah,” He acknowledged, nodding; finding oneself here was an all to familiar occurrence, one that he was not quite inclined to explain this day. He went through these paltry conversations each time he met a new wolf, it seemed, as he seemed to some how be the first one to find them. Usually. So no, he wasn't looking to engage the line of conversation that was stated by a sentence like "I woke up not long ago." He also did not know the meaning of the word, "frazzled", but again. It wasn't something he spoke to.

“Yes. This one is... how you say... heilari. Healer. Plants are necessary.” His tone was matter-of-fact, though perhaps to some it would sound corrective. Stuck up, even, as often happened with those that read into his bluntness and found more than what it was. “Moss is not plant,” He said, the same tone ringing through his voice. “grænn — green, yes. Not plant.” It was a line that he'd heard as a boy from the man he'd apprenticed under, a wily healer that had been missing half an ear and sported the scars of his experience.

“You are not sure where you are going?” He brought himself back to her answer, flicking his tail as he thought. “There is much in these lands. What is kona looking for?”

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A man of few words. The woman made a small mental note of how he was quick to change the topic. Seems he wasn't in the mood to talk about her arrival and what this place actually was. Part of her wanted to press him. To learn more about the forest in which she woke. Let alone what state, continent, region, *any* of this was. Because it was clear she was not from around here. Why not explain everything to her? Did she die and he didn't want to be the one to break the news? Was he the reaper that refused to claim his prize? Had she been drugged and dragged to an entirely new location? What. Was. This. Place? Why didn't he answer her questions? 

Turmoil began to gurgle and boil beneath her skin as Kajsa pried her eyes from the man before her to look around. To seek any sort of familiar signs that she had been here before, or had at least heard of it. Nothing came to mind, though. Which frustrated her even more. It didn't matter that he was gorgeous and made from the finest silks the sun had to offer, where the heck was she? 

Flustered, Kajsa somehow managed to keep her anger to herself, tuning in every now and then to his words. He spoke in a weird language. Bringing up a word she didn't know or hadn't heard of. What added fuel to the fire was how he spoke. His tone was very matter-of-fact and straight to the point, leaving little to no room for rebuttal. All she wanted to do was flirt, have a nice night, and then go to gods knows where. But this behemoth was making that rather difficult. 

Moss was not a plant. If she had gathered anything from this interaction, it was that moss was not a plant. Was that super helpful? No. Not even in the slightest. It was a gr.. a grain? That didn't feel right, but she was in no mood to counter him with the knowledge she wasn't positive of. Right off the bat, she figured if they were to argue, she had to have an iron-clad knowledge of the topic. Which -- annoying. 

"What is Kona?" Kajsa asked, her eyes flicking back to him for a brief moment before again scanning the landscape. Her facial features contorted into confusion before she spoke again, "What language is that?"
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What is kona?

He looked at her, one eyebrow raising as he considered her and her questions. Briefly, he remembered his game with @Hothieriel and how he played dumb with her, like he could not speak the common tongue. The slightest smirk pulled at his mouth, both as he remembered such things and thought of playing such a game with this pretty one.

“It is this one's own,” He would answer, giving her nothing to go on and instead only leveling an easy, maroon colored gaze at her. An ear flickered as he shifted his weight from one side to the other. “Now kona answer. What looking for?”

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He was mysterious. Enchanting. Beautifully deranged in his own special way. Maybe it was the way he spoke in a riddled, gold-soaked tongues. Or the haughty gaze his maroon eyes gave off. It didn't matter at the end of the day, because she was absolutely smitten with him. Even if he frustrated her with his matter-of-fact persona. So, when he gave her a back-hand explanation as for what the word meant, she took it at face value. If she managed to cling to him, perhaps she could get a better understanding of not only the word, but the man as well. It was all in good fun, no? Like most women, men too liked to be chased. To engage in a simple cat and mouse dialog. Activities. Such things that are more primal. 

For a moment, Kajsa kept her jowls shut as she fluttered her lashes lightly at him. The thick band of wispy lashes were hard to miss against the snow kissed backdrop. Eyes of sunset yellow peered back at him with a slightly amused glint. If he wanted to play ball, so would she. But it came to a halt when he asked what she was looking for. It was an excellent question. One she hasn't had much time to think about, let alone consider seeing that she had only recently awoken. So, the first answer to her mind was her answer, "A friend."

Tacky, she knew. Maybe she would play it off as a flirtation and gauge his interest. Or maybe she really meant it in a platonic fashion. But nothing about him screamed platonic, and well... she wasn't the kind to give off that kind of a vibe. Here for a short time, not a long time. Someone to kiss and tell. Commitment was such a fickle and fleeting thing, that in her manic state of trying to figure everything out, the last thing she wanted was for someplace or someone to hold her down. 

"How about you?" She cooed with a half smirk.
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He saw her lashes flutter and almost rumbled at her, though it wouldn't have been out of aggression. Yes, he could be a friend, though she might not appreciate how friendly he could be. His eyes flickered over her again, unable to keep himself completely in check. He was a viking, and they were in tune with the wants and needs of their body. Fucking. Fighting. All of it. He had half a mind to take her here and now, though with the way she hesitated with her response, he would stay his paw. At least for the moment.

“This one seeks plant and moss to grow birgðir. Mm... How you say...” Breath plumed from his nose, a noise leaving him as he thought. “Mm. Catch? Kesh? This one does not know word. It is hole of many things.” Stjörnuáti gave a roll of his shoulders as if to shrug, looking down at the moss at their feet. “You. Kona. You help this one carry back to home, and you have place to stay for night. Ja?”

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She was no saint. Kajsa was absolutely no saint. More often than not, she enjoyed divulging in herself and others in a more primal sense. To explore different cultures and tongues on a personal level. It was clear this instance would be no different. As his eyes rolled over her in a hungry manner, the woman felt the corners of her lips twitch upwards in a knowing smirk. Well... if he wanted to gaze upon her beauty, who was she to deny him? Taking his longing glance as an invite, Kajsa slowly approached the beast. He towered over her, which in an odd way was a turn-on for her. From there, she dipped her skull to glide it under his chin. The dark hues of her pelt meshed seamlessly with his own as she took a moment to let her scent waft toward his nostrils. A flirtatious act she had used over the years in a previous life.

Slowly, she maneuvered herself away from him, only for her tail to cup around his chin and lightly nudge it in her direction. If he managed to pull his gaze from his frame, he would be met with a wink and a devilish grin. As he spoke, Kajsa half listened due to other thoughts drifting in and out of her mind. But when he mentioned a place to stay, she was all too eager to comply. Shifting her weight once more, the woman sauntered over to the man and gazed down upon the moss. If she helped him carry such a tedious thing, she would have a place to stay. Well. That's a place she didn't currently have so, sure. "Of course," she cooed gently as she lowered her skull down to the chilled moss. "I'm always willing to help a friend in need." Another double-edged sword. It could be taken in any direction he wanted. She was his willing participant. 
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She tested him, and his patience, in a way that made the fire in his belly rage. The gaze that followed her form burned as her tail swept under his chin, a move that had been used on him many times. Northern women were fierce but sultry all the same, and so moves like this were not unknown to the male; they weren't unwelcome, either. It did, however, equip him with the ability to know when he was being toyed with, to know when the game was cat and mouse, and to know when the better game to play was you're never going to catch me.

“Good.” He answered her with a quick smile, amused with himself as he mentally extracted all the blood from his dick and filtered it all back to his brain. Two could play the game of cat and mouse, and in this instance, the roles were reversible — something the woman was likely not used to. “Kona will make many friend. Perhaps find a man to bed her.” Too far? Probably, but Stjörnuáti was already walking away with a mouth full of moss.

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To say she was surprised was an understatement. Her jaw slightly slacked as her eyes widened at his blatant comment. She was sure she had just been rejected if she didn't know better. Never in her life, has she been denied. It was an odd sensation. It was a bit painful as if he had stricken her pride. It was also a bit uncomfortable. However, her shocked facial expression slowly but surely twisted into one that was a genuine smile. Her lips had tucked upwards, rising towards the sky before she tilted her skull back and let out a joyous, and genuine laugh. It sang out true, chiming through the sun-lit lithosphere around them. While it was weird being rejected by such a handsome man, she didn't find herself mad nor completely upset. 

Instead, it made her all the more curious about the behemoth before her. Thus, she gave him a grin and a small nod, as if silently stating touche. "Maybe," she cooed back as the end of her laugh slowly came to an end. "If I'm lucky." Gently, she dipped her skull down to the ground and used the tip of her nose to nudge some of the snow off the ice-crusted ground. There, moss lingered just beneath. Inhaling deeply, she worked hard to try and memorize the scent, hoping to use it in due time to impress the beast. "Perhaps you'll join me, and my friend." A knowing grin crept across her features before she shrugged, "Two's a crowd. Three's a party. And I do love, a good party."

Not waiting for his response, Kajsa scooped up a mouth full of moss and began to saunter after him. "Lead the way, friend."

Kajsa was never the hunter in most instances. But she had the man in her sights, and she refused to let him go. So, let the games begin. 
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