gjalla flicked water from her coat with a sharp shake, the sound crisp against the hush of the woods. her ears turned toward him, then her head, eyes narrowing—not unkind, but weighing. considering.

somehow, i’m not surprised. she didn’t press the matter with questions, for the sake of her sanity. then freya. descent, stolen. freya, yes, she remembered her. vaguely, in flashes of fur and laughter.

there were holes in her memory she couldn’t reach until he tried to fill them, and the effort to reach back made her head throb. she huffed out through her nose, more breath than sound. exasperated.

a pause, then: she remembered a festival—the celebration of this place. it was freya’s, then. no longer. what of her people?

「 Skill Point ― Orator」

He snorted softly, observing the woman who brought forth a wave of dry humour to his unwavering form. His smile became a smirk for a moment, before it fell into a soft neutrality. He still worried for the woman before him, her aching body still at the forefront of his mind. He wouldn't have it any other way, but it did make having a conversation quite hard for him to process.

The mention of her people left him receding into the shadows of his mind, the stress of the past couple of weeks chasing a child across the tundra, and the presence of new gods weighing down his consciousness. It was a lot to take in, but there was no need to spill it all here despite the flicker of tiredness in his eyes.

We are fewer since her ascent. I lead those who are left under a new name, Skjoldrheim. We remain strong, even with the world around our island changing like the tides. Oh, how he wished he could be in human form once more, escape the land, and ride the ocean into a war where he might let off some steam. Alas, that was not their way anymore, and he was very much stuck in the confines of this canine's body.

What of you? Tell me while we walk, so I might take you to our healer who can help you further than just a dip in the water,

gjalla grunted in response, not unkindly—just tired, ribs still aching, limbs heavier now that the adrenaline had waned. skjoldrheim, she echoed, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. it suits you.

she doesn’t protest his offer, only fell into step with him, gait uneven but stubbornly steady. her shoulder brushed his as they walked. i was the queen of my naval home before you found me. i had daughters. a husband. then there was nothing. she glanced over at him.

woke up in a crater with half my face in the dirt and your voice in my ear. not much else to report.

「 Skill Point ― Orator 」

A small snort pumped from his nose, a smile faintly pulling at his maw. Thank you, I thought so too, his reply was soft as he awaited her to join him on the bank.

Their bodies hovered beside each other, the brush of fur against fur the only tell of her stubbornness. The god walked and listened, pinning an ear to her as he navigated the rugged terrain as carefully as he could, given the woman's unknown injuries. A family, a whole life, all left to dance only in memories. It was hard, but Tyr could relate, pulled through the planes of life by the chains that tethered him.

It is hard to lose something so dear, he offered his sympathy, casting a single glance at the woman, If there is anything we can do to help, we will. Do you think they could have followed you here? The question was a strange one, but there were weirder things to happen. It was how he had found Freya, just a single hunch that she was out there.

gjalla was quiet a beat too long, her breath slow and thin. that is my hope. she said finally, voice lower now. less wry, more raw. there is nothing more to do but search.

the words tasted like iron. she didn’t look at him as they walked, gaze pinned to the stars like she could blanket of darkness above, dotted in starlight. her family's names sat heavy in her chest, a growing ache she knew would not settle. not until she finds them again.

her gaze falls to him, then, as she spoke: i’m not asking for help. just telling you how it is. a pause. ...but if you have scouts, keep your ears sharp. you will know they are mine if you see them. stars on their foreheads, dark pelts.