#berserkiir

      muscles tense for a brief moment, mostly out of habit, adrenaline still pumping through her veins, as she whirls around to face him, yanking him down to eye level so she may reciprocate by sinking her teeth into his throat. lips just barely brushing against his before she releases him. she isn’t annoyed, far from it, but this wasn’t the time.  “ — i will drive my sword through you if you do not stop distracting me. focus,” at least long enough to find what they’d stormed this bandit camp for, “… that heirloom has to be here somewhere. “ were it anyone else they would have met her fist without question, but she allowed him leniency rarely given. 

“You scared me. What are you doing walking around all...” She pauses to make a little claw gesture with her hands. “All spooky in the middle of the night. I thought you were...were a lunatic.” Granted she had no proof they weren’t but now that she was face to face, she felt her odds were better than if they had remained in the shadows.

  when he finally approaches, threat temporarily extinguished, she rests her forehead against the björn’s with silent appreciation, fingers curling into his fur. soothed by his warmth she can feel a grogginess begin to take hold, her head aching from over exertion. “ modi would be proud. we should find somewhere to make camp. “ somewhere for the she-wolf to heal.

    so she does not falter as an otherwise deadly muzzle ruffles through her hair, playfully nudging him in retaliation before placing a kiss to the top of his nose. 

   “ …your intimidation tactics only work on whelps, you and i both know my bite is much worse than yours,“  leaning over him she allows her unbraided hair to fall upon his face, hoping to be enough of a nuisance to wake him. when that fails she moves away from his bed and begins to collect his armor, flinging it piece by painful piece in his direction. “ get dressed. the others are waiting outside,” there is no humor in her tone, despite how playful she’d been just moments prior, the urgency in vilkas’ tone, uncharacteristic for one normally so level headed, even in times of stress, had her on edge. “ something is happening..  “ 

    the sight of him both warms and stirs the primal longing within her heart, makes her yearn for her own hunt, her own adventure. the shield maiden knows her time will come soon enough but patience was difficult. she’s restless, tired of training whelps and sick of these uneventful halls. she wanted to live tales of grandeur not hear them. “ …and it is still intact, “ smiling she slides him a mug of mead in celebration of his victory, “ i am impressed with its resilience,” but then, it came as no surprise given the hands that crafted it. “ did you see any dragons ? ”

“… i shall be glad to see it serve you well, so long as you return along with it.” there is a silent plea in her request, return to her , but it does not escape the confines of her ribcage. 

    smiling into a pillow she clears her throat, only to gain his full attention, and pats the empty space beside her, beckoning him and his warmth closer. helm and all, it made no difference, so long as he remained beside her.