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The indomitable peaks of Northfall, home to the fierce Northfall and its raucous vikings, she breathed happily, inhaling the crisp, frozen air of the mountains. It wasn't Ichorwood…. But she was happy here. Happier still, now, with Bogart trailing alongside her.
Her pace had been lazy, and she'd soaked in as many days of travel as she could after a too-brief stay at the flame another night. Again, she was being selfish, but she thought she must've earned a few days away, right, albeit a few more than she'd mentioned when she departed. It wasn't like she could find anything worth bringing back to feed the pack, at any rate. But at least she wasn't returning empty-pawed: another body to fill the ranks of the reviving empire was always worthwhile. Teeth to guard them, jaws to hunt, stronger borders to protect their young, new blood; new members were important in any group! Let me tell you, can they party up here.

And this one was all hers, from the credit to the benefits, a victory she would savor for a long while.

Raisa led him without hesitation past border markers, stopping to leave one of her own to reestablish her presence with a flash of pride and tipping her jaws to the wind to sing both an announcement of her return and a summons for Wardruna to meet her all the same. She didn't want to pull the new Mother from her pups, but... duty called. She supposed she could've went to fetch the Queen herself, but if she was just going to get dragged out anyway, there seemed little purpose in leaving Bogart alone to sit about awkwardly.

The sapphire woman nuzzled into the thick fluff of his mane, nibbling playfully as they walked like an overexcited kid. I hope you'll love it here as much as I do, she murmured, tugging at his ear, I can't wait for you to meet my family. She'd mentioned her sister, of course, and the guard she considered like a brother too. They were the last remnants of Seiiki, and she clung to them desperately, dreading the day something might happen to those she loved so much.

She led her lover to the visitors' den, baying out another, softer call for the Stormborn monarch to help her locate them. It was where she, Carnifex, and Serafina were still hunkering down at night (at least, its where she normally slept), though personally Raisa had been on the search for somewhere more private. She didn't mind if they came with her or not, but if they were permanent residents of Northfall, they deserved a place all their own. Maybe she just desired a place to call her own. Sera and Carni had never overly cared about the den outside bad weather, like most people. The thought made her miss Koku; she'd always shared Raisa's side in the night. Maybe she could find somewhere along the peaks where ran parallel the shore, somewhere she could see the crimson blur of her homeland on the horizon on a clear day.

Stepping inside the tall, open, forested cave, Raisa shook her whole body to free herself of the snow clinging to her back and turned to lick Bo's cheek, settling against his shoulder with a brief shiver. This winter was starting to get out of hand, frankly; dark every day, all day, snowing more often than not, prey hidden.

If she's not here soon I will go looking for her, but shit, is it cold.

Bo melded closer to her, insisting that soon was too soon, that she should wait until she was properly warmed. Despite the way his words sounded like instruction Raisa heard the way his voice twisted at the end, making it into a suggestion. She understood: it was preferred, it was smarter perhaps, but most importantly, it would make him feel better.
Raisa had been a spoiled princess and then queen without a king, she'd never taken to orders well or even stopped to give a real vote to anyone outside herself. Listening to or even asking after others opinions, sure, weighing her options, absolutely, but the decision had always been hers and nobody had contested her on it.
But even she knew that the way she felt about Bo, it constituted more than that. If she wanted a partner she had to treat him like one, and that went past the fact that she was sweet on him. It meant that even if there were no ruling decisions to make his opinion had as much weight as hers in their day to day lives. Had she remained in Seiiki, it would've come to the decision of making him her equal in all ways or a simple consort. But that wouldn't have been a choice, not with Bo, just as it wasn't really now. She wanted him to be more than just a lover, or someone chosen from duty. She wanted him, plain and simple. So in the same ways she had to shed her pride and crown to bow her head to Wardruna, she had to offer Bo even her vanity, her stubbornness, every part of her so that he could see and understand. She had to communicate, hard as it would be, be honest.
She had to recognize his own needs and meet them.

As you wish, she breathed, tucking herself comfortably beneath his chin and against his chest to stand and wait, I will never need an excuse to snuggle close to you.

It wasn't Wardruna who greeted them first.

It was ‘fina.

Raisa bared a nervous smile for her sister, tail wagging a bit stiffly, but glad -relieved- the silver brindle seemed happy to see her above all else. Raisa had never brought home someone so…. Important, especially in a way she barely yet understood. She needed Serafina to know that. Teeth chattering a few snaps in exciting greeting and subtle warning alike; hey, be nice or I'll beat you up, Raisa bowed into a stance as if she might spring to play to show her littermate the nature of the meeting, lighthearted, happy, that Raisa didn't mean anything by the possessive thread pulsing in her veins. She just felt… weird. She wanted this to work. She wanted to expand their family.
But Sera could never be replaced. "YA tozhe skuchal po tebe, sestra," ( I missed you, too, sister, ) she jested.

Wardruna did appear before Raisa got the chance to pounce or do any introductions. She turned her beaming smile to the Queen, waiting till Bo had introduced himself before sweeping the spotlight away from his unsure features with a wave of her paw.

It is good to be back, Wardruna. The flame was absolutely amazing, she breathed, glancing to Bo with a reassuring quip of her tail against his flank, but not as purple as you said. Pink, actually. I did not manage to find any decent prey trails out there, but neither did I return empty-pawed, my Queen.

She leaned back against the hulking dog. War's easy nature and friendly greeting only solidified what she felt, thought, worried over: they were friends. Raisa had a friend, and they had come to trust each other enough for the Huntress to assist in watching over the territory, to think the Queen would trust her judgement and not drive away a newcomer.

He has more herbal knowledge than I do, knows how to defend himself well enough, and he might even be as good a tracker as I am even up here in the peaks, she hummed, bumping her head up against him gently, Though, we gotta work on the actual hunting part. She hoped she had come to understand the rescue part of his job correctly, and thought this was the best way to translate it into a skill to help the pack. I think Northfall would benefit from his joining. I would benefit from his joining.

Her sunset gaze flicked from Wardruna to Sera, bright indeed.

The imperious Sapphire Tigress; affectionate, softened, hopeful.