Skill: Ranger[1/5]

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The frost that laced the ground began to dissipate as the she-wolf walked along the shoreline. The air was already warmer, just west of the woodlands she'd just emerged from. How strange. Curiosity etched across her face, Siru turned her head back towards the snow-kissed forest.

Her head canted back, nose twitching against the air. The musk of brine hung heavily in the air, carried by the coastal winds that whipped against her body. The ocean here seemed lush with life, though Siru could not see it—the water was far too deep.

As she neared the water, she nearly tripped—a starfish lay sprawled out atop the stone, a shocking change of color from the drab beach that surrounded it. For a moment, she looked around for something that had perhaps dragged it out of the water—yet, there was nothing around. Not a sound came from the nearby treeline, and no birds circled the gray skies.

Left behind as the tide receded, she figured. Siru gingerly nudged the animal with her nose, yet unsurprisingly, it did not move. She was far from an expert in marine life; but, surely, it would not survive for very long outside of the water?

She gingerly peeled the sea star from the rocks, holding it gently between her jaws. She grimaced at the smell and salty taste, yet continued on regardless, towards the sea where she could return it to its natural habitat once more.

「 Skill Point ― heartbroken 」

The tide had finally receded once more, allowing travel to and from the island. Frankly, it left Tyr wishing to never return, but he knew he must. Responsibilities and the likes awaited him, and while he may not have to do the brunt of the work thanks to Sovereign, he still needed to be present in case... In case something else happened.

His heart squeezed. Loss upon loss. The father of what was once 14 was now down to 7. He'd lost half the brood within the span of 6 months, and that was more than enough to topple most individuals into the darkness. A man who'd craved children couldn't even keep them around, only one body to show buried upon the island.

Tyr tried to squash the emotion, swallowing hard as he walked along the shore in hopes of returning to the island prison he called home.

What he didn't expect to find, and was a welcome distraction, happened to be a woman nosing what looked like a rock. He paused in his step as he watched with curiosity, tilting his head as she began to peel something off. A... Starfish? He snorted quietly, humoured by the humanity displayed. Such an odd thing to see, and yet it warmed his core.

He silently followed from a distance as she returned it to the shallow ocean, and in hopes of not startling her, he beckoned her with a soft chuff. His head was low as he peered at the small woman, tilted with curiosity.

Skill: Ranger [2/5]

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Siru waded a short distance into the water before she gently placed the sea star back into the water before immediately shaking her head, her tongue lolling out from her lips. Gods, what a smell... at least she could leave with the satisfaction of knowing she saved a life. The Maiden padded back out of the water, battering her paws to shed small droplets from her feet.

When the soft chuff sounded from further along the beach, she raised her head in surprise, ears quickly cupping forward towards what was a tall figure a short distance away. Half of his face was a vibrant gold, the other a deep blue. What an interesting appearance. She cocked her head, brows raising.

She shook off the thoughts, tearing her eyes from the stranger's face. Forgive me, she laughed softly, an awkward flush to her cheeks. I didn't mean to stare. I don't believe I've ever seen anyone quite like you before...

Siru's tail swept gingerly by her hocks. Are you a native here...? She asked quite tentatively. It'd certainly be a welcome revelation; she'd deeply appreciated meeting Rhadamanthus and Dracarys, no doubt. Yet, the lands were still shrouded with mystery, leaving questions in her mind that she had no hope of finding answers for—at least, unless this man knew them. I'd awakened here a few weeks ago, she explained. I... haven't the slightest idea where I am.

「 Skill Point ― heartbroken 」

Tyr straightened his head and quirked the corners of his lips into a small smile, Assessment is only natural, do not apologise, he let out a small chuff-like laugh, but it was soft and brief.

Her colours were like a stab to the heart. She looked much like Tove, but different enough to be separate. Perhaps their fates had brought them together for some reason, though Tyr could not place why.

When she spoke of being native, the man shook his head. He'd been living in this realm for over a year now, and that was long enough to know that only those born on these shores were the true natives.

You are in Mythris, in the northeast, to be specific. he cast his eyes back to the eternal forest of frost to the north of the beach before returning them to the woman of pale lavender.

My name is Tyr, and my home is the island across that causeway. I've been here over a year, so I might be able to answer any questions you might have, They were deserted here, like some kind of sick dreamscape; they couldn't escape.

Skill:—[2/5]

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'Mythris...' She nodded, her eyes following his glance towards the woodlands she had traversed from.

Tyr... Tyr? Well met, Tyr. Of the Æsir? She did not comment, yet offered a glance nearly disconcerted. The fur of her flank began to twitch, prickling with unease. Is it some regular occurrence for deities to be banished here? How badly she wanted to ask; yet, she refrained.

Siru had only heard of Yggrasil and its legends. The gods and goddesses of the tree's flanks were but names upon a scroll; no. No, this man is surely not the Tyr. Perhaps he had been named after the god of war. He was not the god of war himself.

The Forest Maiden let out a soft breath, her eyes drifting towards the island he'd gestured to. It seemed pleasant. A small corner of the world away from whatever chaos ensued on the mainland; she turned to look at the chimeric sire with the ghost of a smile. It's strange, she began, twisting her ear towards the undulating shoreline. I was full of nothing but questions when I'd first arrived here.

She turned to look at the sea, taking a few languid paces towards it. Yet, now that I have a source for answers, they elude me. Soft-hued eyes stared off towards the horizon, the hazy line where sky met sea.

「 Skill Point ― heartbroken 」

She reminded him of the other ancient ones, ethereal in the way she spoke, and yet her demeanour was soft, perhaps it could also be considered naive. Tyr regarded her for a moment, his eyes lifting to her face as she spoke. She did not offer a name. yet.

There will always be questions in this realm, though if you ever remember the ones you wanted to ask, you can always find me here, søster, (sister) he offered, his Scandinavian tongue decorating his words. As she turned to look across the sea, he felt tempted to join her in the setting sun. The sky was painted in reds and golds, but as he stared, he could only feel the longing for his home.

Asgard was a place he sorely missed these days, and with each moment of grief and mourning, he sought the comfort of his family. It was as if Odin had set these trials up for him to just come running home to daddy dearest. The god swallowed, torn within as he looked to the horizon where the ocean met the sky.

For a split moment, he thought of his ex-wife, but that memory was squashed as soon as it reared its ugly head.

Skill:—[2/5]

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'Here...' His offer was met with a silent dip of her head, eyes still tracing over the contours of the horizon. I am grateful. She murmured, an ear twisting back in a conflicted expression of both worry and reassurance. Yet...I do not know where here is. She shifted her eyes to rest back upon the two-toned sire.

How was she meant to seek out his presence when she knew nothing of this place? There was no landmark to reference him—no paths were carved into the earth, surrounded by trees she'd grown to know so well that the woodgrains felt like a map etched across a scroll. She was lost. Her tongue lapped across her lips, and her head canted upwards towards the heavens.

Ukko Yilijumala. Minne olet minut vienyt?

Siru let out a breath she didn't realize she'd withheld, shaking off her thoughts with a short clearing of her throat. Forgive me for being so scatterbrained. I... haven't been myself, as of late. A silence passed after her words—such vulnerability was, no doubt, nothing short of inappropriate before the presence of this strange man. My name is Siru. The Forest Maiden lied— a false moniker for the newborn false idol.