sjórbjörn sigrún

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currently listening to
he tracks the familiar scents of his family here, to this land - his uncle's scent being nearly overpowering here, marking borders, claiming the land as his. the bear is not certain what magnus had seen here, in these cramped caverns, but... if it is his family's new home, the bear supposes he will have to endure them. he settles his colossal figure outside the scent border ( yes, the land is his family's, but he's not stupid - surely it isn't just his family living here ) and releases a polite - though loud - call for those who name themselves sigrún. surely if his mother is here, she will recognize his voice and come to see him. the bear is uncertain whether magnus will recognize his voice after all this time, but the call for the bloodline should be enough to draw him out... right?

@Úlla @Magnus, all other Sigrúns that desire to attend

NORTHERN WINDS;; It was an all too familiar sound that woke Ulla from her slumber. She heard it countless times before, from babe to adult. She had barely gotten the slips of debris from her pelt when she slipped out and made her way to the source of the sound. At first, she thought Vellen was playing a trick on her - through sound and sight. But her god was letting her know and see the truth. Sjórbjörn. Her firstborn son, with the pelt of downy snow. He had long shed his closeness to his father, which Ulla was immensely thankful of. But before she could utter a single word, she surged forth and tipped her nose against her son's cheek. He was taller, but that didn't stop Ulla from reaching towards him. She always held her children close to her. And though the Sigruns were not an affectionate bunch, she could make an exception for her son. Sjórbjörn, my son she said, voice soft for the first time since arriving here. It's been too long.

Like Ragna, @Sjórbjörn had been young when Magnus had last laid eyes on him. Not a tiny whelp, sure - not a small bundle of fur like the chimeric girl and her brothers had been, nestled at Saga's breast - but young; a scrap of a boy. Sjórbjörn, the melanistic titan rumbled, drawing to a halt before the white-pelted man. You are much larger than when I saw you last, nephew. His lips curled into a half-smile - it was clear that he was pleased to see yet another member of the clan alive and well. And here, no less. Welcome. The titan could only hope that the younger male was here to stay, though he could not see any other reason why the frost-pelted rogue would have appeared. A fleeting visit, perhaps, but it seemed far less likely.

sjórbjörn sigrún

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his mother is, perhaps predictably, the first to arrive and greet him. she is soft, greeting him with a touch to his cheek, and he nuzzles her in kind, a rumbling purr of happiness rolling in his barrel chest. not long after her comes his uncle, polar opposite to the bear-priest in coloration - deep ocean to his mountain snow. perhaps as large as you now, uncle, he teases, a grin lighting his features, his yellow eyes gleaming with amusement. thank you. he pauses, casting an affectionate glance at the smaller figure of his mother before continuing. i'd like to join, if you don't mind, uncle magnus. it would be good to have a home again.


@Úlla & @Magnus

@Magnus was quick to arrive after her. Now nephew and uncle stood shoulder-to-shoulder; Úlla remembered the first time @Sjórbjörn was born, just a tiny wriggling shape of pale flesh. She had coaxed both her children to be attentive to their relative's presence, hoping they would grow accustomed to a changing environment. Their extended family was also present at the children's drowning, which both Sjórbjörn and his sister did spectacularly well. I agree with your uncle, you should join us Úlla said, her voice holding a mix of authority as jarl, but also the softness of a mother. It wasn't that she would like for her son to extend the hollows numbers, but because with all of them here, they could make it stronger. She was certain that Sjórbjörn had learned much during her absence. He was strong, the blood of the north touched by Vellen coursing through his veins. Most of all, he was hers. Tell us, Sjórbjörn, what were you doing in the homeland? It was both out of curiosity and to test him. Magnus would not have the same certainties as Úlla did to her son's character. And even still, he must show his uncle he was ready to take on responsibilities an adult Sigrun must have.

code by corvus | image by rabbit

There was no amount of hesitation from Magnus when @Sjórbjörn stated his wish to join. There was no reason to deny the boy, especially not with his mother stood inches away, practically chomping at the bit to get him over the border. The High Sovereign nodded, beckoning the white-pelted man over the threshold in official acceptance. Come - we will show you around your new home. He remained silent, then, seeking to play the wordless guide as @Úlla quizzed her boy on what had transpired since they'd last seen one another. There was a small part of him that held out hope that perhaps his nephew had some good news for him - something positive brought back from the splinter faction - but it was more likely to be dire, or nothing at all.

He wasn't sure which was worse.

sjórbjörn sigrún

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he's accepted easily into his uncle's ranks, and the bear-priest sighs as his mother asks what he's been up to in the homeland. fighting rikes for any and every scrap of food i could find, he says quietly, truthfully. his tone itself is bland, but there's a flinching around his eyes that wasn't there the last time his mother - or his uncle - had seen him. i was separated from what's left of our clan during a particularly foul storm, and i ended up in rike territory. he'd dug out the snow and holed up until the storm had stopped, and when he dug himself back out... a pair of rike had spotted him.

he'd been forced to fight, and he'd managed to slay them, but then he'd had trouble finding his way back to his family. it took me a couple of weeks to navigate my way back to where the clan had been staying, and by the time i got back, they'd moved. he shrugs, yellow eyes downcast as he follows after his mother and uncle deeper into hollow territory. i followed their tracks for a while, did my daily rituals to vellen, ran into some more rikes here and there. eventually i met back up with everyone. he pauses, blowing out a soft breath and lifting his broad shoulders in a shrug.

i decided to come looking for the rest of you. i... hoped that things would be better away from the rike. the others, from what he could tell, were still hesitant to abandon the homeland to the rike - fearing vellen wanted them to stay and fight, and that by leaving, they would incur his wrath. bear doesn't necessarily disagree, but seeing how his uncle has prospered here makes him think perhaps vellen has a plan for his people. perhaps they are meant to come and take this land for their own, to prosper and grow powerful here.

@Magnus @Úlla

She listened to her son's words and was almost worried. The Rike had been the needle in her family's eye for years. And it only worsened with each interaction, so much so that the next generation of Sigrún inherited their ancestor's hatred. There could be no peaceful bargain between the Rike and Sigrún, only a bloody battle and a promise for war. Úlla made sure not to step into a Rike territory and strayed away from most strangers back in the homeland. She thought she had been careful about keeping her children away. With a steeled gaze, Úlla looked towards Magnus, before she said Then we must keep watch over our home for any signs of the Rike. Her words were grave, speaking like the jarl and not a mother or pride member. I've never seen a Rike myself, but I heard they are relentless. @Sjórbjörn had been their target, but the northern woman knew that as soon as the Rike entered Amaryllis, they would target any and all Sigrún. For now, however, she will have to see to it that Sjórbjörn gets settled into his own den. Come Sjórbjörn, let me introduce you to your new home and pride mates. She gave a polite nod to @Magnus, knowing he would be comfortable with the idea of sitting this one out. Both mother and son had much to talk about. [exit]

code by corvus | image by rabbit

It was no surprise that @Sjórbjörn would broach talk of the Rike. It had been much the same with Svana upon her return. They are a blight, Magnus groused, lip curling with distaste, and are getting closer and closer every day. We must be ready. The idea of the rival family venturing into Amaryllis bothered him immensely, but there would be no avoiding it. Not unless they eradicated them completely. It could be arranged.

It could.

Magnus pushed it from his thoughts; no point in fretting over that yet. The day had not even come. But, if and when it did, they would be prepared. Vellen would not allow them to fail. I have, he offered in low retort to his sister, and they are. It was a miracle that @Úlla had never run into one in the homeland - Magnus had, on numerous occasions. The run ins had never ended prettily. I will leave you with your mother, the titan rumbled to his nephew, offering both a nod of farewell before turning on his heel and leaving.

EXIT

sjórbjörn sigrún

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a scourge, agrees the bear-priest with his uncle, nodding as his mother says they must keep watch over their home. yes, they must - the bear-priest has no intention of letting the rike show up and ruin this home the way they've ruined the homeland. soon enough, the trio is to split up - his mother to give him an introductory tour, and his uncle presumably off to attend to more kingly duties. trotting along after his mother's smaller figure, the bear-priest waves a paw at his uncle in farewell. i look forward to meeting my new pridemates, he says, which is about the only positive review he can give these caves. a far cry from the mountain-and-ocean view he's used to, but... he's sure he can adapt with enough time.

- exit -