DotW: Fish Out of Water (Riga x Ragnarok)

A small cluster of furry bodies lay intertwined under the suns warm glow. The loudest noise was the heavy paddling of large paws on new and energetic youth. One much larger but still youthful form broke away from the group and bent down to greet and nuzzle a pup that stopped to chew on the older’s fur. Half lidded yellow eyes shined brightly. Once the pup wandered away, the she-wolf trotted over to the rock that served as her vantage point over Aryn and beyond. 

Riga had been waiting impatiently for her other packmates to return from Highvalley. Her eyes caught nothing but after a few whiffs of the air she caught some familiar and much anticipated scents. 

Despite her feeble attempt to control herself, Riga found herself uncontrollably barreling towards the returning group. She skidded to a halt in front of the first face she saw and lightly booped his nose. “Rag!” 

Being away from Aryn had left a hole in Ragnarok’s heart. He had missed his adopted pack, and though he made a few friends in High Valley (not to mention met all of his family-oh so much family) it still wasn't like home. His aunt padded ahead, anxious to get back to her friends as well. 

She took off and before Ragnarok could say anything a familiar face replaced his aunt and his nose was bopped. A large smile graced his face and his large head came down and his paws came up, pulling the she wolf into an embrace. 

“Riga!” He breathed her scent in before releasing her.

The she-wolf gasped when she was held in a tight embrace. She returned the gesture and sat on her haunches. 

Her grin widened and her tail thudded harder against the earth. “Quite well but even better now that you’re back,”

She gave a tentative whine and nosed at his furry chest. “How did it go? Is everyone ok? Are you ok?”

A blush dusted his cheeks as Riga gave him a hug and greeting back. His heart thudded in his chest. Gosh should he be hugging her this tight? What if he hurt her? His ears went back and he looked behind Riga, fully expecting her father to be there to rip in Ragnarok.

However the gentle voice asking him questions brought him back into reality. 

“It went very well! I met all my grand uncles, my uhhh I think they were my second and third cousins, and even more family!” Rag said enthusiastically, his stump of a tail wagging, thinking of his uncle and the snowball fight. 

“Everyone is ok but uh let’s just say I miss Aryn. I learned a lot that will help me down the road, but it's not a family setting. There are low bloods, half bloods, and high bloods. Just too much division.” Ragnarok said truthfully, thinking of when he started Sombra he will not follow in Grand Uncle Rodwen steps. It just lead to too much division when a pack should be a family. 

His ears went back and his blush returned at her last question. Was he ok? Of course!

“I'm ok I promise! I got some bruises from a snowball fight but that's not something to worry about...hey wait...when did you get smaller?” Ragnarok asked gently, with a teasing smile on his face as he looked down at Riga’s pretty little head in his chest fur. 

Riga buried her head further into Ragnarok’s fluffy russet chest. 

High bloods, Low bloods, Half bloods, royalty, and cousins. 

The she-wolf knew well of Highvalley now but she had no idea of how much the highvallians valued blood class and sophistication. The concept was strange but not foreign to Riga. Nonetheless she was happy that Rag did not have a negative experience. 

Riga hadn’t realized till that moment that her friend who was once about her height was now towering over her. He looks...cute.

Riga shook the unexpected thought aside and gave a quizzical blink to herself, a light blush dusted her cheeks. 

Wait. What?  

“I suppose I did,” Her memories flashed back to the flowers she had found in between her paws, a certain masculine scent intermingled with the soft petals. “Also, thank you for the flowers. They are lovely.” Riga raised her head to give her friend a grateful lick on the nose.

Ragnarok’s eyes went cross eyed. The soft lick in his nose made his face heat up and he looked comically like a red faced fish caught out of water. Not the most sophisticated expression ever on a wolf. Gulping a mouth full of air he composed himself and smiled down at Riga.

“I'm hoping you liked them and they lasted a long time for you.” He stated softly, laying his large head on hers, giving her a soft lick as he waited for her response and shared his body heat. 

Though winter had about one more moon to go, the cold was still bite worthy and Riga was far to precious to Ragnarok to let her suffer in the cold. Thinking quietly he whispered.

He blushed hard, looking down at his friend. By the one she was beautiful.

Riga enjoyed Rags embrace. Heat travelled through her body. “Of course I liked them, no I loved them.” 

The offer caught Riga by surprise, the mention of waterfalls and meadows sounded strangely enticing to her. “I’d like that.” A cascade of blush engulfed the she-wolf’s face unknowingly to herself. 

There was a sudden revelation that burned into Riga’s head. The emotion, no the feeling was small and untouched between the two wolves but it was yet to blossom.