#but its norseypoo

[wilddwcrds]

rineike's words flutter through esje's mind, stirring a mix of reflection and curiosity within her. she wishes the world didn't twist her thoughts so easily, finding herself caught between the desire to learn and the longing for something she can't quite name. despite her inner turmoil, a flicker of amusement ignites when she notices rineike's smirk. "why is that so funny!? rineike, you are laughing at me!" her own laughter is tinged with a blush of her cheeks, though it fades when thoughts of her brother darken her mood. she can't envision a world where cas embraces change. "convincing adrie would be simpler. she could sway cas eventually. but…" adrie isn't here and the absence weighs heavily as rineike weaves the braid into esje's hair, a silent ache for the way things were supposed to be.

the journey of self-discovery is a maze, one that she wasn't prepared for and esje listens intently as rineike speaks. ever eager to learn, she ponders quietly. "i don't think so. i was envious when everybody else could fight and not me. but it wasn't envy that led me to this." her words resonate with a soft bitterness, memories of feeling overlooked and underestimated surfacing. she absorbs rineike's wisdom on fear, the weight of failure heavy on her heart. "i fear failure more than anything. that it would prove i should never dare for more."

finally, a smile can lift over esje's lips as the braid completes, a silent sense of celebration and accomplishment. "thank you." she grins proudly, hope rekindling in her chest. even when the question about loki prompts a moment of hesitation, esje's initial response shifting with contemplation. "no, i wanted this before loki. not because of him. he was among the first who ever listened." she tells rineike surely. "but i do want to fight like him, one day."

★・・・・・・★

Rineine is softly confused at the statement, her head turning to watch for Esje's reaction as the younger wolf ponders positive changes. "Du har klart å lære deg å kjempe. Det må være en god ting." and then her elbow gently nudges to Esje's. "Og du har kommet nærmere Loki." she turns her head away as she says this, concealing her teasing grin before it can break into a chuckle. It remains even as she considers Cas' stubbornness, shaking her head to the comment. "Jeg undervurderer ingenting. Jeg vet bare at han kaster bort energien sin. Det er bare så lenge han kan trampe med føttene."

As her fingers work through soft tresses of hair, Rineike's demeanor shifts into relaxation. Tuning to the tone in which Esje speaks with, her mind constantly deciphering what the girl feels as she works an intricate pattern into her hair. "Sjalusi er barnslig, men når du er ung vet du ikke noe annet." she explains, tilting her head as she pauses the design. "Tror du at du ville ha dette av sjalusi?" the question is direct about Esje's desire to fight, but delivered with a tender voice when Rineike turns to tucking strands of silver hair over her fingers and around. A small hum resonates as Esje continues and the confusion is palpable, Rineike witnessing it written all over the younger wolf's features and even her mannerisms. "Bare vi vet hvem vi er, Esje." she tells her truthfully, a statement of fact. "Og frykt er noe som forsvinner. Vi er alle redde til tider. Jeg tror du allerede har vist at du er fryktløs på måter. Det samme vil skje når du kjemper mer."

There's another question that Rineike is determined to ask, and the braid slowly winds to a finished design. She sweeps it around Esje's hair, holding it in place with her fingers lightly as she gestures with her free hand. "Nå trenger du bare en til for at denne skal bli med. Og så kan den jobbes inn i en større." she encourages, letting go of the braid gently so it hangs loosely again. "Tror du at du ønsket å lære å kjempe for å komme nærmere Loke? Og det fikk deg til å tro at du også måtte kjempe som ham?"