Nothing to Do [Ulrika/Hush]

[Jokul & Starkad]

Time and Date: Mid-December, Late morning
Weather: Sunny (As sunny as Berk can be) Few stray clouds
Previous Threads: None

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For the first time in her life, Starkad was bored. Jokul was having a lesson with the others in the arena, and though it was a sunny day, Starkad couldn't bring herself to run around the village. Without Jokul there to chase her, she saw no incentive. Sure, she might be able to annoy someone else, but it wouldn't be the same. Her rider was all bark and no bite. Plus, today was one of those days that nothing really appealed to her. She didn't even want to sleep.

The hobblegrunt lay on the outskirts of Berk, in a small clearing overlooking the ocean. It was hidden by a few bushes, but Starkad was sure others had found it. The chances of anyone being there were slim though. It may be known, but it's not really the best spot to sunbathe, so other dragons would find a much better place, and the humans were always busy, so that left Starkad with her own quiet, peaceful bubble away from everyone.

Unlike most other times, her scales were in a greyscale pattern today. Her belly was unnaturally a very dull light blue, making it appear silver next to her dark grey body.

She grumbled and settled herself into a sitting position, with her legs sprawled out in front of her, and began fiddling with her front claws, interlocking and loosening them in a vain attempt to entertain herself. And when that didn't work, she groaned and rolled onto her back, scratching her shoulders against the ground.

"I'm so bored!" She wailed to herself, letting her legs fall to the ground with a dull 'thump'.

Once again, she tried entertaining herself. This time though, she brought her tail to her face, and swished it back and forth to watch the fins move. Sometimes she blew a puff of air on them to cause the same effect.

She huffed one final time before curling into a tight ball and trying to fall asleep. Even though she knew she wouldn't, she was glad the sun could be blocked by closing her eyes. The darkness was welcoming to her, but not enough to soothe her, so she kept flopping back and forth trying to find the most comfortable position, ultimately failing.

Releasing a few quiet clicks with her tongue, she hoped at least one fun thing happened to her today.

[Hush Ironhide]

Starkad wasn't the only one at a loss for what to do with themselves - padding barefoot through the thick of the foliage, there was another little girl who found herself wandering with eyes glossed over from too much thought. Hush simply walked the path she knew, a path that happened to open up to the clearing where Starkad was lounging and looking very similar to a wiggly rock. It was the clicking sound she made that snapped Hush to attention.

"Oh!" The word was said with a start, freezing not unlike a deer caught in the headlights as her muscles held too rigid and too still for just a few seconds too long before finally relaxing into relief and recognition. She had seen Starkad before, of course - but that didn't stop her eyes from crinkling in the corners with an appreciative and joyful smile just a few degrees away from being sheepish.
"Oh... Hello, beautiful one." Her voice wasn't much above a whisper, but it was almost more song than speech.

Instinctively, she dropped down into a crouch, reaching out a mostly limp hand for the dragon to sniff the same way she'd offer it to a dog. Never mind that she was at least a good twelve feet away - it was the principle of the matter.
"I don't usually see you alone," or gray-scaled, "are you lonely?" Her head was tilted slightly to one side, quietly inquiring with blue eyes wide and earnest as she took in the impressive dragon at close range.

She was quiet, actually waiting for an answer with each breath that she took. Her fingers twitched a little, but otherwise she seemed content to crouch there with the buds of a sympathetic smile pulling up the corner of her lips.

[Ulrika&Timber]

Ulrika was having a moody day today. She flunked out on today's lesson, much to the distaste of her dragon, who protested, but eventually let it slip. Stuff was on the girl's mind, apparently. Timber decided to instead accompany her.

They crossed the wood bridge that attached the village to the rest of the island. But instead of walking along the path generally to head into the woods, or towards the arena, Ulrika defiantly decided to go the other way. Timber made a noise, still confused at Ulrika's behaviour. Was it about their misadventure they had in the woods not so long ago?

Timber could tell that she had been easily bothered by what she had done, even though it was a good act, in a way. Timber would have done the same, of course... Well, she already had, it was her new namesake, after all!

Suddenly in her musings she bumped into Ulrika who had stopped. Her hunter's ears picked up something, and now stopping to listen, Timber heard it too - a voice? Ulrika briefly glanced at Timber, but the Night Fury was also curious. They treaded carefully, Ulrika's experience as a hunter allowing her to move silently. They were near some shrubbery, and Ulrika peeked over the vegetation.

She then stood up abruptly, and somewhat noisily, there was no need to be sneaky on humans, after all. "Oh. It's you." Ulrika said, stepping forwards. She recognised the girl , aside from Grima, she was the only other ViT their own age. She was always pretty dainty, and to Ulrika she was rather boring. Timber approached from the otherside, and sniffed at some of the berries, curiously. "I figured a goody-two-shoes like you wouldn't skip class."

Ulrika then noticed the sulking Hobblegrunt, though she didn't recognise it was Starkard, because of the different coloured scales from usual. Ulrika's somewhat stern face turned into a grin, "So, you found yourself a dragon? About time!"

[Jokul & Starkad]

The sound of someone coming from behind didn't even startle the hobblegrunt. She just thought it was some terror or smaller dragon trudging through the undergrowth, looking for a quick meal, so when she caught the scent of a viking, she let out a low huff of air. Did Jokul come looking for me?

But the voice of a girl was something she wasn't expecting. Starkad turned her head to face her as she began inching closer in a crouched position. Starkad recognized her from other lessons with Jokul, but she didn't quite remember her name. She always had troubles with what humans called themselves. Was it something like Plush? No… Brush?… Shush? The last one sounded closest, but she wasn't sure.

"Oh… Hello, beautiful one."

At first, Starkad detected a bit of fear emanating from her… but then it faded and gave way to curiosity. The hobbegrunt craned her neck out to get a better reading of her mood, and when that didn't work, she hefted herself to her feet. She gave herself a few shakes to get rid of any dirt that decided to cling to her scales. Only a few steps closer, and Starkad could tell the girl was eager of her approach.

"I don't usually see you alone. Are you lonely?" When the girl's head tilted a bit to the side, Starkad copied the action, and stepped closely enough so that the hand was dangling just out of her jaw's reach. From here, the hobblegrunt could both sense, and see the joy she was filled with. The smile, though small, was enough to have Starkad try and copy it. However, one of the downsides of many dragon species, is the fact that they don't quite have lips… so her smile turned into something like a snarl more than anything else.

So far, this young viking wasn't fun enough to get the hobblegrunt excited, but at least she was entertained, right?

More movement from the foliage caused Starkad to turn her head. This time, the one emerging from the bushes seemed more confident than the girl before her had.

Again, Starkad couldn't quite remember her name, but the scent of a night fury on her brought some memories back. I think that one's Ulrika… The hobblegrunt's snarl-like smirk dropped as Ulrika got closer.

"I figured a goody-two-shoes like you wouldn't skip class." Starkad could only sense the slight annoyance, but she could see the hard look upon the viking's face. Slowly, but surely, that steely glare turned into a smirk.

"So, you found yourself a dragon? About time!" The hobblegrunt paid no heed to her words, and instead, fiddled with her claws and wait to see what would happen between the two humans. Sometimes they were fun to watch.

[Hush Ironhide]

The dark-haired girl was delighted, her blue eyes wide with quiet marvel when Starkad actually sat up and got closer. Color flushed to her cheeks in nearly embarrassed surprise, the start causing Hush to pull back her hand a few inches by instinct alone.
"Wow." The word was breathless, barely a word at all. It was the first time she'd seen the color-change this up close, and it was quite the treat.

The lop-sided attempt at a grin was understood for what it was, and the subtle curl of her lips bloomed in to something bigger. She laughed a little, a sound that was quieter then it could have been but lacked no magic for it.
"Just look at you," the word was full of praise for Starkad. "It's no wonder Jokul likes you so much." Her voice was warm, though if there were any words coming they were cut off by Ulrika's sudden appearance.

"Eep! O- oh, um..." Hush looked over her shoulder to the more competent blond classmate of hers, and looked away just as quickly. "Hi, Ulrika." Hush finished lamely, staring down at the soft Earth - she had meant her welcome, though, and it was clear in the way that she looked up at Ulrika with favor and a flicker of her fingers in a small wave. She acknowledged the Night Fury with another separate little flash of her fingers.

Ulrika's conclusion drew a blink out of her, tilting her head a little to one side.
"Huh? Oh, oh no - this is Jokul's dragon." Hush affirmed this gently, rocking back on to her heels even as she crouched. "I guess she wants to take it easy, too."

[Ulrika&Timber]

Ulrika didn't like Hush's voice. She was far too quiet, too delicate to be a viking. It sort of reminded her of her sister, but having been witness to Caedence freaking out over her, she knew she still had some Viking blood in her to redeem herself. Hush, however? Nothing so far.

Timber bounced over the shrubbery to Starkard's side and sniffed her out, playfully. "Hey there." She then came up to Hush, sensing her more gentle nature, so toned it down and acted more docile towards the girl. She let the girl pet her if she desired. The Night Fury gurgled quietly to her.

Hush corrected Ulrika, and looking to the dragon again, she realised it now. "Oh, I see. I forget and get confused it changes colours. It's weird, I'm not used to it... Do you always have to talk so quietly, though?"

"Yeah, I need a break." She agreed with Hush, violently plonking herself on the ground. She laid back and looked at the sky between the leaves. "My life is pretty crazy right now, I don't know what to think!" Ulrika confessed.

Timber looked between them. She didn't know if Hush knew dragonese, but she knew Starkard was a little menace sometimes. "Ulrika's having it rough lately. I respect her so I'll let her get things off her chest in her own time, but I think she needs a good listener, even if she probably won't accept it..."

---

Sorry if I turn this into something moody lol, I can't let Ulrika go through her experience without some level of trauma.. lol
(She killed someone. But it was to protect her dragon, but the cost of taking a life, kinda thing. It's too much for a simpleton like Ulrika, though she tries so hard to be like the adult vikings all tough n all), so there's that background information for you. Whether your charries know this or not is how social and nosy they are, i guess...

[Jokul & Starkad]

Humans are boring and mundane. Or, at least that's the conclusion Starkad came to. None of them knew how to have fun. They always had to stop her from having it herself too.

But this girl was different. Starkad relished the quiet, kind words leaving the small viking. She wasn't as brash as most others she'd bumped into. The girl was... softer. That's what I'll call her... the Soft One.

The small, sweet moment was ruined when Ulrika's negative atmosphere entered the small clearing. Starkad felt her own mood begin to follow suite. The dragon grumbled and tried to shake her head clear of the gloomy thoughts, by drawing her frills as far back as they would go. 

The young hobblegrunt at least knew Ulrika enough to see this wasn't the typical Ulrika. Sure, she'd only been within a nadder's distance of her a few times, but it was enough to pick up on her moods. 

The night fury she'd smelt earlier seemed to have a happier aura around her as she hopped over to the small group that had formed. Even though it took a second to remember, Starkad recalled her name as well. Timber, I think...

Ulrika and the Soft One began talking to one another, and quickly, Starkad grew bored. The hobblegrunt barely tried to listen to the human's discussion, and instead, cleaned her frills, by  tilting her head and running the side of her arm against them. 

She was nearly finished when Timber mentioned the 'rough patch' Ulrika was going through. Starkad wasn't one to obey to another's request. Even Jokul had issues restraining her from turning everything into a chew toy. 

But with all the emotions washing off of the viking girl, Starkad actually took the initiative. To make it look as though she didn't care one way or the other, she circled the two human females, taking in their scent as well as getting the best reading on their moods, Ulrika's specifically. 

Instead of sensing plain old anger or sadness, it was... so much more complicated. Like it was three or more moods overlapping one another. This only got the young hobblegrunt confused. She wasn't used to this kind of aura coming from anybody, and it got her curious as to why. 

She didn't have to look to know her scales would betray her own curiosity. Not that they'd know what each color means. The soft fade from black and gray to blue and purple traveled smoothly from head to tail as she settled herself between the two humans. She kept her head on the ground and kept her eyes near or around Ulrika, trying to figure her out.

"Why do you feel all weird?" She muttered. Though it was mostly to herself, she wondered if the girl could speak dragonese. 

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(Starkad has now dubbed Hush as the Soft One. I can change it if you'd like though... considering I didn't talk to you first about it. I just thought it'd be a cute little thing between Hush and Starkad)

[Hush Ironhide]

Timber practically flouncing over had been an unexpected thing for Hush. The surprise was enough for her to make some sort of quiet sound of alarm that was more squeak than anything else, slipping off her heels and on to her bottom. She handled her own obvious overcompensation with a few syllables that were almost laughter, the Night Fury’s good natured gurgling was met with a brush from Hush’s finger tips.

”Oh, um… I’m sorry.” Hush’s fingers stopped moving at Ulrika’s question, drawing back from Timber almost apologetically as she looked over at Ulrika. The dark-haired girl seemed to curl in on herself just a bit, her knees bumping together as she looked down at her lap. ”I’m not very good at being loud, am I?” Her wan grin was only transparent at best, her imitation of confidence falling flat without excuse.

What Ulrika said next had Hush’s attention, though. The dainty girl let her knees fall so that they crossed over each other, her fingers wrapping around her ankles as she favored her normally active classmate with a look that was mostly wide-eyed; it was a little like trying to comprehend a fire being wet, seeing Ulrika laying down. There was genuine interest, too, in the way she tilted her head to one side and her brows raised.

”There’s a lot going on, huh?” Hush repeated back, looking on at Ulrika for a moment before slowly looking back out ahead, more pretending to watch Starkad circle them than not. Hush was extremely curious and maybe a bit concerned, and just socially savvy enough to know that some interplay between interest and disinterest was required.

She couldn’t resist a quick fleeting glance back at Ulrika out of the corner of her eye, shifting her weight on her rear and clearing her throat as she convinced herself to be comfortable. "That sounds like it would be hard to deal with."

[Ulrika&Timber]

Ulrika didn’t really like Hush. There was probably no other teen who was more unlike any other Viking on Berk. Quiet, weak, gentle… But it was that softness that seemed to get at the rougher Ulrika. Without realising, she allowed herself to let on more about what was going on compared to her peers. I mean, the whole village knew more or less what had happened by now, but she was determined to keep up the appearance of a tough viking, even though her first kill was rattling her more than she thought it should.

“Yeah…”

Starkard appeared in between the two girls, wearing very drab and sullen colours, though she didn’t know the extended fan meant she was reading emotions - hers to be precise. Ulrika attempted to stroke Timber knew this was tough, and took it a step further to support Ulrika by shimmying up as close as she could to her, giving a sympathetic croon. Ulrika strokes Timber’s head, gently for once, as the scarily large pupils stared up at her.

“I mean… I… It had to be done, right? To protect you.” She said to the dragon, who then nuzzled her.

“Of course, and I have done the same for you, and will do again.” The dragon replied, though Ulrika wouldn’t understand.

“But… I don’t feel good, even though I did a good thing. I mean, they were poachers, if we hadn’t done anything who knows how many dragons they would’ve killed… But why do I feel so… Bad?” She clutched at her chest, her emotions at dizzying heights for someone of her intelligence. She really had no idea what or how to feel recently.

[Jokul & Starkad]

Ulrika was starting to give Starkad a headache. Unintentionally, of course, but the hobblegrunt just couldn't stand it anymore. The young viking's mood kept dipping and peaking, never taking a steady course. No matter how hard Starkad tried, she couldn't quite sit still anymore, even though she'd only just laid down.

"It had to be done, right?" Now, being a very young, naive dragon, she was oblivious as to what she was talking about. SHe didn't really grasp the concept of death quite yet, and the consequences that came with one life taking another. So this girl only agitated Starkad further.

She didn't just want to get away from this inner turmoil, she wanted to fix it. She couldn't stand bumping into Ulrika again like this. Unfortunately, an adolescent dragon with a previous mischievous record like herself wasn't very good at comforting others. So before trying her hand at that, she tried something her mother refused to teach her until she deemed her mature enough.

Her frill quivered as she shut her eyes in concentration. She sensed Ulrika's emotions as they were, and then she tried to morph them into something positive. However, having no practice whatsoever, the hobblegrunt had no chance at achieving this. She grunted in annoyance when she realized she hit a dead end. "How does momma do it?"

With that option out, Starkad shifted her body closer to the girl. Jokul wasn't one to cuddle with his dragon. It was only during thunderstorms that he gave that much comfort and security to the hobblegrunt. So, when it seemed Ulrika needed something to cheer her up, Starkad tried to do what Jokul does to calm his dragon down.

She made sure to give the night fury a glance as if to ask if she could move further, planning on pressing her nose underneath Ulrika's arm. 

[Hush Ironhide]

Hush, though she wasn't one to spread rumors, was intensely interested in them - and it was with a barely perceptible little jolt of her shoulders that the puzzle pieces fell together. There was a hitch of her breath that lasted only a moment.

Oh.

It was with complete attention to Ulrika that Hush turned her head, her intensely blue eyes and general attitude a close mirror of an undisturbed pond unwaveringly on her fair-haired peer. She didn't make a sound, not one word, even as the dragons shimmied and swarmed around Ulrika in acts of comfort.

Like a spell being broken, Hush blinked a long blink when Ulrika finished, and her petite self resumed it's subtle animation.
"A good thing and bad feelings... Good and bad. It's not that simple, is it?" She let the question sit in the air a little bit, and unwilling to break into Ulrika's personal space she still offered a sympathetic and slightly sad smile.

"Being a hero is hard, huh?" Her next words were almost more a sigh than an anything defined, a sheepish but sincere offering to Ulrika's task; Hush, too, thought she'd done right.
"I don't ..." She sat a little straighter, gaining more momentum and conviction. "I don't think hurting people is good or fun, but..." Kill was too harsh a word, even if it was true. "It's not always bad, and sometimes it's the best thing you can do. Even if it still isn't good or fun, you're still good and fun."

She meant it. Her conviction was loud or demonstrative like Ulrika's, but it was real and unwavering - something that was maybe just a little bit Viking-like.

[Ulrika&Timber]

"You think I'm a hero?" Ulrika asked doubtedly, as Hush watched her intently. It freaked her out a bit. She frowned and looked down to the ground, pulling out grass beneath her. "Wait, what? You think I'm good... and fun?" Ulrika was taken aback. She had never never ever heard someone say that to her, not in a long time. Her eyes welled up slightly and she looked away.

"Don't be silly. I'm not dainty and pretty like you though. You're more gooder than me. You don't get into trouble." She quickly regained composure and looked back at Hush.

Meanwhile Timber had just been chilling. She could see Starkard's frustration. "Are you alright?" She watched with interest as she closed her eyes and extended her frill on her head, probably sensing things on a much higher level than Timber could. Her 'ears' means she could pick up things, and perform echolocation. Most dragons, like any animal, can sense feelings, but Hobblegrunts could do so on an even higher level.

Starkard decided to try something. Timber wondered what she was going to do, until she suddenly felt a rush of positive emotion wash over her, as if someone dumped a basket of dragonnip on her head. "Whoa." Her body relaxed too much, her wings dropped to the floor and purring, she rolled over with her tongue sticking out. She suddenly felt inexplicably great. Starkard didn't know the emotion-changing factor only worked on dragons, rather than people. Humans were complicated.

Ulrika gave a short chuckle at the antic and leaned over to tickle the dragon's belly. She left Timber to her bliss and sat back down again, to see the little Hobblegrunt come up closer. "Ohey, do you want scratches too, huh? You're jealous?" So Ulrika scratched (with nails cause Ulrika thinks scratching means literal scratching) the dragon between the eyes, making sure not to catch herself on all the poking out teeth.

[Jokul & Starkad]

A hobblegrunt was often times attracted to those with a better mood, and Starkad was no exception. When she'd failed trying to wash away the negative emotions from Ulrika, she quickly realized her intended target wasn't affected. She huffed in defeat, not wanting to try it again.

That is, until she picked up a new, stronger state of being, and felt drawn to it. She peeked around the viking girl, and saw Timber sprawled out in what could only be described as a 'dragon high'. Starkad tilted her head in confusion. There wasn't any dragon nip around here, so what made her so... happy?

Before she could figure it out, someone's fingers found the perfect spot behind her nose horn, and began scratching. Sure, Starkad could reach the spot with her own claws, but she wasn't able to scratch continuously. Maybe a few rakes across her head here and there, but that was it, unless she found something to rub up against.

A soft hum escaped her mouth as she contently leaned into the smaller viking, trying to get her to press harder. It wasn't every day that she got scratched like this, after all. She might as well go all the way with the snuggling.

However, a mystery was still nagging her. Why was Timber all... like that? So, regretablely pulling away from the scratching, she craned her head around Ulrika. The night fury was still lolling her tongue out and onto the grass with her wings spread out from her sides. No dragon nip, no scratching beforehand, no... nothing. She just flopped over.

Did I do that to her?...

There's no way, right? Year old hobblegrunts didn't have to power to do that. Did they? Starkad, being one of the few hobblegrunt's didn't have anything to base that theory on, so instead, she started experimenting. This time, she strained with her eyes opened. She wanted to see first-hand the effect it gave the other dragon.

Are dragons easier? She wondered to herself before shifting the other dragon's mood to something else. Something safe though. She didn't want an angry night fury trying to kill everything in sight.


So instead, Starkad decided on pride. It shouldn't take much for a night fury, of all dragons to be affected by that particular feeling... hopefully.

[Hush Ironhide]

Anything Hush might have intended to say at first was quickly derailed. Ulrika didn't think Hush got into trouble, and that she was pretty and dainty. Those were all compliments, and Hush wasn't any better at taking them then Ulrika was.

"Oh, gosh - that's not true at all!" Hush laughed along lightly, flailing one hand as though to dismiss the idea as redhot embarrassment rose to her fair cheeks and maybe a wet gleam to her eyes- truth was, she was in trouble all of the time and was plenty uncomfortable in her own skin. She'd never go as far as to say so point blank. Instead, she opted to go silent again and decided to observe the dragons to alleviate her discomfort.

Her expression softened into a grin as she watched Ulrika love on the two dragons; both Starkad and Timber seemed like puddy in her hands, and somewhere along the way she decided the best thing she could do was point it out.

"Look at how they love you," Hush gestured broadly with both hands at Timber lolling in the grass purring (she had no way of knowing that was Starkad's fault), and at how Starkad enjoyed Ulrika's careful chinscratch. "They wouldn't be like this if you weren't good, see?"

Stretching her arms out wider as if to gesture at the whole world, Hush fell onto the plush of the grass so that she was staring up at the clouds. "I hope I can have a great dragon friend like you, some day. Hehe." She lifted one foot into the air, staring at the sunshine through her toes with great concentration before lapsing back into words.

"Yeah, you're a good and fun hero." Hush asserted quietly. "The dragons agree." The dragons didn't say so (not that Hush would know if they did - her Dragonese was limited), but their behavior did and that was enough for Hush to feel confident.