a shoulder bag is slung over her side. the two water bottles clink against one another as she shifts and raises a hand in greeting. despite freya's friendly demeanor, silumgar doesn't stand down. it takes a couple of snaps and then a knock on the shelgon's shell to get her to relax.

"hey! sorry about her. i came out here to do some training. she's still a bit of a spitfire." ugin, on the other hand, is completely worn out from their combat, and plops down on the ground.

"i haven't seen you in a while, alexei. how are you?" it's as good a time as any to stop and recover anyway. 

she sets her bag down and pulls out some tupperware. "i brought plenty to snack on. care to join?"

Alexei Ivanov

☉

if ugin were any less exhausted, he may have tried to take a nibble out of the bird. as it stands, he just sits and looks somewhat cross; freya looks on with an amused smile. she returns the bow to the murkrow and feels herself relaxing around the company of old friends. 

"yeah? that's good. we need capable trainers and your gym brings just that." at the mention of Michael Navidson though, her smile widens. "so he's got a handle on vortigern. i hear he's gym leader now too." good. he has the heart, and the strength for it. 

freya looks back at the corvisquire. ugin has attempted to inch away unsuccessfully from the likewise exhausted bird. poor thing. some of her feathers look a little singed. 

"absolutely, but i'd toss them on the ground in front of silum here. she'll bite your hand off." it's a serious warning, but she can't keep the affection from her voice. 

she breaks into her own food - lots of veggies and fruits, with some cheese and bread wrapped up in combee-wax. she hunkers down onto the ground and puts the spread between the two of them, warding away the hungry snapping of silumgar's jaws. 

"so besides the gym, what are you doing to stay sane? gods, we haven't seen each other since before the meteor, right?"

Alexei Ivanov

☉

the treats are scattered for them. ugin grunts as he wobbles back to his feet to snap them up. silumgar hogs most of them, snapping when he gets too close, and freya looks on at the two affectionately. at least they're preoccupied and will leave the two of them in peace now.

freya cuts into the block of cheese. it has a sheen dappled over it from the heat and it's softened. perfect, really, for her to smear onto some crackers. while alexei helps himself to an apple, she stretches out and nibbles on her own snack. 

"i didn't know you had a partner," she says after swallowing. "but that's...really good to hear. i'm glad."

she is struck, suddenly, with a feeling of loss. freya is a private person, but she finds herself having to bite the words back before she can speak them - she wants to talk about KING WAYLAND. about how she's found her own happiness with him. 

but he's still a turncoat. still wanted by the league. still branded by MATIAS SILPH. 

her smile falters, but she bites around another cracker to hide it. 

"tell me about him. how'd you meet?"

Alexei Ivanov

☉

telling a dragon to be nice and share is like telling a rock to not be a rock. silumgar chuffs, unimpressed, and snaps up more of the treats. freya watches the both of them, ready to intervene if they start to scrabble over the food, but she doesn't seem fazed by the behavior in the slightest. 

alexei's laughter is a pleasant reminder that not every minute needs to be spent with her nose to the grindstone. ugin startles at the sound of it, tottering back and forth on his feet, and freya snaps her fingers to ward him away. her attention is split, but she doesn't think alexei seems to mind. 

better that than one of his birds getting eaten. 

"mm, maybe? those never really interested me," she says with a small smile. "that's cute though! how'd your wooloo manage it?"

it's much nicer than her and king's meet-cute, that's for sure. she'd ended up with her nose busted open, courtesy of his skull, that first night. 

Alexei Ivanov

☉