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username ;; xelinator
name ;; hodor [norse god of winter & darkness]
gender ;; male
other ;; blind
Hodor is the defender in his pack. Above all else, he is trusted for his supportive, reliable and patient manner. He will share his knowledge, experience, time and energy with any who require it. Rather than rushing and leaving things half-finished, Hodor is one to take his time and take a steady approach. He will not only ensure that things are done to the highest standard, but often go well beyond what is required. Also, he is known to be quite imaginative and observant. His naturally empathetic personality means that he will notice and help other viscets in distress easily. With his head out of the clouds, his imagination is very practical, yet there when needed. Additionally, Hodor is by far the most loyal in his pack. His dedication causes him to grow close to those he trusts, and is nothing less than hard-working for them. His best trait is most likely his practical ability. Even in the most mundane of tasks, Hodor knows he is helping, and appreciates the harmony he creates. However, every viscet has their negative side. Behind his trustworthy barrier, Hodor can take things very personally. He has trouble taking a joke sometimes, so a short laugh can cause a lot of conflict and damaged feelings. Also, linking to this, he tends to repress all these feelings. He is naturally quite private and sensitive, so his emotions are internalized to brew up into an outburst. In general, Hodor tends to overwhelm or overload himself. If not by negative emotion, then by work. Of course, his pack understand this, and always try to talk him down to return him to his usual subdued, loyal self.
/ / / pt. 1
The sky was a perfect pale blue despite the approaching evening, untouched by even a single cloud. A single white flake broke the endless sheet of blue, and it landed on the tip of Hodor's nose. He shivered, and ran a paw across it. Instinctively, he moved back towards his mother, and hid himself beneath her tail where Baldur was crouched. When the tail lifted, more white flakes began to fall all over the two siblings' pelts. Hodor curled his own tail around himself protectively, giving his best attempt at a menacing scowl as though it would frighten the cold away. "What is it? I don't like it." he mumbled.
"It's snow." his mother said gently. When she saw her visclings' reactions, she offered a brief smile. "It can't hurt you. In fact, when it begins to lay on the ground, it looks very beautiful." Instantly, she saw Honor flinch and lower his head. She nudged him gently with her muzzle. Baldur did not pick up on this, and jumped up in an attempt to catch a snowflake on his tongue.
"I want to see it!" he demanded, tumbling into his older brother and knocking him sideways. Hodor growled, but the annoyance melted away into a smirk. He jumped up, and rolled his smaller brother over, only for him to squeak in protest.
"There will be enough time for that tomorrow." the mother scolded, though she smiled good-humouredly as she began to herd her two visclings into the den, much to their dislike. Once she had finally managed to get them curled up for sleep, she pressed her nose to Hodor's damp fur. He lifted his head to look at her, though he seemed to stare right through her. She pulled him closer to her with a soft paw. "You know, sight isn't everything." she whispered, in an attempt to keep Baldur asleep. "Sometimes, the blind see more than those with good eyes." Hodor lowered his head onto his paws. "And I can tell you now, little one, that you will see far more than anyone. Take good care of your brother. He may have good eyesight, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't need someone like you to guide him."
/ / / pt. 2
Hodor felt his eyes flicker open slowly, and he rolled to his side where his mother had been the night before. But she wasn't there. He pulled himself up on all fours and began to navigate around the den. She was definitely not there. His breath caught in his throat in alarm, and he stumbled over the sleeping body of Baldur in his panic. His mother always got up earlier to go find food, but she was always back before he woke up. Always. So where was she?
"Hodor?" Baldur muttered, shaking his head and rising to his paws. He looked around, eyes widening slightly. "Where is mother?" he asked. Hodor froze, unsure how to respond. He felt his way along the wall of the den until he found the opening, then stepped outside. He wasn't prepared for his paws to sink deep into the thick, icy snow. A yelp escaped his throat, and he fumbled around in an attempt to gain his footing. He felt Baldur grip his tail with his teeth, pulling him back into the safe warmth of the den. "Do you think she's still out there? Maybe she's lost." he offered. Hodor frowned. He was supposed to look after his younger brother, not the other way round.
"Sure. She probably just had to go a little further to find food." Hodor thought aloud. He walked out into the snow once more, preparing himself before his feet sank deep into the freezing abyss beneath him. The iciness dampened his belly, enveloping his legs within the glistening sheet of white. As he took another step, he left the cover of the den. Snowflakes fell from the sky at a steady pace. He could hear the sounds of Baldur jumping in the snow after him, following his steps.
"Hodor, I can't see!" Baldur called out after they had been walking for a while. His amber eyes were barely visible above the increasingly heavy snowfall.
"You get used to it." Hodor said with a scowl, but then quickly turned, and lifted his frail brother up a little by wrapping his tail around him. "The forest is up ahead. It isn't a long walk. I'm sure there's cover there." he insisted, though doubt edged his words. Baldur didn't react, but continued to plow through the snow at the best pace he could muster. Hodor's golden gaze stared sightlessly into the distance, a sense of guilt hanging over him like a heavy raincloud.
Once the trees began to tower over them, the snow had picked up a lot. It was pouring down in a blizzard, obscuring everything in its path. Hodor felt his way through the trees, rough bark scraping his sides every time he passed a spruce trunk. His breathing was heavy and laboured in an attempt to keep a shrivel of warmth within him. He turned to look for his sibling, only to see him shivering in the cold white blanket of snow, face barely visible.
"Hey! We're almost there!" Hodor said brightly, though even he could hear the false hope in his own words. However, Baldur took a few more leaps forward in the snow to reach his brother's side. The bright fires in his eyes seemed to have dimmed to a pale copper as he looked up. Snowflakes covered Baldur's vision, obscuring all but the yellow lights of Hodor's blind, unfocused eyes. Hodor debated continuing the journey to find somewhere they could rest, until he felt Baldur collapse against him. Startled, he turned to look at his younger brother. He opened his mouth to say something encouraging, then shut it again. He could feel Baldur's limbs shaking weakly, and ice flecks had formed on his ears and nose, which were now a slight blueish hue. Hodor felt his ears flatten to his scalp, and he dropped down in the snow. He wrapped his tail around Baldur, though he knew that it wouldn't be particularly helpful. He said nothing. Even when snow gathered around him, he said nothing. Even when Baldur stopped quivering, he said nothing. Even when he heard the footsteps of another viscet in the distance, he said nothing. The steps were followed by shouts of alarm, and the set of footsteps increased to the sound of many. I'm sorry mother, he thought bitterly. I'm not very good at looking after others.
/ / / pt. 3
"Catch!" a voice shouted. Hodor lifted his head, blinking away the sleep.
"Nice try. Your aim's awful. Try this one!" another voice called in response. As Hodor was shaking his mane, a snowball hit him hard in the back of the head.
"And you say that my aim's awful?" Laughter broke out, and Hodor turned to notice Fannara and Tyrell crouching behind their threateningly large piles of snow. When Hodor felt around with his paws, he noticed that snow was everywhere. The small circular area where he had crouched under a tree to sleep was a ring of grass, untouched by the snow. It had been two years since it last snowed. He stood up, and shook the icy remains from his fur.
"Morning, Hodor." Tyrell said brightly, flicking an ear before rolling up another bundle of snow using his heavy paws.
"Morning, Hodor." echoed Fannara, lifting a tail in greeting. "You're up later than usual."
In response, Hodor offered a smile, but walked past the playful battle and deeper into the forest. It was not currently snowing, though there was a rather thick blanket of it beneath his paws. He stepped carefully down the path he walked almost every morning, enjoying the barely visible light that fought its way through the canopy above, leaving speckled patterns of gold across the white forest floor. It had been long since he had lost his brother and mother, though with the help of his new pack, the memories had healed themselves. They had taught him how to navigate the forest - an extra task with his sight issues - and treated him like one of them instantly. Hodor could see that he fitted in here. They were a pack. Sometimes, in the end, the blind see far more than those with good eyes.
Out of all the viscets in his pack, Hodor generally appreciates Asiza the most. While he loves to have fun and smile with the others, the calm, relaxing presence that Asiza brings always puts him in the best mood. It isn't easy having a conversation with Hodor, but Asiza is the best at it. She will often take him to the waterfall by her den and talk to one another, glad to have the time to speak about their day and unwind away from the more energetic viscets.
Hodor speaks to Adanté the least, but there is clear air between them. Adanté does bring out Hodor's warmer side in conversation, and he really does appreciate when they take a seat together in Adanté's apple grove and relax. Adanté is more of a speaker and Hodor is more of a listener, but it works out well. The calm atmosphere under the trees is a perfect place for the two to have some introvert time away from the others.
To Hodor, nothing tastes better than a warm mug of Abellio's fresh chamomile tea. While he dislikes enclosed spaces, especially when they're indoors, settling onto the carpet of Abellio's small, cosy cottage is one of the high points of Hodor's day. Every evening, before he goes to his den and sleeps, Hodor visits Abellio. There is always a mug of tea awaiting him. Abellio is the one who tells Hodor stories and tales, while Hodor himself tends to confide in Abellio.
Though Hodor won't admit it, Tyrell is probably the best for him. The uncontrollable snappiness and introverted manner of Hodor's personality could use a joke or two to lighten the mood, and Tyrell is by far the best for it. While there can occasionally be tension due to their very different natures, Tyrell still manages to put a smile on Hodor's face. Of course, Hodor would always completely deny the fact that Tyrell is one of his favourite viscets to ever come across.
Something the two share in common - adventure. Fannara's enthusiasm and unquenchable smile often stop Hodor in his tracks. He never quite expects gentle Fannara to burst into a grinning flame so quickly. And yet, the two have a helpless love for the unknown. They will often travel together to explore the area, enjoying the change in surroundings. When they are browsing through the world's offerings, they often find they aren't that different after all.
[ loosely based off of the god höðr, and the story of höðr & baldr ]
