So I actually had an entirely different Valentines chapter, but it got lost when my laptop updated so now this exists. I hope y'all enjoy and get your Ungo fix from it. Perhaps the tournament itself will come in a year from now. Also super AU even from the story.
"Come here" Tar-Mairon's golden voice slid over my skin like water and I stood up to approach him. I forgot Ungo had been resting nearly on top of my feet with Dagor and almost went sprawling over him. He growled in his throat before stretching. Dagor snapped back angrily. My, not so baby, wolf pup had grown extremely protective and did not take aggression towards me well. I glanced back at them with a faint pitter-patter of my heart as Ungo stood locking eyes with Dagor. He tried to glare back but found himself submitting angrily as Ungo, with ease, knocked into him and pinned him with his teeth holding the delicate skin of Dagor's ear.
"Don't look at them Haldamire. Come here" Tar-Mairon commanded again lessening my momentary anxiety. Ungo would never really hurt Dagor. He was just putting him in his place in their wolfy hierarchy or whatever its called. I honestly wasn't sure if Ungo was naturally a powerful wolf or he became more important to the other wolves by default with being around me so much. Because being around me meant being around Tar-Mairon. I flexed my fingers experimentally before placing my hands in Tar-Mairon's.
I didn't really ever believe that I would get used to the sensation of him rummaging around in my mind, but it was definitely no longer unusual. He had told me that, when we first came here and after his first try, we had to become accustomed to things or we might go mad from it. I remember asking him why when he started doing it more why he hadn't done it in our earlier days.
He released my mind, and I felt a sigh of relief whoosh out of me. It was so slippery a feeling. He also seemed to pull out and understand things from my memories that I had no idea about or remembered until he mentioned it or asked a question.
"Perhaps you can assist Ungo" Tar-Mairon said placing a gently hand on my cheek for a second before turning back to his experiment.
"Assist Ungo?" I looked back at Ungo and Dagor. Ungo was basically laying on top of Dagor and I felt my lips twitch a bit at Dagor's wolfish expression of annoyance.
"he greatly desires a mate" Tar-Mairon said without looking at me. I knew he that's all he was going to say by the way he was frowning down at the table and spinning a vial lightly.
"Ungo? You want a mate?" I asked placing my feet with much greater care as I stepped back over them to sit in my chair. He huffed in annoyance.
"Not just any mate" Dagor said with a hint of slyness in his voice. It had been nearly 2 years and he still sounded like a child to me. Apparently Ungo, and whatever Dagor was, were a particularly special species of wolf that Tar-Mairon had fiddled around with and gave extended lifespans. Instead of the typical 12-15 years wolves could live normally, Ungo could live past even 200. Tar-Mairon told me it would seem like a the snap of fingers once I got to be around 1000, but sometimes I don't believe it. That's too many years of living to comprehend. I would doubt my immortality if I had any less faith in Tar-Mairon, but he's never been wrong yet.
"Quiet pup" Ungo growled flatting his ears, but Dagor started wagging his tail.
"I don't know many of the wolves, but maybe I know which one you're talking about" I suggested trying to run through the names of the wolves I was familiar with. The list was not long unfortunately.
"you've never met her" Ungo said under his breath angrily as Dagor tried to free himself.
"Oh" I said feeling my face flush at my lack of helpfulness and looked at Tar-Mairon. He was writing things down with one hand and spinning the vial with the other. It was strangely impressive. Maybe because I couldn't write and do something with my other hand at the same time.
"Valentines" Tar-Marion said without halting his work. I froze and looked back and forth between Ungo and Tar-Mairon. Did he pull that out of my mind today? How? I hadn't thought of Valentine's Day in who knows how long. I don't even know what day, month, season, or year it is down here. I scowled as memories descended. I only wanted to think about my past if it helped Tar-Mairon. Otherwise, I just wanted it to slip away. It made me sad to think about.
"What's that?" Dagor asked still wiggling unsuccessfully.
"It's an old holiday" I said chewing on my lip nervously.
"what kind? You mean like a won war festival?" He pushed up on Ungo's belly attempting to dislodge him. I still can't believe the wolves called victory celebrations "won war festivals". It just sounded so funny, but they were not so customary like others here. Less formal in interactions. The orcs just went wild because they could, but not too wild. I had figured out that the orcs were afraid of Tar-Mairon and others like him. Well, no one was like Tar-Mairon, but of his same weirdly perfect being.
"No, not really Dagor. It's a celebration of love. Typically romantic love" I explained with a grimace at Ungo's lack of reaction. "People will send flowers, chocolate, and other gifts to people they like or love"
"What's chocolate?" Dagor asked curiously bypassing everything else. I closed my eyes and tried to remember.
"It's sweet and amazing." I sighed struggling to remember the actual taste of chocolate "I don't really know how else to explain it."
"Can I have some?" He asked wagging his tail.
"I don't have any" I said sulkily.
"Maybe if you find some then Ungo can give it" Dagor suggested before Ungo rolled over his head muffling him.
"I think its more the gestures Tar-Mairon mentioned rather then presents" I said thoughtfully steepling my fingers under my chin.
"What gestures?" Ungo snarled glaring at the door like it offended him.
"Like compliment her or do something special for Valentines" I smiled.
"It's not Valentines. We don't have that here" Ungo argued.
"You can pretend!" I snapped "Now let's think of what you can do" I pointedly ignored Dagor's muffled chocolate from under Ungo and thought about ideas for wolves.
"Don't you wolves love to fight and show dominance. What if you made a fight and won it for her?" I suggested after a moment. Ungo lifted his head and huffed.
"You can call it the Valentines wolf fight or something. I don't really know what you call those things". I continued.
"And Dagor can prove his mettle once again" Ungo pulled back his lips to reveal sharp canines.
"Now wait a minute here" I said feeling putting a hand over my heart.
"I agree with Ungo" Tar-Mairon said idly. I frowned but didn't say anything. Tar-Mairon's words were law "Go now".