The music echoed and spilled from the Dining Hall where the band was playing live music. People danced to the sounds of the piano, and the strings of the guitar. They sang in chorus, “Na na na na na na na, hey Jude!” It was not a song from their realm, Asgard; but it was a song from Earth. It was a piece Loki had always liked, something that soothed him, and put him in a good mood. There was a large festival being held in the Dining Hall, which held all the commotion. It was Loki’s Birthday, he was turning 18 this year.
Loki was standing outside of the dining hall entrance listening to the music that was muffled by the large doors. He was not much for the loud crowds and dancing, but his favorite song was playing, so he figured he would stop hiding from his own party and face the visitors with a smiling face. It would not make his mother and father proud if he was to hide the whole time, he thought to himself.
“Ah, there you are! 18 at last brother, eh? How does it feel?” He heard his older brother Thor call from behind, in a confident, arrogant and loud voice. Loki turned to his brother who was smiling at him.
“Now I know you're not much one for crowds, but mother insisted that you come join the fun!” Thor said playfully slapping his brother on the back “And you wouldn't want to disappoint her, would you Loki?”
“Yes, I know I was just about to join everyone in the Dining Hall,” Loki said as he ran a hand through his dark hair that was combed back. He looked down at his robe like shirt that came down to his mid thigh, where his black leather pants protruded from. He was wearing some of his gold armor for such a fancy occasion. He flicked a few dirt specks from his pants and rubbed a smudge off of his armor, seeming a bit nervous.
“Ah, I think you will do just fine as a man Loki! Come on!” Thor said as he opened the large door and walked through into the Dining Hall pulling Loki in with him.
Loki greeted his father with a friendly hug, and kissed his mother on the hand. People wished him a happy birthday, and he did the usual small talk ‘How are you?’, ‘What have you been doing lately?’. Most of the people at the party were the noble business men and their families that worked with his father Odin, the King of Asgard, so Loki did not really know a lot of the people. Once dinner was served the smell of freshly baked bread wafted from baskets as the servants brought out the food and placed it on the table. The chattering came to a minimal once everyone started eating
The party had slowed down quite a bit as everyone was chatting more quietly amongst themselves. Loki sat at a dining room chair, sipping the sparkling cider in his cup. I am bored out of my mind, he thought to himself watching the people chat and Thor and his friends goof off. Maybe I can have a bit of fun with this. . . Using his magic he began to mess with the people around him in the Hall. He changed a few things like their clothes. Changing blue dresses to green, changing the color of the flames in the fireplace. Some people didn’t even bother to notice. While others panicked a bit wiping at their clothes with napkins hoping that it would change back to normal. Loki laughed to himself amused by his own actions, now this is fun!
Sipping the last of his sparkling cider he set his cup aside and called it a night. He quietly got up from his chair, and dismissed himself saying goodbye to the few visitors that were left. Walking to the door that went back to the hallway outside of the Dining Hall he saw his father, whom was standing talking with a good friend. when he saw Loki heading off to exit the Hall he briefly stopped him, and gave him a small wooden, hand carved box, a gift from his mother and father for him to put treasures and trinkets in.
Bowing his head to his father he said, “Thank you, this is beautiful. I appreciate the party, and the gift, I had a wonderful time. Excuse me for the night Allfather, I am off to my room. Good night.” Though it was true, he really did appreciate the party, he still felt he was lying through his teeth, the party did bore him, but at least they tried. . .

Loki was walking through the large echoing hallway that lead to his room, his boots clicking on the stone floor. He held the small wooden box that was the gift from his father and mother at his side between his arm. I guess it was a good birthday after all. I did have a bit of an amusing time toying with the visitors. Loki thought to himself, as a smirk was evident on his face. His thoughts were abruptly ended by the sound of someone else's foot steps from behind him. As he turned Loki saw his brother Thor, trying to catch up with him, “Loki! Wait my brother, I have something for you!” he said with a smile on his face.

Thor held a small box made of soft thick leather in his hands. Thor had remembered on the day he had turned 18, his friends had taken him out hunting, as a signal of becoming a man. He had decided he would take his younger brother on the same outing. He stood in front of Loki, whose brows were furrowed together in a bit of a confused face expression, wondering what he was doing.

“Here,” Thor said placing the box in his brothers hands, “I remembered how much you admired them when we were at the market in town. I have been watching you practice, and you have gotten very deft with the daggers. I thought you might like to have a set of your own,” he said as Loki untied the ribbon, and opened the top of the box. It was lined with a soft silky green material, and laying within the ripples of the silk were sets of daggers. A dark, dull metal snake slithered up the handle its cruel eyes a dark emerald shade, and its lapping tongue the color of blood. Their handles embedded with green gemstones; and diamonds. It was a gorgeous set of daggers. Loki grinned at his brother with gratitude laced in his own emerald eyes.

“I can’t thank you enough Thor, these are all I could have asked for. Thank you!” Loki said bringing his brother into a one arm hug patting him on the back.

“We shall put these skills with your daggers to a test tonight!” Thor said flashing his brother a mischievous look. Loki raised one eyebrow, as a pleased smile snuck on his face. There was nothing more that Loki loved than mischief. He was the Norse God of Mischief, after all.
“And what exactly did you have in mind, brother?” Loki asked his brother, a hint of challenge in his tone of voice and a smirk creeping on his face.
“Hunting Loki. I was thinking we would go out in the forest and hunt for the Frostwolf, and bring one to father. Dont you think he would be proud?” Thor said trying to persuade his brother into coming with him.
“Are you crazy? Do you have any idea how big those monstrous creatures are? They would rip us to shreds in an instant Thor!” Loki exclaimed, slightly chuckling at the thought.
“Yes, indeed that is true; but with your magic, skills with daggers, and me with my hammer we could easily take one down! Come on, it will prove to father and mother how much of a man you truly are! I know you can do it!” Thor nudged him and beamed at his brother.
Loki’s apprehensive look faded away at the thought of making his mother and father proud. He knew Thor was in line for the throne and Loki had grown up in his brother’s shadow, but had wished to become King of Asgard one day. He thought if he could earn his parents’ respect they would second think who would be better for the throne of Asgard. If I show father how brave and courageous I can be he will understand that I am fit the throne. Loki was pulled back to reality with another swift nudge from Thor.
“Oh alright, I’ll come with you and test the daggers out. . .” Loki replied to his brother, though there seemed to be hesitation traced in his voice. The boys snuck out of the palace. Loki had always had a silver tongue, and a way with words. He had lied to the guards and got their way out of the palace for the night without their parents knowing. The forest was a little ways away from the palace, and the two boys walked, taking back alleys downtown eventually leading to the valley, where the forest abruptly sprang up at its edge. The two of them arrived at the start of the forest. Looking up at the colossal trees that towered over them, wind lightly beating at their faces. It was cold outside and Loki could feel his fingers get numb as he tightly grasped the leather box that held the daggers. Loki took a half step in front of his brother and gave him a mischievous look.
“Shall we? There is no turning back now,” Loki added. His brother nodded and they headed into the dark depths of the ancient forest.
The aroma of the forest air had the heavy scent of petrichor from the slight rain showers they had been getting on and off all day, and you could smell the many wild flowers growing freely under the trees and on nursery logs. The forest was dark and gloomy, the density of the trees only letting in a little of the sun’s rays as it quickly set for the night. Loki slinked through the trees and brush with more grace compared to his brother whom was more of a brut. Although the two of them managed to stay quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the wind blowing past their ears, and the periodic chirp from a bird fluttering through the huge trees. A lot of the trees were larger than 20 feet in diameter, and taller than 300 feet, and the tops of them swayed in the wind, and rustled the branches.
Loki came to a swift halt flying his arm in front of his brother to stop him in his tracks as well. He slightly turned his head toward his brother and put his finger to his lips to tell him to be silent. There was rustling in the brush that had caught his awareness. He whipped his vision in the direction that the noise came from. Leaves in the brush that covered the ground like a blanket quaked and trembled. That is not from just the wind. . . Loki thought to himself, his eyes followed along brush. The leaves that just a second ago were trembling and shaking from something lurking beneath them had seemed to freeze instantly, ice coating their stems, and then enveloping the leaves in the cold and misty concoction. The ground that hid under the brush was freezing, crystallizing the soil at his feet.
Thor looked down at his boots quizzically, brows furrowed together. He crouched down as quietly as he could but his leather pants writhe around him as he shifted, his fingertips sidled across the cold frozen soil. Loki stiffly shook his arm about, signalling him to quit moving. Thor shot up, and leaned into his brother.
“Frostwolf, Loki. They’re here.” He mumbled quietly. Loki nodded and surveyed the scene. His emerald eyes shot toward the bunny that was nibbling on the vegetation about 20 to 15 feet away. Nothing but a white frigid blur could be seen as a frostwolf jumped out of the brush and into the opening. Its massive body lunged at the bunny. Its muscular back legs pushed it off the floor of the forest and into the air. Just as it was about to land on the bunny, the tiny creature disappeared into a hole that was under the bush. The frostwolf was a rather large male, although he was young and still maturing, this was perceived by how he was not his full potential growth, his huge back legs were taller than his front, making his hindquarters stand the slightest hair taller than his shoulders. He had a massive blocky head that dove into the ground, his muzzle burrowed into the hole the bunny had jumped into. His luscious white coat shook violently as he jolted his body forward into the bunny’s hole. His maine around his neck was yet to grow in full. His fluffy thick tail stiff and pointing straight into the air.
Thor saw the perfect opportunity for Loki to strike. It was a young frostwolf, and at the time Loki had advantage, seeming since the wolf was unaware of the his where abouts. Thor shook his brother’s shoulder vigorously urging him on to kill the beast. But Loki had froze and was staring at the magnificent animal.
“Go!” Thor screamed a whisper into his ear, but Loki seemed to let it pass by him not even hearing his brother. The way the wolf moved and pounced on the hole. His movements were so fast and abrupt but graceful. Loki was transfixed by it. Such beauty, how could one kill such beauty? The thought echoed through his mind. But his transfixion on the monumental creature was short lived as he felt a firm hand on his back pushing him into the wolf’s path way. Loki stumbled but caught himself before falling. His heart skipped beats as he stood there staring at the white frostwolf. From the commotion of Thor pushing his brother had caught the mighty animal’s attention and it reared its proud head up and stared at Loki, and all Loki could do was return the stare in it’s artic direction.
Thor grabbed at the leather box Loki had dropped when he pushed him into the path. He swiftly opened the box and grabbed two of the daggers and threw them at his brother. Loki did not bother to break the eye contact with the monstrous animal but caught each dagger with deft movements. Thor looked at his brother dumb founded and felt the urge to scream at him in frustration. Why won’t he move? He needs to kill it before it kills US! Thor screamed the thought in his head terrified of the outcome that was about to happen if his brother did not do anything. But it was not fear the made Loki freeze in such a way. . . He could see it in his eyes, Loki was not afraid.
“Kill It Loki! Or it will kill you!” Thor quietly yelled at his brother hoping to bring the reality of the situation to his regard.
His voice came on louder than he meant and the giant wolf turned his head in his direction, then darting it's gaze back to Loki who had the daggers in his hand unconsciously. The wolf snorted, his warm breath turned to a bitterly cold mist in the night air. Suddenly it seemed that there was a frostwolf coming from every corner of the forest, surrounding the two brothers. Jumping out of the brush and from the trees gracefully landing on the ground and prowling towards the boys, keeping their bellies slightly to the ground and heads lowering. The minute their paws touched the ground the soil turned to a glacial, hypothermic concoction. For well you that he’s a fool you plays it cool, by making his world a little colder. Loki sang the words from the song Hey Jude, in his mind, but mouthing them on his lips as he looked into an adult frostwolf’s eyes whom was approaching him. Piercing crystal blue, the purest eyes he had ever seen, and they stared at him intimidatingly. There was a low grumble coming from deep within the beast, a warning like growl. Loki didn’t dare move as he started to become closed in by the massive creatures around him. His stare was finally broke when he heard a rustle from where his brother stood. A loud growl came from one of the tremendous wolves and a vicious bark. Loki jerked his head to his brother to only see him pulling a dagger on the wolf that was closing in on him.
“No! Don’t!” Loki screamed breaking the silence.
His brother threw the dagger at the massive lean female stalking towards him snarling. She dodged the throw, the dagger hitting the huge trunk of the tree behind her. She barked, exposing her teeth at him before she pouncing on Thor jaw open and about to snap at his neck.
“STOP!” Loki screamed at the wolf, and unaware that his magic had flicked all the daggers into the air and posed them pointing at the wolf on top of his brother. The wolf that had been shadowing Loki was the biggest in size. In his massive chest rumbled a loud bark to the wolf that was about to make Thor dinner. She stopped before snapping her huge jaws on him, and pulled her head back and stared at him intensely, then slowly backed off of him. She was following orders to what seems the alpha of the pack. He had stopped her from killing him. But why? He had tried to kill her, they are obviously hungry, they are out hunting. Why stop her? Loki’s thoughts were going a hundred miles per hour as he stared in the alpha’s eyes as he lurked closer to Loki.
Thor began to crawl to his feet and took a few steps back. He was now at Loki’s side who was still staring at the monstrous beauty lumbering towards him. Another low growl was heard from the alpha’s rumbling chest. It had seemed that he started to get so close Loki could feel his warm but icy breath on him.
Loki reacted quickly, his nerves and senses at peek as his brother again took a swing with a dagger in his arm, but Loki grabbed his arm and stopped him
“This is madness Loki! What are you doing, it’s going to kill us!” Thor exclaimed.
“Don’t move.” Loki commanded his older brother. To their horror and amazement they watched as the alpha walked past them, and the rest of his pack following him into the forest, disappearing into the dark shadow of the moon.
Loki turned looking over his shoulder a bit, watching the last frostwolf’s white coat dissolve into the blackness. His green eyes were large and green, and his chest heaved in and out beneath his gold armor. He wrenched his gaze at Thor who was breathing just as hard as him, eyebrows raised in amazement, disturbance, and fear entwined within his blue eyes. Although Loki was taken back by magnificence of the creature, and was confused by the way the wolves had reacted to him. No don’t! STOP! His words echoed in his mind. They were so vivid that he was uncertain if he had spoke them out loud, or if they were still echoing in his thoughts. The only fear he had truly felt was for his brother, the way the she had gotten on him, teeth in his face snarling. She would have killed him. . .

“Run Loki. . . Run. . .” the words came from Thor, but they were like a whisper vibrating through his ears. Thor turned and started a brisk walk before swerving through the trees, running. Loki fumbled to grab all his daggers and the box and followed after him. The two of them ran out of the forest as fast as they could, their adrenaline kicking in as they ducked under the nurse logs that had fallen, and jumping over rocks and small streams. They finally reached the opening where the long, lush green grass rippled in the wind, making patterns. The tall buildings of Asgard could be seen in the distance from the valley, the street lights from night time gleamed in the dark night and the moon shone down on them. Loki and Thor fell to the to their knees in the grass a front of the forest.
“You could have gotten us killed!” Thor exclaimed in a stern mad voice.
“I could have gotten us killed? Me? What about you! You were the one who had thought of this wonderful idea! You were the one that pushed me into the path of that monster! You could have gotten us killed!” He was infuriated and cross at Thor for blaming him. Sarcasm had soaked the word ‘wonderful’. Anger rushed through his body, tremors violating him as his hands shook uncontrollably.

“If you could have just been a man and killed it, that’s the whole reason we came out here for!” Thor yelled at his brother, and by the look on Loki face he knew he had gone too far. . .

“You are half the man I am, you mewling fool!” Loki screamed the harsh words at his brother before lunging at him his long fingers on his brother’s shoulders close to his neck. The two of them rolled around in the grass, tossing each other on their back. The two had their hands on each others faces and chest pushing each other away, cursing insults at each other. They both went silent other than their grunt of struggles to keep the other off himself. In the midst of their wrestles the two stopped and abruptly started laughing. Their hands released their steely grip on one another. Thor put a hand on his forehead rubbing it as he laughed, and Loki ran a hand from his askew hair, chuckling.
“We almost died, and we are sitting here trying to kill each other! Wrestling in the valley like two young boys!” Thor laughed at the thought of two grown men fighting that way a child would.
“You’re the child Thor!” Loki said joking and pushed his brother back on the grass snickering.
“Says the younger brother!” Thor recovered from the push and spat back a comeback at his brother giggling as he pushed him back. Loki stumbled back, and shot his brother a hurt and irritatedly angry look and did not recover from the push laying in the grass propped up on his elbows. His mouth slightly ajar and eyes wide, brows furrowed a bit and raised. Thor noticed his brother’s reaction and became distressed.
“I am sorry! I didn’t mean it offendingly-” Thor looked down guiltily and rambled on, and on. He didn't notice how a smirk had emerged on his brother’s face as he was holding back a laugh. Thor looked up studying him, his brows furrowed lowering closer to his eyes as if he was angry, although a smile had crept on to his faced and he snorted a laugh, seeing that his brother was tricking into thinking he was mad. They sat in silence for a bit looking at the stars and the moon above their heads. Thor brought himself to his knees and poked at his brother as a signal that they should head back home. They both arose to their feet, and began walking in silence.
“You’re a different one, Loki. Always been unique in your ways. But I didn’t know you were such a Frost-Giant whisperer. Peculiar, and utmost interesting. . . “ Thor said looking at his boots as he walked with his hands in his pockets.
“Don’t tell father. . . I do not wish to make him upset by our foolishness… And I don’t want mother to worry. . . Maybe it was pure luck?” Loki added looking toward the sky. Luck? I doubt that. . . Although there is no other way to explain what happened. It had seemed as if they obeyed him. . . Knew the language he spoke. . . The way the wolf had looked at him, it was intimidating, yet understanding. . . Loki, King of Frost Giants. . . The thought of being king of his father’s worst enemy made him laugh.
“Promise not to tell?” Loki asked Thor praying that he would not tell.
“Promise, it can be our little secret.” Thor answered his brother as they walked into the back alleys of the city to the palace, in sworn secrecy.