Trigger warning: physical abuse

As darkness falls, you begin to experience all the misery of your aches and pains spread throughout your body, even more so after being forcibly chained in place to a wooden post.

Munnin has moved away from you and is now staying with Grayah in her hut. You can hear them conversing weakly and try to piece together their sentences in the hopes of comprehending their conversation.

In order to protect himself from Odin, Munning asked Grayah to brew him a large supply of a potion that would last for many years. You eventually figure out that this is the real reason he brought you here—so that she can keep him hidden with said concoction. It only added to your sense of despair.

Loki will never find me...

You shift your weight back and rest your back against the solid post. You were angry and upset, so you vented your frustration by hitting your head against the wood.

You gaze ahead, your already aching body now accompanied by a searing headache. While staring into space, thoughts of Loki, the town, your bookstore, and even Agnes enter your head.

I'd give anything to be sitting having tea with Agnes right now.

You mocked your own naivete for having thought spending time with Agnes was unbearable. Considering the actual torment you've been through recently, that was a taste of heaven.

Loving Loki isn't easy.

When memories and emotions flooded your brain, you felt like you were about to burst. You let out a long-suppressed scream of rage into the air. As you cry out in anger, Fenrir became startled and turned his massive head to stare at you, his ears perking up.

"Fucking Munnin, fucking Asgard, Fucking Odin!"You yell out loud, "Fuck you, Odin, you god of fucking fucks!! Arrrghhh!"

Your salty tears flow as you release your pent-up fury. But your gaze is drawn to the large black wolf, who continues to stare at you with his glassy dark eyes.

"What?!" You bark, sniffling up your runny nose and wiping your tears with your filthy hands, smudging your face with dirt to accompany the dried blood. Underneath the muck, purple and yellow bruises form.

You looked in a terrible state, and you felt it too.

You just wanted to sleep, to close your eyes and wake up from this nightmarish planet. You yearned for your typical dull life in your small town. Yet all you could do was lean back and close your eyes, wishing you were somewhere else.

You shiver, your teeth chattering from the cold. Your weakened state meant you were more susceptible to the chill, and in desperation, you rub your arms together to try to create friction and heat. It didn't help that your thin dress was ruined, exposing the majority of your skin. You were thankful your private parts were still covered, allowing you some dignity in front of Fenrir.

A wheeze sounds, and a gust of hot air rushes at you. You open your eyes to find Fenrir staring at you with concern in his eyes as he puffs warm breaths out of his flared nostrils.

You raise your brows in surprise, realising he's breathing heavy on you to keep you warm. You smiled at him, grateful for his kindness and comfort.

You're perplexed that the poor creature provides you warmth and compassion after being treated inhumanely, and without sympathy for who knows how long. You felt sorry and heartbroken for him.

You ignore your pain and make an effort to speak to him. You're not sure if he can follow what you're saying, but you keep talking as though he does.

"So according to the twisted birdman, your name is Fenrir? Can I call you Fenrir?"

You sit and wait, not knowing exactly what you expect to happen. Yet, after meeting Loki, you have been astonished so often that you believe the impossible is now achievable.

After a period of waiting and nothing happening, you conclude that he doesn't understand you after all. But then you had an idea.

"If your name is Fenrir, move your nostrils once."

His massive nostrils opened suddenly, and you let out an excited shriek. You quickly stifle your merriment, fearing that Munnin or Grayah may appear and force you to leave your new companion and only source of warmth.

"Can I call you Fenrir?"

Again, he indicates using the chosen sign to say yes.

"Well hello Fenrir, my name is Mina, it's very nice to meet you. I am so glad you can understand me. Thank you for keeping me warm."

You know you won't be able to sleep, and you don't want to be alone with your thoughts, chatting with Fenrir provided much-needed solace.

"Fenrir, is it ok if I talk to you? You don't need to respond, you may close your eyes and sleep if you wish. But can I just talk?.. I really don't want to be in my own head right now."

His nostrils twitched and he blew another warm blast in your direction. You gave him a wide grin and said, "Thank you!"

You talked for hours, retelling your favourite short stories, and just like any other lovable pooch, he wagged his tail when he was happy. He seemed to like your tales.

You found it humorous that he grew joyful when you told him the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Yet in your story the big bad wolf had a happy ending thanks to your minor plot adjustment. You certainly didn't want to tell him a tale in which the wolf is killed by the huntsman.

Your thoughts jumped to Loki, your bookstore, your town, Odin, and you resolved to tell Fenrir everything that had happened up to that point. This is when you saw Fenrir had an angry side. Upon hearing the name Odin, his eyes turned an obsidian black, and he sneered, pushing through the pain to express his hatred. But he wasn't done demonstrating his displeasure; unexpectedly, he began to stand up, and your gaze followed his upward ascent to take in his imposing stature.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up and his back arched, his shape nearly doubling in size from what you observed of him laying down. His massive size and razor-sharp canine teeth meant it would be a piece of cake for him to swallow men whole—he looked every bit indestructible.

You should be afraid, he's showing his most feared side, yet you feel a connection to this lonely tortured soul. He was broken and vengeful and you understood those emotions completely. You realise you felt the exact same way, you too wanted revenge, revenge on everyone that did you harm. Munnin and Grayah being top of your list.

Awestruck by the sight of such a beautiful animal, you stand up and confidently stroll towards him, brushing your hand across his fur. He raises his jaw, revealing the enormous blade that has sliced clean through him, and immediately you melt into his furry chest, giving him the most heartfelt hug. It was a simple expression of gratitude for being the magnificent wolf that he is, and for his care towards you.

"I don't know why you are here, or what you have done in your life, but I know deep down that you deserve better than this. And judging by your hatred for Odin, I imagine he has banished you here too. I wish I could offer you more than a hug."

You cry into his fur and notice a change in his physical state; he relaxes, losing his anger, and returning to his previous position on the floor.

His warmth and reassuring presence drew you in, and you stayed close to him all night. You curl up close to his chest, his rhythmic breathing a calming lullaby.

You suddenly feel compelled to glance up at the stars, and you wonder if Loki was able to see the same constellations as you.

With Loki on your mind, you recall your last moments together. His hurt, his anguish, and his attempted sacrifice to save you. You wonder if he will try to find you or if Odin has demanded that Loki leave you with Munnin because he didn't accept you. It rips at your heart to think about being forgotten.

"I don't deserve this... we don't deserve this Fenrir."

You can feel his body vibrate as he lets out a low groan.

"We need to escape, we can't rely on anyone to rescue us. We have to be our own saviour." At your declaration another rumbling of agreement emerged from the depths of his throat.

Your heart expanded; you didn't think there was room for more love in your heart with Loki taking up all the space. But your profound bond with this large black wolf was more than just awe and amazement; you loved him. However, everything becomes more difficult as a result. If Loki did come to your rescue, you would not leave your beloved pup behind.

Your body finally found comfort nestled within Fenrir, and while you muse over potential strategies for rescuing you both, the words "You're my puppy; I won't leave you" drift out of your mouth as you succumb to sleep.

————————-

You softly flutter your eyes open, sensing a warm sunbeam directly overhead. You stretch out your body and smile, enjoying the warmth of the early morning sunlight.

Yet before you could fully awaken, a violent jerk on your chains tore you from Fenrir's embrace. With force, Munnin drags you across the rocky soil and shoves you against the wooden post; his distorted face revealing his anger.

"I do not know how you managed to tame the beast, but that is the last time you will go near him, understand!" You're covered in his saliva as he screams in your face.

Fenrir growls, showing his rage at your mistreatment, and instantly, Munnin snaps his head towards Fenrir, "Shut your stinking mouth, dog! Mind your business, or you'll feel my claws!"

"Leave him alone!" You yell.

Munnin swung around and grabbed your throat, yanking you off the ground. He lifted your feet off the floor, and you instantly grab his hand in an attempt to free them from your throat. You beat against his strong grip fiercely, but the lack of oxygen sapped your strength, and your struggle soon dwindled to nothing more than feeble taps. The world started to blur as your body went slack and Munnin began to suffocate you to death.

Fenrir's tail suddenly smacks Munnin, knocking him off his feet and sending you tumbling towards the carnivorous plants. In a daze, you fainting hear Munnin shouting in an angry tone, seemingly oblivious to your landing spot.

You struggle to sit up, your head spinning from the unexpected hurl through the air. As you compose your breathing, you discover Munnin lashing Fenrir in punishment. You are moved to tears as you hear Fenrir's agonised cries. You want to yell, but your throat is so terribly squeezed from Munnin's pressure that it was literally impossible. You attempt to crawl but your so weak, you were going nowhere fast.

Fenrir's gaze snaps to you, concern evident in his eyes. Ignoring the discomfort of his whippings, he gets to his feet and nudges his nose in your direction, distracting Munnin enough for him to stop his thrashing and investigate the source of the interruption.

Munnin searches the floor with his eyes. When he sees you, he panics and yells, "Nooo!"

"Oh, Munnin, let them have her." Grayah smiled, having been watching the entire scene with delight.

You look behind you and notice what is causing Munnin's concern. You've rolled right next to the vines, and now that they have detected your badly cut leg. You bleed profusely, attracting a swarm of vines that have now wrapped themselves around both of your legs.

You know at any moment they will drag your body inside the forest and consume you. You look at Fenrir, your weeping eyes sorry that you couldn't save him. You muster up a painful croak "I'm sorry puppy, I love you."

You see the hurt in his eyes as he understood your words. But you've come to terms with your fate, and you were in a state of calm serenity. You weren't scared of death at that moment; you were simply sad you didn't get to say goodbye to Loki.

You observed Munnin spreading his wings and diving in your direction. You smirked at him as he reached you too late, missing your hands as your body was dragged back into the perilous forest.