𝐀𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 | 𝕃𝕠𝕜𝕚'𝕤 𝔸𝕗𝕗𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖

Huggin

It took a monumental effort to open your eyes since your lids feel so heavy. However, as you do so, you find that the intense light does little to ease the pain in your head.

You feel weak in the knees and begin to sway, but a strong hand on your arm keeps you from falling. As your senses sharpen, your gaze naturally drifts to the massive golden doors that stand directly in front of you.

"Where are we, Loki?" You ask, still in a daze of confusion.

When you didn't receive a response from Loki, assuming he was the one holding you, you turned to face him. But you release a high-pitched squeak and draw away when you realise it was Huggin, the lesser of the two ravens, who was clutching you so tightly.

As you staggered back from your shock, you could have sworn you heard a small laugh in response to the mouse-like sound that came out of you. But you remained focused, keeping your eyes peeled on the towering hybrid of bird and man that stood before you.

His black raven head merely observed as you cautiously retreated away, keeping your eyes on him at all times. But you're fixated on him so intently that you don't see the wall or the guard that you're backing into. You suddenly make impact with the guard's hard chest plate and quickly spin around, your heart thumping.

You freeze for an instant as the sight of an armoured guard, armed with a sword, catches your attention. The guard didn't seem to mind your powerful collision with him; he didn't flinch or lose his balance in the least. He was still standing tall and firm in his position as a guard on duty.

You approach him and whisper, "Can you help me? I don't want to be near the raven-man, I want to go to Loki." You press your face up against the guard's helmet, which covers all but his eyes. "Please take me to Loki."

Yet he doesn't answer, and he disregards your requests for assistance.

The sudden sound of a voice coming from behind you startled you, and you swung around to look. "He isn't allowed to communicate with you, and breaking protocol will have him severely punished." Huggin's voice was deep, but his tone was soft.

Your panic prevents you from responding, and you instead stare at him in stunned silence. But your curiosity about your whereabouts was piqued; you couldn't help but have a quick glance at your surroundings.

You promptly refocused your attention on Huggin after hearing him shuffle on the spot. And although you wanted nothing more than to study your environment, you were reluctant to look away for too long. You knew that Odin's ravens were fast; it would be a foolish mistake to take your focus off of him completely. So as an alternative, you discreetly peered around using your side eyes.

A wide corridor greets you, the sides of which are lined with colourful flowers in elaborate vases. All of the windows were dressed in exquisite drapery, and the walls were adorned with regal oil paintings; the hallway alone was breathtaking.

You absorb every detail and realise that it brought to mind the ornate decor that Loki had crafted specifically for the church hall; the similarities were uncanny. The beauty of it all grabbed your attention, and now your eyes have drifted entirely away from Huggin.

You feel compelled to immediately visit the expansive window, as something about the place seems familiar. You quickly make a break towards it, Huggin hot on your heels.

Just as you approached the window, he seized hold of your waist, yet his touch was surprisingly light.

Feeling annoyed at the invasion of personal space, you snap, "Oi, get off of me; I'm just looking at the view," and he surprisingly releases his grip and allows you to continue window-gazing in peace. Albeit, while remaining in tight proximity.