✍🏻 Bonds of Fear (Loki)

25 - The Return

Loki

Just before I stepped out of that dreadful cave, I adjusted her sleeping body in my arms and brushed my hair aside to look a bit more sane and lucid, because if the folks out there would see how I truly felt, they would run away screaming.
I walked into the dim daylight and the glitter reflecting on the freshly fallen snow began hurting my eyes. There was a group of tired soldiers to my right, unpacking their gear and quietly grunting. The camp seemed unusually quiet with barely anyone outside and my eyes landed on two figures who were shouting at each other several meters away. Tony vs Fury. They were fighting over stopping the search with Tony yelling that they must continue until Feer is found while Fury was pointing at the tired soldiers and explaining they need a proper rest before it can be resumed.

"Worry not!" I plastered the smugest smile on my face and approached them, proudly carrying Feer's body to them like a trophy from a successful hunt. That would surely earn me some good points with those two.

"What on Earth did you do to her?!!" Tony exclaimed, turning my smile sour as he ran up to me and started to check her pulse.

"She's fine. Fully healed. Just in a deep sleep."

There was no thanks or even a flicker of gratitude in his features as he snatched her from me and rushed with her toward one of the medical tents.

"Where's Sergeant Collins?" Fury stepped up, invading my private space and fuming as if he was mad that Feer and I made it out alive.

"Who?"

"Sergeant Oliver Collins. Several soldiers saw him talking to Feer just before part of the cave collapsed."

"My sincere apologies, Director Fury, but I've never heard of him nor seen him. There was just Feer and no one else. I wish I could be of more help but if you excuse me, I need to rest a little." I nodded him farewell and began to walk away, knowing very well he had way more questions ready.

As if those two weren't enough, Thor spotted me too, standing across the camp with a massive grin of relief on his face. The smile quickly vanished as we made eye contact and he could tell I was far from being in a good condition. Then his gaze flickered to Tony who was carrying Feer away and dipped to the scarf that was wrapped around her thigh, instantly recognizing it. His eyebrows arched in surprise but as soon as he looked back at me for explanation, I shook my head to signal to leave me be. I should have thought of it and taken the scarf off once I healed her. Now that daft oaf will be running around with stupid ideas in his head.

I groaned and walked inside the nearest tent, not caring if it belonged to anyone. It was dry, semi-warm, and unoccupied. That was all I needed. I fell face down onto the sleeping bag and a split second later I lost consciousness.

"Loki, wake up," I heard Feer's sweet voice and smiled a little until I felt an uncomfortable poke into my ribs. "C'mon, brother, rise and shine." I frowned, rolled on my back, and cracked my eyes open, seeing only Thor's stupid, blonde head. What was that female voice I'd heard? I looked around but there was indeed nobody else.

"What's going on?" I croaked out, my mouth dry and throat like sandpaper.

"It's already late afternoon. You've slept more than twenty-four hours. We're leaving."

"Leaving?" I questioned and tried to remember what happened and where I was.

"Yes, back to New York. The beast died. They're now figuring out how to get it out of the cave but we're not needed for that anymore."

What year was it? Weren't we on Asgard? Why was it so cold?

"C'mon brother, don't you wanna see your girl?"