OOC: This is how I always read this particular tale... Not connected to my stories I will eventually do in Thor or Avengers. I just felt like doing a story. I might add more if I feel like writing for the others.

Once upon a time, there was a wolf cub. The youngest of three, he was the sweetest of children. He would nuzzle his mother affectionately when she came up to him to feed him. He would do his best to help her out in whatever way he could even if he accidentally dented tools carrying them.

But his mother would just laugh as she took the tools and thank him. So when invaders came to take him and his siblings, he was the only one who came to the invader's land. Given a pretty collar, he didn't understand he was being treated like a pet. All he knew was that the beautiful people, though never as beautiful as his mommy, were kind.

But soon he wondered... Why can't I sit at the table with them? Why did the one eyed man scowl as he looked at him? Why did the green eyed man look so sadly at him? So he asked for more food one day, the good smelling food, and to his surprise he was given the food.

But that didn't make him happy... He felt empty in this room full of toys and pretty things. So he asked his friend if he could feast with him. He was allowed but there was disapproval for some reason as he ate and ate the delicious food in front of him.

The next night the door wouldn't open for him. He scratched and clawed and whined at the door but the only person who opened it was his friend. Who hugged him and apologized to him.

"The others are scared of you I fear." He said to the wolf. "there was a prophecy."

The wolf cub blinked at his friend. "But why do those words matter?" He asked "I am friendly? Why can they not be friends?"

"Because they can only see you as a monster." His friend replied, petting his fur gently. "They just see you as the Fen dweller. I know you as friend and I will be here for you."


And so the little wolf cub was content even as he grew to be not so little. He was a large and mighty wolf who would test his strength against those who could not accept him. He would growl at those other than his friend who entered into the door and laugh as they scurried away like more cowardly mice.

He grew quite good at hunting. With special exemption so he would not eat the beautiful people out of their food his friend could bring him out to hunt. He could take out from the smallest beings to even the most mighty beings that could stomp everything in their path.

He was nearly content but he grew bored in his room. Books did not interest him and his toys ran out... So he decided to test his strength and the pretty people seemed almost eager... Suggesting to send him to cages which he could try to get out of.

But closed spaces scared him and he did not trust the pretty people after they kept him in his room. So he countered with harnesses and ties. It started with rope and that was torn through quick. Then chains that were also broken, but with a great deal more effort, to the surprise of those who came to watch with wide eyes.

So they cane back later with a ribbon... It seemed rather weak but the wolf had learned rightly not to trust. The pretty people had seemed kind but were really afraid. So this must have been made with trickery that would allow him to be tied up. But he could not refuse.

So he asked that there be two concessions to this contest that he had not asked for before. He asked that if he could not get out of the ribbon then he be released and to show their truthfulness one of them would put their hand in his mouth so if the oath was broken there was some retribution.

But although the pretty people accepted, none were brave enough to put their hand at risk. Losing their hand would be losing their skill and the fen dweller was sure none would offer. None save for his friend and the black wolf's tail wagged in gladness at his friend's trust.

With the warmth of his friend's hand in his mouth, he let himself be wrapped in the smooth silk, which put his legs tight together and yet did not tie him helpless. So he tried to tug and pull his legs apart once they finished but found he couldn't.

He gave a whine and asked they be removed but the people broke the oaths. Even when the wolf looked at his friend and begged... The friend averted his eyes. That was when the fen dweller realized he had been betrayed. His friend had always feared the prophecy and joined together with his family rather than trust in him to keep him locked up.

For who could be trusted to trust a wild thing? Wild things can only trust in themselves no matter how hard they try to be tame. And so the wolf bit hard into the hand that had fed him, had pet him, cutting sinews and swallowing the hand whole. Then the wolf gave a malicious grin.

"Go men of asgard, you have trapped the beast and I am sure you are quite proud of yourselves." He said. "But know this... Instead of keeping a docile pet you have made your enemy in a way any could predict without prophecy rather than break it. Your kindness will make me escape quietly but your actions today will make me come swallow you whole oath breakers."

Not able to hear those words from the mouth of a monster, of one they had betrayed, the wolf was then tied leg to leg while the ribbon was increased to help bind his mouth. There was only enough of an opening for food and for the occasional word.

The betrayer, one handed, set the black wolf on the bed and turned without a word. He walked out , a lonely howl of a wolf betrayed following him, able to perhaps heal the bleeding of his hand but not the wounds of the heart.