Arteus' breath heaved slightly amidst the chill of that particular winter, maybe it is the second winter, who knows, Arteus thought firmly It has been pretty long and Mimir's words haunted his mind. His heart raced slightly as he ran along with his prey, a young deer wandering through the protected woods. It was different from that time which he played hide and seek with his mother Faye. A hidden childhood not tainted by the coldness of the gods, for that moment he got distracted by his mother's gentle laughter in the woods. He wiped a tear from his eye, mumbling his father's words "Close your heart.." as he watched the deer grazed at the remaining grass. He would recall how in Spring, his mother would lay her hands on the tree trunks, speaking an ancient language he never knows until he summons the world serpent to fight against Baldur, he would recall how the trees would turn green into a luscious yellow ochre and how it smelled so calm. She would teach him the words that will connect her to him and the animals that surrounded that sanctuary.

He tensed his bow and held the arrow quietly, aiming for the neck of the deer. Slowly he released it, recalling his mother's gentle hand, coaxing him to release the arrow. For that moment he could hear the hum of his mother, calming the deer from its pain. Her voice is calm when Arteus run to find a hiding sport "One, two, three..ready or not here I..", and she would leave the traces of magic with the handprint on the trunk.

"Come and find me.." Arteus laughed loudly, and she will run as fast as she can, to search for her son. "Do not stray off from the golden leaves.."

"I will not mother…" For that moment he thought he could hear laughter echoing in the forest, he grew solemn, since he scattered the ashes of his mother with his father. Questions keep peering into his mind, his other name Loki burned in his mind. Maybe Arteus is simply a cover-up for the gods to never find the family, however, he could hear the bellows of the deer slowly dying and Arteus slowly moving off from the protected forest.

He took that knife out, and slowly slide it unto the deer's neck. Arteus swallowed slightly, watching the knife sink unto the artery, and the animal heaving slowly as he recited the death rites as taught by his mother. At that moment, as the deer took its last breaths, he could hear the troll grunted angrily. He shivered a little, he went out of the woods all alone, under the protection of his mother but this time, he took his father's advice, taking out his bow and arrow and pulling at the troll's eye.

Close your heart Arteus. Close your heart.

The troll screamed loudly, blood gushed out from its wounded eye. Arteus shouted out loudly

"Kraku Ilo." And a murder of crows swarmed the troll, causing its screams, he quickly pulled his arrows and started shooting him, His heart raced rapidly, as he tried to dodge the troll's slams. At the distance he glanced at draugrs crawling out of the floors, clamouring for his blood. Somehow the battlefield

He noticed Faye's protection slowly fading away, the last reminder of his beloved wife as he tried to repair the roof in the house. Suddenly he heard shouts from his son, with unknown words. His heart raced slightly and he quickly took the axe and ran as far into the woods. His heart raced for his son, surely something will happen.

Somehow the voice called out his real name in his mind.

Loki.

And that moment, he felt something is changing with his body. His vision becomes sharper and his tattooed hands become paws. He did not realize that power rushing through his veins as he started lunging its fangs unto the troll's hide. The troll yelled in pain, and quickly Arteus morphed himself to something horrid, with laughter echoing at the distance as if out of disparity.

Somehow Kratos was bathed by silence as he could only hear are the cracks of the branches.

At the corner of the forest, with the leaves green, he watched a young boy heaving slightly. His eyes downcast carrying the bloodied deer and throwing it to his father. "…Father…" Kratos noticed blood dribbled from his mouth. "..Son.." He could feel the metallic taste in his tongue and he glanced at the aftermath of the battle. Kratos crouched gently and held his son's shoulders "Close your heart.." He could hear Arteus' sniffles. "…Tell me what happened…"

Arteus grew silent, that moment when he battled alone and his awakening powers gave him confusion. He recalls the woods to be where his mother will find him safe and tickled him by the toes until he laughed happily. Now it is different, her power grew limited at every passing hour. The gods will truly find them. "..I transformed..I thought it was thrilling but…" Kratos gave a silent nod, acknowledging that his true self is slowly emerging.

"..Listen.." Kratos simpered quietly "You did it, to survive, we faced many threats…." Kratos thought of Freya coming by someday, to avenge her son's death. "We can only do is to be better.." However Atreus smiled again, but there is that sadness sinking in his heart. Someday the wrath of Asgard will thunder over them and their peace will be broken again. And it is a start which both glanced a winged figure landing on their woods, Arteus gulped slightly. "..I do not feel good…" Kratos steadied himself "then we better be ready.."

Note: To be honest God of War 4 is such an amazing game, to be honest, I have taken little interest in the trilogy until this reboot, I mean how they make the atmosphere with the music, visuals and storytelling is amazing (TBH I still cried when Ashes is played on my iPod XD) . Atreus is one of my favourite characters (alongside Mimir who is such a ham), as I enjoyed his characterisation, which can be kind to somehow manically cruel and perhaps one of the best-written child characters I have seen in any media.

So I was inspired by the writings of space-lesbo on Tumblr with her amazing AF ficlets of God of War. (I suggest you read her stuff, the atmosphere and characterisation is gorgeous), I was tackling one of the headcanons that floated around on Tumblr that she played hide and seek in her protected forest with Atreus, and create that tone like the Facebook game The Calls of the Wild which is beautifully atmospheric. I personally tackled the idea of him shape-shifting which is pretty fun.

Anyway, feel free to give me feedback or comments on that story as it is my favourite among the fanfics I have written and I may do some more God of War writing.