The wolf was huge, almost as big as Hulk and standing over Loki like a mother over its cub baring its teeth with laid down ears. The growl that escaped from his throat shook the surrounding buildings with its force.
The snake wasn't any smaller, the upper part oscillated back and forth as if waiting for an opportunity to attack. It hissed in the direction of the Avengers every time of them moved, its poisonous teeth as long as a rowboat.
Next to them the girl in front of Loki looked tiny and almost normal, apart from the fact that the right half of her body was white and the left part black, from the hair to the eyes to her bare feet. That and she was sitting on an eight-legged horse.
If it had been possible Doom would have paled under his metal mask. He had not expected such a back-up force for Loki. The animals would have been defeatable but the girl had an eerie, unworldly glow to her that marked her as a great sorceress. Much more powerful than even Loki was.
"Hide behind your menagerie as much as you want but you cannot hide forever", Doom threatened Loki before he took his leave. Some fights were not worth it.
"You will show some respect", Loki shouted and sent a wave of ice after him.
Hulk roared and made a step towards the snake. It hissed threateningly and drew itself up to its full height. But Hulk wasn't intimidated and took another step towards it, raising his hands, ready to attack.
"Stop!" Suddenly Loki stood between them, his arms up in the air as if he wanted to shield the snake from Hulk.
Tony and Steve shared a confused look. Where was Thor when you needed him?
"Call him back", Loki looked at them almost pleadingly.
"I say we let Hulk have his fun", Clint grinned.
"They haven't done anything to you." Anyone else would have sounded scared but this was Loki so no one believed that.
Clint shrugged. "If it hurts you I'm all for it. Who knew you cared so much about your pets?"
"They are my children", Loki made a gesture with his hands as if he wanted his children to hide behind him even though any of them probably had a better chance of winning against Hulk than he had.
"You want us to believe that?" Natasha asked, one eyebrow raised.
Suddenly the girl tilted her head at them and they all shivered as if someone had just walked over their graves.
"Hulk", Steve said, "Come back."
Hulk came reluctantly. He obviously remembered how easily he had won against Loki the last time and was unwilling to let him escape but he respected Steve as their leader.
"I won't fight you if you let me bring them into safety."
"That better be not on earth", Steve said sternly.
"Do you think I would endanger my children?" Loki snarled but he kept his stance, ready to attack anyone who came too close to the monsters at his back.
"Wait, are we actually letting him leave?" Clint asked. He still had his bow pointed at Loki's head.
Steve nodded. "For now."
Loki's expression was something like gratefulness as he took the strange girl's hand into his. She laid her other hand on the side of the snake while he let his fingers gently glide into the wolf's fur. They vanished a heartbeat later.
"The first thing we ask Thor when he comes back is what the fuck that was", Tony said what they were all thinking.