Title: Empathy

Summary: It wasn't a secret how Tyr and Loki disliked each other. So on a trip in the mountains, an accident occurs that separates their group. Thor and his friends promised to meet them on the next trail, so Loki and Tyr are now forced to journey together in an awkward and dangerous mission that would leave them questioning why they hated each other in the first place.

Warnings: Physical Torture, Mild Trauma, Violence, Graphic Depictions of Death, Inferiority Complex, and Minor Politics.

Challenged by: singleloki

oOo

Chapter 1 – Differences

In recent months, criminal activity increased across the nine realms.

The numbers had doubled the past few weeks in the area just beyond the mountains near Alfheim. Trolls, brigands, and marauders frequented the mountains, attacking smaller settlements and pillaging their villages.

Thor, who loved war and adventure, overheard these mishaps and volunteered to rid the place of those foul creatures. He gained Odin's approval, took his friends with him, and luckily got Loki to tag along. Yet Heimdall voiced his concerns over the strange activity in the mountains, leading the All-Father to deem it necessary for Tyr to be brought with them.

Loki did not like the arrangement at all.

"Out of all the capable warriors," He grimaced. "They had to pick the General."

It had been a comfortable journey so far.

They continued for two days as they traveled through the Asgardian mountain pass towards the Northern Border. Thor happily led the way through the side of the cliff while his friends, imagining their oncoming victorious battle, followed eagerly by his side.

Tyr, on the other hand, was silent and brooding.

He hated the fact that he had to gallivant out in the wilds with the younger prince. He could stand Thor and his strange addiction to warfare, but Loki's chaotic nature was beyond Tyr's comprehension.

The boy always seemed so bored and irritable, it was getting obnoxious.

Just the other day, Loki put lizards in Sif's pack and placed several stones inside Fandral's. No one saw him do it, so no one could accuse him. Thor insisted the lizards entered freely into Sif's pack, and that Fandral was too careless about arranging his belongings that he ended up picking up the stones.

In any case, Loki got away with it.

"Spoiled brat," Tyr huffed.

"Do you remember what Hemir said?" Thor laughed, drowning over Tyr's thoughts. "I always thought he had decorum, but he just had to say those words and it ruined him!"

"Yes, his beard bristled afterwards!" Volstagg responded.

"It was very memorable." Fandral agreed.

Loki grimaced from behind the company as Thor regaled a funny, overused tale. His brother loved to gossip among his warriors about the most embarrassing details, and spared no one of their hilarity.

"I don't think I've seen a grown man so flustered." Sif snorted. "I've seen hairier beings than that thing!"

Thor, Fandral, and Volstagg guffawed.

Loki rolled his eyes and made his displeasure known with a tiny, almost unheard of, whine. Tyr, who was just in front of him, turned back to reprimand him. Loki huffed in response and stuck his tongue out for good measure.

Tyr colored.

He scoffed and turned away, looking equally unhappy.

"Doesn't he have anything better to do?" Loki scowled, clutching his leather sling bag. "He should be happy that I'm not even bothering him."

He guessed Tyr's hate ran deeper.

"You would think Hemir was a maiden with the way he shrieked!" Fandral chuckled. "Bouncing about in panic."

The others laughed.

"It wasn't as worse as Bedric's shrill," Hogun voiced. "His was much higher."

The laughter continued and rang through the mountains.

Loki wanted to strangle himself and be done with it.

The story Thor and the others were telling wasn't something Loki wanted to remember. The two guards, Hemir and Bedric, had insulted Loki and called him Argr. Loki therefore took it upon himself to spook the two with a rather enlarged spider that happened to roam around the city grounds by accident.

Although it was amusing to have his part in the tale, it was getting monotonous to hear it. Hoping to drown their boisterous laughter, Loki took to the scenery instead.

"At least I am outside." He thought.

It was rare for him to leave the palace grounds, and even more so in Thor's company. In recent years, Loki had spent time studying in the great library while Thor roughhoused with his friends on some epic adventure.

"If only everything was as it used to be."

Loki missed his brother's overprotective attitude and his selfless proclamations of love and brotherhood. But that was then, when they were children. Now, Thor was just different and loud.

Loki sighed.

He really didn't want to think about it further.

His pace slowed as he appreciated the interesting things around him. He began picking up herbs growing on the side of the mountain to experiment with later. Strangely enough, it didn't take long for someone to notice his absence.

"What are you doing?" Tyr questioned.

Loki tilted his head.

"You're not plotting some foolish trick, are you?"

"I'm not planning anything." Loki defended, scowling further. "These herbs I'm collecting are known for their healing capabilities. And if you were wondering at my slowness, I was only admiring the forest below."

"Admire it faster." Tyr rebuked. "You're slowing us down."

In response to Tyr's insult, Loki walked past him, fueling the General's annoyance. Good. Loki smirked. He achieved his intent. He really hated Tyr. That man had no regard for anything other than war and power. He was just like any other Aesir with no backbone for uniqueness.

Tyr was thinking something along those lines as well.

To him, Loki had little respect for the martial arts. He was far too much like his mother, fragile and feminine. He had an air of arrogance about him that wasn't supposed to be there. And his preference, it bothered people. To be Argr or Ergi, how it must shame Odin to have a son so weak and delicate.

Where Thor was bright like the sun and loved by his people, Loki was dark like an abyss and shunned for his divergence.

"It's getting dark." Sif announced.

"It shouldn't be dark out yet." Tyr frowned, looking up. "We should still have three hours of sunlight yet."

"Thor?" Fandral called. "Are you doing this, my thunderous friend? These dark, ominous clouds do not look pleasant."

"Do not look at me," Thor shrugged. "I have no schemes for you."

Suddenly, the rain poured heavily, giving them no time to prepare for the grueling cold winds. They groaned and complained, blaming Thor when he laughed. But it wasn't Thor's doing, but the workings of the world.

They bundled up with their wet cloaks and trudged forward, trying to find cover as fast as they could. They walked for hours until their bodies began to protest. Loki quickly sided with Thor and nudged him gently.

"It amuses you, does it not?" Loki muttered.

"I don't know what you mean." Thor grinned, clearly loving the situation. "It's just a drizzle and some cold air. Be thankful that no lightning has struck you yet."

"Why do I even bother?"

"Because you like complaining," He chuckled.

"I speak of it for the good of all." Loki replied, feeling quite offended by his brother's words. "This weather isn't pleasant to any, not especially to me, despite my tolerance for the cold. Can you not let it up?"

"I told you," Thor huffed. "This is not my doing."

"Is that not your doing either?" Loki pointed.

The road of the cliff had collapsed and water begun to trail down the sharp rocks, creating a very muddy slope down to the forest abyss. Tyr moved closer, trying to assess their situation. Going back would take them several more days and the criminals they were chasing would be long gone.

"What now?" Fandral asked.

"It's too dangerous to pass through." Tyr declared, looking up at the rocky wall. "There's another path up there. It stretches as far as the path down here. Once there, we may be able to retrace the original path towards our destination."

"There is a cave up that incline." Sif noticed. "What say you that we use it for camp?"

"Someone has to carry Volstagg." Thor teased.

"Mind you," Volstagg protested. "I can carry my own."

"We best hurry." Hogun said, looking at the clouds. "It is getting colder, and the forest entrance is still several hours ahead. We would reach the next village in a few days or so."

"The slopes are too muddy." Fandral pointed. "And the rocks are sharp."

"And it's a long fall down." Tyr grimaced.

Loki stepped away from the group as they proposed several ways to cross the crumbled cliff. He looked at the incline, then towards the cave. The ledge was wide enough for all of them, and it looked like it traveled all the way to the other side of the mountain, which was good. They didn't have to go back to take another road.

"It would be nice to seek shelter." Loki thought.

Even if the cold barely bothered him, he wanted to feel dry and comfortable. Besides, his leather sling bag and his belongings inside were getting soaked.

"Loki!" Thor called.

Snapping from his thoughts, Loki innocently looked up.

"Yes, brother?"

"We need your help."

"My help?"

"Yes."

"What do you need my help for?"

Loki turned his gaze to each and every one of them.

Thor's friends were smiling at him, except Tyr wasn't. No. There was something troubling the General. Loki had never seen Tyr smile at anything other than amusement at someone else's expense, but nothing life threatening of course— wait— Loki immediately realized the implications of Tyr's worry and the group's amusement.

"No!" Loki backed away from Thor. "You can't make me."

"Please, Loki."

"No." He stubbornly crossed his arms. "Find someone else."

"Just this once, brother."

"No."

"Please…"

It was a mistake when Loki looked directly at those big blue eyes.

He flushed in embarrassment and found his head nodding in agreement, followed with Thor's great bellow of happiness. Loki sighed as a rope was immediately tied to his lean waist. Fandral tried to take Loki's leather sling bag, but Loki pulled it away from his calloused hands.

"This stays with me." He hissed.

"My bad," Fandral chuckled, raising his hands in defeat. "I just thought you needed less weight to go up."

"I can carry my own belongings."

He grumbled in annoyance as the rope was tightly secured. He had to learn how to refuse his dim-witted, blue eyed older brother. They were always effective. That stupid technique… Thor knew how to make Loki feel guilty.

"You are good to go." Thor smiled. "Be careful."

"You owe me for this."

"Next time."

"The rocks are sharp." Tyr voiced with a tone of seriousness, making Loki look at his direction. "Avoid them if possible. Make sure your footing is secure before you climb up with arrogance. Don't fight the current. The rocks will crumble and you would easily fall. We won't have Asgard missing its younger prince, do we?"

Loki scoffed in response.

He knew what to do.

He didn't need to hear those words from the General.

And Asgard would miss his presence? Hah! That was a load of dung. Only his family would ever miss him. Loki grumbled as he climbed up carefully. Tyr would probably love it if he falls. There would be one less mischief maker in his line of work.

"You are almost there." Thor grinned.

"I will give him credit this time." Sif narrowed her eyes. "He can climb when needed."

"It's more likely because his comfort is at stake," Fandral joked.

"He cannot refuse Thor." Volstagg added.

"I know why he agreed." Hogun shrugged, earning their attention. "He probably did so to get away from us."

"My friends," Thor laughed.

Tyr watched from the sidelines, keeping a close eye on Loki. He noticed Thor's hold on his brother's rope was too loose, and should the younger prince slip and fall, Thor wouldn't make the necessary decision to save his brother's life.

So Tyr watched, very intently.

He ignored their mean spirited jests and focused on the task at hand. He rarely joined such amusement, and didn't care about them when he had a job to do.

"Thor?"

Loki's small voice called from the top of the incline.

The wind and rain were making it difficult for him to see and hear properly. He was already shouting from the top of his lungs. He carefully looked down and disliked the sight of the deadly drop to the dark forest below.

"Is it clear?" Thor yelled. "Can you go farther?"

"His impatience knows no bounds." Loki thought, clinging desperately to the wall. "I should've stayed with mother."

He finally pushed himself up on the ledge, getting a better view of his surroundings. The cave looked wide enough to house all of them for the night. Loki bet that it went deep into the mountains as well.

"If I didn't know better, Trolls could be hiding in there."

It seemed like the ideal location.

Loki turned his head to gain a view of the forest way below his station. There was huge, thick mist headed their way from the North East. It was impossible to walk in it without getting lost. He looked down to see his brother and his friends.

"Brother!" Thor called.

Loki rolled his eyes and just waved at his older brother, giving him a tiny smile. Loki didn't want to strain his voice shouting over the heavy rain.

It was pointless.

"What is he doing?" Sif questioned as she watched Loki walk away. "He's not thinking of leaving us here, is he?"

"My brother wouldn't do that." Thor frowned.

"I think he has every reason to." Fandral sighed. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"Loki!? Brother! What are you doing?!"

Loki ignored their shouts, feeling a slight tug on the rope. They were going to be the death of him. He was simply checking the surroundings. There was a dead tree by the side of the wall near the cave that would surely help their ascent.

It was impossible for Volstagg to get up on his own, for the floor would crumble under his feet. With enough rope, they would all get up in no time.

"What do you see, Loki?!" Thor shouted.

"Again," Loki groaned. "His impatience is outstanding."

About to call the others, a shadow caught his eye.

Loki peered through the cave, tilting his head as he saw the shadow slowly approaching. Four legged and crouched heavily. When Loki realized what it was, it was far too late. The huge wolf pounced straight at him, snapping its sharp teeth with ferocity.

He took a step back and…

"Damn!"

Startled, Loki lost his footing and slid halfway down.

Managing to halt his plummet to death, Loki grasped the rocks for dear life. He felt scrapes and bruises forming and tiny cuts on his hand that were on fire. Fandral wasn't joking when he said the rocks were sharp.

There was faint, panicked yelling from below.

"Watch out!" Fandral cried.

"We must do something!" Volstagg howled. "He will be eaten!"

A pack of wolves had come out of the cave to see and catch their prey. Their eyes glimmered in the dark, and their white fangs snarled at him with hunger. Suddenly, rocks were flying from below, hitting the one inching towards Loki.

"You're only making it worse!" Loki yelled.

Tyr halted their actions, pushing them away and yelling at them for their stupidity. Thor was still holding onto Loki's rope, tugging it slowly to get his brother to slowly inch back down to their position, but the weather was against them.

"Thor," Tyr ordered. "You have to let go of the rope."

"What?" Thor gaped. "Why?"

The wind blew stronger, and the rain poured heavily. Water cascaded down the incline, loosening the rocks. It took two of the wolves with them and they plummeted to the dark forest. Tyr's eyes widened as he felt a rush of adrenaline and anger pour through him.

"Let go of the rope!" Tyr repeated.

"He's my brother!"

"He won't be your brother for much longer if you don't let go!" He growled, pointing above. "If the water's not going to pull him down, the rocks surely will— let it go, Thor! He will be fine!"

"I can't."

"Hand it over!"

Tyr took it upon himself to rid Thor of the rope before a large portion of the rocks crumbled. Loki trembled, clinging to the wall and ignoring half of the landslide. Tyr had been right. It poured right where the rope had been and would've surely killed Loki.

But the danger wasn't over.

"Hold on, Loki!" Sif called. "We will come get you."

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" Loki weakly replied, knowing full well that no one heard it. "Please… please hurry. I can't—"

He felt his grip slipping.

"Hold on!" Thor cried.

"I cannot hold on much longer…" Loki whimpered.

The wolves were relentless and hungry.

They must've been starved for a while as they inched again, trying to nip Loki's hands. The strain of holding the sharp rocks was too much. Loki closed his eyes, body frozen in fear.

When he agreed to join his brother, he expected it to be a good, quick adventure that would gain him trinkets and stories. He wanted to visit Alfheim on the way, or at least see the beauty of its forest.

Loki never thought the Norns would be against such a thing.

oOo

Tyr could tell Loki was struggling.

Who wouldn't?

He strategized ways to cross the crumbling rocks to get to the boy, but everything was too complicated. Loki's panic got the better of him as he dangled on the edge. Tyr clenched his fists. The All-Father and All-Mother would surely kill him if something happened to their son.

"Hold this for me!" He ordered.

Tyr had dug out an extra rope in his bag and thrown it at Hogun, who couldn't help but stare at the General.

"What are you planning to do?"

"I will climb after him." Tyr voiced, tying the rope to his waist. "There's not much time. We have to be quick. Now hold that rope."

The warriors followed his orders while Thor stared hopelessly at his brother. Tyr started climbing after Loki, cursing the rocks as he felt their sharpness. He gritted his teeth and continued on, bracing himself from the strong wind, water, and muddy rocks thrown his way.

The wolves cared not if they died one by one as they desperately slid down, mouth open, to take a bite out of fresh meat.

"Please," Loki whimpered when he saw Tyr approach. "I cannot…"

"Do not move." Tyr scowled.

Loki tried to reach him, but Tyr growled, repeating his order. He could see tears in those emerald eyes, staring at him in fear. It bothered Tyr. He had never seen such a vulnerable look in so long a time, and never one from royalty.

Not once from Loki.

"I will come and get you." Tyr spoke softly over the raging weather. "Stay still."

Thankfully, Loki obeyed.

The younger prince patiently watched him.

Loki trembled, not because of the cold, but because of the strain of his composure and strength. He ignored everything and focused solely on the General's bravery. Tyr figured that once they were through, Loki might have a change of heart and stop his mischief for good.

"Hold still."

Tyr pulled out a dagger to attack the wolf inching towards them, but the sky suddenly ripped open with a bright, blinding light. Tyr turned to Thor, recognizing that power.

The Thunderer raised Mjolnir with a determined look.

"Wait!" Tyr cried. "Do not do it!"

It was too late.

In Thor's panic for his brother's safety, he allowed the sky to rip. A flash of lightning hit the wolf approaching the General and Loki, and another followed. It hit the top of the cliff to scare off the pack, but the ground broke upon impact.

Loki slid again, this time, with nothing to grab on.

But Tyr was quick.

"Not this time," He thought.

Tyr cut the rope on his waist to dive after the prince and looped his arms around the thin, lean waist. He felt Loki fall into his embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around Tyr's neck as the wall crumbled, taking them with. Tyr used his body to slide against the rubble, hoping to ease their fall down the forest.

They tumbled below, and everything faded into darkness.

When they awoke, they were in a sea of rubble.

Tyr groaned as the flashes of memory came to him. He heard faint voices from above, waking him from his stupor. He moved to his side, coughing out dirt. The adrenaline was still strong. His body barely registered the cuts and bruises of his body.

He eyed his surroundings, seeing broken trees scratching the forest floor which was flooded with mud and rubble.

It was catastrophic.

Then he remembered who he had saved from certain death. He turned to the other side to see Loki sitting up, staring at his bleeding leg. Those emerald eyes were distant, unregistering. It got Tyr to leap up on his feet to check on the prince.

He knelt next to him, taking Loki's face in hand, forcing him to turn slowly to him.

He didn't want Loki to panic. He had seen this before in so many battles— the shock, the inattentiveness, and the panic that followed— it was normal, and Tyr knew what to do.

"It is alright." Tyr whispered.

Loki's eyes moved.

Emerald met sapphire.

"You are injured, try to move less." Tyr voiced, assessing Loki's bleeding leg. "It must've been cut across by a sharp rock along the way down. We'll have to bind it."

Loki absently nodded, trying to gain his bearings.

"Work with me." Tyr huffed. "Do not lose consciousness now."

It was a good thing their leather sling bags were still with them. He rummaged through them, but found himself disappointed. They were all soaked and muddied up. Tyr needed to find clean water before he could bind Loki's wound. It would get infected without proper treatment and...

"Tyr!?"

Someone called from above.

"Loki!?"

Tyr nearly forgot.

He looked up, but only saw darkness as their faint voices rung once more. Tyr grimaced, wanting to lecture Thor to no end about his foolishness. But that would have to wait. He had far more pressing matters at hand than reprimanding an arrogant crown prince.

"We are fine!" Tyr yelled, hoping the others heard.

"Can you get back up?!" Sif cried.

"No!" He looked at Loki, who was now staring at him unblinkingly. It was unnerving, but Tyr ignored it. "It's too dangerous to get back up and Loki is injured! We would have to meet you at a town nearby!"

"Which one?!" Thor called.

Tyr cursed.

There were several settlements ranging along the path, none of them were safe enough. It would be suspicious for Thor and his friends to stay for days to meet them. It would compromise their mission. The marauders or the brigands would be disguised and among those in the settlement, it would not end well.

"Regroup in Alfheim!" Tyr blasted.

"That would take weeks!" Fandral cried.

"The road from here doesn't connect to where you are!" Tyr growled, seeing Loki falling asleep. "Stay with me, young prince." He gently tapped Loki's cheek. Emerald eyes opened once more. "No sleeping. Try to keep yourself awake."

"Tyr?!" Volstagg called.

"Tch, you must go back to the original path and use the other pass!" Tyr hissed, looking up. "It would take long before we reached the normal road! And you cannot move across that cliff! The mountain path extends too far!"

"We can wait!"

"No!"

"Tyr?!"

"We cannot delay!" He sighed, putting an arm around Loki's back for support. Loki's head fell to Tyr's shoulder as he fought sleep. "The All-Father needs to know of the news surrounding the mountains! You must resume your journey!"

"We cannot leave the two of you alone!" Sif voiced. "We can try and go down!"

"NO! It's too dangerous!" Tyr adjusted Loki's sling bag and looped an arm under his leg. "Loki and I would go unnoticed! Go back to the original path and find another way around! That's an order!"

"Take care of my brother!" Thor yelled.

Tyr cursed again as he stood up, carrying Loki with what strength he had left. He was starting to feel fatigue. He needed to find shelter, and the forest was plenty of it. He started moving, allowing his legs to take him where he will, knowing that the town in this direction was days away.

His fate was up to the Norns now.

Tyr looked down to check on the prince. Loki looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears, still fighting off the sweet lull of unconsciousness. Vulnerable. That's what Tyr thought. He scowled, pulling his gaze away from Loki and muttered.

"Don't make that face."

oOo

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