AN

I want to thank all of you for the favs, follows, and reviews from: vpalumbo2391, Guest, AvatarPrincess, ChibiFoxNaruto, Uriel867, MarieMari, Silvermane1, and The MiniCat. Thank you for the amazing support on my unusual new story.

Also, I couldn't have made this chapter without my inspiration source; the amazing story Firefly by Araceil (chapter 3, to be more specific. I've her permission.) If you haven't read her story... do it :D

Just so everyone is on the same page:

Loki is around 6.2 feet tall and Eywa adores Loki ;)

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He had never felt so misplaced in all his life; everything felt utterly foreign. He couldn't have moved his arms, legs, or head even if he had had the energy to do so. His first real coherent thought was that his plan had backfired and by a terrible accident he had sent his consciousness back to the safe, comfortable cocoon that was his bearer's belly. It would explain why he couldn't control the movement of his body parts and yet why he still felt and unexplainable sense of safety.

He couldn't hear, see, or smell. He couldn't even feel the familiar slight movement of his chest rising and falling with each breath. Could he be dead? Was he even sure that his mind was connected with his body?

I escaped only to die. How incredible dull.

Floating, with no sense of time or space, he drifted and let himself enjoy the moment of peace. He didn't know how much time had passed, it could have been seconds, days, or years but suddenly he became aware of movement. It was a throbbing echo that vibrated through every fibre of his being. His being? And with each punctual throb, his body woke.

With every beat of his heart the locks which had kept him bound opened. Beat by beat the five senses returned to him. His body ached with pain, exhaustion, and hunger from the amount of energy it had used to create and uphold the portal. His magic had run dry from the spell, like a well which had been emptied of water, and it was only because of Loki's great magical powers that the spell hadn't killed him.

He still hadn't found the strength to open his eyes by the time his brain received the first signals of touch from his blue skin. He could tell that he was on his back on a rather comfortable, soft surface which was moulded to fit his body perfectly. Gentle breezes blew around him in uneven intervals and reached portions of his naked skin.

A blanket of pulsating energy surrounded him from all sides, tangled over his body in a web of silk.

Where am I? Home or Asgard?

Struggling to open his heavy lids and see for himself if his plan had succeeded, they slowly but surely broke apart. Light, there was too much light and his lids fell shut to protect his sensitive pupils from the sharp rays. He wasn't home, his plan had failed.

Adrenaline shot through his bloodstream as panic seized him and in one quick movement he shot up from his comfortable resting place with wide eyes.

This isn't Asgard, this place? Beautiful.

Loki had only heard stories about the green foliage that surrounded him and while he had seen the treetops of a faraway forest on Asgard, he knew that this wasn't a forest but a jungle. He couldn't be on Asgard as Asgard had no jungles. The only realm that had the environment for jungles was Midgard which meant that he was trapped in the mortals' uncivilized world.

He had no desire to live amongst mortals for millennia. Explore their world, yes he would enjoy that, but Midgard offered little else then its astonishingly diverse nature. It wasn't like him to frown at a present opportunity but even with the full strength of his magic there was no guarantee that he could ever return home, which was what he really wanted.

Setting his worries aside to ponder over at a later date, he easily let his curious eyes wander over the unfamiliar flowers and trees at the outskirt of the giant clearing which was encased by curving rock arches and a beautiful discoloured sky. He couldn't see any signs of intelligent lifeforms and with his magic weakened by the previous strenuous spell he couldn't search the surrounding area for life. But that didn't mean that there was none. He didn't doubt that the vivacious jungle accommodated various animals he hadn't heard about before.

Completely captivated by the beautiful sights all around him, Loki didn't realise that the warm climate had no negative effect on his otherwise unprotected, cold body nor that his chest had yet to move, in the natural act of respiration. Only when Loki made to turn his head around, to gaze further at his surroundings, did he discover that the movement was intercepted by an unknown force. He was restricted from moving his head the barest of degrees left. Puzzled by the restriction, he looked down at himself to solve the mystery.

What the…

He didn't even get to finish the thought before he instinctively grabbed the white, glowing root, which had small tendrils covering his mouth and nose, and pulled it away from him.

It's inside me, in my mouth, my throat. Get it out! Get it out!

It was a horrifying sight to see an almost 2 feet long root withdrawn from his mouth. The moment his face was freed, his empty lungs were desperate for air and he automatically took a big gulp of air. It burned, and he couldn't contain the scream that left his lips. His throat and lungs were on fire. It felt like someone had taken a red, hot piece of iron and stuck it inside him.

Covering his mouth with a fist, he bit down to conceal his loud scream, his nostrils flaring with his rapid breathing pattern. Gradually, the pain left him and his breathing returned to normal. His eyes, which had fallen closed by the pain, flicked open anew to glare at the suspicious flora.

He was sure that he had thrown it a couple feet away from himself but he found it stuck alongside his right thigh. That, apparently, wasn't his only problem. He was covered in them! Furred, small, tendrils rose from the ground and outlined his legs and feet.

Frightened, he tried to scoot away, only to realise that his mouth and nose hadn't been the only openings the tendrils had decide to invade. If it wasn't for his disgust, he would have found the situation quite hilarious.

My virtue has been stolen by some kind of vegetable organism. What I wouldn't give to see Thor's reaction.

The smaller tendrils around his legs gave way easily as he moved to stand up. Inch by inch, as he moved into a standing position, the roots were pulled out. This time, he spared himself from the disturbing sight of seeing the longer roots leave his body openings.

Free, at last, he hurried stepped away from the tendrils before he turned back around to look at his… rapist?

He had lain at the foot of a beautiful white, pink tree to which the tendrils clearly belonged. The tree pulsed with a glow that promised safety and comfort. It had such allure that he wanted to step closer.

He didn't though. He had heard that Midgard contained flesh eating flora, which captivated its pray with attractive colours and scents. He shouldn't be deceived or swayed by the tree's allure but he honestly felt secure and at home. Apart from his depleted magic, he felt genuinely fine and refreshed. This tree couldn't mean him any harm, surely.

Through his speculation a new group of tendrils had grown around his feet and as he stepped away he left a clear footprint behind. The small, white treads reaches for him in an attempt to touch his skin. He watched transfixed as the tendrils followed him with an almost magnetized attractive force.

It became a game. A game, which made Loki laugh for the first time in years as he ran and danced around the clearing, trying to escape the following tendrils. The times the tree managed to catch him, it let him go easily, before it was ready to catch him again.

He didn't want to leave his new safe haven but his hungry stomach would not be ignored and with one look around the clearing, it was obvious that there wasn't anything edible around.

"I'll come back and visit you when I've settled in this strange place." The hand he had placed on the large trunk glowed pleasantly and with hesitant steps he stepped away, into the green foliage.

A few minutes into his search for food, a small gnawing feeling that this wasn't Midgard, grew larger and larger, with each new discovery he made.

At first, he hadn't given much thought to the tall trees. He was much more enraptured by the green colours all around him, so sacred and scarce in his own realm where it was extracted from fragile, cave mushrooms. The huge trees were on par with the giant icy ones in Jotunheim, and while this wasn't an unusual sight for him, he was sure that the trees on Midgard didn't grow to be this size. The gravity on Midgard was much higher than on Jotunheim, whose low gravity enabled all life, animals and different flora, to grow into giants.

This cannot be Midgard. The high gravity would make it impossible for trees to grow to this height! Where am I? Vanaheim? No, they doesn't have jungles like this, none of the nine realms do.

The low gravity probably meant that, like on Jotunheim, the animals were of enormous sizes that would easily tower over his smaller form. He wasn't easily intimidated by size, born as he was, much smaller than the avenge Jotun, but with his magic dangerously weakened and in an unfamiliar environment, it would be stupid to be anything but wary.

Rustling leaves alerted him of movement high above the ground; his eyes were instantly drawn to the source. The creature was blue, much like him, with a few dots of yellow. It hung from a branch by its four spider-like arms, its two short legs dangled freely mid-air. It looked like it could fly, with a thin membrane stretched between its arms and legs, but this creature was undoubtedly made for climbing and navigating through the treetops. It was like no other creature he had ever seen. It stared back at him curiously with its two yellow eyes, like it didn't know what to make of him.

Quicker, than he had thought possible, the blue being made its way down to the ground. It was smaller then what he had expected the creatures of this realm to be, probably only about 3 feet tall. It also seemed friendly enough. From its blunt fingernails he would guess that the creature was a plant and fruit eater rather than a meat hunting predator.

Now that they were closer, it was easy for Loki to see that it wasn't him, the blue being was interested in, but Thor's gold collar.

"This? You're interested in this silly trinket?" he asked, as he hooked a finger under the many rings of gold. "You can have it, considered it a peace offering from my intrusion upon your realm. I hope that you will spread the word that I've come in peace." His sarcastic reply seemed beyond the simple lifeform. Only when Loki went to unclasp the golden lock and held the heavy jewellery out before him, did the blue being seem to comprehend.

With a high pinched yell did the animal reach out and grab the gold with all four hands. While the creature went to sniff and hesitantly taste the gold, Loki studied the smaller creature further.

"You know… your uncivilised behaviour does remind me of someone. And since you share so many of his unrefined traits it would only be suitable to name your kind after him."

The Odinson seemed wholly uninterested in Loki's soft chatter, completely enraptured with the shiny gold and red stones. Only when the Odinson had finished its evaluation test on the necklace, and deemed it acceptable, did it join the golden rings around its smaller neck before it swung its way back into the trees.

"You're welcome," he called out after it but it had already disappeared.

Yes, this ungrateful, simple being could indeed pass for Odin's spawn.

His search for food and shelter continued and while he did come across some blue seeds from a field of giant, blue, bristled flowers, he didn't dare eat any. Maybe, he had made a big mistake when he let the Odinson go. He could have pretended that it was Thor while he strangled the life out of it with the shiny necklace it was so fascinated by.

There had to be at least three days' worth of meat on that thing.

Pushing his thoughts of food aside, a skill he honed in his years of starvation, he treaded carefully through the lush underground.

Pushing a bush of big flat leaves out of the way, he got his first clear view of the realm he had stepped into. From the edge of a rather steep cliff, he could see floating mountains, giant flying lizards in hundreds different colours, more lush jungle on the ground and on the floating rocks, rivers, lakes, and past the floating stones and creamy clouds, he could skim the beautiful blue sky.

This place is definitely not Midgard. There may have been flying lizards once upon a time but floating mountains? Definitely not.

From here it didn't take him long to find water, he could see a river breaking over the ledge into a waterfall and simply followed its direction. The water flowed with great haste before it fell over the cliff and he decided to go against the stream in search of calmer water.

He walked along the riverbank before he came upon a clear lake. He didn't hesitate to step into the liquid and take his first gulps of water. The water felt neither warm nor cold upon his skin, to his great puzzlement, but he wouldn't quell the optimistic discovery.

The bottom of the lake was filled with white, eye-sized, round stones hence the clear water. He could easily make out the moving figures of different fish, in small and big schools, in many different colours. They swam around, undeterred by his presence, and nipped at the collection of green seagrass along the bottom. Their fearlessness to his presence made him wonder if they had any natural enemies or if they lived peacefully, unaware of danger. They could be poisonous, but he doubted that, and after a more throughout examination, a dissection, he would be certain in his case.

Taking a moment to enjoy himself, he swam and drove among the schools; sometimes he felt a fish nip along his skin. He was tempted to catch a fish or two for dinner but he wouldn't go hunting before he had a retreat set up. In a different approach to subdue his hunger, he drove down to grasp a handful of green seagrass. If the fish could eat it then surly he could too.

He settled in the water bank and took a hesitate nibble of the green, gooey plant. It taste sweet and therefor he immediately liked it, having a big sweet tooth. Refreshed and sated after more chunks of gathered seaweed, he continued his search, within close walking distance to the water. Hopefully, he could find a place close-by the resourceful lake.

His search was not in vain. The day had almost run its course when he came upon a promising sight. An enormous tree trunk came into his line of view. Without measuring equipment, he deduced the tree to be around 170 feet in diameter, which would give him plenty of room. What caught his interest was the darker quality of the bark, the tree was dead, which meant it was probably hollow.

Taking a few steps around it, he looked for a way in and found one small opening many feet's above the ground. The good news was that he would be safe from ground predators and away from the damp wet underbrush. The bad news was that he was unable to climb up the smooth surface to the small hole. With the dark night approaching he saw no other way around it. Gathering what little magic he could spare, he summoned a collection of rocks to himself. They hovered around his form before he shot them at the tree with great speed. Nailed, into the bark on top of each other, they made a direct, strait line up to the hole.

This has better be good.

Drained by his exhausting day, the climb was long and hard but he had stuck gold. The tree was hollow but not completely hollowed out and there was still a base which made a good, solid, wooden floor. The hole he had come through would be easy to cover but he hadn't seen the big opening which led out to a big side branch. That would be a problem to solve for another day. Flat on his back, he gazed up through the circular opening to the darkening sky.

I'm free.

As his eyes fell closed, he failed to see his birth markings light up in an unfamiliar florescent light that shone throughout almost every native being on Pandora.

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He was up and about the moment the first rays of light shone. He didn't have time to lie around all day when there were so many things to do.

Climbing down his stone ladder, he used the first section of his day to gather whatever resourceful items he could find around his home. He gathered broken branches for wood, he went over every different plant he could find; to test its leaves for strength and the thin new shoots and twigs for flexibility.

When he went to the river to gather food and water, he had already made his first bag out of a giant square leaf. It covered the ground like a blanket and he would gather stones, food or other items upon it before he rolled it together like a pipe. Then he could bind the two ends around his body and move around undisturbed. It wasn't perfect as he had to fold the whole leaf out to access it contents but it would do for now. He has also found a purple flower which was perfect for gathering water. It could contain around three litres of water in its soft, tough skin which was very flexible; it would shrink and expand with the volume of water in it.

He may have grown up as a prince but that didn't mean that he didn't know hard work.

He knew how to hunt, on land and in water, knew how to sew and make the best fishing nets. He was a talented warrior and very lethal with a spear, bow, knife, and sword.

His main objective now was to eat, fill up his water and food supplies, go home, then look over the different stones he had gathered and see if he could make some useful stone tools; the useless ones, he could pile up into a fireplace. Then if he had more time he could make some doors to cover up the openings in his home. That was how Loki's first days went.

The more settled he became the more energy and time he had to search the remaining area around his home and make luxury items; like his bed which was made out of balls of yellow fluff that grew on top of some thin high tress.

He discovered that the jungle was brimming with animal life and that there were hundreds of Odinsons living in the trees. As the days passed he had time to study the life of this weird realm in greater detail. For a day he followed a group of Odinsons through the trees. He saw how they moved, what they ate and how they communicated with each other; cries of food, cries of danger. He took day trips out to the floating mountains and used the hundred feet long vines to climb them. He would then enjoy the amazing view, discover new animals and find beautiful items. He collected colourful flowers, scales, stones, shells, and feathers which he used for decorating his home, weapons, bags, and hair.

He weaved fishing nets and baskets to contain fruits and water. He made knives, awls, and spears out of the stones he found. He had wanted to hunt for bigger land prey the moment he had had the weapons made but for some reason it seemed wrong to hunt the peaceful animals. Like the fish and the Odinsons, the animals of this strange realm were very welcoming to him. Yesterday he had wandered through a horde of enormous armoured animals and they had welcomed him in their herd. How was he supposed to murder a dumb animal in cold blood when it lightly nuzzled his side and offered him food? He couldn't. He even felt bad when he hunted for fish and he had caught and eaten fish for most of his life, it didn't make any sense.

Eventually his spear and nets became superfluous. He could sit with his feet in the lake and every sea creature would swim to his side from where he could easily pick his dinner. Thankfully, he wasn't flooded by the land and air animals but they didn't flee from him. He couldn't experience the thrill of hunting which was one of the only forms of entertainment he could have experienced in his solitude.

However big his desire was for new leather, claws, fangs, and meat it seemed wasteful to kill such a big animal when he could live on fruit.

He still mourned the chance to hunt, he would have been an excellent hunter. He had more control of his body then he ever had before and he was becoming much more in tune with his magic. His step and breath fell without a sound, silenced by his magic. His body, after days of exercise, could move faster and for longer periods of time without tiring.

He had first thought that these were natural changes as a result of a healthier lifestyle but after a few nights when he decided to explore the nightlife, he knew there were other forces involved. First his birthmarks, his symbols of royal heritage and bloodline were glowing with a white light, like some of the plants and animals of this realm.

The streams and lakes from where he collected water could sometimes, around midday, have clouds of steam rising from the surface. Still, he never found the air or any water to be too warm or cold for his comfort.

Normally, he would use magic to protect his skin from heat but this was something entirely else. For some reason his body had gained the ability to withstand heat on its own, without the need of magic.

He had to test it to be sure and so Loki boiled his own water. He didn't have a container strong enough to hang directly over an open fire, so he had to heat up big stones that he then dropped down a basket of water. When the water boiled, he held his hand over the streaming liquid and prepared himself for the burn. In one quick move he lowered the hand and to his astonishment, nothing happened. It didn't hurt, his skin didn't blacken.

There is only one possible explanation for this, for all of this. I'm actually surprised that flowers don't pop up wherever I step. It's time to confront the annoying, touchy-feely tree.

Loki found his way back to the mysterious tree the next day without fuss. His feet were instantly swarmed by light tendrils the moment he stepped into the clearing. But he didn't pay them any heed.

"I'm not a child and I will not be treated like a child!" He was pacing back and forth before the white tree trunk with a blue, accusing finger held out. "Whatever it is that you are doing, I want you to stop it, now. I don't need to be coddled, least of all by a big, soft tree."

Without the aid of wind, a string of the tree's pale pink leaf came up to brush gently against his cheek.

"I'm not mad at you," he said as he stopped his wild pacing. "I don't think I could stay mad at a tree for very long. I'm sure you did what you did to help me and I probably wouldn't have made it without you."

I'm growing soft. Stupid tree!

With his lips curled into a silly grin he backed up against the trunk and let himself be held by the soft thrill of the tendrils.

"Thank you," he said. And then he added as an afterthought, "but I want no more coddling after this!"

He sat by its trunk for hours and told the weird tree all about his discoveries and about the home he had built. It was nice to have someone to talk to, not that it could answer him, but it wasn't difficult to imagine or pretend that it could talk back.

The hours flew by fast and when he realised how much time he had spent, talking to a nonresponsive tree, he decided to leave, for now judging his need for socialising sated. There were still hours left of the day before dark fell and he had a long walk back.

Bidding the tree farewell with the promise to visit again, he began his long trek back.

Navigating his way silently through the jungle, he was extra observant for any new plant life. He always searched the trees and ground for new food, material, and flowers to his growing collection. Different flowers, he had discovered, would when grinded become a pasty substance and work like paint. He had already made green, red, and yellow which he had used to paint the walls inside his home.

He froze mid-step as a shiver ran up his spine; danger. His mind only registered the thought before he let himself fall to the left, seconds before giant, black claws pierced the empty air.

He rolled before he quickly got into a deep crouch, ready to spring away at a moment's notice. The predator was a beast that he had never come upon in the jungle before now.

When I said that I wouldn't tolerate any more coddling this wasn't what I had in mind. Definitely not a nine feet high and eighteen feet long black beast, with very sharp claws.

Making a quick assessment of the beast's body, he could see that its neck and back were encased in armour, tough hide which he doubted his knife could pierce. He also doubted that he could outrun or hide from this deadly beast, not that he wanted to. No, this was the fight that he had been waiting for.

Pure reflex saved him from the lethal hit of the creatures black armoured tail. Now on his feet, Loki called forth a dozen of his clones to confuse and divide its attention. But to his surprise the black beast showed no hesitation and clawed through the first three clones with ease. The moment its two left forearms swung to the side in a great lunge to dispatch two more clones, Loki caught a glimpse of its soft, unprotected belly. In a move to spare the great predator a slow death by his stone knife, he brought his arms up in to summon giant, ice spikes. They formed upon his call immediately and rose up from the ground into the soft flesh. The beast died instantly and fell to the ground when the spikes vanished with a flick of his wrist.

He flew to the slayed creature's side immediately, knife out and ready to claim his prize. He would definitely take some of its armour and teeth for tools and weapons. He would also have liked some bone but it would be time-consuming to remove skin, flesh, and then break the bone into pieces that he wanted.

It was a beautiful animal. It reminded him of the small felines he had seen running around in Asgard's streets. This one was just much bigger and much more dangerous. He had only just started to cut some of the armour of the back when rustling leaves alerted him of new company.

Please, tell that they don't hunt in packs.

Tumbling out of the nearby bush was the black form of a young cub. Guilt settled rapidly in his belly and the knife fell out of his hand in shock. He had killed a nursing mother.

The little cub saw no danger in the presence of its strong mother and happily ran to the silent form, nuzzling into its mother's bigger side. The cub was big and healthy, almost as tall as Loki but it was still just a cub. Young and inexperienced, the cub wouldn't survive long without its mother, it would be kinder to kill it.

Already dreading the task ahead, he picked up his knife and started to creep closer to the oblivious cub. The young beast saw Loki, before he could deliver the killing blow, and started to mewl pathetically at him while it backed into its mother still warm side.

He couldn't do it. He didn't know if it was the loneliness or his guilt that made him hesitate but he sheathing his knife in defeat.

I'll give this a try, if you can accept me?

From his bag, he pulled out one of the dried fish he had taken with him and held it out by its stiff tailfin. The cub sniffed the air hesitantly and for minutes it seemed like nothing would happen. But hunger or courage pulled the cub from its mother's side and the fish was eaten in one bite. The giant head, on the size of his chest, came closer in search for more and Loki quickly fed the cub the rest of his fish.

Loki was wholly unaware of the consequences of his act. From that day forth, the little Palulukan had created an unbreakable bond with him.

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AN

What do you think? Was it anything like you expected? Let me know.

Eywa's weird tendrils provided air for Loki, like an umbilical cord, while also preparing his body to breathe the air on Pandora. When he took his first breath it was like his lungs were used for the first time; like a baby.

Loki has heard of flesh-eating plants but he obviously doesn't know how big they are or that their main prey are insects. I'm sorry for scaring you, Loki.