Loki did not even wait to see if the Gurama was still alive. Without a word he ran to Nixfa's side as he watched her body fall to the ground, not bothering to turn back to his brother. "Nixfa, Nixfa please be alright, you need to be okay" he said close to tears as he shook the wolf's side, blood stained his hands the smell of battle clinging to her fur like rags made him sick, still he did not care. Nixfa was his guardian, she had to be okay, she tried to warn them and they did not listen right away, she tried to make them escape but they were not quick enough, so now she fought for their lives and is not aloud to pay such a price for his recklessness.
Thor ran to his brother's side "is she alright?" "I don't know" he said leaning over the half dead body. Taking in a deep breath Thor leaned over her head, her mouth slightly open revealing a chipped fang "You were right Nixfa, I was stupid in believing I could take on that thing, now stop playing dead!" The wolf shot her head up a loud growl escaping her lips "I'm not dead you idiot" she said landing her head back on the cold ground "I'm just tired".
Relief washed over them, not caring that his brother was there Loki flung his arms around Nixfa's neck burying his face into her still warm fur "thank you" he mumbled into her, "no my friend, it is I who should be thanking you"
That was a story that stuck with the trio for their entire lives.
After that day Nixfa and loki grew even closer, her wounds healed well only having a small scar on her shoulder from a stone that penetrated her when she was crushed. Odin hearing about the accident punished the boys, but in turn welcomed Nixfa with open arms as one of his family. "You're still a child, yet you saved my own children, you may have not had a family when you came here but I would behonored to take on that duty in caring for you."
Nixfa never felt more at home then in Asgard, she would sneak out with the boys for adventures in the city, stay up late with Loki to tell stories, or spar with Thor honing her skills with the stone blade that Odin made sure she had.
"I think its time I show you how to bond" said Nixfa amusement in her eyes as Loki's usually calm face turn dumbfounded "What did you say?" "you heard me, I've been your guardian for long enough it's time you learn to bond, you don't like fighting but one day you will have to and I like having comfort in knowing that you have a far greater chance then most at victory when you're riding a weapon."
Its been years since Nixfa had first been given to the Asgardian prince, now standing at age sixteen she was growing beautifully, but still powerful. Her long black hair moving almost shadow like forming around her face and enhancing her deep blue eyes, she really began to capture Loki's mind all the time now. He watched her train with his older brother, evenly matched in combat, and almost envious. Throwing down their stone blades long ago Nixfa took to making her own weapon design sending it to the blacksmith he crafted her a beautiful bow of silver and vilinan steal that unhooked at the shaft into two deadly blades that were each as long as her arm for close combat.
The style she adapted too took his breath away every time he watched her go toe to toe with his idiot brother.
Still this was way sudden, Loki took to thinking of Nixfa as a dear friend, no longer having that burden of being his guardian, he never rode her even if the thought of flying made his heart flutter. "Nixfa I thought you given up on guardian the moment father took you in as his own?" The girl sighed rolling her eyes she poked him in the shoulder causing him to stagger "Loki I was deemed your guardian the moment I flew you over Asgard whether you like it or not your going to learn how to bond."
Laughter erupted beside them causing the two to look over at the big blond giant as Thor walked over to them a grin on his face "don't fight it brother, no matter what you say Nixfa will always best you when it comes to commands." Unlike his brother Thor grew up much like his father, with thick blond hair and sky blue eyes from his mother he looked like the typical Asgardian even though he was far outgrowing his brother.
"Well brother Nixfa here said I should learn how to bond" Thro just shrugged his shoulders "then you should brother" "do you bond with Pharo?" Thor shook his head "no, but he doesn't talk to me, he acts as if he were just a mindless beast and it worries me"
"Enough, Loki your training starts tomorrow, and if you don't come I will drag you outside and make you train with me until the next moon, is that clear?" Thor looked at his brother mentally telling him not to argue as he flicked his eyes between the two of them. Sighing Loki nodded his head "you win as always"
It was early morning, the sun barley rising over the golden city when Loki left his chamber to the court yard to see Nixfa already groomed for the day. As always he was speechless, her fair skin showing delicately through her silk tunic like fallen snow, her black hair was wove int a braid of endless night running down her shoulders and back as soft as a lover's hands. She turned to lock her eyes with his, her blue eyes that were always so much older then her, how fast does a guardian's mind age?
A smile broke out over her features "its about time you shown up slacker" rolling his eyes he came to meet her on the stone grounds "where should we go?" he asked.
She took him into the clearing hidden in the garden that they always played in when they were kids. "This was you won't be worried about your brother" she said with amusement as he rolled his eyes. "Well you got me out here, where do we start?"
The hours were hard, not physically but mentally, Nixfa's mind was way beyond 16 and Loki was at his normal teen years "Place your hand on my face". Not questioning the command his hand brushed against her soft skin, his mind shook with sparks, they ran through his body nipping at everything he was, it became to much for him to bear and soon he had to pull back his hand. "What was that?" he asked looking at his trembling had, his heart was racing as if he encountered danger yet all he did was touch the girl's face. "That was the connection of my mind to your body, I only did a little but your going to have to reach out if you don't want it to hurt. Its meant to sync our minds and intertwine them but if only one of us reaches then it will harm the other."
He spent the entire day that way, placing his hand on Nixfa's delicate face only to feel tingly sparks around his body. The more he done it though the more it became a welcomed feeling going from harsh shocks to cooling whispers. "You must accept the link, grab it and search it, think of it as a book."
And Loki has thought of it as a book, a sacred book that should never be touched, a book that was really Nixfa's mind. The thought of reading such a object of trust was uneasy to him, what if he found something he was not supposed to?
Days begin to turn into weeks and every day the two would sneak to the garden to try to bond with progress that was maddening slow. Whispers began to go through the palace and Thor's temper begin to grow with his favorite sparing partner gone.
"Again"
Those were the words Loki grew accustomed to, they laid in the cool grass in blissful silence on opposite sides something the prince was thankful for. Nixfa began to try different mind games with him to see what it would trigger, her legs showing through a slit blue gown of elegant bead work that hugged her snugly made it almost unbearable to keep his link up. Placing his hand over his head to feel her forehead he took a deep breath and searched for her mind's link. Grabbing hold of the cool tingling sensation he began to wrap it with hers as she did the same. Taking a deep breath he began to hear a heartbeat that was not his own, it was slow, calm, but vary alert. This was his favorite part, linking to her made their senses become one and her hearing was so good that she was able to listen to his heart beat any time she wished. Still her's was the sweetest music he ever heard.
"Good job now listen for something deeper"
He tried, he strained listening for the conversation she started in the link, but the words never came. Severing the link he looked back to see she was getting up, bending over to hold her hand out he gratefully took it "you been showing progress but something is blocking you, find out how to get it fixed or we can't go on"
Days passed with their trips to the garden gone, again was the feasts with Nixfa erupting with tales of glory from her world that she carried to this day along with the other warriors. Again was the watching her and his brother spar, memorized with her dance like movements. And again was the longing to have Nixfa to himself.
"Hello brother, why not go for a ride with me and pharo, I'll even ask sister to come" said Thor bounding up already in riding gear. "Fine I have nothing better to do" said Loki closing a book he had no interest in. It was true the only thing he wanted to do was learn how to bond with Nixfa, but how could that be done if he refused to tap into her mind as easily as she dose his?
Tacking up his horse he saw Nixfa already transformed and waiting outside the stable. Her sleek white coat shimmering in the morning sun as she pranced around the curt. "So brother, what is it between you and our sister?" Loki looked up to see his brother tightening the cinch around the Griffin's belly a flash of worry traveling through his face, he shook his head looking back at the graceful being outside the door. "It's nothing too bad, I can't bond she says something is keeping me form doing it and I need to figure it out for myself." The older brothernodded, pleased with the response "well you should fix it, you two would be a mighty force if you could figure it out"
Thor's words held some truth to Loki but he always had a worry in his mind. How much help could the god of mischief be to an elemental? A creature starting to come into her prim was a mighty force compared to his own powers made to cause stress to others.
Mounting the mare he fallowed his brother's Griffin outside to the high sun only to have his gaze captured by the mesmerizing movements of the wolf at his side again. She was stunning to anyone who would every lay eyes on her, gracefulness gifted by the wind itself with an inner wisdom that surpassed her years by far. "Are you ready boys?" she said playfulness chiming into her voice like high strung bells.
Without another word she taken off, her claws clicking on the copper ground as she sped away with Thor on her tail's of aura "Wait for me sister!" he yelled with glee. Loki leaned into the saddle and asked for a gallop from the mare watching the world spin away as he tried to catch up to his brother and friend. The thundering of hooves and paws echoed through the forests as Nixfa turned to the trees, the boys began to hear laughter escape her lungs as she jumped and dodged through the unkepted trails. "Slow down sister! Pharo can't keep up!" Yelled Thor as he began to have trouble in the thick and narrow greenery. Loki began to laugh with the wolf in front "whats the matter brother? Can't you keep up with your shield sister?" He kicked his horse again asking her to go faster as the branches rushed past him, cutting onto another path he saw he was passing his brother causing even more laughter at the giant's struggles, breaking through the trees back onto the trail without slowing he saw the back of Nixfa with her long slow strides keeping her a full horse length in front. What a rush it was to have a race with of three different spices on such a narrow track! Loki always loved riding and knew it was one of the few things he excelled past his brother in!
Why stop here he thought as he kicked his horse again trying to ride neck and neck with Nixfa. The mares strides became even longer as he let her head lose her mane whipping his face in the wind. He saw the massive white body in the corner of his eye as he rode to her shoulder and past right to her head! His gaze locked with those deep blue orbs for only a moment as he held his breath, letting go of one rein he held out his hand and stroked her massive head, his fingers brushing agenst a plate of pure crystal.
Everything slowed before him, the horses frantic pules became a sluggish thud, the trees passing by seemed to almost go in reverse, a heart began to pound in his ears loud as a drum, powerful breaths echoed all around him, he could even feel the dirt on the bottoms of his feet and between his toes.
"Jump on!" she said, her voice came form everywhere and nowhere at the same time, it blasted him with such a force that he almost fell right off the mare. It was full of fear and frantic. "Get on now!" Without asking he leaped from his horse clutching on to her neck with more strength then intended he began to feel a pricks in his own flesh.
With a mighty roar or strain and haste Nixfa threw herself into the trees not a second later with Loki hanging on as he saw the body of red and violet whip by and slam into his unsuspecting horse. The sound was sickening, the animal's last screams of pain as he heard bones snap and crush to even muscles ripping in gut turning detail. That could have been him he realized with shock as he continued to hang on.
"We need to go after Thor" without waiting for him to reply she took off at her same maddening pace still all he could do was stay on. The world was completely different, he leaned into her, felt her muscles move with his, his lungs ripping open with hers, hearing their hearts syncing together. The forest before him was thrown into dramatic detail even with him seeing it at only a glance.
Straning his eyes he saw his brother hanging on for dear life to Pharo and without even trying he became clear as day as he struggled to stay on the maddening beast. Opening his mouth to speak immediately regretting it with a taste of bug he hunkered back down into her massive neck. "Don't speak, just think and I will hear," "what happened to Pharo?" He began to feel the vibrations go threw his body from her growling. "The beast is mad, I failed to see it but he lost all his sanity and is probably going to try to run off a cliff or something". Worry feel into Loki's mind "we have to do something," 'what do you think im doing!?" she yelled back. "Hang on if you know whats good for you"
Again without a reply she went even faster, he could feel her body straining as she quickly began to struggle for breath, his own muscles began to pain with her own, still she ranked her body pushing herself forward until Thor began to come into view. They entered a clearing, the sun pelting down on them, Nixfa's paws dug into the hard soil as she turned on nothing but a dime to cut off the rampaging bird.
"Pharo calm down!" yelled Thor only causing the bird to screech. Nixfa was indeed right the beast had gone mad, Loki watched as its eyes darted crazily all over, it's feathers ruffling and joints tensing. Again the beast screeched and Nixfa roared in return "hold on Loki, this might get chaotic".
Loki felt as the absent crystals began to grow right out of her skin and around her legs and down her back past were Loki sat, ribbons of aura shifted through thin air around them. Loki felt her body tens as her tail went up and ears went back, curling her lips in a nasty snarl she took her fighting stance with Pharo in toe.
Nixfa reared up and charged right at both Thor and Pharo, the crash taken the air out of Loki's lungs, all he could do was cling to her and cling he did, as he watched them fight her jaws snapping and claws ranking, twisting and turning her body in tight percussion as Pharo did the same, neather of them getting the upper hand. Nixfa jerked forward charging again but just before Loki felt the hit she turned and slammed her body into Pharo knocking Thor from the saddle, the older brother flying threw the air and landing with a harsh thud.
Again they did battle, with Loki hanging on and Thor standing helpless on the side lines, Nixfa was right the battle was chaotic! In one set of eyes all Loki saw was feathers and fur flying, but in the other he saw the tip of a snarling snout ripping into the hid of a Griffin.
Once more they clashed and Loki was raised in the air as Nixfa reared, taking down Pharo and landing on top of the beast, taking her silver ribbon she wrapped it around the Griffin's face, its screeches filling both their heads with a ringing until finally he quietened. Her breath came out in a large sigh opening her lungs from another battle that felt like hours but was probably only minutes.
Loki felt Nixfa lay down into the cooling grass her head flopping to the ground. Finally daring to leave her back he ran to her head "are you okay?" he asked stroking her face only to be awarded with the humming growl of contentment. "Do you feel alright? After all we were bonded the entire ride so you should know if im injured."
Loki's eyes widened he was bonded the entire time! Excitement, shock and confusion all washed over him at once, shaking his head he brushed them aside anyway now was not the time for a bonding lesson.
Thor rushed to their side, breathless and exhausted he looked no better then either of the guardians. "Don't worry Thor, hes just knocked out is all" Thor rubbed his head unable to find the words he was looking for. What happened"? All she did was shrug her shoulders as best she could. "Lost his humanity, went crazy, or he could be sick I honestly don't know"
"Well we need to get back, maybe someone at the palace might know what to do" nodding her head she began to transform back into her other form, the tiredness from the enduring run showing back to her features all to clear. With help from Loki she got into a sitting position, reaching out with her delicate finger she brushed them against Pharo's head.
Flames took hold of the Griffin's body causing Thor to fall backward in shock as they watched the fire smolder away to reveal Pharo back to being in his human body.