About the same as last time. Angar is a name. I thought it unlikely Thor and Loki had no other friends than Sif and the Warriors Three, so I just had to pop another name in there.
TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL
"It is passing strange," Angar said, jumping down from the top of the low wall. "So, who's for looking it over?"
Sif's hands were on her hips, "Well, I don't know. Loki might tell on us again."
They all looked at him and Loki's neck burned. It was once. And that once had been – he thought – well deserved. Taking out Father's horse to test and see if it really was fastest in the Realm was by no means a good idea. It was a dangerous plan, and if it had just been Thor, he could have convinced him of that. But bolstered by the ill judgement of his friends… Loki had felt he had no choice.
Why was it he was the only one to see through to the other side of their rash plans?
"You have my word," he mumbled.
Sif snorted, "Far as that goes."
Loki was better bred than to strike a girl. And he knew better after the last time. But he wanted to. Her hair slipped easily over her shoulders. It had yet to come close to its old length. He didn't smile, but that was only because he didn't fancy being struck by her again.
"Then let us go, my friends!" Thor cheered, "Adventure awaits!"
TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL
The AllFather himself met them as they returned.
Just as Loki had been beginning to think they might get away with it, and unscathed.
Young as he was, he was beginning to doubt that optimistic voice. It rarely spoke aught but lies.
"What business do you imagine yourselves to have beyond the city?"
Thor glanced back at them. Even he was nervous, "We weren't beyond the city, Father."
Loki could have bitten off his own tongue. Even he knew better than to lie to their father.
"Oh?" Odin was angry. He never spoke in that tone save when he was very upset. "Then what tales has Heimdal been telling me?"
Thor knew enough at that point not to answer.
"You two." Odin indicated the others who had hung back, "Get to your homes."
"Yes Sir," Sif dropped a curtsey. Angar was already gone.
"And you," Odin took Thor by his shoulder and drew him into the dim interior of the back entrance, "You have no business beyond the city. You know this!"
"You can't keep me here forever!" Thor shouted, wrenching free, "I'm nearly a man grown!"
"Oh are you?" Odin folded his arms. He towered still above both of his sons. It was a ludicrous claim, really. "Perhaps one day you shall grow to have a man's sense. I will see no more of you until then. Get to your rooms."
"But Father –"
"Now. And Loki,"
Loki was hovering in the doorway, afraid to come nearer, unsure where else to slink off to.
"I expected you, at least, to know better."
"Yes, Father."
Odin gave a long sigh. "Get to your rooms."
"Yes, Father."
TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL
"He went to Heimdal?"
Rolling his eyes, Loki fell back onto his bed.
Thor never knocked, so when the doorknob had turned without warning Loki'd thrown a shoe at it. That wasn't dissuasion enough for Thor.
The elder prince stalked back and forth across the room, furious energy palpable in the air around them.
Loki lifted his hand and flicked a little spark between his fingers.
"What does he think of us, Brother? Does he consider us mere children?"
"How foolish of him," Loki muttered.
"What business does he have? Dictating our every move –"
"He is our father."
Thor snorted. "I am a prince of Asgard and I do as I like. You can hide behind that if you want to but I have glory yet to win and all he wants of us here is to train and train and we never get to do anything!"
The spark winked out and his teeth clenched. He could never really control even that simple trick when he was angry. He let his arm drop.
"And I'm sick of it, Loki! You can't tell me you're not tried of it!"
"It is our place, Thor."
Thor gave a derisive breath, "Maybe it's your place. You're not the firstborn. You'd rather hide behind your books and your tricks than win the glory a prince ought!"
Loki had straightened up on the bed.
He gripped the side of the bed. He felt dizzy.
"Get out."
"You can't even fight like a real prince!" Thor taunted.
"Get OUT!"
The other shoe was on the ground beside his foot and he bent and snatched it into his hand.
"You're impossible!" Thor dodged the shoe, "Go on! Hide and skulk for the rest of your life!"
But he was going and the door slammed behind him.
Loki took the book that was beside him on the bed and he flung it. It hit the door hard and landed on the floor in a flutter of pages.
He fell backward on the bed with his hands over his face and waited.
TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL
What is it they're exploring? I don't know. I wanted a chance to show Loki learning the necessity of that particular trick he uses in Thor, where he tells his dad where they are and what they're doing, without going himself and losing-face with the group. I also like to show Thor being feisty and Odin becoming more and more convinced that Loki is the only reason Thor's still alive. And not only that, but to show Loki thinking Thor's being stupid about their risky adventures and even more about how pissed Thor is with their dad when Odin catches and punishes them.
I think that Loki gets called names a lot. By Thor and others. I don't know if they realize it bothers him. I don't know if it always does or if he even knows, really. I'm not trying to harp on the bullying or 'poor-Loki' theme. But I think that it adds to the problems later on, and I think it's in character for Thor because Thor comes off as a big 'shoot-first' kinda guy. I don't think he really means it, I think he's just mad and he'll get over it. He's just too proud to go back and apologize later, and he assumes – since Loki never says anything – that it doesn't bother him. That adds up.
Thoughts? Arguments? Comments?