Loki sat perched in the tree, bored out of his mind. He had a very good vantage point, but currently there wasn't much to see, now that everyone had hidden. So he waited. And waited. To keep his mind from driving him crazy he was contemplating how much energy it would take to catch himself with magic before he hit the ground, if he were to to somehow lose his balance—from, say, laughing—when he heard the Allfather scream his name. A wry grin spread across Loki's face. The game was on.
"LOKIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Odin roared furiously, crumpling up the note. "Guards!"
The guards snapped to attention.
"You will help me find these troublesome children!" The King ordered.
The guards nodded, splitting off into groups and striding into the forest after Odin.
Volstagg was in the process of reaching for a particularly large blackberry, standing on his toes and leaning through a gap in the branches, trying to avoid the thorns, when he heard the snap of twigs behind him.
"Halt!" someone yelled.
Volstagg jumped in surprise, losing his balance and falling into the thick of the bushes.
"OW THAT HURTS!" He yelped, as the thorns dug into his skin.
A guard approached him, offering a hand to help him out of the bushes. Volstagg grabbed it, but instead of pulling himself out he dragged the guard into the bushes as well, grinning.
The guard swore angrily as he found himself being scratched by the brambles.
"HA! That's what you get for interrupting my snack!" Volstagg said. "By the way, do you know when lunch is?"
"WHAT IN ASGARD ARE YOU DOING?" Odin yelled, suddenly stepping into the clearing and seeing Volstagg and the guard stuck in the middle of some bushes.
"Uhh..." Volstagg managed. "This is technically where I'm supposed to run, right?"
Loki quickly clambered down from the tree, landing lightly on the ground. That hiding spot was too good. He had to make this a challenge for himself somehow. Besides, what was the fun if nobody found you eventually? It wasn't always that enjoyable to not be seen.
Quietly he crept to where Volstagg had "hidden." Loki considered just teleporting, but he was still drained from the day before and wanted to save his energy for causing trouble.
He peered out from the shadows at the scene before him.
"Don't you dare move," Odin growled, stalking forward.
"Emergency! Operation Bilgesnipe!" Volstagg shrieked. He plucked off a thorn and stuck it to his nose, before spinning around and charging in the opposite direction of the Allfather. Through the blackberry bushes.
"What are you waiting for? Get him!" Odin yelled.
Loki met Volstagg on the other side of the brambles. "This way!" he hissed, disappearing into the underbrush, Volstagg just behind him.
"What are you doing here?" Volstagg asked as they ran.
"What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Forfeiting what would have been your win."
"Winning's too easy." Loki replied simply.
Volstagg gaped at him, before laughing and shaking his head. "You don't make any sense," he said fondly.
"Have I ever?" Loki smirked.
"GET HIM!" Odin yelled, his footsteps not very far behind.
"Him?" Volstagg asked, "Have they not seen you?"
"I guess not. Let's fix that, shall we?" Loki said, stopping abruptly next to a flowering red bush.
"What the...?" Volstagg slowed down and turned to look at what Loki was doing, as suddenly Odin and the guard burst into sight, right behind Loki. Seeing him, they tried to halt, but couldn't stop themselves in time and crashed into—or rather, through him, and into the red brambles.
The bush trembled. "HOW DARE THOU DEMOLISH MY SECRET HIDING SPOT?!"
