The beautiful, golden scenery of Asgard soared past Winter's wandering eye in a mad slash of color and intricate constructions dressed with the perfection of nature, all of which whipped past with too fast a speed to discern the fine detailing of the countless works. The Bifrost's bridge lead through the streets crossing the front of the fine city, framed periodically with structures that by all means, shouldn't stand, nor hold weight in the slightest. It was a rather discerning feature, in Winter's opinion, and she often found herself glaring at such architecture, daring it to give her a single reason to believe it unsteady.

It of course, never took the challenge.

The coward.

The gates of the Bifrost were grand, stretching lazily from the crashing shores surrounding the city alight with gold and glittering in the sunlight. The towering walls of gold and intricate carvings stood guard for the people of Asgard, surrounded at the base with a vast collection of the rocks and spiked boulders of the sea. The gate's doors were beyond a comprehension of height, resting perfectly without common sense at the end of the gate, standing sentry some distance down the bridge's length.

The tall gate doors with carved, mountainous features, swung steadily open as the company approached it's vast doors, the many guards upon it fooled enough by the spun tale to allow the matter to Heimdall. A once peacefully scattered skyline decadent with lazy clouds soon became spread thick with stars and shimmering constellations upon a dark canvas, shifting it's veiws as the company continued the long distance from the city's gates. The eight riders streaking against the star speckled sky was a rather intimidating sight, one that some grand culture previously would have likely carved into some rather impressive doors, given the chance.

That was, until Winter grew tired of Arnkel's constant pestering to take her cloak, and shouted "Go on the OTHER side of the dramatic formation, ARNKEL!" Rather loudly into the soaring air.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

With Arnkel safely upon the opposite side from Winter, the formation that was naturally settled upon included Thor at the head, Loki to his right side, Winter at his left. This left the Lady Sif a few hoof beats behind Winter's horse, to be mirrored with Arnkel on the opposite side. The end of the formation was tied closed with the Warrior's Three riding in a nearly perfectly straight line. It was astonishing they didn't even need words to do such, Winter thought, turning her head to observe the company thoughtfully, it was a little impressive, she had to admit.

If one was to be impressed by such things, mind you.

The problem with the newly established order, was that it left Winter along side Loki, who was all too pleased to take the prime opportunity to get under Winter's skin with some mock kindness, knowing incredibly well her sour temper upon the subject of him and his deeds. "I wish to speak with you." He raised his voice loudly over the slamming hoof beats that rang through the whistling air.

Winter gave a dramatic sigh, turning her features to his smug ones with a clattering of hanging earrings. In truth, she hadn't paid the slightest attention upon what she hung in the piercings across her ears, and as such, had quite the strange array of jewelry swinging with the hoof beats, "Seeing as my options are (A) to listen, or (B) to jump off the Bifrost.." Winter thought aloud, contemplatively peering over the endless drop to the roaring ocean below.

"Is that a yes?" Loki inquired mock hopefully.

"I'm still deciding." Winter answered mock thoughtfully, smiling softly to herself upon the familiar banter, "Just what is it that you're suggesting?" She indulged the thought, raising a smart eyebrow at him as she called over the thundering air.

"A truce." Loki concluded aloud, raising his voice as it carried down the cold air shattered by the pounding of hoof beats. "A truce?" Winter raised an interested eyebrow, a smirk falling across her features as her voice carried sharply.

"Yes," He informed shortly, as if she were slow, "A truce." Loki repeated with all the mock sincerity in the world.

Make that two.

"And if I were to point out that you're only suggesting a truce because you're currently in the lead?" Winter inquired challengingly with an amused grin striking across her features.

"I'd have to point out that I wasn't aware that this was a game."

"It's not," She proclaimed, "This is war. But," Winter supposed aloud thoughtfully, slowing her speech as she mocked a great decision being made, "It seems a pity to subject you to the cruelty that is my temper if you've clearly lost the armor against such." Winter joked with a grin across her features at her own sarcastic words.

"I could say the same to you." Loki threw back without a thought, turning his attention elsewhere as others in the company took note of the shared conversation between the two.

Waiting a long moment for attentions to turn elsewhere, Winter glanced back to the dark haired man, "Truces only last so long," Winter reminded cunningly, a smug expression finding itself upon her features as she adjusted her fingers in Makeye's black mane, "I'll be getting my payback soon enough." She informed with a curt nod, leaning forwards against the soaring air.

Bursting out into laughter, it took Loki quite some time before he could manage the incredible feat of stating, "Well, that's the fun part, isn't it?"

"Then it looks like you have yourself a truce." Winter smirked good naturedly, "I'd shake your hand, but, well.." She joked, gesturing to the rather wide space between the two, taking a moment softly to settle her attention back upon the leaping landscape with aged eyes. Ah, to think, Winter speculated thoughtfully, this would likely be the very last time she passed such a well trodden bridge. Where she could practically see her own footprints in the bridge work, accompanied by a single pair of others. In truth, she had no expectation of returning to Asgard after quite another account of treachery, indeed, her items of import had found themselves brightly into her pockets or her person.

Still, it brought a rather sour mood to her mind to know that the city to her back would remain so forever.

It was almost as if she would miss such a place..

How odd.

"Winter," Loki called her attention over stubbornly, smiling softly to see her blink out of her thoughts, directing a rather studious 'Hmm?' his way. "For the dancing and the dreaming." He proclaimed with a well meaning grin.

Winter's expression softened, the thought that perhaps the imagined sarcastic and mocking kindness had been sincere crossing her mind bringing a fond smile his way as she muttered back, "I never should have introduced you to Disney movies."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The horses came to a reluctant stop, their riders dismounting at the final structural support before the Bifrost's end. The sky had settled upon a shimmering amber, with lacing clouds and brightly shining stars cascading across it delicately. The sunlight danced across the restless sea water below, pouring over the endless falls just beneath the Bifrost's end. Heimdall stood guard, as always, with his armored back to the strange construction that the Asgardians relied so for transportations of teleportation. Indeed, his gaze was towards Asgard.

It was a rather intimidating sight (if one was to be intimidated by such things) to see a single gold plated armoured man standing guard just across the Bifrost Bridge, with a great sword held by the hilt, carved intricately with Viking like designs, the great blade resting upon the bridge's surface a great distance below. His eyes, however, were by far the strangest feature. They had the sense in which they saw more than one would initially spot, no matter how hard one looked. They shimmered with an eternal sort of gold coloring and held an unblinking nature about them.

"I thought that you had said he wouldn't be looking at Asgard." Loki accused with a thoughtful look towards the guard, throwing a rather 'This will go horribly wrong' look her way. Winter shrugged under the glance, adjusting her cloak absently, as she dismounted, "I've said many things, all of them are right. Don't let facts tell you otherwise." Thor, having no patience for the company, strode past his idle companions, moving purposefully down the bridge's surface.

"Leave this to me." Loki informed with a smug sort of grin towards Thor as he overtook his strides, confident in his abilities. Thor gave an annoyed sort of look, but slowed his steps, allowing his brother the final steps to the gate keeper. Winter gave a soft sort of sigh, crossing her arms beneath her silken cloak, settling a pace beside Thor.

This wouldn't be good.

"Good Heimdall-" Loki started, his words falling short as Heimdall calmly and rather informatively interrupted his attempts to a formal salutation. "You're not dressed warmly enough."

Never let it be said Heimdall was a gossiper, no siree.

Loki's grin dropped, frowning in mock confusion, "I'm sorry?" He inquired innocently. "You think that you can deceive me." Heimdall informed in a droning, bored voice.

"You must be mistaken," Loki started with a shocked laugh, "We're merely assisting Lady Winter with diplomatic matters upon Knowhere." He explained casually, throwing a hand to Winter expressively. In truth, even this short amount of speech was triumph, as Thor seemed quite anxious to move further upon their quest, and it was only with a stern 'Will you give it a minute? He's said two words,' glare his way that he didn't charge forward upon a single impulse.

Yes, still the same boy who'd taken it upon himself to beat a would be assassin with some stick he found in the bushes of the walk..

Winter stepped forward, throwing herself in to the conversation promptly, an excuse crossing her lips easily, "Well, that wouldn't work very well, now would it? As exciting as that sounds, I'm rather pleased to disappoint you on this matter, Heimdall! We are actually here upon the boring business of some social matter. Really, people are so finicky on their dictators!" Winter mock complained, shrugging her arms casually with a smirk crossing her features.

"Our company merely intends-" Loki started, it was a rather common ruse that the two used. Certainly, one could be distrusted, but the word of two, even the word of two distrusted, counted for something.

"Enough!" Thor demanded, striding past his brother pointedly, ignoring his brother's steeled glare upon his back, "Heimdall may we pass?" Thor requested forcefully, impatient in every sense of the word. Winter's jaw clenched in a foul temper, eyes narrowed to the blonde man who stepped before her.

How odd. Since when had ill mannerisms annoyed her to such a degree?

… Regardless, payback was clearly direly necessary.

"Never," Heimdall deadpanned, voice droning through the stilled air.

Well, that was that, Winter thought shortly, supposing she could dye Thor's hair green while he slept. She even had the dye, actually. Just under the bed..

"-Has an enemy slipped my watch, until this day." Heimdal spoke firmly, his golden eyes shifting pointedly to Loki's, who returned the hostile appearance. "I wish to know how that happened."

Oh, Heimdall did that pause on purpose!

"Then tell no one where we have gone until we have returned, understand?" Thor announced, striding past the stationary guard without an interest in an answer.

"What happened?" Volstagg quipped good naturedly as he passed the immobile Loki, still standing shockedly before the gate keeper, "Silver tongue turned to lead?" He joked, laughter collecting in the passing companions as they strode past. Loki shot the man a rather sharp glare, clenching his jaw tightly at the joke at his expense.

"And yet, he can still get twice the women you can." Winter pointed out dryly, striding past pointedly and curiously wondering if she had enough green dye for all of the group.

She really supposed she did.

The Bifrost was as impressive a sight as it always was, striking absolutely none in the company a particularly interesting sight. None, except Arnkel, who took to gawking upon the interior of the creation in a fascinated fashion. Really, Winter thought to herself, turning her eyes across the Bifrost, perhaps to someone new, those carvings of circles and runes lining the circular frame were rather impressive. Said circles reflected over the polished floor, lit pathways circling a ringed alter upon the center.

Perhaps to someone new, such things were impressive.

None the less..

"Arnkel, you dropped your jaw." Winter informed shortly, striding past the self imposed servant boredly. Drawing her fingers back, Winter pulled her fur lined hood over her white haired features, the soft fabric caressing her skin, "I thought the purpose of a cloak was to HIDE one's identity." Fandral quipped, settling beside Winter before the Bifrost's gate.

"Among other things." Winter allowed with a soft shrug, shifting the billowing fabric over her form, and firmly clasping it closed, hiding her entire form from veiw. The soft fabric draped over her silhoutte soothingly, displaying a rather pleasant form without any strange bulges of weaponry.

"Such as?"

"Why, heat, of course. I'll be the only one here NOT freezing their fingers, toes and nose off." Winter pointed out simply, a grin striking across her features. "Won't I look pretty in comparison to you all?" She joked.

"Alright, alright, your reasons are your own. It's just a cloak anyway," Fandral gave an absent shrug, disinterested enough with the answer to drop the matter entirely. Ah, Asgardians so easily dismissed the every day objects for trivialities, it was a shame, really. But, a shame she could USE.

Winter thought the matter finished, settling her arms across themselves absently as she shifted slightly, it striking her rather odd as Loki decided to stir the recently settled waters, "And yet, you've told me that cold has no affect upon Nightmares." Loki noted aloud softly, finally joining the idle group as the Warrior's Three surrounded Thor upon one side of the pathway. Winter cracked a soft grin, raising a hand free from the draping cloak, displaying an open back hand to Loki.

"Sometimes," She muttered aloud, turning her fingers slightly, producing a Viking blade bound with a wooden handle between her spread finger tips, "What's being shown," Winter smiled to herself cunningly, raising her off hand and draping a portion of the blue cloth over the blade. The blade's form disappeared completely, non existent for all the world, "Isn't nearly as important as what's being hidden."

"Impressive."

"Aww, you're making me all teary eyed." Winter joked with a smirk dancing across her features, bouncing the blade into the air once before slipping it to return to it's sheath. A metalic sound slid through the air, the very ground breathing with an ancient energy as the Bifrost lurched to life. Electricity cackled from the wide array of arranged circles stretching across the rounded rooftop, echoing deep within the structure. The ground rattled beneath their restless feet, the entire structure spun and turned, spinning upon it's axis with a growing mechanical hum.

The doorways flashed shortly with the ability of exit, soon departing with the idea entirely as the structure spun faster, and faster. "Be warned," Heimdall spoke simply over the cackling electricity drawn to the hilt of the sheathed blade, "I will honor my sworn oath to protect this realm as it's gate keeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, the Bifrost will remain closed to you. And you'll be left to die in the cold wastes of Jutonheim." His words spread a sense of dread within the companions, each shifting perhaps second thought inspired glances to one another.

All of course, except Thor. Who stood brazenly upon the gate, a confident smile dressing his features.

"Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us?" Volstagg requested lightly, unnerved as the rest were upon the warning.

"To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jutonheim, with you upon it." Heimdall announced as if such matters were trivial and obvious to all.

"You could have just said no." Winter grumbled.

"I have no plans to die today." Thor proclaimed proudly, adjusting his stance in preparation for the trip to treachery.

"None do." Heimdall insisted shortly, before sliding the blade fully within the sheath upon the alter, activating the blinding, ripping and tearing sense of speed and slivering light that was the Bifrost.

Winter stumbled against it, raising her hand to cover her quickly growing sightless eyes. The appearance of the pulling lights shattering her waning vision entirely.

Well, this wasn't going to be good.

A/N - I'll be out of town for the weekend, so don't expect any updates! I don't own the phrase 'Dancing and The Dreaming' that's a referance to a song made specifically for How To Train Your Dragon II. Now for the review responses!

Iven-Chan : Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy final inspired schedule to read my story :) I TOTALLY know that feeling, to be honest. But hey, the end's in sight! I can't wait until the Jutonheim chapter, I have SO many plans in motion! It's gonna be EPIC! I've been looking forward to it for twenty chapters! Ah, I can't take credit for Volstagg's terror of Heimdall, and Fandral's fart jokes XD They were in a deleted scene, and I used that! I'm so glad someone noticed that Barri returned, if only briefly! We've seen Barri, his son, and even his wife :) Have you spotted them all?