The wind blew strong in the mountains of the Jotunheimr, snow falling on the ground covering it in its ethereal white pureness. However, hidden between the trees of the luscious forests, a trail of red stained the snow, broken from the footsteps of two figures, a person and an animal.
The canine loyally followed the other figure, the goddess that took care of him and always wanted him at her side ever since they met, the same woman that was now struggling to keep herself upright, aiding herself with her own ice spear, holding on it with her bloody hands as they trudged in the snow. For how long, Kaldr wasn't sure, but he knew his master wouldn't be able to continue much further in the state she was in, and he didn't dare to leave her side even for a second.
Skadi had been walking for what felt like an eternity to both of them, her legs shaking under her as she bled from her abdomen, staining her clothes of a deep red. The wound ended up being much worse than what she thought it would be, but she'd be damned if she allowed that poor excuse of a God to see her bleed out where he had left her… she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
She kept going until her legs completely gave out on her, and she fell on the ground with a grunt, her hands slipping away from her spear, flailing to cover her abdomen as it throbbed and bled through her fingers. For a moment she was glad that her weapon simply dissolved in thin ice, better than impaling herself with it at least, as if what happened before hadn't been enough already.
Kaldr whined beside her, worried, perhaps even scared, he was a wolf, but by no means he was stupid, he knew what was happening as much as she did. Still, she had to do her best to ease his worries, for what she could.
"It's okay…" she whispered, moving to weakly stroke his muzzle. "I just need to rest…" she said, managing to move on one side and dragging herself towards the nearest tree, so she could lean against it.
She felt Kaldr nudge her, helping her move forward while at the same time trying to not cause her more pain than what she was already feeling, it felt as if her wound was splitting itself over and over again the more she moved.
After what felt like forever, she did manage to sit against the tree, and closing her eyes she let a series of heavy breaths go, trying her best to not make it hurt even more. A trickle of blood left her blue lips as she gasped.
Kaldr placed his head on her legs, they were stiff, unmoving, and the clothes were sticky and dirty with his master's blood, which now was soaking his fur as well. He lowered his ears and cried again as Skadi put a shaky hand on his head, weakly combing his fur with her all too warm fingers in an attempt to calm him down, but he didn't like how she felt.
Skadi was always cold, and now, she was feeling hot, scorching hot against him, this was wrong, all wrong.
Just a while ago, the two were hunting animals in the forest, Kaldr would spot the prey first, as always his keen senses were unmatched, and Skadi would follow, directing him and precisely striking down with the spears of ice she created.
When all of a sudden the wolf spotted something, he growled at it and left his master alone.
That had been a mistake.
Skadi had been calling him when she lost track of her loyal pet, but nothing happened, he didn't come back to her, which worried her, as Kaldr wouldn't disobey her if there wasn't anything important.
But perhaps she should have worried more about herself.
"Well, well… if it isn't the Goddess of Winter herself…" she heard someone chuckle from behind her, and she knew that damn voice!
She sharply turned towards the source of the sound, finding the trickster leaning against a tree with a grin. "It was easier than I expected to distract that stupid mutt of yours." in fact too easy, as the animal fell for the illusion of his clone, leaving his master exposed in favor of chasing him.
Skadi only glared in return. "What have you done to Kaldr, Loki?" she bared him her teeth.
He only kept laughing. "You shouldn't worry about him right now." he walked closer, casually twirling a dagger in his hands.
She backed up a step, tightening the hold on her spear, ready to strike should he come any closer. If she knew anything about Loki is that for as casual as he looked he was one dangerous God, and no doubt he wanted something from her if he was here.
"Do you like my face darling?" he pointed to the scars where his eyes were, his grin faded, replaced by an expression of pure fury, and honestly, Skadi couldn't tell what scared her more. "Do you like what you did to me?"
She had been the one placing the snake above his head while he was being held prisoner, but by no means he didn't deserve it, she had never felt bad for doing so, never she expected him to get free.
"You killed my father." she simply replied with a glare that could melt even her own ice.
"If I didn't, someone else would have." he shrugged. "But enough chit-chat shall we?"
Before she could react and throw him her spear he vanished, she looked around, frantically looking for him but she could only hear him laughing, mocking her…
"Show your face, coward!" she shouted to the void.
"If you insist." it was the only thing she heard before he reappeared behind her.
She didn't even have time to turn around as he disarmed her and took her arms, painfully holding them against her back, she could feel his presence behind her pressing against her body and his breath against her ear.
"You should watch your back." she didn't need to turn to know he still had that shit eating grin of his again.
"I hate you…" she growled back at him. His free hand rose and took her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"Such foul words, it's not what you were saying when you were in my bed." he chuckled. "You weren't so cold to me at that time."
He just had to remind her of that, didn't he? How he seduced her into his bed and had his way with her, not that she didn't want it, which made it all even more embarrassing. She's let herself be taken from the same person that killed her father, despite him being a peaceful giant.
How she regretted that decision…
"What do you want from me?" she took the courage to ask, though she wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, but at the moment she was stuck in his hold and couldn't do anything else.
"For someone so hellbent on avenging her father, you should know what I am looking for."
Revenge, he wanted revenge just like she had wanted it, and she still did, for his past actions. But right here and right now, she couldn't help but be afraid, it didn't matter if she thrashed about, she couldn't break the hold he had on her.
His hand left her chin and she was pretty sure what he reached for, as in the corner of her eyes shone the blade of one of his daggers, she knew full well where this was going to end up, and she didn't like it one bit.
"It has been fun Skadi, but I'm afraid this is where it all ends!"
She felt the blade impale her stomach, it hurt, it hurt so much… yet, as defiant as she has always been, she grit her teeth so hard threatening to break them, as trickles of blood dribbled from her lips.
But no… she wouldn't give him the pleasure to hear her scream.
He let her go and she fell limp on the snow coated ground with a grunt, her hands clutching the wound he made. Still, she had enough strength to turn her head and leave him one last glare, before she heard Kaldr return and growl at Loki, which stepped back, but still grinning down at her.
"I'm afraid I must go now. Farewell Winter Goddess."
He vanished from their sight, but they could still hear his laugh making fun of them as he went.
In an instant, Kaldr was next to her, nudging her face with his muzzle, trying to help her, he whined softly, not knowing what to do.
As much as it would have been easier to just lay down and die where she was, Skadi knew it wasn't an option, she didn't want him to find her here should he return. If she managed to somehow get up and leave then maybe someone could find her and help…
Someone must have noticed as the snow that fell from the sky suddenly diminished…
So, gathering what little strength she still had, she reached for her spear that fell from her hands before, finding it still intact, and using it as a crutch she managed to get up and leave, Kaldr following at her side, always ever loyal until the end...
And now here she was, leaning against one of the many trees of this forest, barely being able to move, the only thing she could do was weakly scratch her wolf's head as he whined beside her, holding his muzzle on her legs.
No doubt his white fur must have been stained red with her blood, yet he stayed with her.
She wouldn't have wanted him to see her like this, her loyal partner she raised from a pup that has been her companion ever since her father's passing. They hunted and fought together, he'd seen her at her best and at her worst, but no doubt this wasn't something he'd ever expected to see.
She felt bad for leaving him alone, but she was so tired and so weak…
If it wasn't for Kaldr's sudden growls she never would have noticed that there was someone approaching them. Whoever it was she just hoped it wouldn't be Loki again, coming to gloat at her misery.
But something told her it wasn't him, as she didn't hear Kaldr growl again, so it must have been someone they knew. Her suspicions proved to be correct when she felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulders, trying to support her, and she could only give a weak grunt in response.
She was positive she knew those arms.
A warm hand was placed on her cheek, and she forced herself to open her eyes, they were so heavy…
Her blue orbs struggled to focus on the other person, but she knew full well to whom that brown beard belonged to. And she was glad that of all the people that could have found her, it had been him, fellow hunter and sometimes even companion, but at the same time sad.
She knew well how he felt towards her…
He had been fishing when he indeed noticed how the strength of the snowstorm suddenly diminished, and there was only a single reason why, that something must have happened to Skadi, as winter kept going for as long as she lived.
He hadn't been too far from her, when he noticed a pool of blood in the snow, and he immediately understood that she'd been attacked. It didn't take him long to follow the trail that she left.
It only took him a single glance to where she was lying that she didn't make it far from the first place to the other. She was just hurt too bad, and in his heart he could only hope she'd still be alive.
He'd been relieved when he heard her voice again, but something told him that wouldn't last too long.
"Ullr…" she hated how weak her voice sounded, but she couldn't muster anything better.
"Who did this to you?" he asked, trying to remain calm, but she noticed the way his voice wavered.
It took her a moment to answer, and he waited until she found the strength to, what he heard made his blood boil in rage.
"Loki.."
Sharp click of heels could be heard through the entire Asgardian palace, as one lone woman strode through it, slowly, clutching the feather coat she wore over her shoulders and armor.
"You look shaken, who is it this time?" the gruff voice of Odin reached her ears, and Freya didn't have the strength to say the name of her dear friend out loud, but she knew he had heard her.
That was enough.
The two hadn't spent much time together, Skadi and her, but it had been nice to have another woman around, though the woman preferred to stay on her own often to hunt in her dear forests and mountains.
She never rejected her whenever Freya went to visit, and even Kaldr didn't seem hostile towards her, which to Skadi's saying was rather rare.
She'd been the one to gossip to her about Ullr too, but now he probably would never know the truth, Skadi had asked her to keep it to herself until she found the occasion to talk, Freya didn't know if she ever did though.
"You could send one of your Valkyries." Odin once again interrupted her from her thoughts, but she just shook her head, holding the feather coat even closer to her.
"I have to do this myself." she just replied.
She couldn't be sure the woman would have been paid proper respects form someone else, she would rather be the one to to Valhalla instead, it would be best if it was someone she knew.
Without saying more she opened a window, as her coat turned into aurora wings she flew away.
A soft blue hand shakily found its way in his arm when he tried to hook it under Skadi arms to carry her, in her eyes he could see a look of defeat as she shook her head.
They both knew it was too late but he refused to give up on her. Snow will keep falling, he told himself, but he was just being delusional.
He tried again, but she only gripped his arm with what little strength she had.
"Stop…" she wheezed.
"I'm not leaving you to die, I can't…" he grit his teeth, he didn't realize a stray tear fell from his eyes, until she placed her hand to his cheek.
It shook yet she still held it there, it must have taken a lot out of her…
"I'm sorry…" she whispered to him.
But before she disappeared, there was still something she had to do. He loved her, she knew, but he had always been respectful, and she's been a coward to not tell him, and now it was too late…
"I need… to tell you something…"
With the last of her strength, she tugged at him, and tried her best to move her head towards his, fortunately he got the message, as he met her bloody lips with his own.
He tried to seek out the contact of her lips and her hand on his cheek as she fell limp a moment later. He held her against his chest as he let sobs finally wrack his body, he could hear Kaldr howling and wailing in agony just as much as him.
She'd given him at least the knowledge that she too loved him, and in her last moments she had given him something he desired to feel in forever since he met her.
But now she was gone…
He was unaware of how much time had passed, but he hadn't let go of her at all, when he heard a gentle flap of wings from above him. Freya lowered and crouched in front of them, and from the look on her face she too shared the same agony with him.
"I'll take care of her." she simply said, opening her arms, waiting for him to let Skadi go so she could take her soul away with her.
He only nodded as a mute thanks, as he carefully handed the Winter Goddess to the Valkyrie Queen.
He could only helplessly watch as Freya took Skadi to rest in Valhalla, like the brave Goddess she had always been her soul deserved to reside nowhere else but there.
They flew away into the sky where no longer snow would ever fall again.