Well, here's Part 2 of my Mt Drengir trilogy within my "Family" series, featuring Thor and Loki in the pre-Thor movie world. Part 3 should be finished and ready for posting next week.

The sun shone down hot, despite the cool breezes of the post harvest days. The rocks of the cliff face burned Loki's hands, but Thor was just ahead of him, climbing steadily toward the top. Loki didn't dare stop, despite the exhaustion that wracked his young form. He wanted to call out to Thor to stop or slow down, but at the moment, he couldn't even catch his breath to speak Thor's name.

He swung an arm up, his fingers grasping for a hold on the rock face above him. His fingers slipped as he tried to get a grip and haul himself up. His arm swung out in the open air, pulling half of his body with it and causing his feet to slip off the narrow holds. He cried out in fear as the rocks and bushes below came into view and he realized how far they had climbed. He panicked and tried to swing back toward the rock face, his legs kicking in the air, a dangerous fall held at bay by the strength of terror in the fingers of his left hand.

He scrabbled to regain his purchase with his right hand and his feet. Thor was too far ahead now to be able to get back in time to help, so if he couldn't save himself, he would probably die. Fear turned his gut cold, freezing his extremities as he struggled.

I should never have followed him. He told me not to. But he always tells me not to. His left arm burned from the effort, the fingers of both hands trying to dig in, to find some grip. Finally, he secured a hold, but the effort had cost him. Exhaustion wracked his slight frame. It would be so easy to let go. So much easier than trying to pull himself up.

He glanced up at Thor, who was almost to the top. A wave of determination swept through him and he struggled harder, pushing against the rock ledge with all his might until his arms bent and his torso came even with it. He swung a leg up, then the other as his hold became more certain. He lay on the shelf, panting.

"Loki! Hurry up! What's taking you so long? You wanted to follow me—at least keep up!" Thor called from above, his tone mocking.

Loki groaned and rolled over, coming to his knees, then standing and dusting off his trousers. "I'm coming, Brother!" He took a deep breath and glanced about for the next hand-holds, jumping up to grab them, pulling himself up. One hold at a time, left hand then right, then left again, locking his toes into the previous hand-holds as he went. He was nearly to the top when his grip slipped again. Thor moved forward to help him, then stopped himself.

"You know I cannot help you, Loki. You must make it to the top on your own to begin training."

"Brother, please."

"If I help you, it will not count. You have to make it on your own to be able to begin weapons training." Thor stood with his arms crossed, sneering down at Loki.

Loki began to sweat. He was so close, and if he made it, he would be the youngest Asgardian to make the climb. Right now, with his climb this day, Thor held that honor. We shouldn't have come here. I shouldn't have followed him. But they were inseparable. Thor tried to act mean, but Loki knew better. Thor loved the attention from his little brother. More than that—Thor craved the attention.

But he didn't love the competition from his little brother. They were nearly an even match, despite the years Thor had on Loki and Thor's more muscular frame. Loki struggled. He had to make it. If he fell, and he didn't die, Mother would throttle him herself. It would probably anger Thor, though, to have Loki once more outshine him.

He squirmed, trying to get his left hand back into the hold. His actions loosened his right hand until only the tips of his fingers held on. A heartbeat. Two. Sweat beading fast and running down his face. A breeze kicked up, drying the sweat, but throwing dust into his eyes. He cried out as his fingertips lost their hold and his small form fell through the air. He landed moments later with a thud, the sound of bones shattering filling his ears before he lost consciousness.