The new world quickly proved to be everything Yuna imagined it to be. Permanent frost covered the land with even the warmer days sometimes reaching near zero. Animals were abundant, both predator and prey alike. It didn't take long for the goddess to acclimate herself to her new environment. Within a week, she found herself among a pack of wolves that slowly came to accept her presence as she melded into their social group. They wandered across the land, hunting game as needed and frolicking in the snow.

Before long, the winter goddess had completely forgotten about her plans to return to her homeland, enjoying herself far too much to give it any real thought. She had finally found a place where she could thrive. No humans, no suspicious gods, and no prayers wishing for her departure. But nothing lasts forever. Even in this new world, the danger of a close encounter was always lurking. She was an outsider in a foreign land. She didn't belong here… and she was about to suffer the consequences of forgetting that.

Snow crunched beneath their feet as the wolves moved swiftly through the forest. Their noses worked tirelessly, following the trail of a large boar that they had decided would make a good meal. The game was large, outweighing all of them by a substantial amount, and was covered with a thick layer of fat to protect it from the elements. Such prey would easily feed the pack for nearly a week! Taking the lead, Yuna crouched low to the ground as they spotted their quarry grazing in a forest clearing. Its tusks brushed the ground as it slowly chewed on large frozen blades of grass.

Behind her, the others began to fan out, hugging the tree line and surrounding the unsuspecting animal. They were going to surround it and herd it into the trees where its movement would be inhibited. The boar stood nearly three times their height at the shoulder, and its legs were solid muscle. Attempting to attack the creature head on could prove deadly, even more so in the open where there were no obstacles to slow its charge. One wrong move could easily crush any one of them or worse, impale them with its four-foot tusks.

Communicating silently, they began to move in, slowly drawing closer. Their fur hid them nicely, keeping them out of sight as they got into position. The goddess nodded to her wing wolf, ready to begin the chase. The moment she bent to pounce, the sound of a snapping branch filled the air and echoed through the clearing. The boar raised its head and huffed, spewing a large cloud into the air. The sound had alerted the creature to their presence and revealed their position. They were too close to correct their mistake. Spotting them, the boar roared and scraped its hooves across the ice. Its massive dropped low to the ground, prepared to charge.

Its hooves thundered through the clearing as the boar rushed them, sending the pack scattering in different directions. With their current position, they were still far too separated to launch an organized counterattack and had no choice but to beat a hasty retreat. Yuna herself narrowly missed a nasty blow from its tusk as the rampaging animal careened passed her. Attempting to rally the pack, she barked into the air to get their attention. They needed to regroup quickly if they were to have any hope of salvaging their hunt. It was then that she noticed something moving in the trees. Something foreign that was not a member of her pack. They walked on two legs instead of four and carried weapons ranging from crossbows to battleaxes. The wolves were not alone.

As the men shouted to one another and rushed in her direction, their intensions became clear. They were after their boar as well. It seemed that a hunting party had been tracking the same animal and had also followed it to their location. The gods must have been the ones that disturbed the brush and alerted the prey. The situation just became a lot more dangerous. Yuna racked her mind for a solution, weighing her options. It had been a few days and the pack were growing hungry. They could not afford to simply give up their precious meal. On the other hand, challenging them would result in a territorial conflict. Such a commotion could possibly reveal herself, forcing her once again to leave the realm in search of a new one.

The decision was made quickly as she looked back and forth between the approaching gods and her hungry pack. She didn't want to leave. Yuna had come to enjoy Asgard and wanted nothing more than to remain in the wintery wonderland. Thus, she decided that it would be best to let the creature go. Let the gods have their game.

Unfortunately, the members of her pack had different plans. With a snarl, a large male launched himself at one of the hunters, sinking his teeth into his arm and twisting before backing away. She recognized this wolf. His size and strength had on more than one occasion proved necessary for bringing down larger prey. He paced at a safe distance, evaluating the men and keeping their attention as the boar continued its charge, moving deeper into the woods. He was challenging them, trying to keep them occupied with a tried-and-true canine battle strategy: attack and retreat, then divide and conquer. Wolves had incredible stamina, and could easily exhaust their opponents before overwhelming them with numbers and strategic positioning.

But these hunters were no ordinary bunch and Yuna could sense it. They were battle-hardened warriors that had seen more than their fair share of bloodshed. Judging from the bitten god alone, they had likely encountered such situations before. Despite the visible wound to his arm, he seemed completely unfazed by her packmate's threats. They held their ground against him, refusing to be pushed back. The hairs on her back bristled as a powerful presence caught her attention. All of the men before them were clearly more than a match, but there was one among them that set her senses on fire. He was probably their leader and the one driving the hunting party. Whoever he was, Yuna knew that he was dangerous. She could feel it.

As the battle began, she turned tail and instead decided to help her separated pack members take down the boar. The animal had been rushing through the brush for some time now and had likely exhausted a good deal of its strength. Perhaps if they moved quickly, they could take it down, hide the carcass, and avoid too much bloodshed. Yuna curled back her lips as she spotted the boar up ahead. Large puffs of smoke escaped its nostrils as it panted and pawed at the ground. Her suspicion was correct. Moving its massive body for such a long period of time had tired it, leaving it still but standing its ground. This was her chance.

She heard a yelp echo through the trees that startled her and halted her movements. That had sounded like one of her own. Had the hunters gotten through the line? Noticing the boar turning tail, she decided that there was no more time to ponder it. She needed to stop the animal before it made its escape. With silent speed, she tore across the clearing and leapt towards her prey, jaws wide and fangs bared. As she left the ground, she noticed a shadow moving towards her from the trees at alarming speed. She didn't have time to react.

A sickening crack echoed through the clearing as Yuna's body was thrown through the air like a ragdoll. The impact took the wind out of her lungs and her head spun with such ferocity, she felt sick to her stomach. She landed with violent force against the trunk of a large tree and crumpled helplessly to the ground. Every inch of her body ached as though she had been struck by a boulder. As her eyesight came back into focus, she realized that her assumption hadn't been far off the mark.

In the clearing taking down her boar was a tall, imposing god that reminded her of the one she had encountered in Japan the night of her escape. Unlike the temperamental sea god however, this one boasted a calm, terrifying presence. His hair was a brilliant shade of forest green with three bolts carved from his temples extending in a long braid trailing down his back. His body was muscular and large, covered only with markings and armor. In his hand, he held a large hammer that looked as though it needed the strength of twenty men just to lift it. Yet he was swinging it around as though it weighed no more than a small dagger. It was he who set her senses ablaze. It had to be.

Aborting her mission, she tried to rise to her feet. In horror, Yuna realized that she couldn't move at all, her muscles ignoring her commands and twitching sporadically. She was paralyzed completely, whether through the force of the blow or the electric shock she did not know. As the boar fell to the ground, the god lifted his weapon from its head and turned his attention to her. In panic, the winter goddess screamed in vain at her body to move.

He was approaching slowly, purposefully. Her eyes widened and her fur bristled at the realization that this was likely the end for her. She was going to die. In a foreign land filled with snow, in the middle of the forest, her life was going to end. No one even knew she was there. She would die alone in the snow and her body would never be found. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. There were no tears to fall. She should never have left her home. She should never have come to this strange new world. She should have kept to herself in her world in the forest. The only thing she could do now was hope that the god would be merciful enough to end her life quickly.

His shadow covered her entire form as he reached her, looking down with a blank expression that she couldn't quite place. He raised his hammer, and she closed her eyes. She didn't want to see. She didn't want to know. She would simply wait for the blow that would send her into everlasting darkness.

But the strike never came. With a mighty thump, the god dropped his hammer to the side and knelt, eyeing her curiously. At the sound of his disarming, Yuna slowly opened her golden eyes only to see his own observing her closely. She could practically see his mind working as he watched her, unmoving. His lips twitched slightly as he reached a massive hand toward her, stopping only when his fingertips brushed along her forehead.

"…You are different. How strange."

The man spoke to her in yet another language that she couldn't understand. She wasn't certain what he was trying to communicate to her, but she could sense that he no longer meant her any harm. He wasn't looking at her as an animal anymore. Instead, his eyes held remorse as one would show for a fellow god. Somehow, she felt that he could see right through her. When he removed his hand, she felt her body stiffen as the current left her. Had he been the one controlling the electricity?

Rising to his full height, the god lifted his hammer and slung it over his shoulder before turning away. He muttered quietly to himself as he walked to the center of the clearing to claim his prize. As he dragged the massive creature into the brush, she heaved a sigh of relief. For whatever his reasons, he had spared her life and she wasn't going to complain about it. Upon shifting her body, she realized that the strike had not been intended to kill, but instead to immobilize and get her out of the way. Even still, the attack had not been pleasant. A sharp pain shot through her ribcage as she rose shakily to her feet. Battered, exhausted, and alone, she limped her way out of the clearing.

. . .

She wasn't sure how much time had passed since her encounter with the lightning god, nor was she concerned. Her pack had moved on, likely assuming her dead. What more could be expected from a group of wild animals? She winced with every motion as her legs moved slowly, mechanically, carrying her forward.

After a few more steps, the wolf finally collapsed into the snow. The pain had become too great for her to ignore. But she wasn't afraid. While she spent a great deal of time in her animal form, she was still a goddess. Her body would heal, and relatively quickly, so long as she was given time to do so. She certainly wouldn't be hunting any time soon. The only danger to her now were other creatures of the forest should they happen upon her in her vulnerable state. If such a situation were to occur, she would simply call upon her power as needed and they would pose no threat. So long as she didn't encounter any other gods, she knew she would be fine.

But luck wasn't on her side. Her ears twitched as they began to pick up a sound. It was a pair of voices, chattering away in the forest. It seemed she was destined for trouble on this day as now, she had to contend with another pair of gods. This time, in a weakened state. The best choice was to conceal herself and hide until the threat was gone. Unfortunately, her weakened body was too tired and she couldn't will herself to move. As the voices drew closer, she winced and curled herself into a ball and wrapped her tail around her nose. In the dense underbrush and white snow, she would be nearly impossible to see.

However, invisibility to sight didn't mean invisibility to sound. Against her will, her mouth let out a small whine as she pinched a particularly sensitive rib. Her entire body tensed as the crunching snow stopped and the voices fell silent. It seemed that they had heard her. The only thing she could do now was remain very, very still in the hopes that they would simply move on.

"Did you hear that?

"It sounded like an animal… I hope it's alright."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… dear gentle Balder. You must worry less about the forest creatures."

She waited patiently as the footsteps resumed and the voices approached.

"Wait… Loki, what is that?"

Oh no… had they spotted her? She should have been perfectly concealed within the snow. Every part of her was hidden and covered in snowy white. Every inch of her body should have melded effortlessly into the environment… except for her paws. In her haste, she had forgotten to tuck in her back paw, leaving it jutted awkwardly to the side. Her black claws must have stood out enough to at least get the god's attention.

"Balder… are you even listening?" The second god's voice sounded annoyed, its pitch rising into a whine. As he followed Balder's line of sight, he leaned closer to get a better look. Upon closer inspection, he yelped and backed away a couple of steps. "Eh?! Balder, it's a wolf!"

The slightly taller god chuckled at his friend's antics. He was always so melodramatic. "Relax, Loki. It won't hurt us."

"You mean it won't hurt you." Loki whined in protest as his friend approached her.

He was getting too close. She had to escape. She had to run. Jolting from her position, she uncurled her body and stood. A pitiful whine escaped her mouth as she slipped, falling back into the snow.

"Wow, that's strange. I don't think I've ever seen anything run from you, Balder."

"Hush, Loki. Look, I think she's hurt."

The one called Balder was correct. Yuna was in a great deal of pain and wanted nothing more at this point than a nice meal and a good rest. But it seemed that simply wasn't in the cards for her today.

"You poor thing… what happened to you?" The gentle god approached her and crouched to better reach her.

"Balder…" Loki warned as his friend boldly approached a cornered animal.

"Relax, Loki. Nothing can hurt me. You know that."

With a sigh, Loki conceded and placed his hands behind his head. Of course, he had momentarily forgotten. Nothing could harm the god of light as per the agreement of the goddess Frigg who made a deal with all of creation. Even still, he was confused by the creature's apprehension towards his friend. Animals never ran from Balder. In fact, quite the opposite, as most flocked to him.

Kneeling beside her, Yuna had a clear view of the god. His skin was fair, and his hair was light, falling freely down his back. His eyes were gentle and kind, and his build was lean, yet firm. Draped in white, he was a sight to behold. Behind him she could see his companion, a god of similar height but only slightly shorter. His body was small and lithe, and his bright red hair fell in neat braids. His nails were painted black to match his unusual attire and he had an odd marking beneath navel. His eyes were mischievous, but wary which Yuna found strange given the current situation. If anything, she should be wary of them.

The goddess flinched as Balder's fingers brushed along her side. He had somehow managed to pinpoint precisely the most painful area of her body. He frowned at her reaction and stood, having confirmed his suspicions. He wasn't sure what had happened to her, but it was clear that she wanted to be left alone.

"We should do something for her, Loki." His friend groaned at his suggestion.

"Seriously, Balder? Just leave it alone. What can we possibly do for it?"

"We shouldn't just leave her here…"

With another, much louder groan, Loki caved and gave in to his friend. Balder was a sweet and gentle god. Sometimes to the point of his own detriment. He really needed to learn to stop helping everyone. Reaching into his leather bag, he pulled out a small rabbit that they had captured earlier during the day. They had collected more than enough for the two of them, so one wouldn't hurt. At the very least, it would give the creature something to enjoy as a final meal.

Yuna tilted her head slightly as the red-headed god tossed the rabbit to the ground near her front paws.

"There, we fed it. Can we go now?"

Shaking his head, Balder gave one last look at the injured animal before following his friend back through the forest. He felt better knowing that they had least offered her something.

Yuna slowly reached forward with her front paw and dragged the small carcass towards her to examine it. It was a relatively fresh kill. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes looking in the direction that the two of them had left. She was surprised by their act of kindness. It was something she experienced rarely back home and something she hadn't expected to find in this world. She made a mental note of the two of them for future reference. While she couldn't understand their speech, she could deduce that the blonde-haired god was called Balder, and the red-headed god was called Loki. He had helped her, albeit grudgingly, and she wouldn't forget it. Tearing into the carcass, she was already making plans to return the favor.