The Hunt

I began imagining the hunting portion while listening to "The Trial of Loki" from The Dark World soundtrack, and the idea spiraled from there. It's quite a haunting (but oddly soothing) song. – Dream Plane

This is one of the many storylines we have that are inspired by THAT myth. Dream Plane's just happened to be completed first, haha. – El Droide

…

"Loki."

The trickster turned to look out of his cell. "Thor," he said, smirking, "Has the golden son of Asgard finally decided to lower himself to visit me?"

"Don't start," Thor said wearily, "Father has tasked me with a quest, and I must take you with me."

Loki stared incredulously at him and then began to laugh. "Surely you are jesting," he said.

"It is no jest. Come," Thor answered, leading him out of the cell and snapping cuffs on his wrists.

Loki winced as he felt his power retreat within him. "You do realize that I can escape now?" he said.

"You may try, but I will stop you," Thor said. He took the trickster by the shoulders and looked him dead in the eye. "If you dare attack me or anyone else, I will be forced to kill you." He then sighed. "Please don't let it come to that, even though I know you will disregard my warning anyway,"

"Don't trouble yourself. I intend to live a good while yet," Loki replied blithely, but there was a shadow over his expression that Thor could not place. As they made their way through the halls, he asked, "I know that you are in a rush, but aren't you going to let me change into something more quest-worthy than… this?" he asked, gesturing at himself.

Thor glanced at the thin tunic and pants and light shoes his brother wore. 'We don't have time. What you are wearing will suffice," he said.

Loki looked at him oddly. "Feeling especially risky today, are we? Very well, as you wish," he griped.

Thor flew them both in a skiff, keeping a close eye on Loki all the while to ensure that he would not suddenly seize control. But his brother seemed uninterested at the moment. His eyes darted from one place the next, soaking in the environment he had been deprived of for so long. Thor realized this with a pang of guilt, but brushed the feeling off as well as he could. He could not fail this mission.

"So, Brother, what exactly is this quest about?" Loki asked, breaking the silence.

Thor smiled faintly at the use of the familiar term. "There is a particular snake that resides in our mountains. It is a native of Jotunheim, but some of the species had been brought here centuries ago and adapted to our climate," he explained.

Loki hummed. "I wish I had more time to learn about them then. That is an interesting case if I ever heard one," he said. "So, I take it that Odin wants us to hunt it and possibly bring it to him alive?"

"I don't know about killing it or taking it back, but Father wants us to find it. There haven't been reports of them in a while, and it is mostly believed that the species has finally become extinct on Asgard. But he heard rumors that there may be one or two left," Thor replied.

"And if we find it, what then? Why does he want to locate it in the first place, and more importantly, why bring me along?"

"He did not say much about the matter besides the general directions and some other less important things. He told me to bring you along for your tracking skills," Thor said evasively.

Loki scrutinized him for a few moments and then shrugged. "The oaf. How exactly like him. Sends his people out for some obscure purpose or another and then explains everything afterward," he said, "I suppose we shall have our questions answered along the way."

The brothers finally reached the mountains, and Thor lit a torch.

"Now hang on a moment, do you really think it is wise to enter a cave without having an idea of what may be inside?" Loki asked, "These particular caverns are known as a foul place among the locals. The perfect place for a snake to hide, I agree, but how do you expect me to defend myself if we are attacked?"

"Loki," Thor said, warningly.

Loki raised his hands. "All right. I get it. You don't want me to escape. Understandable, but don't say I didn't warn you if-."

Thor huffed and shoved him inside. "Stay in front of me," he instructed, removing the one of the manacles from his brother's wrist.

Loki looked about cunningly, but the expression was fleeting. "What does this beast usually leave behind?" he asked.

"Its fangs leak venom, possibly as a defense mechanism. If there is one here, we will see the trails it left behind as it moved. Once we find them, it will be a simple matter of locating the snake itself. They tend to sit in the same spot for years once they find a suitable location," Thor said.

"Wonderful," Loki said. He moved swiftly, and before Thor knew what was happening, the torch was sputtering on the damp floor.

Thor grabbed Mjölnir but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I haven't disappeared," he heard his brother say in the darkness.

Green light illuminated their surroundings, and Thor saw that Loki was holding a ware-light in his free hand. "There, much better than a torch. Really, Thor, are you so stupid to think that the smoke won't be noticed?" Loki said.

"It barely gave off any!" Thor retorted, but Loki wasn't listening. He was scanning the ground and walls, stopping every now and then. Thor followed him deeper into the cave, keeping a tight grip on his chains.

The cave grew colder and more airless the deeper they traveled into it. Small streams flowed through channels in the rocks, walls suddenly opened to reveal stagnant pools, and enormous stalagmites and boulders occasionally narrowed the passage. The place had an unsettling feel about it, and it seemed to be completely devoid of life. After about half an hour of fruitless searching, Loki straightened with a huff. "Are you sure that Odin gave you the right directions? This passage doesn't seem to go much further, and all I have seen so far are old bilgesnipe tracks," he said.

"He was certain that this was the right cave. Perhaps we have used the wrong opening, and the snake is in a different section entirely," Thor said uneasily, "We should go back the way we came." He rested one hand on a boulder and then cried out in pain.

"What is it?" asked Loki.

Thor looked up from his hand, which was beginning to redden slightly, and saw a thin trickle of something flowing down the rocks. "The venom!" he exclaimed.

"Up we go then," Loki said, and he began climbing.

When they reached the top, Loki adjusted his light. Suddenly, glowing trails appeared on the floor. He led Thor in the direction of what looked like the freshest one.

"You might want to watch your head," he said before disappearing in a small opening in the rocks.

Thor followed him and then froze at the faint sound of hissing. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

"Yes, but I can't seem to find it," Loki said. He grinned. "Never fear. Now that you know exactly where this beast is, you won't need me anymore." The ware-light went out, and they were plunged in darkness.

But the thunderer was prepared. He swiftly dodged the chain slung in his direction before it could be wrapped around his neck. He grabbed the torch, which he had retrieved earlier, and aimed a few sparks at it. As it flared to life, Loki swore and made another pass at him with his chains. Thor glanced up briefly as he avoided the blow and saw black coils in a crevice. With a roar, he leapt at Loki, tackling him. He placed Mjölnir on his brother's chest to keep him in place and snapped the loose manacle on.

"I told you that I would stop you," Thor said. He looked sadly at his brother. "You couldn't have chosen a worse time to try to make your escape."

Loki's eyes grew wide as Thor slammed the chains against the ground, the metal fusing with the rock. "What are you doing?!" he demanded.

"I found the snake," Thor said, motioning at the crevice above them, "But we will not remove it from here."

The snake opened its glittering eyes and eagerly advanced. "Let me guess, this is part of the All-Father's plan?" Loki snapped, straining against the chains.

"I'm sorry, but I must leave you here. This will be your punishment until Father decides that it has been long enough," Thor answered with a sigh.

For the first time, Loki looked frightened. "No. You can't do that!" he gasped.

"I will ask him to be lenient, I promise. You will not spend the rest of your life down here if I can help it, even if that is what you deserve," Thor said, turning to leave.

"Brother, please-!"

The scream that echoed throughout the cavern chilled Thor to the core. He looked back to see that a large drop of the snake's venom had fallen on Loki's face, causing him to writhe in his bonds. "I'm sorry, Brother, truly," he said quietly, steeling himself to walk away from the gruesome scene.