Author's Notes: This chapter was a bit slow, but I had to tell of the rest of the journey. To help with that, I waited until I finished chapter 9 as well. So, I should have 9 up some time tonight as well.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, worlds, things, etc. Too bad, that would be fun. :) But alas, 'tis not meant to be. :'(

All through the next day they walked. They had resumed their endless march as soon as the sun had risen, and now it was nearing time for the sun to set. But still they walked.

Loki tried to persuade them to stop again, as he had before. But now that the warriors were aware of his presence, they knew their slips and falls were no mere accidents caused by clumsiness or exhaustion. That trick would not work any more.

The warriors ignored his tricks and kept on walking. When Loki caused the short tempered warrior from before to fall on his face in the snow again, he was only met with a face full of snow himself. Upon getting back on his feet, the warrior had hurled a handful of tightly packed snow at Loki. He fell back onto the snowy ground.

This was greated by laughter from the company of warriors. Even Thor had to laugh as his little brother slipped and slid in his struggle to stand back up on the ice. Loki glared up at him, unamused. Thor stifled his laugh but couldn't hide his smile as he helped his brother to his feet.

With that, Loki gave up at trying to get them to stop again. He was already tired, and such efforts were only making metters worse for him. It was best to save what energy he had left. He had a feeling he was going to need it.

They walked on into the night. It was much colder once it got dark. The temperature seemed to drop dramatically from the moment the sun fell below the horizon. The snow turned to pure ice beneath the feet of the ever persistent travelers.

The warriors began to blame Loki for their many slips and falls agian. But they continued on as normal. They walked half the night away without stopping for even a short respite.

Finally, one of the warriors turned to look back at the troublesome child he believed to had caused him to fall in the snow yet again. He didn't have a particularly bad temper but this boy was testing his patience. However, one look at the yong man struggling just to keep from falling behind told the warrior that Loki was not at fault this time. The boy looked absolutely exhausted and was covered in snow himself. He looked miserable as he shivered and slipped on the ice.

Loki fell to his knees in the snow. He had lost count of how many times he had fallen now; it was too many to count. The cold night air and the snow had caused him to start shivering long ago. He was surprised by the drastic change in night and day. He had gone from only feeling a slight chill to having lost feeling in his hands and feet. This night was much colder than the last. That and the dark clouds hanging in th sky suggested a storm to be on its way.

As he tried to stand again, Loki caught one of the warriors watching him. He scowled and ducked his head from sight. He did not like the idea of someone witnessing his weakness. This was only his first time out of Asgard; he oculd hardly beheld to the same expectations as the experienced warriors he now had the misfortune of traveling with.

Loki had not even managed to stand all the way up again before he found himself falling yet again. He lay in the snow, too tired to go on. He had been pushed to his limit, and this was as far as he could go. Let the warriors go on without him. He was too exhausted to even care any more.

Suddenly, he found himself being drug to his feet again anyway. He wearily looked up into the face of the person who was apparently unwilling to leave him behind. He expected it to be Thor, but instead of his brother he now found himself face to face with the man who had been watching him struggle in the snow just a few minutes before. He had won the warrior's pity. He would have to remember to be upset about being pitied later, because right now his mind could not even begin to register his would-be anger.

The man looked away and called to the other warriors. "The night is near half ended. Let us rest for a while. If we continue like this none of us shall stand a fighting chance should we meet any more frost giants." The other warriors paused in their march to look back at him. Then their gaze shifted to Loki, expecting this to be further mischief on his part. Upon seeing the half frozen boy, they quickly changed their minds and halted the walk all together. They set up their small camp again, and everyone settled down to rest and regain their strength.

The man who had spoke up for him guided Loki over to where Thor sat among the other warriors. "You may wish to keep a closer watch on your brother. It simply would not do for him to be left behind to freeze to death." Then the warrior left them.

Loki immediately dropped to the ground, his legs refusing to support him any longer. Thor looked at him with an expression of concern plainly plastered on his face. Having been walking up at the front of the company and talking with one of the warriors there, he had not seen Loki and had had to strain his ears to even hear the man's call to stop for the remainder of the night. He had had no idea that Loki had been falling behind.

"Do not look so frightened. I will be fine."

"I'm sorry. I should've-"

"No. It is not your fault."

"But-"

"I just...need to..." sleep. Loki was fast asleep before he could even say the word.

Thor still felt concerned and somewhat guilty about this. Tomorrow, he woudn't let Loki out of his sight. There was no way he letting him be left here.