I am back! due to work school and life i had to take a slight break. But I trying my hardest to get more of this fic out. I am almost done with another chapter.

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Thanks for all the favorites, follows and comments. I really appreciate them

The next morning was an awkward one for Toki. Skwisgaar's clothes had dried by the fire, and besides a little bit of caked on dirt, they were ready to be worn. Toki on the other hand was not so lucky. He had left his clothes out side in the mud and snow. Skwisgaar had no clothes to offer him as well. Not even left over clothing from when women left in a hurry to go home to their husbands. He was stuck. For the first half of the morning he stayed still on the bed wrapped in a blanket, but he got fidgety and tried to do some house work with it wrapped around him like a toga. Of course this made Skwisgaar laugh at him and make jokes about being a Greek philosopher and a Varangian guard. Toki blushed madly and continued to work. Until Ettøye thought it would be a fun idea to grab the blanket and run off with it revealing Toki in all his nude glory.

Toki physically froze to the spot where he stood. Well, until he threw something at Skwisgaar for asking if he was related to tomatoes. Which the blonde wasn't to happy about. Toki continued to work in the nude, he just ignored the feeling of blue eyes looking at him the way Ettøye looks at a big juicy leg of a boar. To Toki's delight he found a pair of old pants. They were filled with holes from moths and rodents eating though material and barley passed his knees. They were so big they loosely hung off his hips and would slide down periodically. But pants were pants to Toki and he wore them with pride.

Skwisgaar couldn't help but see him as a lost or abandoned Viking god working hard to find his way back to Asgard. Skwisgaar usually tried to not stare to much at his slave, but when Toki walked around showing his perfectly toned, well, everything. He felt no shame in openly gawking at the attractive specimen. He had to physically hold his mouth closed the little times Toki bent over or subconsciously shook his fanny. But when Toki found pants, it took all his might to not frown, and just admire the little glistens of sweat the travelled down his collar bone, across his sculpted stomach and disappearing right where his pants began.

He was not ashamed of his attraction, no he had to much of an ego to be. It was his eyes that drove him insane though. The cold ice blue, that burned with passion. If Bergson was around, his eyes burned with hatred. Skwisgaar could tell Toki hated the Clan, He saw past the false happiness he was trying to make himself believe. But what really got him, was the few times Toki was still and silent. He didn't blink and he barely would breath. He sat and stared off into space. He would sit for hours, just sitting... and staring. And the as if suddenly he would be back to his old self, and playing with their wolf, as if nothing happened.

He decided that they would spend some time outside the village. They were running out on food and couldn't live off potatoes and stale bread all winter. Might as well go hunting for elk. Skwisgaar pondered the idea a little more while he stroked his metaphorical beard. It would be like a father son bonding experience, or more slave and master bonding.

It was settled, they would leave when the sun was down and set up camp, then when the sun arose they would hunt for their meat. That would be a fun... maybe. Skwisgaar wasn't one to really rough it up, but Toki was a farmers man. So if it would make Toki happy, he will try.

Sun was down, clothes were dry, fur was on, spears, bows, and arrows were packed. They were ready to go camping. Ettøye had joined them at first, but once she got a whiff os something more interesting, she ran off. It was just the two vikings trudging through snow and sludge bonding and growing together as men. Or the would be if any of them were up for talking. In fact Skwisgaar had picked the worst day to go and camp. There was a huge snow storm approaching and the humidity lasted well into the night.

They picked a small clearing in the forest to set up their little resting spot. They had collected branches and dried twigs and leaves to start a fire. Toki had killed a small rodent on their walk through the forest and was currently cooking it for their dinner.

"It isn't much, but it should last us through the night." Toki talked into the fire that was burning. He looked across towards his master.

"What in Odin's holy name let you thing that camping before a snow storm was a good idea?"

Skwisgaar looked up at his slave and shrugged.

"It seemed like a decent idea at the time"

Toki scoffed and took the rat out of the fire.

"Its finished. Give me your knife"

Skwisgaar handed it over and watched as Toki cut the rat in half. He gave the bottom and thickest part to Skwisgaar who accepted it gratefully. Toki took the head and began tearing into it with his teeth. The rest of their night was quiet. They lied down on separate ends of the fire and tried to fall asleep.

Toki tossed and turned. It was uncomfortable not sleeping next to his master's body. Every night, since Skwisgaar took him, they had shared a bed. And now abruptly they weren't. He wondered to himself if Skwisgaar would mind if he would quietly lay next to him. In fact there was strength in numbers. And a wild animal could take them easily if they weren't sleeping next to each other.

Logically thought through Toki found the reason and strength to stand up and and tip toe towards Skwisgaar, who was already sound asleep. Toki laid back down back to back with Skwisgaar and quickly fell asleep in the mud and twigs.

Skwisgaar was awoken by the rustling of leaves around him and silently watched the brunette lie down and fall asleep. The older man turned and faced the back of his slave's head, and slipped an arm around him, enjoying the heat radiating of the smaller yet more muscular body.

When the sun arose so did the Vikings that were lying in the middle of the forest. Toki was the first to awake. He tried no nuzzle in closer to his makeshift head support, which almost instantly he found that it was Skwisgaar's chest. He bolted straight up and tried to remove the arm that was pinning him down. The sudden movement awoke Skwisgaar who looked at the younger man above him and looked at his chest.

"You drooled on my shirt. You are making me a new one" He released Toki and stood. They had no food. So the only logical thing to do was get straight to hunting.

"Okay. I will go west and you will continue heading North. We will meet back when the sun is at its highest peak." The older Viking instructed. Hopefully by then they would have at least something that would considered food. They each went their separate ways and began their quest for food.

Skwisgaar was over confident... at first. He saw a few decent sized birds that would make a good meal but his aim was off a few inches and only manage to scare off a few of the winged creatures.

"Pfft. Birds" He picked up his abandoned spear once more and continued on his journey for food. The humidity was making everything hotter than the actual weather. A snow storm was approaching. Skwisgaar looked at the sky and glared at the sun. The sun was moving faster than he wanted and he was having no success.

He came up to clearing, he spotted three elks busying themselves with what was left of the grass before their migration southern. Skwisgaar was not going to let this opportunity go to waste. He crouched as quietly as he could. Armed at the ready with a bow and arrow, he aimed for the fattest one. Unlike a bird he had a much larger target and the chance of him missing were slim. He held his breadth and barely emitted the sound of a "pluck" when he released the arrow to the world.

A loud roar was heard and the elks were out of sight in less than a second. The arrow barely grazed the elk before piercing a tree.

"You have got to be-" Skwisgaar vent was interrupted by another roar. This one was much closer. So close he could almost feel the spit ,of whatever large animal it was, hit the back of his head. He barely turned his head when he saw the very angry bear charge after him.

Fight or flight, fight or flight, fight or flight! Skwisgaar ran as if his pants were on fire. He tore through trees and dead branches trying to escape a charging bear. He had a good distance on him and his legs could carry him fast, usually, but he was tired and hungry. He felt around his waist to see if he stored his knife anywhere. Once he had it firmly in his hand he turned towards the bear and prepared him self for a nice new robe or blanket.

He was so concerned about the facing off the bear he was not paying attention to his footing. He took one step towards the bear and fell right into a tunnel. He slid a short distance before he emerged out of the dirt, only to tumble down a large hill. He hit rocks, small trees and leaves before he lane=de at the very bottom.

He waited ,until he was fully positive that he was not going to fall again, to sit up. He looked up at the large and saw where he exited the tunnel. What kinda animal would dig that? Skwisgaar came to a sudden realization of trolls. He abruptly stood, in case any were nearby, and attempted to clean the dirt off himself. He was mid wipe when he saw a dead elk. A large one. He knelt down and felt its skin. Barely dead, it wasn't even slightly cold to the touch.

"Poor guy must have broken his neck after falling" Skwisgaar smiled grabbed the elk by its midsection and hoisted it up on his shoulders. It was high sun and he had a long walk in front of him.

…...

For a farmers son, Toki had more than enough experience with hunting. In fact Skwisgaar used to rent him out to go hunting with other villagers when he first was taken in. He knew how to hide his scent, read tracks, mating noises and he had great aim.

He was currently crouched down, hiding his cover in the thickness of the bushes. He had his eye on a big, fat and juicy looking buck. The elk was lazily grazing paying no mind to the Viking. Toki creped closer, avoiding the twigs on the ground. He tightened his hold on the spear that was currently occupying his hand. He was about ready to strike when a cold breezed blew right by. The elk caught wind of his scent ad dashed off. Not yet discouraged Toki ran off after him. He did not care for how loud he was being. He was hunting down the elk as if he was a wolf or a wild cat. Hair blowing right behind him and a huge smile on his face, Toki dodged, duck, and jumped never losing speed. The elk was tiring out, but not giving up. They were approaching a large frozen creek. For the elk it was his last chance at losing the maniac Viking behind him. He jumped and cleared the creek without a problem, he chanced a glance back at his pursuer and ran off.

Toki stopped at the creek. He could probably clear it if he jumped, or maybe he could walk across it. Maybe the ice was thick enough, but what if it wasn't? How deep was this river anyway?Enough thinking. Toki prepared his stance to jump. He took one last gulp before he launched. His foot barely touched the other edge of the creek when a loud roar tore throughout the forest. Toki reeled back and fell onto the frozen creek. Which broke under his weight.

"What in the name of-! Oh just forget it." He got up and sulked to their camping spot. Hopefully Skwisgaar found something while he dried off.

The young brunette was sitting when he saw something run by. It was short, it was fat and it looked edible .He was fairly dried and could comfortably follow after it. He soon found a boar relaxing underneath a tree. Toki wasted no time in throwing his spear. Even if the animal ran off, he was wounded, and he could only go so far.

The spear struck square in the boar's gut. The animal bolted away and ran. He ran in a circle and tried to attack Toki, but the brunette grabbed the spear and struck down with all his strength. The tough skin of the boar was penetrated and he was slain. Toki picked him up and walked back. He smiled all the way there. He wouldn't be going back empty handed.

The sun was now in the middle of the sky. As promised both were at the camp-site waiting for the other and their captures.

Skwisgaars elk was not as fat as Tokis boar but it did have a nice pelt. Which could either be a nice shirt or blanket. Toki showed his boar to his master, like a child showing his father the fish he caught. The amount of glee on the brunettes face warmed the pit of Skwisgaars stomach as he looked it over. The boar looked a bit beaten up, which was expected for dealing with a game of chase and pursue with a Viking. He even had a little cut on his ear.

Both the men packed up and headed back home. As they walked home, trying to beat the setting of the sun, neither noticed a pair of eyes watching them walking away.

…...

"Bah! I am bushed." Toki flopped on the bed. Ettøye placed her head on her his chest. Walking back she came bounding towards them and followed them home. Odin only knows what she was doing out there.

"Get off, Ettøye" Skwisgaar ordered the wolf off his bed.

"Aw why?" Toki whined as she jumped off and went to rest by the fire the Viking had started.

"She was getting mud al over the bed. I don't want to sleep in that." He glanced towards her direction. Something was off. She seemed more complacent than usual and not as needy. He would need to watch her more often. Anyway he had more issues to attend to.

"Get up. We need to store the meat" He lightly hit Toki's shoe.

With a groan Toki lifted his body up and followed his master outside.

"Get the salt and the rack." Skwisgaar began to cut the up their meat. Seperating fat from the meat to be salted and dried.

"Skwisgaar, has the fish been smoked?" Toki asked as he dragged their salting rack towards their working area.

"No we are pickling them." Not even looking up from the boar he gestured to a pit where the herring was to buried.

"OOOH I love surströmning." Toki clapped his hands together happily.

"I thought Norway was to cold to pickle." Skwisgaar looks up and quirks and eyebrow.

"It is" Toki lays some slabs of meat down and sprinkles salt over them. "When I lived with my uncle, he would travel sometimes. And when he returned he always made sure to have some gift to celebrate his return. Sometimes it was pickled plums, sometimes it was mead, but my favourite was pickled herring. It was sweet ,sour and so-" Toki closes his eyes and smiles at the memory of the taste.

"Clam down," Skwisgaar teased to bring Toki back to reality. "Pickling is boring, so since you are my slave you get to do it. Don't eat all of the fish." He points a finger at the young Viking.

"I am going to Elis'. I am giving some of the meat to his family." He looks up at the sky.

"I am probably not going to make it back before night. I will spend the night with them. YOU are to stay here and continue to prepare for the storm."

Toki's face dropped a bit. Not obviously, but if one was paying attention they would see a slight hint of disappointment.

"Al right. Will you be back by the morning?" He looked slightly more hopeful. He didn't really like to be on his own, now that he was so used to his companion.

"Its hard to say" The look on Skwisgaars face said it all. And Toki was no fool.

"You are planning on having sex with Mother Unni!" A cursing finger was pointed at the older Viking.

"What?! N-no!" Skwisgaar stuttered. He was having a terrible time covering up his lie.

"Then why cant I come?" Toki was standing with his hand on his hip.

"Because you are dumb, that's why!" Skwisgaar argued back with his slave. His face was red with embarrassment. He had been found out and so easily. He grabbed a good stack of sliced and salted meat and went back into his house. He wrapped the meat in a cloth began to set out for the not so distant journey.

Toki, who was still salting meat, stood and called out to his master.

"Have fun fucking the poor old woman" To which he was rewarded with a rock nearly hitting his face, it would have hit him if he didn't duck. Skwisgaar had really good aim when he was angry.

Once all the meat was set to dry and the herring was buried Toki walked back into his home.

"Its just you and me" He said to his wolf, who yawned in response. He flopped onto the bed once more. It was going to be a long winter.