The God's Awakening

Chapter 7

All there was was the need to fight. His enemies were keeping their distance and it was only fueling his rage, the red mist colouring his vision grew stronger. The small creature that was jumping around him had been annoying and a quick swing of his hammer had dealt with it, sending it flying from him. There was an enemy flying nearby which would dodge his hammer, though not always, and one with a shield but with a mighty swing he knocked the shield off course. The most frustrating one was the one in the trees firing arrows. He wanted to attack them all properly with his hands yet they had managed to trap his feet. His rage continued to build so he used the hammer and destroyed whatever was holding him only for a pillar of light to appear directly in front of him bringing new enemies. He would destroy them first as they were closer.
As he went to lunge forward he found he could not move. The rage which was consuming him slowly started to calm from the roaring inferno it had become. Sound started to penetrate through the rushing sound he had been drowning in. The sound was soft, calming, a male voice though he could not make out what was being said. His mind felt like a soft blanket was being placed over it, quickly soothing the rage, almost too quickly as though whatever was happening was being rushed. Soon words started to become clear, an old Nordic Lullaby he had known as a child. Memories of sitting in the Royal Chambers with his mother and little brother flooded his mind. His mother would sing to them and encourage them to join in, though he was not much for singing his brother would sing almost as beautifully as his mother. The memory brought more calm and tempered the rage to the point where the red haze lifted and the God of Thunder was once more himself.
Blinking he felt a force of calm and peace forced over him as the soft singing stopped. Focusing his gaze to where the singing had been coming from his eyes widened in surprise. In front of him stood Sif, Hogan, Volstagg and Fandral, weapons held at the ready. Behind them were Captain America picking up his shield whilst an arm was wrapped around his chest and Hawkeye emerging carefully from the tree line. Though he saw all of this his attention was drawn to the one stood in front of them all. Directly in his pat stood a tall, pale, undernourished man. Deep dark circles under his dull emerald eyes whilst his unkempt raven hair hung limply past his shoulders.
"Loki?" Thor breathed, confusion, shock and disbelief fighting for dominance.
"Oaf." was the only word that came from the small crooked grin before emerald eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the ground.
Though he tried to catch his brother he found that his body would not properly obey his commands. As he went to rush forward his muscles were too relaxed and he stumbled, landing on his knees on the snow. Thankfully Fandral was closer and managed to catch the God of Mischief before he landed face first into the snow.
Confusion as to what had happened clouded Thors mind and he glanced around the area. The bodies of many Hydra agents littered the field as did large gouges in the snow and earth and ice shards lay broken. Captain America and Hawkeye both appeared to be injured whilst Sif and the Warriors Three seemed unharmed. Loki looked as though he had been to Helheim and back. As he went to ask what had happened, which he feared he knew the answer to, another voice cut him off.
"Are we done here?" Iron Man asked, breaking the stunned silence as he approached. Turning Thor noticed that his armour had many substantial dents in it and Stark had his helmet off. He looked as exhausted as the other Avengers. In his arms he held the small unconscious Arctic fox cradled.

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The flight back to the Compound was tense and not a comfortable one for those conscious. After an argument regarding whether to take Loki with them or send him back to Asgard it was decided, though strongly influenced by a very confused Thor, that the unconscious God would accompany them. Fandral had unusually found himself reluctant to place the Seidhr restraining cuff on Loki's wrist. When the dark haired man had collapsed and he had caught him, the sight had truly shocked him. He could not believe that this shell was the same Loki who prided himself on his appearance. For a moment he had thought that it had been but a trick yet deep in his gut he knew it couldn't be. The guards must not have known that he was in this state or they would have informed the Allfather. But how had he hidden this?
They had made it to the Midgardians transport, Volstagg and Hogun helping a rather uncoordinated Thor. Once they had lay Loki down and situated themselves as comfortably as they could the Man of Iron and the archer went to pilot the craft, the Man of Iron passing the small white creature to the Captain. The creature had caught Volstaggs attention and when he voiced his curiosity the Midgardians and Sif had insisted it was not a fox but would not say more.
The entire trip back Thor had refused to move from Loki's side and once they arrived he insisted on carrying him to the medical ward. Fandral, knowing that Thor was still recovering himself, insisted on joining him. This trip was not turning out as he had thought it would and Fandral sincerely hoped that it would not get more complicated.

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Clint was beyond exhausted. His right leg ached from the glancing blow he took from a stray branch which had hit him, as well as the pounding in his head. He knew he had a cut on his left temple but would deal with his injuries later. Right now all he wanted to do was sleep. Loki's presence had unnerved him but something was nagging at his mind, half remembered things but he couldn't think clearly. Once they arrived at the Compound he headed to his room. Feeling drained the archer barely managed to put his bow and quiver away before sinking face first onto his bed and falling fast asleep, boots and all. Memories floated through his mind as though they were dreams, hazy and fleeting though one thing stuck. Green eyes full of regret and fear.

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"I don't know what you expect me to do Tony. I'm not a vet! I have no idea how to treat an Arctic fox!" Banner said exasperated. He had barely been able to stop the other guy coming out when he had seen Thor bring Loki into the medical ward requesting aid. It had only been when Thor had put the younger man on the bed that he could control himself. The raven haired man was a mess. His skin an unhealthy pale pallor, eyes dark and sunken, and his normally well sculpted fave hollow. He looked to be severely malnourished and if his chest hadn't been rising and falling in a regular if slow pattern Bruce would have thought he was looking at a corpse. Giving him a thorough once over, which surprisingly didn't gain even a flinch from the unconscious man, Bruce could find only a few scars but no recent injuries and had hooked him up to an IV to supply much needed fluids and nutrients. Informing Thor that all that was needed was rest he had turned to Tony who held an Arctic fox in his arms, thus the current cause of his exasperation.
"She's not really a fox!" Tony insisted for what must be the fifth time.
Sighing, Bruce couldn't help glance towards the occupied bed, watching as Loki lay oblivious to the world and the blonde Warrior, Fandral, sat lost in thought. Thor had been ready to sit with his brother but had needed rest himself and so Fandral had offered to stay. Turning back to Tony he removed his glasses and rubbed at the bridge of his nose.
"I swear, she turned into a woman! A woman, I might add, who seemed to use ice magic!" Tony said, his voice rising slightly. "Honestly, I think she actually saved our lives".
As Tony's voice rose to get his point across no one noticed the flinch that crossed Loki's face.