Loki's Banishment

Chapter 12: Hiding

[[ Loki's POV ]]

I wake up with a slight frost on my skin. I wipe it off and take a look around. I'm still well hidden in the back of the cart and the driver doesn't seem to have noticed my catching a ride.
He was too covered in winter ware to tell if he was one of those beast people or just a man. Mortal either way.

I look at me bare feet and see that they're blue, but my hands are still tan. Tsk, I'm like a color change thermometer.

Well there's nothing better to do than rest right now so I snuggle up in my coat and fall back to sleep

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After a few hours of rest I am awoken by a sudden jerk as the man stops the cart.

I peak out. We don't seem to be in a town yet. Why has he stopped? ... Oh no! He's coming back to get something out of the cart! What do I do! How do I hide?!
I hide myself under an extra sheet he was using to cover some of the crates. The stack of crates was so large there was no way he could have noticed me, but I was still at risk of being found.
If only I didn't have this bracket on! I could make myself invisible!

I can hear the snow crunch under the mans feet as he comes around to the back of the cart. There's a pause and then his hand and comes down right in front of me. I hear the clangs of some metal cups as he searches for something and I pray he doesn't decide to look under the sheet. I see him pull out a small case, but was unable to make out what it was.
I hear a little more crunching of snow and then feel squashed against a crate as the man leans up against the back of the cart. I begin to smell smoke. Well I guess I know what that little box was then. The smoke lingers strongly right where I am. It's like he's breathing the smoke right on me ... No, really. There's so much smoke! What is he doing?
It's getting hard to breath. I feel like I'm being smoked out only if I move I'll be found out.

Finally after a long wait he stands up, so I am no longer squished, and puts out the cigarette in the snow.

He takes a deep breath and speaks, "How long are you going to keep hiding?"

What?! I'm always brilliant at hiding! How did he notice me? ... Maybe he's not really talking to me. I can't risk my being found out on an assumption.

He lifts the sheet revealing my face, "Are you gonna come out or keep hiding back here?"

I sit up and look at him confusedly, "How did you know I was back here? When..."

He cuts me off, "I knew you were hiding in the back before we were a were a mile down the road. I'm a wolf-man. You're not hard to smell."

That's right. It must have been days since I've bathed. I received a shower every other day and that was the day of my escape. It's been almost five days now.
I sigh.

The wolf faced beast looks down on me, "If you needed a ride you could have just asked. Wouldn't you rather ride up front than be cramped back here?"

Was he inviting me to ride up front with him?

"Of course I expect you to help gather fire wood when night comes around." He smiles.

This man was too kind for his own good, but who am I to decline such an offer. I thank him as he helps me out of the back of the cart.

Up in the front of the cart it's a tad more breezy, but it definitely is more comfortable.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So a chameleon?" The wolf says after a while out of nowhere.

"What?"

He gestures to my face and feet, " Your nose and cheeks are blue. You don't seem to be in too bad of a state so I didn't suppose it was frostbite."

That's what the waitress said too, "Oh, right. Yes, I am." It seems to be what others want to believe.

He nods and continues to direct the horse, "You looked to be human, but the blue skin made me wonder. You came into the tavern like that too. Being in the forest, you must be a long way from home."

"Yes... I'm from very, very far away. I guess you could say I didn't belong anymore, if I ever did."

He sighs in sympathy, "Aye, it can be difficult for a half breed."

I scoff. As if he even knew what happened.

"But there are places yet where one as you can be accepted. There's this town, Ramady. Some call it the place of the rejects, but really it's more of a place where everyone is excepted. Sure it's not the most high class, but it's a nice place. I deliver some of my products there each month. If you like, you can help me with my deliveries and catch a ride until I get to Ramady."

Sounds more like a charity case to me. The town must be so petty and poor that even the residents can hardly bare it. Whatever it's like, it sounds like no good place to start for domination.
Instead I reply, "I was actually wanting to travel to a big city. I was planning on joining the army." Haha, the army would be joining me in reality.

He shrugs, "I'm sorry lad, but I'm not in that large of a business. I only travel to smaller towns. At my next stop you can get a map. I'll show you my route and you can decide if you'd still like a ride."

This man really was too good to be true. If I ever find the need, he'd be easy to take advantage of.

"So wadda ya say?" The wolf faced man glances at me.

I lean back on the bench with arms folded and nod, "Sounds like a plan." I smirk.
Things really were going my way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The rest of the trip was straight forward... compared to Thor's antics...

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A/N: Hey! I think I'm going to start putting my own comments at the end of each chapter. I've seen others do it and it feels like a nice way to connect with the fans.
Tell me if you like the idea or not. :)

Uh oh! What's gonna happen?! XD
I hope you're liking the story!

This chapter was a bit of filler, but more romance is coming up soon! Another bachelorette is on the way! I promise all this waiting isn't for nothing.

Remember to vote and comment.

Thanks for reading this far! :D