A New Name

 My eyes caught a flash of light in the distance, and I knew instantly there was something valuable there. Without a second thought, I flapped my wings and darted towards it, ignoring Fenrir's voice yelling at me from behind.

That girl clearly didn't want me to leave her behind. But I couldn't resist this instinct. All crows are drawn to shiny things—it's a compulsion we can barely control, even for me, who was once human.

After a brief flight, I reached the source of the flash. There lay a silver necklace with a dark purple pendant, eerily similar to Fenrir's hair. 

"Kraaa-kraaak! (What a beautiful treasure. Haha!)"

Having hatched in Jotunheim, the land of the Jotun giants, it's rare to find something this shiny. Jotun aren't particularly fond of jewelry or valuable items, unlike other races that cherish expensive, glittering things.

In Norse mythology, the Jotun are portrayed as giants and bitter enemies of the gods. But the reality is far more complicated. Sometimes, their relationships are amicable, despite their clashes. Some gods even married Jotun—like Frigg, Odin's wife, and Thor, whose wife was also a Jotun.

Yet, in other tales, the two sides fought fiercely. From my perspective, it's like neighbors or siblings who constantly bicker but occasionally bond. The mutual ethnocentrism and pride of both races often sparked conflict over trivial matters, perhaps sowing the seeds of the eventual Ragnarok.

By the way, Fenrir is a Jotun too. She's the daughter of Loki and Angrboda.

'This is strange... who would leave something so beautiful here?' I mused while staring at the pendant.

I felt a twinge of suspicion. Finding a necklace this exquisite in such a desolate place—a place like Lyngvi Valley, where Fenrir is sealed—didn't sit right with me. Lyngvi is a remote valley in the northernmost part of Jotunheim, far from any civilization. The perfect prison for someone like her.

Ah, who cares. I'll just take it.

Since nothing seemed out of place, I grabbed the pendant with my beak and flew off, filled with joy.

Now, this pendant is mine.

As I soared through the sky, a thought hit me: What should I do with it? Normally, I would bring shiny things back to my nest as gifts for my mother or sisters. But I no longer had a nest to return to, which left me wondering.

Hmm, what should I do with it?' I pondered, still gliding in the air before deciding, 'I'll just keep it for now. Who knows, it might come in handy.

From above, I could see Fenrir sitting by a large rock, her arms crossed, cheeks puffed, and lips pouting in a clear show of displeasure.

What's gotten into her?

I flew down to her, still carrying the pendant carefully in my beak. As soon as I landed, the wolf-girl immediately started scolding me.

"Where have you been, you stupid bird?! Can't you see I've been waiting for you? Don't just leave without telling me!"

I blinked at her, not understanding the reason for her anger.

"Stop looking at me like that!" she barked when she saw me tilt my head in confusion. "Wait... what are you holding in your beak?"

In a flash, Fenrir snatched the pendant from me. I tried to resist, but she was much stronger than me, forcing me to let go.

"Kraaa-kraaaak! (Give it back! It's mine!)"

I jumped at her, trying to fight back, though I knew it was futile. She easily caught me in her arms, hugging me tightly, trapping me against her soft chest. I was helpless, utterly defeated.

"It's so pretty..." Fenrir exclaimed, her eyes twinkling as she admired the pendant. "Were you trying to give this to me?"

"Kraa-kraaaak! (No! It's mine! Give it back, you wretched girl!)" I squawked, still struggling to free myself from her embrace.

But strangely, her tail and ears wagged excitedly, and she smiled, clearly misinterpreting my anger.

"You're so sweet. Giving me such a lovely necklace. I really do love you."

'She's completely misunderstanding my fury,' I thought in frustration. 'Does she really see me as this weak?'

Fenrir lifted me up, gazing at me with pride. As I looked into her eyes, something about her expression stirred a memory.

What's with that look?

"You've fed me, become my cuddle buddy, and now you've given me this beautiful necklace," she gushed. "You're truly the best pet ever."

Wait, pet? Since when did I become your pet?!

"Kraa-kraaak! (Do you think I'd be your pet, you foolish girl?!)" I screeched, fighting to escape. "Kraa-kraaak! (I don't want a master like you! Selfish, annoying, and so, so dumb!)"

But no matter how much I struggled, Fenrir didn't seem to take my outburst seriously.

"You're just adorable," she said, beaming. "I promise to take care of you and protect you. And I also promise... I'll never eat you!"

THUD.

My heart nearly stopped at the word "eat." Her sweet face and innocent demeanor had made me forget that, at the end of the day, she was a predator—a wolf.

I take it back... maybe being her pet is better than becoming her meal.

My feathers drooped, and I stopped resisting, realizing my place in this new dynamic. I didn't even care about the pendant she now 'accepted' as a gift.

Without hesitation, Fenrir wore the necklace around her neck, making her look even more beautiful, despite her tattered clothing.

"As a sign that you're officially my pet, I'll give you a little gift."

The word "gift" piqued my interest.

"First, I'll give you a name!"

I tilted my head. 'A name, huh...'

I hadn't thought about having a name again after living so long in the Norse world as a crow. Among animals, names weren't unusual, but in some circles, being named was a sign of subservience. It often meant you were someone's pet.

Well, I guess it wouldn't be so bad to have a name in this second life.

Before she could name me, she flashed a smile. "From now on, your name is..."

My heart raced in anticipation. I couldn't wait to hear what she would call me.

"...Den Stygge! (The Ugly One!)"

I blinked in disbelief.

Den Stygge? That's the best she could come up with? I'd never met anyone as clueless as her. How could she give me a name that literally means "ugly"?

"Kraaa-kraaaak! (I refuse to go by that name, you idiot girl!)" I squawked, flapping my wings furiously, utterly insulted. "Kraaa-kraaaak! (Take it back, you foolish wolf!)"

"You seem to love the name," she smiled brightly, clearly oblivious to how terrible her choice was.

When she finally let me go, I soared into the air and pecked her head repeatedly in frustration.

Take that, you clueless girl!

"Ow, ow! That hurts!" she yelped, shielding her head from my beak. "What's gotten into you, Stygge? You've never been this noisy before!"

"Kraaa-kraaaak! (How dare you call me that awful name!)"

I swooped back down and continued pecking at her head with all the fury I could muster, not caring what she might do to me in return.

"Stop it! Why are you so mad?" she cried out.

I finally paused, landing on the ground, but I kept flapping my wings at her angrily, hoping she'd understand just how upset I was.

"Kraaa-kraaaak! (You still don't get it, you dumb wolf!)"

Fenrir frowned as she watched my behavior. 

"Don't tell me... you don't like the name I gave you?!" 

I nodded, and the girl finally understood my meaning. Her ears drooped in disappointment. 

"Alright, I'll think of another name then..." Fenrir said, a confused look on her face as she stroked her chin, trying to come up with a fitting name for me. 

"Ah!" 

I smiled when I heard Fenrir exclaim with confidence, as if she'd just found the perfect name. 

"How about... Svart (The Black One)? That seems like a good fit to me." 

I put on a blank face again. Honestly, it wasn't a bad name, but... ugh. Surely, there had to be a better name than that. 

"What do you think? Do you like it?" Fenrir asked, her face lighting up. 

I didn't care and shook my head in disapproval. Who would want to be stuck with such a lame name for the rest of their life? 

"So you don't like it..." she said with a sad voice, looking disappointed. "What about Poppet (Little One)?" 

I shook my head again. 

Fenrir began listing several other strange names, but I kept refusing, occasionally cawing to make my displeasure known. Slowly, Fenrir grew frustrated with me. 

"Why won't you accept any of the names I give you? Don't they all sound lovely?!" Fenrir snapped. 

"Kraaak... kraaak (Are you stupid? How on earth do those names sound lovely?!)" 

I cawed loudly, showing my disapproval with exaggerated gestures. 

"Ugh!" Fenrir ruffled her hair in frustration. "What kind of name do *you* want, then?!" 

I looked at her, puzzled. Was it really that hard to come up with a name for me? Was her naming sense truly this terrible? 

"Stop looking at me like that!" Fenrir yelled, noticing my mocking gaze. "I don't care anymore! Just pick your own name!" 

I sighed at her challenge. In the end, she was leaving the decision to me. Fine, maybe it was better this way than accepting one of her awful names. 

I thought for a moment, recalling all the names I'd heard in my previous life. After pondering for a while, a name came to mind. But the problem was, how would I tell her? She wouldn't understand my words. 

I looked around and noticed some fallen branches. That gave me an idea - Yes, writing the name was the perfect solution. 

I quickly gathered a few dry branches and began arranging them into the name that had formed in my mind. 

"What are you doing?" Fenrir asked as she watched me, but then realization dawned on her. "Wait, are you writing something?" 

"That's amazing! I've never seen an animal write before." 

I smiled at her praise. 

In my previous life, I had studied archaeology, which allowed me to learn the language and writing of ancient Nordic civilizations. 

After some time, I smiled in satisfaction once I finished arranging the branches into the name I wanted. 

Yatagarasu. 

That was the name I desired. The name of the raven god in Japanese mythology, known for being a wise and cunning bringer of good fortune. 

It might sound a bit odd in the Nordic lands, but to me, it was the perfect name. 

"What a beautiful name," she said, smiling. 

I glanced at Fenrir, who was gazing at the branches in awe. It seemed she liked the name I had chosen for myself too. 

"So... how do you read this?" 

!!! 

I gawked at Fenrir in disbelief. Was she serious? Could she not read, or was my writing just that bad? I couldn't tell. 

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, confused. "Isn't it normal for people to not be able to read? It's weirder seeing you—a raven—understand and write so well." 

Ah, I see now.

Reading and writing were mandatory skills for modern people, but in the distant past, people didn't fully grasp the importance of literacy. Only a select few cared about such things. 

For people from ancient times, reading and writing weren't essential. They were more focused on survival—through hunting, farming, and warfare. I only now realized how foolish I had been, after Fenrir admitted she couldn't read. 

I felt like banging my head against a rock. I had completely forgotten the cultural differences between modern and ancient people. Not to mention, I had wasted my time arranging those branches just to write a name. 

"Kraaaak... (Dammit!)" I cawed in frustration, flapping my feathers. 

"Hahaha... you're so funny," Fenrir giggled as she watched my exasperation. 

I glared at her, annoyed. 'Is this what artificial intelligence feels like when it meets natural stupidity?' 

Suddenly, Fenrir hugged me tightly, her embrace full of affection. I could only sit there in silence as she held me, still irritated by all the effort I had wasted. 

"Don't worry. For now, I'll just call you 'my pet' until I figure out the name you wrote." 

'Then what's the point of having a name if you're just going to call me your pet, you foolish master!' 

But what could I do? I could only resign myself to the selfish request of the girl who had now become my master. 

Fenrir suddenly loosened her grip and began looking at me warmly. Her golden eyes, which now seemed melancholic, reflected emotions she had been keeping hidden for a long time. We stared at each other for a moment, trying to uncover the secret feelings buried deep within our hearts. 

"I'll give you one more gift," she said, breaking the silence that had settled around us. "A gift that will be incredibly valuable to a creature like you." 

Why did her eyes seem so sad? What kind of gift was she planning to give me? 

"I will give you one of my runes..." 

A cold winter breeze accompanied her words, carrying them away, leaving only the two of us to hear them.