Preparation

Fenrir remained fast asleep, mumbling between her calm breaths, while I sat by her side, watching her with a mix of emotions. On her beautiful face, I caught a glimpse of a selfish girl dreaming of deer meat, with drool trickling from the corner of her mouth.

"Hmm... yum... deer meat," she muttered in her sleep.

I sighed softly, glancing up at the star-filled night sky, trying to distract myself from the wolf-girl monopolizing the atmosphere.

"Does she always talk about food in her sleep?" I mumbled, annoyed. "Well, at least she doesn't snore."

Shaking my head, I pushed thoughts of Fenrir's sleep-talking aside and refocused on my far more important task—delving deeper into the secrets of my shapeshifter rune.

The moonlight bathed the surroundings as I sat cross-legged, attempting to grasp the mysteries of the power within me. In my hand were strands of dark, thick feathers, remnants that had fallen when the three gods shattered my pride just a few days ago.

If only I could turn back time, I would make them pay dearly for what they did to me.

Though the wounds had begun to heal, they still ached deep in my heart. The scars from their torment lingered like shadows, refusing to fade. But I tried to quell the unrest within me.

"Haaah... let it go, it's all in the past," I whispered, attempting to accept the bitter reality.

With full concentration, I directed my energy toward the feather in my hand, intending to transform it into something useful for our journey. A backpack, perhaps. That's what I had in mind.

"Henshin."

The spell flowed from my lips, accompanied by a soft glow enveloping the feather. But suddenly, heat began to spread, and in an instant, the feather ignited, turning into black ash that scattered into the night wind.

"Tch. Failed again," I muttered in frustration. "What went wrong? I could turn it into fabric just yesterday."

I sat in silence for a moment, lost in thought, trying to figure out what was wrong with my method.

A few days ago, I had easily transformed a single feather into soft fabric to wrap fruits. I even managed to fuse Loki's gift, a knife, with my feathers. So why did everything feel so difficult now?

Exhausted by these thoughts, I lay back, gazing at the moon shining brightly in the night sky. The starry expanse seemed to dance above, creating a mesmerizing view.

"Scorpio still hasn't stung Orion yet…" I murmured to myself as I observed the Scorpio constellation. Meanwhile, the Hunter and the Maiden had yet to reveal themselves from behind the veil of stars.

"Virgo hasn't shown her beauty either…" Looking at the constellations, I realized winter would likely last a little longer.

The constellations in this world were the same as those in my previous one, as was the knowledge of astronomy. Fortunately, my familiarity with it made it easier to navigate and predict when the seasons would change. Suddenly, my reverie was broken by a familiar voice that pierced the silence.

"Yata... hungry."

I turned to see Fenrir still sound asleep, her body curled up on the hard stone bed, yet the winter snow seemed to bother her not in the slightest. She appeared so comfortable, entirely lost in her dream.

"Give me... more meat..." she mumbled, drool dripping down her cheek.

I approached her with a small smile on my lips. "I thought something was wrong, but she's just sleep-talking again."

However, as I was about to sit back down, something in her mumbling triggered a thought.

"Wait... hungry? More meat?" I paused for a moment, and my eyes widened. "Ah! That's it!"

With renewed excitement, I grabbed several feathers scattered near me. Clutching them tightly along with the main feather in my hand, this time I was more certain.

"Henshin."

The spell flowed more smoothly than before. A soft light wrapped around the feathers in my hand, merging them, and within seconds, a small backpack formed. I stared at it with sparkling eyes.

"Yes! It worked!" I exclaimed triumphantly.

Fenrir, though only sleep-talking, had given me an unexpected clue. It turned out that my previous failure was due to not using enough feathers to create something more complex. The more intricate the item I wanted, the more parts of me were needed.

"Looks like... I owe her a thank you later," I muttered, glancing at Fenrir, still lost in her dream. 

With a lighter heart, I continued my work. One by one, I transformed the remaining feathers into small items we'd need for our long journey ahead.

Even as the night grew late, my enthusiasm remained strong, guiding each creation born from the rune power entrusted to me by Fenrir.

****

The next morning, the sun smiled warmly, shining over the Lyngvi Valley still covered in thick snow. The cold morning air bit at my skin, but my spirit was already ablaze.

"Are you done packing?" Fenrir's voice came from behind me.

"Almost," I replied, stuffing various tools and supplies into the new backpack I had crafted the night before. My hands moved quickly, organizing everything so that it was neatly packed and easily accessible later.

"Knife, chain, clothes," I checked everything meticulously, then smiled in satisfaction. "Alright. All set."

But Fenrir suddenly shot me a sharp look, her eyes glinting with suspicion as she noticed something familiar in my backpack. "Wait. Why are you bringing Gleipnir?!"

I gave a faint smile, trying not to reveal any guilt. "You noticed?"

"Of course, you stupid bird! Get rid of that thing!" she snapped harshly, a slight tremor in her voice betraying her hidden fear.

I stared at her for a moment before slowly shaking my head. "Sorry, but I can't do that."

"Huh? Why?" Her voice was filled with disbelief. Her eyes bore into me, sharp and demanding. "What are you planning to do with that cursed thing?"

I smiled at her question, trying to reassure her with a calm tone. "I believe this will be useful. Trust me. I can tame it."

Fenrir's expression grew even more disapproving, and I could see a flicker of fear behind her gaze. I knew she had a deep trauma associated with Gleipnir, the chain that had bound her for so long.

But to me, this object held too much potential to waste. The power meant to hold Fenrir until Ragnarok surely had the capability to become a formidable weapon against the gods.

I had already attempted to alter it with my shapeshifter rune, but so far, I hadn't been successful. Maybe because I didn't fully possess it yet, I wasn't sure. But I hoped that on our journey, I would find a way to tame Gleipnir and turn it into my secret weapon. It would definitely be my trump card.

"Ah, I almost forgot," I said suddenly, remembering something. I reached into my backpack and pulled out a piece of clothing I had prepared the night before. "This is for you!" I tossed the bundle of clothes toward her.

Fenrir caught it easily, then inspected what I had given her. "What's this?"

In her hands was a stylish black fur jacket, complete with matching black jeans. The outfit was designed with a fantasy flair, combining materials made from my own feathers.

"I noticed your clothes were getting pretty ragged, so I made you a new set from the leftover feathers," I said proudly.

Fenrir's eyes widened, sparkling with awe as she examined the outfit. "Wow, this is awesome!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Try it on," I urged.

Suddenly, her cheeks flushed, a shy blush spreading across her face. "You may be my pet bird..." she mumbled, turning her face away. "But do you mind turning around for a moment?"

I tilted my head, not quite understanding what she meant. Then, finally, my brain clicked, and my face turned red as well.

"Oh, sorry! Of course," I quickly spun around and closed my eyes, giving her the privacy she needed to change clothes.

I smiled slightly, appreciating this softer side of her. Even though she often came off as tough and selfish, Fenrir was still a girl with a feminine side. I waited for a while, listening to the soft rustle of her changing into the new outfit.

After a few moments, Fenrir called out, "Okay. You can turn around now."

I opened my eyes and turned around, only to find myself stunned as I saw her in the outfit I'd made for her.

To be honest, I'd designed the clothes based on my hobby, blending modern and fantasy elements with a style reminiscent of the Victorian era. But I hadn't expected them to look so good on Fenrir.

The black fur cloak, which I'd intended for battle, made her look incredibly cool. Her legs appeared long and slim in the black stockings and boots, and the short black jeans added a bold, strong touch.

Yet despite the tough appearance, her innocent face and rosy cheeks made her look both beautiful and cute at the same time.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Say something already," she grumbled, a little annoyed, but her eyes sparkled, her ears twitched, and her tail wagged excitedly, clearly waiting for a compliment.

I grinned widely, pleased with my handiwork. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," she replied, and for a moment, we just stood there, gazing at each other in silence, small smiles on both our faces. No words were needed, only a warm feeling that enveloped the cold morning.

"Hey, Yata," Fenrir breaking the silence. "Let's get going."

I nodded without saying anything, preparing for the long journey ahead of us.

"Where should we start?" I asked, staring out at the snowy valley before us.

"Of course, from here, from Jotunheim!" Her voice rang with enthusiasm, full of confidence.

We walked together over the snowy ground, ready to face whatever lay ahead. Though this journey would be filled with challenges and dangers, I knew we could overcome them. Together.