Screams in the Lyngvi Valley

Three days had passed since my meeting with Loki, and his words still lingered in my mind. Every time I saw Fenrir's innocent smile, my heart wavered with uncertainty.

All this unease had driven me to distance myself slightly from her. I perched on a tree far enough from her, pretending to nap, hoping to avoid facing her directly. The knife Loki had given me lay hidden within my feathers, neatly concealed. Who would have thought it could meld with my feathers when I returned to my true form? It seemed not just my body, but everything I 'owned' could be affected by my shapeshifting abilities.

As I brooded over my thoughts, a familiar, shrill voice broke through my musings, calling out to me with her usual cheery tone. 

"Yataaaa!" shouted a purple-haired girl, waving her hand with a bright, innocent smile. "What are you doing up there? Come down already!"

Couldn't she sense my mood? Did she not realize I was trying to avoid her? Damn, this was frustrating!

I glanced down at her with a blank stare before turning away, deliberately averting my gaze, hoping she'd get the hint.

Better to ignore her.

Yes… She couldn't possibly reach me at this distance. Lucky for me, I'd chosen a tree that was both comfortable and out of her grasp. I could enjoy a brief respite, free from the grip of that overwhelming girl.

"Tch. Stupid bird! How dare you ignore me?"

I could hear her muttering, but I chose to keep ignoring her. What could she do to me from this distance? I was safe here.

Thunk!

Suddenly, a sharp pain struck the back of my head. A small rock, thrown with full force, knocked me off balance, sending me tumbling from the branch.

What was that? Who could have done this?

I looked around in confusion until I spotted her not far behind me, clutching a handful of pebbles in her hand. Anger flashed in her sharp golden eyes.

Shaking off the dizziness, I stood up, only to be met with her stern warning.

"I'll count to three. If you don't come here right now, I'll pelt you with these rocks until you regret it."

This was bad! She was seriously mad! And she could easily kill me with those small rocks alone.

"Khaaakh…"

I immediately spread my wings and darted toward her like a bullet, not wanting to meet an unfortunate end over her stubbornness.

Fenrir caught me in her arms, cradling me on her lap like I was her personal pet. A satisfied smile spread across her face as she began stroking my feathers gently, clearly pleased with herself.

"Yata... why have you been avoiding me lately?" she pouted, her cheeks puffing out. "I'm lonely, you know."

There was no way I could answer that. How could I possibly tell her everything that had been happening?

"You don't want to answer, huh?" she asked, sounding slightly defeated. "Oh well."

While she continued to coddle me, her grip suddenly tightened. I winced slightly. Her face had become rigid, filled with tension. Her nose flared as if she had caught a scent that displeased her.

What's going on? What's bothering her?

"Why are those bastards here?" Fenrir growled, her voice low and dangerous.

At first, I hadn't realized what was happening, but soon I felt it too—an ominous, powerful presence approaching.

The gods…? I thought, trying to make sense of it.

Fenrir stood up, her expression dark and serious. Her ears were upright, her fists clenched, and her tail lashed angrily behind her.

"Stay back, Yata!" she ordered, her face set with determination. "I'll handle them."

Seeing her like this, I was certain my guess was right. The gods were here. But why? Was this connected to Loki's visit a few days ago?

Fenrir must have sensed my concern because she stroked my back reassuringly and flashed a confident smile.

"Don't worry! I'm still the strongest wolf in all of the Norse realms."

I sighed with a bit of relief. It seemed she could handle this on her own. Besides, what could a small, weak raven like me do in front of gods? Even facing Loki had left me frozen in fear.

In the end, I followed her command and perched on a nearby tree to watch from a distance.

It wasn't long before several figures emerged from the shadows of the forest, walking arrogantly. At a glance, I knew they weren't human—they had to be gods.

Fenrir stood her ground, refusing to back down in the face of their intimidating presence. She growled at them, baring her sharp teeth.

"Grrr, what do you want from me, you bastards?"

One of the gods stepped forward, a mocking grin on his face.

"Who would've thought, after all these years, you'd grow into such a beautiful young woman, Fenrir."

The other gods laughed at his remark, but Fenrir didn't. She glared at them, her growl growing more menacing.

"That's right," another god chimed in. "You've grown into quite the lovely girl over the years."

They continued to laugh, mocking her with sharp, cutting words, hinting at the freedom she had lost, bound by the chains that sealed her.

Fenrir's gaze remained fierce, her body tense as if she were ready to strike.

"Leave, or I'll tear you apart!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. We just wanted to check in on you."

Honestly, their behavior angered me too. Was this how the Norse gods really acted? Arrogant, lazy, racist, and cowardly.

The tension in the air thickened. The wind rustled through the trees, and I could feel a cold chill running through my feathers.

"What do you want?" Fenrir growled again, her eyes narrowing at the group of gods before her. "Answer me, you bastards!"

"We're here under Odin's orders to monitor your condition."

Fenrir's ears twitched with suspicion.

"For all this time, that old man has never sent anyone to check on me." She sneered, baring her sharp fangs. "You're hiding something, aren't you, scum?"

"We're just following orders," one of them jeered. "We don't know what he's thinking."

"Don't play with me! I know you're hiding something!"

The gods' faces grew serious.

"What do you know, you cursed girl? You're no longer the wolf we fear! You're just a stray dog, trapped in her chains!"

"What did you say?!"

This time, Fenrir's rage erupted. She lunged at them with lightning speed, so fast I could barely follow her movements. Her sharp claws reached out toward the gods, only to be stopped by Gleipnir.

"Ugh… damn it!"

Fenrir strained against the chains, her claws just inches away from the gods. Though startled by her sudden attack at first, the gods soon burst into laughter, realizing she was powerless against the binding force of Gleipnir.

"You'll never escape those chains, you sweet little pup."

They resumed mocking her, laughing at her helplessness.

"Who are you calling a pup, you bastards!" Fenrir snarled. "I'll rip you apart, devour you, and skin you alive!"

"Try if you can," one of them taunted with a smug grin.

"It seems this little dog needs some discipline," said the one who appeared to be their leader. He glanced at his companions, seeking their opinion.

"What do you think, Hord, Svart?"

They both nodded in agreement.

"We're with you, brother Hojlund."

One of them reached out his hand. I wasn't sure what they intended to do, but my instincts told me it wasn't good.

"O mighty Gleipnir," they called out in a booming voice. "Awaken and bind this wild dog, bind her so tightly she cannot move at all!"

Gleipnir seemed to stir to life at their command. The chains tightened, pulling Fenrir closer, binding her so tightly that she could no longer move.

What the hell is this? I gaped in shock at the strange sight. Has Gleipnir been alive all this time?

The three gods walked toward Fenrir with cruel intent in their eyes. It was clear what they planned to do to her.

This is bad! What should I do?

Panic and worry overtook me as I realized those bastards were about to hurt Fenrir, who was now helpless, ensnared by the awakened Gleipnir.

*****

In the depths of the usually silent and serene Lyngvi Valley, an unusual symphony echoed through the air. It wasn't the melodious chorus of birdsong, the creaking of tree branches, or the soothing hum of nature. No, this time, the only sound that could be heard was the rhythmic thud of blows landing on a beautiful girl, her body bound in golden chains. The sound reverberated through the snow-covered trees.

It was a brutal symphony, accompanied by muffled groans of pain, drowned out by the cold winter wind. No one was there to witness this cruel spectacle. Only I, and the barren, snowy landscape, bore witness to the savage beating that took place in the heart of Lyngvi Valley.

"Aaargh!"

"Take that, you damn girl! You need to be taught a lesson!"

The gods continued to mercilessly beat Fenrir, relishing in her cries of pain and helpless resistance.

Yet, despite the relentless blows, Fenrir didn't show any sign of defeat. Instead, the fire in her eyes revealed someone unafraid of death. Her gaze wasn't one of submission but of deep-seated fury toward those who had wronged her.

"Again with that disgusting glare!"

"You should know your place by now, you wild mutt!"

They continued to swarm Fenrir, shamelessly trampling on her like an irritating insect.

I racked my brain, searching for a way to help her. But as a raven, there was no way I could fight these gods head-on with nothing but raw courage.

Fenrir's pained groans grew louder, piercing my ears. Without thinking, I flew toward the gods. I knew it was a foolish and dangerous move, but I couldn't just sit back and watch her suffer.

"Khaak-khaakh… khaakh!" 

I screeched loudly and pecked at their heads, trying to disrupt them as much as I could. Yet, they barely acknowledged my presence, their focus solely on Fenrir.

"Khaakh! Khaakh!"

After a while, they finally growled and looked at me in annoyance.

"What's with this damn bird?!" sneered Svart, one of the burly gods. "It's been nothing but a nuisance!"

"You're right, brother," replied Hord, the tall one. "That raven's been trying to interfere."

It seemed my attempt to distract them had worked. But there was a steep price to pay for it. Now, the gods had shifted their attention to me, their eyes narrowing with wicked grins.

"I think we should deal with this bird first before we finish off this wild mutt," said a god with a long beard, their apparent leader, named Hojlund.

Honestly, I didn't know who they were. Their names didn't appear in any of the Norse myths I'd read. Perhaps they weren't important gods at all.

"Aaaargh! Damn it, let go, you rabid dog!"

Seeing an opening, Fenrir bit down on Hojlund's leg, causing him to scream in agony.

"Let her go, you mad dog!"

Hord kicked Fenrir's head roughly to make her release her bite. It worked, but the price was steep, chunks of Hojlund's flesh and skin were torn away by Fenrir's sharp teeth.

"Aaaargh!"

Hojlund cried out again, clutching his bleeding leg.

"That raven is mine! Don't you dare hurt him!" Fenrir snarled, licking the blood from the corner of her mouth.

The gods were stunned by her actions, their expressions a mix of shock and fear. Even bound, they should've known that Fenrir was still a dangerous, powerful beast. Underestimating her was clearly a mistake, even in her restrained state. The girl wasn't going down without a fight.

"Are you insane?" Hojlund cursed as he pressed down on his bleeding wound.

Fenrir growled softly, her eyes blazing with anger. "I'd rather face your wrath than watch you harm my pet."

Her fierce words sent a shiver down my spine.

"Brothers, I think it's time we teach this dog a real lesson."

They all ignored me once again, turning their sharp grins back on Fenrir. Their weapons were drawn, aimed at her, ready to strike at any moment.

But they hesitated, unsure if they should attack or not. It was as if they feared what this still-bound creature could do.

"Come on, if you dare, you cowards!" Fenrir challenged, her eyes gleaming with resolve. "Kill me if you can!"

I smirked, satisfied by the doubt reflected in their eyes. I knew for certain they wouldn't kill Fenrir. If they could, they would've done so long ago, instead of binding her until Ragnarok.

I still didn't understand why Odin chose to bind Fenrir rather than kill her. Perhaps he was merely following the destiny laid out by Yggdrasil.

The gods sighed deeply, trying to calm themselves. It seemed they had given up. I was almost certain they would leave empty-handed.

"As per Odin's orders..."

My heart pounded as I heard Hojlund speak. I was eager to hear what he would say next, hoping they would finally leave.

"We are to kill you, Fenrir!"

What?!