Blood Ties (Fenrir)

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Hel was concerned that the presence of Thor would mean that he would be watching Fenrir. He had made it clear that there was no love lost between the two, but Hel could not be convinced to turn away from her brother and she found that such implications of turning her back on her brothers still bothered her. She would almost prefer to feel nothing at all. However, to become so emotionally dead she feared that she would have to remain in Helheim. That was not something she wished for as of yet.

Hel set off in search of her brother to warn him of Thor’s presence if he was not already aware. She doubted the elder god would do anything hostile while her father was here, but she did not trust him. She also knew that Fenrir could be volatile if enraged and she did not want him to start anything he could not finish. She was well aware that Thor would send both Fenrir and herself back where they had come from if they stirred up trouble. Hel had spent far too long in exile to risk getting shipped back to a place for which she cared little. She had spent too long away from her kin to risk losing them again so soon.

Hel searched for her elder brother, deciding that he would most likely be found away from others as he had no love of mortals. He had no love of most beings. It would be safe to assume that he would spend as much time as he could away from other people. His true nature still had a very strong hold over him even though he wore the suit of a man. His heart and his soul still belonged to that of a wolf.

Hel searched the forest, leaving the paths that wound through the trees for the much denser brush and undergrowth. She guessed that Fenrir would not be found on the path where anyone may run into him, but rather in a place that would be harder to reach to keep people out. Hel cracked sticks in her path as she continued into the woods, steeping over a fallen tree here and avoiding the thorn apple trees, listening and looking for any sign of her brother. She was sure he was here somewhere.

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The forest still had its problems, it wasn't the perfect place for solitude, prone as it was to adventurers, amorous couples and anti-social creatures much like himself, but it was at least better than a lot of the school - and it was dense enough that he could get to a point away from all signs of modern life.

On top of this - quite literally - he had discovered something quite pleasing to him. This human form was rather adept at climbing trees, and solitude was much easier to find when one was deeply ensconsed amongst the branches of a tall tree. It often meant people could pass by without him having to pay any attention to them at all, and he'd found they soon continued on their way if he didn't engage them, or couldn't be seen for them to engage him.

He heard movement below and expected whoever it was to simply carry on as the others had done, although he did peer down through the branches of his perch to see. When he realised it was Hel, he finally moved from his spot and clambered quickly down, dropping the last few feet to the ground behind her.

"Sister."

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Hel turned at the sound of her brother’s voice. She had walked through the woods looking not into the trees, but rather on the ground. It was still odd to see her brother as a man and not a wolf. She was glad to see him anyway, for even if he was in the body of a man and not a wolf he was still her brother. “I am glad to have found you, brother,” she told him. She had a great desire to stroke his fur, though she could not for he had none in this form. Instead, she held out a hand to him as she stepped closer.

“I have been seeking you for there is a matter of urgency I wished to discuss with you,” she began. The presence of Thor would perhaps go unnoticed by her brother if he spend most of his time hiding away from people. “I know not if you have heard, but Thor has come to Midgard. I have had words with him and I am concerned for your welfare as much as my own. I sought you out immediately.” She could not be sure what Thor would do to Fenrir if he found offense with the wolf, but she was sure it would not be pleasant.

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Fenrir stepped over to her and took her hand, squeezing it lightly. He was not an overly tactile person, letting someone close enough to touch him required a level of trust that he didn't afford most people. Hel was different, and while the contact was strange and a little unfamiliar for him, he knew it comforted her and so he allowed it.

"Thor?" he frowned, eyes flicking about as though he expected the thunder god to appear from the trees that very moment and drag him back to Lyngvi. Though if Hel had already encountered him, perhaps that was not his immediate intention, or she would have already been returned to her realm. Still, he didn't quite relax.

"What is his purpose here?" he asked cautiously. Was he here to watch them? To hover over their every action as the judgmental eye of the Aesir, ready to drag them back at the slightest hint of something he didn't like?

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Hel was indeed comforted when she felt Fenrir’s hand in her own. It was good to be so near him when they had so long been kept apart cruelly. Hel trusted her brothers more than any other and was glad of the contact. The warmth of his hand was a very mortal but comforting feel. She felt more at ease like this.

“He said that he had been sent to watch over us by Odin himself.” Hel felt that this was completely unwarranted for whatever trouble she and her brothers may have caused, it was because they had been taken away in the first place. They would cause little trouble here. Besides, whatever trouble they might encounter, their father was here to sort it out for them.

“If we keep to ourselves, then our Uncle may leave us be. He harbors no love for you, Brother, and I fear after our conversation I hold little favor in his eyes. I am not yet ready to part from you or Father yet.” Hel wished to say more, but she did not wish to overwhelm Fenrir with words. She did not wish his anger to be turned on her for being careless with him. Instead she would be patient and say what she wished to be said over time so as not to overwhelm her brother.

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Fenrir fell silent as he considered Hel's words. Thor was here to watch them, was he? That was both good news and bad, it was good because it meant they could stay here and spend more time together, good that he would not be taken away from his sister once again, and since he did not intend to cause any trouble, perhaps their stay here would be a long and comfortable one. On the other hand, Thor was still here watching them, they were not safe from the Aesir even here, would they be safe anywhere? Was there anywhere they could run to be free of that haunting presence? Beyond that, as Hel said, Thor harboured no love for him, for any of them, what little would it take for him to change his mind and have them taken away once again?

"I will not let them," he growled, gripping Hel's hand tightly as he continued his thoughts out loud. Though he hadn't really explained what he meant by that, he was confident that Hel would understand, would realise what he was telling her without him having to say much more. He would not let anybody split them up a second time.

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Hel waited patiently as her words of warning seemed to sink in to her brother. It was a great deal to consider, but Fenrir was sensible. He always had been sensible, though often times his temper got the better of him. Hel could not fault him for that, for even she had known anger.

She Fenrir’s expression for he was much more readable in this form, though not much. She could not tell what he was thinking but she did not mind. Fenrir would speak when he had a mind to speak and no sooner. She was used to his silence and expected it from him. Jor was fond of speech, but Fenrir was not.

She was rewarded, however, by the conclusion of Fenrir’s thoughts. She squeezed his hand gently, knowing full well what he meant. It was not hard to understand his meaning. “Nor will I,” she replied. She meant it too. She would do whatever she had to do to protect her family. She would do anything. “I am glad we stand together on this. We will be harder to break if we are united.” Thor could try to tear them apart if he wished, but they were stronger together than separately.

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"Yes, together." Fenrir agreed firmly. They were older now, stronger and fiercer and they understood much better what would happen to them if they allowed Thor - or any of the other aesir - to tear them apart and take them away again. They were just children the last time they had been separated, young and weak and obedient. They hadn't known what fates awaited them, or why they should fight against it, but now they did. They could fight for themselves, they could fight for each other, the gods would not find them so easy to subdue anymore.

"Worry not, sister, they will not take us," even though there didn't seem to be an imminent threat of that, Fenrir was confident that, should the time come that they decided to try it again, they would fail.

"We can remain here as long as we wish," indefinitely was probably best, though this place certainly had its drawbacks, it felt safer here. Besides, if they stayed here they could stay together, if they did go anywhere else they would have to be in agreement about where that somewhere was.

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Hel knew that she could always rely on Fenrir and hear him confirm that they would stand together against a common enemy rallied her spirits. They were not children anymore. It would be harder for anyone to try to split them apart again. If anyone was of the mind to do such a thing it would be ill advised. Hel had few scruples. She would do what needed to be done to save her family. Thor had a misplaced sense of trust in his niece, but she was not above being vindictive to hurt him.

Hel nodded. She trusted Fenrir’s judgment in this matter. They would continue to take care of each other as they had always done. “I shall try not to worry,” she conceded, though with Thor’s continued presence it would be difficult not to. She would still be careful, for she did not wish for Thor’s wrath to fall upon her.

“If that is the case then I would prefer to stay on Midgard. There are worse places after all.” Niflheim was infinitely worse for the cool dampness got into everything and stayed there. It never went away. Midgard was not preferable to Jotunheim, perhaps, but at least it was not Niflheim. Nor was it the island on which Fenrir had been chained. Nor was it the vast murky ocean of Jormungandr’s imprisonment. Midgard was preferable in that regard. Any of the nine realms that housed her family was preferable.

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"Good." Fenrir nodded. He might be gruff, practically incapable of showing his own emotions, and not very good at recognising other people's, but that didn't mean he didn't have any, and he cared very deeply for his siblings. It wasn't just about Hel being safe and free to do as she wished, he also wanted her to be happy - happy wasn't really a thing he'd had much experience of, but he wanted it for his siblings more than he wanted it for himself.

"This place seems safe enough," he agreed "and father is here as well." It wasn't that he particularly needed to be near his father, though it was nice it wasn't as important as being near other members of his family, having Loki around was still helpful. Loki might be a tricky god to pin down, but he could usually be relied upon to be on their side in any argument.

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Hel of course could not read minds so she did not know that Fenrir wanted her to be happy. She did know that he would look out for her while they spent time here. They would look out for each other because now they could. They were still in exile in a way. They were away from Odin so they could cause him no harm, but not in a particularly favorable place.

Hel squeezed Fenrir’s hand. “I came because Father was here. I am glad you too have come. I have missed you most terribly.” But they were together now and that was the important part. They were together and no one could tear them apart again. Father would not let them. It was, as Fenrir had said, safe for them to be here. Hel was beginning to realize that having family was a gift.

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"I missed you also," he agreed, squeezing her hand back and oddly enjoying being able to do that. It was a lot more difficult when all you had were paws and teeth, it was much easier to be in contact with his sister in this form, without having to worry about harming her.

"Keep me informed," he added, not wanting to get too close to Thor himself. Though he knew she wouldn't want to either, it was safer for her to be around him, and since they were both teachers it would probably be unavoidable at some points. It meant she could judge his mood, be able to tell whether or not it was safe. He wasn't sure if she'd realise, but he also meant he wanted to know how she was, how she felt about being here and how her life was going. Now that he could be in contact with her, he wanted to know everything.

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If Hel was inclined to smile, she would have just then. However, though she did not smile, she felt the love in her heart seem to grow to fill a void that she had not realized was empty. It was a curious feeling. It was a recognition that for so long she had not truly been living. She had existed, but not really lived. She had not allowed herself to live, but she could now. She was beginning to come back to life, slowly and that was alright. She could allow that to happen.

Hel nodded. “Of course,” she replied. It would be unthinkable if she did not keep him informed of the happenings with Thor. That went without question. If they planned to stand together then it would not do to withhold information. “I shall take my leave now,” she told her brother, “but if you need anything do not hesitate to ask. I shall always be glad to help.”

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"As shall I," he nodded. It was a strange feeling, once again having someone around that he could actually count on. It had been a very long time since they'd been taken away from each other, and it had been many years since Fenrir could truly trust anybody but himself, but he was glad to have that again, and he would do anything for Hel to prove that he was worthy of her trust as well.

"Take care, sister," he finally relinquished his grip on her hand and stepped back a little, planning on climbing back up into the tree once she had gone, partly to continue with his solitude and partly to consider the conversation. The news had given him some things to think about, and he would have to tread carefully now that Thor was around.