Somewhere in Jotunheim...

    The harsh winter wind cut through everything in it's path chilling to the bone all it encountered. Far from any civilisation Thor and Loki sat together. Their backs were to a rocky crag that was the closest thing to shelter for miles.

     The fire in front of them could never have been lit without Loki's magic and even fed by the fire Jotun it still flickered in the roaring winds and gave little warmth. Much to their discomfort the two new friends were forced to huddle together for warmth. It was one of their first journeys together and neither entirely trusted the other yet.

     Thor was staring into the fire an uncharacteristically thoughtful look creased his heavy brow. “If this Blizzard doesn't pass we will never find our way. We might well freeze to death.” He muttered. Loki gave him a disparaging look. “Really, that only just occurred to you?” He commented scathingly through chattering teeth.

     Thor continued to stare into the spluttering fire. “Why did you agree to come with me?” Asked the thunderer thoughtfully. Loki shrugged. “Well it sounded like a good idea at the time.” He replied, drawing his cloak tighter around him as another gust of icy wind roared over the landscape. “Why do you spend all your time hunting giants anyway?” Asked Loki, yelling over the sounds of the wind. “I used to think you were in it for the glory but you don't seem to really like all that.” He added.

     Thor said nothing, but there was a sad look in his eyes. “You might as well tell me. We'll probably be dead by morning.” Pointed out Loki, made curious by Thor's silence. “My mother.” He muttered barely audible over the wind. “She could be out there somewhere, imprisoned by my Jotun grandfather. I know I'll never find her, I don't even know if she is alive, but I can't stop hoping. So I find any excuse I can to travel in Jotunheim.” He said softly.

     Loki gave Thor a surprised look. He had thought the Aesir simple but now he began to wonder if there was more to his powerful new friend. Thor just stared into the fire. He looked younger, smaller and almost vulnerable. Loki felt weirdly obligated to share a secret of his own.

    He shivered as the wind tore through them once again. “Fine, since we will probably be dead by morning I guess I might as well tell you. The real reason I agreed to come with you, as well as it sounding like a good laugh. I guess I might, just a little bit, be hoping to find my brothers. My father took them away when I was young.” Said Loki, he too stared into the fire. “I know it's pointless to search but...” Loki's voice trailed off lost in the unearthly howl of the brutal winds.

     Thor looked at his new companion. It had never occurred to him that the small Jotun might have had a family once. He had always seemed so independent to Thor. Loki never seemed to need anyone. Thor had never seen the trickster display any emotion other than amusement.

    Thor looked at Loki. “If you die here it's my fault.” He said sadly. “And then you really won't see your brothers again. I shouldn't have asked you to join me. I know you used to travel with my father a lot, so I thought you'd be the most likely person to say yes.” Thor sighed heavily. “I was getting lonely, travelling on my own. And now it might cost you your life.” He explained guiltily.

    Loki rolled his eyes. “Oh don't start. You think me, Hoenir and Odin never got in worse scrapes? We'll be fine. Besides I'm not a child I make my own decisions and no one but me is responsible for them.” He said with a hollow sounding confidence. Thor glanced at the jotun with renewed respect. He doesn't want me feel bad, thought Thor, he must be one of the good ones.

    They both turned and stared in to the fire once again. They shuffled closer together for warmth and braced themselves for a long cold night.