Summer laughed again. “And you were saying you were no good! Anyway, even if you weren’t, that seems pretty easy to get around — just don’t use magic. If we stick to areas around small villages, away from the city, I could easily get food. That just leaves the question of shelter. It must rain here sometime, and I for one don’t want to be caught in it. Caves, maybe?”
A completely ridiculous idea came to her, and she grinned up at him impishly. “Or we could throw all that out, you take the shape of a horse, and I just ride you out of here.”
Loki made a surprised huff. “I am choosing to interpret that as a jest,” he said stiffly. “No one mounts a god.”
Not ever again, at least. That was one time.
His grimace gave way to a small laugh, but he bit his lip. “Moving forward. I believe if we keep moving north the forest stretches a considerable distance, and there will be caves for shelter.”
Her laughter at his offended dignity was overwhelming, and she fell back over with the force of it. “I hear a story there,” she got out between giggles. It took a minute or so, but she laughed herself out and sat back up. “Okay, okay. No mounting. Get off my blankets and we can start walking.”
“If you’re quite finished,” he rolled his eyes and gave her a playful shove as he stood up. “That is indeed a story for another time and another place, or possibly never. Ask Odin, he’ll quite enjoy spreading my shame,” he added, but imagining hearing the words through the perspective of Summer was just too absurd and he couldn’t keep himself stern.
“How do you plan to carry all of this then? Perhaps I could bespell it to be lighter…”
“Backpack,” she said succinctly. Summer knelt and began to fold up the blankets, rolling them up into neat bundles and strapping ties around them. She had to stand up to handle the last one, shaking it hard to get the leaf litter and bark bits off, and dragged an enormous canvas backpack from under a bush, shoving the blankets in. In another minute, she was struggling into the straps, wriggling her shoulders to settle the weight.
“I do appreciate the thought, though,” she said, belatedly. She handed him the electric lantern. “Lead, yes?”