She laughed, putting her face against his knee. “Survival, yeah, I get that. Otherwise I suspect that smart mouth would’ve gotten you killed before now.” After a moment, she said, “You didn’t answer my questions.”
He let his fingers trail through her hair as he considered. “It won’t be the first place they look, but there are eyes everywhere. There is magic that can seek out a specific source and lock it’s position. Fortunately, I believe I am the only one in this realm who understands such magic.” He smiled smugly, and listened to the sounds of the trees, content to be outside of the reach of that which pained him.
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.”