"Come to make sure the prisoner's still in his cage, have you?" A disembodied voice called out from inside the room. It gave a quick mocking laugh after speaking as if it was laughing at me. I knew immediately who the honeyed voice belonged to. Chills ran down my spine and through the rest of my body as I edged further into the room.
"Are you mute? I asked you a question pathetic mortal." Repeated the voice but this time it seemed to have an added snarl to its lips. I drew closer and closer until finally rounding a corner to see, a large circular reinforced glass prison. Laid down on a camp bed at the far end was...Loki! A low grumble stumbled intermittently from my throat as I approached the glass. That seemed to get Loki's attention since he sat up off the bed and studied me with his surprisingly, unexpectedly, captivating emerald-green eyes. My voice silenced, my breathing seemingly slowed and my thoughts dead. I was a semi-living statue as if being turned to stone by Medusa's deadly gaze. Loki blinked after what felt like an eternity and laughed.
"Well, this certainly is interesting." He commented, leaning back. It was then that my brain kicked back into gear. Shaking off the tension that had suddenly built up in my muscles, I curled my lips and snarled at the raven-haired Asgardian. His perfectly chiselled cheek bones, his complexion as white as a sheet of ice were like nothing I'd ever seen; my muscles relaxed a little too much. Loki simply watched me with an evil smirk upon his lips. My legs buckled beneath my weakened muscles woke me once more. STOP IT AKELA! Get yourself together. I snapped at myself ferociously, desperately trying to regain my lost confidant composure that I had before entering this cell.
"You must be the one-eyed man's pet." Spat the God with a hint of genuine disgust. "So, he sent a wolf cub to check up on me huh? I am insulted." That was the last straw, no matter how my body may react to his devilish good-looks, I wasn't about to just stand here and be insulted. Fire erupted inside me. My brows furrowed, my ears fell flat against my skull and my hackles rose quickly. Once again curling my lips back, I lunged for the glass snarling and growling while Loki stood up. His expression changed to one of slight curiosity but then he smirked.
"Oh, did I strike a nerve... feilan [wolfling]?" He goaded mockingly. Oh no he wasn't! He was; Loki was trying to provoke me. That sneaky son of a Frost Giant. Fine, if he wanted to play a game the so would I. Forcing my body to relax - which was a feat in itself at the moment -I shook out my pelt and lip-smacked before casually trotting round the cell towards the control panel. The Helicarrier suddenly jolted to one side as another loud BANG echoed throughout the left side of the vessel. I didn't know what was happening out there but I had a job to do. Keeping Loki from escaping. Just then another jolt sent me colliding with the very panel I wanted to get to but instead of simply checking the locks, I accidentally cause it to malfunction which inadvertently unlocked the cell door. Freeing the Frost Giant. Damn it! I thought, scolding myself for doing such a stupid and naïve thing. While trying to steady myself, I spotted Loki - who was already out of his cell - walking smugly towards me with the usual content yet villainous smirk brushing his lips.
"Well my dear little cub, this has been quite the interesting monologue you and I have had but I really must be off now." He chimed lyrically, leaning down towards me so as to get an up close and personal look. Oh, what beautiful emeralds. I though dreamily. This made my legs quiver and distracting me from the fact that his right hand was reaching for the control panel. He thought he was deceiving me but I was a wolf and I could see through lies with every little millisecond of movement. However, my legs were like Jell-O at the moment. Damn those hypnotic eyes of his. I gave a stuttered grumble and Loki's smirk simply widened.
Just then something changed in his face, the smirk disappeared and Loki narrowed his eyes tilting his head. Silence surrounded us as our eyes met and locked on one another. I noticed his eyes once again held that curious glint as the god stared at me; not once blinking. It was as if he was trying to work something out. The sweet, earthy aroma filled my nose as I took in Loki's scent; earthy-like petrichor and sweet like strawberries. Longing and heartache overtook me as I began to think of my mother who always smelled similar. This had been the first time in decades that I'd actually missed a mother's warm touch; her moist nose against my neck and the teddy-bear like texture of her pelt. After this was over I would have to ask Fury for compassionate leave to go and visit my mother's temple.
"You are not an ordinary ylva [she-wolf], are you? Wha-" Loki was suddenly interrupted mid-sentence by the sound of Thor yelling at him. Although it wasn't the god of mischief in front of me that caught the blonde's attention. I looked to see...another Loki? Something off about the Loki by the cell door,there was no signs of life.
"No!" Thor charged towards his brother. Just then the 'fake' Loki stepped forward and crouched getting ready to attack. Forgetting my jello legs, I took a step and began to bark so as to warn the Asgardian that it was a trick. A large pale hand halted my voice. Looking up, I saw the raven-haired man with a half-smirk on his lips. He shook his head gently before vanishing.
"Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Loki smiled from outside the cell door. A low growl vibrated in my chest. How'd he suddenly go from being in front of me to standing out the cell door? Illusion magic! I thought furrowing my brows. Shaking all the tension from my body, my head whirled round to find the Thunder god imprisoned where Loki once was. Loki just chuckled and that was when Thor spotted me.
"Lady Canis? What are you- no, stay away from her brother!" He said, his voice quickly becoming defensive. The Frost Giant returned to standing in front of me, or rather he was crouching. I blinked backing up a few steps but Loki simply followed. The sound of Thor's Mjolnir hitting the glass of the cell grabbed both our attention. To all of our surprised the cell door was only cracked a little. Wow. That must be pretty strong, but then I guess it has to withstand the big green guy Banner becomes huh? I thought slightly intrigued. Was that who the cell was originally intended for?
"The humans think us immortal. Should we test that?" Loki asked, getting up with another one of his mischievous smiles and walking over to the control panel. Thor's eyes widened with worry and a grumble escaped my partly open muzzle. "Move away, please!" My ears perked up as a welcomed sound came; Phil Coulson was standing between us and the cell door holding some giant outer space gun. It was aimed directly at Loki who just stared at the S.H.I.E.L.D agent examining the weapon. Clearly Phil noticed.
"You like it?" He asked before continuing "We started working on the prototype after you sent The Destroyer. Even I don't know what it does. Do you wanna find out?" Go Coulson! I thought to myself as the edges of my lips curled slightly, almost into a smirk. Loki must has sensed this as there was a sudden loud gasp. Time froze for a split second as I watched a brave agent and dear friend being impaled through the heart by...Loki? Argh! He must have vanished while leaving another illusion of himself to distract us.
"NOOO!" Both Thor and I cried out in unison. At some point during the brief milliseconds, I must have leapt forward and shifted into my human form because the cold air and cool steel started to get to my now naked form. Loki had thrown the agent – who was now slumped down and breathing fast – against the wall. Long silver-black hair hunger over my shoulders covering my chest. I grabbed Phil and held him close, tears dripping from my cloudy grey eyes.
"Akela, nice to see you again." He breathed with a faint laugh. A hand gently whipped away some of the many teardrops from my cheeks as Coulson added
"You don't seem to have aged a single day."
"Shut up Coulson you idiot. You're going to be fine." I sniffled shaking my head and placing a hand over the bloody wound. A pure white light lit up around me as my friend and fellow agent squinted.Unfortunately, I couldn't fully heal him, only stop the bleeding but too much damage had already been done. I'd almost forgotten that Loki was still there when I heard clapping from behind me. My head veered round to see the Asgardian. He'd already dropped Thor out of the Helicarrier because the cell wasn't there and in its place were two metal shutters. Glowering at him, I spat
"What is the purpose of all this?" I gestured to all around us. Anger began to bubble up inside me. Loki simply smiled, looking me up and down as if for the first time. Well, I suppose it was in this form.
"Certainly, no ordinary feilan." He commented completely ignoring my previous question. "A shapeshifter? No, something far more interesting I bet." Shivers ran down my spine; I suddenly became aware of my current bare skin on display. The trickster seemed to notice my sudden realisation – no thanks to my blushing cheeks – as he waved his hand and an elegant green and gold cloak appeared around me.
"Thanks" I mumbled quietly and embarrassingly clung to the fabric.
"Well as I said before, I must go. Lovely to meet you.... Akela." My name rolled off his tongue like velvet sending more shivers through my body. Just as he proceeded to leave, Phil coughed up some blood and spoke
"You're gonna lose."
"Am I?" Loki gritted his jaw and turned to look down at the dying man. I remained silent trying to make him comfortable.
"Your heroes are scattered; your floating fortress falls from the sky...where is my disadvantage?" My friend spluttered again this time getting blood on my cloak. I thought I saw the edges of Loki's mouth twitch and then when I looked down the blood had vanished. Odd. I thought.
"You lack conviction." Agent Coulson replied. Blood covered his mouth and dripped down his chin. I shifted my legs slightly under his weight and placed my hand on his wound.
"Really? Well, I don't think I-" Breathed the Frost Giant but before he could finish, Phil shot him with the larger-than-life alien gun. This caused the god to be blown through the wall behind him.
"So that's what it does." Coulson said with a small grin before dropping the weapon. His heart rate dropped dangerously. I took the ear piece that everyone seemed to use for talk to one another.
"Fury, Coulson is down. I repeat Coulson is down, we need a medical team in the detention unit NOW!" I half-yelled, half-cried down the communicator putting force behind the last word.
"Who is this? Agent Canis, is that you? What happened?" Fury replied but I ignored all his constant questions and held my friend.
"Please don't leave me. Phil, please I can't lose you too." I begged but he just looked at me and smiled. His heart rate dropped lower, and his breathing became shallower. He was gone. My companion for the last few decades, my rock had now left me.....alone.