Wilted

Petals

Orchid slowed to a stop, letting her eyes adjust to the dim sunset, rapidly fading to an inky night, the sound of a running creek filling her ears. "Wow!" She leaned over to touch the clear water, the shock of the cold making her shiver. "It's not frozen yet!"

"Yeah, found it just in time!" Per grinned, his skinny frame popping out from behind a thick oak tree. "I was hoping you could show me one of your spells, maybe. You said the water could help with it."

Orchid thought for a moment, settling herself on the forest floor, "Spells? Oh, like a sacrifice?" She moved her cape, showing the face of the long dead fox currently keeping her warm, "Yes, I suppose we can. I do wish we had something a bit fresher, Some of the Gods can get a bit upset if they don't like your offering."

Per nodded excitedly, a grin plastered on his face as she watched her gather small pieces of wood and leaves from the ground around her. "That's fine, Whoever's your favorite." He took a seat facing her, the cold not even phasing him in the slightest, "Ah, Fire?"

Orchid seemed slightly nervous as she watched him haphazardly pull a lighter from his pocket and set the small pile of tinder aflame. "That's definitely an easier way to do things." She chuckled, setting the fox close to the growing fire, the flames singing the coarse fur of the dead animal. "Now breathe out, and take my hands, okay?"

Per exhaled, gently placing his hands in her tiny, outstretched palms.

"In the Blistering Furnace of our hearts..." Orchid recited her prayer calmly, urging him to repeat after her with a gentle nudge. "May our lips burn with Adorations to you..."

"Orchid-"

"The unwary stirring of holy cravings..."

"Which God is this?" Per muttered, noticing the fox below them starting to catch.

Orchid cleared her throat, shooting him a small glare. "Hail Loki, Liberator!" She finished with a giddy cheer, gently squeezing his hands and lacing their fingers together, "The sacrifice has been accepted!" Orchid pulled a stray plant from her hair, sprinkling it over the fire. "Come, Dance around the fire with me!" She leapt up, pulling him to his feet.

"What? No way! I do not-Ah!"

-

Jørn took another can of cheap beer from Øystein's kitchen table, cracking it open before flopping on the couch. "You remembered to restring your guitar right?" He asked his friend, who was still hovering at the window, peeking through the flimsy plastic blinds.

"What the hell could they be doing out there?" He muttered, ignoring Jørn's question.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Øystein. Why should we care?"

"Well, since I have a straggler staying in my house..." he gave a sour look and joined his friend on the couch, uninterested in the politician speaking on the television. Politics in his own country were about as important to him as, well, whatever Orchid said she was.

"Pelle thinks she's a witch." Jørn crossed his legs, flicking the channel to a local weather report, "They're probably sacrificing something to Loki or braiding eachother's hair." he joked, forcing a grin out of Øystein. "She seems like a good kid though, let her off the hook."

"Yeah, if that 'good kid's becomes a distraction..."

"Come on, man, nothing's gonna distract Pelle from Mayhem, witch or no witch."

Øystein exhaled, a knot loosening ever so slightly in his gut, "Hm, Yeah, I guess you're right." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He couldn't stop himself from stiffening like a wooden plank when he heard the door swing open.

(A/N, sorry for the wait, y'all. Things ain't going real well for me at the moment, thanks for your patience, I hope I can get back to cranking out chapters again soon!)