Steel Meets Iron

Chapter 24

Raven woke up in a tree, in a nest like bed. She yawned rubbing her eyes, she didn't remember going to sleep or leaving the moon. How did she get here? She sat up and looked around. She was in a forest, but it was different from the ones she saw on TV, it was greener and there were strange sounds all around her. She climbed down and slid onto her butt, she then realized that Loki was nowhere in sight.

"Loki? Loki?"

She spun on her heels taking in the complete change of scenery. It was bursting with the smell of various flowers, it was like spring time only amplified. Her nose was starting to burn as if she had snorted pollen but she had yet to see a flower. How did she get here?

"How did I know you wouldn't stay still?"

She turned around to see Loki holding three fat peaches. "Hungry?"

"Are those peaches?" She took one. "They're really fat."

"They're special peaches. Far more fulling than the fruit you're used to."

She took a bite, she was really hungry. It was sweet like a peach but the juice was bubbly and the taste tingled in her mouth. Not a sour tingle either. She felt a shiver down her toes.

"Like it?"

She nodded taking more bites making happy sounds with each chomp.

"Aren't you easy to please," Loki smiled.

He figured the fay fruit was the best bet in feeding Raven, sweet and filling. Unlike other foods which may compromise her a bit, other than Asgardian food, fay fruit just gave those tingling feelings that she enjoyed so much. It would help her body adjust to the atmosphere of Alfheim, she smells alone would bombard her senses.

"Did you eat something?" She asked him.

"I don't need food," he muttered.

Her face became worried, "But aren't you hungry? You can have a peach if you want." She offered a peach that dwarfed her hand, "You aren't supposed to miss breakfast."

"Gods can miss breakfast," he assured her.

"Even Thor eats breakfast with me sometimes," she argued. "He always hogs the Pop Tarts."

Loki could picture that. "I see," he chuckled, "he always had bad table manners."

"I thought I ate fast," she agreed. "Are you sure you don't want one?"

"You need them more than me."

Still on her first peach she bit her fingers. She suddenly realized it was morning, she had been gone for a whole day because it wasn't this bright when she left. "When am I going home?"

"Homesick already?" He asked keeping a pleasant smile.

"I never slept over before," she reminded him.

He gave an understanding incline of his head. He offered his hand, "Come, we haven't even begun to explore this realm. If nothing impresses you I'll take you somewhere else."

Did she fight him? Or did he trick her?

Those questions buzzed around his head, Raven was a genius, you couldn't lure her with candy unless you made her trust you first. Tony stared at the beaded bracelet he had taken from her room, he had gotten her a bracelet kit and she had gone berserk with them. He caressed each bead like a rosary, what had he missed? Loki couldn't just pluck Raven up like a kitten, she was a fighting Irish. She would have fought until the house was a mess. She would have clawed, bit, spat and screamed. He was missing something and he knew that Raven, although smart was still a little girl, she would have left a clue by accident. Loki was indeed a god but he was still a man, and men made mistakes.