----------------------------------------

Thor sat up with a groan—he had to peel himself from the banquet table to stand, the various surfaces covered in spilled liquor and whatever food was left over from their celebrations last night. His legs felt like lead, and his head beat with the thunderous war drums that would strike fear into the hearts of any opponent.

Or just annoyance in an Asgardian. Specifically him. He might have partied a little too hard the night prior, goaded on by his friends.

Thor grumbled and rubbed at his face, staggering to the side to lean against a pillar. The sun was in his eyes, stabbing daggers into his brain and rolling around in his head, scraping at every surface to cause absolute agony.

"Guh… Someone turn off the sun…"

A sharp, offended bark met his ears. The sound was far too loud and rattled around in his head like a hammer strike that would put even Mjolnir to the test. But what on Asgard could make such a-

Oh. A sharp thrill of fear rolled up his spine, and the adrenaline seemed to seep into the alcohol-induced migraine, leaving his head shockingly clear. Thor turned around slowly, plastering a wide grin on his face as he turned to face the large white wolf sitting behind him.

He may have just unintentionally offended the Goddess of the Sun, the person he'd invited to Asgard to help him win a bet (and maybe she'd also helped end a war too, and helped repair Vanaheim faster than Asgard could have hoped to achieve). He still needed her help after all.

"Ammy!" Thor exclaimed. He winced at his volume, and the angry groans and shushes from nearby Asgardians caused his cheeks to grow red. "I, uh, I did not see you there. It is a grand morning, is it not? The fresh air, the shining sun, the-"

"Wurf." Amaterasu narrowed her eyes at Thor.

"What? No! I'd never. I love the sun, can't get enough of it, honestly. It's just reeeaaaally bright right now is all." Thor laughed nervously, leaning up against one of the pillars.

"Boof," Amaterasu stated.

"… Yes, alright, Thor huffed. "I may have had a little too much mead. Happy?" Thor paused for a moment, wincing as his headache slowly came back. "Why are you not suffering? You drank far more than I." Thor blinked, then glanced at the table where he and his friends had passed out. They were all still completely unconscious—Volstagg seemed to be the worst off, considering he was lying flat on his face with his beard underneath. "Wait, where is Sif?"

Amaterasu replied with various little yips and barks, gesturing with her head a few times to accent her point. The smug smirk on her face just told him that 'magic' was going to be her go-to answer for anything even slightly bewildering she did.

"First of all," Thor raised a hand and pointed at Amaterasu, squinting, "I am not a lightweight, and will happily challenge you at any time. Secondly…" Thor dropped his hand, and looked down, clearing his throat. "Could you… do what you referred to? This headache is-"

Thor staggered when a splash of black ink splattered across his face. Just as he was about to complain, a cleansing wash of energy filled him, melting his headache away. The sun became less of a painful stabby laser and more like a warm blanket. The pain in his head was gone, as was the heavy feeling in his legs. Even the ink he'd been blinded with evaporated away—and having something evaporate off one's eyeballs was an indescribably uncomfortable feeling, to the point he had to actively try not to throw up last night's feast.

Amaterasu's huffing laughter met his ears, as did the sound of her tail thumping against the ground.

"You… You're trouble," Thor grumbled. Yet, he couldn't keep the smile off his face, and stepped forward, reaching down to ruffle up Ammy's head with his large hands. It was his turn for revenge, and he made sure to take full advantage of it. He managed to sneak his other hand in and began to ruffle up her cheeks, covering her eyes, playing with her ears and smooshing her face together all at once.

Amaterasu let out a whiny "aaaarrr" and flailed in his grasp, but could do little to avoid the Asgardian's assault. The Goddess of the Sun was trapped in the grip of the God of Thunder, and there was nothing short of a full-on brawl that would make him release his grip.

Finally, after what had to be half a minute of pure torture for the wolf, she planted her paws and pushed just as Thor let go. The poor wolf rolled backwards, head over tail, hitting the wall with a thud. Amaterasu remained up against the wall, upside down, her tail flopped into her face.

"Grrruff…" Ammy huffed.

"Oh please, you deserve it," Thor chuckled.

He grabbed Amaterasu and hefted her up, setting her on all fours once again. "There. Now, would you be so kind as to tell me where Sif is?" He glanced out at the sky and felt his pulse quicken. "And, it is still before noon, yes?"

"Awuff," Amaterasu confirmed. Thor sighed in relief, until… "Bwuff," she added.

"It's that late? Odin's beard, we need to leave."

A frustrated growl sounded out from his table, followed by a grunt of effort. A half-eaten goat leg hit Thor in the shin, the cold meat falling to the ground with a wet smack. "By the Gods, shaddap. Yer' too loud."

"Good morning to you as well, Volstagg." Thor laughed and kicked the hunk of meat to the side, where Amaterasu sprang upon it with excitement, as if she hadn't eaten as much as the rest of their group had. "I must say, your aim is incredible. I do not know how you can see through that."

Volstagg sat up in his seat, his large beard sticking straight up, covering his face to the point that the only thing visible was his eyebrows. With one hand, he started to push the fuzzy face-covering down, revealing narrowed eyes and an impressively large frown. "Sif left two hours ago. Yer' gonna be late. My money's on Sif." With that, the large Asgardian turned and planted his face back on the table with a rattling thunk. The impact travelled through the solid wood, causing the other two at the table to groan as well.

"Two hours!?" Thor exclaimed, once again being met with a series of groans and growls and half-heartedly thrown food items from the various groups around them.

Thor turned to Amaterasu, who had terrifyingly cleaned off the entire leg in seconds, stripped down to the bone. In fact, she was gnawing on the nearly polished surface to get the last remnants of meat off of it.

Amaterasu clearly wasn't expecting Thor to wrap his arms around her middle given the surprised yelp she let out around the bone. She squirmed and flailed in his grip for a moment, before accepting her fate. Ammy remained limp and slumped over Thor's shoulder, still clutching the bone in her jaws. Thor kept one hand on her back, all four of her paws bouncing about as he jogged out from underneath the pavilion and into the open air.

"Hold on tight. I shall explain when we get there."

"Bwfff?" Ammy asked, muffled.

Thor held out his hand, and Mjolnir hit his palm with a smack. Amaterasu wouldn't have been able to see a thing given she was facing backwards. Her whole body stiffened when Thor started to swing his hammer, the object whirling through the air and picking up speed.

Amaterasu had enough time to let out a single muffled protest, before Thor allowed the momentum of the hammer to launch him upward. Amaterasu let out a trailing cry as the duo shot upward into the air, her tail flailing around and smacking into Thor's face several times over. Flying while blinded was not something Thor enjoyed doing—there likely would have been a law on Midgard about it.

Those Mortals and their silly laws.

Their short flight took them to the edge of the city in seconds, and Thor angled downwards. Amaterasu squirmed and flailed in his grip as they rapidly approached the ground, until she finally managed to wriggle her way free.

Thor landed in his signature pose, hammer down, on one knee. He practiced often enough to know that the sight of such gave hope and inspiration to his fellow warriors and terrified his enemies.

Amaterasu bounced off the ground in front of him, flipping end over end, the bone still clutched firmly between her jaws. Thor watched in stunned silence as the 'graceful' Goddess of the Sun bounced several times over, landing on her back, on her side, and even on her face. On the final bounce, Amaterasu flared her legs out, managing to land on all fours. Amazingly, she'd stuck the landing.

… Until her legs shook and Ammy collapsed to the ground, her head swaying side-to-side. Thor swore she conjured up some illusionary miniature wolves to run circles around her head.

Loki had done that once.

It was a good thing Amaterasu seemed able to just refuse the laws of physics at some points. Even Thor would have been a little banged up from a fall like that. Amaterasu just got her fur covered in grass and looked almost as green in the face.

And she still hadn't dropped the bone. Impressive.

While waiting for Amaterasu to recover from her impromptu skydiving, Thor couldn't help but let his eyes linger on the Goddess of the Sun. Not for reasons like Fandral's of course—that man was a little too adventurous for his own good.

No, there was something different about Amaterasu since the events of the day prior. The markings on her body were vivid and seemed to dance through her fur if one looked at them indirectly. The number of red streaks seemed to have increased as well. Then there was her fur, that brilliant white coat positively glowing whenever Amaterasu was distracted or happy. It just radiated light, and being near felt like enjoying a nice sunny day.

Her presence was simply more: warm; regal; bright; positive. There was a certain feeling of calm and joy that spread when the lupine goddess was nearby. Thor was certain something had changed, and it hadn't been after Amaterasu ate the most powerful ice and fire magic this side of the galaxy.

He still couldn't believe she did that. Idly, he considered striking Amaterasu with a bolt of lightning, just to see what would happen when the magic-infused electricity hit her.

Though, she might remove the sun from Asgard for that. Best not to.

Unable to place the reason for all the changes to Amaterasu, Thor made a note to ask his mother later. She was a touch more well-researched in the mystical aspects of the universe than his father, despite his ability to manipulate reality to his whims with enough effort.

Seeing as Amaterasu looked to be recovered and was now simply lying on the ground, Thor spoke once more. "We are near our destination, Lady Amaterasu. I believe I mentioned I sought you out for several reasons, did I not?"

Amaterasu nodded and gave a small "wurf" of confirmation around the bone.

Thor sighed. "As much as it pains me to admit it, I did not originally seek you out to restore the Bifröst, nor stop the Marauders." Amaterasu tilted her head at this, the bone smacking the ground and her ears flopping to the side. "It was one of the reasons, do not misunderstand, but I did not believe it possible." Thor laughed and rolled his wrist, hammer swinging with the motion, a soothing feeling. "The, uh, original reason for bringing you here was for… a wager."

Amaterasu reeled back as if she'd been struck, her jaw falling open, eyes wide. The motion caused the large bone to fall from her mouth and strike her right across the paws. Ammy yelped, and leapt to all fours, the sudden jolt causing the bone to rocket into the air, right above the duo.

Amaterasu and Thor watched the object soar into the air, quiet for several seconds, as the object gradually stopped its flight upward. The two looked back at one another at the same time… then back up at the bone. Amaterasu tilted her head up and-

Bonk!

It hit the wolf square in the forehead, right in the middle of the circular red marking. Amaterasu raised a brow and huffed through her nose. A growling, complaining sort of sound escaped her as she leaned down to pick up the object once more.

"Yes, yes, I know. Do not judge me too harshly, it is for a good cause." Thor leaned down and pointed out, away from the city, toward a large expanse of open field, and thick wooded forests that lay beyond it. "Do you see that group over there? The ones near the tree line?"

Amaterasu growled an affirmative and seemed to perk up a touch. Her tail swished hard, hitting Thor in the back of the knee with enough force to cause his leg to buckle. It took a moment to straighten himself out.

"Those are the next generation of Asgardians. We must ensure the children receive quality education, and explore their interests," Thor explained. "They are studying the history of Asgard. Specifically, they are learning of combat strategies, and of the animals that fought alongside us."

Amaterasu tilted her head and let out a curious "Awff?" around the bone.

"Oh yes, many different creatures that would look out of place on Midgard. The ones the children study are known as Battle Wolves-"

One moment Amaterasu was there, calm as could be, listening to his words. The next, her eyes widened, and Thor found himself nearly flattened by the force of Amaterasu launching herself away. The ground gave way under the force of Ammy's excitement, kicking up a cloud of dust and making the ground buckle beneath Thor's feet.

The God of Thunder staggered back a step, a deep, hearty laugh slipping from him as he peered through the cloud of dust. Amaterasu was tearing her way across the landscape, her paws a blur, sprinting over hills and carving through fields like a unicorn gone mad. Her fur slicked back from the speed, making her look like a streamlined fur missile locked onto a group of civilians.

Thor, in an attempt to prevent Amaterasu from turning the group of children into something that resembled the Midgardian game of 'bowling', grabbed Mjolnir. He whirled the hammer up to speed, shifted the momentum of his swing, and found himself hurtling above the ground, pursuing the Goddess of the Sun.

Thor managed to land ahead of Amaterasu, returning to his landing pose. The cheers of the Asgardian children caused him to smile.

They loved the landing.

Amaterasu was only seconds behind him and arguably seemed to draw more attention than Thor. Not because the children recognized her or anything. No, it was something much simpler.

Ammy tried to go from a full-on sprint to a dead stop, only to fall victim to physics. She planted her paws down, and stood on all fours firmly, her attention on the group of children.

She didn't stop.

Instead, Amaterasu remained upright, paws digging trenches in the ground as she slid. The wolf spun in circles as she slid past the group, a disappointed whine escaping her as she continued to slide by.

Further, and further.

Into the forest.

Thor managed to lock eyes with Amaterasu for one final moment before the Goddess of the Sun vanished into the towering Asgardian trees. Just like that, she was gone, the only remnants of her existence being smouldering trails carved into the dirt.

…

"Thor!" The teacher of the class, a delightful and rather rotund Asgardian, and a perfect caricature of a large Viking woman, stepped forward. "I was almost afraid you wouldn't make it. Sif arrived at the school early to let us know she was going to get things ready. We only arrived fifteen minutes ago."

"My apologies, I had some, uh, things to do. Very important warrior things." Thor's heart rate picked up when the teacher narrowed her eyes at him. Long-buried memories of being a little shit in school and getting the same look from his teachers were dragged up from the depths of his mind. "You know, with the war and all. Lots of paperwork. Terribly boring."

Thor was saved from further questioning by some rather miraculous timing. Amaterasu trudged her way out of the forest, her fur in a less-than-ideal state. She looked like some sort of living shrubbery. Leaves, branches and the like were tangled in her fur, so dense that comparing her to a green sheep was on the nicer side of things.

But she still had the bone, so it seemed like she had something going for her.

"Lady Amaterasu, how did you manage this? You were gone for thirty seconds!" Thor laughed, and approached the wolf, intending to assist her.

"Wait, is that Amaterasu?" one of the children asked, voice skeptical.

"I guess so?" another replied.

"I thought someone said she had markings. That's just a dog from Midgard."

"You can't see them? They're right there, under her eyes and on her head."

"There's nothing there! Did you sneak your parent's mead again?"

Evidently, there was some confusion amongst the youth. Thor would help correct them and point out what they were so obviously missing, but first, he had to help Amaterasu. He reached out to pluck the leaves and sticks from her fur, when…

FWOOSH!

Amaterasu exploded in a swirling inferno of heat. Thor leapt from the rolling ball of fire that erupted around the Goddess of the Sun, taking a couple of steps back. The children gasped and stepped closer, enthralled. Some shouted about the white fire, while others cheered on what could very well be the first eyewitness account of Spontaneous Wolf Combustion.

Then, without warning, the fire was snuffed out with a dull whump.

Thor blinked, his face warm, eyebrows singed from the fiery tornado that consumed Amaterasu for several seconds. He rubbed his face, and his fingers traced over his eyebrows, confirming that he hadn't fallen victim to sudden facial hair removal.

"Bfff," Amaterasu spoke around the bone between her teeth, her eyes alight with mirth.

"… That is not funny," Thor griped. The happily wagging tail of Amaterasu told him she thought the complete opposite.

Several of the children gasped, and even more poked and prodded at the others. Several "I told you so," and, "I can see them now!" sounded out from the children. Apparently, all it took was magical self-immolation to convince children of anything.

"My Prince," the instructor began. With his hands still on his face, Thor turned away from Amaterasu—who was happily prancing forward, completely free of debris—and faced the teacher. "I do not mean to question your wisdom, but… She isn't a 'Battle Wolf' in the historical sense, as the children are learning of."

Thor chuckled. "I am aware. Do not worry, the children will receive their education." Thor turned to face the children once again, who appeared to have formed a circle around Amaterasu. She'd fearlessly stepped into the hoard of children and basked in their attention, allowing them to pet and pat and brush her fur. "I am certain Lady Sif has followed through."

"I was under the impression you two would be working together," the teacher grumbled.

The two turned their attention back toward the children. They had more or less piled on top of Amaterasu and were doing their absolute best to pet whatever bit of fur was exposed beneath twenty pairs of hands. Three of the kids were draped over her back, with two more clambering atop them, and others still were busy squishing her face, rubbing her ears, brushing her tail, and more.

That is until the ground shook beneath their feet. A firm, solid thud was felt, causing the trees to rustle, and startling the birds out of the woods and into flight. Then came another one, the ground shaking a little harder, the sound coming closer.

And another.

And another.

Something big was coming.

Amaterasu perked up, ears standing tall, on a constant swivel as she listened to the approach. She sat, causing the children clambering all over her to tumble off her back and into a pile on the grass. Now free of the grabby Asgardian children, Ammy stepped forward in front of the group, her eyes on the treeline.

Thor stepped forward as well. He was reasonably sure this was what they were waiting for… But, just in case, he willed Mjolnir into his hand. It was better to err on the side of caution.

The steps came closer still, each one causing the ground to shudder, branches snapping off and crunching like bone. Animals skittered out from the forest and darted out into the field. A thunderous crack rang out, causing Amaterasu to jump, and Thor watched one of the trees at the edge of the clearing topple over.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The children behind Thor screamed in terror, and Thor only had a moment to turn around, witnessing a thick wall of ice forming a half-circle around the group. It looked impossibly wide, more so than the wall Amaterasu used to stop spacecraft that slammed into it.

Amaterasu let out a sharp, growling bark, and her fur flared brighter. The ground around them hissed and bubbled, before erupting in a brilliant wall of fire. Thor had to take a step back as the heat washed over him, sandwiched between thick ice that cold just rolled off of, and a heavy heat that threatened to steal the air from his lungs.

The section of fire before the two fighters lowered to a short, sizzling barrier, allowing them to see what was causing all the destruction.

What stepped out of the forest was monstrous. A massive paw as large as Thor's body shoved a tree to the side, causing it to fall with a horrific crack, like that of thunder. The sound seemed to roll over the field and meet their ears again as the creature stepped forward, parting the trees easily. Not the branches, but the trees themselves, forcing them to the sides.

Thor had to crane his head back to look at the wolf. It stood easily as tall as four Asgardians and was more than twice as long as that. Every step left an indent wide enough for someone to lay down in, spread their arms, and still not touch the sides. Its teeth were thicker than Thor's arms, and long as a sword. Its fur was a deep red, almost like it had been soaked in blood years back and never came clean. The fur framed its brown eyes, sharp, focused, and intelligent, that locked onto Thor and Amaterasu with unwavering focus.

And Sif was riding on its back. Of course she was, the show-off. This was her moment to, theoretically, show off that she wrangled a wolf far superior to that of Thor's. That would effectively win her the bet, and prove she was the more skilled warrior both on and off the battlefield.

Thor hadn't planned on playing fair, though. Not when free mead was on the line!

"I do hope I'm not late. The forest proved much too thick for Elder here to pass easily. We had to take a different route," Sif explained from atop the wolf.

Thor rolled his eyes and allowed Mjolnir to return to his side, crossing his arms instead. Amaterasu seemed to realize the lack of danger as well, and the fire around them was snuffed out with a dull whump of air. Sharp cracks sounded out behind them, followed by a hissing, sizzling noise, and Thor witnessed the ice evaporating at an impossible rate.

Yeah, he had the better wolf for sure.

The Battle Wolf stopped several steps from the group, gazing down at the gathered Asgardians. It seemed satisfied, as if it approved of the children that would lead Asgard's future. At least, that's what Thor hoped the little huff meant.

It took a moment for the massive wolf to take notice of the much smaller creature before it. Another step forward and the ground shuddered beneath its paws, allowing the massive wolf to lean in close, peering at Amaterasu.

Amaterasu had long left her combat stance, standing upright, looking up at the Asgardian Wolf with her jaw dropped. The Goddess of the Sun looked rightfully stunned, as are many who have never laid eyes on a proper Asgardian wolf. The little bit of grey around its muzzle signified this one had lived a rather long life, and the scars on its body told the tales of mighty past struggles.

Sif truly didn't pull her punches and gave her all in anything she participated in. Which, clearly, applied to this challenge as well. The wolf was an absolute specimen and Thor would have been hard-pressed to find one that could match it.

However, it was no Goddess of the Sun.

Amaterasu picked up the bone she'd dropped and sat down, her tail swishing through the grass as she looked up at Elder, the massive wolf. In return, the Asgardian wolf flopped onto the ground with a world-shaking thump, causing several children to wobble unsteadily and topple over, much to their delight.

While Amaterasu busied herself with making a new friend, Thor tried to do the best damage control he could in the few seconds he had left. Sif hopped off Elder's back and dropped to the ground.

"Sif!" Thor spread his arms and approached her, smiling innocently. "You look like you slept wonderfully." He lost his smile when she crossed her arms.

That was never a good sign.

"It was Amaterasu's doing," Sif explained. Her eyes hardened, and she narrowed her eyes. "I was under the impression we were competing to help the children study Asgardian Wolves. The deal was made while the Bifröst was shattered."

"Ah, but Amaterasu has seen battle multiple times, and she is a wolf. The rules of the wager did not specify they had to be Asgardian."

"You brought the Goddess of the Sun on a field trip."

"I did." Thor smiled. "I could not just let this be a normal wager after all! The children deserve to see the full array of creatures that exist in the Nine-Realms, and-"

Sif sighed. "You take after your brother far more than you realize. You're just less… stabby."

Thor opened his mouth to protest, only to be interrupted by a repetitive thump, thump, thump, that shook the ground. Children giggled and laughed with absolute delight. Thor and Sif both turned their attention to the source of the commotion.

Elder, the massive wolf, had placed his head flat on the ground and was wagging happily, his tail thudding against the ground with every hit. Amaterasu approached Elder and leaned forward, spitting out the bone she'd been carting around onto his nose.

The thumping grew even faster.

Thor winced as Elder absently licked at his nose, causing the bone to vanish into his maw and disappear with a horrific crunch, which seemed to be accidental more than anything. Amaterasu didn't appear to care, however, and her tail wagged faster as well, speeding up to a blur that flattened the grass below.

Amaterasu stepped forward and clambered onto the Asgardian wolf's muzzle, and flopped over it, laying lengthwise on his nose to look into the massive wolf's eyes. Elder, in return, had his eyes crossed, looking at the comparatively tiny wolf on his nose, the two wagging faster still. The repetitive whap, whap, whap of that huge tail flattened another tree and kicked up enough dirt to put a digging crew to shame.

Thor hoped that this newfound friendship between the wolves wouldn't affect his and Sif's wager. After all, this is why Amaterasu was brought to Asgard in the first place. It wasn't for some selfless battle, or from freeing the Nine-Realms from tyranny and space pirates. Though, he had to admit that was a more important reason and Thor was incredibly happy that it worked out. Rescuing people was far more necessary than winning some silly bet.

But! Now that the people were safe, it was time for Thor and Sif to engage in one of the most daunting challenges yet!

Getting a group of children to decide which super-powerful wolf they liked more. The loser would pay for the winner's drinks for a month! It was a truly daunting challenge, but Thor had faith in Amaterasu.

This was something only the Goddess of the Sun could properly handle.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

"My name?" Elder asked. The large wolf seated himself on the ground and gazed down at the small creature before him.

Amaterasu barked an affirmative, craning her head back to look at him. Why she didn't just sit further back, Elder did not know.

"I am the eldest in the pack. The Asgardians call me 'the elder' of the wolves. I am simply Elder," he explained. Elder leaned down, and tilted his head, gazing curiously at the smaller wolf. "You have a warm presence about you. The warriors treat you with noticeable respect. Who are you, Amaterasu?" He couldn't help the lazy swish of his tail, said warmth from the small creature making him feel lighter than he had in years.

"Awoof!" Amaterasu replied.

…

Elder shifted his gaze up at the sky, squinting at the giant glowing orb far above their heads. His eyes moved back down, focusing on the tiny wolf before him. Then up again, just for good measure, as if to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Then… back to the positively tiny creature.

"Do not jest. I do not appreciate being made a fool of."

Amaterasu huffed through her nose, a rather rude-sounding word that Elder hadn't heard before, but the tone was enough. He watched the wolf dig one of her forepaws into the ground, then pulled away. As Amaterasu retreated several steps, Elder leaned in, curious.

"How is this proof of your claim?" he asked. Elder scented the air, trying to see if that tiny hole in the ground meant anything at all. "I do not see-"

Elder's eyes widened, and he had a scant moment to pull his head back as a tree sprouted from the ground. It grew tall and fast, its size quickly expanding to the point its branches enveloped his head, and obscured his vision. Its rapid growth slowed, stopping just beneath his jaw while seated. He snorted the leaves from his nose, and shifted his head forward, peering through the branches.

Amaterasu looked far too smug. Off to the side, he could hear the sounds of the Asgardian children cheering and shouting their excitement.

"That is… adequate proof," Elder huffed. It was his fault for not taking proper precautions. However, he did not appreciate the facial shrubbery that would look at home on some of the warriors he'd met. "Very well, Goddess of the Sun."

Elder pulled back from the tree and shook himself off, retreating back and to the side. Movement from the corner of his eye interrupted their further conversation, both Thor and Sif approaching the two, alongside the children's instructor.

"Amaterasu, Elder, I believe we have a plan to win- er, educate the children," Thor said. "We ask that you perform various feats to display your abilities."

"It is like a competition," Sif added.

"An educational one!" Thor quickly followed. "To show off differences between Midgardian and Asgardian beings."

Elder didn't believe them. Something about this sounded off. The children could clearly see the physical differences right there. And, as Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu would have powers Elder wouldn't be able to replicate—he had physical might and size against Amaterasu.

Amaterasu didn't believe them either if the little huff through her nose meant anything. She didn't voice her complaints though, merely shifting her gaze to look at Elder, before turning back to the duo.

"Is this agreeable?" the instructor asked. "If not, we can have the children take notes or make observations instead."

Both Sif and Thor seemed to pale at that, though remained silent. Elder wanted to see where this was going.

"Fine," Elder spoke. Of course, Amaterasu had to translate for him anyway, and added her approval as well. Thor and Sif immediately relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. "What are we to do?"

…

Elder stared down at the three. They looked at each other with confusion, as if they hadn't planned for this scenario at all.

"I am certain they are only successful because of their opposable thumbs," Elder huffed. "Amaterasu, what say you to a contest of strength?"

"Wurf?" the Goddess asked.

Elder didn't reply. Instead, he leaned down and grasped the tree Amaterasu had grown by the trunk, his teeth digging into the bark. With a growl and a sharp twist of his head, the tree was torn from the ground, showering Thor, Sif, the teacher, and the children in dirt and grass. He spat out the tree a moment later, dropping it to the ground.

"Is this acceptable?" Elder asked. Amaterasu seemed to agree if her wagging tail meant anything.

The teacher was the one to speak up. "Does this not seem unfair? Considering the size difference between the two."

"Of course not!" Thor chuckled. "I have full faith in Amaterasu's ability to succeed."

Amaterasu shooed the three away with a wave of her paw and a soft huff through her nose, telling them to back away. Elder wasn't entirely sure how this was supposed to be a challenge, but he took it in stride. He'd lived many years, and the Asgardians continued to surprise him with their strength and ingenuity.

Maybe this Goddess of the Sun would prove similar.

Elder leaned down and grasped the upper branches of the tree in his jaws, clamping down on them firmly. Amaterasu appeared to do the same with as many of the tree roots as she could, grabbing close to the base of the tree.

Amaterasu and Elder locked eyes, and, on a silent signal, they pulled.

…

Elder stood up, holding the tree effortlessly in his grasp. He crossed his eyes, looking at the other end, seeing the small wolfess just sort of dangling by her jaws. Her back legs flailed, and an annoyed huff left her nose.

The children seemed to love it if their amused cheering meant anything. They laughed and clapped and carried on for what Elder believed to be entirely too long. That, and they weren't taking notes or discussing things amongst one another.

Elder carefully set the tree down, allowing Amaterasu back onto the ground. He pulled back a moment later and worked the leaves from his mouth.

"I do not believe your abilities as the Goddess of the Sun are going to help with this, Amaterasu," Elder said. He looked down at the small wolf, surprised by the way her fur seemed to light up in challenge.

"Boof," she replied. Her eyes were narrowed, and she looked determined.

"… Very well, I'll stay lower. Don't disappoint me."

Elder grasped the branches again, thick limbs bending and crunching between his jaws. Amaterasu did the same, gathering roots in her jaws and clamping down. The two locked eyes once again, and at once they pulled.

Surprised, the Asgardian wolf found himself sliding forward, no matter how hard he tried to keep his footing. His paws were unable to regain traction, and he found himself struggling to remain in place, the slick surface beneath leaving him helpless.

After being dragged what had to be two body lengths, Elder conceded and dropped his end, letting the tree fall to the ground with a thump. The massive wolf looked down and had to stifle a growl.

He was standing on ice! A thick sheet of ice—he stomped a paw onto it in equal parts frustration and curiosity, finding that it didn't even chip under the hit. An annoyed huff slipped out.

Several of the children cheered, but when Elder glanced over, they were very quickly silenced by their peers. Multiple instances of "shush" and "be quiet" were whispered by the kids, followed by several nervous glances back toward Sif and Thor.

…

"Why do they not cheer?" Thor asked.

Elder asked the same question to Amaterasu. Despite the rather unfair use of her abilities, it was still a win without any aid from someone else. It was Amaterasu's win.

Sif smirked. "Remember, we agreed the winner was the one the children found most impressive."

"You cheated!" Thor accused, pointing at Sif.

"This morning, I offered to take the children for treats if I won," Sif replied. "I knew you were up to something—you smile too wide and the corner of your eyes crinkle when you are plotting something. I didn't see you at all in the forests, and you snuck Amaterasu into Asgard."

"I- You-" Thor floundered for words. "You cheated!"

More snickers and laughter escaped the children.

Elder turned to Amaterasu, who was also listening in on the conversation taking place. "What are they referring to?"

As Amaterasu spoke, Elder learned that she just fully realized the extent of what was going on as well. Thor intended to win a wager and cheat by using technicalities. Sif intended to win a wager by bribing the children. Not only was this blatantly disrespectful in general, but Elder had come with the sole intention of teaching the young ones and assisting in their education. That two respected warriors stooped this low for a wager and competition?

A low, angry growl slipped from Elder's jaws, his teeth bared, and eyes narrowed. Asgardian wolves prided themselves on honour and integrity—character and respect. That they intended to trick him and interrupt the education of-

A short, sharp bark interrupted him, snapping his attention to Amaterasu. The Goddess padded closer toward him and motioned for Elder to come closer. With a huff, he lay on the ground and tilted his head, perking an ear as the small wolf approached and whispered in his ear.

And as she spoke, he felt his anger fall. Not only was the soothing warmth of Amaterasu easing his mood, but her suggestion was rather appealing. It would still allow the children to learn and would allow the two wolves to test one another and show off their strengths. The part that appealed to him the most though?

Humiliation for the two that thought they could trick the two lupines into winning their bets for them.

Elder stood up once again, idly noting that the thick ice Amaterasu created had vanished. He turned his narrowed gaze to Thor and Sif one final time, and he flicked an ear dismissively. They weren't worth the anger or effort. No, the children needed to learn, and Amaterasu's idea was rather ingenious, should they prove it possible.

Powerful jaws gripped the tree from both ends again, the two locking eyes. Brown met gold, understanding passing between the two.

They pulled.

Elder was surprised when he felt himself slowly making ground. He looked down to see his paws carving trenches into the field but wasn't making much headway. His elevated position allowed him to see Amaterasu's side rather well, and he huffed through his nose, trying to pull harder.

The ground around Amaterasu was being dug up and shredded like his own. Unlike his own, however, the plant life around the Goddess seemed to be responding to her. It weaved over her legs and reinforced the ground she stood on, giving her a brace and a solid platform for traction.

They pulled, and tugged, and Elder realized he'd never had this much difficulty with any other Asgardian wolf. He could feel the energy coursing through Amaterasu's body, allowing herself to strain as hard as she wanted.

This was the power of a Goddess.

Something shifted. Something snapped. A series of cracks and crunches sounded out, shaking the tree they pulled on. Elder gave one final, harsh tug, and-

CRACK!

The tree sheared in half. Elder staggered back half a step, the hunk of wood still between his jaws. He heard a startled yelp and managed to look up just in time.

The half of the tree Amaterasu had been pulling on was now hurtling backward across the field, almost higher than Elder would have been able to reach on his back paws. As for Amaterasu… There was so much force and magic and effort being put into the match, that when the tree finally gave in… Well, that energy had to go somewhere.

The Goddess of the Sun rocketed backward, almost a streak of light as she rolled across the open field. Her momentum and power carried her far, the whole group watching the comparatively small wolfess tumble end over end for entirely too long.

And she was still going…

Still going…

Oh, she's slowing down!

No, that was just a hill. Down she goes. She's still rolling…

Eventually, Amaterasu came to a stop far in the distance. Elder had to squint to make out her form, watching as she staggered to all fours. She appeared to be fine, standing tall… before immediately turning around and throwing up a staggering amount of food.

Elder was impressed.

Apparently, the Goddess of the Sun did nothing in half measures, including being sick.

"Sif, what happens if the contest is a tie?" Thor asked.

Elder turned toward the two and flashed them a smile, his ears back, doing his best to match the smug chaotic energy of Amaterasu. It seemed to work, for both Thor and Sif looked nervous. Not the kind of nervousness that came when a group of children surged toward a Battle Wolf with its teeth bared.

No, it was the concern of two individuals who were about to realize what happened when they tried to pull a fast one on a centuries-old wolf, and the Goddess of the Sun.

Elder remained seated, allowing the Asgardian children to clamber onto his tail and scale his legs and back, his gaze locked onto the two warriors. While the massive wolf bathed in affection from the younger generation, he stared down Thor and Sif, quite pleased with the sudden shift in events.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

"Sif, I believe we may have made an error in our judgement," Thor admitted.

"We?" Sif asked, incredulous. "You were the one that started all of this."

"… It hardly matters who began this series of events." Thor coughed into his fist, embarrassed. "What are we to do with the wager if they continue their competitive stubborn behaviour?"

Sif didn't seem to have an answer for that. Thor hadn't a clue either. However, he had the feeling that both he and Sif would have to do whatever the two wolves wanted if they were to retain their good standing.

Elder and Amaterasu appeared to be making good on their threat. They'd managed to tie in every single thing they'd done. Digging, jumping, carting the children around, and even being able to sleep the fastest while assailed by the young Asgardians. One would go all out and overwhelm the other, and then they would switch turns, before meeting in the middle with a measured pace. For the most part.

Of course, the kids loved it. They'd long forgotten that they were supposed to prefer one over the other. Instead, they seemed content with just cheering and praising the two wolves regardless of what they were doing. Their instructor had lost all desire to wrangle the kids as well, happy with letting them enjoy the time off and learning through observation.

What they were learning, Thor hadn't a clue. The only things he'd picked up were that Elder was horrendously strong and that Amaterasu's magic was broken and unfair. Then again, one could say the same for his abilities—shooting lightning from an impossibly dense magic hammer was pretty cool, he had to admit.

The back and forth between the two wolves had led to one final event: a race. It was a simple task—the two were meant to run toward the end of a field, stop once they reached the treeline, and then turn around and come back. Simple in theory.

In practice?

Amaterasu had apparently taught a warrior creature the act of stubbornness and petty compliance. Even in this 'event' the duo intentionally tied, just to make Thor and Sif squirm. In the first round, Amaterasu merely loped forward and completed the race, whilst Elder took a nap and allowed the children to climb on him. The second round consisted of Ammy playing with the kids, while Elder lazily wandered to the other end and back.

Thus came the third race. They would just have to come back at the same time, and that was it. A simple task for the two powerful creatures. But how would they do it? Would Amaterasu ride on Elder? Would the two just nap until they were bored? Or, maybe, they might actually compete and make this a tie-breaker as it was meant to be.

As the two wolves stepped up to their starting line—a pile of shoes the children decided would be official enough—Thor felt his hopes rise. Would they actually compete? Would this be it? Maybe Thor would still win out over Sif. He knew Amaterasu was fast. If she even put a little effort into it, she (and Thor) would win.

The children appeared to be as excited as ever, not even tiring despite cheering and playing and enjoying themselves for nearly two hours. They'd lined up to the left of the wolves, standing in a row so that everyone could get a glimpse of the last event.

Thor and Sif stood behind them all, as did the teacher, who was the one signalling the start of the race.

"Are you two ready?" the instructor asked. She seemed to be grinning as wide as the children were, giving in to the shenanigans taking place.

Amaterasu and Elder both barked in affirmation, their tails wagging happily. They crouched and shuffled around, digging their paws into the dirt, tensing themselves, low to the ground. Their eyes snapped forward, and everyone could see the muscles in Elder's legs flexing.

Thor held his breath. Maybe he could still win this!

"Alright. Ready yourselves… and…" The instructor took a pause, holding onto the final command.

Elder and Amaterasu were quivering, bodies tense.

The children held their breath, quiet, watching intently.

Thor and Sif stared, the outcome of their wager unknown, as well as their fates.

…

"Go!"

A grunt of effort escaped Elder and the massive wolf shoved himself forward. The ground beneath his paws was torn to shreds, claws carving into the world below. The first steps shook the ground, the children wobbling a tad as the Battle Wolf bounded his way forward with heavy strides, picking up speed. He moved fast for an older wolf, especially one as large as he. His pace had him set to reach the end of the field in mere seconds.

Amaterasu hadn't moved.

"Yes!" Sif cheered.

Thor felt his heart drop. This was his fate after all. Kept anticipating victory for hours, concern over a potential loss or win. Amaterasu had decided he deserved to fail for his part in all this. He accepted his coming punishment with a bitter grimace.

But…

Amaterasu remained crouched, her tail tip quivering in anticipation. Her muscles twitched and her whole body seemed to be thrumming with energy, waiting for… something. The pressure around Amaterasu seemed to grow, the grass flattening itself around her.

"Lady Amaterasu, I am begging you," Thor pleaded.

A low buzzing hum seemed to roll off Amaterasu, her red markings glowing brighter with every passing second. Her white fur seemed to spike in intensity as well, making it harder to watch. It was like trying to stare at the sun through a layer of clouds—possible but Gods if it wasn't painful.

Elder was already on his way back at this point, having reached the end and started his sprint toward the group. The confusion on his muzzle was evident, considering Amaterasu still hadn't moved. He was getting closer. And closer… He'd be on them in seconds.

The hair on Thor's arms stood on end, and he could see an almost static-like energy washing over the group, causing them to shift uncomfortably. Several of the children backed up to hide behind Thor and Sif, uncomfortable with the charge in the air. But this was no electrical energy—Thor knew what that felt like.

No, this was merely residual energy. A small amount escaping Amaterasu.

Thor had a moment to brace himself and shield the children when he saw the Goddess's claws tense. In the next instant, she moved.

Amaterasu exploded from the starting point, the ground buckling outward in all directions, creating a literal crater from the force of her launch. The whole group staggered, falling over one another, blinded by the cloud of debris left behind. Amaterasu was little more than a blur as she streaked across the field, leaving behind little flecks of blue and white behind her.

Elder stumbled mid-run as Amaterasu careened by, caught off-guard by the sight of the smaller wolf passing in an instant. The air pressure and weight of magic threw off his stride, and he had to recover. The massive wolf started pushing himself hard, barrelling toward the finish.

The Goddess of the Sun planted a forepaw in the ground and leapt with her back legs, wheeling herself around in the air. With a shift, she was sent in a tight spin toward the edge of the forest. Then, she jumped, pushing off the very air itself with a thunderous explosion of pressure that rippled outward. The shockwave upon the air crashed against the forest, toppling several trees, and stripping the bark off others.

And now she was on her way back. But, Elder was upon the finish line, just a step away. Amaterasu had overestimated her abilities and-

The group staggered again, and Elder misstepped, causing him to correct and take one additional world-shaking push forward. Amaterasu seemed to get even faster, though not because she was running faster, but because time itself slowed around her. All she had left, pushing herself to her absolute limit, was her Celestial Brush and all the abilities that afforded her.

Elder planted his paw on the line.

Amaterasu screamed across it in the same instant.

The Battle Wolf planted his paws firmly into the ground and slid himself to a halt, taking several seconds to slow the mass of the wolf. Amaterasu continued, however, leaving a trail of white fire, flowers, and blue glowing flecks behind her.

Then, she shifted, jumping and angling herself forward, her body spinning rapidly. Another push off the air halted her momentum, causing another shockwave to ripple outward and flatten the grass. With her momentum halted, Amaterasu fell to the ground, dropping to all fours.

Her legs shook and she swayed unsteadily on her feet, panting hard, her body glowing brightly, enough heat and light rolling off of her to be felt from several strides away. Each breath out was a shimmering wave of heat, and she barely had the energy to stand upright.

Thor and Sif had forgotten all about their wager, staring at the Goddess instead. The children appeared to be equally as stunned, as did Elder, the entire group looking upon the exhausted wolf.

"… Another tie," the instructor said, interrupting the silence.

Thor and Sif were very quickly reminded of their wager. More specifically, the one neither of them had come first place in. The children didn't care who won, they were more concerned with the wolves and enjoying themselves.

But, to Thor and Sif's dismay, neither had won. But, in a tie, neither lost either. Or so they thought.

Amaterasu turned to look at Sif and Thor, an exhausted smile on her face, and golden eyes ablaze with both pride and mirth. She managed a wink at the duo before she flopped to the grass. Amaterasu was going to take some time to recover.

As for Thor and Sif?

They had to wait in fear, unknowing of the horrors that were to come. They'd messed up, trying to use the Goddess of the Sun and an Asgardian Wolf as pawns in a game of theirs. They would quickly find themselves on the receiving end of what Amaterasu believed was a fitting punishment.

And did she ever have something in mind.

----------------------------------------