Skosgrå and Ratatoskr

14. Lost Hooves

Every day, life in Seonghwa's forest became more and more saccharine. Hongjoong relished every minute spent by Skogsrå's side, and he felt homier than ever. To him, even Yeosang's daunting presence was a welcome treat. Although he was upset Yeosang couldn't understand his happiness and didn't support him, he was Hongjoong's closest friend who accompanied him for so long while he caused mischief and taunted the inhabitants of Yggdrasil. Though he lost his touch, Seonghwa provided everything Hongjoong could ever want and more, and Hongjoong was endlessly dedicated to his gracious and caring lover.

Yeosang would come around. Hongjoong often saw him spending time with the scary wolf, Garmr. It both distracted his unwelcome obsession with Seonghwa and provided Yeosang with a companion. Unlikely as they were, the pair often slinked through the thicket together and muttered to one another.

Hongjoong didn't worry too much. Yeosang would realise their bond with time and Seonghwa treated him with honour for being Hongjoong's partner. Soon, Yeosang would understand fate was a heartless opponent one shouldn't submit to. Within the protection of the forest, they could be themselves.

But fate was cunning, and it was well aware of Hongjoong's ignorance. Soon, it spun more intrigues to disrupt the peaceful forest and tried to part the lovers.

Guised in innocence, it sent them another trial. And soon, while Hongjoong skimmed his fingers through the bushes carrying the juiciest of berries and Seonghwa floated alongside him with an indulgent smile, a being swathed in purity crossed their path. The forests had gossiped livelier than usual but no alert sounded, so Seonghwa left the creature to approach them by itself. He merely kept an eye on Hongjoong as they whispered sweet nothings to one another on their walk.

Hongjoong had pondered to wrap his fingers around Seonghwa's majestic horns and to pull him into the mosses later, but the appearance of the white creature between mossy trees distracted him. Upon the first glance, nothing was wrong with it, but Seonghwa knew well that this wasn't a regular inhabitant of his forest.

It was a small goat, matured yet slight in its frame. Two horns grew from its head and curious teeth nibbled away on the plants. Its hooves tapped cutely, yet lost in the mysterious surrounding of the forest. When it lifted its head to check its surroundings, its split irises were clueless and dull.

Hongjoong had to coo. This goat didn't follow Seonghwa's songs. It must have broken from its hold at the human settlement nearby and stumbled its way to the lush foliage.

When Seonghwa regarded the intruder, he didn't see an enemy.

"Oh my," he chuckled, since this wasn't the first time this happened. Often, cows and sheep fled from the humans and their awful cages, only to be ripped to shreds by the wolves. This one was intelligent enough in its merry foolishness to make it this far. Eager teeth found another bush and ripped on it. The goat hadn't noticed the pair.

Hongjoong's tail perked.

"It must have lost its way! Can we keep it?" With big eyes, he stared up at Seonghwa. He liked the goat since it was horned like them. Its fur was a spectacular ivory hue and gold blended into its mane. Parts of the longer strands were braided beautifully. This must be a beloved animal to someone.

But Skogsrå wasn't responsible for returning those who were lost. He thought all animals deserved to be free. So he easily nodded.

"Of course. It can live its final years at peace here."

What neither of them knew, however, was that the Norns spun their shrewd plots, and this goat was Heiðrún, the goat feeding the einherjars, those who fell heroically in battle and joined the gods in Valhalla. Its teats produced mead instead of milk, and it was a creature as mythological as Ratatoskr or Skogsrå. On Heiðrún's disappearance depended the hunger of all those einherjars, who now missed their source of drink.