I jogged along the road as it skirted that low hill and had just reached the point furthest from either the house I"d just left and Loke"s house still out of sight up ahead when something dark and furry darted into my path. I tried to pull up short but slipped on a patch of ice, then tumbled head first over the animal, which was furiously attacking my shins.
A loud snapping sound cracked through the air, and I really hoped that sound wasn"t one of my bones breaking.
I sat up on my elbows, spitting out snow as I pushed my hat back out of my eyes. I crawled forward just enough to be sure that I might be bruised but wasn"t actually hurt. Then I looked back at my feet to see that it was Mjolner who had tripped me.
"Mjolner!" I said. I had more choice words to follow, but before I had the ch
