War noted the wistful smile, and her concern grew. Just what was wrong with the god? Carefully, she said, "If you like, I can teach him how spears have been used through the ages - the technique's changed a bit, you know." Hopefully, he would accept the offer, and understand what she meant by it.

"Not all friends do," she said, calmly. She didn't want to get him agitated, she wanted to reassure him - and not jsut with empty words. "Some might, but I don't see them as friends. In all the time I've been around, I probably can count the number of people I'd truly call friends on the fingers of my two hands. And when I'm some one's friend, I don't cut and run." She gestured expansively. "I'm the personification of war, Loki - not just fighting. War comes with some principles, and as I see it, one of those is, you don't leave your friends behind, whatever happens. I might have a tight definition of friends, but as they say - When you can't run, you walk. When you can't walk, you crawl. When you can't do that - I'll be there to carry you"