Thor fanfiction

"Of Wolves and Gods"

Chapter One: Gift from Above

The night was surprisingly humid for the New Mexico desert. Most people don't realize that while temperatures can climb as high as 110 degrees, as soon as the sun sets, temperatures drop drastically, even down to below freezing during the peak of summer. The desert was a dangerous and unpredictable place at night. Even so, in mid August, the balmy 97 degrees that flashed across Sheriff Damien Pierce's Charger's dash was highly unusual.

"God dammit!" A large fist landed roughly against the digital screen, but did nothing to change the glaring red numbers that stared back at him. "Must be busted again." Damien stared wearily at the vents of the A/C. The hot air that blew back at him, even at its coolest setting, almost brought tears to his hazel-green eyes. As a last-ditch effort, he rolled the windows down only to be met with the biting hot wind and stinging sand hitting his face. A frustrated yell was soon swallowed up by the flat expanse around him.

This was doing nothing to alleviate his mood. His 14-hour day started with no coffee and a rock hard donut and tumbled downhill from there. Weeks worth of evidence was destroyed in an mysterious office fire and Damien had visited two officers in the hospital who were injured in a very violent bar fight two days ago.

Officer Hartwell, his oldest standing member on the force at the age of 48, broke his arm in two places after getting thrown against the wall by an out of control biker from a local biker gang. He will be released from the hospital in a day or so, but would be on desk duty for the next 4-6 weeks. Then there was Collins, a rookie right out of the academy. He wasn't even on duty that night. Just happened to be in the wrong place when a pool stick came flying towards his head, ironically by the same biker that took Hartwell down. Collins was still unconscious with a concussion and would be on leave until further notice from his doctor. That left Damien with raging gang member in his holding cell with charges for resisting arrest, attacking and injuring a police officer, destruction of property, and assault. And to make it even worse, this morning, he asks for a lawyer and now claims to be on medication and won't be held responsible for his actions. Medicine, Damien snorted. That's one way of putting it. How about a wayward overgrown pup who ran away from home. Just wait till I get my hands on him.

Suddenly the road changed from asphalt to sand. The city lights faded into the distance behind the black police crusier, and with it so went his worries from his hectic job as protector and law keeper of the little city he recently started to call home. The stars lit up the night sky and the moon cast her light upon his path deeper into the barren land. Trips like this were becoming more routine as Damien settled into his new life as Sheriff. Less than six months ago, he was just a deputy in a small town in Colorado with fewer than 1000 residents. Half of those people were either family or pack that lived at base of the Rockies on the reservation that his mother ran. Going from there to a place with paved streets, street lights and where he was surrounded by humans who are completely oblivious that they share their planet with other beings who have great powers and incredible abilities, creatures whom rival their scientific limits to even exist and dismissed as legends and myths walk among them every day. Realizing that he was suddenly a member of a small minority of a different kind and one that would not be welcomed took some getting use to.

God, how he wished he could drop the disguise and stretch his legs in a long awaited run, to feel the wind blow through his fur and the sand give beneath his paws. But alas, Damien knew he could not relish in this form of freedom for fear of being seen. Not by a human, no a much more dangerous adversary. Odin. He would not be the one to risk his people's safety for a few hours of bliss. However, having to keep up the disguise 24/7 was draining.

"Maybe I'll go home for the holidays this winter. It'll be almost a year since I've seen any of the pack. Hopefully my brothers will be there for a run..." The shapeshifter mused as he thought of his vacation that was unfortunately months away. He sighed and pushed his plans to the back of his mind.

The black car rolled to a stop in the sand. He left the engine idling with the heater on, as he exited the car. Despite what the temperature was now, he knew it would be freezing by the time he went home. Being a shifter, Damien wasn't affected by cold temperatures, but the toasty warmth from the heater was one modern convenience he was willing to indulge in.

There was nothing special about the spot, the same sand that span out for miles in every direction, but this was a special spot. It was the perfect spot for gazing at the stars... and maybe talk to one. Damien leaned against the humming hood of the charger, letting the vibrations ease away the rest of his frustrations, and looked up at the night sky. What seemed like millions of stars shined back at him, but there was only one that he wanted to find.

"Where are you, old friend?" A star to the east glowed brightly, its light becoming brighter than its companions, caught the policeman's eye. Damien's smile beamed just as bright. "Ah, there you are!"

It might seem silly, even childish, to talk to a star. It was just a giant ball of hot air that might not exist anymore that was light years away. Or at least that's how the humans saw it. They didn't realize that every one of those bright lights was a portal to another world, and the one he was looking at was the entrance to the city of gold.

"Hello, Heimdall."

*In the Bifrost, after the Jotunheim Conflict*

Odin was Angry.

That was putting it simply. Odin was upset, mad, betrayed, tired, and many other things. But he mostly felt disappointed in his eldest son. After years of battles, conflicts, and trials of war, Thor had shown much promise of becoming a great king one day. The decorated breast-plate he proudly wore clearly showed as such. Allfather had hoped that this son's hubris and impulsive behavior that he exhibited as a child had been left behind. Odin looked to his son. His face was steadily turning a bright red in anger, just as his face would when he was denied attention as a child. How had he been so blind? Sure Thor was strong and brave but his first instinct was to fight. He saw it as the only way to settle an argument. Who was stronger. Not who was right or what was right. No. That wasn't the way to gain loyalty and love, only fear and rebellion. Until he learned that, he was still a child.

"And you're an old fool!" Thor's words spat at him, intent to hurt him. A last resort from a child who knew the battle had already been lost. The last straw for this old man. He was tired of playing this game. He knew where to hit and how much it would hurt. One by one, Odin stripped Thor of his accolades, his badges of honor, the artifacts that made him and others around him believe he was superior, to be respected. he took his power. Then he sent him to a place where no one would know him. With a quiet spell, Odin threw Moljnir through the Bifrost.

I may be old, but I'd be a fool to let a child take my crown.

Odin sighed heavily. The weariness of his many years suddenly bearing down on him. He turned to where Loki, his youngest son, stood quietly. His body was stiff and eyes wide with fear.

"Don't worry, Loki. Thor will be fine." Each word seemed to drain him of more energy but managed not to let it show. Together they left on their steads to return home, leaving the Guardian of the Bifrost, Heimdall, to watch over the entrance into their kingdom. The dark-skinned warrior stood at his post, his stance impenetrable. His golden eyes stared straight ahead but his focus strayed to the little blue planet where his prince had been sent. A small smile pulled at the corners of his full lips.

"Hello, Damien. You are about to receive a great gift. Keep your heart and mind open, and you and he will reap great reward."

*Back on Earth*

The response he received was not what he expected. Storm clouds rushed in from all sides of the desert sky, and the wind began to howl, whipping up the sand around him. The rolling crackle of thunder and lightning filled Damien's ears. The once bright sky darkened and he was left wondering in fear for what was to come next. The hair on his body began to stand on end, the air seemed to come alive with energy. Directly above, dark clouds swirled in a tight vortex, pulling more clouds in from its outer ring, growing bigger and bigger by the second. Suddenly a large flash on lightning blinded him followed by a deafening crash, a horrible sound of crushed aluminum and bent steel, mournful sputters of a dying engine before it was rendered silent. The raging wind died with the sound, and the clouds dispersed.

Silence.

"What the hell just happened? What was that nois- Oh my god!" Damien turned around and stared at the wreckage that was once his car. Of course it was hard to ignore the man that now laid unconscious on top of the collapsed hood. "Where did he come from?"

As if summoned by his thoughts, a star to the east again glowed brightly and its light engulfed the two men. Damien stared up at the star in disbelief.

"Heimdall? But where did he come from?" Stepping closer to the wreck , he took a better look at his "present" from Heimdall. The car was totaled, the frame was bent and twisted underneath the body, the hood completely concave from the force that his friend fell with from above. He looked human, well-built and handsome.

"Beautiful, really." Damien spoke softly and brushed his fingers through silky blond hair to show more of his face, letting his hand caress a high cheekbone. His gaze traveled across a prominent brow, lush light blond eyelashes, a straight nose and settled on full pink lips set against smooth golden skin. "Definitely beautiful."

Despite the car being broken and mangled, sharp edges sticking up from the metal, there wasn't a scratch on him. No ordinary human could survive such a fall with no harm done to him.

Asgardian. Damien pulled his hand away as if burned. But why? Does he know about us? Is he a spy for Odin?

Many questions ran through his mind, each one more ominous and frightening than the last. Heimdall's light suddenly flared brightly across the desert sky, catching the distressed man's attention.

I have to remember this is Heimdall's gift to me. Throughout the years I received many gifts from the distant star and the man who guarded it, all of which have brought fullness to my life, so this shouldn't be any different. Damien reasoned with himself as he carefully lifted the man from the car hood into his arms.

Despite his bulk, he was light enough for Damien to carry him to his new home. He left the car where it sat. He'd report it missing in the morning. It'll be a while before anyone finds it out here, besides there was no way to fix it now. At least it was the police station's car and not his personal one. Resigned to the long walk home, he turned to where he knew the city lights would appear and continued on, oblivious to the sky behind him. The night sky lit up briefly, the trail of a bright star falling to the ground far to the east of the two men, left to be discovered some other time.

To be continued...

This is the first story of a series centered around Thor and my original character, that will later include other characters from the Marvel movies. This story will follow the movie canon up to a point before veering off into my storyline, probably around chapter three or four. You'll know if you have seen the movie. The events form Thor: The Dark World do not occur in this story.

Enjoy!