Author's Note: This is the story of how Loki met Kiore's father. This story can be read as a stand alone and is set before the Thor movie. This story is related to my other story Child of Loki and the 'Loki of…' stories.

Warning: There will be mentions of sex. Not in this chapter but in the next one. If you don't like m/m please don't read.

Read and enjoy.

The Stranger

'This is Thor's fault', was Loki's first thought as he woke up in pain. He wiggled his fingers and felt dirt and small rocks pressing against his hands and back. His head was resting on a stone and it was cold. His cloak was twisted and torn underneath him.

"Sir? Good you're alive. Just wait right there and I'll be right down. Don't move I believe your leg is broken."

Loki's eyes opened and he lifted his head to see the figure who was currently scaling down the cliff with a coil of rope and a leather bag. 'I'm in Midgard," Loki thought as the tall thin man came up beside him. No other race would be so oblivious to a god, as a human.

"That must have been a nasty fall from the top," the man remarked looking up the cliff. He knelt down by Loki and studied the odd angle of his leg. "I really do believe your leg is broken."

"Really I didn't notice," Loki snapped as he tried to remember how he had gotten on Midgard. He had been with his brother and the Warriors Three and the Lady Sif in Alfheim, the land of the light elves for a diplomatic mission. He also remembered the Bifrost coming from them and Thor slapping him on his back so hard he had lost his balance. He had fallen off and apparently ended up in Midgard.

"Sir, sir, please don't drop off like that. You could fall asleep and never wake up," the mortal said. "And I need you to chew on his bark." Loki gave him a sharp look and tried to get up. The man stopped him from moving with a soft hand on his shoulder. "The bark will help with the pain when I set your leg. If I don't set it now it might heal wrong and you may never walk again. My mother was a healer so I have experience doing this."

"Get on with it," Loki snapped reluctantly taking the bark. His magic was dry at the moment and he couldn't heal himself just yet.

The red haired man just grinned at his annoyance and kept talking, "You can come with me to the next town or farther if you need to. They have a real healer there so we can get you looked at. What were you doing out here alone anyways? It's not safe to travel alone."

"You seem to be traveling alone yourself," Loki snapped, "can't follow your own advice?"

"But I'm not alone. I've got Bear."

"You travel with a bear," Loki asked eyes wide. The man laughed and shook his head.

"No, Bear's my dog. Well I think he's part wolf or something but he's big and mean to strangers so no one thinks of messing with me. Besides I'm pretty good with a staff and bow."

"I can fight," Loki said.

"I'm sure you can," the man said, quick to agree, "But anyone can be overwhelmed by bandits. If I give you a hand do you think you can walk to the base so I can climb out then pull you up?"

"What about my leg," Loki asked sitting up and then looked at his newly splinted leg. He hadn't noticed the man splinting it.

"Well time flies when engaged in a good conversation," the man said offering his hand, "By the way I'm Adin Forestseer, peddler extraordinaire." Loki sorted at that but took the hand and allowed the man to help him to his feet.

"Loki," he said shortly.

"Your parents looking for favor from the gods or something," Adin asked. Loki shrugged but allowed the mortal to help him towards the base of the cliff and tie the rope around his waist.

"I'll climb up fist then pull you up Loki."

"Aright."

Adin was up the rope in a flash but disappeared for several minutes before retuning in Loki's sight and starting to pull him up. At the top Loki was helped to a covered wagon and lifted to the front seat by Adin who then introduced him to Bear and the horse, Pine needle. Then gathering up the reins Adin turned the cart around and headed back the way the wagon tracks lead.

Loki looked back at where he had been found and frowned, "How did you find me?"

Adin shrugged, "I felt I should go down that path when I was driving by and to stop and look down where I did. I get these feelings sometimes and I have always found following my gut is profitable in the end."

'Ah, so that was why Adin had saved him. He was hoping he had grateful parents or friends he could deliver him to for a reward," Loki thought as he watched the trees pass slowly by. Out loud he said, "I do not have any money or anything of value."

Adin laughed, "I didn't mean profit like that. I have company for three days to the next town. It gets lonely by yourself. Yes I talk to Bear but he can't answer like you can. So do you know any good stories?" Loki looked at the man in shock and shook his head. "Well no matter," Adin said. Then he started telling a fairytale till it was dusk and he pulled over the cart. He then helped Loki down and started cooking after caring for the animals.

Adin served his guest first and then sat down next to Loki with his own meal. They ate and talked till it was dark and Adin helped Loki into the only bed in the wagon. Adin laid with Bear on the cart's floor, wrapped in a blanket.

The next day was much the same except Loki forgot himself enough to tell some stories himself. Stories of the gods and stories he had heard from his mother as a child. They didn't stop for lunch but instead ate bread and cheese sitting in the cart. It was then that Loki noticed Adin's slight side glances at him but he dismissed it. That night as he lay in Adin's bed he reached for his magic and was pleased when it responded. He layered healing spells over his broken leg and then exhausted dropped off to sleep.