A/N: Wow, thanks for all the favs! I was honestly a little overwhelmed, lol. Also, big thanks to those who reviewed. I'm glad you all found something worthwhile in these mad ramblings of mine. Enjoy the second chapter!
Jötunheim's icy winds stung his cheeks, like the sky flung thousands of thin, sharp needles out of spite. The ice storm all but blinded him, the deep snow drifts threatened to swallow him whole, and the cold was enough to make his arms go numb. The furs he wore did nothing for him, and he almost seriously considered unpacking the extra furs in his sack (the ones Frigga had insisted he bring for Loki) and piling them on top of the ones he already wore. Frigga had also laden him down with several full course meals and enough meat to feed an army. Loki would be hungry, she reasoned as she tucked a few extra odds and ends into his extra pockets. The sack weighed close to ton. Mjolnir seemed light in comparison. And she wanted him to carry the sack across Jötunheim. The things he did for his mother.
The Bifrost had neatly deposited him in the middle of a glacier field, which was oddly convenient, though Thor knew for a fact that Heimdall couldn't possibly see where Loki was hiding. If Loki did not want to be seen, then Loki would not be seen. Still, the field, with all its caves and hovels, would be the perfect place to begin searching. Thor would find Loki, even if Loki did not wish to be found. He knew the Trickster God better than anyone, and with Mjolnir he would battle all of Jötunheim if it came down to it.
Of course, hearty boasts soon gave way to ragged breathing, frozen fingers, and weary legs. His sore back groaned with every step he took through the deep drifts of snow, until he felt as old as his father. He wished for the comforting weight of his armor, but his mother had convinced him to leave it behind, and instead dress warmly as possible. Thor thought he would rather be freezing and have his armor than be warm and unprotected, but the wind was icy and it did chill him to the bone. Still, despite his body's protest, he persevered. He lost count of how many ice caves he found and combed through, lost track of how flags he set to mark the places he had already explored. Thrice he accidentally doubled around in a large circle. The ice storm waned and intensified at random, sometimes growing so strong Thor was unable to see, while other times the sky was so clear the stars and planets shone as brightly as the light realms.
During those times where the storm worsened, Thor decided it would be within his best interest to find shelter of his own before he managed to get himself lost in the blizzard. Doing so, he soon discovered, was easier said than done. No sooner had he ventured into a cave and set his sack down than he was slinging it back over his shoulder and running from two of the largest wolves he had ever seen. Geri and Freki almost paled in comparison, and they were the size of war horses! Apparently he had intruded upon their den, and while the pups (already the size of Midgard wolves) seemed friendly enough, their parents were a good deal less amused with the violation of their privacy.
The moment they snarled, Thor retreated with one of the beasts hot on his heels. He smelled hot, putrid breath on the back of his neck and gagged, while paws as large as his head tore at his back. Something caught the edge of his sack, causing Thor to lose his balance and sprawl face first into the snow. The wolf chasing him jumped and began digging, rending the leather apart to reach the thick sides meat within. Thor struggled to find Mjolnir. He couldn't let the beasts steal the food meant for himself and Loki. Slowly, as to not catch the keen eye of the animal on his back, Thor reached for his hammer, strapped to his belt. He felt the cold, leather-wrapped handle, slick and wet from the snow and closed his fingers around it—power surged through him, the power of thunder and lightning.
The power of the gods.
The wolf atop him, a shaggy white bitch, ceased her ravenous search, sensing a change in her prey. She lowered her massive head and sniffed Thor's neck, baring her teeth in warning. A low, rumbling growl erupted from her great chest, followed by a vicious, rabid snarl. Her hackles raised and her tail stiffened out behind her. White fur all over her body bristled as she prepared for an attack. Thor grit his teeth and forced himself to remain still. The wolf was no match for him, but one wrong move could result in a mangle limb. He closed his eyes, felt the power flow through him, felt the power become him.
The she-wolf lunged.
The next split-second was filled with a thunderous cracking noise, and then the stormy sky was split in half by an enormous lightning bolt. It streaked down to the ground, toward Mjolnir, and connected with an intense boom that rocked the very ground. The impact of raw energy caused two things to happen: first, the she-wolf was boldly thrown from Thor's back, as if a giant had picked her up and flung her. Her body struck one of the nearby glaciers and she yelped in pain before falling to the ground, stunned. Second, Thor was lifted off the ground and to his feet with the power that surged through him. He held Mjolnir over his head, taming the lightning that still arced toward him.
"For Asgard!" he bellowed.
The defeated wolf whimpered and lay still, laying her ears flat against her head and tucking her tail close to her body. She blinked at him slowly with her large, golden eyes, and Thor stared back, unafraid. Her mate eventually joined her side. The massive black alpha directed a half-hearted snarl at Thor, but proved more concerned with his mate than anything else. He nuzzled her neck and licked her ears and snout, perhaps checking to make sure she was unharmed. Thor watched and, when he determined the wolves no longer presented a threat, chuckled to himself.
"At least you know your priorities," he murmured as he shrugged his sack off to assess the damage. The wolf had torn a large hole in one corner of the bag and had managed to wrestle a hunk of meat halfway out. Slobber and tooth marks also soiled a loaf of bread and one skin of wine. Thor sighed and removed the meat, looking over at the two wolves comforting one another. They were probably only thinking of feeding their pups when they had attacked, and the thought softened Thor's heart a little, as he had a love for all animals. He picked up the ruined meat and, with a flick of his wrist, hurled it to the wolves. The male sent him a questioning look, but the female was already edging toward the hunk.
"Go on," Thor laughed, "you've earned it!"
The she-wolf blinked slowly and snatched the meat up in her jaws, turning away and loping off into the cold to return to her den. Her coat blended in with the snow, and if not for her mouthful Thor might've lost sight of her. The alpha male remained behind and held Thor's gaze. He didn't seem too keen to move at the moment, but yawned widely and raised a hind leg to scratch at an elusive spot right behind his ear. He was a beautiful creature, black and sleek, like oil. Thor appreciated his beauty before returning to repacking his sack. He tied the torn end and hefted it to see if the knot would hold. It did, and he shouldered it once more. When he stood, the alpha was still there, sitting several yards away, staring at him. There was something frightfully intelligent in those blue eyes, and Thor decided to ask the wolf a favor.
"I am looking for someone," he said hesitantly. When the wolf tilted his head to the side, actually appearing to pay attention, Thor, encouraged, continued. "He is my brother, and I need to find him. Have you…seen anyone else—like me—around Jötunheim?"
Thor did not expect the wolf to answer him. The alpha snorted and flicked his ears, though, and stood up. Tail wagging like a happy dog's, he turned and started off in the opposite direction his mate took. Accepting it as a sign, Thor began to follow, clambering over the rocky ground and squirming his way down narrow paths. Shortly thereafter, Thor realized that the reason he had never stood a chance against outrunning the wolves in the first place was because they were far more capable of tackling the treacherous terrain than he. Within minutes the storm worsened and all could he see was the dark, blurry form of his lupine guide. His eyesight was better than average in the dark, but even this was almost too much. It was all he could do to struggle to keep pace. The wolf led him through the field and up a hill toward a ridge which overlooked another glacier field. Thor huffed and hauled himself to the top of the ridge, where the wolf sat, panting and wagging his tail like a huge, friendly dog.
Leading me on a wild goose chase, aye?" Thor asked, wiping wet hair and snow from his face. His companion said nothing, but turned and ran back down the slope, zigging and zagging until he disappeared back into the storm, leaving Thor alone once again. Figured. He sighed and pulled his furs tighter around his shoulders and began to carefully pick his way down the steep, rocky side. Forty minutes later his feet touched even ground and he was surprised to see that the wind did not buffet him about so fiercely, and the snowfall was light. Looking around he saw that he stood in a valley of sorts, surrounded on all sides by glaciers and towering mountains, and shaped like a bowl. From where he stood Thor could see at least two hollow spots among the walls that could have been caves. It was the perfect place for anyone who did not wish to be found to hide in, including a God of Mischief.
Relieved and more than ready to put an end to today's aimless searching, Thor made his way to the nearest hovel, which looked like it might lead back far enough into the mountainside to be adequate shelter for the evening. The cave, when he finally made his way to the entrance, did indeed stretch back, perhaps twenty-five to thirty feet. Thor, with his enhanced eyesight, could only see about ten or twelve feet in before darkness consumed his line of vision. He would need to build a fire with the kindling he had packed as well, and so he threw the sack off and knelt to the floor. Within moments a warm fire crackled and grew, giving light to most of the cave and warming Thor to his bones. Satisfied, the Thunderer lowered himself to the ground with a groan, easing his sore joints into a reclining position. He leaned his head back against the slick surface of the wall, closed his eyes, and sighed.
Perfect, he thought to himself.
Mother would owe him for this one. Loki would too, for that matter, if he was ever to be found. No brother, no matter how close or how sorely missed, was worth the trouble; that much he was absolutely certain of. Thor's entire body felt like one giant bruise, and he was sure that if he were to peel his clothes off his skin would resemble one in color. He felt exhausted, more so than he had felt at the end of his last battle. Sleep, something Thor had not had the luxury of fully indulging in for a long time, looked as inviting to him as the arms of Valkyries looked to a dying warrior. A few moments would make little difference in his search if he chose now to rest.
Just a few moments, he promised himself as he folded his arms over his stomach and closed his eyes. A few moments are all I need, and then I shall rise, prepare some of the meat for a meal, and then perhaps even…even…
—snore—
A/N: I imagine Thor snores a bit like a freight train.