Circumstances
Chapter 2: Tracking a Trickster
AN: As usual, I own absolutely nothing. Also this story is based off the end of Avengers, going quite AU. Also some Phlint, but nothing graphic.
"Thor! Thor! Wait up"!
As a SHIELD agent, Clint Barton was in prime physical condition. He had spent years working in any terrain, from deserts to rainforests either as part of strike team or by himself. However, he had never had to team, one on one, with a Norse god. Maybe shouting out was a little sloppy, but to be fair, he had no idea why Thor had dragged him out into the depths of Germanic forests. They were supposed to be looking for Loki, and he was supposed to be in New York.
Thor stopped and turned to wait for the archer who leapt lightly over roots and rocks dispersed under the giant trees.
"Please Barton, not so loud", Thor cautioned. "We're being hunted".
"Hunted? Hunted by what"? Clint demanded. "Loki isn't here"!
"No he isn't. But someone who can find him is", Thor explained. "He isn't easy to find, and will approach us in his own time".
Thor turned and continued up the grassy slope. "If Heimdall and my father cannot find him, I will not be able to. But I know someone who will".
Mmmmm, meat. Hungry… hunt is on…
Four hours later, and Clint was still frustrated with Thor. The Norse god had stopped in a small clearing to set up camp. The sun was starting to slink behind the horizon and both avengers sat next to a small fire.
"You know I left Nat back in New York right? I should be there now, she's family"!
Thor fixed him with a glare. "Please son of Barton, this is my family too. The child Lady Natasha carries is also my kin. I would not have left unless it was necessary".
Clint tossed a branch into the fire. "This is so fucked up. Who are we even waiting for"?
Thor smiled. "You will see soon enough".
A low growl sounded through the clearing. Hawkeye sprung to him feet, bow in hand and arrow notched.
"What was that"?
"Please Hawkeye, put the bow down"- More growls and snarls, and what sounded like some fairly large teeth gnashing.
"Not a chance Blondie".
Thor immediately stood between the noise and the arrow pointing in the general direction of it.
"This one is mine", Thor demanded. Clint hesitated but lowered the bow. Who was he to argue? He had seen Thor take down an entire Leviathan.
The wolf was huge, about the size of small pony. He was heavy and saliva dripped down his fangs onto the soil beneath his paws. His grey fur and ice blue eyes bared straight into Clint's soul. The wolf glanced at the archer and then shifted his attention to the blonde man before him.
"We meet again", Thor mused, crouching to confront the animal. The wolf snarled in response and then leapt.
"Thor"! Clint notched the arrow again and aimed at the two rolling around on the ground. They moved too quickly and Clint gritted his teeth in annoyance. Thor got the upper hand only to be nipped and pinned down by the wolf as it- lapped its tongue across his face?
Thor was laughing now, and he ruffled the fur on the wolf's head as the wolf turned into a seven year old boy.
"Uncle Thor"!
"Hello Fenrir, it's been too long". Thor enveloped the child in a crushing hug and lifted him off the floor and balanced him on his shoulder. The two immediately started conversing in old Norse.
Clint watched his mouth slightly agape, the kid looked just like Loki, except his eyes were blue not green. He wore a simple white shirt and pair of trousers but his feet were bare and covered in grass stains and mud. Thor eventually broke his attention from his nephew's incessant chatter to acknowledge the shocked archer on the other side of the fire.
"My friend, meet my nephew Fenrir, youngest son of Loki by the giantess Angrboda. Nephew, this is Clint Barton, also called Hawkeye, one of the warriors of this realm".
The kid beamed at Hawkeye and jumped down from Thor's shoulder. He performed a small bow. "I'm honoured".
"Uh, hi"… Hawkeye wasn't really sure what to say. Fenrir looked back up at his uncle.
"Did you bring me something"?
"I did". Thor dug into his shoulder bag and pulled out a piece of bloody meat.
"Woo hoo", Fenrir changed his appearance to wolf and immediately sunk his teeth into it.
Thor watched the wolf gobble down the meat happily before turning to Clint.
"Are you well my friend"?
"Yeah… sure… Please tell me that isn't"-
"It is bovine my friend, I swear. Fenrir does not eat humans, except for that one instance when he was teething, but he spat it straight back out".
"Human taste icky". In place of the wolf, the small boy sat on the ground warming his toes by the fire.
"Fen, have you seen your father lately"?
"Hmmm, what's the date"?
Thor told him and Fenrir's eyes widened slightly. "Hmm, I have been distracted. No, it must have been about four years since we last saw each other. I must have lost track of time. I started to chase rabbits and we've been playing ever since".
"Seriously, Loki just left you out here? Is this what you mean by an excellent father Thor"? Clint demanded. Fenrir's eyes darkened.
"I'm over fifteen hundred years old, I don't need to be protected. You saw me, do I look vulnerable to you"?
Clint was taken aback. These were not the worlds of a child.
"But… you're a kid"… he trailed off.
"I'm older than you will ever know, I have seen things you can't imagine. I only look like a child".
"Why stay out here"?
Fenrir shrugged. "I like it here. I have everything I need, food, water, shelter and lots of space to play".
Thor changed the subject. "Have any of your siblings seen Loki"?
Fenrir chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "Well, he wouldn't go and visit Hela".
"Why not"? Clint demanded.
"Hela was born half dead. She exists between life and death. Although Loki will see her, it pains him. All of his children can exist between the realms, Hela can't. He blames himself because of the circumstances of her birth", Thor explained.
"How do you know he hasn't been there"? Clint asked.
"Because after father visits her, I go and stay with her for a while", Fenrir replied softly. "She needs me after".
"What about Jorgmundr"? Thor asked.
"I doubt it, he hit puberty so he went for a nap. But that was five years ago. If you really have to wake him, I would suggest leaving it another two, you know what he's like when his sleep gets interrupted".
Thor grimaced slightly. Yes, that was an unpleasant memory for all concerned.
"I doubt Vali and Narvi would know either. They've been on Asgard with Sleipnir. Father doesn't go to Asgard and he doesn't need to see big brother to speak to him. He could speak with Narvi and Vali without seeing them through him. Besides, you know what the twins are like keeping secrets".
Loki's carrying of Sleipnir did have some strange side effects.
Fenrir started to search through Clint's backpack, his eyes widening as he pulled out a hunting knife. Clint quickly snatched it back.
"Hey, don't touch kid".
Fenrir stuck his tongue out at the archer and pulled out a granola bar. He opened it and sniffed it before taking a tiny bite and then spitting it out.
"Why do you need him anyway"?
"Well, Thor said slowly. "You are going to have a new brother or sister".
Fenrir's eyes lit up and immediately jumped on Thor. "Really? When? Can it be a boy? I gotta be bigger than someone in the family"!
"Hold on, hold on. We find Loki and he gets rid of it. Tasha is not having that bastard's baby"!
Fenrir growled, his eyes going dark and his teeth beginning to elongate.
"Fenrir, stop. Barton, cease. This is not your decision", Thor snapped. "The child was created by Loki and Natasha and they have the final decision. Although, I am certain they shall keep the child".
"Hmmm", Fenrir mused. "I think I had better come with you. If you can't find him, the baby will need some protection. If father isn't contacting us, that means he's trying to protect us".
"We can't guarantee your safety kid", Clint stated. "It could be dangerous".
Fenrir just shrugged and stood up. "I've been in danger before".
And he shifted back into a wolf.