Thor x Reader

Thirty-Six

Sitting with tension in your neck, you followed the marks that had dug into the wood of the tree. There were claw marks. The footprints resembled those of a human being and yet they were so different.

The smell of something strange was in the air.

Was it poison?

No, your head would have ached by now. It was probably saliva.

You had met Nidhogg once. The giant lizard had screamed at you. Saliva had flown into your face. It had a similar smell.

But what reason would the lizard have to leave the nest?

The first thing that came to your mind would be one of her young. The little lizards took years to hatch and many of them did not live long enough to fully mature.

But no one was foolish enough to kidnap one of these creatures.

What would one do with a giant magical lizard anyways?

The scales could be made into armour. Teeth and claws would become knives. But only the best of blacksmiths would not be able to waste these materials.

All at once the ground shook beneath your feet. Startled, you stumbled to the side.

Your gaze leapt up.

The branches of Yggdrasil trembled. Whatever had happened, it must have had incredible power if it was able to make the branches of such a gigantic tree shake.

Quickly, you moved on in fear that the shaking branches might crack and fall down on you. It was a ridiculous fear since Yggdrasil was of immortal origin as well yet you couldn't help it.

Sometimes you felt like you carried the same kinds of worries and fears as a normal person, unburdened with eternity.

In the end humans were not as different from you than the Allfather had preached it so many times. All they were was weaker. They bled faster, died more easily because of the wounds.

But they breathed the same air as you and despised the same man.

Odin wasn't quite popular. Not even amongst his own followers.

Suddenly a bolt of lightning cut through the starry sky.

Your breath flinched, both in fear and surprise.

"Thor?!", you asked with your eyes wide open. You mental bastard!

Immediately you began to run in the direction of the familiar lightning. Your heart was beating up to your throat.

In a fight you would be unarmed at that moment.

And you had not shed blood for a long time. Maybe your body didn't even remember what it felt like to have warm blood on your hands. How it smelled when it dried on your skin. The iron scent of raw flesh.

Teeth clenched, you ran faster along the branch while blue lights whizzed around your head.

The tree Yggdrasil came to life. Not literally, it wasn't a real living thing that breathed. But the thinner branches began to bend while the mushrooms and plants that clung to the tree slowly blocked the way.

All at once, all the plants grew much faster. As if they didn't want anyone to come closer.

"Thor!", you shouted as his red hair appeared in the midst of blue light.

Confused, the god of thunder jerked his head around. In one hand he held Mjölnir while with the other he held the boy by the collar. Thor's eyes widened at the sight of you.

"(Y/N)!", he gasped. "Stay back! It's not safe!"

He hurled his hammer towards the house.

With a loud bang, the door broke down. Dust swirled up.

Gasping, you came to a halt.

"What in the name of Odin are you doing?!", you asked, your face dark with anger and confusion.

"Now is not the time for your sermons.", he snapped his fingers to summon a bolt of lightning. "Scold me later."

"Then tell me what's going on!", you ducked your head to avoid a flying piece of wood.

In the distance, battle cries filled the half-arranged battlefield.

Thor grabbed your collar with one hand to drag you behind a branch.

"Stay here, you can't fight.", he said, audibly exhausted from the struggle.

Your eyes jumped to the house.

"What is happening?", you wanted to climb out of hiding again but Thor threw the boy into your arms.

"Watch him."

"I can fight!", Loki protested.

Without another word Thor leapt into the air and in the same breath, surrounded by lightning bolts, plunged through the roof into the house.

The boy wanted to follow. He gripped his bow tightly, eager to fight.

Even though you didn't know what was happening, you held him by the shoulders.

"First you tell me what is going on.", you hissed in his ear.

"Nidhogg!", he gasped, his eyes wide as if he had not a second to lose in explaining the situation.

Frowning, you looked back at the house.

"The lizard never comes to the crown.", you said.

"A hatchling has strayed."

"Then we should leave it alone. Otherwise the mother will come."

"I'm trying to explain that to the others!", Loki threw his hands in the air in frustration. "It's just lost. It's scared."

"Lost?", you paused. "You... can hear it?"

Now it was he who was surprised.

"How... how did you guess?", he asked, tilting his head suspiciously.

Your lips curled.

"This is neither the right place nor the right time.", you only said and grabbed Tyr's knife hanging from his belt. "Allow me to take this back temporarily. You can have it back afterwards."

"Keep it. I have one too. And my bow.", he demonstratively raised the bow, which was carved from simple wood.

One look was enough to make you sceptical. But it seemed like he knew what to do with it. So you didn't question it.

"Well...", you took a deep breath. "I assume you can shoot it."

"Very well, in fact."

A huff escaped you.

"Little show-off."

"I'm serious!"

"And I believe you. Be so kind and keep the way clear in front of me."

He frowned.

"And what are you doing?"

"What Tyr taught me.", you cut your thumb with your master's knife to spread some blood on the old blade. "Forbidden magic."