wolves and wannabe's

Steven picked up an what had been said and watched as they came back down. Placing his plate in the sink he looked at Andrew "Kate would you mine John when we get home , Andrew would you like to go riding on sunflower with me, shes a gentel horse " he said smiling to him waking over he looked down at him "but first theres some one I'd like you to meet, shes in the barn " he looked at Kate as he walked him down to the barn and to the wolf.

"shes got a bit of an attitude" he said and she looked up at him "no I don't" he chuckled at her responce watching as she tipped her head "your cub?" she asked and he shook his head "hes not mine in blood but he is in my heart" he said to her and looked down at Andrew "shes a gray wolf , she was injured buy hunters and some how found her way to our lawn, so I brought her here.

Andrew had run into wolves before, but they didn't easily accept humans. He knew they were skittish sometimes. He walked over to the wolf slowly and extended his hand even slower, letting her sniff. "I guess you'll do," she said to Andrew. "I'll do what?" he asked. "It means I won't eat you, Boy," she said. "Not hungry anyway." "I know how you feel," Andrew replied. "Where are your adults?" she asked him.. "Dead," Andrew repllied dryly, "He's as close as I have," He said, meaning Steven.

"No cub should be alone," she said. "Humans are cruel." she continued. "Yes," Andrew said honestly, "Most of them are. I think so too." "You are very wise for so young a cub," she said, "I might learn to like you. And how is it you talk with me?" "I don't know. Just comes to me." "Don't let it slip away,Boy. Too few humans really understand." "I'll try not to," he replied.

steven sat watching and smiled he looked at the wolf then to Andrew "Do you think you could find out her name , we need to call her something if shes going to be here till she mends" he said his voice low and soft so not to spook her. He looked at the wolf who flicked he tail at him her white eyes glinted in the sunlight that filtered threw the barn window. he reatched out and placed hs hand on her shoulder " Im sorry for not being there these last few days things have just been so hecktic for me, but I am here now and we have all day, I think the horses back at our farm need exercise , you want to help me?"

Andrew asked the wolf her name, sitting crosslegged in the straw on the stall floor. "My name is Kimi. It is a word that means Secret. I was the cub my mother did not know she carried. She had all my brother and sisters, and then she had one more she didnt know about--me." "I understand that," Andrew told her, "My father wished I was a secret." Her eyes narrowed at him. "Too much sorrow for a cub so young. Do you not have siblings, Cub?"

"No,"Andrew told her, "Well, he has a boy cub my age. But none of my blood. I am the last of my blood."

"It is good to be with the pack, Cub. You have lived alone then a long time."

"Almost all my life."

"I could teach you much about the importance of the pack. The pack is what matters, young Cub." She yawned. "Come talk with me when I wake. You have much to learn." She laid down her head and shut her eyes, drifting off.

Andrew stood up, looked up at Steven briefly and walked out of the barn so he didn't wake the wolf again. If Steven wanted to talk, they could do it outside. He liked this animal, and she seemed to like him a lot. He always liked meeting new animals.

steven watched the interaction between Kimi and Andrew noticing she had fallen asleep he carefully stood up and followed him out the barn making sure the stall was closed properly behind him. He walked up behind Andrew "shes intresting don't you think?" he asked now standing next to him.

He looked down at him and smiled " so , you want while Johns busy , to ride the horses around the ranch?" he asked then he rubbed his chin "Humm maybe you don't ride " he said with a small smile on his face. His intention was which ever he chose to ride would be his to keep and name, since john all ready had thunder and he had silvershadow.

"Unicorns. Not horses. I rode unicorns," he said. "I had a unicorn mare in the woods close to my house. She let me ride. I was littler then. She wanted to mother me." He got quiet. "Someone murdered her. I found her blood in the woods one day and she was gone. I ran into a centaur kid who told me about some wizard who was hunting unicorn blood." He was very quiet for a moment and then admitted, "I miss her. A lot. I never had a mom."

He shifted his attentions quickly, not wanting Steven to get into his heart too much, "Horses can't be that much different. You really can ride anything once they agree to take you. Its not hard." Andrew knew he was trying hard to shut off his heart, but sometimes Steven came too close for comfort. Into places that he never wanted anybody to go ever again. Not even himself. The wounds were a lot deeper than he ever wanted Steven to see. He sometimes felt a lot like going back and living in the pubs when Steven got too close. The nice thing about his professor at Hogwarts, Professor Wilson, was that through all his crustyness, he did care about Andrew, but he kept his distance. Andrew was far more comfortable with that. Steven meant risking his heart again. Caring. And maybe getting hurt again. He liked Steven, but he never wanted to like him that much. That was scary. Really scary.

Steven as he stood could not just tell buy andrew face how he felt but also by his feelings too and this made Steven a little uncomfortable he had never met some one like andrew and this made him feel some times he tripped over his own kindness to him he forgot where he came from and started to think of him like john. Forgetting that he'd had a hard life before coming to him. Taking his hand he placed it on Andrew shoulder "I... I don't mean to make you uncomfortable Andrew, I guess I guess Im still new at this father thing, befor Janet use to take care of this kinda stuff, Im kind winging it right now, with both you and John " He gave a sigh

"That's okay,' Andrew managed a smile, relaxing. "Me too. I don't know how to do this whole family thing. Just so you know, I am trying. Really. I'm sorry I can't be more like John. I wish I were. I like John. I'm not nervous around him. But I am still nervous about other people--other grownups. You're the first person who was ever nice to me. The only grownup that really ever talks to me. I mean, really talks to me. Maybe that's why I can talk to animals. Maybe I sort of developed it because I did'nt have people. I don't know."

Steven knelt in front of Andrew as he spoke "don't try to be like any one else , just be you, andrew diamond, whoose a great kid, yeah its possble I found mine at your age , the medicine man took me away from the town and the farm he taught me that I had this gift and i was to not lose it but when the time was right i would find i could use it again, it seems I have, "he sighed as he spoke once more "but like you I had no freinds , yes I had a mom and dad but they were always busy with the farm or other things I promised my self that no matter what, I would not be too busy for my kids, that is you and john, remember you can always come to me even if its just to talk I'll listen and im kinda akward around you guys, its been along time since was a boy" he looked at him hoping he understood thay they kinda came from the same kind of backgrounds though he had no perants because they died , steven didn't because they chose to ignore him as he grew up.

"Ok. Thanks. I will remember that," he said. "I'm sorry I was angry. I just...had a really ugly room at home. Nothing felt like mine. Our house always had the curtains closed so no one could see in. This...is different. And sometimes Hogwarts is lonely. Sometimes I don't want to go back. I know I have to, but sometimes, its just a big cold empty castle. Who needs it?" he sighed. "Sometimes I just want to feel like I fit. I've never felt, really, like I fit. Not quite. I sorta fit over at your house. But...well, I guess I'm still working on it. I like John, though."