Stay Close

Shiloh eyed the other man for a moment, hesitating. But he couldn't hold out for long. There was something about Sitka that simply made him feel safe. He wasn't sure if he liked the way the fingers running down his side made him feel. He was fairly certain he hadn't felt this way before. But he said nothing, ducking his head back down until it could rest perfectly against Sitka's chest.
He was alright.
Sitka had him.

Wiley hardly hesitated at all. He was not nervous about falling. He trusted that Kenai had him. And even if the boy didn't, he would be fine. He was not scared of anything, it was something he prided himself on.
He moved forward eagerly, though careful not to hurt Kenai as he boosted himself up on his shoulders, reaching out until he could climb up onto the first branch.
"Your turn now, little bird!" He chirped, extending a hand down to the boy.

The Native's ceiling was painted. His mother and father had done it before he had even been born as part of his nursery.  As Sitka grew, his room had grown with him, but the boy had never touched his ceiling.  It was a portrait of the nighttime sky, with all the constellations accurately outlined against the murky darkness and the moon. Every night when putting him to bed, they would point to one and tell him the name, make him repeat it, until eventually they could point to a certain cluster of stars and Sitka could recite its title. 
"Does the missing one like stars?"  His voice was a low murmur, his fingers moving to carefully massage against Shiloh's shoulders. 

Kenai grinned as Wiley offered down his hand, catching it but instead of using it to help boost himself up, the young native  brought it to his lips and kissed each knuckle. He didn't know it then, but it would become something he did nearly every day. 
"Kwanita has such pretty hands."  The dark skinned boy hummed in appreciation, swinging himself up onto the tree branch that Wiley was settled on.  "So pink and soft, like rose petals."

Shiloh glanced up at the man curiously before following his gaze up to the ceiling.
"I do." He nodded lightly. "When I was little, mom would take me out on the porch and we'd watch them together. I used to be able to point out different constellations but that was forever ago." He smiled softly at the memory, his eyes roaming the ceiling. "I didn't notice those before. That must have taken a while." He paused then, scanning for a certain set of stars. "The one I can still remember was her favorite. Andromeda." He moved to point at the constellation.

Wiley's cheeks burned a bright shade of pink as the boy kissed his knuckles. Even after months of the boy doing this nearly every day, the same blush would still color his cheeks every single time.
"Thank you." He smiled sweetly, reaching out to pull Kenai's hand closer then, looking at it more closely. "Yours are strong... I like them. They're darker than mine. And not as soft." He enjoyed the contrasting tones of their skin.

"Andromeda."  Sitka repeated softly, his lips quirking up into a smile as he followed Shiloh's finger. "That is a good one.  Sitka likes the one that helps complete the big dipper.  It is called Ursa Major."  The young native connected the line of stars.  "When finished, it creates a bear."  His hand moved to lift his shirt, pointing now to three long jagged scars crossing over his chest.  They were pink with age but still rugged. "Sitka was named bear claw when he was young.  A bear had come to the tree in our yard. As a baby, our father liked to sit Kenai on a blanket under it to play. He and Denahi had been out there together when the bear came.  Father was out in the fields, so when Denahi screamed Sitka was the first to reach them.  The bear caught Sitka once, but father came then.  Sitka has had this scar ever since then, and father started calling me bears claw. Sitka was nine when it happened." 

"Oh yeah, thats because Sitka makes little bird help out with chores.  Plus im supposed to be a hunter in training."  The young native grunted softly at the thought. "Little bird doesnt much like being a hunter.  But it's still fun when Sitka teaches us."  He glanced down at his hands, proud that Wiley thought they were strong. "Kenai likes your hands better. Kenai just likes you in general Kwanita. You are perfect."  The young native let out a dreamy sigh. "Little bird has never known anyone like you before."

Shiloh reached out, hesitantly running his finger along one of the scars. He wondered how many scars he himself would have after this. He could only hope they would heal as nicely as Sitka's had.
"Bear claw... that nickname fits you." He smiled softly. It did, even before he saw the scars on the man's chest. He wasn't sure why. "I'm sorry it happened though." He was smirking lightly, as if Sitka had just told him a faintly amusing joke. Really, he was just thinking about how even at such a young age, Sitka had been the savior to his younger brothers. He wondered just how many people could call Sitka their savior like he could.

"I haven't known anyone like you either, Kenai." Wiley smiled fondly at the other boy. "And I've never known anybody that makes my stomach feel funny like you do." He reached out and took the boy's hand once more, pressing it against his flat abdomen even though Kenai would be unable to feel the fluttering he felt there. "I don't know if you can feel that... it's rumbling. It never does that except when I'm nervous. But I'm not really nervous right now."

"Sitka is not sorry for it."  The native was eyeing the boys smirk curiously, his dark eyebrows disappearing  into his hairline as he considered what could possibly be funny about his story.  It didn't much matter though.  He was proud to see anything akin to a smile on the boys face. It made Shiloh look younger, not so broken and nervous. Sitka found himself wanting more. "Father trusted me more after that, knew he could trust me to take care of crocodile and little bird."  His father had called him Kitchi that day.  Brave. 
"Tell Sitka, why does the tired one smile?" The young native felt he needed to know, so he could put that sweet expression on Shiloh's face more often. 

"Wow, really?"  Kenai could only blink at the boy in wonder, his entire body warming as he felt Wiley's belly beneath his fingertips. He had felt the same thing, but he had never been able to find words to express such a feeling.
His Kwanita was obviously better with words than him.  The boy had so many traits that were to be admired.
Kenai continued to find things he admired and adored.  He could do this for the rest of his life.
"Little bird understands! Its weird but I feel it too.  I like it though. Kenai is glad that he makes you feel that way."  The young native gave a deep dimpled grin. "Must mean we were made to be best friends!"

"Sorry... it's not like it was funny, really." Shiloh rubbed the back of his neck shyly, realizing how he'd been smiling. "I was just thinking how you were only nine and you were already saving your younger brothers. I was wondering if you always try to save everyone, wondering how many other people owe you their lives like I do." He met the man's gaze, admiring the softness in his black eyes.

Wiley had to pause for a moment to catch his breath as Kenai smiled like that at him.
"The feeling gets worse when you smile like that." He informed. He was feeling almost lightheaded now, wondering just what was coming over him. "But I guess maybe it does mean we're meant to be friends... I'm okay with that." He giggled softly.

"No one owes Sitka anything."  The young native propped himself up on his elbow so he could see Shiloh better, his other arm still curled around the boys waist.  "Sitka just likes to see people live, because he knows life is precious. If something were to happen to one of my brothers....Sitka prays that there would be someone to reach out and help them. Sitka could not live without them, so he understands the pain of family's who are missing people such as yours was. Sitka could not imagine that, and he could not bare to think of the days you spent away from home. He  wishes he could have found you sooner."  His gaze was gentle on Shiloh. "Maybe you would smile more then." 


Kenai found his cheeks heating at the boys words, his heart feeling as though it missed a few beats with the way Wiley giggled.  It was a heavenly sound.  Better than music or the chirping of the birds.  He could listen to that sound his entire life and still be left wanting more. "You make little bird feel things, too.  But its hard to explain. No one else has ever made me feel like this.  My heart even feels kinda funny."  The young native gave a breathless laugh, reaching for Wiley's hand and bringing it against his heart. "Feel that? Kwanita is doing that to me." His heart was indeed pounding in his chest, the beat strong but erratic.  Having Wiley's hand on him had his stomach flipping.

"I'm just glad you found me at all." Shiloh admitted. He shuddered at the thought of still being down in that basement. "I was kind of starting to think I'd never make it out of there." He found his cheeks warming at the thought of Sitka wanting to see him smile more. He could definitely do that if the man kept looking at him like that. "I don't normally smile much. I guess it's just you." He admitted lightly.

"Oh wow..." Wiley murmured softly as he felt the soft beating against his hand. "You're making me feel weird everywhere." He whined then, leaning forward to rest his head against Kenai's shoulder. "That's okay though, I kind of like it." He giggled softly then. "I wish I'd met you sooner... this is nice. I don't have any friends like this."

"You should smile more, rare one.  Sitka has never seen anything like it before."  Truly he'd never seen anyone remotely like Shiloh before. The boy was too perfect, too pure to be of this world.  Sitka could hardly believe that anyone could have ever hurt the boy in such a way.  It was much more rewarding to sit in the sun shine of Shiloh's smile.  "He is proud that you smile for him." The mans fingertips came to gently brush a cross Shiloh's jawline. 


"Little bird loves it."  The young native inhaled deeply as Wiley leaned against him, the boys scent enough to send chills down his spine.  "Its exciting to be with you Kwanita, even though all we are doing is sitting in the tree." The boy was like a burst of life.  "Little bird is just glad that he got to meet you today.  Now we have the rest of our lives to play together and be best friends."  His arm curled around the blonde's waist, pressing Wiley close against him. "You are like a big adventure,, all in yourself."

A few weeks later and Shiloh found himself still staying in Sitka's home, avoiding going back to his own until he was completely healed. He would try to get up and walk around as much as he could each day with Sitka's guidance. He had warmed up to the Native man, still finding himself sleeping in the man's bed each night.
Currently, he had just finished attempting to walk downstairs and back up again, collapsing onto the bed when he had finished. It seemed like every step he took, all of the healing wounds on his body ached. But he was truly getting better. Physically and mentally. Night terrors were still an issue but while he was awake, Sitka seemed to keep a permanent smile on his face, even if it was small.

"Making more progress, are we my determined one?"  Sitka glanced up from his place on the bed.  The young native had been working for most of the day, fixing things around the house and working to make more wolfsbane arrows for his hunt. By now he had settled down onto his bed, laying sprawled out with his hair falling in long waterfalls around his face.  He hardly ever kept it tied back while lounging around his home. A dark silk shirt was stretched across his shoulders, but the garment was lifted at the hem as though Sitka had gotten hot and pulled it up.  This revealed a fine trail of hair that grew straight along the native's navel, dipping teasingly down into the boys shorts.  He was laying with his arms crossed behind his head as a make shift pillow, only one of his dark eyes cracking open to peer over at Shiloh when the boy landed near him. His lips quirked into a fond smile at the sight of the boy, one of his hands moving to gently brush through Shiloh's blonde curls. "Sitka is proud of you for it."

Shiloh had been so exhausted he'd hardly glanced at the man as he laid down. It wasn't until the man spoke that he turned and let his eyes trail over Sitka's form beside him. He found it hard to catch his breath for a moment as his eyes fell onto the patch of skin being revealed to him. He quickly averted his gaze though, not wanting to make it painfully obvious that he was enjoying the view. Honestly, he hadn't expected to feel anything like this any time soon. He convinced himself that it was just a platonic feeling. Sitka was the only thing he'd known for the past few weeks.
"Yeah, it's not too bad anymore. Just tiring since I haven't really been using my muscles for a while now." He nodded at the other man, pretending it didn't make him extremely happy that Sitka was proud of him. "I'm getting better. I promise I'll be out of your hair soon." Honestly, he never wanted to leave.

Sitka's eyes shifted away from Shiloh as the boy mentioned leaving.  Honestly he'd never gotten this attached to another person.  He didn't even spend this much time with Denahi and Kenai.  But with Shiloh....Ever since that first night, Sitka had kept close to him.  They slept together, they ate together, Sitka even went to his room now to do work he'd normally do outside, simply so that Shiloh would never be alone.  He even still bathed the boy even though Shiloh was getting well enough to do that on his own. 
What would he do when the boy finally healed and left him?
Sitka wanted him to get better of course.  He hated seeing the boy struggling.  But to lose his company...
It was hard to swallow for the young native.
"You know swift one, there is no reason for you to be in any hurry to leave. Sitka....."  The man paused, his coal eyes stilling against Shiloh's gentle blue. "Sitka likes to have your company.  He would like it if even as you do leave you would come back to see him sometime."  He had promised the boy he didn't owe him anything though....
"You are not expected to though."  Sitka tore his gaze away, glancing instead up to his painted ceiling. "Sitka just wanted you to know that this would always be a home for you. Skops will always be welcomed here." 
It was the best he could do.  Shiloh would spook if he knew that Sitka feared waking without being able to reach out and curl his arm around the boy, check and make sure he was alright and not having a fitful sleep.  Sitka loved to be the first one up, so he could watch as Shiloh's bright blue eyes fluttered open. The boy would always turn to him when he felt himself being watched, and his smile would always be so soft and sleepy when he found Sitka's gaze against the darkness. 
The native had fallen in love with it.

Shiloh smiled softly to himself to know that Sitka was enjoying his company. Honestly, he wasn't sure what his feelings were for the Native. He was nowhere near ready for any sort of relationship but he was fairly sure his feelings for Sitka were more than friendly. He was still trying to convince himself that it was just because Sitka had saved him. He felt indebted to him. But it was more than that.
"Well... I mean if I'm not a nuisance to have around I guess I could stay a while longer." Shiloh smiled over at the man, truly excited that he wouldn't have to go home just yet. "Maybe you could teach me more about the hunting you do once I'm feeling up to it. I want to know how to defend myself."

"Sitka will be sure to teach you those things."  He couldn't possibly send his blue eyed boy back into the world without Shiloh being able to care for himself.  The boy was too vulnerable now, too beautiful for people not to target him.  Sitka would keep Shiloh with him for as long as the boy would allow it, and before he stepped out of his home, the boy would know how to hunt and all the tricks and turns that came with it. 
He would make a seasoned hunter out of the boy.
And he would rest easier at night knowing that Shiloh was able to defend himself, even though he'd rather be around to protect the boy himself.
Shiloh would have to be the one to make that decision.
"Sitka could start showing the impatient one things to day, tell you some of the roots of what we do.  It will all work up to the training and learning of the take downs." The young native smirked softly. "Is the blue one ready?" He had found himself adoring how determined to learn Shiloh was.  The boy was so endearing to Sitka, the native wasnt sure how to handle it.

"I'd love to start today." Shiloh nodded, turning to fully face Sitka as he laid there. "I could listen to you talk about this stuff forever. I want to know everything." He let one of his arms wrap around Sitka's waist, hesitantly moving closer.
Normally he only dared to touch Sitka like this while he was sleeping. But he found himself desiring to be closer to the other man. He almost wanted to see if Sitka would mind, maybe he would like it just as much as Shiloh did.
"So go ahead, Sitka. Teach me." He smiled softly.

Sitka tensed at the unexpected touch, but he never hesitated in wrapping his own tanned arms around Shiloh, drawing the boy closer. His hold was strong and secure, always protective. And he found his heart warming at the display of affection.  This was the first time the boy had done such a thing in the light of the day.  It had Sitka's lips, pale pink against the darkness of his face, twisting up into a rare full mouthed smile. The oldest Sandoval was hardly ever amused enough to flash his teeth, but with Shiloh he couldn't help himself. "The first lesson that Sitka wants you to know is that he doesn't believe all werewolves to be monsters.  As my parents taught me, all life is sacred, even werewolf life.  Sitka does not feel threatened unless they posses blue eyes.  That indicates they have tasted blood before.  Others have golden eyes, the innocent ones. And their leaders always shine with red.  Some of them do try to stay safe on the night of the full moon.  Sitka tries not to kill them.  Only ever if he sees they pose a threat."  As his spoke, his fingers had found their way to Shiloh's hair and were now carefully gliding through the blonde curls.

Shiloh was distracted at first, his stomach tensing and fluttering at the same time as Sitka pressed him closer. That was what he'd wanted but he didn't truly expect the man to do it. Maybe Sitka shared in his feelings.
And when the man smiled at him, he could not help but grin widely himself, despite how stupid he must have looked.
He quickly shook off the feelings though, wanting to listen to what Sitka was telling him. His wide blue eyes were bright as he listened, nodding lightly after each sentence to assure Sitka he was still paying attention.
"So the blue means they've killed before..." Shiloh repeated this information to commit it to memory, trying to recall the color of the eyes of the pack that had captured him. He could not recall any golden eyes but really, it was all a blur, his mind wanting to block out the painful memories. "Do you kill the ones with blue eyes even if they're not posing a threat to you at that moment? Because they've killed before?" He questioned, clearly taking in Sitka's every word.

"Sitka never lets the blue eyed wolves live.  Even if they are trying to get a hold on it, they are potentially dangerous.  They have shown Sitka that they cannot control themselves, and they could kill again. Sitka does not risk it."  To let the blue eyed wolves live was to find more people like Shiloh, and Sitka didn't think he could stomach that.  His poor Skops....The boy had been a pitiful sight on the floor of that basement.
The native shuddered to think about it, his arms curling tighter around Shiloh without his notice. 
"Sitka hates to kill, but he does it so others can live in peace."  Everytime he took a life though, it always haunted him.  He could never get it out of his head, and he'd often be plagued with nightmares. Unlike Shiloh though he never startled or jerked. He would simply open his eyes and have to take a moment to realize where he was, pulling Shiloh close against his chest to ward off the harsh thoughts.

"There you go again with that whole needing to save everyone thing." Shiloh smiled softly, shaking his head. Truly, he admired Sitka. He wished he could be like that. So strong, so selfless. "Alright, so the blue eyed ones can't be trusted. What's next?" It seemed like even when he stopped smiling, there was still the shadow of the smile playing on his lips. Just being in Sitka's presence made him happier.

"Ah, let Sitka see."  The young native's eyelids dropped in thought, his lips quirking up into a smile at how eager Shiloh was to learn.  The boy never failed to impress Sitka.  He wasn't even completely back on his feet yet and already he was tying to get stronger.  The hunter admired him for that.  His resilience was precious and rare. "We use silver and wolfsbane mainly in our attacks.  Werewolves cannot heal from such wounds, and to be shot by one of the bullets or arrows would poison them."  As his spoke, Sitka's fingertips had moved to caress their way down the boys spine.  "And normally if they have a mate it will show up within thirty minutes of a slaying."

"A mate? Like... a partner?" Shiloh questioned curiously, once again trying to think of those dreadful nine days to see if he recalled hearing this word. He was fairly sure it had come up. "I think I heard that. One of them was leaving to go get theirs or something like that." He nodded slowly as he recalled the memory. "Do you ever hurt the mates too? Are they usually wolves or humans?" He grimaced lightly at the thought of a human loving one of those monsters. Maybe if he would have been introduced to the species in a different way, his opinion would be different. But he could find nothing attractive about the fangs and claws that had shredded into him so many times. They were beasts, less than human.

"Werewolves are supposed to mate for life.  So yes, they seem too be partner and lovers."  Sitka explained softly, pressing Shiloh closer as the boy grimaced.  He couldn't begin to imagine what might be on his mind, what he could be recalling.
It was probably best that Sitka didn't know.
"Normally only if they are mated with another werewolf does the mate come so fast.  If they are human, and many times they are, it takes them longer to realize something is wrong.  We humans do not possess the powers they do, even if they are mated.  Sitka does not like to kill humans unless it is deserving. Same with the mates, though many put the mates down too, simply because it is said that for a werewolf to live without their mate is nearly impossible." It was more humane to kill them rather than make then try and suffer through that life.

Shiloh nodded as he took in the information, feeling as if he should be taking down notes of all this. He wanted to be just as good as Sitka at this.
"I couldn't imagine that... being mated with a werewolf." It sounded like a fate worse than death to him. Although of course he did not know that all wolves were not as bad as the few he had encountered. He shook the thoughts off though, sure he had more questions for Sitka to answer. "So how did you get started hunting anyways? Was your family attacked?"