wolves and wannabe's

The trees rustled with the soft breezes that blew threw its leaves and the birds sang their song as they happily went about their business in the same trees. Inside Steven lay his right arm under his pillow and his left at his side as he slept in his boxers, one leg sticking out from under the patchwork blankets and white cotton sheets as he gently slept.

Slowly he pulled his head from the pillow and looked out the window, blinking in the sunlight as he looked out, instinct made him reach for the other side of the bed as if to find Janet asleep there. But finding it empty he sighed and laid his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes as if imagining she was there beside him. But the buzz of the clock forced him to rise, sitting up he saw his room a typical bachelors room or close as he could get it Janet had instilled some good grooming habits he had not broken and all the products sat in the bathroom cabinet that he could see from his bed. Slowly he sat up and ran his fingers threw his hair he paused for a moment in one spot it was still slightly numb but he remembered Robert saying it would take time to wear off.

Standing he was relived to find his balance had returned and now bare foot he walked to his bathroom for his morning shower. The hot water felt good against his skin as he stood under it in the shower. It was then he noticed how quiet it was and smiled wondering how the boys were getting on with Kate and Robert. "Probably spoilt rotten” he thought to himself as he washed himself clean.

Moving from the shower he now stood wrapped in a white fluffy towel a second was held in his hands as he dried himself down before slipping on a pair of black jeans and a white shirt, he stood for a moment before making the bed and moving into the hall way. He though about the bare walls and how it was about time he put some pictures up of the boys maybe even get them to make some art for his walls so he could frame it.

Soon he walked into the kitchen and across to the large white fridge standing in one corner opening it he took out a carton of orange juice and poured a glass that he picked up from the drainer before placing it back in the fridge again and moving to the living room where in a black leather recliner he sat down to drink. Once he was finished he moved back to the kitchen glancing out the window he thought he saw a bundle of gray furs left on his garden but then it moved, it was an injured wolf.

Quickly he placed his cup down and moved out side, slowly he drew closer to it he could see a nasty gash on its hind leg “its ok, boy “he said softly it looked at him as if scowling “Ow ok girl “he said “I’m not going to hurt you just see if I can help but I kneed you to help me “he asked he heard a snort come from the wolf but she lay still as he drew closer he could see it was pretty deep “would you let me take you to some one who can help you ?” he asked “thought I all ready had “ came a female voice low and soft so much so Steven looked around at first then he looked at the wolf “did you say that?” he asked her the wolf lowered her head and looked at him “No the jackdaw did “ she said again Steven smiled “how did you hear me?” her ears pricked up as she asked but whimpered from her pain Steven picked her up and held her in his arms “ok no time for this “ he moved to the house and the floo “ Lupin farm” he said and stepping in disappeared.

He reappeared with the wolf still in his arms right in the living room “ROBERT!!” he shouted

Katherine heard Steven's call. It sounded rather urgent. But Robert was not here. It had been a very long couple of days. She had taken him a change of clothes so he could refresh this morning, along with breakfast, but Robert would not be moved from Khaat and Rob and Abbey now. Obviously Steven didn't know. This would be difficult for him.

She went to him and found him carrying an injured wolf. "Hm..Looks like you have a new friend," she managed a smile. "Robert isn't here, but I can help with this. Bring her to the barn. Lets see what we can do." She led the way to the barn and had him lay the wolf on a table she used for tending animals. She found an injured leg on the wolf. "Stupid trappers," she sighed, "When will they learn?" She spoke to the wolf gently and got her permission to treat her.

"The boys are up and out of the house already," she told Steven. "I think they've built some sort of a lean-to to play in out where Khaat used to play." Her mind went to Khaat and she got immediately silent for a long moment.

Then she said, "You should know. There was trouble at St. Mungos last night. Robert can't leave now. Jenifer Dent went in and shot Rob. Almost emptied a whole clip into him. Khaat knew instantly that he was in danger and apparated from her bed to him. She gave him almost every spark of life energy she had left in order to keep him alive until Robert arrived. Rob will live because of her, but she is in critical condition now. She is extremely weak. Brian is with her. He won't ever leave her now either. Not while Jenifer Dent is on the run. He's not just an additional healer for her now, but he's bodyguarding her and Abbey. Abbey has been moved to her room so Brian can protect them both. Matt Lestrange and Robert are pretty much in charge of all this now, and Matt sent aurors out to arrest her in the middle of the night, but I haven't heard if they've found her yet. I'm afraid when Khaat realizes everything it will be far too much for her. Robert and Brian are trying desperately to protect her, but she's very smart. I don't think they'll hide from her the reality of what the horror to come really is for her. She'll know, no matter what they try to do. And I don't know if I know how to help her this time, except to be there for her. That may be all any of us can do."

Steven carried the wolf to the barn placing her on the table she shook scared at being around so many humans “I don’t like this , I don’t like this one bit” he heard her saying , he placed his hand on her head gently stroking it “Its ok she’s a healer she can help get you better” he said softly she looked at him then lay still “go on Kate she’s ok “ he listened to Kate but sighed “ Minister Lestrange is a very capable man he’ll find her , even though for what he’s done to Khaat I don’t like him I would not have wished that on him, “ he gave a sigh “he’s Khaat husband and Abbeys father “ he could not help the low growl that left him.

“Hey I thought I was the wolf here” came the wolfs voice, Steven chuckled “yes you are sorry” he said then looked at Kate “she just reminded me she’s the wolf not me” He was angry that he was not woken but he understood why he would not have been any help in the condition he had been in if they could have woken him at all thanks to Roberts sleeping spell “How is she?” he asked “Khaat… and the wolf too?” he looked at the gray wolf who if it as possible rolled her eyes at him.

"You are going to be fine," Katherine told the wolf. "I know its painful, but I'll stop that for you if you rest. You'll need to rest your leg for awhile."

"The wolf will be fine," Katherine said. "As far as Khaat goes, I really don't know. I don't think Robert does either. I do know he will do everything he knows how to save her. I just hate going through this again with her. I hate it."

Steven moved from the wolf to face Kate, taking her in his arms he gave her a freindly hug "shes strong she'll be ok "but he felt like he was convincing himself of that fact "she has her family and good freinds like Brian to help her " he now was hugging Kate more for himself now to hold himself from running to her bed side as he looked up he saw John and Andrew off in the distance walking back to the house "looks like the explorers are done" he said stepping back from her but he left his hands on her shoulders.

"Thank you, Steven," she said softly. She finished bandaging the wolf, and used a healing spell on the leg and a pain reduction spell. "Can you find a stall for her and secure her there with water and some fresh meat? We don't need her feasting on my unicorns if we forget to feed her. You'll find there is fresh meat in the refrigerator. Just make sure she gets enough to satisfy her. I'm going to go check on the boys and see what they plan to get into next. I have to stay busy. Its the only thing that helps."

Steven nodded "sure Kate " he said moving to pick her up "meh unicorns so chewy " she said as he lifted her into his arms , carrying her to a stall steven placed her on some dry straw "you promise not to attack anything in here or on this farm, right?" he asked her. She looked up at him and sighed "no I won't, not as if I can move let alone hunt " she said trying to stand "promise?" he asked "ow ok promise" she said as she tipped her head to him she had not met a human like him it was like he knew how she thught plus he could talk to her, that was strange in its self but she was glad he could.

steven moved out of the barn after making sure she had food and water and he had told her he would return to check on her after he had fed himself. He moved to the house and indise John ran over and hugged him he hugged john back looking at Andrew as he gave a reasuring smile knowing he would not apreciate the contact.
"hey I hear you to made a tent in the woods " he said smiling John nodded "it was andrews Idea, Its cool too" he said runing back to the table and sitting down.

Andrew poked at his breakfast today, and Katherine had noticed. He was more quiet and distant even that usual, and seemed to be in a mood. He did well enough with John, but she could feel he had something on his mind. She fixed food for Steven, as the boys hung around in the kitchen for a bit and then Andrew wandered off to go up to the attic.

"I hope he eats better at lunch than he did at breakfast," she said, referring to Andrew. "Maybe he was just excited about going outside back to the little campsite they made. He just said he wasn't hungry. If you like, Steven, I can talk to him and see what's on his mind. I just didn't want to press him. He doesn't take to people well, and I didn't want to make him uncomfortable."

She set a plate of food in front of Steven with a cup of coffee, "So, I take it you're feeling better today?"

Steven had also noticed andrew change "yes Kate i noticed too maybe hes picking up on all the fuss over Khaat and abby, but if you wouldn't mind " he said looking up at her as she placed the breakfast plate in front of him " I hope its not over me going back to work, I don't like seeing him this way" he looked down at the plate and smiled " looks good Kate and yea, apart from a silght numbness, I feel ok" he took his fork and started to eat his breakfast finally glad for some hot food he'd forgot the lat time he ate was the previose days breakfast.

"Sure," Katherine said. She went upstairs alone and found Andrew just standing at an upper window looking over at the Walker farm. Then she picked up more on his thoughts and his moods than he intended. "Andrew," she said gently, "Can we talk a moment?"

He turned to look at her, not saying anything.

"I can feel your anger," she said. "It's confusing, isn't it? Barbeques don't normally turn out to last for 3 or 4 days. I promise. But Steven has had work to do, and you do need to have an adult around, even though I do know you do feel very grown up."

He didn't reply to her.

"Andrew, Steven has not meant to make you feel insecure about where your home really is. That's not at all his intention. I know part of your anger is that you only have a couple days home before you go back to school and you feel that you haven't had time to adjust to even having a home again. It doesn't feel fair, does it?"

"No," he said very softly.

"It will work out. Sometimes the grownup world just gets extremely complicated, and unfortunately it impacts on you. I am so sorry. How about we go over to your house this afternoon and you two can play in your treehouse or in your room or anyplace else you want to go? "

He looked at her.

"Don't worry. It will be fine with Steven," she smiled, patting his shoulder, and leaving, going back downstairs.