Chapter Text
Derek looked up. There was something else in the woods tonight. He couldn’t see whatever it was just yet, but he could hear footsteps and smell and faint scent on the breeze. It was familiar, yet we wasn’t sure how, something that called out to him through the dark trees. Derek lifted himself from his sleeping place on the ground among the leaves, his paws making not a sound as he walked through the dense foliage. He found the man-made trail, and saw a lanky, tall form stumbling down it.
It was human. It was a he. He was walking carelessly down the mountain side with a bundled up object under his right arm.
Derek let out a small growl, trying to catch the boy’s attention. He either didn’t hear Derek, or he didn’t care about a wolf stalking him through the forest at night, because all he did in response to the sound was whistle a jumpy, happy song. Derek gave a little huff of irritation and followed the boy farther down the mountain.
He jumped ahead of the boy out onto the path. The human gave a little ‘huh’ of surprise and fall backwards onto his butt.
The boy licked his lips and scrabbled back a bit. “Nice night, huh, wolfy?”
Derek blinked. The human was trying to talk to him? He gave a snap of his teeth in response.
“In fact, it’s so nice, that I should probably go home so I can enjoy it in town,” the boy said, getting up slowly. He smelled overwhelmingly like fear, yet he was still trying to edge around Derek.
“I was just, uh, looking at the stars up here. Got a telescope and everythin’,” he indicated to the thing nestled in his armpit. “Why am I even talking to you? You’re just a wolf,” he scoffed.
Derek gave a low growl.
The boy gulped. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being a wolf. In fact, I wish I was a wolf myself,” he squeaked. Derek narrowed his eyes at him.
“Did…did you just glare at me?” he started bubbling with laughter, and Derek couldn’t help but be entranced by it. He walked closer to the human cautiously, until his nose was touching the boy’s knee. The boy looked down in surprise.
Derek looked up at him for a moment, memorizing the brown of his eyes, before he started rubbing his face on the boy’s leg. He felt fingers tangle in his ruff and rumbled happily.
“Not such a sour wolf after all, then,” he heard from above him.