Nature and Nurture: Finding the Perfect Blend

Chapter 9: The Aspens

The aspen forest had more undergrowth than the preserve so they took their time, stepping around bushes and over dropped branches and lumpy ground, Stiles making sure he didn't trip with his cane. It meant Derek ended up having his hand on him almost constantly. A definite benefit rather than a hindrance.

They walked in relative silence for a short while until, just as Stiles said, the ground evened out and a well-made forest trail appeared before them, running perpendicular to the way they'd been traveling. What Stiles had always liked about this part of the walk was the way the trees were close to the trail's edge. The community group who'd made it hadn't wanted to cut down any of the trees, so the path meandered in and out. Other places were wider and more public-access friendly. Those were the trails he and Scott had ridden their bikes through when they were younger.

"I know this part of the trail really well," Stiles told Derek as he started out to their left.

There was a small wind in the topmost branches of the aspens which didn't reach below where Stiles and Derek walked. It caused the branches to creak and sway gently, moving the sunlight into dancing patterns which captivated Stiles' attention. He could feel the sun shining down through the thin bare branches, the tall white and gray trunks casting long shadows onto the forest floor. In some places the trees grew so close together, it wasn't possible to walk between them.

"You came here a lot with Scott?" Derek asked.

Stiles turned from watching the light to admiring Derek. He was wearing his faded jeans and a green sweater which, when coupled with his boots and the backpack, gave the impression he spent a lot of time in the forest. Stiles had to smile when he thought that because if anyone was a forest dweller, it was a wolf.

"Stiles?" Derek stood waiting.

"Um, no. Not here. There are trails further to the south-east that we rode."

"But you said you knew this place well?"

They were walking side by side and Derek's fingers were brushing the back of Stiles' hand. He entertained the idea of twining their fingers together but he was immensely comfortable with how things were, so he just kept walking.

"Yeah," he answered Derek's question after a little pause. "I used to come here all the time before Scott was bitten, but then I just stopped coming."

"It's easy to let things fall away. They become less important as time goes on," Derek offered.

"Not anymore. Not for me." Stiles wasn't exactly sure what he meant by that, but it was true. From the moment he'd stepped into the forest something had settled in his bones.

Derek gave him a curious glance, his next question not what Stiles thought it would be. "Did you come here alone?"

"I did." Stiles nodded. "I've never actually brought anyone here with me before. It was always just my place. Dad knows about it of course, but he never came."

They stopped walking and faced each other, standing close on the forest path.

"Your mom?" Derek asked.

"No. I don't know if she walked here herself but it was never with me. The trails were made after she was gone. She would have loved it here. We had picnics at the preserve grounds all the time with Dad because she loved the trees." Stiles' smile turned wistful. "She would have been so curious about this fae stuff."

There was no pity in Derek's eyes as he listened, just a deep understanding. He said nothing, but Stiles didn't need him to. They just stood there together until Stiles turned and continued walking.