The air felt different today. Carden scanned the horizon of the field, eyes darting as he watched over his flock of sheep. There were only ten of them in his flock, eight ewes and two rams. Not all of them were named; he only picked names for his favorites. He didn't do that much anymore, though; that had been Wolf's hobby, not his.

The blonde-headed boy yawned and leaned against his stick, fixing his wire-framed glasses as they slid down his nose. There was never anything exciting about this job, except for the occasional snake that slithered through the pasture. The day was quiet save for the light buzz of cicadas in the trees. The sun was, thankfully, behind a cloud for now. It would have been unbearable in the summer heat if not for the blissful relief of a cloudy day. Carden's eyes were just beginning to shut when he saw something at the edge of his vision. A blur of grey, a flash of a shadow. One thought immediately crept to mind. Wolf. Perhaps it was his own longing for it to be true, but Carden couldn't think of anything else in that moment that would have fit the description he had seen.

A smile split his lips and he carefully crossed the field, making sure not to disturb any of his sheep. One of them let out a displeased  baa as he slunk past. His eyes lingered on the edge of the woods, staff held at the ready. There was a rustle in the bushes and he gulped down his fear, rolling his shoulders. A head raised from the bushes, but it didn't belong to an animal. A boy his own age, with bright grey hair, was staring back at him. Carden immediately let out a scream and raced back to his field. The sheep had startled by the sound, but he didn't bother to calm them as he ran into town.

"Wolf! I saw him! I saw Wolf!" The boy shouted as he dodged past the baker and the seamstress. He slid to a stop in the town's main square, perching on the step of the old stone fountain in the center. "I saw him! I really did!"

A lumbering man in a blacksmith's apron let out a scoff and rolled his eyes. "Wolf's dead, boy. You remember. Killed in those dreaded woods to the north." His expression didn't show as much sadness as the moment should have rendered.

"I saw him, Aimery. I know I did," Carden pushed, shaking his head. He stared at the blacksmith, bewildered. "You have to believe me. He looked right at me!"

The dark-haired man scratched at his thin beard and shook his head. "He's gone. And better off that way. He caused us so much trouble in town, and now you're doing the same, talking nonsense about seeing ghosts."

"No, I—" The boy chewed the inside of his cheek, biting back all the unpleasant words he wanted to say in response. "I saw him."

"You saw nothing but a figment of your imagination, m'boy. You miss your friend, that's all." Aimery replied, a sympathetic smile on his lips. He gave Carden a pat on the head, hand so heavy that the boy's head dipped down. "Why don't you go home and rest? All those hours in the field are doing quite a number on you."

Carden wanted to stay there, force the man to believe him, but he knew he was probably right. He had been out in the field twice as long as usual without a break. He probably did need some sleep. So instead of cursing out the blacksmith for being difficult with him, Carden reluctantly nodded and slowly ambled home.

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The sun was beginning to set by the time Carden slipped into his house and wandered upstairs to his room. His eyes immediately jumped to the collection of drawings and poems gathered on the top of his desk. The drawings were his own, a hobby he had taught himself during the long hours out in the field. The poems had been from Wolf.

He sat down on the rickety chair at the desk and let out a long sigh as he picked up one of the pages. The boy's handwriting was so condensed that it was a bit hard to read, but he  remembered the words by heart, so he didn't need to actually read it. You miss your friend, Aimery had said. Carden half laughed as he thought back on those words, turning his attention to the poem in his hands. Wolf had been so much more than a friend.

I watch you from your grassy hill,

watching those hands that won't stay still.

I wander over with excitement,

hoping that I won't disturb the silence.

You take my hand in yours,

grip it tightly so I'm secure.

Your lips meet mine in a rush of heat,

a feeling that could never be beat.

I write this now wishing that

that moment of ours will forever last.

Carden's hands shook as he set the paper down, his eyes welling up with tears as his mind filled with images of the boy. He remembered all the times Wolf had snuck up on him in the field, hugging him from behind and pulling him close, whispering flirtatious comments that always made him blush. He remembered the feeling of Wolf leaning against him, head on Carden's shoulder as he watched the blonde-haired boy sketch out a scene. Carden would have taken all of the bad things, like the dark jokes Wolf would make and the plans that always got them in trouble, if it meant he could see his lover again.

"But Aimery's right," The boy whispered, shutting his eyes through the tears that still leaked from their corners. "He's gone. Wolf's gone." Carden held back his tears until he got into bed and tucked himself under the covers. Then he broke out into a full, heart-wrenching sobbing.

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Carden reached the sheep's pen bright and early, still munching on the core of his half-eaten apple. He did a quick count of the sheep as he guided them out of their pasture and started the walk to the field where they were sent to graze. He hummed quietly to himself, filling the air with the musical melody so that he could drown out his own thoughts. The boy sat down on the small hill in the center of the field, his usual perch, and fixed his blue-eyed gaze on the sheep. 

"Sheep, sheep, sheep. No Wolf. Just sheep," Carden murmured to himself, repeating the words like an empowering chant. "All I see are sheep." He couldn't help but glance over at the treeline, but whatever it was that he hoped to see just wasn't there. Carden returned his gaze to the field, watching the sheep as they lazily plucked up mouthfuls of the lush green grass. He had just brought out his sketchbook to begin a new drawing when a crack of wood made him jump. The sound had come from the woods.

Carden picked up his staff and stared. He wasn't going to move from his spot until he saw something. He didn't want the whole town thinking he was crazy, or that he was seeing ghosts. The boy was just turning his attention back to the blank page of his sketchbook when he saw a flash of grey, the same shade that he had seen the day before. His heart immediately started racing.

"Wolf?" Carden whispered. He doubted the sound could carry that far, but he didn't dare project his voice any louder. He stood there perfectly silent, watching and waiting. A figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees, the body of a slender teenage boy with a puff of silver hair on his head. The figure didn't say or do anything, simply watching Carden for a long moment before disappearing back into the woods.

Carden didn't even bother to think about how crazy he'd sound; he needed to tell someone about this encounter. He raced into town, darting down the narrow dirt streets until he reached the town square.

"Wolf! I really saw him this time, I know it!" The boy yelled. His eyes darted wildly from one confused face to another as some of the townspeople gathered in the square to listen. "I was in the field, and he was right there watching me."

Aimery immediately made his way to the front of the crowd, thick eyebrows furrowed as the stocky man stepped forward. "Boy, you've got to stop saying these things. You're sending everyone into a frenzy over a crazy lie like that! Your friend is gone. And while I'm deeply sorry about that, there's nothing you or anyone else here can do." His voice was low and gruff, just as scratchy and uncomfortable as sandpaper.

Carden straightened up. "I'm not some dumb kid, Aimery. I saw him. You can go and check the field yourself if you don't believe me. Wolf's hiding in the woods." He pushed his shoulders back, thrusting his chest out a bit in a vain attempt to make himself look bigger, more confident. Aimery still towered over him, and his sharp glare soon sent a flash of panic through Carden's chest. The boy shrunk down, shoulders bowing over.

"He's gone. I hate to say this, but you need to get over it and get your job done. If one of those sheep runs off because you're getting distracted, we'll have to find a new shepherd," The blacksmith let out a quick breath and leaned closer, lowering his voice. "And I'll have no problem with finding a more suitable replacement, so I suggest that you get your act together, boy." 

Carden flinched at the words, a shiver going through his whole body. "Yes, sir," he whispered, eyes darting to take a look at the rest of the townspeople. They were all watching the interaction with interest, amused expressions on all of their faces. An ashamed blush heated the boy's cheeks, and he hurried off back to the field.

Once he had confirmed that all of the sheep were still there grazing contently, Carden sat down on his knoll with a frustrated huff. "I can't be replaced. I need this money. I'll be living on the streets without it." He rested his chin in his hands and stared at the flock. His glasses slid down his nose a bit, turning the sheep into nothing more than fluffy white clouds. Carden sighed and fixed his glasses, lowering his gaze to his sketchbook. He took out a charcoal pencil and began sketching the vague outline of a person. Before long it had turned into Wolf, all sharp edges and dark clothing and spiky hair. He put his full focus into adding shading to the drawing, accentuating the line of the boy's jaw and the slight muscles of his arms.

"Is that really what I look like?" A voice asked in a teasing tone, smooth as honey.

Carden jumped, the back of his head bumping against the tree he was sitting in front of. His glasses had practically fallen off his face, so he hurried to grab them. "I'm sorry, I don't think you're who I'm—" His mouth immediately slammed shut as he raised his head and laid eyes on the speaker. Wolf.

The boy was exactly as he remembered him being, except maybe a year older. His hair was somehow the same platinum grey, sticking up in stubborn peaks like it always had. A few freckles still graced his nose, while the lower part of his face seemed to have gained a bit of stubble. Even though he did look a little more mature than he had before, Wolf's frame was still the same gangly shape. He was still a teenager, after all.

"How... You can't be here. No, you aren't real. You're dead." Carden sputtered, staring up at the figure. He stumbled to his feet. Wolf was three or four inches taller, and while Carden should have been intimidated by the size difference, he couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be swept into his embrace, to have the boy's head rest gently on his own.

Wolf flinched at the words, his expression immediately changing from his sly smirk to a sort of numb acceptance. "Ah, right. That." His gaze met Carden's, sadness pooling in his dark eyes. "I'm... I don't know how to say this in a way that will make sense. But I'm not dead, Carden."

The sound of his name coming out of the boy's mouth was almost too much for Carden to handle. "What do you mean? You... They said a wolf killed you. In the woods."

"Of course they did," The grey-haired boy grumbled. "I assume it's Aimery that started that rumor?"

"Probably," Carden replied with uncertainty. He didn't like where this conversation was headed. "He was the one who told me you were dead, when you first disappeared." He gulped, confusion and the longing to know more filling his gut. "What do you mean, 'rumor?'"

Wolf eyed Carden with such a pitiful look that the blonde-haired boy immediately worried about what he was about to say. "Aimery pulled me aside earlier that day, said something about how I was a bad influence on you," his voice was shaky, his gaze haunted and faraway. "He said it was wrong for the two of us to be together, to do the things we were doing. He said you were a good kid, but what the two of us were doing together — all the stuff between us — was a problem. And he said that, in order to solve a problem, you have to deal with it just like a dead tree. You've got to take it out at the roots." Wolf sucked in a breath. He was visibly trembling, something Carden had never witnessed before. This wasn't the strong rebel kid Carden had first fallen in love with. Something in him had been broken by this experience, by the lie that Carden had fallen for immediately. Carden instinctively reached out a hand to rest on Wolf's arm, to offer him at least some support. The boy stiffened at the touch, not even looking at the blonde-haired boy as he started again. "He said I was the root of this problem.

"Aimery gave me two choices. The first was to cut off all communication with you. I'd still live in the town, but I wouldn't be allowed to be in touch with you at all. And the second... The second choice was to have me discreetly killed off," Wolf finally met Carden's gaze. "I chose the second option. I couldn't bear the thought of having to ignore you, to know that you were right there and still be unable to even talk to you. I didn't want you even more hurt, thinking I'd somehow forgotten about you, or, hell, even stopped loving you." He let out a huff of breath. "I've never stopped loving you, Carden. I couldn't stand the thought of you thinking that I had. So I opted to have myself killed, if only to give you a reason for why I was gone."

Carden remained silent for a moment, now trembling as violently as Wolf had been moments before. His heart ached to pull the boy into his arms and murmur reassuring things, like the fact that Carden would never stop loving him either. But he still couldn't get over the horror of the story, a story that fit perfectly into the cracks of the lie that Carden had been told. "But, if you were supposed to be killed... Why are you still alive now?"

"Aimery failed. He was going to kill me himself, but when we went into the woods together, the coward couldn't muster up the courage. So he told me that I was going to stay far away from town. He was going to let me live, but he would tell everyone else that I had died in the woods. He said he was going to tell everyone I died by a wolf attack. Aimery thought that was real funny, being killed by my own namesake." Wolf shut his eyes for a moment. "I never... I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner, Carden. I had plans to, but I was too scared to find out what Aimery was going to do to me — or you — if I did. But I'm here now. I guess that's something." A small smile tugged up the corners of his lips, lips that Carden very much wanted to kiss right then.

Wolf took one of Carden's hands in his, giving it a squeeze as he twined their fingers together. He wore such an innocent expression; it was impossible to believe that he had just shared such a terrifying tale. Carden shifted closer, leaning into the boy as Wolf wrapped him up in his arms. The blonde-haired boy rested his head on Wolf's broad chest, breathing in the scent of pine and smoke, woodsy smells that Carden remembered smelling on him even before he had been banished to live in the woods.

"Carden," Wolf murmured softly into the boy's ear. "Will you run off with me? Forget about the village. They'll never understand you. They'll never understand us. We can disappear together, just the two of us."

Carden's eyes widened. He had never even considered doing something like that. He thought the words over, spinning them around in his mind. He pictured the two of them in the future together, living in a house the two of them had built in the woods, or in a new town far from this one. His lips quirked up in a smile at the thought. "I—"

But before Carden could answer Wolf's question, approaching footsteps broke the moment in two. Both boys jumped away from each other, heads moving as one to eye the oncoming threat. It was Aimery, trailed by a dozen other townspeople.

"Get away from him, you beast!" The blacksmith shouted. It took a moment for Carden to realize that his words were aimed at Wolf. The silver-haired boy shot one concerned glance at Carden before wandering up to meet Aimery face to face. He was barely taller than the man, only having an inch or so to his advantage.

"Aimery, old friend, so we meet again," Wolf greeted with a smirk, words dripping with sarcasm. "Y'know, as much as I've enjoyed dying, I think I'll stick around for a while longer." His expression turned serious as he moved his head closer to Aimery's. "What are you going to do about it this time? Spread another lie about my death?"

The man hesitated for a moment, seemingly intimidated by Wolf's words, before his eyebrows furrowed with anger. "I told you to stay far away, boy. And if your own death doesn't fear you, I'm sure we can devise another way to get you to obey." He snapped his fingers with an exaggerated flourish. Immediately two broad-shouldered men grabbed Carden by the arms, their fingers digging into his shoulder blades. He let out a yelp at the flash of pain that shot through his body.

Wolf stiffened. His expression, for the first time, showed fear. "Get your hands off of him," He growled in a voice that was dangerously low.

"Or what?" Aimery cooed with a tilt of his head. "If you take one step closer, I'll tell my men to slit the boy's throat." When Wolf stayed silent, the blacksmith chuckled. "Hmm, I thought so. You don't care much about the threat of the wolf getting skinned, but you'll listen to me when your sheep's in danger."

Carden's gaze darted between the two. He struggled against the men grasping his arms, desperately trying to escape their grip. It was hopeless; their hands clung to his shoulders like iron clasps.

"I'll do whatever you want, Aimery," Wolf hissed. "Just don't hurt him, please."

A smug smile spread across the man's lips. "Then you'll leave this village and stay away for good. If I catch you visiting again, I can think of many consequences that would be worse than this, all of which involve your little lamb getting hurt."

Wolf hesitated, his eyes flashing to meet Carden's. There was such helplessness in his gaze; Carden wanted to sweep him into his arms and hold him close forever. The silver-haired boy turned his gaze back to Aimery and, slowly, nodded. "Alright."

The two men holding him captive let go of Carden's shoulders; he stumbled forwards as the pressure released. The danger of the moment had passed, and yet Carden didn't feel as if he and Wolf had won this fight. Wolf turned away from Aimery and stalked towards the woods. He stopped halfway through the field, barely disturbing the sheep that still nibbled at the grass. His head turned slightly back, towards Carden and the town he had grown up in.

The blonde-haired boy didn't spare Aimery and his men a single glance as he hurried across the field. He swept his arms around Wolf from behind, tears dripping down his cheeks. He had barely seen the boy for an hour; he couldn't stand to lose him again.

"I'm coming with you," Carden whispered. He wasn't sure whether he was loud enough for Wolf to hear, but the silver-haired boy stiffened in his embrace, and he was sure that he had heard.

"You're sure?" He murmured in response. There was a hint of surprise in his tone that broke Carden's heart. Had he really not expected Carden to come with him, to join him after all this time the blonde-haired boy had spent overthinking all of his regrets? "I'm banished. I can't ever come back here. If you came with me, that means you're banished with me. You'll never see this place again. Would you really be okay with that?"

Carden stayed silent for a moment, pondering the severity of the question, the depth of what it would mean to be banished alongside Wolf. "Of course I'm sure," He finally replied. "Do you really think I'd let you leave me again?"

"What about your job? I thought you love being a shepherd here." Wolf asked, concern evident in his voice. He really was scrounging up every possible reason that Carden might want to stay.

"Are you kidding? Shepherding is so boring. And besides, if I really feel like picking up a job like that again, I'm sure there are sheep just about everywhere. I've got tons of opportunities elsewhere, and Aimery's already threatened to replace me here anyway." Carden told him. He managed a genuine laugh.

"Okay," Wolf finally replied. Carden couldn't see him since he was still hugging him from behind, but he could tell from the boy's tone that he was probably wearing one of his characteristic smirks. "Let's do this, then. Are we going to make a big thing of it? Or are you just going to casually come along with me?"

"Good question," Carden answered with a grin. He felt like they were kids again, when they would propose extravagant plans and get into mischief together. "You could make it seem like you were kidnapping me, but I don't think that would get rid of your villain reputation... Ooh, I have an idea! I can't really explain it though, so just go with it, okay?"

Carden felt Wolf's head dip in a nod, so the blonde-haired boy released him from his embrace and stole a glance towards the town. Aimery and the others were still standing at the edge of the field; they hadn't moved since they'd gotten there. He turned his gaze back to Wolf, meeting his eyes and giving a nod. Let's do this.

Carden sank into a crouch, getting down onto one knee. The grass scratched at his skin as he knelt there. Confusion was evident in the wrinkle of Wolf's brow, but he didn't open his mouth to ask. Carden took a breath, clearing his throat loud enough for the townspeople to hear and bring their attention to him.

"Wolf," The blonde-haired boy began, savoring the oblivious expression on the silver-haired boy's face as he began the monologue he was hurriedly writing up in his head. "I've loved you since we were kids. Maybe you weren't the greatest role model sometimes. We did get into a lot of trouble together. But you've helped me realize who I am, who I've always been meant to be. I can't change this," At this, Carden sent the townspeople — Aimery in particular — a pointed glance before once more meeting Wolf's dark eyes. "And you've helped me accept that. You've been my rock, my shoulder to cry on, my support, my escape. You've put such happy thoughts into my head. Because of you, I can imagine more of a future than I was ever able to before." Carden was letting these words pour out, thoughts and feelings that he had never admitted aloud before now, but that had been lurking in his head for years. He paused and took a moment to study Wolf — his dark eyes were misty with tears, and a sentimental smile rested on his lips. 

"You mean the world to me, Wolf. You're— Gah, kneeling like this hurts," Carden blurted, switching his weight to his other knee as his leg started to give out beneath him. The grass had pressed red lines into his skin. He smiled sheepishly as Wolf laughed. "Anyway, um, you're one of the most amazing people I've ever met. I wish everyone would treat you with as much respect and love as you deserve. But since that's evidently not the case... will you run off with me, Wolf? Come with me and start our own adventure, far away from here?" Carden heard Aimery or one of the other townspeople start to argue and voice their complaints as they heard the words, but the blonde-headed boy paid no attention to them, his gaze remaining fixed on his lover. Wolf didn't spare the townspeople a glance either. He let out a sniffle that made Carden laugh. I made Wolf cry. Wolf never cries. He considered it somewhat of an accomplishment.

"Damn, Carden. I... Hell, of course I'll run off with you." Wolf tugged him up to a standing position — which was good, because the blonde-haired boy would have struggled to get up on his own after kneeling in that position for so long — and pressed his lips to Carden's. They immediately relaxed against each other, as if they had been holding this in during all the time they had been separated. But that tension was gone now. Despite the obvious desperation for this touch that both of them felt, the kiss was gentle and sweet and patient, a soft 'welcome home' passed from one boy's lips to the other's.

They were both smiling like two little kids as their lips parted and they took a step back from each other. Wolf's hand found Carden's, and they only took a moment to survey the damage they had dealt — Aimery and the other townspeople were standing stock still in disgusted shock at what they had just witnessed — before they turned as one towards the woods.

These woods had scared Carden as a kid. He had been told warnings about the terrifying things that lived among the trees, horrifying beasts that would swallow you whole and witches who lured you to your death. But all Carden could think about was that the woods must have been a very magical place, at least at that moment, for him to be walking alongside the love of his life, escaping this town that had done nothing but judge him. While Carden was a little overwhelmed by the thought of leaving his hometown behind forever, he knew that it was for the best. It had been nothing but a place of the past. While he wasn't sure yet where his place of the future would be, he knew that Wolf would be there in it. And if that was all it ended up being, just him and Wolf wandering the woods forever, he believed that he'd be perfectly okay with that.