Sons of Morning Hawk

Here is the next chapter. Thanks for the great messages. Keep them coming!

Brady York bradysyorktown@hotmail.com

The sons of Morning Hawk 2: Swept away

Kit pulled his aging Grand Am up to the covered porch outside the hospital main entrance and turned it off. Brandt had been in the hospital for three days, and for three days Kit had spent several hours a day with him learning from him.

They'd covered everything from Indian folk lore to favorite music artists, all the while playing poker and black jack for M&Ms. The bruises on Brandt's side had faded considerably, amazing the doctors and nurses. He was still very stiff and sore, but there wasn't any lingering fear that he'd damaged an internal organ now.

Kit jogged down the hall to Brandt's room and knocked before walking in. There was a nurse helping him put a few effects into a bag, and a wheelchair waited at the end of the bed. Brandt was dressed in fairly tight jeans that had more than a few threadbare spots and a t-shirt that was cut off just below his pecs, leaving his ripped abs exposed. Kit had to stifle a laugh as he noticed that the nurse was pretty interested in the tall blond god that was signing his release papers.

Brandt put up no fight at all about the wheel chair and climbed carefully into it. He was feeling a lot better, but bending and walking still caused him a little discomfort. He was looking forward to getting home so he could meditate and heal the bruises. He smiled up at Kit as they headed for the front doors. Kit had to fight the urge to take his hand.

Once they had Brandt in the car Kit thanked the nurse and climbed in behind the wheel. "You're free, man. The prisoner is over the wall." He chuckled and started the car, driving out into the late afternoon sun. "I bought Chinese food. It's in the oven staying warm until we get there."

"That's great." Brandt leaned his head back on the head rest. "I was getting real sick of that bland stuff they kept bringing me."

"Can I ask you something?" Kit asked. "Are you really an Indian? You look as white as I am."

Brandt laughed. "Yeah, I really am. I guess I'm a half breed. My mom is Cheyenne and Shoshoni and my dad was from Ohio."

"But you were raised by them? By the Indians?"

Brandt looked at him curiously. "My dad died the day I was born. I was raised Montana by my family."

"I'm sorry, that sounded fucked up." Kit looked over at Brandt. "I wasn't trying to insult you. Your uncle's really cool."

"I wasn't insulted." Brandt smiled and looked out the window. "Hawk is a decent guy. He's been my dad for a long time."

They pulled into the parking lot at Kit's apartment complex and Kit pulled into his assigned stall. "The bad news is I'm on the third floor. The good news is there's an elevator." He jumped out and jogged around to the other door and opened it, offering his arm for Brandt to pull himself up out of the car.

"I really appreciate this, Kit. You're good people." Brandt said.

"Only for another puma." Kit grinned and got Brandt's bag out of the back seat. "Come on, let's go eat."

Brandt looked around appreciatively at Kit's things as they entered the apartment. Kit didn't have a lot of clutter, and everything that was displayed looked to have some sort of meaning. There was a baseball and glove on a shelf next to a little league picture of Kit and his dad, and three matchbox cars. On the next shelf was a picture of a large Maine Coon cat lying in Kit's lap. Brandt picked up the picture and looked more closely.

"I got him for my first birthday." Kit said, noticing what Brandt was looking at. "His name was Top Cat. He died last year. He was eighteen."

"You probably don't understand this yet but he was a guide for you." Brandt put the picture back and went to the table, meeting Kit's eyes. "He talked to you, didn't he?"

Kit nodded, feeling a lump in his throat. "Not like humans do, but I knew what he was thinking." He set out silverware and plates and got two glasses of ice water. "I think it's because of him that I can sort of accept what's happening to me."

Brandt nodded and sat down. "It sucks to have what you believe change."

"Exactly." Kit took the cartons of Chinese food out of the oven and set them on the table. "So now that we're here and not in the hospital what exactly happened between us?" He sat down at the table and opened a carton, briefly meeting Brandt's eyes. "That first day when you took my hand." He shook his head slowly. "It was intense."

Brandt smiled and scooped chow mien onto his plate. "I don't have an easy answer. It never happened to me before." He sighed and took one of the other cartons. "When I saw you coming to the fire that first time I was angry because you were interfering."

"So that really happened?" Kit set his fork down and his face became clouded. "How can we have possibly had the same dream?"

Brandt shrugged. "I was never taught that things are impossible so I can't tell you."

"Are you still offended?" Kit asked. "I mean about me showing up?"

"What do you think?" Brandt laughed. "What did you feel when I took your hand?" His face went a little red.

Kit was embarrassed but forced himself to look into those incredible gray eyes. "I felt like I loved you."

Brandt nodded. "It scared me, too."

"That's how you feel?" Kit was stunned. Brandt smiled and nodded.

They finished eating, each to his own thoughts. Kit cleared the table and Brandt went in and sat on the couch. "Kit, will you help me with something?" He asked.

"Sure if I can." Kit wiped the table and tossed the washcloth in the sink.

"What's up?"

"I can make myself heal faster if I can meditate. I don't want to freak you out, though. It's Indian shit." Brandt tried to adjust his position to get comfortable, but it wasn't helping.

"What, like the shit that's happened isn't weird enough?" Kit chuckled. "Are you going to call on the great medical god or something?"

Brandt laughed and held his side. "No, I just need to chant to focus. I won't get loud or anything so your neighbors won't get pissed."

"Hey, however I can help. I have to warn you though. I'm better off deeply routed in traditional medicine." Kit turned off the light in the kitchen and leaned in the doorway.

"I think you're going to find out that's not as true as you think." Brandt stood up. "Do you have a blanket I can put on the floor?"

Kit went down the hall and came back with a blanket he'd bought in a small town north of Billings. It was a colorful design, handmade. Brandy grinned and accepted it. "I know this pattern. You got this not far from my friend's house in Hardin. I live in Fire City just to the north east." He spread it out on the floor and straightened the wrinkles. "Do you have a candle? I think the landlord would shit if I lit a fire in here."

Kit chuckled and got a large candle, a gift from his sister, off the TV. "Do you have some of that stuff the old man put in the fire?"

"Something like it." Brandt set the candle in the middle of the blanket. "How brave are you?"

"A week ago I would've answered differently. Pretty brave I guess." Kit favored him with a lopsided grin. "Do I get to participate?"

Brandt nodded and carefully pulled his shirt off. "We seem to have some kind of bond, Kit Carson. I think you can help me pull the bad energy out of my body." He unzipped his pants and slid them down. "I think you're more of a healer than you think." He stood naked at the end of the blanket and tossed his pants on the couch.

Kit swallowed hard. Brandt had to be the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and he noticed for the first time that Brandt wasn't circumsized. It was fascinating and thrilling at the same time. He'd never seen a foreskin before other than on old men at the hospital. "Do you want me to strip?"

"If you want to." Brandt lowered himself down and crossed his legs. He pulled the bag to him and took out a small leather pouch and looked up at Kit. Kit shrugged out of his shirt and tossed it into his room. He hesitated for only a second and then slipped out of his pants and boxers. "You're nice to look at." Brandt said seriously. "As beautiful as in my dream.

Kit sat down on the floor and crossed his legs, blushing. "Thanks. You're pretty spectacular yourself." He grinned at Brandt and watched him take the little pouch and untie the strings.

"For now I just need to focus. I'm going to chant in Cheyenne, so don't get upset, okay?" Kit nodded. Brandt took a pinch of the mixture and let it filter into the flame of the candle. "When I get to a certain point I want you to put your hand right here." He put his hand over the darkest part of the bruise. "We'll pull the bad shit out together, okay?"

Kit nodded, excited. Brandt began to chant softly and dropped another tiny amount of the mix into the flame. A strange and intriguing smell began to fill the room, and Kit could feel a sort of pulse, like energy or something, being created between them. Brandt closed his eyes and swayed slightly in time to his chant, and Kit was surprised to find him self swaying as well.

His heart fell in time with Brandt, and every now and then it would pound hard once, then again, and Brandt would hit a power point in the song. Kit closed his eyes, and it was almost like he could understand what Brandt was saying. Without realizing it Kit leaned forward and put his hand on Brandt's side. It was like a current opened between them, and Kit saw the purple haze in his mind that was the injury. He waded into the haze and held his arms out, pulling the haze into himself. When it was all inside his lungs, he inhaled deeply and looked up, expelling the haze into the night sky.

Kit fell back on the floor with a thump, and Brandt moved around to touch the side of his face, concerned. "Kit? Are you okay?" He stretched out along Kit's side and rested his arm on Kit's chest. "Kit, can you talk to me?"

Kit opened his eyes slowly and smiled. "You move pretty good for a banged up walking bruise." He said quietly. He reached up and touched Brandt's cheek with a light stroke along his cheekbone. His chest hurt for some reason, but he felt pretty cool, actually.

"You're a lot more powerful than you think, Healer." Brandt grinned, feeling the energy between them change, taking another form. "The bruises are gone. I saw what you did."

"That was so cool." Kit said in a quiet whisper. His eyes moved down to Brandt's lips, and he ran a fingertip across them. "Kiss me, Wyld Cat."

"Do you really want that?" Brandt asked, almost hypnotized by Kit's touch.

Kit's hand slid up around his neck and pulled him down, and their lips touched very gently at first and then with a hot passion.

Kit felt Brandt's hand close around him and he groaned into Brandt's mouth.

"Oh God I've wanted this." Brandt slowly moved his hand up and down, and Kit knew that he wasn't going to last very long. He could feel a burning in the pit of his stomach, and almost in a panic he rolled, pushing Brandt on his back. "My turn." He smiled and leaned down to take Brandt's hardness in his mouth.

Kit was clumsy and inexperienced, but Brandt patiently coached him so that he wasn't scraping with his teeth or sucking so hard that he caused pain. Brandt was just beginning to feel something happening when Kit pushed him self up and moved on top, straddling Brandt. "I want to do something. I've never tried this before." He reached back and carefully guided Brandt to his ass.

"You'll hurt yourself, Kit. You aren't ready yet." Brandt tried to pull him up but Kit pushed back suddenly, causing Brandt to slide part way inside of him. He gritted his teeth and hissed, and Brandt tried again to pull him off. "Kit, not yet."

"I want you to be my first." Kit said raggedly. With his eyes still closed he pushed back again, forcing Brandt the rest of the way in. "Aaah!"

He cried out. "It hurts but it's good."

"Kit, damn it!" Brandt tried to move under him, but Kit began to move back and forth, and Brandt had to close his eyes. "Yes, that's it." He whispered. "Just like that."

Kit's cock was harder than it had ever been before, and every time Brandt was at the deepest point it hit something, giving Kit a jolt. "Aahh, God." He whispered and quickened the pace. Brandt had begun to slam up into his ass as he moved back for each stroke, and every time the jolt was a little stronger. "Harder." He commanded.

Brandt obeyed, like he could stop himself, and he was pumping upwards as hard as he could. "Ooooh!" Kit cried out. "Oh God!" He was like a wild man pistoning back and forth, and Brandt happened to look down at Kit's beautiful cock just in time to see the head swelling . "Brandt!" Kit shouted. "I can't stop!"

"Let it go!" Brandt hissed, feeling his guts contract harshly. He squeezed his eyes shut and slipped into that almost other worldly few seconds when the inevitable happened. Kit erupted, sending huge wet splatters on to Brandt's chest, stomach, face, and hair. There was so much of it, and it just kept coming. He grunted and loosed himself into Kit's insides, feeling the force of his fluids impacting Kit's bowels.

Kit collapse on him, his breaths coming in gasps. Brandt let his head fall back and he wrapped his arms around Kit, holding him while he came back down to earth. He had tried sex a couple of times, even enjoyed it, but he realized that for the very first time he had made love, and it made his eyes water. They fell asleep in each other's arms, exhausted.

The real world rippled away into the dream world, and Brandt found himself in the familiar clearing looking up at the night sky. Beside him, Kit chuckled and took his hand. "We're together this time."

"We're supposed to be." Brandt/Wyld Cat headed down the path and pulled Kit along. "Let's go see how Grandpa did hunting." The white loincloth swished between his legs and he glanced back at Kit, pleased with his appearance in his own white leathers. "Do you feel like a healer now?"

"I don't feel any different except how I feel about you." Kit laughed.

They crested the hill and found the old man sitting at the campfire. He smiled and waved to them, and they walked the rest of the way in to take seats on each side of the fire. "So, finally the cats hunt together." Grandpa greeted them warmly. He handed them each a piece of jerky and gazed into the fire. "I was worried that this would not be so. A long time I've waited for you two to find each other."

"Why is that so important, Grandpa?" Wyld Cat asked, biting off a piece of the jerky and savoring the taste.

"Because you will fight a battle soon, and only with your partner at your side can you win." The old man smiled and patted Wyld Cat's knee. "You must come to where I met the spirits, Wyld Cat, and bring this one with you to be named." He looked back at Kit. "You have to be one of us, Kit Carson. You have to be family."

"You mean an Indian name?" Kit asked. "Not Kit?"

"Kit is a fine name, but all of us have a true name, and that is the name you seek." Grandpa leaned back and picked up a rattle made of dried leather stretched over a small wooden frame. He used both hands to spin it, producing a sound like sand in a tin can. "This is the badge of a Medicine Man. A healer. When you are named you will make one like this, and it will help you do many things." He handed it to Kit. "Feel how it calls power?"

Kit's hands tingled, and he used his hands to rattle it like Grandpa had. It made his hair stand on end as an electric like current surged up his spine. He grinned and handed it back. "Am I really a healer then?"

"You ask what your heart knows, Kit Carson. Wyld Cat will need a powerful healer to do what I send him to do." The old man looked into the fire and sighed. "He must do what I couldn't do."

"What do you mean, Grandpa? What do you want me to do?" Wyld Cat asked, concerned.

The old man smiled and shook his head. "Not tonight, my son. You need rest, and so does Kit Carson. Seek me at the Spirit's Ridge." He looked at both of them approvingly. "My Pumas finally hunt together. I'm very proud." With that he vanished.

Kit blinked into the morning sunlight and squinted at Brandt. Brandt slept with his arm over Kit's chest and his head on Kit's arm which was completely numb. Kit tried to slide it out without waking Brandt up, but it didn't work. Brandt jerked his head up and stared blankly at Kit, his eyes slowly coming into focus. He yawned and let Kit move his arm and then thumped back onto the pillow. A few hours ago they had gotten up off the floor and moved to the bed.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Kit yawned hugely. He repeatedly made a fist, trying to get past the pins and needles sensation in his hand and arm.

"More sleep." Brandt mumbled. "I haven't slept this good for a long time." He slid his hand down and across Kit's stomach until it rested over his birthmark and let it rest there.

"Where is this Spirit Ridge that your Grandpa was talking about?" Kit asked, letting his eyes drift closed.

Brandt blinked at him, still getting used to having someone else remember what he dreamed. "It's north of Fire City in the mountains. It's belonged to my family for as long as they can remember. They ended up there when Grandpa was little. Elders are taken there when they die to meet the spirits."

"Jesus, it's a cemetery?" Kit wrinkled his nose and looked over at Brandt.

"Is it creepy?"

Brandt laughed and leaned over to kiss Kit. "You've got this white man concept really dug in, don't you? It's not like a movie cemetery. It's a holy place. Sacred. Sometimes when a family member needs to talk to someone who's passed, they go up there. It makes them feel better."

"Great." Kit yawned again and sat up. "I talked to your dead Grandpa in my sleep, we got no first date, we had sex on our first night together, and now you're taking me to a graveyard." He slid out of bed and wandered towards the bathroom. "I have to tell you, Brandt, this isn't the most romantic thing I ever heard of."

Brandt laughed out loud, holding his sides. "You left out the part where you figured out that you're part Indian, and that your white world didn't fit anymore."

"Yeah, thanks. I was worried that I forgot something." Kit called from the bathroom. "So, now that we have our shit straight, when do we leave? I'm only off until next Monday."

"What if I asked you to stay with me?" Brandt said in a light tone, but meaning what he said.

"Stay with you where?" Kit walked back into the bedroom with his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth. His eyebrows were knitted together and low over his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"There's a clinic in Fire City and a hospital in Billings. What if you got a job there and came to stay with me?" Brandt stood up and moved close to kit, putting his hands on Kit's chest. "Would you?"

"What if you stayed here with me?" Kit said around his toothbrush. He went back and spit in the sink, wiped his face, and came back into Brandt's arms. "I sort of had plans to go to school this fall, to be a trauma nurse."

"Can I try to persuade you?" Brandt kissed his way along Kit's jaw and down his neck. "Decide in few days, okay?"

"Okay, okay." Kit felt his loins stirring and he back away with a shiver. "God, if you keep that up we'll never get out of the bedroom." Brandt laughed and he turned and went in to shower. He let the hot water beat on his shoulders, trying not to visualize Brandt standing naked in the sunlight. It was really hard.

When he came out Brandt was on the phone. "Hey, let me talk to Little Bear." He glanced at Kit and smiled. "Bear, this is Wyld Cat. Want to go camping?" He listened for a minute and nodded. "Good. Go up and make a camp by the Ridge." He listened again and shook his head. "Yeah, Hawk is right. I want to take him to see Grandpa. You're welcome if you want to go." He sat down on the bed and crossed his legs, watching Kit get clothes out to dress. Kit put a pair of boxers on the bed, and Brandt lean over and took them, shaking his head. "You don't need them. They're useless." He whispered.

Kit chuckled and took out a pair of cargo shorts and pulled them on. He hadn't ever gone without underwear before, and it felt strange. He pulled on a form fitting t-shirt and dug some sandals out of the closet as he listened to Brandt.

"Great, thanks, Bear. Grab both of my packs from Grandma's house, okay? Your's, too." Brandt hung up the phone and unfolded himself from the bed, walking over to Kit. "By the time we get there everything will be ready. Hawk called from Idaho Falls. He's been on the phone several times to Grandma. He and mom will be down in a few days after they get done in Idaho."

"I'm not sure what all that means." Kit said seriously. "I've never met any of them but Hawk, and that was only once."

"Don't worry." Brandt kissed him and turned to go to the shower. "You're going to have a blast, I promise."

The drive only took a few hours, but they were in no hurry. Brandt told him about his childhood, and about the family. He described his life with the traveling carnival, and his dreams and talking to his Grandpa. Kit soaked up every word, fascinated. He could listen to Brandt forever and not get bored.

As they pulled into Hardin Kit looked around at the homes and businesses. Hardin and Cody were a lot alike, but in some areas the houses seemed neglected or even abandoned, and there were a lot of trailer houses. There wasn't a lot of grass.

"Weird, isn't it?" Brandt said, looking at one house as they passed that had a well manicured lawn and then at its neighbor that had no lawn and a battered trailer for the dwelling.

"Kind of hit and miss, isn't it?" Kit asked.

"There's been a lot of work to get the people to a middle class sort of level, but for a lot of them that's not what's important." Brandt turned to look at Kit. "They don't want to be forced to be like the white man."

"Frankly it isn't that bad." Kit said defensively. "I like nice neighborhoods and paved roads."

"You're selling the preacher." Brandt laughed humorlessly. "Change is slow, Kit. They have to want to change."

Almost an hour later they arrived in Fire City, a tiny community that appeared to have sprung up around one little general store and a post office. There was also the modern clinic that Brandt had mentioned, seemingly out of place with the frame houses and trailer houses that were scattered through the tiny town. Kit was amazed to see one or two tepees as well, and laughed delightedly when he spotted one with a large pole to the side that had a satellite dish mounted to it. "They get just as bored as anyone else does." Brandt said with a laugh. "A tepee is real comfortable, though."

"I think it would be cool." Kit said. "If nothing else it's a break in the monotony."

"Glad you think so, because that's what we're heading for when we leave this afternoon." Brandt raised his eyebrows and grinned.

"No shit? I get to sleep in a real tepee?" Kit was very excited. "That's awesome!"

"Glad you think so." Brandt pointed at an old house that was well cared for and had a large four door car in the carport. "That's Grandma's. Stop there and we'll see if Bear is there."

Kit steered into the drive way and parked the car next to an old Ford pick up that had major rust on it. The bed of the truck was loaded with gear. "Is this for us?" He asked.

"I'd bet on it." Brandt looked towards the house just in time to see the screen door bang open. A boy their age stepped out onto the porch, his shiny black hair cut short and worn one length over his ears in a popular style. He had too hoop earrings in each ear, and he wore a Billabong t-shirt and cargo shorts. He was muscular and well built, but nowhere near as cut or bulked as Brandt was, or even Kit.

"Hey, dipshit." The boy growled at Brandt with a deep voice and a straight face. He jammed his hands in his pockets and scowled at Brandt. "Don't you know you don't bring strangers here?"

"Bitch, I bring who I want." Brandt growled back, making Kit nervous. The boy on the porch suddenly grinned and jumped of the porch he took about two steps towards Brandt and wrapped his arms around him, lifting him off his feet.

"Long time, asshole." Bear set him down and looked over at Kit. "So you finally found what you were looking for, huh? Did you get him pregnant?" Brandt punched him hard in the upper chest. He put his hand up. "Ow! I was kidding!"

"Bear, I'd kill for you, but you don't want to fuck with Kit, okay? He's smarter than you and stronger than you." Brandt smiled and looked over at Kit. "He's also the other Puma, so I'd watch my ass if I were you."

"I said I was kidding." Bear groused. He stuck his hand out to Kit. "I was just funnin', man. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm Eric Morninghawk.

My real name's Little Bear." They shook hands. "My little brother, Johnny, is up by the camp."

"Good to meet you." Kit followed them towards the house. He studied Bear, amazed that he and Brandt could possibly be related. Bear was brown skinned, black haired, and had Native American features. It was a sharp contrast to Brandt's tall muscular frame, bronze surfer tan colored skin, and flowing long blond hair.

As they entered the house and tiny old woman, frail and thin, came out of the kitchen. She had a happy face and a little 'o' shaped grin, and one of her eyes was clouded with a cataract. He knew instantly that this was Grandma, and placed her age somewhere between seventy and five hundred.

She came towards him, speaking in her own language, and put her fragile little hands on his forearms. He smiled at he her, and she kept talking, putting her gray haired head on his chest. Brandt and Bear looked at each other stunned and then at their grandmother. Brandt asked her something in the mysterious tongue, and she waved at him impatiently, responding in rapid fire Cheyenne.

"What is it, Brandt? What's the matter?" Kit demanded.

"Oh, nothing with you, man. She loves you." Bear answered. "She said 'Welcome home, grandson. Cat in shadows has come home.' That's what he's asking about."

"Who's Cat in Shadows?" Kit asked.

"You are. Hang on a second." Brandt said impatiently. He listened to his grandma and nodded, and Bear's face was shocked. Brandt sighed and smiled, nodding his head. Finally he looked up at Kit. "Hawk has taken you as his son, Kit. She says that Grandpa told him to, and they didn't dare say no. Grandma has named you Cat in shadows. It's not all dark and sinister. It means the cat who walks in day or night, and sometimes in between. Someone that can cross between here and the dream world."

"You're my brother." Bear said, smiling nervously. "I have a white brother." He shook his head in disbelief. "Damn. Just what I always wanted."

Grandma scolded him and slapped his arm. He answered her and held his hands up. Brandt laughed out loud and leaned over to Kit. "Bear will be eighteen next month. Grandma just reminded him that you're his older brother, and that in the old days if you wanted him dead you had the right to kill him."

"I don't know what you people are talking about." Kit shook his head, all of this swimming through his head. "We are so far past the end of reality that it sort of doesn't mean anything to me right now. I don't really have a brother. No sister either."

"Just be patient, Kit. I promise I'll explain it. Let me help your new little brother pack some things and we'll get out of here. You can ask us questions on the ride up to the Ridge." Brandt walked into the small kitchen, leaving Kit standing there with his new adopted Grandma.

She reached out and took his hands in her frail fingers, giving him a look of adoration. They were alone, and Kit felt suddenly very much older than he really was, and he looked at her clouded eye. "Grandmother," he said in clear Cheyenne, feeling very strange and having no idea where the words were coming from, "let me repay your kindness to me."

Then he was standing under thick storm clouds in the dream world, wearing his white leathers, and above him there was a silver mist. It swirled and dove at him, stinging his eyes, and he held up his hands. A strong warm glow erupted from his palms, and the mist burned away. He swiped at his eyes and glared defiantly at the storm. "I am Cat in shadows. You will obey me!" He shouted.

Then suddenly he was back in the house, and his knees gave away. He fell to the floor dizzy, weak, and confused. Brandt came running out of the kitchen from the sound and knelt next to Kit. "What happened?"

"See what Shadow has done." Grandma smiled proudly and blinked her now clear eyes. "I will see the sunrise in the morning." She put her hands on each side of Kit's face and tenderly kissed his forehead. "We waited so long for you, my son."

Kit looked up at her and smiled weakly. "I hope this camping trip includes some sleep." He said to Brandt. "Between you and Grandma I'm about shot."

"You can't do that anymore, Kit. I mean it." Brandt said sharply. "You don't know what you're doing yet, and you could really hurt yourself."

"It was only for the ones I love." Kit said in a whisper and closed his eyes. "Let me rest. I'll be okay when you're ready to go." Grandma moved around and gently but insistently pushed Brandt towards the kitchen.

"Go get ready, my son." She said. "I will watch Shadow for you." She watched Brandt go back into the kitchen and then stroked the side of Kit's face. "Little Puma, you will be a great healer soon." She put her cheek against the top of his head. "If only the price wasn't so high."

When Kit actually woke up and stayed awake he was sandwiched between Eric and Brandt in the old Ford truck, had no memory of getting in the truck, and it was rocking back and forth as they drove up a dirt road towards a large respectable mountain. "Where are we?" He grumbled and cleared his throat. "How long was I out?"

"Hey." Brandt smiled at him. "We're about a mile and a half away from the camp, and you slept about an hour. How do you feel?"

"I have a headache." Kit leaned over on Brandt's shoulder and closed his eyes. "My eyes hurt and my lungs hurt. Would you mind telling me what happened since we got to Fire City? I mean the family stuff, not Grandma's eyes." He had a vivid memory of burning away her cataract.

"Well, in our society a man can take in an orphan and make him his son. You don't have to lose your biological parents for this to happen." Brandt chuckled. "Hawk sort of stepped up and made you his eldest son. That's major karma, man. Like instant status."

"No shit." Bear said, glancing irritably at Kit. "Everybody has like no choice but to accept you." He didn't look especially excited, but he didn't look very upset either.

"I don't really understand. I've had so much thrown at me that it's sort of just bouncing off now." Kit said quietly. He yawned and looked out over the mountainside. "God it's pretty up here."

"Not much farther up we're going to park the truck and ride in on horse back. Can you ride?" Brandt asked.

Kit nodded and rubbed his eyes. "A friend of my dad's has horses. I used to ride a lot but it's been a few months." He opened his eyes and looked up at Brandt. "Why are my eyes hurting?"

"I don't know for sure, but I've heard that when you heal someone that you sort of suffer their pain." Brandt answered. "You need to not do that again until you know what you're doing, it could really hurt you." He repeated and kissed Kit on the forehead.

Kit glanced at Eric and back to Brandt nervously. "Is he okay with that?"

Brandt chuckled and looked at his cousin. "Bear is straight, but we used to mess around a little, didn't we?"

"Love is love and sex is sex." Eric smiled slightly and looked over at them. "If it feels good do it I say."

"Slut." Brandt chuckled.

"Bitch." Eric grinned and shot back. Kit closed his eyes and relaxed, letting his mind drift. Reality was so far gone now that all he could do was wait and see what happened. He dozed in and out until the truck stopped, and he sat up as Brandt climbed out, pushing the creaking door open.

A young boy of about twelve stood near three horses. His long black hair moved in the wind, and he waved enthusiastically and came running, throwing himself into Brandt's arms. "Wyld Cat! Dad said you were coming!"

"For once he was right." Brandt laughed and hugged the boy hard. "Quick Fox, I want you to meet somebody." He led the slender boy over to the truck where Kit was climbing out. "This is Kit Carson. When Hawk gets home he will present Kit as Cat in Shadows, you're oldest brother."

"No shit?" The kid gasped and looked through the truck at Eric. "When did this happen, Eric?"

"Grandma told us this afternoon." Bear climbed out and closed his door. "Shadow is a healer, Johnny. He cleared Grandma's eyes today." He walked around the front of the truck and put his arm around his little brother's shoulders.

"Hi." Kit said, looking down at the kid. The boy looked up at him in amazement. "Don't go psycho, man, I'm a real human." He chuckled and knelt down, more or less to keep from being dizzy. He still didn't feel well.

"We never had a white man in our family." Quick Fox said honestly. "Well, sort of with Wyld Cat, but he isn't white really."

"Kit won't be either after tomorrow night." Brandt took a large pack out of the bed of the truck and dropped in next to Kit.

Quick Fox's eyes went wide. "You're gonna build a sweat lodge, aren't you?" Brandt nodded. "Let me come, please Wyld Cat? I never get to do neat shit. Please let me come in the sweat lodge!"

"It's not time, little man. Soon, okay? When your dad says so." Brandt hugged him and set another pack near Kit. "Think you can drive the truck back to the house?"

"Like I haven't before." Quick Fox favored him with a look of disgust. He hugged Bear, and on an impulse hugged Kit. When he backed away he looked embarrassed but defiant. "Man, we are going to have such a cool party when all this goes down." He jogged around the truck and slid the seat all the way forward. "See you at home!"

"Don't go to fast, Johnny, or I'll kick your ass!" Bear said, pointing at his brother.

"I won't! Don't holler at me!" He started the truck, checked to make sure they had everything, then backed up, swinging the nose around. He met Kit's eyes and waved, then headed down the dirt road the way they'd come.

"I just watched a little kid drive away in a truck." Kit said, amazed. "Does it bother anyone here that he won't have a license for several years yet?"

"No." Brandt shrugged, opening a pack.

"Not really." Eric pulled his shirt off and tossed it over a branch.

"Jesus." Kit shook his head. He noticed that both of them were undressing and stood up. "What are you doing?"

"From here were go like Indians." Brandt pulled his t-shirt off and dropped it on the ground. "In these packs are clothes that were made before either of us were born. I never knew why there was two sets until today." He slipped out of his shoes and slid his pants off. "Come on, Cat in shadows, we need to get there before dark."

"Oh." Kit started undressing. As he watched, Bear stripped naked and pulled a long piece of leather out of his bag and put it between his legs. He used a thinner piece as a belt, fashioning a loincloth. It was buckskin colored, and there was a beaded pattern on the front of it.

Brandt was also now naked, and he pulled out a similar long piece of hide, bleached white, and slid it between his legs. He used a slightly more elaborate belt to fasten his loincloth, or breechcloth, and then slipped into tall white moccasin boots that came to his knees.

Kit was shocked. It was exactly what he'd seen Brandt wearing in his dreams, right down to the beaded paw print on the front. He opened his own pack and took out a rolled piece of leather, knowing that the paw print on his was blue, not gray like on Brandt's. His hands were shaking as he unrolled it. He was right. He touched the beads hesitantly, unsure that they were real.

"You're going to get cold." Bear chuckled, finishing with the laces on his black moccasin boots. "Need a hand?" Kit nodded, flustered, and looked in the pack for his belt.

"It's in this pocket." Brandt reached in the pack and pulled out a blue leather belt. He waited while Eric helped Kit get the loincloth situated, then slid his arms around Kit's waste and fastened the beaded belt. "Put your boots on and I'll show you how to put on the leggings, okay?"

Kit nodded, surprised how comfortable the soft thin leather was. His hips were completely exposed, and he noticed that Eric was looking from Brandt's birthmark to his. "Blew me away, too." He said, pulling on his moccasins.

"Not me." Eric smiled slightly. "We always knew there was another Puma. We just didn't know he was gonna be a Morninghawk."

"I'm a Morninghawk?" Kit asked incredulously. He watched as Bear pulled the pant leg parts on and fastened them to his belt, making the loincloth into a pair of pants. There were fringes going down the sides.

"You will be when dad takes you to the elders." Eric finished by pulling on a soft red wool shirt with laces at the neck and a sort of floppy collar.

His face was hard to read, and he seemed to be avoiding eye contact with Kit.

Brandt now had on a white leather shirt with fringes down the sleeves and beadwork across the chest. He'd put on his leggings, also white, and was stuffing his street clothes into the bag. "Take of your watch or any rings and put them in the bag, Kit. Nothing from the real world goes to camp."

"Okay." Kit took off his watch and dropped it in the bag as Eric adjusted his leggings. Brandt took a white leather shirt out of the bag and let it unfold.

"This has never been worn, Kit." He helped Kit into the shirt. There were no fringes on it, and the beadwork was in blues and greens. It looked like cat paw prints going across his chest and back. There was an intricate pattern of lines on both wrists, and what looked like blue lightening around the collar.

"I really don't want to accidentally ruin this." Kit said, barely daring to touch the sleeves. "This should be in a museum."

"No, it's for ceremonies. It was made for you before you were born. Grandpa knew you were coming." Brandt used a rope to tie the bags together and flipped it up in the tree. He caught it as it came back down and hauled the bags up. "The mustang mare is for you, the buff is mine." He pointed at the horses.

Bear was already up on his, a dark chocolate stallion that was scratching in the dust with its hooves. "We need to go, man. It's getting dark."

In the early twilight Kit watched as Brandt effortlessly mounted his horse without stirrups or a saddle, and he glanced at his horse, wondering how he was going to pull that off. He'd always had a saddle and stirrups before. Brandt guided his mount over.

"Did you see how I jumped up, laying across his back, and then swept my leg over?" Brandt asked. Kit nodded. "Do like that, and I'll help." Kit bounced up and threw himself over the mare's back, and as he brought his leg up he felt Brandt's hand inside his loincloth grabbing his ass. "Whoa!" He jumped and sat up, sitting on the horse. He picked up the reigns and turned to look at Brandt. "I didn't say how I would help." Brandt laughed and followed Bear up the ridge. Kit groaned and moved to follow them.

The ride didn't last to long, which was good because even with the thick blanket on the horse's back Kit's ass was getting sore as they moved down into a canyon towards their camp. He felt like an extra in a western movie and couldn't stop looking at the bead patterns on his clothes. He was really glad that they'd put on the legs and shirts, though, because it was getting pretty chilly as the sun dipped below the horizon.

When he spotted the tepee he shook his head in disbelief. A thin column of smoke came out of the top, and it was sort of lit from inside, appearantly by a fire. They road up and stopped near it, and Kit slid off the horse's back, staring at the painted symbols on the tall triangular structure. Eric took his horse without a word and led it to where it would be tied for the night, and he followed Brandt inside.

"God, it's huge." He said in awe, looking around the inside of the tent. There was an inner wall that had been tied up around the parimeter, and three campstools made of wood with leather seats sat around the fire. There were two large piles of furs at the rear, and breaking the spell of time, two plastic coolers sat against the sidewall. He looked up into the conical roof and noticed stars through the slitted opening.

"Grandpa left it to me when he died." Brandt unlaced his shirt and pulled it off. It was warm in the tepee. "I love living in it. I like being out here away from the world." He put his shirt over one of the coolers and undid the straps holding his leggings up. "This is the only place I really feel at home."

"You belong here." Kit said in a hush, watching Brandt toss the leggings over the shirt. "It's hard for me to feel right, though. I'm nervous."

"I guess I've always been waiting for you." Brandt sat on one of the stools and started unlacing his boots. "I liked it, but I always felt alone until now." He looked up and grinned. "You have to trust me, Kit. There's no reason to be nervous."

Kit pulled off his shirt and for some reason was suddenly angry. He wadded up the shirt and threw it towards Brandt's. "No reason? Let me recap for you, okay? A week ago I was a white EMT that liked bike riding and reading history books. I met a blond white Indian and fell so hard for him that it scared me, had sex with him the very first chance I got, healed his fucking injuries by inhaling the bad shit out of his side, virtually abandoned my real world and drove him to the reservation where I was told I was now the son of an Indian carnival owner, healed his mother and hurt my eyes in the process, and just followed my new lover into the mountains to a fucking tepee dressed like Geronimo. Did I miss anything?" His voice had climbed steadily and he was shaking almost hysterically when he finished. Tears formed in his eyes but didn't fall.

Brandt stood up and reached up slowly to touch his face. Without a word he leaned in and kissed Kit tenderly on the mouth, slowly moving his arms around Kit's waist and holding him until he stopped shaking. "Nothing ever happened that wasn't supposed to." He said quietly, looking into Kit's eyes. "Nothing will happen that you can't handle."

Kit swallowed hard and put his head on Brandt's chest. "You are so lucky I'm falling in love with you. I'd beat the shit out of you right now." Brandt lifted his chin and kissed him again.

"I know it's hard, Cat in shadows." Brandt smiled slightly. "Please just trust me. All of your questions will get answered."

"That's what scares me." Kit sighed. Brandt helped him unfasten the leggings so he could get more comfortable, and they both looked up as Eric came through the flap door.

"You two done throwing dishes?" He smirked and pulled off his shirt, tossing it after the others. "Man, it's hot in here." He went to work on his boots and leggings.

"You guys did a great job, Bear. Thanks for getting everything set up." Brandt folded Kit's boots and leggings and set them on the floor.

"Any time, man. When the Wyld Cat calls, it's like an order from heaven." Eric opened a cooler and took out a large glass jar and held it up. "Grandma's stew. I don't know about you guys but I'm starved."

"You're awesome." Brandt chuckled and handed him one of the pots to heat the stew in. "Kit, give me a hand and we'll make the beds while the cook slaves away." They began to sort through the furs, laying them out on the floor, and putting the ones with the longest hair on the bottom for cushion.

"I've never slept on the ground before." Kit said, pulling on of the furs straight.

"Notice there's a floor mat." Eric patted the covering that they stood on.

"I don't like sleeping on dirt either."

"Actually this is about the coolest goddamned thing I ever saw." Kit looked around at their shelter. "It's amazing. I thought it would be like empty in here, but it's like a house."

"It is a house." Brandt finished with the beds and stood up. "Grandpa lived in this house until the early seventies. He hated the white man houses. Grandma finally made him move into her house right before my mom was born."

"We still set this one up as often as we can." Eric offered. "This is the only way to get away from town." He stirred the stew and tasted it. "This is getting close, guys. Find the bowls and stuff."

They ate sitting around the small fire, and Kit finally began to relax. They told him stories about hunting with Hawk, and about getting lost, and he laughed with them, feeling much better. Eric collected the dishes and took them outside to wash them, and Kit stretched out on top of one of the furs, watching the flames dance in the fire.

"Tired?" Brandt asked, moving the stools out of the way.

"Exhausted." Kit rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. He felt Brandt kneel down next to him, and Brandt's chest settle onto his. He opened his eyes to look directly into Brandt's. "Hey, beautiful."

"Hey yourself." Brandt kissed his neck several times and worked down towards his shoulder.

"If you keep doing that we're going to have to find a place for Eric to sleep." Kit mumbled softly, turning his head to give Brandt better access and running his finger tips up his back.

"He wouldn't say anything." Brandt whispered in his ear. "Besides, I thought you might invite him to join in."

Kit's eyes flew open in surprise. "Really?"

Brandt laughed out loud. "You weren't listening, were you? Remember, in the truck, he told you that sex was sex, and not to confuse it with love?"

"Well, yeah, but I didn't realize that I was going to be having my new little brother at the time." Kit said in amazement.

"Well, you don't have to ask him, but it's sort of rude not to." Brandt raised his eyebrows and slipped his hand inside Kit's loincloth. "Sort of be a shame to go without."

"Okay okay okay!" Kit grabbed Brandt's wrist. "Christ, I don't want to get my leathers sticky." He sat up and wrapped his arms around Brandt's strong shoulders. "I still only love you, though. You know that, right?"

Brandt kissed him and touched his forehead to Kit's. "Sex is sex, love is love, and I will always be yours, Cat in shadows." He put his hand on Kit's chest.

"And I will always be yours, Wyld Cat." Kit put his hand on Brandt's chest, feeling his heart beating, and met his eyes, realizing that he had just completed a very powerful something, he just didn't know what.

When Eric climbed in through the door flap he immediately saw that Kit and Brandt were lying on their pile of furs naked, and that they were kissing passionately. Kit broke away and looked up at him, smiling. "Hey, little brother. In the mood to wrestle?"

"No shit?" Eric laughed and looked at Brandt. Brandt nodded, and Eric stepped over towards the furs, fumbling with his belt. "Hell yeah! I didn't know you were cool like this."

"I didn't either." Kit chuckled and sat up, moving Eric's hands out of the way. "Hold still a minute, you'll make the knot tighter." He undid the belt and slid the loincloth down and off. "Take your boots off."

Eric tossed them across the tipi towards the coolers, and as Kit laid back he jumped on him, straddling Kit's waist. Kit didn't even have time to be surprised before Bear's mouth was on his, and he groaned as Bear began to move down his jaw and onto his chest.

"I forgot to tell you, Bear usually knows exactly what he wants, and you're going to sleep like a rock tonight when he's done with you." Brandt chuckled and leaned over to kiss Kit's lips. "You won't wake up for a week."

"Wow, that's kind of funky." Eric sat up, his hand around Kit's member. "How come there's no skin on it, man? Were you born like that?" He moved his hand up and down, watching as the skin on Kit's cock slid up and down.

"I'm just circumsized. That's all." Kit grinned and sat up quickly, shoving Bear between himself and Brandt. "Keep his mouth busy for a minute." He ordered, and Brandt bent over to kiss his cousin. Eric jumped and tried to move as Kit slid his foreskin back and licked around the head of his cock.

"No, no!" Eric giggled. "Dude I can't take that very long, ask Wyld Cat."

He tried unsuccessfully to get either of them to move off of him. "Oh shit!" He felt Kit's mouth close around him, and he knew he was going to lose. "Please, Wyld Cat, make him wait."

"There's lots of time, Little Bear." Brandt laughed and kissed him again. "Cat in shadows knows exactly what he's doing."

Kit slid first one then two fingers inside Bear, looking for that magic spot that Brandt had taught him last night. He found it and Eric jumped, squealing into Brandt's mouth. In just a few more strokes Bear exploded in Kit's mouth, a surprisingly large amount of thick liquid, and Kit almost choked.

"Aaaaaaaagh!" Bear growled, arching his hips up with each pulse from his insides. He fell back on the thick fur and gasped for breath, smiling at Kit. "Dude, I lied. You're the coolest older brother in the universe."

Brandt stretched out on his back next to his cousin and grinned up at Kit. "That sort of effort deserves a reward." He slid his feet apart and held his arms up, making his intentions perfectly clear. "Come here, Cat in Shadows."

Kit grinned and moved between Brandt's legs, locking his mouth over Brandt's. Brandt pulled away and whispered loudly in his ear. "Eric's fingers got me ready while you gave him the memory of a life time." Kit looked at him, confused, and Brandt pulled his knees up. "Your turn, Shadow who I love."

Kit got it finally and moved forward. Eric even got in on the act, reaching between them to guide Kit to the right spot.

"Last night I was your first like this." Brandt grinned. "Tonight you're mine." He wrapped his legs around Kit's ass and pulled him forward hard. There was a large quantity of very slippery oil inside Brandt, and Kit reallize what Brandt was saying. Eric had been fingering Brandt with the oil while Kit blew him, making him suspect that this might have been a set up. If it was, it was a good one.

Kit watched Brandt's face carefully as he closed his eyes and grimaced. He knew how bad it hurt, and he could tell by the expression on Brandt's face that it was as bad for him as it had been for Kit. "It goes away." He whispered in Brandt's ear, and Brandt nodded slightly. Without really trying, Kit summoned a little healing energy and directed it into Brandt's insides.

"Thanks." Brandt opened his eyes and reached up to stroke Kit's cheek. "It doesn't hurt now."

"Hey, sit up so I can help." Eric said, putting his hand on Kit's shoulder. Kit chuckled and lifted himself up, beginning a slow steady movement. Eric immediately dived in and wrapped his mouth around Brandt's cock, causing his eyes to roll up. A quiet groan escaped him.

With both of them at work on him Brandt knew he couldn't stop himself. He closed his eyes and felt his stomach tighten. Eric was like a crazy man on his cock, and Kit got faster and faster, slamming into him. "Aaaagh!" He cried out, letting the dam burst. "Uuungh!" His hips bucked in time with Kit and he sprayed into Eric's mouth. Each stroke was more sensitive than the last.

Kit squeezed his eyes shut and blew, unable to contain it any longer. He watched as Brandt jacked Eric off furiously, and Eric bellowed, releasing his load in a violent spray on both of them. They collapsed on top of each other panting and sweaty.

And that was just round one.