Steve's POV:

Tony wanders around the Nemeton collecting data and muttering about 'stupid magic soul sucking tree stumps messing with his readings' while Bruce followed behind to keep an eye on him. After a few minutes, Stiles had moved from his position leaning against the Nemeton to sitting on top of it. Almost seeming to meditate, as the rest of us stood guard. Seemingly simultaneously, Tony announces that he is done with his readings and Stiles shoots upwards from his reclined position. This startles everyone except for Natasha, who had been studying the boy studiously the entire time we had been here.

"Everyone stand together near the tree." Stiles commands and with one look at the panic on his face we all move to do as he said. As I open my mouth to ask what's wrong, he cuts in before any sound can escape, while taking out some sort of weird dust.

"Don't move or make any sound. I'm throwing a mountain ash circle down to protect you and the Nemeton should help but they'll be able to hear you unless you're perfectly still and silent. Well, they'll know you're here and how many of you there are but that's all, not like any important info. I'll be fine as long as I stay on the tree. Don't worry they aren't a threat but something new has come to the light and I can't let them see me yet, can't come back yet."

After that, he switches to murmuring under his breath about the tree stump being the most useless prophetic piece of junk magic ever. All of a sudden, Stiles goes perfectly still and silent, alerting the rest of us that whatever it was he was talking about was here. And let me tell you, the kid must have gained so much of our respect for even Tony to do what he asked, no questions, after having known him for such a short amount of time. Slowly a voice starts to filter out of the woods around us.

"No Derek, I swear I was on my usual run around the preserve when I came across it. He is here and from the creepy feeling I'm pretty sure he's, ow stupid tree branch, he's using the Nemeton to hide from me. Okay hurry up, I'll alert the others. B- Dang it he hung up on me again. So not fair."

Putting the phone away, a curly haired teenage boy about Stiles' age walks into view, not entering the clearing but skirting around the edge. In the distance a howl echoes, causing both Stiles and the other kid to jump. Within minutes, more teenagers, and a couple adults, begin to creep into sight. Most of the people look towards one of the boys, as though he was in charge, and even though he didn't look it, he stepped forward and a sort of seriousness fell over him, one that didn't seem to fit.

"Isaac was right, he's here." Leader kid announces, causing the newly dubbed 'Isaac' to turn and smirk at a gloomy looking man.

"See Derek, I told you."

"Yes, well you didn't tell him that there were other people here with him." The oldest of the bunch snarks. A girl who is eerily similar to Pepper in manner and appearance steps up to the edge of the clearing, stopping right before the tree line.

"Peter be nice. Stiles, darling, I swear to all that is holy is you don't let me into the clearing I will make you regret ever being born. If you haven't forgotten, you and Parrish are the only ones with a stronger connection to that stupid tree than me, and I can and will break your little line." Seeing the panic on his face, I watch as Stiles uses a string of the powder to loop around the girl's waist like a lasso, tugging her over to the tree.

Startled calls for a 'Lydia' ring out from the boys, but another girl, this one carrying a bow and addressed as 'Allison' by 'Scott', the first boy, tells them that she would have screamed if there was something wrong. How would screaming help? And at that how did they know we were here? Stiles and Lydia (who was leaning against the Nemeton?!) were talking about something in whispers that I could barely catch even with my super soldier hearing, but didn't sound like they were in English. It actually sounded a bit like the old Latin that would be spoken in the big fancy church my Ma used to take Buck and I to for special occasions like Christmas and Easter. I can remember her telling us that the holiest of days deserved somewhere special.

After what seemed like hours, but could have only been minutes, Lydia turned around, seemingly unable to see the rest of us. It must be that weird dust that Stiles keeps using. I wonder if that was how he made the paper airplanes fly so well back when he first arrived? As Lydia walked back to the woods, the others surged forwards as a giant group. If they were wolves I would have definitely pinned them to be a pack. Speaking as one, they all asked what had happened? Where Stiles was? What was going on? But, like Pepper when dealing with an overly-hyper Tony, the strawberry blonde took charge, chastised them, and ordered them back home. Like a bunch of puppies with their tails between their legs, the group turned and reluctantly began to leave.

As, one by one, the group disappears I could have sworn I saw flashes of blue, gold, and red glowing eyes. No, I must have been a trick of the light. We would have known if, but would we have? Do the others even... No, I'll have to ask Stiles when I can next catch him alone. He appears to know much more than he seems to about a lot more things than one could have possibly guessed. If anyone were to know about... yes, he definitely would be the person to have figured it out.

(AN: 1022 words)

QotC: What is your favorite musical (if you have one)?

AotC: At the moment my favorite is Newsies but I'm kind of spastic so it changes a lot.