A shuffle was carried down-wind toward the wolf hiding in the undergrowth. He sniffed the air; the scent of an up-walker tickled his coal black nose. The wolf was puzzled, what was an up-walker doing here? Up-walkers didn’t usually venture into this part of the forest. He would have to investigate.
The wolf stood up from his crouched position and padded upon silent feet in the direction of the up-walker. The wolf was big and powerful, with broad solders and strong legs. He had big dark brown eyes that stood out from his gray black coat. He gently ducked under branches, moved around bushes, and skirted piles of twigs, always moving soundlessly toward the foreigner.
As he drew nearer, a loud clang drifted on the wind and the wolf pricked his ears, here too was something out of place. He had never heard that sound before. Pausing for a moment, the wolf listened to his surroundings. There were no more clanging noises, but heavy foot fall traveled toward him moving closer, then stopping and fading again back the way it had come. The wolf stood still for a moment more wondering if it was safe to continue, but curiosity won out, and he proceeded on.
The up-walker was in a clearing, stopping around putting pinecones on a charred stump. The wolf stuck to the shadows, and moved along the bordering trees until he was behind the up-walker and could investigate what all the noise was about.
The up-walker seemed not to notice the wolf crouching in the shadowy woods behind him, but continued on in what he was doing. He carried a long narrow piece of wood that was connected on either end by a thin woven vine. The wolf focused all his attention on the up-walker wondering what he was doing with such a strange contraption. The wolf’s suspect picked up a thin stick with feathers stuck to one end, and placed in across the piece of wood lifting it as he did so. From his hiding place, the wolf watched as the pinecones fell onto the clearing floor skidding with a spray of dirt. The wolf shifted his weight, snapping a twig.
The wolf stood perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe. The up-walker turned around at the noise and moved slowly and carefully toward the place where the wolf stood frozen. The seconds stretched until time seemed to stand still, and all the while the wolf crouched, and the up-walker top-toed closer. High above them in the realm of the birds, the fluffy clouds shifted, and golden sunlight flooded the clearing and the encircling forest. The shadows retreated, and the wolf was exposed.
The up-walker stood up looking at the wolf. He could sense no fear or alarm, so the wolf stood up from his hiding place, and took a single step towards the stranger careful to stay out of reach. To his surprise, the up-walker bent down, and kneeled upon the ground, settling on his hind paws. He was roughly the same height as the wolf now. Another step forward and still no fear was present in the smells drifting into the wolf’s keen muzzle. The only scent coming from the up-walker was curiosity and understanding, as if he had met the wolf before.
The wolf looked into the up-walker’s eyes and saw the same dark brown he saw when looking in a river at his reflection. He then felt a pull towards the up-walker, a feeling as if they were meant to be one, friends, companions.
They stayed there for a long time, long enough, that the up-walker put down his piece of wood and laid it on the ground next to him. A mutual understanding passed between the two as they surveyed each other, both drawn towards each other with curiosity, never fear.
Above in the realm of the birds, the sun was sinking behind another cloud. The light dimmed once more, causing the up-walker to look around. The wolf readied himself, it was time to go. He turned around and walked back into the forest, but before the trees, and undergrowth engulfed him, the wolf looked back. The up-walker still stood there, a strange look upon his face. The corners of his mouth seemed to be turned up toward his eyes. It suited him, the look. As the wolf looked once last time upon the face of the up-walker, the wolf thought friend.
The up-walker watched as his new friend walked away into its domain of trees, he thought father wolf.
I love, love, love this story! It touches my heart. Thank you!
Thank you!
Beautiful story. I could not stop reading it!
Thank you! 🙂
A really beautiful story! ?
Thank you 🙂