T. Wolfe Was Right

Thomas Wolfe's words are true You Can't Go Home Again

Snow came to the Canyon of the Wolf and with it a restlessness. Ella longed to return to her valley. The valley of her birth. At seven months old the litter was old enough for a journey, and some unknown urge drove her. 

 

Jack left his pack by choice, just like Patches will someday. He could scene her disquiet and did not know where it would lead them. With the fresh snow Ella was ready to move. It was hard to keep their young wolf’s on task. They would go from stalking to rough-housing in seconds. The pack had been pushing a bull elk most of the day. He was tired, and the wolves still fresh.

 

The elk’s mistake landed him in a gully, with the wolves on higher ground. Ella leaped down in the gully to attack a hind leg.  Jack edged up close to the drop-off. Just as Jack and Ella moved to strike, a melee of pups broke out. With ease the animal leaped out on the far side of the ditch, and made a quick retreat, and the young family would go to bed hungry. They all curled up next to a boulder secured from the wind, their thick fur and body heat kept out the cold.

 

Ella remembered her family had gone on a hunt leaving her to watch over the newest litter of pups. That is when the old bear Brutus attacked the den, killing the new Spring arrivals and driving Ella away. Her mind had almost covered over that old memory. When the snowfall triggered a scene of her at play with her own sisters. With each passing step, she seemed to remember more and was anxious to bring her new family home.

 

A brilliant sunrise set the snow ablaze with light. The pack woke up as a unit. They dusted their coats free of snow and moved toward the valley while searching for a snack. Low grunts traveled on the wind it was the sound of a hog rooting in the snow.

 

The old bore had a nose for truffles. He had just exposed one for breakfast. A tasty treat for this cold morning, when a snarling pack of wolves circled him. Today the pups would be all business. Funny how hunger makes the most of hunting. 

 

Jack took point staring down the Razorback as Ella got in position to grab a hind leg. The two black pups were lined up for the other back leg. Patches would tackle an ear, while good old dad would go for the throat. Coco’s job was to distract the bore. She danced about his face snarling and weaving while the net was set.

 

Two sharp tusks curved up and slightly out. He was all muscle stout, and strong. He was covered with scars that declared him champion. He had dispatched many a cougar hoping to dine on his bones. He had no fear. These predators were just another battle. His thick stripe of hair that runs down his back was electrified with energy as both sides waited for the first to twitch. The bore’s head started to bobble as he followed Coco’s movements. 

 

Coco leaned in for a quick nip. The bore lunged forward slicing her shoulder. It was not a mortal wound but bled much. However, his lung set the orchestra of death in motion. With ease, Ella grabbed his hind leg pulling him off balance. Shadow and Lola took hold of his right. Patches moved in and laid the beast’s head low. While dad took care of the rest. 

 

Coco did not eat much that meal. Once the pack had eaten its fill they tended to the injured Coco. They spent the rest of the day by the old bore’s bones, and continued the journey come moon-fall. It didn’t take long for Ella to recognize the scent markers left all around. This was her mother’s territory a pack of fifteen strong.

 

Ella’s little clan moved with caution. Hackled up and walking with slanted eyes weary from the smell of danger. Ella’s sisters rushed her in a pile of play. It was like no time had passed between them. However, as mother wolf approached the sisters fell away like a breaking tide seeping into the sand. Leaving Ella there standing alone. 

 

Jack and his brood of young waited for a sign. Ella lowered her tail and slinked up to Nina, her mother. It was plain to see Nina remembered Ella, as she waged her tail as she approached. Once Nina was close enough to smell the change in Ella, who was now a queen of her own little clan everything changed.

 

With a burst of energy, Nina sprang up and grabbed Ella by the throat. Ella’s little family nervously swayed waiting to attack. Ella no longer submissive jumped free. She would not test the air for a sign of her mother’s approval. She lashed out biting her mother’s neck about the shoulder. Ella backed away snarling exposing the fresh blood gleaming off her fangs. The fight was brief, but everyone knew that the next encounter would be deadly. 

 

Once they were clear of Nina’s territory Ella spied Goldie, the runt of Nina’s large pack. Ella welcomed her sister, and with her pack now fortified with three adults their odds for survival were secured, as they returned to the Canyon of the Wolf.

 

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you, dear Cherrie for sharing the amazing tale. I enjoyed reading. Hello from cold and snowy Michigan. Winter came back again. Thank you for sharing the story.
Coyote

[William Michael Reeves]

I wanted more and I sure did get it! Not sure what happened there but glad I brought your attention to it. I liked the way the story put a 'human' take on the aspect of survival in the wild. I'm kind of glad there wasn't more about Ella losing some pups to a predator that was mentioned briefly. Curious if the names you and Peyton came up with are people you know? I'll stick with what I wrote at first. This calls to the wild! Another author I'm reminded of is Richard Adams. Not so much Watership Down, but another book of his The Plague Dogs. Two dogs trying to survive. I hope Peyton still writes. Poetry?

[Cherrie Palmer]

Peyton does write a little mostly for school not for pleasure (seemore like work these days). Some of the names are just names she liked and others that I picked just fit. Somehow I always know what a characters name will be and yes I always like giving animals a human struggle.

[William Michael Reeves]

Tell Peyton a poet under the Space Needle knows just what she feels. It is work! But like most work makes you feel good when it's done

[Cherrie Palmer]

What she does still do is makeup songs. She sings her feelings. It's like I live in a musical. :) I do think She will always write ✍ alittle. I try to not push and let take it as it comes to her.

[William Michael Reeves]

If she's writing lyrics time to set up a profile and hear all the songbirds in the cafe Twitter at her. Twill her how she's doing and tweet her appreciation. Good for the character I'm finding. And inspiration

[Cherrie Palmer]

Mostly she just sings. When she's upset or sad. Baby's got the blues. If only she carry a tune. Lol

[Dara]

I thoroughly enjoyed each and every chapter. It is so well written and in great detail. I can just picture the pack moving as one unit. One can see that your life on the river surrounded by nature greatly influenced the writing. I also have great respect for and admiration for wolves. They take care of their own. Thank you to you and your granddaughter for sharing this wonderful story.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Normally she and I write poetry. A much easier task. But she was a real trooper. I made look things up and she stayed pretty focused. She's ready to do another one. So I'm sure we will.

[Wesley Dingler]

I read that book a long time ago. Like most of his work it was heavy. And as usual he was right.

[Wesley Dingler]

P.s.
Did you ever read The Electric Koolaid Acid Test?

[Cherrie Palmer]

No, I never did read that one. Of time on the river and can't go home again
I'll take a peek.
I know they feel like that book brought about a change of writing style.

[Wesley Dingler]

I have a collection of his short stories that are amazing.

[Cherrie Palmer]

When I was 16 I started reading Wolfe. The way he moved within his stories was pure genius, and I walked away feeling like I had met the writer.

[Cherrie Palmer]

I got to looking and I guess I haven't read any books by Tom Wolfe only Thomas.

[Kent Rawski]

right away I felt a somber tone to this write I can almost wonder how much of this scenario is relevant to the human experience anyway some things now better left alone as ella learned.Correction on bleed much as per bled much? this story now also gaining depth

[Cherrie Palmer]

Thank you for the heads up. I don't know how many times we read that. Sometimes I see what I want/think and not what I've put down.
Many thanks for reading along with me on this little story.

[Kent Rawski]

welcome thank you cherrie