The hedgehog had proven to be not worth the effort. Snow had tipped it over quickly before being able to dive into the soft underbelly of the friendly creature. The sounds were pitiful as it died and Sierra regretted buying the creature. Snow was disappointed as well. He sent images of hunting and then a sad wolf howling at the moon. Sierra rolled her eyes as she pat the big wolf on the top of his head "We'll go hunting tomorrow. I promise."
****
Sierra was up early, it's hard not to be when you've a wolf who's sending you messages of the rooster crowing and images of a glorious hunt. He was eager to get out of the city.
Sierra returned images back from her bleary morning haze. She asked Snow if he wanted to stay out there, with out her.
His reply was sad. Sierra reassured him she'd visit often and that it was safer for him. But he returned a firm negative on that. She had never felt such an image from him, Snow was usually soft and comforting. It had been danger he was afraid of. Sierra couldn't decipher the exact danger, but Snow knew something she did not. And that worried her.
The sun was just peaking over the horizon. The weather was very cold and blustery as they left the city. Sierra was wrapped from head to toe in animal skins. It was an exotic look in the city, but she was thankful for it when they reached the open terrain.
Both she and Snow sent messages to any of the packs near by - letting them know they weren't staying long, only enough to get some food and be on their merry way. Neither of them wanted to hunt with out permission. It was bad form. Sierra wondered what it would be like to have a pack they could call home. They'd wandered everywhere in the world, and her and Snow had never stayed in any one place long enough to be more than a cursory acceptance.
Snow sent back his version of the same wish. She hadn't realized she'd been sending at all. It was becoming very easy to speak with the wolves, it was almost easier than talking to her own kind.
Continued from
Wolves, Dreams, Memory
Calvin left the hospital, and being on the outskirts of town, he headed outside into the open. The breeze that hit his face was a relief and was one thing of the many things he missed about the farm. His first instinct was to run,but the slight pain in his foot reminded him to take it easy. He walked instead, keeping things in sight.
He had contacted Drifting Snow and asked the wolf to warn his human companion of his coming. He didn't walk to.sneak up on him.
Or her...I never asked Drifting Snow if the human was male or female.
Calvin thought.
He hoped he could lean more of his abilities from this person, but was also unaware of the other person's experience. Maybe they could help.each other learn by "comparing notes" so to speak.
He was bundled up in a thick, tan Carhartt coat that kept the winter chill from penetrating as well as some work gloves and the air was crisp and cold reminding him of Wisconsin. He stopped walking to admire the natural beauty of the open area outside of Moscow. It was wonderful to be in nature again.
Calvin allowed himself to.seek out Drifting Snow again and began moving again,in hopes of finding the other Wolfkin.
Edited by
Calvin, Jun 16 2014, 04:57 PM.
They had received consent to hunt for food. They'd be out here a few days looking for something big enough to sustain Snow for a little while. He sent visions of pouting to Sierra. He didn't want to eat cold dead food. The images he sent would have given her nightmares as a child. The feelings from those images left Sierra wishing for a rare steak herself. The wolf inside her growled and wanted to run.
Snow interrupted the beginning of their hunt with a odd sending. Star Gazer was coming. Who on earth was Star Gazer? Snow looked up at her as if she were just a child. She could see the look on his face that meant, you are still just a pup aren't you. Sierra rubbed the furn on the top of his head. "How far?"
Snow took off at a run. Sierra sighed. He had not answered her, but she wanted to run. So she followed her beloved white wolf through the snow covered ground. She'd lost sight of him several times, but he'd dutifully sent her images he'd passed so she could find him again. It was a game he had liked to play as a child. Sierra had gotten good at interpreting his visions.
Snow stood on the top of a hill and looked down at a lone man walking through the snow. Snow sent, Star Gazer. Sierra knew there were others like her, her brother had been one after all. But to see another like her, whom she had not grown up with, that was new even to her.
Sierra waited at the top of the bluff for him to join them. Snow was eagerly sending messages to both of them. Long Eye, Star Gazer, Drifting Snow... friends, or rather was the only word Sierra could associate with the sending he'd sent.
Sierra smiled as she took off her animal skin glove. "Sierra."
She offered her hand. "I wasn't expecting another like myself when Snow said you were coming."
She laughed softly. "Though I suppose I should have guess with his eagerness to meet you."
Snow sniffed at the new comer's foot and sent sadness to Sierra.
"We are hunting. Snow's afraid you won't be able to keep up. He wants you to come with us."
Calvin's first thought as the white wolf and person approqched was one of excitement. He was in a new country full of strangers and could be meeting a friend. As the duo got closer, Calvin could make out the feminine features on the humans face. He noticed she was very pretty, and Calvin's thoughts went from elation to sadness and guilt. Even acknowledging the attractiveness of the woman made him feel like he was being unfaithful to Mary.
The feelings became happy again as the wolf arrived sending erractic thoughts to the two of them. Drifting Snow was obviously excited about this. Calvin took the woman's offered hand. She introduced herself as Sierra, but learned her wolf name was Long Eye from Drifting Snow.
"I'm Calvin,"
he introduced himself as Drifting Snow sniffed his foot and sent sadness. The wolf has caught sent of his injury. Calvin knelt down to scracth the wolf behind the ears.
We're hunting. Snow's afraid you won't be able to keep up. He wants you to come with us,
Sierra said.
Calvin looked to the sky and thought about going hunting with them. His stitches could fall out, but that was the worst. He had only been in Moscow for a short amount of time and was already feelimg cooped up. A good run would be helpful in dealing with that, and if he had to go back, he could ignore the doctor's lecture.
"I've not been in Moscow long and already feel cooped up. I need to run for a bit. You guys lead the way and I'll follow.
Edited by
Calvin, Jun 16 2014, 01:46 PM.
Sierra nodded at their new friend. Snow hadn't hesitated when Calvin said he wanted to run. He took off at a blistering speed just to show he could, but he caught wind of a scent and slowed until he could find the direction he wanted.
Snow sent to both of them, deer, hunt, pack. Sierra laughed. The wolf was young by wolf standards, and no where near alpha yet he led the two young pups on the hunt. He took pride in his tutelage. Sierra had known longer than Snow had been alive, what she was, but she was just a pup in his eyes. The wolf memories passed down from mother to pup while still suckling.
Sorrow passed Sierra's mind, she remembered the scene she'd found Snow at. A poor cold and scared pup nestled up to his mother who was lying dead and covered in her own sticky blood. He'd lost his mother, but Sierra had taken care of him. But he was wolf, he was strong, and he lead his pack of one with care. A sending of two flashed in Sierra's mind. And she laughed.
They ran through the trees of the woods Snow had taken them into. The hunt had slowed, but they ran. Snow tracked with ease. Sierra started to see the tell-tale signs of a deer path. She could track now, easily and quickly, but Snow lead the way with out following the signs she knew were there. It was instinct, one to which Sierra did not have, she had to rely on what her father had taught her. Survival was essentially the same.
She was careful not to snap any twigs, or rustle any bushes that could scare away their prey. In the clearing in front of them, a four point buck stood, he was young, and healthy and he did not know they were there. It would be hard for a lone wolf to hunt a deer, but Snow was determined to do it. Snow sent the two of them tactical plans. They'd flank the beast while he took the kill. Which only made sense since he was the only one with any weapon of sort. Snow had been too eager to go, that Sierra forgot some of the most important hunting gear, She had a bow string in her pocket, she always did, but the bow lay propped up against the wall in her dim apartment inside the city.
Sierra moved to her side, careful not to scare the beast, she wondered how Calvin was doing, and if he'd ever done this before.
Drifting Snow took off as soon as Calvin finished his sentence. The wolf was clearly excited about this hunt. Sierra took off after the wolf and Calvin followed. Calvin hardly felt the pain in his foot, whether that was from the adrenaline or the doctor's good work, Calvin didn't know.
The group started through the woods as Drifting Snow caught the scent of their quarry. Calvin smiled as they entered the woods. He had been running through woods like this since he was six years old, so despite his large size, he was able to ,ove swiftly and silently. He ran more from instinct than anything else, dodging lower branches and twigs on the ground. He noticed Sierra was also good at moving effienctly through the woods. She had probably done this with her wolf before.
Calvin had hunted before, but never with a wolf. He trusted Drifting Snow and Sierra to lead. This would be a great chance for him to learn a new skill. He suddenly remembered he was completely unarmed as the found a clear deer trail. Drifting Snow sent the plan to them and Calvin moved to comply, slowing down his speed to not startle the deer.
Sierra and Calvin moved to flank the deer and Calvin sent a message to Drifting Snow to let him know he was ready. When Drifting Snow gave the signal to move, Calvin was ready and moved to flank, knowing Sierra would be doing the same.
The hunt was always glorious, Sierra didn't particularly enjoy the rest of it. Killing an animal was hard. Skinning and butchering it was even harder. But she could do it. She had done it many times with her father.
The two humans flanked the deer. Snow gave the signal and they made their way closer to the animal. It was always funny to watch a deer, they always looked so alert and ready yet they could do nothing other than run. It was hers and Calvin's job to insure it did not get away from Snow.
It was a quick and fast. Snow as an expert hunter despite never having hunted with a pack. He would be a pack leader one day. After the deer lay on the ground, Snow sent to Sierra his triumph. He had lead a successful hunt. Usually Sierra had the kill, it was cleaner for her needs.
Snow's muzzle was covered in red. Sierra disliked the rest. But she found a rock, she'd forgotten everything. But her father had taught her many things, including how to hunt without modern tools. The rock had to be special, flat and layered. It was hard to find them in some placed but others it was easy. A smack from another rock and it would sharpen just right. Sierra knew what to do and was quickly cutting into the deer's flesh. Snow was being patient, he knew Sierra had to preserve as much as she could, but the insides he waited eagerly for. His sendings were vivid and even closing her eyes wouldn't help her unsee what the young wolf had sent.
Sierra looked up at Calvin and smiled as she pulled the innards out for Snow to devour. He was hungry, he took the heart in one gulp. One of the best pieces, and usually reserved for pack leader. Snow was very proud of himself.
"Ever done this before?"
Sierra hated everything else, but she was going to preserve the skin as best she could. The neck was lost, but then it rare could be used for much anyway. She missed her family, it would be a family affair. Sierra started to remove the skin from the beast. With a rock for a tool it was a difficult move. But she'd manage. She always did.
The hunt was...exhilarating. Calvin had hunted before, but not like this. Coordinating telepathically, the group mlved as one and Drifting Snow went straight for the jugular on the deer. As the deer fell to.the ground, Drifitning Snow.sent triumph. The wolf was proud of himself as he should be,
Sierra moved and collected rock as Calvin sat to rest his foot for a bit. She tapped another rock against it and used it to slice into.the deer's gut. Drifting Snow sat patiently, but there was a sense of urgency as he waited for the innards to taken out. Sierra smiled at him as she pulled the innards out. He returned it and thought the smile made her look even prettier.
As the innards came out, Drifting Snow came forward and ate the heart in one gulp, before finding another organ to munch on.
"Have you ever done this before?"
Calvin smiled and walked over to assist with the removal of the skin. He knelt beside the carcass, feeling only a slight pain as he did so. The doctor had done a good job with the stitching. Before answering Sierra's question, Calvin closed his eyes and muttered a Native American prayer of thanks for the successful hunt.
"I've hunted before, but never like this. Usually id be armed when huntinf, so this was a unique experience. I've never hunted in a pack before. I never thought about asking Whispering Leaf to join in his packs hunts"
As he said it, he realized how much it had meant and how lonely he had felt the last couple of years. It felt good to be included.
He held the skin for Sierra, keeping it out of her way, but not pulling tight enough to damage the skin. "I've done this before too,"
he said nodding to the carcass.
They continued to work, removing the skin. The work felt good to Calvin. It was familiar and allowed him to take his mind off of his troubles and loss. Sierra had her handmade stone knife, so.Calvin let her do the cutting and assisted her in the cleaning. The amount of meat made Calvin realize his hunger.
"If you want me to cut, let meknow and I'll do so,"
he said meeting her eyes. "So what's the plan? Where are we taking this and how?
His eyes fell on the knife, and he continued, "Also that is quite a skill to have, you'll have to teach me that sometime."
The thought of a homemade weapon sparked an interest in Calvin. His interest in firearms had waned a bit since he began researching Native American culture; guns killed too fast and didn't allow the animal to come to peace with its passing. Creating a weapon of his own would be an interesting project.
Sierra nodded and listened as Calvin spoke of his experience. She'd not heard of Whispering Leaf yet, but she had hardly visited every pack in the world. And certainly not in the US of A as his accent indicated. American English was so different from the rest of the world. She'd been all over what used to be Europe and Asia, but not never to he US. It was not something she really wanted to do, getting on a plane just seemed dangerous to one who had avoided most technology like she did.
"Survival skills come in handy. My dad showed me a lot. It was our way of life."
His offer to cut was nice, but she had it. It was therapeutic to take as much as possible. Which lead to the question. If she was going to preserve it she'd smoke it now, she wasn't in a hurry to get back to Moscow. But for Snow he preferred his meat raw.
Snow sent Sierra a vision of taking half for her. He was sharing. Sierra sent what would pass as a thank you, but that she'd not need that much. She'd do some good parts. Venison was good, something she'd lived on much of her life, but she was just one person. Snow wanted Calvin to take the other half of hers. She smiled at Snow. and then looked up at Calvin. "Snow says you take quarter, I'll take quarter and then he'll have half.
Sierra explained further. "Snow isn't happy about not hunting, so we came out today to do so. But he won't stay here and leave me in Moscow alone. So he needs food. We'll take half raw, the rest we'll smoke out here. It's not hard, it'll take a few days but it'll be worth it. I did remember to bring a bag to carry everything back. I think Snow's gonna heat his half now from the way he's salivating over there.
Sierra laughed. "You are welcome to join us while we camp here."
Calvin listened as she explained the plan. Sierra and Drifting Snow would be out here for awhile. Smoking the meat would take a couple of days. Calvin would have some time to go back and get something to transport his portion back.
Then Sierra offered to let him join them at the camp. Calvin thought about it, mentally reminding himself that he needed a job so that he would be able to pay his rent. His savings and earnings from the sale of his assets in America would sustain him for some time, but his account would soon be empty if he found nothing to fill it with.
However, Calvin finally felt not alone. He hadn't realized how lonely he had been since Mary and Benji had died. The Liberty First meetings had given him work, but he was more of a professional acquaintance with the party members than actual friends. Maybe it was that Sierra had something more in common than he did with them, but he felt a better sense of belonging.
"I can stay for a bit,"
he said beginning to help set up camp.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Sierra and Calvin set up camp and started smoking the venison. Drifting Snow had been content since the kill. As night time got closer, Calvin removed his boot to check on his injury. The stitches had held throughout the day and he knew his foot would heal with no problems.
Calvin found a large rock to sit on, a nice sized opening in the trees right above it that allowed him to see the night sky. They were far enough away from the bright city lights to see the stars. He smiled as he thought of his name and knew that Whispering Leaf had chosen well.
Thinking of names prompted the questions, "So, how did you find out about the wolves? And why do they call you Long Eye?"