Wolftown

Virginia Rail

2012-01-18T05:15:00.000-08:00

Unusual bird brought in, a Virginia Rail- Thanks Ed Swan and Audubon for help identifying! Hit by car? I think will be fine.

In Tribute

2011-07-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Captain John- remembered Wolftown in his will. And we the staff, board and volunteers of Wolftown would like to thank him and his family for the generous, kind and timely contribution to the project.

We offer our condolences to his family.

But we will remember him here in our work at Wolftown and on his behalf strive to live up to the trust he and his family place in the project.

New

2011-06-30T05:38:00.000-07:00

The baby wild mallards are doing fine and growing rapidly. Baby raccoon is doing very well.
Poor older lady brought me a starved, cold baby swallow that died as she held it. The older lady was so sad.
Many, many calls asking advice about local wildlife.
A few wolf hybrid calls from back east, all turned out to be dogs and were referred.

Noaa had a practice oil spill response that went well. Heaven help us if that happens in the sound as it would be hard to clean up in the enclosed area.

Hope all reading this are well.

Baby Raccoons and more Ducks

2011-06-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

Baby raccoons come in this time of year and we do triage on them get the started with our foster critter care folks on Island. These trusty volunteers help raising, without imprinting baby wild animals.
Got two in right now, both starving after Mom giot hit by a car, one poor little guy died, but the other is doing well.

We got in more mallard ducklings. These are off island birds so will be released off island. They are doing well.

Blinky ten is doing great and will soon be released.

Wildlife- New Arrivals

2011-06-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

The start of wildlife season has been slow this year. Many phone calls about wildlife. Most of our work is pure education. The majority of these calls are problem wildlife. Raccoons and otters nesting in your garage etc....:)

We are still caring for Blinky ten the Barred owl and got a number of baby waterbirds in. Many seal calls but none of them really in trouble.

Spring?

2011-05-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

Have had only a few calls. Barred owl is in rehab with a busted beak. Hit by a car.
A few passerine
A few deer fawn calls, sadly all were dying.

The weather is cold for May.

Some seal calls but all were false alarms.

Saw a fur seal from the ferry!

Eagle and Beaver

2011-02-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

New rehabs at Wolftown
Beaver found by Docton Marine park
Eagle at golf course in Tukwila

Cattlemen's winter school

2011-01-31T10:54:00.000-08:00

Always is alot of fun.

I teach, foraging livestock loose and natural tanning methods. This put me into contact with farmers and hunters. And I find that they are the salt of the earth.
They talk common sense with me, about land, and predators and farming and hunting.

And I have to say.

I trust them

Someone told me

2011-01-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

That a wolf kills more than she needs.

It is true, if an animal triggers a prey response a wolf will do this, It doesn't happen all the time. But domestic stock by the very nature we have given it can send signals as prey that will trigger a response.
But the wolf is designed by nature to leave a surplus for other creatures that benefit from her kill.

That a wolf kills livestock

Yes, she can. So you must be clever and bring stock in close at night or when vulnerable, such as lame or sick or calving cows.
It is also Worth noting that some cattle are much more self reliant than others. Some breeds of stock are. It is worth it to think about creating a foundation of stock that can live in balance where you are.

Wolves are dangerous

One of the things that frightens me the most is how people forget that big predators are dangerous. And we do not want to acclimate them to people for precisely this reason. I wait for bad news from some National Park that will be used to unbalance the return of big predators.

compassion-repeat post

2011-01-04T06:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when things are bad. When all you seem to hear are stories of tragedy and sorrow, this is what I do.

I remember the great compassion that many people show towards all life.

From a child moving a worm from the road to the dirt, and to an old man driving miles to bring me a young towhee to heal.

And then the way we help other people in the event of accident.

The kind face leaning down peering into anothers eyes and asking....
"Are you all right? Can I help you?"

Let this define us.

The millions of people who reach out with compassion.

Religion-

2011-01-02T05:18:00.000-08:00

All of you

Jesus into the Wilderness.

Buddha under a tree

Wahkontah by the waterfall

many of our great teachers and guides looked to nature.

For rest, for peace, for balance

If you were here

Dear Guides,

You would weep at what has been done in your names.

The speech of a wolf

2010-12-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

If a wolf could talk what would she say?

Oh Humanity, if she could talk to us
Come out of the mountains

On soft big paws

over snow

She would say nothing

If a wolf could talk
What would she say?

We could not understand her

Or could we?

Do we not love our children?

our place?

Our mate?

Do we not sing.....

for camaraderie
with family
for joy
in the soft moonlight

on mountains bright and sharp

Orcas

2010-12-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

What to do?

When you go to hunt and find no salmon or only small ones?
What to do when you store poisons from pesticides and other human made contaminants in your fat, then when you need to use these reserves you draw the poisons into your blood stream?

What happens when you add stress from tourists and boats that get to close to your family?

You die off.

A young deer

2010-12-13T06:37:00.000-08:00

It has been a slow week. Eagle call, but he was unhurt just sitting by the side of the road on a dead crow. Odin went out and checked for me. Thanks Odin.

Seagull with a broken wing on the highway. Thanks Police!

Two seal calls, one a tidbit for the Transient Orcas as he was missing a head.

And a young deer.

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A woman called me. Her voice soft and sweet.
I drove out to her on a rainy blustery evening. And found her standing with a young deer curled up by the side of the road.

This woman, a butterfly a moth, wrapped in a dress coat, thin and delicate crying in the rain.

A Dump truck rumbled by and she ran like a child after it her hands held up in defence of the deer....her voice lost in the roar.

"There...is a deer.....please please!"

But the truck driver didn't hear her.

The deer was very ill. You know when parasites and starvation have taken their toll. He couldn't get up.

And I explained to the lady that the best thing to do was to end suffering as kindly as we could.

She nodded and wept.

And As I went back for the rifle, I thought.......She is very compassionate. But has she never seen how life actually is..... for people and animals.

Oh Moth....Oh Butterfly....come with me for a day or month...into the mountains and shed those shoes.
Into the city, where children drink whiskey.

Down to the water to see what earth and sea do to dead crabs then back out into the fields of spring where the fierce dragonflies hunt.

trees

2010-12-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

Members and friends of Wolftown! We’ve been at this site for over ten years. With great sadness, we are in the process of removing the trees that threaten the wolf enclosures, animal shelters, and our dwelling. In the summer, the many tall trees on our site have been a source of shade and beauty for the wolves, humans, and our other furry and feathered residents. Sadly, winter seems to be bringing frequent and severe wind storms. You may recall that during the winter of 2006 we experienced a major wind storm that caused severe damage due to blown down trees.

Already this November, we have had two severe wind storms with gusts over 40 miles per hour. During the first, 3 tall trees fell, striking and damaging the wolf enclosures, with one landing on and damaging the roof of our cabin. During the second event, two more trees fell, again striking the fence lines of the enclosures. Fortunately, none of our beautiful wolves were injured.

When trees start going down in a windstorm, I have little choice but to go out in the height of the storm and start chain sawing if the fences of the wolf enclosures are damaged. We cannot predict how long the storm will last and what else will happen. It’s like going into battle. The tops of the trees are swaying violently, and one must try to keep track of which ones may go down next, plan an escape route, and still chain saw. I must admit, you can’t help experiencing an adrenaline rush because of the risk, and I have willingly taken that risk many times as has T, in her role as spotter at my side, since it’s pretty well impossible to hear a tree going down over the noise of the wind and the roar of the chain saw. During the storm of 2006, a large branch fell and struck T, bruising and fracturing her forearm.

As a wolf sanctuary, we are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture. Its rules state that any tree threatening the wolf enclosures must be removed. Upon reflection and examination of our recent history, we reluctantly decided that drastic measures were necessary. We had no choice but to call in a tree service to start removing trees. We are paying for this with limited funds intended for our retirement, since the process must happen in short order. Once some trees are removed, the risk of neighboring trees going down increases as they are more exposed to threatening wind. As soon as trees and debris are cleared and our fence lines repaired, we will replant trees to provide shade and shelter from the wind with some careful planning. Part of the problem was caused by some of the trees growing in an extremely overcrowded environment. Please consider donating to help defray the cost of this sad but necessary process, as we continue to try to inform and educate people about wildlife and environmental issues.

Thanks,

Pete

Minaw

2010-11-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

Minaw-First Daughter- The first wolf rescue at Wolftown died today.
She was found by some women working on a well in the mountains. A small pup, rather than consider her indigenous I am sure she was someones pup that had escaped.

These woman captured her and brought her to Wolftown.

Minaw was raised with Trout and they considered themselves siblings. However Minaw was the most alpha of any female I have ever had.

Her first mate was Lev-o-Gage who was alot older than her. He died of cancer in the late 90's
Her second mate was Papa Wolf who also died of cancer about 5 years ago.

Her last mate was Elohape I think he was her favorite even though he was much younger.

Minaw raised the orphaned cubs- Honga, Monhin, Ta. She also raised Puppup.

She was a brave and wise spirit, and very kind to all, although shy and not really on our tours.

Oh Minaw! You were with me so long!

Come back wild

And thank you for your gifts.

Letter to the editor- after people were discussing how anyone can rehab wildlife

2010-11-18T07:33:00.001-08:00

Dear Vashon

I thought I'd clear something up with a little letter to the editor.

You need a permit to do Wildlife rehab. This is because of the nature of infectious disease and protocol involving the safety of wildlife and the public. We are taught in Rehab to recognise various types of zoonoses, this is very important for health of wild populations and public safety. Wildlife rehabbers deal with rabies, lepto, SARS and Avian Flu protocol, oil spills and mass strandings.

I have called Public health on rabies and cases where necropsy was required to determine specific diseases.

We at Wolftown know how to safely return animals to the wild without imprinting. Imprinting is when an animal recognises people as 'friend' this is not safe for them, or for us. In large mammals like deer it can be dangerous.

Also when euthanasia is required we have resources above the public norm. This provides a level of safety for the community and less suffering for the animal. We work closely with King County Sheriffs on some of these cases close to houses and roads.

Vashon is a more suburban area now and we have to face the facts that result from that.

Wildlife rehabbers network with other facilities. For help and support and as a way to identify what is going on in terms of infectous diseases. For example If I get raccoons in with Lepto- I know I'll soon see it in other species, I then can also warn other off island facilities.

Wolftown often gets help from Zoos and researchers and biologists and vets where all of us compound data for the benefit of Wildlife and ecosystems.

I personally am on the boards of two Wildlife Organizations, one for big predators the other for Wildlife in WA State.

I started working with wildlife over 25 years ago. I had some reservations on working with the state and federal agencies. While the red tape can be a pain, for the most part the sharing of ideas and information between professionals HELPS US ALL! And greatly helps Wildlife. The biologists I work with are Saints.

Vashon is a closed eco-system I have been working on data here reguarding diseases and parasite loads for many many years with Dr Thorne.

If everyone does not help Wolftown gather data- If everyone does not work as a team- we are losing a vaulable tool for expanding knowlege on how Humanity, ecosystems, wildlife and domestic species function as a whole.

Do you have sheep and goats? Suffered any loses lately? Wormers not working? See thin sick deer around? Get the picture? We are working on it.

If you want to help- Thats great please do! But let us know, it helps us with our gathering of data. If you cannot reach us and wish to transport wildlife off Island- Great! But take the animal to a permitted Wildlife rehabber. Do not attempt to rehab a wild animal yourself. And it is ILLEGAL and for a good reason.

Many of the cases I have gotten over the years are animals that are sick from incorrect care. One person didn't understand the use of antibiotics after songbirds were attacked by a cat and died. One person fed a fawn soy milk. One person was stealing baby seals from the beaches. I could go on and on.

If you want to help on island- GREAT! I will train you- sub permit you! I already have folks that help with marine mammals and song birds, squirrels and baby raccoons. I need more help! I don't want to do it all, nor can I.

Lets work together!

Thanks Vashon

T and Pete Yamamoto

Volunteers and Staff, members and Board of Wolftown

206-463-9113

wolftown@centurytel.net

www.wolftown.org

Storm damage

2010-11-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

Gale force winds at Wolftown!

Two trees landed on house, cracked roof, stove pipe and skylight.
One tree took out two fencelines.

One tree hit hawk mew.

No animals hurt, got NO sleep, stayed up watching fencelines.

Thankyou
Volunteers

Paul, Dallas and Mike

And Darling Pete the Brave

Blinky -9

2010-11-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

Blinky-9

The Barred owl, a passage female, came in about two weeks ago. Very thin. Maybe due to bad luck. In a habitat with little prey species or maybe she had an accident. She was unhurt.

But she needed some TLC

So she got it, was wormed and released on Friday

Happy journey's Blinky 9

The soil

2010-11-14T14:15:00.000-08:00

Notes from Wolftown's ag programs.

Nutrients in the soil, species diversity and parasites in wildlife are all related in my opinion.
Before the advent of modern farming tyo keep parasite loads down and help the soil, as was explained to me by my Grandpa before he died was this,
Rotation of crops.
Rotation of species on field- Sheep/goats followed by cattle/horses
Poultry.
Culling of non-resistant animals .
Preserving the variety of grass and forage species .
The use of foraging on browse.
Moving groups of livestock every three weeks to new fields.
Using grasses that are 4 to 5 inches long, only for sheep and goats.
Burning fields.
Deep litter in barns
Worming during/after a heavy prolonged freeze.
Access to non-molasses/non-grain fortified- mineral licks
I need herb farmers to help me with the following herbs –fennel, garlic,mugwort,hyssop,thyme, pumpkin seeds.

Wildlife and diversity of species add their different nutrients to the soil by way of their manure, however they can share the same parasite load. Deep litter by way of heat kills parasite load in bedding.

The nutrients in the soil create healthier crops and grass and forage.

Healthier us, healthier world.

Forests retained add their considerable benefits, use of trail systems helps feed livestock. and people. Use edges.

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VOTE!

2010-10-31T04:43:00.000-07:00

You don't think voting matters?

Don't think calling your senators and representatives and demonstrating matters?

Then compare through our history what voting has done.

Given Woman the right to Vote

Changed environmental laws

Brought the eagle and the peregrine falcon back from the brink of extinction

Ended wars

Protected habitat

Won equal rights for all.

It has given us- the working class- a place to stand.

And try to be heard-

If you don't vote

You effectively silence our voice.

If you don't call your senators and representatives

You effectively silence your voice

If you don't peacefully demonstrate when you feel that things are wrong

You silence us all.

VOTE!

Minaw- First Daughter

2010-10-28T09:22:00.001-07:00

Minaw- Our tough Alpha female is at last feeling her age. She is almost blind and in her face I see that she is preparing herself for the long journey.

Say a prayer of thanksgiving for her life.

She has taught many.

Grants

2010-10-23T17:11:00.001-07:00

Hello

I have not been very good at getting grants, I'm afraid. For wildlife work such as mine there are not many grants.

However there is help for young farmers.

But you have to e-mail me.

wolftown@centurytel.net

Taiga Sparrow

2010-10-07T13:11:00.001-07:00

A little taiga sparrow came into the project last week.

little northern wanderer....I am glad to be able to release you.
next year
Tell the North

T says

Hey

Here is the deal

2010-10-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

The thing about Wolftown is I get a Hunting group, an animal rights group and a farmers group all out to the project to volunteer at one time.

The hunters want to be able to hunt and be outside
The Animal rights group to protect all life
The farmers to raise food.

And I walk a tightrope balance between.

I frankly am tired of extremes.

Tired of the religion of ideas
Instead of what is actually real.

The hunters must realize that there are others in the woods that hunt for food and are taught by nature to balance the swinging of the land like the tides and moon. And hatred of a species is a religion, and that is a road to disease and emptiness.And if you hunt you need to be taught the ethics of hunting; of honor and integrity.
I do not want to follow a deer poorly shot to end his suffering. Or to be asked where the bear is in order to kill him, when he is only trying to live like I am and doing me no harm.

The animal rights groups must understand that all things die and give their lives for others, and it is how this is done that is the issue. And a warning here, the ones who control the food control the world. Each of us must examine in detail where our food and clothing come from. And how it comes to be with us. And what dies to plant Cotton or soybeans, or harvest a field. And what are vitamin tablets are packaged in.
And what is the balance of all these thing?

The Farmers must be careful not to be caught in bigger is better. If you get bigger you run the risk of losing your soul. And quickly. We as farmers must look very carefully at our actions and keep them as wise and good as we can in a world that favours bigger and better.You must help folks understand that like the teachers/police and fire dept, farmers are important and food, good local slow food and clothing is priceless.

I write these things because I am tired. And I do not see change. I see apathy most of the time. Or the screaming rhetoric of religion of ideas.

And I see fear on all sides. So much fear that the different groups will not talk to each other as civilized people. Using our great gift that humanity has been given
Communication
And Compassion.

Update

2010-09-18T05:24:00.000-07:00

Our little squirrel was weaned and now is living at Bainbridge Wildlife with many other squirrels.

Common practice with rehabbers.

The Flicker sadly died of internal injuries.

There was a dead harbour porpise found in the north bound ferry lanes, possibly killed by the transient orcas.

A third wolf pack sighted in WA

Something I reported to you some months back.

It is best not to say where wolves are sighted.

Chugiak

2010-09-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Chugiak died peacefully yesterday in his sleep. He was terminally ill with cancer. He was a wolf originally rescued by a kind couple and then transfered to Wolftown. The Mate of Trout and a favorite among staff as he was so friendly and gentle, except when he had a turkey.

He was harder to observe by guests as he was shy but rewarding to watch play with Trout as he had a joking manner with his shark like wife.

Chugi is buried next to his beloved Trout and will be sorely missed. He was buried with slices of cheddar cheese which he loved and a sprig of Douglas fir to signify the return of all things.

Come back wild Chugiak- as far from people as you can get. And thank you for the gift of your life.

T and Pete

Rescues

2010-09-02T04:53:00.000-07:00

Wildlife season is slowing down.

Got in a young swallow that sadly did die.

And a young squirrel that now is being cared for by a volunteer. He will do just fine I think.

Just news

2010-08-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

A few wildlife calls, mostly baby seals that concerned citizens think need help. One in west Seattle that the Seattle police called me about at 10:00 pm The police kindly put police tape around this young pup to keep people away.

Then a woman called about a baby squirrel that fell out of the nest. She was kind of in love with the little creature. This always gives me pause as it is easy to imprint a baby wild animal, which robs them of their real life in the wild.
Chugiak is feeling his age. He is a wolf that was rescued by caring folks that brought him to Wolftown. His hind limbs are very stiff and he does have cancer. I sit with him in the sunshine and pet him and tell him to come back a wild wolf.

Alot of our wolves are getting old.

Dear Wah, and Minaw. They have given their lives to teach.

Admiral Bird our falconry hawk is starting to come back into fall training. He is glad as he then gets to fly around the project.

Black Bear sighted on the South end of Vashon.

Updates

2010-08-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

coyotes sited on the south end.
I have recieved about three sightings of coyotes. Maybe the same one.

I saw scat last year on Doan's land.

And was called out to necropsy a coyote hit by a car near the catholic church three years ago. This one was a lacatating female.

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Raccoons being set up for a soft release off island.

Sonic Boom/Osprey

2010-08-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

Our poor Osprey is finally dead. Poor guy. He sure did try to live. Even eating a bit. He just had gotten down too low!

The Sonic Boom reported in Seattle actually had me responding to calls from eyewitnesses that saw birds knocked out of the sky!

I spent some time in the brush crawling around after a Coppers hawk, but he did recover and fly off.

Bake sale thank you

2010-08-13T13:17:00.001-07:00

Thank you maggie and Vashon Bakery for the wonderful bakesale. You raised over $500!!!!!

Osprey still with us!

Whats new!

2010-08-12T19:21:00.001-07:00

Well, Thanks to Odin for putting red warning tape around the baby harbour seal at Point Robinson. Remember folks to stay 100 yards away from marine mammals. You don't want them stressed and you do want mom to feed them!

Thanks to Brian for rescuing the baby eagle trapped near a house in Bellvue. Brian is a master falconer and will always help in an emergancy!

We have a young osprey at the project right now, very thin, missing one eye. My guess attacked by an eagle. Wish him luck!

Wildlife update

2010-08-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

Sharpshin hawk stuck in someones warehouse- thanks to volunteers and Mr Pete he was shown the way out.

Red tailed hawk- beautiful passage male- had to be put down due to fractured wing- most likely collided with a power line.

Northern flicker- Had a broken back- died

Nuthatch- This little guy got caught by a cat- had lost a tail, but recovered, was released.

Coyotes released in E WA

Baby raccoons are doing well.

New arrivals

2010-08-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

The flicker that came in sadly did die.

And a beautiful passage RTH came in with a shattered wing and had to be put down.

What beautiful birds they both were.

Heron

2010-08-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

We had a great blue heron come in. He got caught in fishing line strung over a coy pond. I guess the people were trying to prevent him from eating the fish?

I am not a big fan of coy ponds.

The Heron had alot of muscle soreness but after two weeks of TLC was released. A beautiful sight watching him fly off.

Many seal pup calls, and birds, deer, a peacock?

The baby raccoons all doing well.

Two last coyote pups going out soon.

What's new

2010-07-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we released the robins, and a junco. All these birds got into trouble as nestlings. The robins in a house that was being sprayed. The guy doing the job found the nest on the ground and brought the birds to me, cold, dehydrated and hungry. They then stayed with us and did go to a volunteers house for a bit, while I caught up on other work. The junco nestling had got caught by a cat and was injured. So was treated and put on antibiotics. A tough little thing. He survived and now all are going about their normal lives.

The first of the coyote pups was released. (Not on island as he came from off island.)

Our kingfisher with a head injury, recovered well and was released.

We still have the three raccoons. (Who will be released off island.)

Alot of conversation about wolves on the Washington state fish and wildlife facebook page. Check it out.

Fund raiser- wildlife update

2010-07-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you Rex and Paul and Mari for the wonderful fund raiser at the Vashon Farmers market. You raised about $1000 and it will really help us.

We have released the first of our baby birds. Three robins and a Junco.

The kingfisher is doing very well.

The waxwing did die of his injuries.

The Coyote Pups are doing very well and growing like weeds.

Sadly all but one of our raccoons died. Two were euthanised do to illness and did not make it due to starvation and cold.

No deer fawns yet.

A few seal calls. One was premature. These were harbour seals.

wild babies- tips

2010-05-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

It's hard to resist "rescuing" a baby bird, deer fawn, or other young wildlife that ends up on your lawn or driveway at this time of year.

When a wild baby seems helpless or abandoned, you want to help.

But most wild babies brought to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offices, or directly to one of the 50 some WDFW-licensed volunteer wildlife rehabilitators, are NOT helpless or abandoned.

In fact, most "rescuers" unwittingly stole the young animal from its parents, some who may have even witnessed the well-intentioned abduction.

Young wild animals are often left alone for hours while their parents gather food. Young birds commonly leave the nest before they are fully-feathered and are fed on the ground by their parents for a day or two until they are able to fly. Doe deer leave their fawns alone to avoid drawing predators with their own body scent.

More often than not, just leaving a young animal alone affords it the best chance for survival.

Leaving wildlife alone means you need to confine cats, dogs and other pets that can cause lethal injury. One of the most common causes of injuries to wildlife, that always need a wildlife rehabilitator's care, is attacks by cats.

One of the few situations in which almost anyone can help wild babies is when very young, completely un-feathered birds have fallen out of the nest and are on the ground.

If you can find the nest and safely reach it, simply pick up the nestling with a gloved hand and put it back in the nest. Contrary to popular belief, the parent birds will not reject their young because it's been handled by humans.

If you can't find the nest, place the bird in a tree or shrub or on a shaded portion of a roof, out of the way of cats, dogs, and children. You can even make a "nest" for it with a small box filled with leaves or soft cloth; place the nestling in the box and put it in a tree or shrub or otherwise protected from rain or sun. Always place the bird or "nest" back in the area where the young was found. Don't handle it a lot or attempt to feed it.

If you watch from a distance, you'll likely witness the parent birds tending to their lost-and-found young.

Wild animals of any age that show obvious signs of illness or injury such as bleeding, vomiting, panting, shivering, or ruffled feathers or fur, or that are just lethargic and make no effort to escape your approach, may indeed be in need of care.

If you and your local rehabilitator decide it might be best to help the animal, find out from them how to safely contain and transport the animal. Always wear gloves when picking up a wild animal to place it in the container. Until the animal is transported to the rehabilitator, keep it in a quiet, dark place.

Another way to help wildlife, whether or not you find an injured animal in need of care, is to support your local volunteer wildlife rehabilitators. All of these volunteers must establish and maintain a good working relationship with a cooperating veterinarian, and many are veterinarians themselves; none can charge for their services to wildlife, but may accept donations.

Thank you

Wolftown

206-463-9113

www.wolftown.org

Note from T

2010-05-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Many people contacted me about a program in Africa and a speaker, talented, and gifted in a program for predators there. She gave a talk here.

I could not go.

The surprising thing is people were confused why I could not go.

Folks, I am working very hard. I have little time at night to go to many meetings.
I am rescuing wildlife, lambing, teaching, etc

Come volunteer and help me- then maybe I could go?

I prefer to contact my peers abroad
by
e-mail when I can, or phone which is better.

Also what surprised me were many folks that went to the meeting and talked to me after
didn't
realize
that Wolftown is doing this same work right here in Washington state.

But the difference between that program and ours?

They are well funded.

We need a grant writer.

Host families

Volunteers that are willing to work hard- not talk - or climb down buildings with banners

But do the real work which will bring about change.

What will the world look like in 100 years?

a wolf in sheep's clothing movie

2010-04-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7u2MSMd7RE

A Thank you to the bands!

2010-04-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

The band names were:

At the Head of the Woods

Addaura

Alda(Jace, Mike and Steph's band)

Forest of Grey

We at Wolftown wanted to send you a note to THANK YOU for the wonderful contribution from your benefit concert for Wolftown. We were very impressed with your professionalism and commitment to make this concert happen. We understand the event was a great success and by the size of your contribution we know it's true.

Thank you again for your support of Wolftown...your help is greatly appreciated.

Kindly,

T. Yamamoto

Wolftown

wolves at Hozameen

2010-04-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

Subject: Wolves in Hozomeen!

I drove to Hozomeen the other day to investigate some leads I was getting

on possible wolf presence in the area. Indeed, there is no question in my

mind there are at least two wolves present in the area, with heavy and very

recent use (w/i past 24 hours) in the vicinity of the housing compound,

game cabin, gated road system, and the drawdown near the NPS boat house. I

photographed tracks and collected scat for confirmation and possible DNA

analysis. I also set up two remote cameras in the vicinity that I will be

checking in a couple weeks. I know there is some park work scheduled up

there real soon, but I would like to recommend we try to work together and

avoid any disturbance in the area for the next two weeks if at all

possible. Chances are if machinery and people are present the wolves will

move on and I think it behooves us to see if we can further document and

confirm the pack with some remotely sensored photographs while the

opportunity presents itself. Please advise.

Roger

Roger Christophersen

Wildlife Biologist

North Cascades National Park Service Complex

eagle

2010-04-19T05:09:00.000-07:00

Eagles and other birds of prey often 'pant' with mouth open when distressed or hot! If she is on eggs or tiny young she is probably just fine. However I will pass this info on to Mike Pratt at West Sound Wildlife as he is our local Eagle expert.

News!

Grey whales in the sound. Alot of sightings of grey whales. One that apparently died of starvation, one was attacked by the transiet orca pack, got beat up but I hear is ok now.

One feeding normally on the coast of Vashon. They do stir up the bottem and feed in shallow water. I get alot of calls and they are just feeding.

Our group of young musicians had a great fund raiser for us in Seattle. These guys do cheer me up!

But what is the names of the bands?

I went to Republic and spent time looking at land and discussing predator and rancher information. I felt because I was able to listen and because of our ag programs that this was time well spent.

All the animals here are fine. Chugiack is a bit stiffer. He is on deramaxx

Niwah the Red tailed hawk was released.
Louise and Yoti

Yoti the Coyote is back in his own pen. He is our ed coyote

Gordon

2010-04-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

Dr Gordon Haber

It is with great sorrow that I was sent news of your death.

I traveled to Denali and met with you many years ago.

You helped me with the information I needed about McKenzie's Release.

You encouraged me and was supportive in the realization that to Release her was a good and sound idea.
She was not an imprint, not a pet. It took her a year to go back. You helped me in your sound judgement. And moral fortitude.

You will be greatly missed.

I hope when you come face to face with creation that you are met by the wolves of Denali's headquarter's pack. Whom you studied and tried to protect for so long.

Peace to you, and good journys.
If you see the Grey One salute her for me.

T

And Wolftown

The Wolves of Hurricane Ridge- A Novel- fiction

2010-03-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

(I give this to you, because I worry about it left on my computer. I will finish it slowly here. And you can help. See typos? Let me know. This is an unfinished work.)

(For the Grey One and Huiha.)

THE WOLVES

Of

HURRICANE RIDGE

By T Martino

Copyright 2001

Family Tree of Crystal Creek Pack.

Crevice, brother to Dust (Killed Hunting)=Strikes (Died of Distemper) Trotter, sister of Strikes

Dust=Grass (Left the Pack.)

V V

Lily = Ice, Bone

V

Jumps, Snow, Hiding, Hole in the Ground

The Packs

Crystal Creek- Trotter, Crevice, Bone, Jumps, Snow, Hiding, Hole and the Lost- Ice and Lily

Flat Water Pack- Relatas, Chases and Wind

At the Sanctuary- Brightness, Kip, Frankie, and the big grey wolf and Sam Fujita.

Lupine the Raven and Grace Roan

At the Wilderness Cabin- Cor MacDermott

Dog Sled Team- Arnuk, Keet, Team Leaders

The Others-

Richi

Shon

Great Grandmother

Cor

----------------------

Wolf Terminology

Alpha pair- Relata, I have used an unfamiliar term to describe the position of Alpha. The Alpha male and female of the pack are the only ones, generally who mate and have pups.

The Beautiful- Wolves call their prey, The Beautiful.

The Helpless- Wolves name for humanity.

Obeisant- the gesture made by wolves to show they are submissive. There are varying degrees. From the subtle showing of your throat, to laying on your back in complete submission and showing your belly.

Renewing- Breeding season, around the middle of February.

Renewing relationships- The Fall.

The Big People-Buffalo

Wanderings- Young wolves looking for their own territory.

Hoya- The storyteller, priest, poet and historian of the pack.

Your One, the One- Your mate

Long Hairs- Horses

The Swift People- The Singers- wolves

Reprimand- Punishment, a pinch or a shove or grabbing the muzzle or the ruff. Accompanied by growling and showing of teeth.

The Lost, Lost Ones- those that are dead are not called by their names but simply as the Lost.

Grounded Light- Fire

The Called- Dogs

Long Necks- Geese

Heat Months- Summer

Where Yellow Wolf Never Blinks- The South

PRELUDE:

The story was written old style on paper and had been wrapped carefully in cloth and lay hidden in Great Grandma’s wooden chest. It stayed there for years until after a long season of traveling a granddaughter opened it and asked what it was.

Great Grandmother was very old then and needed help on her horse and could no longer chew her own meat. She carefully unwrapped the faded yellow cloth and read out loud.

“Hurricane ridge. That is a mountain range in the island west lands. This is the story of the Singers who we emmulated when the cold came back.”

The granddaughter flipped back her braids and sat down on the moose hide rug and asked, “Grandmother read it to me.”

One sled dog, old past work, stretched by the fire and made a contented grunt. But that was the only sound except the fire that quietly crackled and smoked up into the hole in the roof.

Great Grandmother smiled and reached down and patted the dog.

“Let me first explain something to you, Richi. The world is different now. And these times that the storyteller speaks of are long ago. There were worlds among worlds then. And humanity was divided by walls we could not see. The important things were forgotten and the people lived by the invisible.” At that moment the cedar door creaked open and a tall man ducked down to enter.

“Richi, your chores forgotten? The ponies have wandered past round meadow and the two hunting teams we are using tomorrow need to be fed. Go help your brothers.”

The girl stood up and knelt before Great Grandmother and laid her forehead against the old woman’s hand which lay passive in her lap. Then she went out.

The man was dressed in black and grey, his hair short and his face grim lined. He came to Great grandmother and knelt down before her. “I must go to the World in two days. What will I find?”

Great Grandmother smiled and began to read.

The Wolves of

HURRICANE RIDGE.

By T Martino

Copyright-2001

Chapter One: The Swift.

The scent of snow was in the air, a biting sharp chill to nose and paws. A thin breeze swung through the dark fir trees and down towards a little cold creek that slipped through a narrow valley. The creek was yet unfrozen and at one dark pool an elk dipped her head to drink. This year’s calf stood several yards from her and his ears waved this way and that.

A sound quavered through the purple evening. It hung over them and the elk cow raised her head and breathed deeply. The calf looked toward his mother questioningly. Several more voices joined the first in a deep and haunting song and the early night echoed and rang.

The elk calf asked his mother, “ Is it the ones you told me about?”

“Hush child….” Voiced the mother. She swung her head and drew air deep into her lungs analyzing the biting cold trying to find the location of the singers. She was almost 15 winters old and this was her 6th calf, a bull calf full of energy and recklessness. Her dark eyes watched him glance nervously around the narrow valley.

The mother whispered to her calf, “The Swift always sing to announce their plans for the night. Remember this! They are coming down the valley and we must run before them. If we gain the herd we might lose ourselves in the midst of our family and there be forgotten.” She started off down the narrow winding track where countless elk hooves had scored the snow.

The calf played beside her not yet afraid.

The elk mother began to trot, her head held high and her eyes white ringed. She thought she saw forms in the tree line. The calf scented her fear and he pressed close beside her and they trotted until their anxiety intensified and blew them up into a gallop. They sprang down the trail their hooves making crackling sounds in the snow.

The calf could see dark forms silently pursuing. Almost carefree they seemed to him. One form frisked and frolicked as it ran behind them. He could smell the sweet pungent order of their fur and hear the soft panting breath. He watched with a curious detachment as one form broke rank and ran easily up to his mother’s haunches and snapped at her heels.

The mother kicked backwards but it was half hearted and the dark body easily dodged her sharp hooves.

The elk glanced down at her calf, ‘My last child….’ She thought, then remembered the antlered bull, her mate, who had won her admiration and rights of rut.

‘May my son be granted long life…many wives and good grazing…’ She sang in her head as she ran. The elk mother could already feel herself slipping away as if the power of her pursuers were already drawing life from her into themselves.

She then said to the running calf. “Run quickly! My son, I am at the end…” She did not finish her sentence, as one form broke from the shadows and leapt at her hind legs. She felt teeth at her hocks and an enormous pressure at her flank, a wave of dizziness swept over her and she kicked in earnest. She stumbled in slow motion and a second and third set of fangs latched onto her flank and throat.

She was pulled into the snow, which flew up, in a great shower of sparkling powder glistening in the moonlight.

She felt pain and her mouth was open. It seemed like the world collapsed upon itself as she watched her young bull calf running down the trail towards the herd that had run on without her.

She heard voices.

“The young one! Lily quick! Go get him!” Growled one of the forms. A second voice answered soft and low, “No, Father! It is her last, let him go.”

The elk’s final thoughts as she closed her eyes were, ‘ I am going back towards the path of hooves that run skywards into light…’ Her last raspy words to the hunters, “Thank you for letting my calf go.” The form holding her throat answered. “Rest easy Beauty and give us your life, we will welcome you back.” The elk mother sighed and relaxed and slipped into darkness.

The wolves fed and felt a rush of warmth run along their bodies. The big male, Ice, smiled with panting mouth and raised his white muzzle. His deep voice rose and echoed through the little valley and Lily his dark mate was first to join him. Around them his family sang.

Translated roughly these would be the thoughts that the wolves were putting into the long drawn out howls.

“Thank you Beauty for giving us life! You will no longer go hungry or be cold! You will now become wolf! Part of the Swift people! Your child we set free and he runs to your own folk. But now you are Wolf Clan! You other Wolf People who hear this know that this is our valley and our kill! Stay away!”

Ice pulled out great chunks of meat and bolted them quickly down. He snapped and growled at a presumptuous pup, Hole in the Ground who had shouldered along next to him. “Get back there, young pup!” He growled. “What are you doing pushing me?” Lily his mate raised her hackles and her ears pricked. “Hole!” Was all she needed to say and the young one slunk away to the front of the carcass where Crevice was chewing on the Elk’s nose.

“Now! Now! Young one! Don’t feel bad! Mother and Father are feeling testy. It is the time of Renewing Relationships after all!” Crevice was a kindly old fellow, a wolf of soft grey. Hole cocked her black head and flattened her ears. “I know…Old Uncle Father.” She stated, in a tone that was meant to imply she did indeed know what Renewal meant.

The wolves ate till the ribs of the old elk stood out in the moonlight and even her hide and hooves were gone. Finally all that was left of the elk was a patchy swirl of red snow and long hairs from her hide. The wolves had been famished; hunting had not been good. They walked up the hillside of the draw and flopped down in the snow to digest.

Crevice was by far the oldest. He was the brother of Ice’s father who had been killed several years before. But Crevice was not Relata. Or as a human being might put it, dominant or alpha. And so Ice, one of the oldest sons, took up the position as the dominant male. His mother, Grass, left the pack to wander in grief for her lost mate. The pack was then left with a decision to make. Who would hold the Relata position of Mother?

The black wolf, Lily, came forward out of the group, demonstrating her strength and resolve to the pack. The wolves were not surprised by either of the new Relatas. Their leadership qualities had been evident from birth.

In a pack each wolf has its own place. And most recognize their importance only as it helps the group. From the young pups as the future of the pack to the Hoya, or Clown, who diffuses aggression and keeps the stories of the wolves alive. A wolf pack is a group of animals that thinks and lives and hunts as one. They value the family above the individual but respect that each wolf has its place like the parts of the body.

Lily and Ice formed a deep partnership and commitment to each other as is the way of wolves. Lily was Ice’s half sister but this was not a difficulty. Lily’s Mother had been the one called, Strikes. Strikes was the Relata female before Ice’s Mother. Strikes had died of the walking sickness. * Trotter, the oldest female, was Strikes full sister and the packs Hoya.

Each year Ice and Lily renewed their relationship in the fall and then mated in mid February and each May there had been another litter of pups for the wolves to raise.

Crevice wagged his tail thoughtfully as he looked at the pups resting with full bellies. They had been allowed to come and watch the kill and run in as soon as the three hunters had grabbed and set their teeth into the elk. There were four pups as different as snowflakes. The smallest was a tiny female called ‘Hole in the ground’ or simply Hole.

*Distemper- Characterized by prolonged illness and the infected has trouble breathing and often a high fever.

* Relata is a position decided by the leadership qualities of wisdom, strength, swiftness and hunting ability. The Relata’s, male and female led the pack and are generally the only breeding pair. The pack often consists of older pups, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Each pack is as different as a human family.

It had surprised the group that she had lived this long. She was the color of a pile of dark autumn leaves, that curious coat that wolves sometimes have when they are almost black but with sprinklings of white hairs touched with red gold. Hole was a mischief-maker and Trotter wondered if here was a Hoya in the making.

The next was a huge cub called Snow. He was almost white with a hint of grey around his face. He was a rather serious cub, interested in his food and his rest. Hole thought him boring. The next cub was a very shy male called Hiding. He was the classic wolf grey with an elegant face and bright golden eyes. The last pup was Jumps. Crevice gazed at him with great fondness.

This pup was a good size and shape and was black as a wolf can be. The only white he had on him was a few hairs on his chest. His eyes were such a pale yellow that they were startling looking out of that dark face. He was called Jumps because early in his life he had escaped a golden eagle by jumping out of the way of her strike.

Lily had wondered at her pup’s good luck, because he had escaped death while he was so young. But Jumps had not dwelled on his good fortune; he simply kept a wary eye on the sky when he was outside.

The pups were the only young animals in the group as last year’s yearlings had died in the deep winter months of hunger, and 2 two year olds had been sent away by Lily and Ice as potential Relatas.

Crevice and Trotter were the oldest. There were seven adult wolves in the group.

The three real hunters were Lily, Ice and Bone. Bone was Ice’s full Brother and the backbone of any hunt as he could grab and hold and stop a large animal in flight. He was very large almost 140 pounds and although Lily was by far the fastest and first to grab prey and Ice was the tactician and planned the hunting, Bone was the group’s strength. It was wondered if he would ever challenge his brother, but Bone did not feel the hot high headedness of a true Relata and so the Pack was at peace.

Hole lay close to Bone and as she lazily licked blood off her paws, she asked him a question. Bone had his head down and was quietly snoring. “Was it hard, Uncle Father to grab and hold the old elk? I saw her kick out.” Bone opened his golden eyes and peered at the youngster. “She missed. You watch closely and then you can tell where her feet will go. And if she gets you, you still hang on.”

Hole’s eyes widened, “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Bone considered this; he had, of course, been kicked many times while hunting and once had two ribs broken by a moose. Lily and Trotter had brought him food while he healed. He had seen his sister die of a shattered jaw delivered by an old elk bull.

But Bone wanted the youngster to be brave. “Yes it can hurt.” He admitted, “but then I think of you pups. I think of Lily and Ice and old Trotter and Crevice and I hold on even though I am kicked. Being kicked strengthens me.”

* Wolves call each other by rather strict family titles. Bone is called Uncle Father because he is Hole’s Uncle on her Father’s side. The Wolves do not consider half sister or brother as related in the same way a human might. Crevice was called Old Uncle Father, as he is a Great Uncle as a Human might put it. Peer groups such as the pups and yearlings might call each other by their names. A bonded pair might call each other by their names, however normally they are Mother and Father. A Wolf gets a name by doing something as a pup or by his color or size.

Hole’s eyes narrowed, “It strengthens you? Oh…. ” Then she turned and whispered to Hiding, “He is crazy or has the hardest head of any wolf alive.”

Hiding smiled softly by showing a panting grin and wagging his tail then whispered back, “You better not let him hear you talk! You’ll be nipped in Reprimand for not taking your elders seriously.”

Hole smirked at Hiding, “Oh No! Uncle Father would think it a compliment that his head IS so hard!”

Jumps wandered up with the leg bone of the old elk mother and lay close to Trotter as he chewed it.

He asked the old Wolf, “Why didn’t she fight, Old Auntie?”

Trotter smiled, “Why? She knew that her time was up. That she needed to move on.”

Jumps was puzzled, “Move on? But where?”

Trotter laughed and her golden eyes twinkled, “Where do you think young slow poke! She has moved on into us. She will be born as a wolf.”

Jumps thought hard at this statement, “I was once an elk?”

Trotter chuckled again; “Yes, or a moose, but I really think you were a frog that Lily ate by mistake!”

Jumps considered this with great seriousness not realizing that the old wolf was teasing. He turned and said to Snow, “Old Auntie says I was once a frog.”

Snow carefully considered this and commented. “ I was once a rabbit. I think I dreamed it!”

Hole heard this and laughed, “YOU DREAMED OF A RABBIT! But you were eating it! You drooled all over me! It was a food dream! You are always dreaming of food!” Snow sniffed, perplexed by his sister’s exuberance. “ I am not dreaming of food now! I am full.” Snow got up and waddled off to flop down in a quieter spot.

Jumps said to Hole, “I have seen The Beautiful Ones stamp and swing their antlers at Father. It must be fun to hunt! Perhaps soon we will be asked to hunt!” Bone rolled his eyes. “Yes, when you learn to be quiet. Remember when I took you out to hunt snowshoe hare? And you made such a racket the hares left the country. There were no hares for miles!” Jumps licked his lips; “I love hares too! I will be quiet next time, Uncle Father!” Bone sneezed in disbelief.

Trotter searched the air with her nose and in her mind she sifted out the information that came on the breeze. There were game animals moving, although they had given this spot a wide berth. A grizzly was moving up the valley having scented the fresh kill of the wolves. Perhaps the bear thought he could come claim it. Trotter smiled, there was nothing left for him to steal!

The breeze smelled like snow and high in the upper scent Trotter could detect a slightly oily burnt smell that made her uneasy. She had never detected this before and wondered at it. Bone watched her and took a breath of wind himself. “What is that?” Trotter asked him. “I do not know,” replied Bone. Ice was sitting higher up the hill and stated, “I have smelled this once before, long ago.” He glanced at Lily and the dark female wagged her tail briefly at the sight of his beautiful face. ‘Renewal…soon it will be the time of Renewal!’ She thought to herself. Then she grew serious. “At sunrise let’s move off. That smell disturbs me and the Beautiful are moving.”

The wolves then curled up in the snow and tails over noses fell to the light napping of a sleeping wolf. Lily remained awake, staring resolutely towards the direction of the oily burnt scent.

Jumps dreamed of the day he had first emerged from the den, a warm morning in early June. He had crept through the dark tunnel that his mother had dug, heavy with the scents of damp earth and wolves. The entrance before him was bright and inviting and outside the grasses swung in the wind that swept playfully by. Birds were calling in that sunshine and their songs drew Jumps like food and warmth and all good things. He wagged his tail and continued out and stood blinking in the light. Then the birds were suddenly silent. And the little pup felt the long slow shudder of warning from some silent alert place deep in his being. A chill swept over him and without thought he had jumped violently to the side and felt the soft slick feathers brush by him.

The eagle had swung down from the sky and just missed the pup and had almost crashed into the ground. He recovered and turned quickly in the air to grab at the youngster. Jumps whimpered and scuttled as fast as he could away from the great black talons. Suddenly Lily was there and the eagle flapped to gain altitude. The black mother wolf leaped up snapping at the golden eagle who decided against pursuing his attack. The whole pack came in an instant, except for Father and Trotter who were hunting. They pressed around Jumps and whined and worried and glanced at the sky towards the eagle that was now a black dot near the sun.

* The Wolves refer to all game as the Beautiful, This is a wolfish way of respecting their food. Wolves believe literally that you are what you eat so it is common practice to hear wolves even when they are killing prey to call it Beautiful.

Lily’s fur was erect on her back and her ears lay flat. She growled and snapped her discomfiture even at Bone who said as he hastily retreated, “Easy! easy, Mother it is over. He is safe! There now look at him!” Lily did look. She rolled Jumps over and thoroughly sniffed him. Then she growled, "The only possible Relata and the Sky Hunter almost had him. Almost! Let that teach you young Jumps! For that is what I will call you. Jumps you are lucky. Never have I seen the eagle miss such a clear strike! Didn’t you hear me warning you?” Jumps hung his head and did a small obeisance as a peace offering to his Mother. She smiled, panting, and licked him.

“Do not go far from the den!” She pinched him playfully and added, “Jumps!”

Jumps awoke with a start and raised his head. Father stood on the hillside above the sleeping pack and the sun was climbing out of his hole in the ground. The snow grew pink around them and the sky with fast moving clouds was palest blue, then rose, then grey as the cloud cover grew thick and the Sun started hunting far away above them. Ice took a deep breath and could still detect the oily smell but it was fainter. He looked at his family lying below him, depending on his planning and intelligence, and Lily’s courage and speed. He was glad to see his brother Bone look up at him and then Trotter gave him a wag of her tail. He howled softly. “We are together.”

Normally after a kill the pack would rest for a few of days. But Ice wondered if they should leave. The elk herd was moving down the trails out of the high places and into the low valleys. ‘We will move on tomorrow’ thought Ice. ‘We will follow them to the southern most tip of our territory and away from this place. Ice stretched, content in his decision. He splayed out his forepaws and arched his back and each toe reached out.

His feet were big and broad for snow travel, each pad about the size of a big man’s hand. Ice yawned revealing his fangs over an inch long. He sat down and pointed his nose and began to sing the song of Gathering.

“You my family come! Come to me! Can you hear me? Come! Are you there? Come! You my family come to me! My Mate! And Aunties Come! My sons and Daughters Come! My Brothers and sisters come! All my relatives, come!”

One by one the wolf pack woke and stretched and began to sing, the adults blending their voices around the big white Relata Male’s.

The young wolves were trying not to yap excitedly. They wailed mournfully with no thought to what song they were singing.

* Obeisant, Obeisance is a wolf body gesture that can convey significant information. A subtle turn of the head to the Relata signals ‘I accept that you are my leader.’ There is offering the throat as a sign of peace. Rolling over on the back and exposing the belly to a superior is an act of total trust and even love as wolves kill by grabbing flank and belly. It is not, however, a subservient gesture as one might think. The Relatas of the pack risk their lives when hunting and so the cohesiveness of the group is very important. Most Relatas will not resist the Obeisance gesture. They will respond by growling out, “You are my Family!” Or by grabbing the nose of the Obeisance wolf and squeezing, which is a wolf hug. These gestures to a human observer can look rather rough, even vicious. But the wolves are predators and their communication is based on the body language of a predator.

Jumps stood up to howl and his tail wagged with enthusiasm. He howled directly into his sister’s face, and Hole howled right back as loud as her high pitched squeak could carry. Hiding incorrectly howled softly the song of warning. Snow’s voice was deep and loud.

Abruptly the group grew quiet and the wolves gathered around Father and Mother with much wagging of tails and licking of faces. The family was remembering that they were together as a group and strengthening their bonds of love. Suddenly Lily took off at a dead run. Snow flew up in a great spray under her churning feet. She raced around the group; nipped Ice as she flew past him, and bowled over Snow who fell nose first into the powder. Ice stood with a panting, silly expression on his face. All his fierceness and leadership qualities collapsed under his incredulity at what his mate was doing. But the joyful moment began to spread emotion throughout his body as he watched her race around them. He play bowed at her then joined the chase! Ice was one third larger than his mate and weighted over 100 lbs. But she was quick and lithe and cut corners and jumped bushes and other wolves to elude him. He chased after her until the pups began to chase him then finally Trotter and even Bone and Crevice joined the mad rush of happy animals that pelted here and there up and down the hillsides. Finally Lily stopped and Ice halted a few paces from her. She laughed at him with her eyes and play-bowed towards him. “I am renewing my Bond to you! My One and Father and to you my Family!”

Ice arched his neck and pranced up to her and put one foreleg over her dark back with a silly panting grin. “I am renewing my bond to you, My One and Mother and to you my family!” The other wolves pressed round them again and they wagged their tails and licked at each other’s muzzles. “The Family is Renewing!” Bones and Trotter and Crevice proclaimed, and soon they began howling till all joined in the song of Renewal. Then as suddenly as they had begun, they stopped. Ice scraped all fore paws in a backward gesture. He walked to a sagebrush and with his leg raised high he peed, then scraped again. Lily walked to the same brush and peed as well, and also scraped. Then with a single look between them, Lily and Ice trotted off and the family followed.

* Wolves scraping, mark or point where their urine or scat is located. It is a sign. Raising your leg and urinating, which both males and females do, is a sign of a relata. How high you can mark is also important as it means you are big or strong or both.

The Wolves of

HURICANE RIDGE.

Chapter two: Marks in the Snow.

Wolves travel great distances when they march. And Ice and Lily’s pack could cover thirty miles a day and think it a light journey. Wolves are built for such travel. They have narrow chests and hips and move in a long loose floating trot that does not waste energy.

The pups however tired more easily even though they were six months old they were still young by wolf standards. Lily and Crevice kept watch on their progress as they gamely trotted on behind the adults. At first smells or movements in the snow distracted the pups.

Hole scented a sharp acrid odor and proclaimed to Bone, “Uncle Father there is something new here!”

Bone sat down and panted merrily, “Oh?” Have a look children!” All four of the pups had tumbled down to the place where the scent crept out of the snow. “Listen!” Said Hiding and cocked his head. To the sharp ears of the wolves the sound of delicate scratching could be heard.

Jumps stiffened and held himself ready, and then before he could think he had pounced on the sound. A tiny creature scurried rapidly between his paws and right into a surprised Snow. Snow’s mouth snapped shut on it.

Bone had been watching closely and started wagging his tail and his eyes glinted with joy.

“Well caught! Young Hunters!”

“What was it?” queried Hole. “A Vole,” Stated Jumps, “Wasn’t it? A Vole, Uncle Father.”

Bone nodded and turned to trot on.

“I ate it!” Stated Snow. “Well I smelled it first! “ Remarked Hole, “And Jumps flushed it and Hiding heard it!” Trotter asked them as she trotted by, “The first lesson of the pack is?”

The pups then answered together, “The Family is one!”

Hole told the other three pups. “I remember chasing voles at our first den.” Jumps agreed.

Then she asked Snow. “How did it taste.” Snow panted happily. “It tasted like huckleberries only wiggly.”

Lily, Bone and Ice had stopped to get their bearings and to confer. “ It would be better to wait till we were out of the mountains. Save energy while we are full fed.” Bone speculated. “Yes,” stated Ice, “but the herd is moving faster than normal.” Lily answered softly, “Almost like something is disturbing them.”

The three looked at one another and then they all trotted up the ridgeline to breathe in the high scent. “ Do you think that the Flat Water Pack is trespassing? They had better not!” Lily stated. Bone sniffed deeply and said, “I don’t smell a trace of them.” Ice lay down and crossed his paws, then stated firmly. “They wouldn’t cross here unless they were so desperate that they had no choice. You remember when you and I were young, Bone, it happened when we were in our first frost. Flat Water Pack crossed and Old Mother and Father chased them out. Something had happened to them. Their territory had become empty. The Beautiful ones had left or died.”

“So how could the land be empty of The Beautiful?” Bone asked. Ice got up; “I have no idea. But we will head down into the open country and see if we can catch up to the old elk’s family, or we can try to find the Big People.”

(By that Ice meant the Buffalo.)

This being decided the three sniffed noses, wagged tails and trotted back down to their family.

Crevice looked about him as he trotted, taking in the smells and sights of the high mountains that stood up jagged behind them. The pack moved down the narrow valley with cascading little streams. The dark fir trees waved in the wind and the sky was deep and foreboding with clouds. The country seemed empty. Crevice could smell the traveling hooves of the Beautiful Ones before him and they seemed afraid to him. In the musty scent of their many feet he caught the metallic aroma of fear. And not just of the wolves. The Beautiful Ones were afraid of wolves but with the wariness of a comfortable enemy that they knew well. This fear smell was different. Almost hysterical as though they had been chased by some horrible nightmare.

The wolves trotted for a day and a night. Then Lily called a halt and Crevice and Trotter stayed with the pups while the three hunters went out to see what game was afoot. Though not yet really hungry, but the wolves were intensely curious, and wished to know the movements of The Beautiful.

Bone wandered one direction and Lily and Ice another. The clouds were parting and the moon shone down on the white mountains making the peaks stand out in cold crystal relief.

Ice and Lily found that all the big game animals seemed to be moving in panic. The mountain goats and big horn sheep had climbed up even higher on the peaks. And the other predators such as puma, lynx and bear had vanished.

Ice finally stopped and lay down; Lily came up close and licked his white muzzle. His tail thumped the ground and he gazed at her with an expression of patient devotion.

They didn’t speak but enjoyed their silent vigil of comradeship and trust. To the wolves this was peace and fully relaxed they contemplated the scenery of vast white capped mountains, tumbling down to a swift little river and broad prairies rolling out under to the horizon.

The wolf pair were Renewing. Lily lay down next to Ice and they watched the moon climb the path up to the night world’s dark prairie. For wolves there is only the moment. The pair did not worry or plan far ahead. They accepted their place on the land and trusted each other completely. Their lives depended on each other’s wisdom, strength and swiftness. Finally Lily spoke, “You are my One.”

Ice responded, “And you always were my One.” Then they lay silent.

Bone wandered alone for a while. The land was empty of all life and silent and brooding. He detected the oily burnt smell that he had first sensed with the pack last night. The big wolf was puzzled, far away almost beyond the reach of his hearing there was a sound, a rhythmic whirring that Bone could not identify. Then he stopped and recognized a scent that he did know. ‘The Helpless Ones.’ Bone wondered? This made him quiver a bit in excitement and fear. He looked around himself carefully. Then raised his head and sniffed the high air. He could detect the odor of the Helpless mixed with the burnt smell. Then he saw tracks. They were two parallel lines in the snow. The tracks were like the hind feet of a huge snowshoe hare. This image made him wag his tail.

“How Snow would love a giant hare!” He thought. But he soon saw something that sobered him instantly. He saw the tracks of a coyote. He could smell her fear and the iron scent of blood. He followed the tracks for a few miles. The coyote was turning this way and that. First a curving tricky line then a mad burst of flat out running. As if the coyote was being pursued by something clever and fast and inescapable. Bone felt the fur on his back lift.

Then the wolf saw the broken body of the coyote lying in the churned up snow. Bone stalked up to it carefully. He and his people didn’t have much respect for the little tricky hunter of small game. But still it was disquieting for him to see the little female lying there dead. Bone sniffed her cautiously. She had been shot several times and her face wore an expression of terror and exhaustion. He knew about the firearms of the Helpless. He had no idea how the Helpless made them work. But the wolf knew they were deadly at a distance. The coyote had not been eaten and that was strange to Bone. He had heard Crevice say that the Helpless often took the hides and meat of those they killed. But here was death for only one reason that Bone could think of.

* The time of Renewing Relationships is in the late fall. This is when the Relata pair does a pre courtship and renews their place and commitment to each other. Mating occurs during the brief breeding season in late January and February, something that excites the whole pack.

*Wolves have very strict territorial rules. A pack will stay within its family bounds even to the point of hunger. It is understandable that Bone thought that the coyote was killed for trespassing. A wolf trespassing on another family’s territory would run the same risk.

*The Helpless are what the wolves call Humanity. How this came to be will be revealed.

‘The Helpless thought the coyote was trespassing,’ thought Bone. That gave him another odd idea. ‘What if the Helpless think we are trespassing? What if they have changed their range onto our territory? I must find Ice and Lily!’ With one last sniff at the dead coyote Bone trotted back the way he came.

Trotter lay on the snow, which was crusting in the chill wind. The pups lay around her. They were all comfortable except Hole, who wiggled a bit and asked Trotter, “Tell us a story, Old Auntie.”

“Yes,” Jumps agreed, “A story about the old days about The Yellow Wolf and the Hole in the Sky. ”

Hiding wagged his tail briefly but Snow snored on, as he was fast asleep.

“A Story?” Trotter thought a moment. “I will tell you of the first days and of the Creation.” Trotter stood up and softly howled. “Listen oh World, you place of being, and I will sing to you the song of Creation.” Then she sat down and began.

THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. As told by Trotter the Hoya of Crystal Creek Pack.

“A long time ago there was nothing. Not the sky or water or land.”

Snow woke at that and asked, “What did we drink?”

“We didn’t!” Hole responded. Trotter smiled as Hole continued explaining, “We were not yet created beings!”

“Oh….” Snow said.

“So we did not get thirsty,” continued Hole.

“Oh…” stated Snow once again.

Trotter went on, “It is not advisable to interrupt the Hoya of the Family. ……”

“Sorry…” All four pups chimed in. Snow had fallen asleep again.

Trotter continued.

“There was nothing and nothing. Not the stars… the shining eyes of the unborn, they did not wink above our heads and the Yellow Wolf did not trot through the sky looking for his lost mate, Glisten. There was nothing. It was Elk, Mother of All, yes one of the Beautiful that first came into being. She came into being after thinking about it.

And then by thinking she brought into being a fawn that was Elk Chief, and he grew and grew and grew till he filled the world so there was nowhere for his Mother to stand. So she stamped with her hooves and He swung his head and his antlers caught on something and Riiiiipppp! The World was pulled out of nothing from the other place, from the Hole in the Sky. Elk Son pulled it and both Mother and Son stamped and snorted and thought it good and this became the first land. And they stamped and trampled! PAH! PAH! PAH! PAH! And the land grew into a big wide expanse that which, you see before you. Then Elk Son dragged his antlers on the new land and created the rivers and streams. And First Mother of All made water and that became the lakes and ponds. Then they were happy.

But after a time Elk Son told his Mother. “I have a funny feeling in my belly.” Elk Mother squinted and smiled and blinked and all the trees and plants came into being. Elk Son ate and ate. Then they were happy. But later, after Elk Son grew full from eating the plants. He told his mother, ‘I am lonely!’ And then First Mother of All squinted and blinked and stamped and rabbits flew out of the brush and squirrels ran down the trunks of the trees. Quail and crane and bluebird flew out of the treetops. All of the Beautiful came into being and ate and talked and played with Elk Son. And they were very happy.

A long time went by. First Mother watched as the Creatures spread into large groups, breeding and spreading like the first land. She wondered about this, because she had created only so much to make into things. Elk Mother saw as the creatures spread themselves thin that they became weak. After a longer time still, Elk Son said to his Mother, ‘Mother I am bored.’ First Mother of all then smiled and vanished and in her place stood two shining beings. They were the first Wolf People. Yellow Wolf and his One, Glistens. They saw Elk Son and bowed to him. Then something strange happened. Elk Son felt his heart beat fast…he felt his eyes grow wide and his breath come quick. He tore off and the Wolf Chiefs chased him and as he ran he became very strong and his legs lengthened and his body grew swift.

And The Wolf Chiefs chased all the Elk People and the Buffalo people and all the Beautiful and made them strong and swift as First Mother had wished. And the world was stopped from spreading thin and weak. The world was made to balance. And even to this day it is our responsibility to balance creation as we hunt. It is finished.”

Trotter squinted and smiled with her eyes then curled up in the snow.

Hole was not satisfied with the story’s abrupt ending, “But Old Auntie? What happened to Yellow Wolf and Glistens? How did they become separate?” Trotter opened her pale eyes and her tail thumped once. “That’s for another time Hole. There look! There is First Mother’s Daughter now rising over the ridge.”

Hole looked up into the sky at the moon, pale and shivering there in the cold sky. The little black wolf fell asleep thinking of Glisten, the Mother of Wolves and wondered how terrible it must have been for her to be separated from her pack and her One.

The wolves of

HURRICANE RIDGE

Chapter 3-Lily and Ice

Lily trotted down the ridgeline, nose to ground. The sun was rising swiftly. The sky had cleared and the snow sparkled and shone. Ice had gone looking for Bone to investigate the scent of an injured moose. But Lily decided to return to her pups and the rest of the family. She smiled to herself. Her children were all so different. She was troubled at Hole’s small stature but hoped because the little wolf was quick and intelligent that she would survive the winter.

Lily stopped on the ridgeline and heard a sound. It was a low hard chop- chop- chop. She took a deep breath, and realized how exposed she was. The sound was coming closer, but the smell was hiding behind the wind so whatever it was she could not detect it with her nose. It became louder and stronger and Lily stared suddenly up at the huge shiny monstrous thing flying down the ridgeline straight at her. She whirled and ran and heard the sound growing behind her like an avalanche filling the entire world with fear and noise and wind.

Lily felt a high thrill of fear blow through her limbs as she ran and her only thought was to outrun the horror behind her.

Ice and Bone heard the roar and knew that it was in the direction of Lily’s path away from them. They quickly determined the wind’s and sound’s direction and ran using the tree line as cover.

Ice was full of despair and fear for his One. As he ran he thought of her dark form and of their many pups that had been born. Bone talked to him as he ran.

“It is the Helpless! I told you! That smell! But Lily is wise! She will run far away from the pups. But we should go back towards the pack and move the rest on.”

Ice glanced at him and panted out, “You go on, Brother! Move them…we will catch up later.”

Bone stopped and watched his brother plunge away. Ice was Relata and Bone knew in his heart that the white wolf was right. The pack must be warned. He sprinted off in the other direction.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily ran till her breath came in dry heaving gasps and strong as she was her legs seemed to not obey her will to escape. The thing pursued and outmaneuvered her as she twisted and dodged to avoid it. Finally she collapsed in deep snow and watched in terror as the huge machine lightly touched down on the snow. A man jumped out. His arm swung up holding something dark and long there was a sharp crack and

Suddenly there was a burning feeling in her left shoulder and Lily felt herself tumbling down the side of the ridge she had just ran up.

The momentum caused her to try to run again stumbling and clawing through the snow. She could smell her own blood as she skidded to a halt in a snowdrift at the bottom of the ridge. She felt the beginnings of crushing pain and dizzying shock. The dark female staggered to her feet and began to run a shaky line toward the trees. She took one backward glance and saw the flying thing, then the sound of a whirring roar.

Lily felt her blood drain away from her shoulder and knew she was hit deep. She tried to remember the stories of other wolves that had survived the attack of the Helpless Ones. But her mind was spinning in weariness and she struggled to keep going. Thoughts whirled in her head. ‘Ice would have heard the sound. He will move the family. I must keep going! I must run far away from the pack so the Helpless will follow me. Then later when I am rested, I will go back.’ As she staggered, trailing blood, she could hear the curious rhythmic roar as it came up behind her.

Ice topped the ridgeline and saw the strange parallel tracks and the smell of gunpowder and then the blood of Lily. His heart grew so saddened and fearful that he whined and almost howled out to her. He took to the tree line and ran a convergent course where he felt sure he would meet Lily running.

Far away he could hear the sound of a strange sound. He sprinted on top of the crusted snow. Thoughts from long ago came into his mind about Lily. She was play bowing to him, or bringing a pup to entrance of the den for him to see. She was nipping him hard and growling, taking a rabbit from his mouth encouraging him to hunt more.

He ran on through the trees. The dark firs standing silent as the wolf passed between them and finally he caught sight of the machine.

He watched it speed across the clear sky swift as a bird. The noise was mind numbing and Ice couldn’t believe his own resolve at running behind them. He felt the machine was something horrible, some strange part of the Helpless whose wonders were legend. The machine was chasing a dark form. Lily ran ahead of them. She tried to dodge this way and that, but they easily stayed with her as her wound and loss of blood slowed her. Ice ran so hard that he felt his heart would burst. He lost sight of her in the trees and then as they came to an open place he watched as she tumbled into the snow to lie helpless and panting, facing the machine landing, blowing snow in all directions.

Ice summoned all his courage and ran through the trees and brush, snow spraying out from under his feet, the sun slanting down, lighting the snow in glistening swaths of brilliance. He felt like his mind would collapse with the sound of the machine and the smells of the Helpless. But Lily was there in front of him and he could not leave her. He made it to her side and pressed his face close to hers and licked at her mouth. Ice watched bewildered as two of the Helpless somehow climbed out of the machine. He watched them approach. Lily made no sound but her tail wagged briefly at Ice.

Ice faced the Helpless walking towards them. He stood in front of his fallen One. Ice howled out his warning to them. Then he chuffed his alarm and stamped. Lily raised her head to see him standing over her. “Stay away, Helpless ones!” growled out Ice. Then he wondered, ‘What will I do if they approach?’ Then out loud to Lily he asked, “Lily can you run? Come on get up!” But Lily couldn’t answer and slumped down further into the snow melting around her spilled blood. Ice watched the glint of something shiny in one man’s hands. “Lily come on…get up and we will run off! I will hunt till you are stronger and then we will find the family…our pups…. Our….”

One man exclaimed to his partner, “Well look at that. Have you ever seen something like that before? Why don’t you go in there and pet them Johnny?”

The younger man answered, “Let’s go George. Leave ‘em be…come on.” His heart felt sick at the sight of the dark wolf’s blood and the white male standing there trying to warn them off when George had his rifle.

George smiled at the younger man, “Grow up boy! They are eating our elk down to nothing.” He swung up his rifle, aimed, took a breath, held it and there was a sharp crack.

Bone heard the second distant rifle shot and the big wolf shivered. He sang to himself as he ran. He sang the mourning song of passing into the next circle. The snow crunched under his big paws. His breath came and went and came and went. His ears heard the sounds of winter coming in the wind. The deepest, coldest winter the wolf had known. Bone ran on towards what he had left.

He galloped through the night lit up by the shining of the Mother of Wolves, the moon. She rose pale and distant through the dark prairie night. He felt the light touch him and brighten the snow like the Separate One’s name, Glisten. He spoke to her as he ran, “Keep the pups safe till I can find them…..Keep Old Uncle alert and Old Auntie watchful. Let not the children wander, Mother of Wolves!”

He ran for several hours then swung up and over a sharp ridge and down into the little valley where the old wolves nestled with the four pups.

Crevice jumped up as he heard the approach. He could tell by the sound of Bone’s running that something was dreadfully wrong. Trotter looked up and with one glance at Bone guessed at what had happened.

She stated rather than asked, “The moment has ended for two I loved, My family is now those who press around me and sing for the lost.” She then raised her head and howled in mourning. This wakened the pups that looked at her rather bewildered. They had never heard this song before. Crevice joined in and Bone even howled briefly but then chuffed and they all stopped.

Bone said gruffly, “Now we must move, quickly. You young ones stay in front of Crevice and me. Trotter take the lead. Find the trail south to the open land. We must hurry…now, Trotter!”

Trotter fled before them into the night, an old pale grey wolf with four tumbling fluffy pups following. Then came Crevice, who was hard pressed to keep up, and last stalwart Bone who every so often stopped and looked back to listen, scent the night air and mourn.

Jumps pressed Old Auntie for answers, “Where are we going, Auntie? Where are Mother and Father?” Trotter glanced down at him. He blended into the night, his dark fur so like Lily’s. Trotter told him; “You remember the elk we caught. She has gone on into the next circle. Jumps added, “Yes…into us!” Trotter panted out, “Yes well Mother and Father have wandered off our trail. Just for a while they will join us when we too change our path into the next circle. It is the way of things.” Jumps wondered about this. His heart began to feel sore and heavy. Did this mean that he would not see Mother and Father again?

Little Hole, who was running two leaps to every one of Trotter’s, had over heard this conversation. She puzzled over this in her mind and said, “They are hunting new Beauties, aren’t they Old Auntie, and will bring meat to us at the next den site. Is that right?” Trotter nearly howled out her mourning song while running, and did not answer.

Hiding ran close beside his small sister. “It is right. It must be!” Snow ran behind Jumps and whined softly.

Trotter wondered if she had told the cubs the truth, if Mother and Father had met the fate that she had seen shining in Bone’s eyes. She did not know whether the Helpless let an animal go into the next place through them.

They ran through the long and bitter night, Bone driving them on with a conviction that he finally shared with Trotter at one long halt to let the pups rest.

“They mean to kill us all. To drive us from our territory.” Bone stated to the old Hoya. Trotter panted in nervousness, “Who?”

“The Helpless. They are making the Beautiful leave our range. I know this Trotter. They think we are trespassing. We must move our territory further from them than any wolf has gone. To a place where they will leave us alone.”

* Wolf Pups, their first year, have fur fluffier and thicker than adults. This may be a way for them to stay warmer as they do not hunt as well. However their fur does not repel mud as well as adults. The quality of a wolf’s fur is life and death.

Trotter sighed and gazed at the pups that rested in the dry snow. “We are the last of Crystal Creek Pack. How can we do this Bone? You are only a few seasons, but Crevice and I are very old. Crevice…. he is older than the hills. Look at him!” As she spoke Crevice trotted limping into sight. The old wolf was tired and sore in one arthritic leg where he had been kicked while hunting seasons ago. Crevice stopped by them and sat down tongue lolling. “Hum, never thought I’d travel miles in one night with four pups and be the one in the back!” Trotter licked at his muzzle.

“Bone wants us to find new territory, Old Uncle.”

“New? That means fighting! Are you crazy Bone? We can’t displace Flat Water pack with you and me and Trotter and four cubs!”

Bone shook his long coat, sending powdered snow flying. “I am not saying that. Do you want to stay here and be killed by the Helpless? They have…something that flies! Faster than a falcon stooping on ptarmigan. I think we need to find an empty place far from Flat Water and far from the Helpless. We will start again.”

Crevice grew incredulous. “We have no Relata! No leaders! Unless you and Trotter, for the love of the Mother of All, wish to mate!” Trotter squinted and wagged her tail at Crevice’s dry humor.

Bone looked briefly at the sky and then deeply into Crevice’s golden eyes. “It is not for us. It is for the pups. I think our lives are close to the Changing. But we could find a place for the pups and maybe we will meet some Wanderings and they will start a life in the new place. By this time next year the pups must be proficient at hunting and the place must be found. Some place high up but with good cover and plenty of the Beautiful Ones left for us. And no Helpless.”

Crevice lay down. “To travel hard at my age. Well we can not choose our lives. For the….” Here he paused and almost said Lily and Ice, but wolf etiquette forbid him from mentioning the dead. “…For the lost…I will try.” Trotter licked at Bone’s black nose. “I will try as well. We can do it.”

Bone wagged his tail a quick flick then looked at the horizon. “But we will have to cross Flat Water. Their pack will be moving too, looking for the Beautiful.”

* Wanderings are usually young wolves that are Relata. Their parents either encourage them to leave or actually drive them away. If you are born a Relata you must start a pack of your own. So they go off to seek a mate and territory. Also realize that the mortality for young wolves in the wild is very high. The main cause of death is starvation and parasites.

The wolves of

HURRICANE RIDGE.

Chapter four- Traveling

Bone lay near the elk bull that held up his shattered left front leg. The bull lowered his head and swung his antlers menacingly. But Bone was lying out of reach. Trotter, Crevice and Jumps lay just beyond Bone. Hole, who had been forbidden to come closer than the big cottonwood, was about 100 feet away. Hole had run in and leaped at the surprised bull’s nose and had almost been crushed. Trotter had nipped her hard in Reprimand, as the little pup had more guts than brains. But in the confusion Bone had been able to run in and score a long wound on the elk’s haunches. He had smiled at little Hole who sat in the snow looking sorrowful.

Bone told the elk bull, “Give up, Beautiful One. You are going back. You travel new trails this night. Look at your leg. Why do you fight us so hard.”

“Why? You must ask?” Answered the Elk. “I do not yet wish to give up my life! My brothers are standing waiting for me and I am about to shed my antlers to prepare for winter. I have fathered many calves and will father many more. You eater of carrion! My antlers will run red with your blood before this night is over! Seek weaker food!” He swung his head again menacingly. Bone panted and stood up and slowly circled the bull. He looked for all the world like a dog merely sniffing out the best place to pee. But he was looking for both weakness and an opening.

“Well you are going to have trouble in the deep snow with that leg! How did you break it?” Bone asked.

The bull laid back his ears and thought of the rifle shot and his desperate run for shelter in which to hide. Trotter had picked up his scent and had brought the scraggily group of wolves to him. But they were not an efficient hunting party. Crevice and Trotter were ancient, and the pups, though enthusiastic and brave, were so inexperienced they were more of a hindrance than help.

Jumps stood up and circled the opposite way of Bone. Bone narrowed his eyes at him and the young black wolf slunk back to Trotter. He whispered to her. “I must help him Auntie! What should I do?”

“I’ll help!” Said little Hole from her place. That brought a growl to Crevice’s lips and Hole lay down and flattened her ears.

“For the sake of the Mother of Wolves would you pups please wait! Bone is positioning the Beauty. Bone will run in at some point and grab his nose, nose won’t it be Crevice? Yes, nose, I think, then we will run in. Crevice will you go for the throat or his quarter? My jaw hurts. A bad tooth I think…I would rather go for his quarter. You pups must be ready when we all grab, to help wherever you can. Do you understand?”

The pups panted in acknowledgment. Crevice sighed. “The throat…. I hope I can do this. This is the biggest bull I have ever seen. Without that shattered leg I don’t think we would have a chance!”

Bone continued his slow circle. “Cold winter…yes.” He murmured to the bull.

Crevice whispered to the others, “Get ready…not yet Hole. I said get ready.”

Bone looked at the bull out of the corner of his eyes. It was a long leap. Maybe nine feet. He tensed and positioned himself. When the bull heard the whisper of old Crevice moving, one of his long ears flicked in that direction. Bone sprang and fastened his long fangs solidly on the Bull’s nose. His spring had been silent and accurate. Crevice leaped up and was racing back and forth trying to find entry to the bull’s throat through the wildly failing front foot. Trotter sped to the bull’s quarter and grabbed one hamstring and was tossed back and forth as the bull kicked and struggled. Bone whispered to the bull. He was staring into the elk’s deep brown eyes and could feel the bull’s saliva spraying over him as he grimly held on. “Give up Beauty, you will not live this winter with that leg. You will become a wolf!” The bull’s answer was to snort and whack at Bone with sharp blows of his good front leg. However he was not doing a very good job of striking, as he could not support weight on the injured leg.

The pups rushed in and desperately tried to help. Snow had grabbed one back hoof and was kicked. Hiding grabbed in a better place, the flank, and found a good grip. Hole was swinging from one of the bull’s long ears close to Bone. The big wolf almost laughed at the sight of her small desperate form. Jumps and Crevice tried for the throat and finally Jumps grabbed it. But he was inexperienced at the slow crushing strength that a wolf uses to suffocate his prey. He lost his hold and Crevice rushed in and grabbed the elk’s windpipe and squeezed. The whole group was dragged and pummeled as the bull kicked and fought through the deep snow. They fought through the powder and drifts and Trotter was crushed up against a tree. She told Bone through her teeth, “Are you sure this is the one for us?” Bone growled. But this gave the bull new strength. He kicked and threw his head and the wolves held on for their very lives as the elk bull fought. The pups began to realize if they let go they might be crushed and so they held on desperately. Crevice squeezed tighter on the bull’s throat and the elk began to sputter and choke as his breath became impossible to draw and finally he went to his knees then tumbled to his side. The elk collapsed and gave up. Bone watched the bull’s eyes with that curious detachment a predator has for his prey but with a complete understanding that one day he too would lie down to return to the Changing world.

Crevice and Bone held on for a solid ten minutes feeling the bull’s struggle for breath finally die down into nothing and then he was gone.

Bone let go and stood panting. The pups were ecstatic and whined and wagged tails and they sang for the dead bull of his journey into becoming a wolf.

Crevice whispered to Trotter. “Well it was better than the moose hunt.”

Bone gave him an angry look. “I heard you. I thought that it was decided that we would not mention that moose again.”

Trotter panted out in laughter. “She sure got you, Bone! Mother of All! That raven!

“She was the Hoya of all time!”

Jumps asked her. “What happened?”

“I’ll tell you while we eat!” laughed Trotter.

Trotter’s story of the Raven.

“Well, you know that in the Before Time, Mother of All created everyone to keep Elk Chief happy with the world. And Mother of All created the wolf people. Yellow Wolf and Glistens who kept the world strong and young but as the creatures of the world grew strong they became harder and harder to catch and there were times that Yellow Wolf and Glistens lay down panting with nothing to eat and feed their pups. Yellow Wolf sang out to Mother of All for help. He stood on a high place and sang out and Mother of All appeared before him.”

Jumps interrupted, “Whatever did she look like this time?”

Trotter smiled panting, “Why she looked like a huge Beauty…. An elk cow with eyes like mountain lakes and a back as broad as a hill.

She told Yellow Wolf, ‘I have heard you and I will send you a helper. But I do not want to make it too easy for you and your people. You are already swift and strong. This helper will tell you where the Beautiful Ones are. And your helper will be clever and tricky. She will warn you of grizzly and help you in the hunt but she will play games and fool you too, for she will want food that you bring down and this you cannot deny her.’

Yellow Wolf agreed and Mother of All turned into a bleating fawn and ran away.

“So my children,” Trotter continued, “This is how Raven came to help the wolf people.” Trotter paused and looked at the pups then told them, “But the Raven that found Bone was a strange one.”

“We had been wandering, hungry, as you pups know and Bone and Crevice and I had gone off to look for sign of the beautiful people. I went with Bone. We came up a wash where the pebbles lay smooth and shining and the white trees stood reaching towards the sun in hope. A raven appeared and told Bone.

‘This way! You clod! This way for a meal…. Come on hurry up…. Christ what a slow poke!’ Bone looked up and growled at the black bird. As he trotted past he told her, “You are a rude one. What is up this wash and who is Christ?”

The bird flew down and landed a few feet away from the wolves and turned its head so it could look at them with first one glittering obsidian eye, then another.

“Moose is down that way! And Christ is what the Helpless call The Mother of All.” The bird’s eyes twinkled merrily. Bone stopped and sniffed the high cold air, then said, “The Helpless believe in nothing, bird. All the wide world knows that…. And it doesn’t smell like moose.”

The raven followed, fluttering along from tree to tree. “I know the Helpless, you stupid Singer!” She cawed. “ I know them very well and they believe in all sorts of things. There is moose that way.”

Bone looked down a little frozen creek that ran away down the side of a hill. Sure enough he could smell moose faintly through the powder of snow. “Is this Beauty yarded up down there?” He questioned the bird. “The scent seems older.”

“Well, yes….sort of….yarded.” commented the raven. Bone trotted on and I questioned the bird.

“I am Trotter, the Hoya of Crystal Peak pack. How do you know the Helpless so well?”

The bird landed close and clicked her beak once. “I am called Lupine. Believe me I know the Helpless. I have an understanding with one of their females.”

Bone trotted out into a clearing and his nose told him a moose had been there. He saw movement and the big wolf froze. What he saw was so totally foreign that he didn’t really comprehend it at first. It flapped in the slight breeze and made a little crackling sound. It was not a tree or water or stone or snow or ice or sky or clouds. Bone walked up closer. Trotter and the Raven came into view and Trotter called out to Bone, “Bone don’t you smell something odd…?”

Bone did recognize the strange scent of the Helpless but it was masked and covered by the scent of the moose. “What IS that thing there…bird?” Bone asked rather testily and walked up even closer to the strange object.

Lupine flapped up and croaked at him, “It’s a tent! You moron!” Bone sidled up to it, sniffed it, and then lifted a leg to pee.

The fluid trickled down the side of the tent and steamed in the cold. Bone scraped his big broad paws so to spread his scent and point out his mark as much as possible.

“A tent…eh? Very odd…Strange type of plant…maybe…it does not smell like a plant.”

The Raven cackled with laughter, “Goddam you are stupid!” A dark haired human head appeared almost right in front of Bone.

The woman gave a startled gasp and Bone did an incredible jump straight up into the air and hit the ground running as fast as he could and I followed him. It seems beyond belief but the raven Lupine was with a Helpless One as a partner.

As we ran we could hear the Raven laughing and laughing and flying after us asking why we didn’t stop to have a meal with them. She is a crazy one! A real old time Hoya! But how she got the Helpless to do what she wished I have no idea.” Trotter then lay down and licked her paws clean. She had been eating as she told the story.

Bone growled, “I asked you never to tell that story…that bird…that was too much…it has aged me….”

Chapter 5

Daybreak Wildlife Sanctuary

Brightness woke and looked at the fenceline shining with snow sticking to the chain link. She got up and stretched out, feeling her paws tingling in their tips and then she yawned, revealing white fangs and a salmon pink tongue. She walked towards the pond that the captive wolves used for drinking water and spotted the dog marching around outside the primary fence but inside the perimeter fence.

He was old and grizzled and white. A pyrenese dog. He paused and sniffed the air and sat down. Brightness strolled over to him.

“Greetings my friend.” She told him politely.

The dog raised his tail and hackles at her and growled out. “You stay in there, thief!”

Brightness laughed panting and wagged her tail at him. “Every morning you tell me that! And you know that I cannot get out!” She glanced up at the 16-foot fence. The big dog relaxed then wagged his tail in one brief slow wag and continued his patrol.

Brightness sat down and watched the goings on outside the fence line.

Daybreak was a wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation center. Housed within the complex were a few wolves, a black bear, two bobcats, a lynx, four mountain lion cubs, numerous hawks, a raven, and two dogs, and two horses. The older man that ran the facility was turning on a water faucet. He leaned down stiffly and felt the twinges in his back and legs. He straightened up and dragged the hose over to the bucket he was filling.

He looked at Brightness who sat staring at him with yellow eyes. She wagged her tail and panted a smile at him.

He told her softly, “Good Morning Wolfie. How are you this gray morning? I am getting a lot older. I wish I had your youth and beauty.”

Brightness walked up closer to the fence and half-crouched in respect for the old man. Her eyes shined out love for him. And the man reached out and put one finger through the fence. Brightness turned her neck in obeisance towards a Relata and he stroked her gently.

Samuel Fujita then put down the hose and went to turn off the water. Chores were taking longer and longer each day. Especially since Margaret’s death. He sighed remembering her. How strange it was to sleep alone each night.

He could not hear his wife’s quiet breathing or feel her get up sometimes to check on young animals that often were housed inside their home.

He remembered her as a young woman with long, red, curly hair and ice blue eyes. Her gaiety and love for animals. Her sorrow regarding her inability to have children.

Margaret had been dead now almost seven months and Sam was convinced that her ghost still walked the sanctuary. Pale and concerned she walked around the enclosures and checked on the animals.

This is what Sam imagined because the thought of her dead and buried was more than he could bear.

He picked up the bucket and carried it over to fill the bath pans for the hawks.

Brightness watched him go. She could smell and feel his sadness on the loss of his One. Brightness had watched the old woman fall to the ground while giving a tour to a group of tourists. She had watched as the people crowded round and she had hid when the fire truck and ambulance arrived.

The yellow wolf knew that the woman was dead and later she had howled the long mourning howl into the night so that the stars rang with her song and the old pyrenese dog came out and told her to be quiet.

The dog’s name was Frankie and Brightness could smell that he was grieving as much as the old man for the woman.

“Shut up, thief! Will you!? Isn’t it enough that my friend lies crying on his bed and Kip and I are his only comfort? Must you sing at a time like this?”

Brightness answered, “I am not singing in joy….I am mourning the old woman. As my Mother taught me.”

Frankie sat down, “ Yes, The thief that they brought in from the north. I could smell the ice on her breath. She did not teach you that! She died the second day after you were whelped.”

Kip pranced up. He was a big dog too, wolf gray and with golden brown eyes. He was a hybrid wolf. His father had been a Malamute and his mother a wolf mix. Kip was a bit confused by his ancestry.

“Frankie, The old man is crying and I lay down by him like you told me. But it doesn’t seem to help. He just pushes me away.”

Frankie turned and barked once. “Wooof! You are supposed to stay with him, whatever he does! Don't’ you know anything? Get back in there! I must do my rounds."

“All right,” Kip replied, “I’ll do my best.”

Frankie then turned back to Brightness. “And you…be quiet….” Then he marched off.

The dog passed Brightness’s enclosure and then approached a big gray wolf’s enclosure. The wolf rose snarling and threw himself on the fence line at the dog. But Frankie completely ignored him.

“I will eat you one day, Beauty,” the wolf told the dog. Frankie said nothing.

Brightness turned towards the gray wolf. “Why would you eat the old white dog?” she asked him.

The gray wolf lifted his tail high and pricked his ears. Then he whispered to her. “He is one of them…he helps them keep us here.” The big wolf limped closer and Brightness could see that he was injured, an old wound healed now, but it left him with a permanent limp.

Brightness asked him, “Where else would we go?” The wolf did not answer but merely glanced up into the clouds that hung heavy over the mountains that stood on the horizon.

Brightness followed his gaze and felt the pull of those high hills. But she felt fear, to think of leaving the enclosure where she had been raised made her tremble.

The gray wolf then added, “You are almost like them. If you stay here you will become one of them. You will have the Helpless inside you and they will control your every thought and movement. No more breezes for you to smell little female! No wind in your heart.

No singing….no pups…..no One who is for you only. You can pace here! No long treks with your family after the good Beauties that sustain our people. No you must eat the little pellets that taste like dirt!” He sidled up closer. “I watch the Long Hairs, they know who I am…They know they would be the first to be eaten after the White dog! If I got out!”

Brightness stared at him helplessly, not understanding him completely but sensing that captivity had made him almost insane.

“You would eat the old white dog?” She repeated.

The wolf lay down suddenly; “Of course…I would eat them all. That is the only way. Except the old man.…He is Hoya I think…his bones ring out with unspoken stories. No I would take the old man with me! Up into the mountains and then perhaps the Mother of All would allow him to become a wolf!”

Brightness swallowed. “Would you take me?”

The big wolf looked at her. “Of course! And you and I we would loose the Singers once again upon those lonely mountains! You and I and the old man! THE PACK OF LOST ONES!” The Wolf howled out. Then got up and slunk limping away.

Brightness lay down and thought of how it would feel to be free. She had never experienced it. And she felt a restlessness that flooded like a strong river through her body. Sometimes restless feelings like winds blew along her whole being. The wolves were great travelers. Brightness had always lived behind a fence with all her food and water and shelter provided she looked at the autumn leaves blowing along the ground, the cottonwood and maple and alder and she yearned to travel a wandering path. She liked the old man and the dogs. The limping gray wolf was hard for her to understand. He seemed crazy, but he was all the companionship of her own people that she had.

Samuel patiently went about his chores then went into his cabin to fix some tea and toast with butter. He sat down heavily into a creaking old leather chair well worn into his shape and size. Margaret had called it his best friend. He sighed thinking of her and his eyes strayed to the portrait that had been snapped at their wedding almost 50 years before.

Her red hair blowing, as the photo was taken outside. One of her hands pulled discreetly at her cornflower blue dress as it tried to blow up around her. He looked at his own lost young, but happy face.

*Long Hairs- horses.

He was bewildered that this lovely girl would marry him. At that time mixed marriages were frowned upon by both of their peoples. And he was nine years older than she was. A sound from outside the cabin brought him back into the present.

He looked away from the portrait and out to where Brightness lay and where beyond her the limping gray wolf paced resolutely watching the eastern hills.

The phone rang. Sam stood up and shuffled over to pick it up.

“Hello?”

The clock ticked on the mantel.

Sam listened to the voice, firm and insistent.

He answered the questions.

“Yes, I understand, a few more days, I know someone will help us. The refuge is short on money for a while, be patient with us….please….”

The clock continued ticking and Sam’s brown eyes closed.

The voice droned on and in his mind Sam could see young Margaret tumbling down on their bed young and ancient as spring…. Wild flowers pale blue and damp, clutched in both her hands.

Frankie paced into the cabin and stared up at Sam, his tail wagging happily.

Sam said into the receiver, “Please…please, there is nowhere for the animals to go.”

____________________________________________________________

Chapter 6

Hole and the Raven.

Bone and Trotter and Crevice lay fully fed in the thick snow with the pups curled up around them.

“It is decided then, “stated Bone. “We will cross Flat Waters Territory at the far northwestern corner, then head south till we can cross the land beyond that.”

Trotter sighed and licked her lips. “That is the worst plan I have ever heard! What is northwest? The Helpless…and to get past them we must cross Flat-water pack? Bone you must have the walking sickness, may the Mother of All protect you. This is to fly from fire to foe.”

Bone stood up and shook himself spraying nearby Hole with snow.

“If you have a better idea I would like to know what it is.” He then sat down.

Trotter answered. “I think we should find that Hoya Raven and ask her. She can fly….she could tell us.”

“Why?” stated Crevice, “Why should she?”

Trotter showed her teeth. “Because she is doing poorly.”

“Poorly?” Bone questioned, “What makes you say that? She smelled like the healthiest Raven around!”

Trotter answered, “She has no mate! No children! She was following a Helpless One! She is in as desperate a situation as we are! And the ravens must help the wolves.”

Crevice and Bone exchanged glances.

“Perhaps, Old Auntie, it would not hurt to ask her. But only one of us should go. Which?”

Hole, who was lying half-buried in snow spray, leaped up and said, “I will! I will go! She will not be afraid of me! And I am so small the Helpless will not see me at all! You can watch from cover and listen! Old Auntie can coach me on what I should say! Please my Elders! Let me try!”

Jumps, Hiding, and Snow all wished desperately that they had been the first to think up this idea.

Crevice's eyes squinted with pleasure as he looked at the tiny black female. He glanced up at Trotter and then at the doubtful Bone. Bone looked at Hole and then said, “It is well chased, little Hole in the Ground. You pups are growing up. It is right for you to share in the responsibility of the pack. We shall find the Raven and ask for advice.”

Trotter wagged her tail and the wolves curled up in the snow to sleep.

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Lupine pecked at the cold frying pan and the bits of scrambled egg that clung to it. A woman sat close to the bird, hugging her knees, pondering the photos she had taken of the wildlife in the area. ‘If I can convince the council of the need of a wildlife corridor here…then maybe…’ She thought to herself.

She was a small woman with short-cropped black hair and glasses. Her thoughts were disturbed by the Raven flying to her knee where it cocked its head gave a sharp croak then flew off into the woods.

“Lu?…Lupine!” The woman called. “Come back here silly bird!”

But Lupine did not listen she had heard the soft sounds of a creeping animal not heard by the woman. As she flew she caught sight of a little black form curled up waiting in the brush. Lupine circled once then landed and crow skipped up to Hole who sneezed in surprise at the appearance of the Raven.

“Well, well, the smallest wolf in the wide world! Be careful young one you are not mistaken for a cat and taken home with some camper!”

Hole stood up and shook and panted. “Bone told me you were tricky….but I have come here to invoke you according to the old ways to help us.”

Lupine laughed a throaty raven chortle. “Old ways? Are you THAT traditional you wild things? Ho!Ho! What is it that you would have me do? Fly out and bring you back a buffalo!”

Hole blinked in confusion, “Could you do that?”

The raven sighed, “No young one…. I am teasing you…go away! I cannot help you…. I must go back to Grace.”

Hole flattened her ears in sadness. “Oh…then I have failed. Trotter was wrong…That is strange that you do not believe in the old ways anymore…”

The little wolf turned and started to slink back into the brush.

The raven couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. “Oh I know I will regret this! But stop…don’t go…what do you want?”

Hole turned and said, “Our Relata’s are Lost. We are few and most of us very old or very young. My pack asks you to help us cross the Flat Waters territory and go through the land where the Helpless are numerous. We are looking for a new home.”

Suddenly the raven felt the sorrow of the little black wolf. Lupine knew what the wolves were up against. And she knew that their chances were minimal. She saw herself showing them where to travel, through valleys and by rivers. She saw herself growing attached to them, knowing their names and playing teasing games with them. Then one by one in her mind she saw them die at the guns of the Helpless. Lupine croaked harshly, “I cannot help you, Singer. The old ways are broken forever by the Helpless. Go back where you came from is my advice.”

Hole crouched down like she had been struck. “We cannot go back…the Helpless are already there.”

The raven bobbed her head in indifference. “Well I do not know what you are to do.”

Hole whined, a soft sound, and turned away.

Lupine watched her long after she was out of sight.

Hole crept back to the pack and sadly told them that the raven would not help.

Bone licked her face. “You tried and that was good. We will find our way somehow. Come now lets go on.”

So the pack started north heading straight into Flat-Water pack that lived and hunted by the shores of a huge lake.

Chapter 7

Sam’s Decision

It was Brightness who noticed the change and brought it up to the dogs as they passed by on their tour of the sanctuary.

“What is wrong with the old man?” She asked them. “He is still sad at the loss of his one, but there is something else, some difficulty he is worried about.”

Frankie stopped and eyed the young wolf with an appraising glance. “You see much, thief…. Sam is trying to figure out how to keep us together." Said the dog then marched on.

Kip the hybrid however stopped to continue the conversation.

“The old man doesn’t think we know about his troubles. But he is not Relata, as you would say it. He does not control his own territory, others do. It is very strange but I think it’s a territorial dispute of some kind.”

Brightness cocked her head trying to understand. “But, Kip why are we here in the first place? The others and myself…what is this all about? It is certainly not right. It doesn’t smell right…or feel right. Why can’t we all just live? Why can I not go outside.”

Kip sat down. A big scruffy brown grey dog with pricked ears and a big ruff of black around his neck and face.

“Frankie tells me if you left this place you would die…. Instantly. This is why Sam keeps you here to keep you from dying.”

The big wolf in the next enclosure raised his head and got up and trotted over where he could talk to them both.

“There is no death.” He told them softly. “There is only the Returning. The old man is trying to help, I can smell that, but he has been made insane! This…” The wolf eyed the 16-foot high fences. “…is insanity. What is the old man really afraid of? I shall try to talk to him! He will set us free!”

Sam sat down heavily on the bed and opened the envelope with callused hands. He read the words his mind dull and tired. The words swirled in his eyes and he wiped at them a moment with one callused fingertip.

He told the empty air of the bedroom. “I give up.” He then placed the envelope and letter it contained on the bed and stood up and looked out the window at the compound of the sanctuary.

“I give up…Margaret, I can’t do this anymore. It’s too hard. There is never any money. I have no help…. I can’t do it without you…”

Sam wondered what he could do. He and Margaret had tried for years. The sanctuary only just scraping by. At first Margaret and Sam laughed at the poverty of their lives. “We are rich in other things.” They told themselves.

But with his wife dead, Sam could now only think of escape. But what of the animals? The raven with one wing could go to another bird center. The Mountain lions and the bear might be able to go to the zoo. The wolves no one wanted. Most sanctuaries were full of rescued wolves. The horses were lame and not useful…Sam wondered if some pasture could be found for them. The other small wildlife that was ready could be released. His dogs he would leave here for the Volunteers to find.

“But where will I go?” He asked himself out loud.

He watched through the window of his house the golden female wolf and then raising his eyes towards the lame male. He saw himself taking his old rifle and ending it for them. But he knew he couldn’t do this.

He wandered out of the bedroom with its peeling blue flowered wallpaper and out the hallways to the back door. He stepped out and was greeted by Frankie the Great pyrenese and Kip the hybrid. Frankie could sense Sam’s distress. The three walked out and stood by the fenceline where the wolves were kept.

Brightness trotted up to him and wagged her tail. The lame wolf raised his head and took a deep breath as the breeze took the scent of the old man towards him.

The wolf stood up slowly.

Sam caught his intense gaze and watched as the big wolf stalked towards him. Something that he had never done. The wolf walked in silence each step soft and primal. He stalked up within 6 feet and then looked the old man in the eyes. Tired red rimmed brown eyes staring into wild intense green.

The gray wolf told Sam.

“Hoya, Let me go.”

Brightness and the dogs could understand him. Sam stood there transfixed by the wolf’s direct gaze.

The gray wolf repeated

“Hoya, let me go.”

Sam knelt down and put his fingers around the chain link. Frankie whined and worried pushing his way between his friend and the captive wolf.

“….Let me go. I will take you with me. There is nothing for you here. Come back with me Old Helpless. Become a wolf. Let me go.” The gray wolf glanced at the dogs and said to the old man.

“I will even spare these beauties…let me go and come into the mountains with me.”

The wolf stepped closer and Frankie growled. Sam petted the dog. “Its ok Frankie, Sam told him. “He is making friends with me after all this time.” Sam told the wolf. “I will try to help you wolves as I always have. I think I can find homes for most of the animals here. But I am so tired. I have heard stories of wolves. The good guides of humanity. At least if I cannot find a place for you I can drive you into the hills and you can take your chances. I wish I could go into the hills with you…. Even if it was just to sit down under some tree and…..”

The gray wolf sat down and began to howl. The mournful drawn out sobbing of a wild thing calling to ancestors and unborn. Sam sat down on the packed damp earth and listened. Soon Brightness joined in then Kip the hybrid.

Frankie did not howl but lay close to Sam and pondered what this might portend.

Sam listened to the wolves howling and stared resolutely at the mountain that lifted their snow-covered peaks into the sky. Clouds pushed at the horizon, steel gray and threatening.

‘Yes, that’s what I’ll do. ‘ Thought Sam. ‘I will call the sanctuaries that can help with the other animals and then I’ll take the wolves into the mountains. One last time I’ll hike those hills.’

He glanced down at Frankie who was intently watching his face.

“Frankie, you will have to stay here. I’ll call one of the young volunteers to come feed you two and she’ll take care of you. In case…I don’t come back.”

Sam rested his hand on the old dog’s head a moment then walked into the house and picked up the phone and began calling other sanctuaries to find homes for the animals he could. As he called and talked he stared at the wedding picture at Margaret and thought. ‘Soon I will be with you.’

Frankie watched the old man walk away and then turned to Kip as the hybrid wolf stopped howling.

“He is leaving us. He has decided something. We will have to stick close to him.”

Kip acknowledged this by wagging his tail and laying down his ears”

The gray wolf stood up and told them, “He has decided to come with me. He has decided to become one of the Swift. “ He then told Brightness, “You may yet dig your own den and have pups.”

Frankie studied the wolf with consideration and mistrust. “Realize old thief that where the old man goes so do we.”

The gray wolf yawned, “Whatever trail you choose it is up to you. But I told the old man I wouldn’t eat you, beauty, and I meant that.”

Frankie growled, “I do not think eating me would be as easy as you think…”

For the first time the dogs and Brightness saw the Gray wolf wag his tail, slowly, twice. “It would be easy.” He told the dog.

Kip interrupted, “Frankie, why do you two hate each other so much?”

Brightness turned to him and answered softly, “It is because the Swift people think that the Helpless taught your people to betray us. My mother whispered the song to me when I was a pup. She called your kind, the Called.”

All eyes turned towards the golden wolf.

The gray wolf squinted his eyes and smiled and stalked away. As he left he stated, “Life is the way it is. We are leaving. Get ready.”

________________________________________

Chapter 8

The Wolves of Flat Water

Flat Water Pack had lived and hunted by this lake for generations. They had marked this land as their territory as wolves do by scent marking all its boundaries with urine and feces. And also by long drawn out bouts of howling warning other wolves to stay away.

The leader of Flat Water was a big grizzled female called Chases. Chases ruled Flat Water. She had won her right as Relata by chasing away all her rivals including two sisters. Chases mate had disappeared. So Flat Water had no male Relata.

Then one day a wanderer arrived. A young wolf full of himself looking for territory.

The young male’s name was Wind. He was a happy go lucky young male much younger than Chases. Strong and confidant he had Wandered into Flat Water and surprised the Pack on a kill. He was promptly chased off. And Wind ran for his life as Flat Water pack was angry and would have killed him if he had been caught.

But that evening Wind listened to the Flat Water wolves howling and could tell there was no male Relata in the group. So he decided to win the pack and Chases for himself.

In human terms it was like a young Robin Hood wooing a rich, strong willed Matron nearly twice his age.

Wind first lingered on the pack's outskirts, howling when the group howled. Chases was furious that this young interloper would dare trespass so brazenly. She and Flat-Water pack would pursue the young male for miles. But Wind was swift and brave and soon he began to stop and turn at the end of these pursuits and play bow at the younger wolves, Chase’s older pups, trying to entice them into play.

They would have none of that and would run at him trying to bite and body slam him to the ground where he would have surly been killed. But Wind was clever and dodged these attacks. And with Chases watching he began to win secret admiration for his boldness from the older female.

Then one day as Chases and the rest of Flat Water pack was following him he turned and play bowed at her. She stopped and watched him prance up to her touch her very nose with his then dash away to circle and play bow and repeat this maneuver again. The other wolves chased him as well and found he was so quick, so crafty at dodging them he seemed impossible to catch.

Then suddenly he was accepted. Chases play bowed at him and the whole group was suddenly a family. Wind was accepted as he was strong and brave and maybe a bit crazy. He won his right and became Chases mate. He taken grave chances and now was Relata.

Wind trotted down the ridgeline followed by Chases. “There are two very old, one strong male and this years pups.”

Chases growled, “They are trespassing. They are Crystal Creek pack. But where are the Relatas?”

Wind play-bowed towards her. “Who knows. They will not survive this winter. Maybe the big male and one or two of the best pups. Let them go, Mother.”

Chases did not answer.

Wind breathed in the sweet scent of wolves and said, “It is not strange that they came this way. Their Beautiful are as depleted as ours. I wonder what has happened to make the Beautiful leave our territory?”

Chases showed him her teeth. “ All the more reason…..” Chases told him, “They trespass. They die.” She raised her head and called to gather the pack.

Chapter 9

Trespassing

Bone didn’t know much about Flat-water pack except that his parents had chased them out of Crystal Creek’s territory years ago. He pondered what their reaction would be as a group of ancient wolves and this years pups traipsed brazenly through the heart of their territory.

The wolves traveled through country of stunning beauty. Thick stands of evergreen with silent moss under them as a quiet carpet where the snow had blown clear. Rivers of cloudy milk blue, the stones surrounding them the colors of sunsets and early mornings.

The ground was becoming frozen as winter took over from fall. And they had seen no game for a week. Another few days went by and the wolves could feel the pinch of hunger.

‘No Beauties to be smelled or seen,’ Bone thought as the pack trotted onward. They soon would have to find their next prey.

The wolves spread out as they traveled. Muzzles down and searching for the traces of passing animals.

But nothing caught their attention from that eloquent, truthful world of the nose.

Then Hiding happened on the scent of a buck. The wolves trailed him till they came to where he stood his back to a cliff face.

Bone came very close to him and the buck stared imperiously at him. Regal, even with his antlers recently dropped. His head thrown back ears at attention. The buck stamped one front hoof.

Bone turned suddenly and trotted away.

Hiding asked Crevice, “Old Uncle, Why didn’t Uncle Father want to hunt that Beauty?”

Crevice laid his ears down and wagged his tail, a wolf smile, and answered, “Because the Buck knew it was not his time for passing. And if Bone had tried then someone besides the Buck could have been hurt.”

Hiding understood and turned and glanced at the Buck, a lone figure in the snow who stared after the wolves resolutely.

Two more days of traveling went by and the wolves came upon the carcass of an elk killed by a grizzly. They stopped and made short work of the old scant remnants.

Bone then drew Crevice and Trotter to him and said, “We must go out and forage. Let’s each take a pup. I will take Hole and Hiding.”

This was agreed and the pups were told to stick close and the little groups went off each in a different direction each heading deeper into Flat-water pack's territory.

Bone took Hole and Hiding because Hole was very small and Hiding very shy. The pups followed Bone’s tail with its back scent mark near the base and black tipped hairs at the end.

The wolves trotted nose down and sometimes Bone would send them on their own little forays into little protected hollows and near the almost frozen streams.

They came to a trail in the woods, beaten down by many paws of something wolf like but not a wolf. They could smell the Helpless mingled within these scents and Bone, who understood who the smells belonged to, stated to the pups. “It is our cousins, the Called.”

Hole and Hiding looked at their Uncle Father but he said nothing more and turned from the path and took up another trail down the next little valley.

They came to something grumbling in the snow. “Careful!” Bone told them. They sniffed around the creature as it grumbled and groaned and curled up into a ball leaving an amour of quills pointing out.

“I am surprised to see this Beauty out!” Said Bone. “I have seen a Lynx catch one….” Bone muttered as he circled the porcupine and tried to figure out how to turn the animal over so as to start on a part of the creature not protected by quills.

Bone tried but the Porcupine would turn around and lash his tail at Bone who would jump back. Hiding tried to distract the porcupine from his angle but he could hear the old creature grumble at him saying, “I am not that witless yet.”

Hole tried to run in and nip at his nose but he put it between his paws and curled down exposing a great many quills that stuck up on his neck and back.

The wolves circled and dodged and Bone nearly got an eye out before they finally gave up. The Porcupine uncurled as soon as the wolves were safe away and waddled on to his den which was nearby.

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Arnuk, the dog, was bedded down just off the trail in a depression she had dug to make a hole for her hip and shoulder. She was still in harness and 8 of her teammates were bedded in two rows behind her. Her partner, Keet lay next to her and raised his head.

“Well look at that…” The moon slid out from behind moving clouds and revealed, to the malamutes, in the shadows were three wolves.

Arnuk growled at the wolves. Something about them made her suspicious and afraid. They smelled of mountains and granite, avalanches and snow falling.

Hole said to Bone, “Uncle Father lets talk to them. They must know some interesting things about the helpless.”

Bone was worried. The team was here. But where was their Helpless? He knew that the Called never traveled like this unless the helpless were with them. The Called pulled the men along like a wolf dragging a caribou calf.

Hole took a step forward.

“He’s off….you know…off marking his territory. The old Man….he’ll be awhile.”

Keet told the wolves this boldly. Keet was a big black and white neutered male malamute.

Bone could smell there was something strange about his sex. But he said nothing.

Hole asked the dogs. “Why are you aiding the Helpless in driving out the Beautiful and forcing us to leave?”

“Listen to this child.” Arnuk told the team, who slowly wakened but did not move. The dogs had their hackles raised and their eyes glinting fear.

“I do not know what you mean, Mountain’s Child…the human that we are pack mates with are not hunting.”

Hole then asked simply, “Then why are you here.”

Arnuk sat up; “We are racing.”

Hole cocked her head at the dogs, confused, “Racing?” The concept was baffling.

“Racing what?”

Keet offered up. “Why, racing other teams of course. The fastest and strongest wins.”

Hole wagged her tail, a brief flick. “Oh so the strongest then prevails and you hunt more successfully. Though truly how do you hunt with the…..” Here Hole stared hard at the x-backed harness and gang lines connecting all the dogs. “ How can you hunt with all this caught on you?"

Arnuk tried to explain as if to a simpleton, “We are not hunting, child, we are racing for fun. Racing to see which team is the fastest.”

Hole stared at the dog as if she were insane. “Racing…to see who is the fastest, and not hunting. So you risk injury and only for playing like a pup with a leaf.”

Bone touched Hole’s shoulder with his muzzle.

“Hole in the Ground, these are the Called they are parts of the body of the Helpless like the hoof is part of the elk. They trade their lives. They are not like us. It is not possible to understand them.”

“Our man is coming back.” Keet kindly told them.

Bone turned and ran off followed by the pups.

Keet barked once, “Well look at them run. Strange though eh? They were so close. I have never been that close to them before. The scent of them brings back memories almost of generations long ago.”

Arnuk said to him, “ How strange that they cannot understand the simple concept of a race. But we have not seen the end of this. They were hunting, but frightened of us. And they asked us something? Something about why the men are driving the Beautiful away.…”

Keet murmured, “Who are the beautiful?”

The dog’s musher walked up and broke the sled out of the ice by rocking it back and forth. Then he pushed off on the sled's runners. “Ok, hike dogs, hike Arnuk.

The team stood up and trotted off, the runners making hissing noises in the snow.

The man glanced down and in the moonlight he could make out the tracks of wolves in the snow.

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Crevice had Jumps trailing him. Jumps who now thought himself grown up enough to go foray. Crevice tottered along an old and limping wolf. Jumps strutted proudly behind him; his fur fluffed and relaxed, his tail up.

They could smell carrion on the wind and they followed it to a second old kill of elk but lying near it was a silvertip. The grizzly bear woke up and eyed them balefully.

“Go away.” He growled.

Crevice answered, “Now could you tell us if there are any beauties moving around here?”

The bear stretched and yawned, “No, they are all gone. Driven away by some nameless flying thing. Go AWAY!”

Crevice wagged his tail and eyed the carrion. He murmured to Jumps. I’ll distract him you will run in and grab something!”

Jumps panted delight at this but had a second look at the grizz and wondered if this was such a good idea after all.

Crevice stalked up to within 12 feet of the bear and told him, “You stupid fat old overgrown beaver! How did you catch this elk? Did you trip and fall on it?”

The Bear stood up and growled fiercely, “You scruffy coyote! Come closer and tell me more.”

“Oh I see! This Beauty died weeks ago of old age and you just now caught up to it.”

Crevice could see the Bear shifting weight off one front foot.

The old wolf told the bear, “I couldn’t get closer to you because the smell of your reek is making me cough.” Then he politely hacked a couple of times.

The bear roared and rushed at Crevice who darted out of his way. The bear turned and charged and Crevice ran around him and nimbly nipped him in the rump. “ARRRRR! My Mouth! You taste like Skunk Piss!” Crevice cried out to the Grizzly.

The Bear made wild slaps at Crevice who stayed just out of reach. Jumps ran in and grabbed the carcass but it was old and began falling apart. He tried to drag it off. The bear turned saw he was loosing his meal so he ran after Jumps who took one look at the angry grizz and sprinted away with his tail between his legs.

Crevice sat down in the snow and panted out laughing. “I haven’t had fun like this for a long time!”

Crevice ran after the grizz and bit at his heels. The bear stopped, swung around and roared out his anger, but Crevice was out of his way by then and Jumps ran back in and managed to pull a scrawny leg off the carcass and dashed away with it. Crevice buffed a warning at the Bear and then followed Jumps. The Bear sat down and growled and chuffed and grabbed the remains of his disintegrating meal and lumbered away.

‘I should be in my den now, anyway!’ He thought to himself.

----------------------------------------------------

Trotter had Snow following her and she constantly had to remind the pup to hurry and keep up. He trailed behind her, his mind on other remembered feasts.

Suddenly Snow stopped, raised his head and sniffed. He could smell something on the wind a very pleasant scent.

He watched Trotter, some distance from him, trot into a ravine and Snow decided to follow the smell.

He followed the aroma till he came to a small homebuilt cabin snug and tucked back into the woods. Smoke rose from the chimney and the delectable smell was wafting out a crack in one small window pane.

Snow walked up closer. He could smell that the Helpless lived here. But his stomach and his youth removed all caution from him.

He padded up to the porch and sniffed.

Inside an old man was serving himself bacon and eggs.

His hair was white as his beard and he was bent over like a storm struck tree. He had lived in this cabin for decades and his heart and mind had moved away from humanity and the present time. He lived in the wilderness by himself after his wife left him and their children grew up.

His mind wandered now back through days of youth.

He heard something padding softly on the porch and his mind stepped back into spring of his childhood when he was a boy in Scotland.

He called out, “Mother! I’ll feed him! “ He walked to the porch and opened the heavy door.

Peering up at him was Snow, who jumped back several feet, but the scent of the food put all sense out of the young wolf’s head. He watched curiously as the old man called to him, “Hello Blaze! Good boy? Where have you been? It’s suppertime. Where’s your bowl?”

The old man went back and got a metal pan and slopped something warm and fragrant into the dish. He put it down then stepped back.

Snow’s mouth was watering so much he forgot to be afraid he crept up belly to the floor and gobbled the food up. His eyes raised to watch the man while he ate. The wolf ate so fast that the old man smiled and went back to get some more.

“You are hungry aren’t you Blaze? Well eat up! Sheep dog trials tomorrow!”

The wolves in little groups soon wandered back together and each wolf had a story to tell. Trotter was the most disgusted at Snow who had crept up to the habitation of the Helpless and actually had eaten their food.

Bone was shocked at the presence of the cabin so deep in the wilderness.

Jumps got a fair share of praise, as he was the only one who had actually procured food.

Hole told Trotter about what the dogs and as the wolves trotted along Trotter began to tell them a story.

Chapter 10

The Called

THE STORY OF THE CALLED as told by Trotter of Crystal Creek Pack.

“A long time ago after the Mother of All created the Helpless.” Said Trotter.

“Now wait a moment, Old Auntie!” Exclaimed Jumps. “I want to know how The Mother of All created the Helpless, how and why?”

Trotter sighed, “One story at a time, Jumps.”

“It was after the Helpless had been created that this story took place. It was in a time when the world never saw the seasons of Heat.

Hole asked, “The heat months never came?”

Trotter answered her, “That is right. No time of green coming again and no time of Leisure in the long daylight. Instead it was ice and snow and hard ground. This was when Bear learned to sleep through winter and the long necks Learned to fly to the country where Yellow Wolf never blinks.

It was said there was a young wolf who lost her pack. Her One died and her family one by one went into the changing. The Swift at that time were followed by the Helpless in the pursuit of Beauties. It was the Swift People that taught the Helpless about life.

The young female Relata was known as Water. She was gentle and smart and tired and full of pups all ready to come out into the world.

So she found a cave and there crept inside thinking that the pups would be born and then all of them would die of hunger.

There was a great storm. The kind where the wind drives the powdered snow up in great blinding clouds and you cannot see a thing. The young mother had given birth to 7 little pups, 3 male 3 female.

And as she lay there starving she suckled them and they drank her life away. But as she was a true Relata she sang her song of passing and hoped Yellow Wolf and Glistens and the Mother of All would take care of her pups.

Finally Water died and returned to the place where all Elk’s children go.

Then a Helpless male, tired, cold, hungry and with a young daughter clutched in his arms staggered into the cave.

And there he made the grounded light and warmed himself. His daughter and he had been separated from their pack by an avalanche and he lay now seeing death all around and sadly thinking of his daughter who would not live to mate and have children of her own.

*Where the Yellow Wolf never blinks- the south, Long necks- Geese

* Grounded light-fire

The daughter was as old as you pups now. Not an adult, but not yet ready to wander. She explored the cavern and heard the tiny squeak growls of Water’s pups who were not yet ready to open their eyes. She picked them up sadly seeing their mother lying there Lost and gone into the next place. She carried them to her father, who feeling his life close to changing as well held the pups and stroked them.

And holding the pups comforted the Helpless.

And it is said, and I know that there are some here that would not believe this.” Trotter glanced at Bone who looked away. “That this Helpless male and his daughter called out to The Mother of All that they would lay down their lives so the pups could eat a little while longer. The pups were so soft, so tiny that the Helpless took pity on them. The Helpless remembered the gifts that the Swift had given his people so he took a stone and rubbed his arm till his life flowed red and this he fed to the pups.

And The Mother of All heard them. And suddenly the blizzard stopped and Yellow Wolf peeked out and ran across the sky. And soon the two Helpless heard voices calling and it was their pack come looking for them. The One of the Helpless male ran to her mate. She had recently given birth to a son. It was she who fed the pups her own life. Yes through the breasts of the Helpless the first Called were satisfied.

And the seven thrived and a strange thing happened. When they opened their eyes and saw the Helpless they were not frightened, as we would be. The Mother of All had changed their eyes so that the Helpless appeared to them as wolves! And so they lived with the Helpless and hunted with them. They slept with them and died for them. They learned to do things that a wolf would not do.

And in the beginning the Helpless and the Called became pack mates and promised to each other as two wolves coming together as one.

But the Helpless are not like wolves and choose many mates rather than having their One. So over many generations the Helpless grew tired of the Called. And this breaking of a vow shared changed the Called into many strange forms.

Now the Helpless use the Called as the grounded light uses the forest when lightening strikes! But the Called do not see it. They know nothing else. To them the Helpless are as wolves and there is no changing from this great blindness. And so my tale is done.”

Hole thought a moment. “The Called do appear different. But they have still a similar shape as the Swift.”

Crevice told her, “Yes but I have seen in my youth, a Called one that was carried into Crystal Creeks territory in the arms of a Helpless. This little Called had a face that was pushed in so it was almost like chipmunk and it made a horrible sound when it breathed. Yet when the Helpless put it down it ran and played like a young pup.”

Hole asked Trotter, “But you haven’t explained why there is anger and suspicion between the Called and the Swift?”

Trotter wagged her short scruff of a tail and answered, “THAT is yet another story!”

The wolves then moved on in silence. Suddenly Bone stopped, they could hear something hanging on the wind, distant howling. A wolf chorus broke out ringing all around them.

Crevice and Trotter exchanged glances. Hole whimpered once.

Bone’s hackles raised, “It is Flat-Water…they have found us.”

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Chapter 11

Scattered!

Bone who had been in one or two tough wolf fights knew now that he would probably join Ice and Lily and give his life. He told Crevice and Trotter to run. Told Hole to hide. And the rest of the pups he put shoulder to flank and they watched as the Flat-Water pack descended on them from the hillsides, kicking up loose snow as they came.

Their growling was fierce and there was no displays like those given in a ritualized battle within a pack. This was trespass and if you are caught you can be killed. A huge grey female tore down the hill and silently hurled herself at Bone who dodged and shoulder slapped her so hard she was flung into a drift where she sputtered to regain her feet. A young male tore his back and he could hear Jumps, Snow and Hiding fighting around him. He threw off one wolf and found himself facing a cheery young male who told him, “My brother it would be best for you to run, My One is death on strangers. She almost killed me the first time we met!”

Bone stared at the female who was now attempting to grab him by the throat and he flung her off once more and told the Male.

“Yes she is Relata through and through! It is always the females who are so driven.” He called the pups and they split up to run off and somehow lose Flat-Water pack as they chased them.

Hole had crept into a crack at the base of a large fir tree that was ice split. She watched in horror as Trotter and Crevice limped away. Hoping desperately that the old wolves would somehow survive the night. She was frightened and had to concentrate to keep from whimpering. Her stomach was pinched and empty. She could feel the cold as she had lost weight.

She watched Bone fight using his great weight to throw wolves off one by one. He watched Snow save their brother Hiding as a large female tried to catch him round the waist and snap his spine in her jaws. And then suddenly the fight split apart and she hid in the tree alone.

Hole heard a sound. A buzzing roar from overhead and a sharp crack of some nameless dread.

She cowered in terror as she saw two flat-water pack wolves fall lifeless in the snow. And the rest scatter as some horrible flying thing swooped over them.

Hole lay trembling in her hiding place. She watched as flying thing chased the wolves and some collapsed after a sharp retort from a rifle discharge. The dead wolves lay on the ground until the flying thing landed lightly on the reddened snow and the Helpless got out and skinned the dead wolves. Hole had shut her eyes. She couldn’t tell who had been shot. And wondered if she had any family left at all.

Finally the Helpless climbed into their flying thing and flew off with a mind numbing roar and flying snow.

Hole crept out. She was hungry. She made herself go look at the poor skinless frozen bodies of the slain wolves. None were Crystal Creek. But she did smell blood. And knew it was Bone and Hiding’s blood. One of the dead wolves was Wind, the female Relata of Flat-water pack. Her face twisted in a snarl.

She decided to follow the old wolves trail, Crevice and Trotter. She wished she could howl to them but fear of the remaining Flat-water pack kept her silent.

She trotted on through the snow and skirting the edge of forests vast and dark and silent.

Hole thought about her situation as she trotted. She did feel sorrow and fear. But she did not give in to grief where she could not function. She lived in the moment and hoped that things would work out.

‘If Only the raven would have helped us.’ She told herself.

The north woods are quiet as winter lay upon them. The only sound was the snow softly crunching under Hole’s paws. The cold and scents of evergreen trees were sharp in her nostrils. Then she heard something.

A thin screeching sound.

‘Not a Beautiful One.’ Thought Hole She followed the sound, because as a wolf she was always curious. She came upon the strange sight of a bird hanging upside down from a fir branch. A leather strap twisted from the bird’s leg to the tree limb and the falcon was helplessly caught. The bird screeched a few more times then fell silent as it saw Hole approaching.

It was a Sky Hunter but not an eagle. The bird was much smaller than an eagle and was brownish grey with stripes that fell from below her eyes like the tears of the Helpless.

Hole asked the bird, “Why are you caught like that?”

The bird opened its beak and hissed at her. “Go away! I am fine. My partner will be with me soon and get me down from here.”

Hole looked about her nervously thinking of the sled dogs.

“Your Partner? Is it the Helpless?”

“I do not know what you are talking about. The one I hunt with and share the birds that I catch with.”

Hole raised her head and took a deep breath.

“I smell nothing here.”

The bird was breathing heavily and slowly twirling around upside down. “I was flying, chasing a bird. There was a wind, I lost the bird and went higher to see what was around us and then I was over the forest. I came down and got caught somehow.”

Hole gazed up at the strap. “Well maybe if you fly up and sit on the branch instead of panicking and flapping all over you could peck the thing loose?”

The Prairie falcon thought for one moment then did this. It rested on the branch and tried to calm itself. It trembled in every limb then it pecked at the strap. It pecked one way then another. Hole sat down to watch. Finally the strap gave way and fell to the forest floor where Hole went up and smelled it. The strange acrid scent of the Helpless clung to the leather.

Hole thought, ‘This is very odd. The bird can clearly fly….why would she be partner to the Helpless.’

The bird roused its feathers shaking them up so it was three times as big then carefully letting them fall into place. She then put one or two feathers between her beak and slid them to smooth the barbs.

“I have hunted with one or two like yourself.” The Falcon told her.

“Always they were very helpful,” The falcon continued, “flushing the birds so I could easily catch them. Come with me and we shall hunt together.”

Hole wondered at this. But since she had no elders to ask she decided that she would.

“You are not related to the Ravens are you? I would feel better if you were.”

The Prairie Falcon raised her head feathers and told Hole, “I would eat those birds in a moment. I am related only to the sky.”

“My name is Hole in the Ground.” The wolf told her.

“I have no name. We are only related to the sky. And the sky is so big, so vast no name can cover him all.”

They left together into the quiet vastness of the Northern forest..

Chapter 12

Sam Leaves.

Samuel Fujita had finished his plans. He locked his dogs in a horsebox in the barn. This caused Frankie to bark and finally howl and scratch at the door. Sam walked to the house and went over his checklist in his head.

The zoo had come for the bear and mountain lion cubs this morning. The bird sanctuary would pick up the birds this evening. He had Elizabeth, a volunteer, coming over; in fact she would be here in two hours to watch the sanctuary and the animals that were left.

He had already gotten out his darting equipment to dart the two wolves. A blowgun so the wolves would feel nothing. He then would load them in his predator carriers. And use the old forklift to get them into the truck. Then he would drive 8 hours into the mountains and let them go. And Sam looked at the wolves from his bedroom window. “I plan on following them, Margaret, and not come back.”

He left no note of farewell. But packed the picture of his wife and he on their wedding night. He took water in a canteen. ‘No need for any survival gear, since I don’t intend on surviving.’

Kip and Frankie were locked in the barn and they heard Sam drive away in the big truck. This made Frankie very anxious and he began scratching and biting at the door.

Kip asked, “Frankie why are you doing that when you always told me not to?”

Frankie replied, “We have to get out! Sam is gone! He is GONE!

He cannot be without me! Help me force the door!” Kip walked up to the door dug at the edge with his big front paws, pulled a bit with his teeth and then with almost the same crushing power as his wolf ancestors pulled out a board. Then he pulled out another and the dogs were free. They ran out and Frankie saw the gates of the wolf enclosures swinging wide open.

He turned and began to run up the road barking and Kip followed him.

Chapter 14

The Story in the Truck

Brightness woke and felt things rattling strangely around her. She was being bumped and bounced as she lay. She peered upward at a tiny window but she could see nothing. This made her sick to her stomach. She could hear breathing near her so she asked, “Who is here?”

“I am.” came the answer.” She recognized the voice of the limping gray wolf.

“What has happened to us?” She asked him.

“The Helpless can make us sleep if they wish. The Hoya old Helpless is taking us to the mountains. There we will form a new pack.” Brightness could hear him wagging his tail as it thumped on the side of the metal predator carrier.

“I am frightened.” Brightness admitted.

“It will be over soon,” Comforted the wolf. “I will tell you a secret. I have never told you my name.”

“That is true, you never told anyone.”

“That is because names are powerful things. And mine is secret. But I will tell you part of it because it is ever changing and growing.”

The wolf told her softly, “My name is Sunrise.”

“Thank you for telling me.” Brightness was trembling a little in her crate. She could see a faint light coming in her window, although the day had started out cloudy.

“ I will tell you a story, would you like to hear?”

Brightness answered, “yes.”

The wolf started his tale;

The first were Yellow Wolf and Glistens his One. And it was Yellow Wolf’s duty to keep the Beautiful ones swift and strong and healthy. And it was Glisten who taught the Helpless because the Mother of All created them to remember the world forever, but that is all. The Helpless were so soft, so weak and so fearful that she thought they would not survive. The Mother of All made the Helpless that way because she wanted them always to remember that other beings on earth had helped them. She made them weak to keep them humble. She made them smart, but not with the wisdom remembered.

Glisten went to the Helpless in the shape of a wolf the color of snow and starlight falling. She taught them how to hunt. They had been living on what the wolf packs left them. The Helpless were grateful at her teachings. The young males followed her and learned her ability and endurance. The young females her courage and kindness. She taught the Helpless how to care for their families. How to raise their children to be strong and not afraid of the changing. She even taught them about their partners the Called.

And the Helpless learned how to live.

Meanwhile, Yellow Wolf was off hunting. Then one day there was a time of fire.”

Brightness interrupted, “What is fire.”

“Ground Light…the thing that gives heat.”

“But this fire came from the sky and changed the world. Perhaps Elk Chief, The Mother of All’s son did this. Or maybe Mother of All knew what the outcome would be. But something huge fell from the sky and the world changed in day.

It became cold. Yellow Wolf was off hunting when it happened and as this thing fell He spotted it and leaped up to stop it and it burned one of his paws very badly but even he could not stop it falling to the land.

Glisten was off teaching the Helpless and she saw it fall. She told the Helpless they must hide themselves and take as much food with them as they could for the world would change. The Helpless listened to her and did this.

The world grew colder and colder. And everything began to freeze. All the Beautiful and the Helpless, and the bear and fox and falcon and crow and great creatures that now are gone from the land. And there seemed nothing that could be done.

Yellow Wolf and Glisten met in the sky and talked about what they could do. They saw Elk Mother of All pawing the snow down below them so they went to talk with her.

“Why is the world freezing? “ They asked her.

Mother of All squinted and smiled.

“Must all creation perish?” Yellow Wolf and Glisten asked.

Still Elk Mother squinted and smiled.

“Can we do something to stop this?”

The Mother of All raised her head and told them.

“The world I have created is a strange place. And you have been its greatest teachers. But all teachers and parents must sacrifice. You two must sacrifice to stop the world from ending.

This did not make sense to Yellow Wolf and Glisten but they answered.

“What must we do?”

“Each of you must take a place in the sky guarding the world. Each to have their own time. Each of you pulling a balance between earth and sky and the freezing will stop.”

“We will do this. “ The wolves replied.

“But…” Elk Mother told them, “You will meet seldom and briefly. If you separate yourselves the world will heal. If you don’t it will not.”

Yellow Wolf and Glistens licked each other’s faces and howled together as they drew apart each in their own separate place in the sky.

Elk Mother then told them,

“I will give you a special gift. You will walk the land when the light hides and the night is without a glimmer. And someday when the Helpless need you they will look up and remember what the first wolves taught and the world will be saved twice.”

And from then on Yellow Wolf and Glistens were separated. They meet only briefly once in a great while. The land healed and balanced returned. The Helpless have forgot this story, they soon may be reminded once again.”

“Why is that? “ Asked Brightness.

“Because the Helpless are unbalancing the world.” The wolf answered.

The truck rattled on.

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Chapter 15

Grace

Grace Roan unlocked her front door and walked inside the house. She lived on the outskirts of town and the house was small but comfortable. She tossed a few small pieces of wood into her wood stove and sat down with a plop on her wooden chair. Next to her on the table her phone machine light blinked on and off.

She pressed a button and listened, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Lupine had come in on her shoulder and jumped to the table and walked around cocking her head at the voices.

“Hello Grace! Jim Lopez here, hey two things, the council met and the corridor idea has a lot of opposition. There is too much private land up there and people just won’t work together.”

That message beeped off the next started, “Hey Grace, This is Martha Onik. Jim called me about the corridor. Too bad! But the proposition for wolf relocation is underway. I think they are going to do it. So don’t give up, keep taking photos!”

The next message, “Hi Grace this is Sheriff Freeman. You know the old man that runs the Wildlife sanctuary up north of you? Have you seen him? He’s gone, and took two wolves with him. I guess he was delivering then to another sanctuary since he went bankrupt. Well he’s vanished. We can’t find him. Found the truck, nobody in it and no tracks since the snow fell right after.”

Grace sat in silence and thought of the phone calls. Wildlife corridors were something she had believed in and fought for 15 years now. It was an uphill battle. Wildlife congregated in protected areas, like National parks. But the parks were separated by land that was subjected to the whims of humanity. Growth, farming, BLM, hunting, and tourism all concentrated in and around those National Parks. How were wildlife to remain vital if they were in isolated pockets?

No population could survive that way for long. But everyone had an idea, some good some bad. Grace had found most people wanted wildlife in some way or another. Even hunting had its place, she thought to herself. But unrestricted growth like unrestricted hunting and the lack of cooperation between both private citizens and federal agencies seemed to doom the corridors to failure.

The next problem was the relocation issue. Wolves had been successfully relocated to areas in the lower 48 states. It was controversial. It did show the scientists and biologists what happened when a big predator was reintroduced. The results were astounding. It changed the Eco –system. Bringing back a balance in both plants and animals. And thinning the population of prey species so the herds stayed vital and healthy. But wolves are efficient predators and great travelers. As the packs grew they wandered outside of park boundaries and the ranchers were furious and frightened.

Funds had been set up to help pay for stock that wolves killed. But the ranchers had a hard time proving wolves killed their stock when the carcass was two-weeks-old.

Young people from various non-profits went into the mountains to guard the cattle, which seemed to work well but some of this, Grace sighed, was just simple greed and lack of foresight. That had to slowly be changed. Grace wondered if there was enough time.

The west, Grace thought, may end up like England. No big predators left, nothing bigger than a fox.

And then in the north there were active campaigns to kill off wolves to bring up the populations of game animals. Yes, it was said it was for indigenous people to sustain themselves. But Grace smiled to herself; she was native and had always argued that to keep balance if you wanted to claim sustainable living in the wilderness then you should not use a rifle and a snow machine, but bow and spear and dog sled. Also the populations of people in the north had tripled. And the permits issued to out of state hunter’s cost a substantial fee.

It was confusing. Grace had been hired by various non-profits to photograph and film many of these situations and she had faithfully walked and camped in some rugged and isolated terrain.

But she decided the greatest threat to wilderness was the weight of human encroachment upon those forests. And few people wanted to talk about that.

She thought a moment about the old man missing from the Wildlife Sanctuary. Grace had gone down there a few times to photograph wolves for one of the articles she was doing. But her film was always over exposed there so she never got any really good pictures. But she felt bad for Samuel.

She thought of the stories the old people told of the wolves. That the wolf spirits protected and supplied the game animals, and if humanity were not careful the wolf spirits would withhold the game.

She got up and took her camera out of its pack and went into her dark room to start developing her latest photos.

She came out an hour later and sat down and began to think about dinner. Grace was a vegan, and had been one for years. In some ways it was a conflict in her. Two ideas warring in her spirit. One that wanted to be like a wolf or mountain lion and one that felt that humanity needed to go beyond that. The mystery that was eating. One time when visiting on a rez where wolves were coming into conflict with native ranchers she had been invited to dinner. Fry bread and corn and a big rare steak was plopped down on her plate some of the ruby juice flew and landed on her sleeve. “Uh….I don’t eat meat.” She had told her host. The big man with thick greying hair had been stone silent for long seconds then had asked, “Are you that bad of a hunter?” Everyone had laughed and it had broken that uncomfortable pause. Grace smiled at the memory and then opened a can of vegan soup.

Chapter 15

The Stranger

Hole and the falcon followed the tracks of Crevice and Trotter until suddenly they simply vanished under the weight of new snow that was rapidly accumulating.

The old wolves had run as fast as they could and Hole could tell at least for a while they had been followed by Flat Water wolves.

Hole limped along tired and hungry. She had been looking for food as she followed the trail and finally caught one vole, which she heard, under the snow.

The falcon followed her and then landed and began to explain to her in a patient way that she was doing her hunting incorrectly.

“You must go in front and spook up the birds and I will then capture them.” The falcon told her.

Hole thought it best to humor him. So she patiently stalked and finally turned up a small flock of ptarmigan one flushed up in the sky and was promptly felled by the swift strike of the falcon.

However when Hole approached for her share the falcon covered it with his wings and carefully plucked it and ate till his crop was full then sat there and waited.

Hole was getting impatient. “What are you doing? You have eaten your fill move off.”

The falcon glared at her. “You do not understand this procedure very well. We are waiting for my partner. He will be here soon and then there will be warmth and rest. You will see.”

Hole did not see and left the falcon without a backwards glance

Chapter 16

The old Wolves

Crevice and Trotter had run to water. Down to the lakeside when Flat water came after Bone. They had swum out as far as they dared then struck back to shore and watched and listened.

Trotter whined, “We must go back and find Hole!” Then the flying thing flew overhead and the wolves ran off into deep cover. The machine circled and flew west and Crevice and Trotter heard gun shots.

“It is over for Crystal Creek pack I think. “ Said Crevice.

“No it cannot be!” Exclaimed Trotter. “Hole hid! Bone is very strong and so are the three pups. We must go back!”

Crevice licked her face and said, “We must wait till morning. Then go back and see what has happened.”

And so the old wolves waited.

Chapter 17

The Hunter

Johnny held the yoke of the Cessna lightly and banked the plane to the left circling Hukinak Lake. He had not fired his rifle one time this trip and had piloted the airplane the entire time.

The other men had shot the wolves. Johnny kept seeing in his mind over and over wolves running as fast as they could till they finally came to the last of their strength and floundered. Then Johnny landed the plane and the men got out and casually shot the helpless wolves. Some of the men tried to believe they were doing a good thing. Protecting the game, collecting the bounties. But most had a strange feeling tickling in the back of their minds. Grandfathers and fathers teaching them how to hunt. What was right, what was moral. Something about this was wrong.

Johnny however was reaching a point where he could no longer do this. He longed to be trekking on his own. In his snowshoes high in the mountains hiking, with his rifle on his back and with his heart light.

He decided as soon as he landed the plane that would be it for him. He would offer no explanation he would just stop.

Johnny remembered his own father teaching him how to track animals. How never to take a shot unless it was a sure kill. His dad had died young and John cherished those early memories. He remembered his dad skinning a deer and using as much as he could. Then teaching John how to tan the hide with the brains.

“Its amazing Johnny!” His dad told him, “There in the deer are the brains just enough to tan the entire hide!”

Chapter 18

Sled dogs philosophy

Arnuk and Keet led their team across the open barrenland as fast as they could comfortably go. They had a good rest last night and their driver pedaling occasionally behind them standing on the runners of the sled and pushing with one foot or the other to give some help to his team. They were ahead as far as they could tell and making excellent time. This was a wilderness race. No groomed trails but each team decided how best to get to the finish line.

The dogs did not talk as they ran but slipped into the silence of their pace, the strong trot of the malamute who was not as fast as Alaskan huskies. These were the steadfast long distance haulers of the north.

In the distance they had heard a plane and shots. Their driver knew it was the wolf shoot going on nearby. He comforted his team with soft words.

Hike there! Arnuk, Keet! Its ok…poor wolves….it's ok dogs…”

Arnuk quietly said to Keet. “They hunt the wolves. Why I wonder? Surely they do not eat them?”

Keet panted along beside her and answered, “You were always treated with respect, Arnuk, But I was saved by our man. I was in a place of death. I was lost. It must be like that with the wolves that are hunted.”

Chapter 19

Snow and Hiding

When the planes had slipped in over the heads of Flatwater and Crystal Creek packs, Bone had told the young wolves to run. Snow had run east and Hiding had run west.

They met up about two hours later and were surprised that none of Flatwater pack had followed them.

They were hungry and wondered where Bone was.

Snow set off towards the place he knew food was. And Hiding followed.

Snow told Hiding as they trotted along. “I know Trotter would think this unwise but I know where there is food.”

Chapter 20

Freedom

The truck bounced to a stop and Brightness could hear Sam get out and go to the back of the pickup and flip the canvass off the predator carriers. Brightness crouched in the carriers far corner, frightened of the strange experience and the sight of the mountains close up.

Sam first opened the gray wolf’s crate and the male jumped out and trotted limping away then turned and watched. Brightness jumped out as soon as the door opened but crept around the truck and shook in every part of her body. Sam sat down and leaned against the vehicle and watched the sky.

The gray wolf walked back to Brightness and said to her, “You must come with me. We must get the Old Helpless to follow us.”

Brightness said nothing in answer but stared off over the vastness of the mountains that stalked away towards the horizon.

The gray wolf padded up within ten feet of the old man and play bowed at him.

Sam smiled and reached out one hand. The wolf wagged his tail and backed up a step, then play bowed again. Sam stood up, enthralled that the wolf considered him a friend. He reached out again and the wolf soon was leading him away from the truck. Sam followed the wolves slowly into the mountains.

Kip and Frankie trotted till they could smell that the truck carrying the wolves had turned off into the mountains and then lost the scent as snow had covered most of what traces were left.

Kip whined, “What do we do?”

Frankie shook himself, “I do not know! Which way did they go?’

Kip thought a moment. And then headed up towards the foothills.

Sam soon began to grow cold. Although he dressed warmly in wool blend long johns and heavy pants, sweater and snow proof parka. He was depressed and after all he did not intend to go back.

The gray wolf tried to encourage him by play bowing and running about like a pup. Brightness was very nervous and crept along needing as much encouragement as Sam.

Soon Sam’s breath came in labored gasps and he sat down and put his back against a tree. His hands tingled in his gloves and he felt strangely relaxed.

He thought of Margaret and how life had been. He thought of what his poor volunteer Elizabeth would say after they found his body. He wondered if Brightness would survive. He considered the lame gray wolf.

The wolf had come to the sanctuary one morning, just appearing in an unlocked enclosure with no note or phone call. Just one morning he was there.

Sometimes people did just drop animals off when they could no longer keep them. Sam felt someone must have had the wolf as a pet and was going to have him confiscated so he dropped him at the sanctuary. The dogs hadn’t barked that night. But they had been inside the house.

The wolf came closer to Sam trying to sniff his hands and get him to reach towards him. But Sam closed his eyes.

The wolf turned to Brightness. “You must watch him. Stay here…..”

Then he ran off.

Brightness trembled with excitement and a little twinge of fear! She was outside! She could run and explore she was free!

She looked at Sam and her heart grew sad. She went to him and rubbed her body along his side. He petted her quietly with his eyes closed.

Chapter 21

The Man that was raised by Wolves

Cor Mcdermott went out into the snow to look for his dog Blaze. He remembered seeing him last night, and feeding him. But now he was gone. Snow had covered the tracks. Cor slipped on his snowshoes slung a daypack over his bent shoulders and went out to look for the wolf he mistook for a dog.

He trudged through the snow and spotted the tracks of a canine. It must have been Blaze! He followed the sign till he came to an open hillside and there was a golden wolf and an old man leaning against a tree.

He walked slowly up. Brightness skittered away and tucked her tail down between her legs.

Cor touched Sam’s shoulder and Sam woke feeling warm and lazy.

“Hey, Mister, this is a bad way to camp. You’ve got no shelter and you aren’t dressed for the cold. Come on I’ll take you to my cabin. Have you seen my dog? A big sheepdog, kind of shaggy, white?”

Sam stared at this incomprehensibly, “Your what?”

“Never mind.” Cor told him, “Get up now. Your dog can come too.” Cor pulled Sam to his feet. Surprisingly strong for such an old guy, thought Sam.

With Cor supporting him Sam walked with faltering steps back to Cor's cabin.

Brightness slunk after them.

“I was raised by wolves? Did you know that?” Cor said.

Cor carefully led the exhausted Sam to his own bed and laid him down and covered him with blankets. He went to his wood stove and threw in two or three more pieces and opened up the damper. Then he went and grabbed his shotgun and left the cabin.

Brightness hid around one corner of the cabin wondering what she should do? She laid down and watched the door.

Cor mumbled to himself cheerfully as he walked. “The best thing for the old man is stew! And the best stew is Ptarmigan. At least in my opinion. Of course Hazel HATED that stew and complained I made too much! But she is late and I don’t care any more!”

He wandered through the firs till he came upon the parries edge and at the base of a low hill, brush stuck up forlornly. ‘Where is Blaze!” Cor thought to himself. ‘He could flush up a few birds.’

Cor was suddenly surprised to see a bird laying in the snow with a falcon sitting on it.

Cor walked up a few steps crouched down and quietly crept up to the bird. He stuck out his mittened fist to the falcon who hopped on. Then he removed his glove and barehanded took the jesses and cuffs off of the birds legs.

Then placed him carefully back on the dead bird.

“There you are, old fellow!”

He then called to his lost dog.

“Blaze come!” The falcon did not move but stared resolutely at Cor.

Cor bent down and picked up both the dead bird and the live one and started back to the cabin.

He was singing loudly.

“I am a shepherd from the hills, the only life for me!

My dog and crook and a wink and sip! And for you a flower of May!”

Sam awoke in the cabin and stared around him. The cabin was made from fir logs and they were chinked tight and snug. There was a fireplace of rock and the fire in it crackled and was warm.

Sam sighed and leaned back on the bed. He had set out to end his life and this other crazy old man had found him.

At that moment Cor slammed open the cabin door and in one hand was a dead bird with a live falcon clutching it.

Cor stated, “Dam falcon won’t leave. So I brought him with me.”

He placed the falcon on the back of a chair. Then Cor began stripping off his outer layer of clothes. He then proceeded to pluck the ptarmigan and then brandished a knife to gut it.

Sam started softly, “I do want to thank you. But you know you interfered with some plans I had made."

Cor turned and stared at him his fuzzy eyebrows coming together in a frown.

Starting what? You are kinda old to be with a flock up that high in the winter with no gear? Who do you work for?”

“I am not a shepherd….” Answered Sam.

“Think the cold got to you too.” Cor told him kindly.

Cor popped the pieces of ptarmigan on a skillet and tossed in some wild leeks and sage. He browned the meat and the smell wafted through the little cabin. He then poured the drippings into a blackened pot of water and added potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions and strangely spaghetti.

“Well never mind,” Cor finally stated,

“I don’t need to know. You got lost…you are here now and soon we will have food.”

He grabbed a bottle off an upper shelf and poured Sam a coffee mug of wine. It was black as ink and smelled a little like rubbing alcohol.

“Made it myself.” Cor proudly told Sam, “It’s huckleberry.”

Sam sipped politely. It tasted very good but strong and burned his tongue and throat as he swallowed.

The two men were quiet as the stew pot began boiling. The falcon from his chair began to preen and then roused his feathers lifting them and rattling them back into place.

Finally Cor placed a soup plate in front of Sam and a large spoon. The stew smelled wonderful Sam slowly began to eat.

The two men began to talk.

“So, “ Cor stated, “You are not a shepherd “What are you?”

Sam looked up at him the spoon halfway to his mouth, “I ran a wildlife rescue and rehab facility.” Sam answered softly.

“Really? That must be interesting.” Cor smiled.

Sam shrugged and sighed. “It’s hard to raise money and do all the work. Its hard to get people interested in helping. In fact…..” He searched Cor’s wrinkled tanned face with the long curly silver hair and short scruffy beard. “I came up here to…..end my life.”

Cor frowned deeply. “End your life? What do you mean? If you are trying to become a mountain man you need to get some books or something. You went about it all wrong.” Cor slid his chair closer to Sam. “You don’t come up here and try to set up in the beginning of winter. Do it in the spring. And you need some supplies, you know what I mean?” Cor laid a callused finger by his nose and nodded at Sam.

“No, you don’t understand. I was trying to commit suicide.” Cor scratched his head.

“You mean kill yourself?”

Sam nodded.

“On Purpose?” Cor asked. Then added, “Whatever would you do that for? You are healthy….right?” Cor felt Sam’s arm by way of a test, like he was feeling his mental well being in Sam’s loose flesh.

“Awww, you got to learn to ignore life sometimes. Things get bad then time passes and things change.” Cor stated firmly.

Sam pulled his arm away.

“Cor, look….its just that when I see us doing what we are doing to the land and the wildlife. When I see war and humanities inability to see beyond the ends of their forks or their leisure time. It just looks so hopeless….” Sam looked down at his plate.

Cor smiled slowly. “Hey there has ALWAYS been trouble. I have had a lot of troubles. My wife thinks I’m crazy and left. My kids are all grown up but they never visit me and one of them joined some damn cult! No one visits me, well except you. And…. I could go one and on…but you know I wake up in the morning and look out my little window and I see the quiet of the snow falling or hear in spring the first bird singing and I finally realized something important.”

“What” Asked Sam.

“We are just a tiny bit of dust swirling around on another tiny bit of dust. And our job is to help make that dust swirl in the right direction.”

Sam laughed finally after a long silence. “Which direction is that?”

Cor laughed too, “Towards sunrise or the dinner table, or kids playing or a hawk raising on thermals.”

“Ok.” Said Sam

Hole traveled many days. She was living lean with no pack to help her hunt.

She came out of the mountains and into rolling hills of grassland sparsely covered with thin snow and brush.

She stopped when she encountered a strange sight.

It was wood like a tree split into a thin piece stuck into the ground pointing at the sky. And caught up on it long pieces of spiky vines that reminded her of some berry bush thorns. But the long things stretched into the vastness of the prairie and other split pieces of wood were strung out in intervals along the path still caught up in the long wire. Hole had found a barbed wire fence of the Helpless.

She was afraid to go under it so trotted along beside it.

A dog spotted movement along the fence line and stared for a moment then laid his head back down. He was old and stiff and cold and lost.

His white coat had a few black spots and his ears flopped down carelessly over his eyes.

The dog had been with the ranch for years, moving sheep from pasture to range and helping his people with all the care involved. But now the truck was gone. His people were gone. The sheep were gone and he had given up trying to find them.

They all were gone and the only thing in sight was this little black dog trotting along the fence line.

At first he thought it was a coyote because of the way it moved. But it was black. His nose and eyes were not as sharp as they had been. He had never scented a wolf but he could detect something strange about the dog’s smell.

Hole spotted the white dog and froze.

She had caught his scent and her first thought was it might be a food source for her as she was very hungry. She slowly, carefully, came up to the dog and stared nervously at him.

Hole could smell that he was old and infirm or possibly ill. He shivered occasionally. He raised his head and peered at her.

“Have you scented them?” The old dog asked.

Hole glanced around herself. There had been nothing on her trail for days except the mysterious fenceline.

“Scented who?” She finally replied softly.

“The partners of myself and the four legged soft creatures we protect. Have you not seen them, the Beautiful.”

Hole cocked her head at him. “I have seen no beautiful ones for days now. I am looking for my family we were chased off by Flat Water pack, in the mountains west of here.”

“Chased off? Not killed? No…you must never be chased off! Do you not know the rules? Did not your partner have help? And the beautiful were they ravaged by beasts?”

Hole explained to the dog, “The beautiful were not there. Although the Helpless have chased them off our range.”

“ I see.” The dog said. “They were stolen by thieves. I do not know who the Helpless are. But I can tell you are this years pup and new at this work. I shall tell you the rules, perhaps I can get up and we can find shelter.” The dog staggered to his feet. And strangely Hole felt some kinship with him. She was alone and to have company was a wonderful thing to her lonely heart.

The dog felt that the pup surely must know the way back to her people. So they walked towards a clump of trees growing in a narrow ravine the only real shelter in the vastness of the range and the dog told her the rules.

“The first Rule is Believe.

Believe in the Partnership.

The second one is sacrifice

You must be willing to give everything in order that the partnership will exist.

Third, The beautiful are sacred.

Fourth, keep order.

Did your dam not tell you these things?”

Hole was puzzled, “My dam….? I do not understand…” But then something came into view which brought both of them to silence.

It was an old ewe. She was lying on her side in a snow drift unable to rise. The dog instantly went to her side, Hole thought to attack and kill. But as she ran to join him and bared her young white teeth he found new strength at the thought of the ‘young dog’ injuring a sheep and he shoulder punched Hole out of the way. The dog began digging the ewe out of the snow finally dragging her by the fleece to a standing position. She flopped over and only managed to roll to her chest and stare at them.

The dog turned to Hole and said fiercely, “Never do that again. You might have run her off. She is nearly dead from cold.”

To Hole this was more and more mysterious. She could not believe that here was a Beautiful one, obviously ready to make the circle journey round and yet the Dog did not attack?

The ewe was grey and medium sized with two horns and a short stubby tail.

She spoke and Hole was mesmerized by her soft voice.

“It is good to be upright, pilgrim, I thank you.” She shook herself and snow flew off her back.

“I fell into this drift and told this years lamb to go on. It is my time.”

“No it is not.” The dog told her, “We must go on now and find the flock.”

The ewe looked at him sagely. “They are gone, Pilgrim do you not know? The sacrifice has been offered and they have gone.”

Hole was puzzled by this and asked the ewe, “Beautiful one what do you mean? Are you asking us to take your life as you have reached the end?”

The ewe turned her full attention to the young Wolf. “Aha! Pilgrim you meet your fate. Do you not see it? The Brother of Life liked your people.” The ewe told the wolf, “But my own kind feared you above all else. You kept us from our true work.”

Hole perplexed asked politely, “What was that? Your true work?”

The ewe lifted her head and pointed her ears towards the wolf.

“We are the Mothers and Fathers of the Helpless.”

The dog sat down, “Old one, I think sitting in the snow has addled your wits. And by my own dam’s nose, we must move on.” He stood and with a delicate hunting posture pushed the ewe with just body language a few feet ahead of him. Hole took this to mean that the ewe was now to be killed and rushed in to grab the flank.

But the dog was there first and shoved the wolf out of the way.

“Are you insane, you young devil? You could hurt this old one by gripping. And you must never grip unless there is no other way. In fact I hear there are dogs in paradise that have never gripped a beauty in their whole lives!”

Hole gasped, “I am not insane! I do not understand you people. Here is a beauty ready to move on and we are to stand here and wait for her to fall over? This makes no sense to me! And…” Hole told the ewe, “How can you possibly be the Mother of the Helpless! They have no Mothers and fathers! They live to create disorder.”

The Ewe turned her head and eyed the young wolf peacefully.

“The problem with predators is you are so focused that you see only what you wish, what is right in front of you moving. The still things you do not see. We of the flocks know better. If you like I will tell you the story of my own life and that of the great flocks that hold the world together.”

“Fine.” The sheep dog told her but we will move on now to shelter in that thicket while you do.”

Hole was almost about ready to run off but the ewe gave her a glance that was old and sad and at the same time gently tenderly happy. So Hole followed them at a slight distance and the ewe began.

“My flock leader told this story to my generation when we were 6 months old. I remember it very well. We lay down in the grass of the summer pastures, far from here and she told us that we had a sacred trust to the Helpless.

The Helpless are very weak, and also being apes very fearful creatures. Much more so than we of the flock.

There was a time long ago soon after your kind, Pilgrim joined the Helpless to keep them company in the long dance that is life. There came a time when the Helpless ran out of beautiful ones to catch. And your kind Pilgrim lay panting at their feet, hungry and tired.

We lived in those days in the high mountains, in a far desert country. We were bigger then and wild as grasshoppers. We were numerous springing up everywhere. But we were not food to your kind. You could not come into those mountains to catch us. It was impossible.

But we watched you starving on the plains. And one by one your kind died till there were only two left. A mother and her young daughter and her brother’s son. We watched and felt sadness that your kind would die out.

Then Old Mother of All appeared to the flocks and asked us for a gift.”

Hole interrupted suspiciously, “What did the Mother of All look like?”

The old ewe turned sweet sad eyes on the young wolf and said, “She looked like a spring lamb only brown with patches of sunlight on her warm back.”

Then the ewe continued her story, “The Mother of All told us that humanity had a purpose in the world.”

The Chief of the great flocks tossed his horned head and said to her, “Madam, those ones! They kill without a thought!”

But the Mother of All told us that she had created the Helpless to remember all things and witness the unfolding of the Universe.”

Hole asked, “Universe…what is that?”

The Ewe answered, “Look up into the night sky and see the flocks that graze the heavens. That and all around us is the universe.”

The ewe continued her story, “There was one who felt true sorrow for the helpless and she whispered to the Mother of All that she would give the first sacrifice.”

Old Mother then told her, “Your children will live forever and ultimately would come back to the mountains after their work with the helpless was finished.”

So The young ewe crept down the steep mountain sides and offered herself. And by her side was her daughter, this years lamb.

The Helpless were so hungry they ate everything of that one and even drank the milk dripping from her teats so hungry they were. But then turning to the lamb they could not take her life but left her alive as a gift back to the Ewe who had saved them. As they made camp that night their bellies stretched tight the lamb walked up to the flickering firelight and they wondered at her bravery. She lived with them. Then wandered up that next fall to be bred by the strongest ram. She then returned to the Helpless to have her lamb. You see we decided that in order for Mother’s creation to work, we would have to sacrifice so that the Helpless would live. We did this and Pilgrim the Humans as you call them nursed from our kind and our wool kept them warm. Truly we are their mothers and fathers. But they have left the flock and now turn from us, forgetting.

We are now thought of as dumb and witless creatures without feelings. We are numerous but The Helpless do not respect us or the ages of sacrifice we made for them. They only take now and few give back.

So Pilgrim that is my story.”

The ewe carefully bent her knees and laid down her forehand then carefully lowered her hindquarters.

Hole then asked, “What will happen now?” The ewe looked deep at the young wolf.

“We think,” She answered, “That we will forsake the Helpless and will die. Except the very strongest who will go back into the mountains to live. Until Humanity decides to take a different path to pasture.”

“No lady,” the old dog told the ewe gravely, “You must not lay down. We will go on and find the camp of the young dog.” He then turned to Hole.

Hole had listened carefully to the ewe’s story and found both the dog and ewe mysteriously fascinating. But she felt both were confused about her position.

“I cannot take you to my people. As they are scattered by Flatwater pack.” Hole thought a moment, “But the falcon, sky hunter went with an old Helpless. Since you live with them I shall tell you where.”

The dog panted a breathy smile and stared hard at the ewe so she would get up. Then the dog and ewe moved slowly down the fenceline till they turned off into the vastness of prairie reaching up towards mountains.

The dog and the ewe were very slow. Hole watched them go and trotted on.

Hole found time to sniff out voles and mice finishing their preparations for winter under the thin snow.

Then faint and far off she heard a howl. A single wolf howling.

Cautiously she scented the air and crept along, hiding where she could, to come upon this wolf without being seen. Then far up a hillside as evening fell she saw the wolf silhouetted against the edge of the grassland, the silver evening light flickering behind her. The wolf howled again. It was a single female and Relata by the sound.

Hole was again alone. And for a wolf this young that was dangerous. Her loneliness was deep and terrible after leaving the dog. She couldn’t help herself she answered the wolf. A thin light short howl back to the stranger. The female answered her and then trotted down the hillside away from Hole.

Hole watched her approach. The stranger trotted over the snow quickly her pelt silver white her eyes deep gold.

Hole crouched submissively not knowing if she was trespassing. She was prepared to run. The wolf stopped and considered the small black pup. She wagged her tail slowly and Hole ran to her and ecstatically greeted her by licking at her mouth.

“Are you lost?” Asked the wolf.

“Yes, my family were traveling and met Flat Water pack. Then the Helpless came and they are scattered. I do not know what to do. I was alone.”

The female sat down and curled her tail around her front paws.

“Alone is not good. Not for one of the Swift.” She turned and looked east along the hills rising into the Mountains.

“What shall I do?” Asked Hole.

The Silver female wagged her tail and stood up. “Come with me. I will help you find the others. The flying thing chased them far and they scattered but they are here hiding."

The wolf turned and began trotting north.

Hole could not believe her luck. She followed the wolf willingly into the morning.

The wolf trotted very swiftly and never seems to tire. She at one point flushed a rabbit and ran a twisting dodging path and at the last second let it go. She playfully turned and bowed towards Hole. The black pup was famished and disappointed as she thought to share the meal with the female.

The stranger recognized the pup’s despair and led her to a snow covered meadow with many rabbits out enjoying the morning. The female turned to Hole and told her, “Catch your own, Little Singer. Try to find the one who is weak, or silly or old or very young. Try…..never give up.”

Hole ran as fast as she could and tried one rabbit than another finally one dodged one way too many and ran almost right into her mouth. Hole caught it and died in her jaws. Hole ate so quickly that she hardly tasted the meat. She then looked up for the Stranger. But she was gone.

.

Richi went out the cedar door of her Great Grandmother’s cabin and hastily pulled her tunic on over her sweater. The sweater was heavy spun wool and the tunic smoked embroidered deer hide. She walked over to where the dog teams were tied. And joined her brothers as they passed out whitefish to each dog. Then she walked down to round meadow and caught the old dun lead mare and the rest of the horses followed. A pretty sight they made the colorful ponies being led by the young girl. Her brothers teased her as she walked them by the barking dog teams.

Soon it would be time for dogs and not for riding ponies. She looked out towards the western island whose snow capped peaks rose through the cloud cover. ‘Hurricane Ridge’ the girl thought.

Her father ducked down and exited Grandmother’s house. He paused and looked at his sons and his two hunting teams. He strode towards them. For a tall man he was very quiet on his feet with a gait both light and springy. He patted his dogs as he passed them and smiled at his youngest son. He then called out to Richi leading the horses.

“I am leaving tomarrow. Bring in the black horse, Hawkstone.”

Richi glanced sharply at her father.

“Where are you going?”

He folded his arms across his chest. Then slowly shook his head meaning she should not question him.

Richi’s brother one year older than her walked up to her and said, “You know not to ask. He is going to the world.” Richi took a deep breath. “But Shon? Why?”

The boy shrugged, “How should I know. But he asked Great Grandmother this morning and she thought on it and has given him permission.”

Cor then strode on to his long house and ducked under the door skin. He began gathering a few things he would need on his journey. Fire starter, wool tunic, food bag parfleches. He was a man with a boyish face but a depth of eye that made him seem very grim. He bent down and stroked a pillow stuffed with lambs wool and embroderied with flying hawks. His One was long dead, leaving Cor with three sons and one daughter to raise. He was first son of the clan and his mother Lari had been Great Grandmother’s direct matriarchal heir. This gave him the position of guard and scout of the family. Leaving him the duties of protection and ritual combat to decide the outcomes of battles. On the other side of the family were the peacemakers and holy people. But his job was direct and grounded. And now they were threatened.

His only hope he thought was to go and find the world. The place his people did not ever go.

But the sickness had come to them and it was said that only the people of The World knew how to cure it.

He slowly got the things he would need.

Evening came suddenly grey and cold with the bite of snow. The village met in the great hall.

The hall was made of huge cedars that had been cut from only fallen trees. The doorway was low and made from the sorched wood of a lighting hit fir. The floor hard packed earth strewn with summers grass to a depth of two feet. Over this was laid the skins of animals. The woolly hides of rams of the village. And deer and even a bear.

Great Grandmother sat propped up in a chair made of madrona and with bright dark eyes watched as the people ate and sang and danced around her. Sometimes one would come and press their forehead to her withered hand. And she would say soft words to them and smooth their hair. Richchi brought her food soft and mashed for Great Grandmother had no teeth.

Then abruptly there was silence and Cor walked between silent people towards Grandmother his long knife at his side his throwing club in his left hand.

He knelt.

“Elder Mother, you are our Peace Chief I cannot go as scout and warrior without your permission.”

Great Grandmother nodded and asked him. “Why do you wish to go Man of the village of Tuliare?”

Cor replied, “I go to find aid from The World.”

Great Grandmother sighed, “I give you my permission. Know this that I can raise no hand to protect myself. Only the War Chiefs and Scout can go to war. And our way of war is not the same as The Worlds. They kill without knowing from a distance. They fight in large groups not one to one.”

Cor seemed puzzled, “But I go to seek aid? Why would they wish to fight.”

Great Grandmother smiled grimly, “They fear us above all else that is on the land.”

Cor nodded as he could not think of anything else to say. He kneeled and leaned forward and pressed his forehead againest Great Grandmothers hand. She gently carrassed his face. He looked up into her dim eyes.

She said softly so only he could hear, “Sometimes you must go Back to go Forward.”

Cor rose and turned and strode away. Outside the long house his four sons held his black horse, Hawkstone and his hunting dog, Unok. He mounted the little horse and waved to Richi who stood in the door way of the long house.

Whithylyn was reading the computer screen in her cubicle when the door chimmed twice.

“Enter.” She said aloud. The door parted with a swish and a young man about her same age stood with a wry grin on his face.

“Are you coming to the game?”

She frowned. “No…I’m studying I have a test tomarrow.”

He laughed and swung into a chair. “Really, so do we all. Captains orders….All ensigns must complete the test of Malar by tomarrow 1600 hours.”

He peered over her shoulder and looked at the screen. “But you are not studying? What is that?” The computer showed a flock of sheep, big all with curling horns and long wool. They were climbing atop a craggy cliff and two dogs flanked them followed by a boy on a spotted pony.

Whithylyn told him, “The people who live outside. The Captain told me that they eat those animals and have no machinery. No computers, no sytems of communication and medicine.”

The young Man jaw dropped. “They eat those animals? Thats incredible! Whats that mark on the boy’s arm?”

Whithylyn said, “I find it fastinating.” She looked out at the city streching away undr its globe of plexifiber. Then added softly, “It is the mark of the beasts.”

The city was vast and shinning. An ordered web of pulsating life that moved and flowed along shiny streets where trams held people that were restless. The city stood on a high and vast hill plateu and was shielded and covered by a grid work of what appeared to be glass. It was self contained and purified its own water and air. There was no war here or art. There was peace and sameness and safety beyond imagining.

The people lived a very long time. They were never sick. They looked more or less alike. There were no birth defects. No one ever went hungry. When it was time for you to die you went peacefully, quickly. And there were no rituals over your corpse.

You were born, raised in the communal home. Went to school where you learned what would be best for you to do and then you did that. Perhaps you married and had children but when and how was laid out for you. The world was very ordered.

Cor wandered his way through the forest following the river, Rastoo. His little black horse was slow and careful picking his way carefully over the stones beside the creekbed. The dog sniffed non-commitlly at scents in passing stopping ever so often to gaze at his partner astride the horse. But Cor was not hunting. He did keep track of how the wind was blowing and watched the clouds slide away from the pale sunshine that filtered through.

He came to an open meadow where good grass grew and stopped and dismounted.

His dog lay down and the horse started grazing. In the meadow was a house made of earth with branches and timber leaning againest it. Smoke curled lazily out from the smoke hole on top.

Cor smiled and turned. Behind him stood an old man whose scraggily beard dripped like rain water from his dark and weathered face. Cor embraced him.

Richi was done with chores and walked back towards Great Grandmothers long house. Great Grandmother sat in her chair slowly spinning wool with a long thigh spindle. An old dog lay curled up next to her. Its eyes followed Richi as she entered. The girl went to the old woman and knelt and pressed her forehead onto the the old woman’s hand.

Great Grandmother smiled and told her.

“In the old days when I was a girl none of the dogs could have children. The Young people had made it impossible for them. When we went back to these forests and mountain none of our dogs could have children and niether could our male horses be fathers. We needed the animals to help us. So the old people had a council to figure out what to do.

It was decided to take our biggest and wildest bitch dog and ties her up in the forest and lure the Singers to us. To get them used to people.

This took one season. The first dog, The singers ate.

But soon after they grew used to the dog and one day a young hunter followed the wolves to their secret den and there he took a male and female pup.

They were raised carefully in the village of our ancestors. We gave the singers two horses in exchange.

Those pups grew. The male as soon as he was an adult ran off because he knew he could never be a dog. But the female she consented and stayed with us although she was shy. She bred with the last of the fertile male dogs who was very old. That was how we got our dogs again.

The horses were a bit easier. Their were still herds of the Long maned wild horses on the plains east of here. About 4 days hard ride.

Some of the young riders went and captured some.

Cor held the old man at arms lenght and stared into his green brown eyes.

“You look well!”

The old man smiled shyly and took the hand of Cor and pushed at his woollen sleeve until he had revealed the mahogony skin. There on the wrist was the indigo blue tatoo that all his people wore on the left wrist. The arm used to grab mane and swing up horseback, the arm used to hold a hawk.

It was the tracks of the Singers in Snow.

------------------------------------------------------------

Hole ran up the hillside and down into a ravine. There was no sign of the female.

But ahead of her in a small copse of trees lay two wolves one huge gray wolf and one black.

She recognized them and ears flat tail wagging furiously she ran to them in ecstatic greeting.

It was Bone and Jumps. Bone had a 6 inch ragged scar across his back and Jump’s left front leg was torn open but healing. All three licked at each other in happiness.

Hole asked them, “Where are the others?”

Bone replied, “Hiding and Snow are out looking for Crevice and Trotter. We thought we would linger and try to find you.”

Jumps smelled at her mouth, “Little Sister you have eaten! Better than we poor beggars..We have found nothing!”

Bone wagged his tail. “We are lucky to be alive. If it wasn’t for the Helpless scattering the Flat Water pack I think we all would have faced the changing together.”

Jumps was very proud of himself, as a 7 month old he felt he had fought very well.

Hole asked them, “Did you see the silver female.”

Bone sniffed at Hole curiously; “No I smell no one has been near you. Must have dreamed it. But let’s call the others. Flatwater is scattered and I do not think they will hurt us for a while.”

Cor walked up to the woman who lay with her leg bent beneath her. She watched him come her eyes wide. She couldn’t hear his steps. He didn’t march up to her he took a step and stopped took two more steps and stopped. Then he turned sideways and Yawned, politely covering his mouth.

She could smell him. He smelled of wood smoke and a deep pleasanmt scent that she could not know was sheep from the unwashed wool he wore.

“You are injured.” He stated.

She was surprised she could understand him. They spoke the same language although his accent was steep and hard to understand.

“I am lost and I fell. I think my leg is broken.”

He moved nearer and knelt and quickly softly felt her leg.

“It has broken the skin and the bone is splintered. Do you wish the Knife?”

Withy stared at him and wondered, What is the knife for?

“What will I do with the knife?” She asked him.

Cor’s direct gaze softened. He decided she must be like a little child that could not understand the ramifications of her uncurable injury.

“You stand between two trails. One is hard and steep the other swift and downhill. It is your choice which you choose. But I will help you if you wish.”

“Help me how? I still don’t understand?”

He had not ever had to explain a situation like this to an adult before. Although he had explained it many times to children. Once when Richi’s uncle had broken his back when a snagged fir tree fell on him. The people had always shown their children the way out of life. And since everyone knew they would return, the children didn’t fear this.

Cor too a deep breath, “Excuse me but you are dying and are now looking for the path out of this life. Do you wish me to help you or do you wish to go slowly no matter the cost to you?”

Finaaly in Horror Withy understood him.

“You want to murder me because I’ve broken my leg?”

Now it was Cor’s turn to wonder.

“Murder? Murder is not allowed. There are only a few ways you may take a life.

One is the letting out of a trapped person or animal. Two is combat, three is for food. Murder is the sign of a person who is out of balance.”

Withy realized that to question this man’s costumes would get her no where. So she told him as gravely as she could trying to hold back the trembling in her voice. Her eyes straying to the bright long knife in his belt with the carved rams horn handle.

“I am not dying, my own people can cure this.”

Hunting of Wolves

2010-03-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have heard that a 180 pound wolf was shot and killed in Idaho.

So tell me. Was he shot from a aircraft? Was he chased by a snow mobile?

Did the person stalk him up slopes ever quiet and careful to kill him with a rifle.

What is hunting?

What are the ethics of hunting?

My Father and Granfather hunted, they hunted for food.

I have a hunting license. I am a falconer.

I use my skills to rehab injured hawks.

I have a hawk that I hunt to provide food. And I use everything.

But to actually hunt, takes great skill and knowledge of wildlife.

So the wolf that was killed.

Was he eaten? Did you need his fur to survive the winter?

Did you?

Are you a hunter?

Or was it ego.......

was it money.......

or something stranger.........

closer to a religion of hate.

a wolf in sheeps clothing

2010-03-02T06:02:00.000-08:00

This is my personal stories blog about sheep, farming and working dogs! Thank you Chef Ludger for your indorsement of our lamb and how we care for them. Visit Chef Ludger at his resturant in Seattle.

http://www.t-wolfinsheepsclothing.blogspot.com/

Szmania's

Orcas

2010-02-27T05:39:00.000-08:00

I live on an island in Puget Sound. And I have seen the killer whales swim down the west side passage, gliding through the cold dark water. They are incredibly social and intelligent creatures.I am the stranding/triage person for marine mammals on Vashon.

Someone e-mailed me about the trajedy in Florida where a big male killed a trainer.

I have heard people argue about many thing involving this death.

But the whales life is a kind of death too, in prison for life.

And the people who watch have bars around their eyes.

And there is only one reason for it.

One reason.

To
Make
Money

Doubt Humanity?

2010-01-10T05:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when things are bad. When all you seem to hear are stories of tragedy and sorrow, this is what I do.

I remember the great compassion that many people show towards all life.

From a child moving a worm from the road to the dirt, and to an old man driving miles to bring me a young towhee to heal.

And then the way we help other people in the event of accident.

The kind face leaning down peering into anothers eyes and asking....

"Are you all right? Can I help you?"

Let this define us.

The millions of people who reach out with compassion.

Another Balance

2009-12-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

Years ago I wrote an article called The Balance. It was about the swinging of systems within predator and prey and the environment and how we fit into this equilibrium. (It is on Wolftown’s blog.)

There is another Balance. The Balance of farming.

I have been raising sheep now for 8 years. These sheep are crossed with primitive sheep to produce hybrid vigor and traits that fit into Vashon’s ecosystems. Years ago all over the US we had regional livestock. Animals that had developed traits that made it easy for them to stay healthy on the land they lived on. Vashon has the worst parasite load in both wild and domestic ruminants I have ever seen. If you farm without using chemical wormers you better have pretty tough sheep. If you are losing lambs or kids you need to investigate this.

I choose sheep because my Grandpa thought it a good idea. Sheep provide meat, milk, clothing, hides, and soap. All of which Wolftown produces by hand.

The sheep are creating these things by browsing the trail edges and some pasture. Not by grain ……but by the time honored shepherd tradition of foraging. The wool hat you wear from the sheep is indigenous brush, recycled. This allows for forests to stay intact, which provides diversity of wild species.

(A lot of our clothes are made with petroleum products. When you are done with wool cloth you can use it as mulch.)

But the cuts of meat are smaller in our sheep, and very lean, like athletes. The sheep grow slowly, as that is healthy. They are smaller because in the niche they fit into, smaller slow growing sheep work better. However the meat is tastier and healthier. There are many articles on the internet about grass fed and the different kinds of fat.

The sheep are allowed to walk miles per day in search of what they choose to eat. They never have foot problems. The cheese from them is incredible; however we cannot sell it yet.

When we feed hay, which we must if I am ever to have a day off or a sick day. We try to use local. However many pastures on Vashon lack something. The hay is cut late, because there is not enough manpower or equipment. And nothing is ever added back on the land. So the nutrition of the hay is down. (You can cut hay by hand.)

You cannot take and take. You must either put livestock on the land to fertilize it after harvest. Or spread composted manure on the land. You must seed with forage that most naturally balances with this eco-system. And Vashon must make silage. A fermented hay product that helps preserve hay in this very wet climate.

(Alot of fertilizer bought commercially is made with petroleum products.)

Putting livestock on the land is the most sensible in my opinion. With a track record of centuries.
I have had a few interesting conversations grow out of the sheep. One is only the affluent can buy it? Well Wolftown donates lamb to the food bank. We also trade/barter. It is not right that everyone is not able to eat the healthiest food. I also began to see some folks don’t want to live near farms.

But I guess they do want to eat.

The Price of Balance

2009-11-29T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Price of Balance

All of us have hobbies. It is a way to spend time doing something g relaxing and enjoyable.
For many years I did oil paintings and sculpture.
Then one day I stopped and wondered.
Where do the oil paints come from?
The Brushes?
The solvents?
How was the rock I carved mined? Where did it come from? How far away?
I did not like what I discovered.

So I looked for alternatives
There were very few.
I started then working with natural fiber
Sustainable, renewable.

-----------------------------

The price of fun

‘Your house is on fire!’
‘Wait, before I call the fire dept, I need to paint a picture to relax.’
It is an analogy of humanities plight.

-----------------------------

We want sustainable food,Predator friendly?
You must help the farmer

Even if it means giving up fun
This is the price of helping our world
Sacrifice

Decatur Island Scottish Blackface Sheep

2009-11-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

Decatur Island Scottish Blackface Sheep...

they are a rare flock of vagabonds and to the taste of a sheepherder a delicacy ! Born free range on this little island in the Pacific NW, they live true to their nature: a hardy hillsheep that is bonded to its homeground. Year round they freely roam the island grazing the open meadows, browsing through the forests and traveling their familiar trails that criss-cross the island. Lambing January/February the lambs and ewes are tested to the weather and hardened through the scarce availability of feed. These natural survivors know well how to make it through the worst of times and since there is no predators on the island, only the elements provide natural selection.

When spring time comes, the flock is gathered by professional shepherds and their equally professional dogs for shearing, worming and docking, after which they get send back on the hill. Through the scarce contact with human beings, the sheep nature of this flock is maximally preserved. The only other time these sheep are being handled is in the fall when they are gathered again for the lambs to be taken off the island.

Floating across sea on a barge, they are headed towards their new home on the main land. Becoming part of the well renowned Ewe Care flock. Loved by many landowners for their land clearing qualities and even more so by many a sheepdog handler that has enjoyed competing on this flock in the northern WA sheepdog trials.

Sadly, everything has its beginning and its end, and so it is for these sheep at their current home. Due to unfortunate circumstances, they have become a homeless flock, desperately looking for a new shepherd and new pastures.

Wolftown, a non-profit organization based on Vashon Island - WA (www.wolftown.org) has the potential and intention of taking over this flock and incorporating them into their agricultural program. Thereby keeping this unique flock intact and engaging them in what they have been
bred for: natural land management. With the option of keeping them available to the sheepdog trialing community to enjoy the 'feast of the Scotties' !!

We are calling onto you for help. We are looking for people that want to donate a sheep from this flock to the Wolftown agricultural program. Donations are fully tax deductible. It will be a happy thanksgiving !!

Feel free to get in touch with us for more information:
dirkvansant@yahoo.co.uk
huiha@centurytel.net

The Agriculture program

2009-11-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

Meet Sgt Jesus Kilwolski our Livestock guardian dog!

He is part of our predator friendly ag program. Bred from Janet McNally's dogs in Minnisota. He is teaching our interns how to work with these dogs as well as the sheep/horses and stockdogs.

T's new book American Lambs is out! And can be bought at

http://www.outrunpress.com/

Part of T's royalties will be donated to Wolftown.

Makes a great present.

Its a fictional book set on an island, anbout family, working dogs, farming sheep and our connection to the land!

Wolftown Rehabilitations

2009-11-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Wolftown have rehabilitated the following from February 2008 to date:

Raccoons - 8
Crow - 1
Barn Owl - 1

Baby Domestic Chick - 1 Hum, theres a story
Robin - 4
Barn Swallow - 1

Cedar Waxwing - 2
Anna's Hummingbird - 1
Harbor Seal Pup - 1

Stranded Seal calls - 10
Whale calls - 1
Canada Goose - 2
Bald Eagle - 1
Common Golden Eye - 1
Barred Owl - 1
Bufflehead - 1
Winter Wren - 1
Stellars Seal Lion - 1
Deer Fawns - 3
Great Blue Heron - 1

We have also had Wolf/bear/coyote calls - 12 sightings, non-lethal predator questions (off island)

Our normal and ongoing programs include
12 non-releasable wolves
4 non-releasable birds of prey

We have many sheep and three goats in the agricultural/predator friendly farming intern program

We have 3 horses in our youth mentorship/agriculture program

We have two rescued Border Collies for the agriculture program
We also have a team of sled dogs for the youth mentorship program

And...we need your help to continue this work! Please consider donating or volunteering.

What we do...

2009-11-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

WHAT WE DO!

1. We are a federal and state permitted wildlife rehabilitation and education facility. We take injured, ill or orphaned wild animals and restore them to health and return them to the wild.
We teach how important indigenous wildlife are to the health of our ecosystem. We specialize in predators. Especially canids, wolves, coyotes, foxes and birds of prey. We have non-releasable animals here at our facility for education.

2. We teach sustainable and predator friendly agriculture. We raise sheep which we browse loose on horseback with sheepdogs. We do not feed grain, nor do we use medicated feed or antibiotics. We utilize everything the sheep give us. And in return we care for them in a kindly, compassionate and respectful way. We believe that the local and slow food movement supports
the health of humanity and can keep wild eco-systems whole. The sheep teach our interns how to handle stock, then our interns volunteer to stay with herds or flocks at other farms or ranches where there are problems with predators. This is the BEST way to keep predators from preying
on stock. (Think of the Masai of Africa and their cattle.) Predator friendly farming label sells!

A. Predators keep wild ruminants healthy. They do this by actively culling herds. The easiest to catch is what is most often preyed upon. This is a far better management system than our current understanding of management. Feeding wild ungulates promotes concentrations of animals thereby spreading disease and parasites. It does not support the normal swings in population that occur in Nature. What it does do is supply deer and elk for hunting and it can keep populations of ungulates away from crop farming areas. We need to rethink this system. If the wild population of ungulates is healthy, predators will naturally prey upon them more, so reduce losses in domestic stock. Think also of raising stock with more sense. Stock that is
predator/disease/parasite resistant.

B. If you raise domestic ruminants, cattle, sheep, goats, you want wild populations of deer and elk to be healthy. As many of the parasites and diseases can be transferred to your stock! This is especially true if you are raising stock organically.

C. If you train wild canids that your stock is OFF LIMITS they will keep other transients from moving in and preying upon your stock. They will also teach their pups what NOT to hunt. You train predators to stay away by, having stockman stay with stock. Correct use of properly bred Livestock Guardian dogs. (Not llamas and donkeys when your predators are wolf and grizzly.) Use of deterrents such as flares, blanks, rubber bullets, electric fencings, good fencing, and bringing weak and young animals in close to the ranch house at night. For smaller predators, use of bells and sheep coats, can help as well.

3. Preservation of wild land- No matter how many animals we rehab and release. No matter how many people we educate about the environment if we do not change the way we live all of this is a moot point. Changing the way we live is the single most difficult thing we can do and it
is the most important.

It includes:

A. Proper use of land. Does Anyone need a cabin in the mountains? Could the idea of suburbia be rethought? What are the impacts of mono culture farming? The use of too many chemicals. The need for natural, not petroleum based products. Wool clothing!

B. The need for wildlife corridors and wild places off limits to people. (Nature in the Bank!)

C. The understanding that stress has an impact on wildlife. Stress that people cause by over use of motorized vehicles, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, even bicycles and hikers causes for the need of voluntary common sense solutions. Wild animals have only so many calories that they can use per day. Stress causes more of these calories to be utilized. This can be a decisive factor in a wild animal's, survival, health and breeding potential. There are a lot of people in the mountains these days.

D. Nature balances herself. Sometimes the best thing we can do is leave things alone to balance.

E. The idea that our survival may depend on what we do now and in the next ten years. Selflessness and humility are needed as well as community involvement.

WOLFTOWN has been a leader in bringing about this change for over 20 years.
If you need us we are here for you.
Call us for help with rehab, education or predator problems. 206-463-9113
We are all unpaid volunteers supported by a community of like minded individuals.

Volunteer yourself! Host a fundraiser!

We are looking for more land to house our big predator rehab and agriculture programs. Contact us for more information.

WOLFTOWN
PO Box 13115
Burton, WA
98013

http://www.wolftown.org/
wolftown@centurytel.net

I keep hearing...

2009-11-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

I keep hearing from good people who are wildlife officials in government and members of big conservation groups that we, humanity, need to change our hearts and spirits.
This is true.
But I was taught, you cannot change anyone by talking.
You can only change things by example.
By the way you live.
You cannot change anyone by judging them.....only by example.
And with great love and compassion.
All of us must be paths that lead to great trails that lead to a huge migration of change.
By Example
Start small
Work your way out.
We will get there in time and there will be hills to cross, and mountains, there will be dust, kicked up by a million feet

balance again

2009-10-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

Since Wolftown is working on two fronts I thought I'd write a little bit about that.

sometimes folks think that if we rescue wildlife we are teaching people to be unrealistic about the way the world works.

For example if someone brings me a
Heron
that
an Eagle has attacked. I have to explain to them that the eagle is trying to feed her own chicks. It would have been better to not have interfered. But if a seal pup dies from toxins in the water..Do you want your kids swimming in that same water?

We need to just look at our own lives. And not be quick to judge others. As we are not in their situation. In this way we can help make a better world.

The farmer and rancher worried about his stock is rightfully worried. The farmer and rancher often controls vast habitats that are often well maintained.

But the farmer and rancher have a very small profit margin.

That's why we are helping them get the Livestock guardian dogs in proper numbers for their stock and area.

But this requires money and land. Both of which for us are in short supply.

We need help with this to continue our work.

We are here to do this work, to teach balance through our work with wildlife and through our agriculture programs.

my commute

2009-09-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

Gunny and Lambs in Spring

2009-09-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

moving sheep

2009-09-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

Prayers for Pete

2009-05-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

I am writing to ask everyone to please keep Pete in your thoughts over the next while. He is seriously ill though we don't want to get in to details at this time. Pete is the strength of Wolftown and at this time needs our thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your continued support.

2009-04-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry my friends, I’ve not been keeping up with the blog. But life has been busy. This winter was long and hard. We are lambing now and that means a lot of time worrying about the ewes and young lambs.
I have had a few new interns. Mostly kids from back east who want to learn farming. You can’t join the slow and local food movement in the north and be eating only vegetables.
It is about balance and peace. That’s what these young folks are looking for.
Keeping livestock is like marriage. You can be kind and reciprocate help that you give to one another or not. Each helps the other to survive. Living on the land is also like marriage; you give and take in balance.

There is only one real answer.

Live kindly on the land. Support the slow and local food movement.
For me the best thing I can do to help wildlife is change the way I live and preserve land.
Both forest land and Farm land.

Wolftown Rehabilitations

2008-09-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Wolftown have rehabilitated the following from February 2008 to date:

Raccoons - 8
Crow - 1
Barn Owl - 1

Baby Domestic Chick - 1
Robin - 4
Barn Swallow - 1
White Footed Mice - 2
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Anna's Hummingbird - 1
Harbor Seal Pup - 1

Stranded Seal calls - 10
Whale calls - 1
Canada Goose - 2
Bald Eagle - 1
Common Golden Eye - 1
Barred Owl - 1
Bufflehead - 1
Winter Wren - 1
Stellars Seal Lion - 1
Deer Fawns - 3
Great Blue Heron - 1

We have also had Wolf/bear/coyote calls - 12 sightings, non-lethal predator questions (off island)

Our normal and ongoing programs include
12 non-releasable wolves
4 non-releasable birds of prey

We have many sheep and three goats in the agricultural/predator friendly farming intern program

We have 3 horses in our youth mentorship/agriculture program

We have two rescued Border Collies for the agriculture program
We also have a team of sled dogs for the youth mentorship program

And...we need your help to continue this work! Please consider donating or volunteering.

Wolftown Shawls!

2008-07-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here are the shawls The winter Tree Shawl was sold, (It has tree embroidered on back.)

More Wildlife and a wedding and T's story

2008-06-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

Happy day and congradulations to my dear brother Shon man and his sweet wife Tory! They got married yesterday and everyone wore kilts!

In the midst of this we had a call on a baby robin. Who we advised was not lost just exploring so a box was put up a tree and sure enough mom found baby and all was well.

My poor brother found two sick raccoons on his way back from his wedding that sadly had to be put down.

Our dear eagle also had to be put down as he developed a systemic infection, but thank you everyone who helped him.

And here is a story.

And Pic of Jhon in a kilt!

The eagle sat in the brush facing us feet spread wide, talons ready. But he was injured and putting on a brave front. I had waded through deep blackberry bushes and held my capture net at the ready while Pete blocked his escape route with a blanket.

While I crept up to him thoughts swam through my head.

An eagle can press 1500 lbs per square inch with his feet.
Why did I go into wildlife rehab? A job where Pete and I are not paid, work long hard hours and are on call 24 hours a day.
Why was the phone call I got just before responding to the eagle, so angry?

Concentrate, I told myself and crept closer. The eagle turned and regarded me. His golden eyes still and calm.

My thoughts drifted back to the phone call before the eagle.

“What do you mean you cannot take these baby raccoons? Do you want me to leave them in the woods to die. Why are you so uncaring?”

I patiently explained to the woman that Wolftown was at its limit of raccoons and we could only house so many. I told her that our resources were limited to how much money we had for vet care, medicine and building housing. I also told her that we can not save all of them. Then I gave her phone numbers of licensed rehab facilities off island to take them. And to call me back if they were all full and I would try to place them myself. But if they were sick I would euthanize them.

(By the way Wolftown releases raccoons and deer off island. And we only rehabilitate very strong good candidates. We have ways of finding out how our rehab wildlife is doing by using transmitters this has taught us really refined ways of seeing if our rehab techniques are working.)

The women then told me, as so many others have done, of how many raccoons she has raised and all her good work and how frustrated she was with me.

I listened to her while thinking of her nurturing of raccoons and what this means in the big picture of Vashon as a whole ecosystem. Could this women recognize lepto? Was she practicing quarantine for the deadly parasites that raccoons carry? Did she have children? Pets? Grandkids?

Her strategy was off. She was releasing raccoons too early and those would die. She was habituating them to people by not feeding them blind. So those would get into trouble. Lastly that she did not realize that mother raccoons like all wild animals are very practical if their young are not viable they will abandon them. This is the way nature prevents sick or weak animals from breeding. Some babies are brought to Wolftown because Mom raccoon was hit by a car. But not always. Many raccoons on island are sick. This is bad in a lot of ways. Predators will help with this. That’s why we should welcome the coyote, the bobcat and the bear.

The eagle in front of me suddenly spread his wings and I was standing before his over 6 foot wingspan.

“Put your wings in.” I told him. “So I can net you.”

Pete suddenly said, “His wings are down now.”

I swung my net and neatly the eagle was inclosed in it. I let him jump forward then I had him . We carefully unwrapped him and put him in the big eagle crate. Carried it to the truck and placed it in the back and drove to Wolftown.

My thoughts swirled in my head. There had been two more calls that day. One call from a women that wanted me to move a wild animal that was a nuisance to her.
“I cannot move nuisance wildlife. For that .” I told the woman, “You must call State Fish and Wildlife. I can only move sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. That is the law.”
This made the woman angry and she yelled at me and hung up.

The phone call before hers was from a man rescuing crows. He called me about one that was ill.
He admitted that he was rescuing crows because he likes crows.

“That’s good you like crows .” I told him, “But my problem is you just told me that you are breaking the law. And I am required by law to tell the state. I can lose my permits if I do not obey the law. That means all the good work of Wolftown would suffer.”

He argued with me that he was doing the crows good by helping them.

I asked him if he had access and knowledge of Fluid therapy, antibiotics, protein requirements for developing corvids.
He was silent.
I told him that wild life rehabbers are actively checking birds especially corvids(Crows and ravens) and water fowl for bird flu. That we will be the first to see it. Something I personally take very seriously. Would he recognize it? I have had to be trained to recognize it.
Then I explained,
“If you love a species of wild life and want to be near it.
You learn that your care for wild animals must go beyond being around them but helping the whole ecosystem.
That wild animals are not pets but ‘other nations caught in the web of time with us.’

He then started listening to me as I told him the story of my life and work with Wildlife.

I asked him to come volunteer. Wildlife rehabilitation has come far in 25 years and we now have techniques that are state of the art. And ethics that balance the whole thing.
Both these things are important. The man quietly said he would try to come help.

We pulled up to Wolftown and then got the eagle crate out and put it in the biggest hawk mew.

Pete and I waited 20 minutes for the eagle to settle. This is a good practice as wildlife are often in shock when they are handled and they can die of the stress.

The eagle turned out to have a fractured wing and gangrene had set in. He was humanly euthanized.

I went out and fed Wolftown’s baby raccoons after the eagle died. And I thought about this one day.

I came up with saying Wolftown’s mission in my head like a mantra.

“Finding the Balance of Animals and Wilderness.”
“Finding the Balance of Animals and Wilderness.”
“Finding the Balance of Animals and Wilderness.”

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

2008-06-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we've had more wildlife come in to the project so here is the update...

We had a call about a Canadian Goose who had fishing line wrapped around it's neck. Fortunately we were able to get to it and cut off the fishing line, the Goose is doing well and has gone back to the wild.

We have had two orphan fawns come in, one had no colostrum and therefore it's immune system was compromised which ultimately lead to it's death. Fawn's don't get their colostrum from the placenta they get it only from the first milk from the mother. The second fawn was already too far gone when we got to it.

For the baby Barn Owl that we got it was also too late and it didn't make it.

We had calls about a Fresh Water Otter that had fishing line around it...we haven't found it yet so if you see it, please call us ASAP so we can help it. The number is 206 463-9113.

We have two orphan Raccoon babies that are doing well.

We also have a Bald Eagle that has some wing damage that we are currently treating. We call him Curly. If you would like to help out with the cost of caring for Curly we (and he) could really use the help. It costs $5 to $10 per day just to feed the Eagle, then there are vet fees on top of that. It you would like to donate, write a check to Wolftown with the memo stating "Curly" or "Bald Eagle" and we will ensure those funds are directed to his treatment and care.

Spring Wildlife rescues

2008-05-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

FINALLY we have had some warm weather! I know I needed it. Sheared the flock of sheep thanks for some great help from Dianna and Logan!

The rescues this spring have been few and far between. My thought is the really cold start to our spring did in most of the weaker guys out there.

We have an orphan fawn. We call him, Useless. But we mean it as a tease! His mom got hit by a car. He is using the lamb bar and doing very well.

We have had a very sick dehydrated, starved baby barn owl. A Brancher so almost on the wing. Owls are devoted parents we are not sure what happened that he was not fed? He was too far gone when we got him. Poor guy!

Today we got an adult great blue heron. But sadly the woman who found him had chased the eagle who had caught him away! The eagle needed food. The heron for whatever reason, old, sick, tired got caught. The eagle makes all herons stronger.

But now the eagle didn't get his food. And the poor heron who was very torn up had to be PTS.

Its hard to explain the way things work sometimes. But we tried to explain gently to the woman who had found him that it would have been better to have left them alone.

Sheep Browsing

2008-03-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

Browsing the sheep on horseback

Jan/feb at Wolftown

2008-02-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

January started our lambing season. So far we have a set of twins that are 4 weeks old. We are expecting about 20 lambs.
The sheep teach in our sustainible ag programs. How we live affects the land. These primitive sheep teach compassion and sustainibility and the management of land. They also teach where food and clothing comes from and they teach common sense and balance.

Here are our latest wildlife rehab updates.

A common golden eye diving duck, female, was found hypothermic and starving, it was successfully rehabilitated and released.

We also had a bufflehead diving duck, male. that had been grabbed by an eagle and somehow a person got him away from the eagle.... This brings up the issue of maybe it would have been better to leave the eagle alone. However since the bird was brought to the project this one was also successfully rehab'd and released.

Sadly we were unable to save a winter wren that was hypothermic and starving, it was dead on arrival.

We also had a stranding call on a male harbour seal that died of unknown causes.

On a happier note, here is a picture of the two lead dogs and the wheel dog of our sled team just hanging out at home (the other three must be in the bed!).

Frank and Cap, seal and lambs

2008-01-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

Frank the peregrine is not able to be released. Whatever happened to him has disabled him enough that sustained flight is just not possible. So he will go on into education.

Little Cap our rescued working sheepdog has a new book out! It's his little story. Written by T illustrated by her mom! You can order it by e-mail or phone. Its $20 plus postage. wolftown@centurytel.net 206-463-9113

I went out to investigate a seal carcass for Dept of Fisheries last week. The good folks with DNR harvesting geoducks gave me a lift by boat as it was off the coast of Vashon's east side. For you non PNW folks a geoduck is a BIG clam.

The seal was shot, stabbed and slashed to death, wieghted down with sand bags I suppose to hide the fact that he had been illegally killed. Alot of folks I guess think that the seal has no right to eat his natural food.

I wonder as earth's human population grows what this portends for wildlife. Competition for food in nature is a swinging balance.

On a softer note, dear Persephone lambed twins. Ewe and ram lambs. I was up all night with her as it was out of season lambing and below freezing outside. In fact it snowed that night.

Pics that follow are not for faint of heart.

Pedse and Ta

2008-01-10T06:18:00.001-08:00

I have been tired lately and not able to find time to post on the blog. Lambing will start in about 10 days and wildlife rehab really starts up around Feb and march.

Ta and Pedse two wolves in the education rescue have been very sick. Ta was diagnosed with bone cancer last fall and steadily going downhill. She is the wolf that came as a movie wolf rescue pup. She had a seed stuck to her eye!. So her first thing was a trip to the vet to get the dam seed off. She took it all in stride. She used to sleep on my stomach and the kids in the project called her ice cream as we gave her her pills, for her eye, in Ice cream. Ta grew up to be a formidable wolf. And often bit people interfering in her enclosure. Mostly Mike B when he was cleaning. However she did go after Anna. She was a tough cookie and although this was just her way of telling you, 'leave this is my territory!' It still pinched horribly. However she never bit me. She was always my dear pal.

Pedse- Came down with Pancratic disease and went very quickly. Coal Came from an old movie animal trainer in ID who rescued him from some abusive folks. But then Fish and Game heard about him and came to put him down because he was illegal. The old lady called me in tears. She had no money to transport him and neither did we!
But I called her town's local newspaper and they ran an article about him. People sent us money and little notes. It was a lot of folks sending a little and it came to over $3000 in 3 days. One note I truly loved was from an old man that simply said, 'here is five dollars to save Coal, please save him.'
Pete and I and Cam did. We rented a van and drove over to get him. And except for nipping the end off the Vet's finger, everything went smoothly. Coal didn't do that on purpose the Vet trying to handle him before he was unconscious. The Vet thought that Coal thought his finger was a hot dog. Hum?
But anyway Coal came to live at Wolftown. Coal was a teaching wolf, always very gentle. His little mate, Cabe used him as a sun shade. The interns first wolf experience was with Coal.

Elo, Ta's mate howled a lot for her last night. He had been leaving his food for her.

Frank the Peregrine is now over whatever happened to him and I am going to try to refly him. I sure hope he can be released.

I think about you people out there that support Wolftown. I am so sorry I cannot write to you all, I get so many e-mails. But I do thank you too! I could not do it without you.

T

Dec

2007-12-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

Hawe!

The video cam number thingie does not work like I thought so be patient we will have it up and running and you will be able to see the wolves. AND T setting off with the sled team, and moving birds to go fly on the 80 acres. And taking out the horses and sheep dogs to browse the sheep.

here is dog team in 07 Dogs across America!
Take care!

T

Wolftown, Thanksgiving 07

2007-11-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

To see the new Live Wolf Web Cam type 192.168.1.47 into your address bar. Thanks Vince and Louise! These are the wolves, PupPup and Shoka Jr. They are an arctic wolf and timber wolf. Frank the Peregrine is still recovering from his either asper or his enlarged heart problem. He is off all medication and flying around his mew. We had a cormorant come in who did not make it. He had a severe bite wound on his back. Ta our beloved Marine wolf has been diagnosed with bone cancer and is not expected to live. We are keeping her as comfortable as possible. She was a movie wolf reject and a great fierce wolf. Although she is very afectionate towards T

Wildlife update

2007-10-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well folks, Sunday was a very sad day! After almost two months of training we were ready to release Frank the Peregrine falcon. Frank had done very well. He had shown that he could catch pigeons and fly well enough to survive. I gave him four days of quiet time before the release, Birds of prey forget you in 72 hours. He was fed without see me and allowed to gain in weight to give him a safety zone.
But when the release came he could not fly! I at first thought he was just shocked at his surroundings, as he seemed fine when we caught him and crated him early that AM. But he simply was not flying. I strode over and put him on a branch. And he LET me catch him, which was not a very good sign. But I put him on a branch and sat down to watch. Nothing. So I re caught him and we took him back to Wolftown. I thought at first, could he have hit his head in the crate. But we had heard nothing? And he knew the crate very well. Finally I decided it must be an infection of some kind. And the dreaded Asper reared its ugly head. Asper is a fungal infection where spores are breathed in. It is present in the environment at all times but a bird under stress is likely to succumb to it. Also Frank was difficult to gain height in early training, possibly that was a sign.
Monday we took Frank in to do complete blood work and x-rays. His lungs showed some slight modulation, which could be a sign of Asper in its beginning stages. He is on Meds as the blood work takes 7 days. Asper runs its fatal course in 7 to 10 days.

So cross your fingers for dear old Frank. Pics are of Frank and the Saker falcon- Snapdragon.
(NEW NEWS!!! x-ray report came back with Frank having an enlarged heart! That might be why he came into rehab in the first place? Also why he was difficult to a get hieght while flying. Primlimnary blood work do not show signs of infection. Asper test results in one week.)
We had a Canadian goose come in which we fixed up and was released.

A common loon came in with a terrific injury to its neck which I couldn't save.
two more barred owls came in and were released. Ginger Beer the deer was succesfully released.

Mabel the Coyote is doing very well.
Thats the news!

T

Wolftown newest rescues

2007-09-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some of our latest wildlife rescues.

An osprey that was caught in a net. I flew her for a couple of days. She did very well. The blood on her chest is MINE! Doesn't she look like a dodo bird?

Our new tiercel Peregrine, Frank, that we are flying for Island Wildlife of Bainbridge. To be released this fall.
Thats his horrified look.
And a Douglas Tree squirrel, Mojo, I had a heck of a time getting him off my arm, this was during a cage transfer.

Summertime

2007-08-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Alot of news lately!

A wolf was filmed by remote camera in the forests near Colville. That was great! Of course my opinion is that a small scattering of wolves have been in the north cascades for 20 years.

But that is great news!

Wolftown has been doing alot of rescue!

Sick seal pups, Orphan fawns, hit by car owls!

And we have more sheep in the agriculture program!

Still rebuilding from the Dec 14th storm. And still need help fundraising!

Thxs for being out there guys! And I really appreciate your encouragement!

Here is info on WA state Wolf recovery, meetings, Please attend! And photos of recently rescued Wildlife!

the Washingtons Department of Fish and Wildlife intends to hold Public meetings and a Comment period regarding state management of wolves, starting in mid-August through the end of the month

Also recently a biologist who had been mounting night cameras in the Colville National Forest in Washington as part of his research obtained a photo that looks quite clearly to be a wolf. Will be sending you all that news article next.
WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

July 30, 2007

Contact: Rocky Beach, (360) 902-2510 or
Harriet Allen, (360) 902-2694

Public meetings, comment period scheduled
on state wolf management

Citizens can comment on gray wolf management in Washington state, during public meetings Aug. 14-23, and in writing through Aug. 31.

The series of public "scoping" meetings is being held by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and an 18-member citizen working group that is advising WDFW on development of a draft wolf-management plan.

"This public comment opportunity is intended to ensure that we receive a full range of citizen views as we develop a conservation and management plan for the gray wolf," said Rocky Beach, WDFW wildlife diversity manager.

While the state will not re-introduce wolves, the species is expected to re-establish in Washington on its own as wolf numbers increase in neighboring states and Canada.

To prepare for return of wolves, a citizen working group appointed by WDFW has been meeting since early this year The working group includes representatives from the livestock and timber industries, conservation groups, local government, hunters and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Additional public comment will be taken on the draft plan when it is completed next year.

The eventual wolf-management plan is expected to include gray wolf population objectives, wolf-livestock conflict resolution, wolf-game species interactions, wolf-human interactions and other issues.

The public meetings will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the following locations:

Clarkston, Aug. 14, at the Clarkston Center of Walla Walla Community College, 1470 Bridge St.
Spokane, Aug. 15, at Mount Spokane High School, 6015 E. Mount Spokane Park Drive.
Yakima, Aug. 16, at the Ahtanum Youth Park barn facility, 1000 Ahtanum Road (parking fee waived for meeting attendees)
Twisp, Aug. 20, at the Methow Valley Community Center, 201 S. Methow Valley Highway.
Sequim, Aug. 21, at the Guy Cole Convention Center, Carrie Blake Park, 212 Blake Ave.
Bellingham, Aug. 22, at Whatcom Community College, 237 West Kellogg St.
Vancouver, Aug. 23, at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way.
Written public comments also will be taken by mail or email through the end of August, as part of the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the wolf plan under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). Comments will be taken through Aug. 31, by e-mail to SEPAdesk@dfw.wa.gov (include "Wolf Plan Scoping" and commenter name in e-mail subject line) or by surface mail to Wolf Plan Scoping, SEPA Desk-Habitat Division, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.

Although gray wolves were largely eradicated in Washington by the 1930s, sightings have increased since federal recovery efforts were initiated in Idaho and Montana in the mid-1990s. The success of those efforts has prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to propose removing gray wolf populations from the federal list of endangered species in three states and parts of four other states, including Washington. The state plan will address wolf management in Washington after the species is removed from the federal list of endangered species.

Since the gray wolf is also designated as a state endangered species in Washington, the plan must identify population objectives and appropriate conservation and management strategies.

"If gray wolves are de-listed by the federal government, the main difference will be that Washington and other western states will have the primary responsibility for managing their wolf populations," Beach said. "We need to prepare for that possibility by developing a conservation and management plan that works for people and wildlife."

Once a draft wolf conservation and management plan is developed next year, additional public review opportunities will be offered. The final plan is expected to be complete by June 30, 2008.

More information about citizen working group members, the group’s operating principles and gray wolf facts can be found on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/diversty/soc/gray_wolf/index.htm .

The stallions of Wolftown

2007-07-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Ballywhim Sterling Moss, Eeniskim and Sun's Own (Smokey) Teach in our youth program and also help us in the mountains here are some fun pics!
Eeniskim is the overo roan, Smoke the grulla and Sterling the grey!

Whats new!

2007-06-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

I want to welcome Henry to Wolftown. Henry is helping with our birds of prey and he is a gem. A Master Falconer and also a great wildlife guy!

We have had an exciting week. First Zho got stuck in her own wolf hole! Pete had already left for work so T had to move the Wolf long house by herself. Zho was underneath it. Then start digging Zho out. But I wasn't strong enough to PULL her out. Zho was very brave although she did bite up two shovels. Finally Henry came and we both pulled her out! Poor old Wolf! She is losing her strenght in her back legs so thats why she got stuck! Good thing Wah her mate was cooperative!

We also had a raccoon call. Someone was remodeling a house and knocked down a snag and there were raccoons babies in it. Thankfully they called Wolftown and we moved them under the house. The mom will not abandon them. But it is best to do tree work in the fall when the wildlife is older!

We also got a call about a seal on the beach. Thought it might be the elephant seal, white 131 who is in South Sound right now, she's molting. But by the time I got there she had been flushed into the water by a dog! No one knows whose dog it is. But I've hauled injured otters from that beach! Don't let your dogs wander loose so they injure wildlife!

Met some dogs from Ravensgate Border collie rescue...but Cap was afraid of them.

And of course the black bear that was on island. Cap tracked him! He swam over to the mainland.
Whew
Here is bear story!

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS!

Or Aunt Em!

Yesterday morning Henry who is now part of Wolftown’s team and an old dear friend , and I followed my little sheep dog Cap through the woods to track where a bear was holing up in the warm part of the day.

Funny, this was not east of the mountains but on Vashon. Cap the sheep dog is just recently learning tracking work which by the way helps us with our non-invasive field work studies off island. Cap finds this rather amusing from the daily grind of moving a flock of rams and another flock of ewes and lambs to the various pastures around Wolftown.

Cap followed scent till Henry and I spotted tracks and scat of a black bear. While we walked thoughts came and went through my mind.

I had received about ten calls about the bear and I personally spoke to sheriff officials and State Fish and Wildlife numerous times within the past several days.

The bear brought up many things to me.

The first is the fact that people freaked out. Now please realize the majority of people on Vashon didn’t freak but the more freaked ones called me right away. Maybe some of you that are not freaking need to call me so I can balance this somehow. And those who did freak, I understand you freaked because you were faced with the unknown and you were truly concerned for yourselves, the bear and your pets, livestock and gardens…in that order.

A change from dealing with a Montana rancher who has lost 4 horses and two calves to grizzly and wolf. They freak in an entirely different way.……but usually can be worked out.
And all of us need to understand what it takes to be a rancher these days.
And we need to support them because frankly we want the big ranches to stay in place. It takes communication and the ability to listen.

Oh well back to the story!
First those that were concerned with safety issues. Black bears do not consider people food. They can attack people….but folks THIS IS EXTREMELY RARE! The bear on island had been frightened by what it thought was a terrible danger and had scrambled 12 feet up a tree to escape..horror of bear horrors an 75 year old grandma looking out a window at it. Ahhhhhhhhh! Run away…..

Bears are actually very shy. How many of you have seen them in the wild? As Henry and I walked through the forest of Vashon we were in what many would call suburbia…. 5 acres and a house but with a thick belt of trees between. These are wildllife corridors…… Henry and Iwalked with all our equipment with a dog that had a bell on and people surrounded us and they did not see us. Bears are like that. You don’t see them, they are hiding! This is because they are scared of people. And Henry and I were much more conspicuous and I lost my shoe and got trapped by branches on MY idea of a trail. When I take interns of island I really have to LOOK to find bears…..Now here’s the rub, that is mostly true of adult bears. This is because they have lived a season or two and know that people hunt them. So they learn to avoid people. Juvenile bears like the one on island, have not learned this lesson. That bear had been probably chased off his territory by an adult. Black bears breed in june.

Someone told me they were keeping their children home from school because of bears. This was interesting.

I grew up where there were bears and lion and MANY rattlesnakes. Funny the rattlesnakes liked to rest on our porch and my Pop was always sweeping them off. Sometimes he ate them too which helped control population but that’s another story. My relatives taught us from a very early age what to do around wildlife.

Common sense things like…..don’t run. Keep your eyes open. Stay with your brothers,Yell, look taller. Don’t bother young cubs don’t bother carcasses…..And the biggest one.
Do not bring it home! The last thing was a really big one for my family.
I guess I though everyone had learned this as a child but I guess not. But its ok to learn this now.

On the bears side is it better for the bear to be here or elsewhere. Hum? Well the bear choose to come here. He sought out a place where I had seen bears in times past on Vashon. It has good berrying potential.
It is good for our ecosystem to have the bear here. For one because of carrion which Wolftown is no longer taking. By the way the scat we found was 95 % plant material. Bears try to eat the easiest things to find and catch. Prey that does not run fast like berries, shoots, grass and dead stuff.

As far as your pets are concerned. Keep your pet food inside. Do not let your dog chase bears. When I was a kid we did not let our dogs out to run unattended. This was because they, being hunting dogs, would run deer or livestock and get shot. They also could get bit by rattlesnakes that my Father had not eaten yet.
Our dogs treed bobcat and lion occasionally and so I think they were savvy on the cat end of things.

I got called out by a local Vashon Sheep person and they were concerned about letting their flock out to graze after sighting the bear recently. A mature ewe can outdodge a bear if she has enough room. And the bear is going to think hum this is too hard. But this flock had garbage cans, in containers which was good, but right next to the sheep pens. So that needed to be moved. Also 4 strands of heavily charged hot wire set at different heights will deter most black bears. This also helps with gardens.

And your garbage and gardens can also be kept free of deer, dogs, and raccoons with hot wire. Raccoons carry a parasite that frankly I fear more than any bear. And I do worry about our deer with their parasite load. The bear could help with these things. Read my article on Wolftown’s blog called Balance.

You folks are my community and I love you even though sometimes you kinda baffle me. But I am sure I do the same to you sometimes. Please know that I will help at any time day or night if you have any problem with the bear.

And I will help Fish and Wildlife or the Sheriff remove him if he is a problem. But the law says they have to ask me.

But I hope we can learn to live with him. When I saw his tracks in the forest leaf litter of Vashon…..I thought of my childhood …..There’s no place like home!

T Martino

News!

2007-05-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

I am sorry, its hard for me to get to the blog! I forget the passwords or how to do the dang thing!

Man! It was simpler, years gone by! But I know you folks like to read whats going on here at Wolftown.

We had a hummingbird come into the rescue. Sadly she could not survive. But she was sure game and tried hard.

We are seeing springtime and the sounds of the many birds fills me with happiness.

Soon Inniskim and I will do the first of this years non-invasive field work in the North Cascades.

All the wolves and other critters are fine.

Our garden is doing well such as it is. The sheep think alot about it.

If you do not grow your own food I heartily suggest you grow something for yourself. There is a sense of power being able to feed yourself and make your own clothing. Something that reminds me of my childhood!

The other thing is walking. Walking to the store or post office. It moves your blood, slows time down, gets you talking to neighbors.

I ride the little stallions to town sometimes and walk beside them and it helps my head and heart!

Hope spring is looking in your window!

Pic is of Pete and new lamb!

Old Wolves

2007-04-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Spring is really here and yesterday was warm and bright. Most of the ewes in the sustainible ag program have lambed and the fresh milk and chees is very welcome.

Some of our wolves are starting to show their age. Zhoni and Chewie are both now on glocosamine and Chewie hips are bothering him. We are going to have to build him a little nesting area that we can provide more warmth for him next winter.

The wolves howling is beautiful. I am legging up the little stallions for their mt work. Things are settling down.

My Brother Marty is providing a live web cam so folks can see what is happening at Wolftown. Thanks Mart! Happy Birthday!

Pic is Chewie yawning!

Wolftown Here we are!

2007-03-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've not written in so long. We have been working hard and making good progress on the storm damage. Our World Wide Community have raised almost $18,000 to help us rebuild and do some strenghtening of fences and clean up! THANK YOU ALL!

Thanks also to Natural Balance Pet food! And Alpine Outfitters!

Here is last Mt snow Dog run using only frieghting dogs. T went by herself up to the north Cascades.

Kipmik running wheel and Arnuk and Keet lead.
Love you

T

Sterling helping with storm cleanup

2007-01-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of Sterling our connemara stallion helping skid logs away from the pasture and fencelines!

Wolftown Volunteers!

2006-12-27T06:31:00.000-08:00

These guys and gals that are helping with cleanup are doing a great job and now we can finally see the project! We will be closed for at LEAST 60 days while we get things organized. The pics are of a BIG hanging hemlock that Charles is dropping!

THANKS EVERYONE!

Work!

2006-12-23T07:05:00.000-08:00

Today we start the major cleanup! That's Trout on fallen tree. And shot of branches down between fencelines that must be picked up due to fire hazard.

Stupid or Brave

2006-12-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

I wish to share something with you. Was it stupid or courageous of Pete and I to brave the storm, really risk our lives to make sure the fencelines were holding.

We went out there knowing that our job is to keep the project safe. We are entrusted to that purpose by the agencies that grant us our permits, by our members that support us and by the public which allows us to exist.

Also we are an example to others that there are things worth risking yourself for. So many people are afraid of risk. They have been taught to stay safe at all costs. I know that if we do not all risk to make the world a better place all of us will suffer the consequences.

Wolftown is a precious thing. It is something more than what it appears. It is worth my every risk.

So if you wonder if it was a foolhardy thing to do to brave the wind and falling trees I guess you need to ask yourself if there is anything you would risk your life to protect.
Only you know the answer to that.

If you have comments about this e-mail me and I will post them here.

huiha@centurytel.net

Photos 6 days after storm

2006-12-22T04:59:00.000-08:00

Here is what things look like now.

More storm Photos

2006-12-21T06:31:00.000-08:00

We are getting stuff looked at now. Most buildings we think are structurally sound. The Hawk Mews and cabin seem the worst, and of course little hay barn was destroyed.

The photo with the trees down and slender hemlock is where Pete and I were standing at the height of storm. Trees on other side of us were snapped off over our heads and blew away! Trees fell all around there.

Still More Storm Photos

2006-12-20T05:22:00.000-08:00

The photo that looks like alot of trees is our road and Rick's driveway

Wolftown More Storm photos

2006-12-20T04:59:00.000-08:00

We have power as of Monday AM

5 days without power but some of our neighbors still are out?

STORM Dec 06

2006-12-19T06:21:00.000-08:00

Well folks, we were very lucky. We were prepared for this storm thanks to Grandpa's great weather radio. And my old Pop's barometer. It was the worst wind I have ever been in with gusts some say up to 80 mph.

I knew we were going to be hit hard, but when I saw all the wild birds starting to take serious shelter and hear old Wah our Brooks range tundra wolf start howling, he howled all day before the storm, I knew it was going to be tough. Wah the wolf was sensing the drop in pressure and howling to call his family together. But sadly we could not go anywhere to shelter.
All the birds were brought inside in crates. The horses and sheep put in stalls. The sled dogs were crated.
That morning I had filled all outside waters and figured out all our shift pen options. We have a 500 gallon emergency tank which was full.
We prepared the cabin by filling every container and the bath tub with water. We let the wood stove fire die in case the house was crushed and coals were scattered. I got all our medical supplies and sadly the 12 gauge out in case we had an animal we needed to put down because of serious injuries.

Pete got out all our fencing supplies and we called for back up staff and volunteers to check on us in the AM. Then we waited.

A fence was hit at around 1:00 am and Pete and I went out to put it back up. The power and land line phone went out.
Wolftown is fenced by two fencelines the perimeter and primary. The perimeter is the outer fence. Pete was chain sawing and then we were hit by those terrific gusts of wind. Trees and big branches were falling all around us and I was screaming for Pete because I wasn't sure he could hear with the chain saw that we were in trouble. A big branch hit my left arm and I clung to a slender hemlock for support. I flashed my light up to see which trees were falling on us and they all were tossing so wildly I couldn't really tell. So I stayed with my hemlock and listened to all the wreakage falling everywhere. Finally Pete and I ran for the cabin. This was tricky to do because of trees and branches everywhere. Once inside we caught our breath and ventured out again to check the other side of Wolftown. The wind was so bad we ran back once more. I called the Fire Dept on the cell phone which was difficult and the poor dispatcher said they would come as soon as they could. But I could tell by her voice that I should not expect help. The cell phone finally would not work.

Finally Pete and I decided that if we ventured outside we would really be risking our lives. So we waited in the living room of the cabin. We bandaged my arm tightly.

The house was hit by four trees as we waited.

We could hear wolves yelping as they were hit by falling branches.

Smoky's stall was hit and the hawk house and frankly I thought Smoke was probably lying under wreckage.

The winds were absolutely fierce.

Then around 4:30 am we ventured out the winds were less but still it was plenty dangerous out there. Our fences line were pummeled but we propped up some and went back in. The wolves were all hiding and all accounted for. Wolves are VERY territorial and hate to go through even a gate so risk of lost wolves is minimal.

Around first light we went out to access the damage. Everything had trees on it. The fences though terribly damaged were holding.Some shift pens were destroyed. The road was blocked by dozens of trees and branches. But I was so happy! None of the animals were hurt!

There were trees on the house in the dog yard, on the hawk house, on the cars, except Grandpa's truck. There were trees all down 264th st. People began showing up and we chainsawed our way out, and chainsawed our way in. Thank you wonderful volunteers and neighbors! Rick and Dave and Gail, Dr Mark and his daughter, Carl and his brother, Will and Jenny, Eva, Chelsie, And some folks I don't remember your names! Thanks Beth for communication help, Norm for web site updates, Edo for Potato salad! THANKS! Everyone who tried to contact us and offered to send funds and support!

I told Pete that night that he was a true Wolf Man as he risked his life to make sure that the rescued wolves and animals of Wolftown stayed safe.

Here are some photos.

Please remember to help us. Come volunteer for clean up or fund raise or send a donation. Wolftown is a strong org and The Wind was finding a balance and pruning.

Sharpie!

2006-11-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Here is our rescued rehab, sharp shinned hawk. This is a Juvenile female. The smallest of our true forest hawks or accipiters. These little guys are bird catchers and very manuverable!

Hopefully she will heal from her crash into a window!

Alot going on at Wolftown!

2006-11-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

Lets see! Alot HAS been going on. We had our Howlaween and guests came out and saw the wolves, learned about wolf ecology through our PLAY intitled, The History of Wolves in North America. It was a rather funny play and featured the staff and volunteers of Wolftown. This was for Wolf Awareness week. Then at the end of Howlaween we released the Saw Whet owl who was ready to go back into the woods and continue her life!

Last sat the 18th of Nov we did the Dogs Accross America Relay with Wolftowns sled dog team. Didn't go far as the three wheeler is not working too well! But it was a big hit. The majority of dogs are rescues and teach compassion and empathy to our youth project.

The next day was FIBER day where guests came out to learn how to work with wool and about sustainible agriculture and how this affects wilderness and big predators. It was very fun!

We also got a Sharpshinned hawk into rescue photos of her coming soon.

Here are some photos.

Saw Whet Owl rescue!

2006-10-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Last week we had a lady call Wolftown that had an injured owl in her living room! Pete and I had just got back from dinner and got back into the truck and drove out to her house.

On her curtains was perched a little Saw Whet owl. They look like a flying Baseball!The ladies cat and the owl had perhaps chased the same mouse and the cat thought 'Two for the price of one!'
The little owl had an eye injury.
We gathered her up and brought her to Wolftown where she was treated for shock and her eye was cleaned out and medicated.
She is doing fine now. Although I wondered if she would keep the eye it looks like she will have most of her vision in that eye. As owls hunt from hearing as well she is a good candidate for release.
Saw whet owls are named for the strange sounds they make. They do migrate but not huge distances. And I suspect some Vashon residents do go very far at all. They are the NW smallest owls.
If you have outside cats. Contact your local Audubon Society for ideas on how they can be kept from eating our local wildlife.

Here is a picture of BLINKY!

Napi's Release

2006-09-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

Napi the Coyote was sucessfully released near enough to his home in a wilderness area.
Thanks for the great help! Sarah, Jessica and Caitlin! As always it is an adventure, although T is getting a bit tired and wishes life could be a LITTLE LESS ADVENTURESOME FOR HER!

After the release a few thought came into my head, how we need to be considerate of the creatures and plants and habitat of wild areas.

The other was how good humanity can be. Our car broke down and very kind and thoughful people stopped and helped us. ALL who passed us stopped.

Humanity is a social species. That in itself is encouraging to me.

The other thing is to let fear go. I like so many others are blasted by everything that assaults our senses in the news and e-mail and radio, alot of it is bad.

Take time to just be, I tell myself. To reach towards compassion is enough.

As for Napi---- I hope he lives a long and good life. But one thing I do know. He ran away after we opened the box. And he did not come back. He knew where he needed to be. He knows where his home is.

Finding the Balance

2006-08-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Balance in nature is a swinging pendelum, never at rest always moving. People sometimes think I should be extreme right or left on some issues and I cannot be.

Is the wolf bad for hunting? No she is not she serves a purpose as useful and natural and as humane as grass growing and rain falling. Humanity can immulate this idea. My father did.

The hawk chases the squirrel, is he caught? The hawk eats and the squirrel maybe old or sick or weak or silly or maybe just unlucky ends up feeding the children of the hawk. And so it goes.

I would rather raise my own food and teach that process. I do not take it lightly.

If you wonder of balance think, there can only be so much in the world.

New Wildlife

2006-08-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

A canada goose was brought to the project by a compassionate woman this last friday. The goose was very bad off and appeared to have been shot. She had a large abrasion on her back and a sucking chest wound. We have stabilized her and will have our dear Dr Mark look at her but her chances are not very good.

The travelers are an important reminder to humanity about family, strenght, gentleness and preserverance. I look up in the fall to see the flocks of geese and swan fly and listen for their voices that speak of the north.

Our last little squirrel did let go of his life. We felt that being chilled and exposed for as long as they were before they were brought to us, compromised their infant systems beyond their ability to repair. But we learned and got our infant squad organized.

Another great horned owl was brought in. He had been attacked by another raptor, it looked like and had a massive systemic infection. We did our best but he sadly could not make it.

Raptors do squabble for territory and with their talons and beaks can really do some damage! The chances of infection are great. Territorality happens when animals are moving out after leaving their parents and meet with other species or sometimes their own!. Or when older animals are displaced by younger ones. Sometimes it happens when their are too many in one spot. Nature tries to balance so there is enough food supply.

RELEASE!

2006-08-12T06:38:00.000-07:00

The Great Horned Owl rescue, not our rehab owl but the sick owl that came in last month was sucessfully rehabbed, conditioned and released! That was a great day for Wolftown and I am proud of all our members, volunteers and board for great work! I will put in a pic of him but look close he is the blurr flying away!

Cameron completed our first non-invasive field work studies of big predators in the Pacific Northwest with his group of scouts! Thxs troops. I will let Cam post his sightings here in his own words on what he saw and found out. I will be going out this early fall for the next trip. People who wish to come with can call me.
206-463-9113 You do need to be in good physical shape and have camping gear sutible for snow.

I am thinking of you! The little squirrels are down to only one little male, but I have high hopes for him!

Flying Squirrels, new Ed Owl and More!

2006-08-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

I am tired this morning. I have been getting up round the clock feeding orphaned flying squirrels. There are three of the little guys, One male and two females all about 5 days old. Their nest was somehow destroyed and they were brought to me by a concerned man. Poor things were chilled and dehydrated and I thought they wouldn't make it. But they are tough! They are still here and on there third day with us at Wolftown!

They look like little embryos! Flying squirrels are nocturnal, the favorite food of the spotted owl. They eat all sorts of stuff found in our northern forests. Lichens, berries, carrion, nuts.

Also Our new ed owl arrived, Boo is his nickname, the island will be deciding on his REAL name! He is doing well and is a Great Horned Owl from Ojai Rator Center in Calif. Thxs Kim! He cannot be released as he is missing part of a wing and has some eyesight problems.

Our new rescued sled dog came on Sunday! He came from Eastern WA Sled Dog rescue! Thxs Susan! His name is Amiack. He is a sweet boy! But Cap the Sheep dog is being slow to warm up to him.

Well wish me luck with the little squirrels! Here are some pics!

The Corinthian 7/18/06

2006-07-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

My old friend, today you go on and wait for me. I told you this morning that it is like it was 25 years ago. You are waiting in your stall and one of the grooms is getting you ready. I am hoping on the other side it will be Pop or LW as both did know you. And they are there already.
They will get you ready for x-c Stoat, brushing you carefully checking your legs, putting on your boots. There is no lameness over there, but maybe the old rules are observed.
They will saddle you with that old stubbin I had and your breast plate and bridle. They will sew the bridle in place with two braids of your mane the rest will be left loose for me to grab in a tough spot.

They will put the over girth on and your torpedo studs. Pop will curse looking for the stud kit and maybe the Allen wrench will be missing and he will have to borrow from another barn. But people will help. I know we will need studs because it will be raining hard in that place and the course will be deep and treacherous.

LW will have checked the course for me and when I get there she will fill me in on how its riding. They will walk you to the start and there keep you circling waiting for me to show up as I get on my cross country gear. My helmet with the gold stars, but no back protector, I will not need it riding you old man.
I’ll pull on my gloves over my hard hands, rub dust on my legs from an empty stall like JW told me. Put on my scruffy boots that MP hated.
I’ll get one more small cup of coffee and as the clouds break and the early morning sunlight slides down over the course. I will walk towards you while you wait for me. Pop will be circling you so you do not chill. You will not play up as you were always good about conserving yourself.
Gareth will be there and will offer comments on how our warm up should be.
I will stroke your neck, hear your welcome that you always gave me. Maybe you will count or bow. Then I will give you a pat and gather the reins and dear Pop will leg me up.

Heaven will turn out my dear friend when we at last both run together again.

You were there for me for 30 years of both our lives. Loyal beyond humanity. My last gift a gun, my last wish for you peace and good journey.

Wait for me, Corinthian. I will look forward to that run. That endless run.