The Storm

         She was in trouble, she couldn't fool herself any longer. Trudging through the waist deep drifts of snow, she brushed at the tears trickling down her cheeks. It was such a stupid thing to do, running away from pa and Fred Dempsey. Running away from the announcement of her engagement as if that would change anything. Fred wasn't a bad man, just not the exciting man she wanted. Now she was lost, thrown from her horse. At least he had the good sense to run for home and the warm barn.

         Her feet becoming more numb with each step, she struggled to keep moving. The heavily falling snow blocked any hint of moonlight from filtering down through the pines, giving the night a muffled, unreal feeling. At least the wind had died down. That was a mixed blessing as the snowfall had increased, the huge flakes piling up rapidly.

         Suddenly her foot snagged on something hidden in the snow. Her arms windmilling, she tumbled into the snow disappearing from sight in the deep drift. Desperately she tried to get to her feet, falling several times before she successfully made it. Standing panting with effort, snow slipped down her collar, the numbing cold biting into her skin. She began to shiver uncontrollably, shudders that racked her whole body. Terror lanced through her with the sudden realization, she was going to die. Sobbing she fell to her knees in the snow, clasping her hands to her face.
         A loud howling shocked her out of her despair. Struggling to her feet again she looked around frantically. There, about 15 feet away in the dim shapes of the trees, stood a white wolf staring at her intently. Its gleaming fur almost blended into the snow. Glowing eyes locked on her, filling her with dread.

         Turning to run in the opposite direction, she stumbled through the snow. Hands flinging the snow aside, she dug her way through the deepening drifts. Looking back, she saw the wolf padding lazily behind her as if more curious than anything.

         Sheer exhaustion finally stopped her, and lungs gasping for the frigid air, she turned and watched the wolf approach. It made a strange low huffing sound, came a forward few steps, then stopped. Watching her intently it slowly came forward and lowered its head.
         Confusion swept through her at the strange behavior, why wasn't it attacking? She jerked back as the wolf stopped directly in front of her, its nose edging toward her hands. Close up the wolf seemed huge, much larger than any she had seen before, but the strange eyes seemed to pull the terror from her body.

         Almost in a trance she lowered her hand to the wolf's head, its fur soft and damp from the melting snow flakes. At her touch it almost seemed to grin up at her, but surely that was her imagination?

         Gripping her skirt in its teeth, the wolf tugged her forward. Stumbling forward a few steps, she gaped in confusion, then meekly followed it through the snow. It seemed a dream, maybe it was. She had heard tales from the trappers about freezing to death, they said you just fall asleep and dream until you die. This must be what was happening.

         A strange calmness overtook her then, and she followed the wolf through the darkness, time standing still. The huge, heavy flakes of snow drifted down faster and faster, making movement harder with each step.

         A rock cliff appeared before her, about waist high a darkness loomed. Reaching out a hand she felt an opening in the cliff. The wolf tugged her forward again and she ducked down and crawled into the cave. On and on it lead her, deeper into the mountain.

         Suddenly she felt the impression of a slightly larger area and heard muffled sounds of movement, a snuffling and the wolfs low huffing noise again. She stopped, panic starting to return, then felt the wolfs nose against her face, incredibly a wet tongue swiped across her cheek.

         The wolf grabbed her coat and pulled her forward again. She realized that she was in a den, but her mind balked at any further thought. Then warm bodies tumbled over her and without knowing how, she fell asleep. Vague dreams of whimpers and nudges filled her sleep, exhaustion and terror a powerful sleeping tonic.

         Slowly she came awake, her body aching, but the shivering gone. Confusion raced through her, where was she? Sitting up, she opened her eyes wide and strained to see in the dark. Gradually a faint light appeared to her right and turning toward it, she saw a tunnel leading upward.

         A slight movement behind her caused her to start and turn abruptly. The white wolf of her dreams stood behind her, tongue lolling out of its mouth. Panic gripped her momentarily, then she saw that she was nestled among a litter of pups. Their warm bodies were snuggled against hers, their soft fur tickling her hands as she reached out to prove to herself that they were real. The wolf, she now realized was their mother.

         With awe she looked up again at the wolf, her breath catching in her throat at the magnificent creature before her. She saved my life, she thought stunned. Trembling slightly she reached out her hand toward the wolf, almost wincing as she padded forward to nuzzle her hand.

         Suddenly the wolf cocked her head, listening. She turned toward the opening, then huffed looking back and walked a few feet forward. She wants me to follow her, she thought. Crawling carefully over the sleeping pups, she followed the wolf out of the den and toward the light of day.

         Suddenly she heard her name being called. Sobbing in relief she scrambled up the tunnel. The wolf stopped a short distance from the opening and looked back at her. Crawling up beside the wolf, she reached out a hand again and smiled as the tongue flicked out. She thought again that the wolf seemed to be smiling at her. "Thank you for saving my life", she said, feeling slightly foolish to be speaking to a wolf. Then she decided it was not foolish and said it again, tears falling down her cheeks.

         The wolf huffed once again and then padded back down the tunnel. Watching the wolf leave, a sense of something otherworldly coursed through her, filling her with a calmness that had been missing in her life up until now.

         Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she turned and crawled the rest of the way out of the den. Wincing in the bright sunlight gleaming on the snow, she stood and breathed deeply the crisp air.

         Spotting a figure among the trees she laughed in joy at the sight of her father riding toward her. He stopped in amazement, then whooping raced toward her to jump off his horse and sweep her up in his arms.