 Used with permission |
© T. L. SevenMornings
The little shewolf slipped out of the den, climbing up onto one of the large flat stones she loved to sun herself on.
Though there was still plenty of snow on the ground, a few of the southern facing stones had become bare. Including this one.
The little wolf sat up watching a flight of birds passing over her.
Her neck turning and craning back at the same time caused her a moment of unbalance.
Lil'One rolled over backwards on her pudgy little butt, her legs scrambling to get back up as she fell.
Her back hitting the warm stone, rolling backwards, then her head bouncing gently off the slab.
Suddenly she was laying on her back staring up at the early spring sky. Her neck and legs began to relax. She started scatching her back on the warm slab side to side, stretching her legs straight out, then letting them sprawl to the sides.
The little wolf's head tipped back stretching her neck her nose almost touching the stone, turning her head to the side,her ear felt the warmth, and her tongue slowly slipped out of the side of her mouth and her eyes closed lazily.
She woke, panting heavily, rolling back onto her tummy. Her front legs stretching out, her toes pointing up. She rolled her tongue out till it was straight, then slipped it back in panting again. Her tail curled tight then flattened out against the stone, then again curled up tight to her back.
Lil' One sat up, pulling her front legs under her. Looking side to side, panting a smile.
There it was, the natural stone basin. Water from the melting snow filling it.
The little shewolf hopped up padded lazily over to it and began to lap up the cold water.
She looked away from the basin as she heard the caw of a raven behind her. Water dripping from her muzzle, she swung her head around looking for the bird.
The dropplets of water from her fuzzy little face left a trail on the warm stone, evaporating quickly.
The little wolf padded to the edge of her stone laying down. her front toes holding the edge pulling herself along the stone on her tummy stretching her back legs behind her, till she could see below her.
There in the sky below her and above the forest below was a raven spiralling in ever smaller circles.
The black bird would glisten in dark blues as it would can't to the side catching the sun's rays just right.
Her tail began to slowly wag as the little shewolf watched this bird flying below her.
Slowly the black bird perched on a dead branch of an evergreen far below. His cawing and chuckling filling the air.
The little wolf strained her eyes as she saw movement below him on the forest floor.
There sleepily padding between the trees was a large black bear, though thinner from his winter's rest, he was still very large. He sat in the sun at the edge of the forest, pulling at the long grasses with his teeth, trying to readjust his belly to accepting food again.
The bears muscles could be seen even at this distance, rippling under his yet heavy winter coat. The sun catching his seemingly black colors and reflecting reds and browns with tinges of blue.
The bear's head suddenly swinging side to side, he sat back raising his arms above his head, swatting at the air letting out a soft growl before falling back down onto his front paws for support.
The little wolf watched the older brown below her. She had seen bears before but, it was still fun to see something moving around the forest floor after the winter's hold finally relaxed it's grasp.
The raven was still keeping up it's alert to all around, which was joined in by another raven, then spreading to the jays, and on to the orange bellied squirrels, which alerted the ground squirrels.
Soon the forest floor and canopy was alive with the scoldings of all the smaller creatures that inhabited the little wolf's world.
The little shewolf was happily wagging her tail, sitting up now watching the commotion below. Her head darting back and forth watching from the raven to the bear to the swooping jays, then to the ground squirrels in the stoney crevices below her. It was almost more than she could stand, she really wanted to get in on all the fun.
The little wolf leaned out farther over the edge of the stone, then swung her head around, looking behind her.
As she swung her head back to watch the goings on below her, she lost her balance again, tumbling over the edge.
Stones loosened from the freezing and thawings of winter came loose, rolling along beside her as she tried to stop. Snow balls forming along side of her as she rolled, spun and slid down the shale drop.
Suddenly not only had she joined in on the fun below, she was the center of everythings' attention.
All the animals large and small had stopped their squabbling to watch the small avalanche led by the little wolf.
The little shewolf looked up, finally the ride had ended. Covered in snow and small stones, she pulled herself free. Her head was spinning, she couldn't get her balance, her world was still spinning and rolling around her. She shook her head to clear her vision.
The little wolf's vision began to clear, but all she could see was black.
"RRRRRRrrrrrrooooooAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The little wolf wet herself as all she could see was teeth and tongue directly in her face, not to mention the most horrible breath she had ever smelt.
The little wolf was trying her best to scramble backwards up the cliff as the bear's teeth gnashed together, then he growled horribly inches from her little face.
"RRRRRRrrrrrrooooooAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
All the small creatures again calling out their distress, as well as the birds overhead.
The bear's large paw lifted and swung back.
The little shewolf's eyes close as she got ready for the hit that she knew was coming.
The air swooshed in front of her as the paw swung dangerously close.
"RRRRRRrrrrrrooooooAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The bear stood on his hind legs lifting up to his full height his arms swinging in front of him, then he came crashing down, his full weight scattering stones from the ground in front of the little wolf.
His large paw again swinging back as he roared at Lil'One.
"RRRRRRrrrrrrooooooAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
She squinted her eyes again curling into a ball, dwarfed by the large black bear.
Her body braced for a hit that never came. The air suddenly filled with the attack growls of an adult wolf.
She peeked from between her front paws to see the large grey wolf anchoring the bear to the ground. The wolf's jaw's locked onto the bear's large neck jerking both their heads back and forth.
The bear pulled himself up trying to shake the wolf from him, his paws raking the air as he swung.
The wolf determined, would not let go. Nothing would break his hold.
The bear's swinging had lifted the wolf fully from the ground, swinging him from side to side. The weight of the full grown wolf wore the bear down in little more than a heartbeat.
The bear fell back down on all fours again, and as he did the wolf planted his legs firmly jerking the bear to the side and on his back. The wolf was now on top of him, black fur scattering around the scene.
The growls of the bear were quickly turning to sounds of panic as the wolf bore down on him.
The large paws wrapped around the wolf's back pulling him into a hug in an attempt to crush him. The wolf only bit down on the bear's throat, cutting off his air supply.
As the little shewolf watched the battle, her cries slowed then stopped.
Though the fight seemed to last forever, it actually was over in moments, the bear was finally released from the wolf's grip as the wolf was released from the bear's hug.
The bear spun, running off as fast as his wobbly legs could carry him.
The little shewolf was now the center of attention again. The grim look she got from the large male made her tail uncurl again and her head drop to her paws as she looked at his feet.
The large male walked up to her nuzzling her gently in her tummy.
That was all it took, she hopped up spreading little puppy kisses all over his muzzle till he turned to walk up the winding path back up to the den.
Following close behind, Lil' One nipped at his heels, and ran back and forth between his legs as they made their way back home once again.
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