Kreative X-Pressions Publications

Prologue

The Wolf

The silent-voiced grizzly bear had long since declared itself victor of the battle and, after feasting on one of the dead wolve’s carcasses, had trudged off into the forest in search of new enemies.

White Wolf had remained in his hiding place in the nearby thicket through two moons and one sun after the battle, too weak to move. Now, with a renewed will and having recovered some of his strength from his battle with the silent-voiced giant, he emerged from his hiding place not far from the clearing where the battle had taken place. He wanted to attack the band of turkey buzzards that had already begun to feast on the carcasses of his companions, but he hadn’t the strength nor the will.

Glancing mournfully over his shoulder at the remains of his mate, Long-Fang, and his many comrades lying dead in the clearing, the white wolf limped slowly away from the scene of the battle. Whining involuntarily as pangs of pain shot through his weary body, he felt himself growing steadily weaker as his life blood trickled slowly from a gaping wound on his back. He hadn’t gone very far when his hindquarters crumpled beneath him and he stumbled, fell to the ground and lay there, panting and exhausted. He knew that additional rest was needed to recover his lost energy, but to remain there now was too dangerous. Willing himself to stand, he instinctively set a course for his den beneath the fallen oak tree. There he would be safe from the still marauding bear while he recovered from his wounds.

White Wolf’s spirit was low. He had summoned the whole pack together to battle the giant bear and, unbelievably, the whole pack had been wiped out. During the battle, White Wolf had seen two of his four sired pups go down and that was when his rage went out of control. But even he, the Great White Wolf of the forest, had been no match for the fury of the silent-voiced grizzly, for in no time at all the giant bear had clamped its huge jaws around White Wolf’s back to deliver the bite that put him out of action. Even now White Wolf could feel the agonizing pain of the bear’s fangs sinking into his back muscles as he’d struggled to free himself from beneath the bear’s ponderous weight. Then, just as the grizzly was about to deliver the fatal bite to its jugular vein, his beautiful, coal-black mate, Gray Wolf, had jumped on the grizzly’s back to sink her razor-sharp teeth into his massive neck muscle. Though not enough to cause serious injury to the bear, it distracted it long enough to allow White Wolf to escape from the bear’s grip and drag itself to a hiding place in the nearby forest. There, suffering untold pain and powerless to help, White Wolf had watched in agony as the monstrous bear lifted Gray Wolf up with its enormous forepaws to deliver the fatal bite to her throat. Then, still helpless, White Wolf had watched his mate’s body convulse in the bear’s pincer-like death grip until at last she became limp in his jaws and the silent voiced one cast her away. Gray Wolf had sacrificed her life to save her lifelong mate, White Wolf, and White Wolf would not soon forget it.

After the silent-voiced grizzly left, White Wolf had arisen from his hiding place and tested his footing. Unsteadily, but with grim determination, he headed slowly back towards his den. There he would have time to heal before seeking revenge in another battle at another time.

Plodding wearily through the dense brush of the forest to evade further battle with the silent one lest the bear back-trail him, White Wolf felt his strength gradually ebbing from him as his dripping blood silently marked a crimson path behind him on the forest floor. His wound was very deep and he could feel his energy slowly draining from his battle-scarred body. He cocked his sensitive ears and listened for signs of the silent one. Relieved to hear nothing but the voice of the forest singing its usual song, he continued slowly on.

He thirsted desperately but knew that the nearest water was further away than his remaining strength could carry him. Confident the silent-voiced bear was no longer in the vicinity, White Wolf left the denser part of the forest where he had been travelling and limped slowly towards a sparsely wooded clearing. He needed a soft place to lay his blood-matted body for a few moments of rest. After that he would circle around through the outer rim of the forest, taking the longer, but safer, route back to his den. Spotting a clump of leaves in the far corner of the clearing, he began making his way towards them to rest his weary body, unaware that he was heading straight for a different kind of danger...the steel-toothed jaws of a deadly animal-trap.