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Image: Free Wallpaper from http://www.scenicreflections.com/ ~Sephrena.

Author's Note: Thank you Hope for your encouragement and help in editing. Thank you Sephrena for making the post appear professional. Most of all thank you to all who have commented or left Kudos. For those who have left comments, I answer them with what I hope is something witty and appreciated. ~Barbara.

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Chapter 32: Childhood Memories
 
Jesse smiled at the memory of helping her grandfather work on that old tractor. It was still sitting in the barn. She promised herself that she would see it run before her first child was born. Wow, that came out of left field. I'm not even married yet, she thought. The young wolf remembered her own childhood back east. The tinkering spirit that her grandfather had past down to her, kept her out of the way of her father and helped her win over the bullies at school. In grade school she was able to fix their bicycles when they wrecked them or had a flat tire.

Her grandfather bought her a $1000 junker of a car when she entered middle school. He told her he would send her money for parts all she had to do was rebuild it and fix it up. Warm sunny days found her under the hood of the car taking pictures as she removed parts to begin the rebuild. Her neighbor was an old mechanic, but because of health problems he had to retire. His wife noticed the young man next door working on the junker and slyly asked the old man to sit out on the front porch with her. He noticed the flash of a camera and looked toward the old junker. All he could see was the feet of a small boy sticking out from under the hood. The small boy crawled out from under the hood placed a part in a plastic bag which he marked and placed in a box. He watched with growing fascination as the young man slowly and deliberately stripped the engine. During the last month of school every warm day would find the old man on the front porch watching the child pulling parts off the car. The young man would check a book, write down where the part came from, and put it in a box.

One day the old mechanic walked over with cane in hand to have a closer look at the work going on next door. He walked up as the boy came out with another part. “Oh, Hi Mr. Scott. I hope I haven't disturbed you,” greeted the young man.

“Not at all, Jesse. I was just curious as to what you are doing.”

“My grandfather bought me this car and told me to rebuild it. He would pay for the parts if I sent him the receipts.”

“Do you need any help?”

“Well, I was hoping Dad would help, but he wasn't interested. I do a lot of thinking when I'm tinkering on this old car.”

“I know what you mean. When I had my mechanic shop I would rather work on the cars than do the paper work required to keep it open, but if we all wanted to eat, I had to do the paper work to stay open. Do you mind if I help. I may not be able to do a lot since I became sick, but I still like the smell of grease and gasoline.”

The old neighbor would watch and give advice if asked. Sometimes he would help turn a wrench or screwdriver if the young boy as too small to loosen the bolt or screw. Mostly they would talk about whatever was bothering the young man or the old man would relate stories from his past. Jesse learned how to rebuild a car and how to deal with his emotions under his neighbor's watchful eye. The greatest gift the old man gave him was the knowledge of how to deal with people.

In the summer of his sixteenth year, the boy finished the car. He had rebuilt the engine and transmission along with the other mechanical parts. Then he cleaned up the body and had it repainted a candy apple red. His mother talked his father into placing the young man and his car on their insurance when he could get his license. It was his neighbor who actually taught the boy how to drive as his father didn't have time for him. The smile on their faces could be seen in the next county whenever they went out driving. The old man finally succumbed to his ailments in the boy's seventeenth year. The neighbor's wife asked him to be a pallbearer. When the services ended, the lady walked up to him and thanked him for being a friend to her late husband. She had said it was some of the happiest times he had after becoming sick.

In his senior year of high school, someone stole his car and crashed it during the ensuing police chase. The car was beyond repair. His father collected the insurance check, but wouldn't give it to the young man to purchase another car. His mother had developed cancer, and his father said he would need the money to get treatments for her. His mother became too weak to fight with his dad and she died during his junior year at college. The father gave the son the minivan to drive back and forth to college. Instead of coming home like many students he worked on the van to fix it up. He had it running well by the time he graduated from college, but the graduation was bitter sweet as his grandfather died the following week, and the trouble with his dad became unbearable.

Mr. Johnston nudged the girl sitting beside him which startled her. “I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep.”

“No, I was thinking. Your tale about rebuilding the old tractor had me thinking about my own past back east. There were some good times and some bad.”

“Do you want to share them?”

“Maybe later. You had asked about me being a boy and then becoming who I am today.”

“Yes?”

“You told me that you knew that my grandfather followed the ways of the First Nations. It was these beliefs that lead me on a spirit quest and my subsequent meeting of the deity, Coyote.”

“I'm not sure I understand,” said the neighbor.

“When my grandfather's will was probated, I inherited the ranch which angered my father. I had to hitchhike all the way out here. My grandfather left me a letter that requested that I take a spirit quest as soon as I got here. It was on this quest that I met Coyote and was changed into a female.”

“So, the old trickster played one on you. See I know my Native American lore.”

“Well, yes, He did. But He charged me with several tasks. One was to join the wild wolf pack on the ranch, and the other was to learn to be a shaman to the People. I don't know how well your family will accept me if I don't profess to be a born again Christian. I am more like my grandfather in that I follow the Native American culture more than church doctrine. I do believe in a supreme being and that Son of God came down to save us, but the doctrine of many of the churches is more than I can... Well, you get the picture. I am to return to the lake as least once a year to seek the Great Spirit and more often if possible.

“To join the wolf pack, I had to become a wolf, and I have much to learn to be a shaman to the People. I have told Gabriel about my past, and he has accepted me at face value. I hope the rest of your family can, because I don't want to come between him and his mother or any other family member. I understand he wants to marry me, but we hardly know each other. I have convinced him to wait a year and date until we are sure and your family gets to know me better and I them.”

“Young lady, you're very wise to wait and see how things progress for the both of you. My wife would've liked you to have been a born again Christian, but Gabriel could've done much worse, and from what I have learned about you so far, it's hard to do better when you have the best. Don't worry about his mother. I think she will love to have you as a daughter-in-law. I know I will.”

“Thank you for supporting me. I have no doubt that Gabriel and I will be married, but to rush into it could pull us apart before we get a good start.

“Tell me Mr. Johnston, you've heard my story even though I haven't gone into great detail, would you have believed it if Silver Ears wasn't here to back me up?”

“If I didn't know your grandpa and some of the legends surrounding Coyote, maybe I would've thought you were making most of this up. I could have asked for proof, and some may think you are inventing your story. Some may say you are... mentally challenged? I don't see you going out of your way to tell people your story though claiming the wolves as family might have put the sheriff off at first. Most people see their pets as part of their family. I think people in the big cities call them fur children or something similar.”

“I told Gabriel about me so he would know what he was getting into. At first he just thought I was trying to run him off, but he decided he would stay with me anyway. Then when he woke up with Silver Ears in the tent, he thought it was me.”

“Why did he think it was you?”

“I had told him that I had to become a wolf to to be able to run with the wolves, so he thought that I had turned into a wolf in the middle of the night to prove my point. Silver Ears was laying on Gabriel's sleeping bag where he could move. Gabe was trying to gently wake the wolf until I stuck my head in and told Silver Ears to get up.”

{She swatted me on my hind quarters}

“Did the wolf just say you swatted him?”

“See Mr. Johnston, your family is tied to this pack as well. I don't know how, but it may be interesting to find out. I know the tales in my family has it where some have taken mates from the pack and some have become wolves and stayed with the pack. It may be that your family has a close connection to this pack.”

“I know there are tales in our family where a family member has ridden into the wild country hunting and was never heard from again. Their horse would come back, but a search wouldn't produce any evidence of what happened to them. You think they may have joined the pack?”

“Could be. I don't now for sure.

“You may have heard I have a daughter named Merry.”

“I have heard, but I thought I would let you explain that one. If you had a child before marrying Gabriel, we assumed you either refused to have an abortion or were married earlier and divorced. But if you were a boy until just a few weeks ago, that makes having a daughter difficult unless you have custody.”

“The truth is the little girl is Silver Ears daughter. She was given to me to get her medical help for a hole in her heart that I couldn't heal. I have adopted her as my own child. Will that cause a problem with your family if they don't know the real origin of Merry?”

“We'll think of something to tell my wife. I won't lie to her, but I don't have to tell her everything. We can just leave it at Merry being adopted from a family member who couldn't take care of her. That isn't a lie, but it isn't stretching the truth either.

“Our relief should be waking up,” said Mr. Johnston. “then we can go to bed for awhile.”

“Who's taking over?”

“I think it is my oldest son and one of the sheriff deputies... Ah here they come now.”

“Have you seen anything?” asked the deputy.

“Nothing so far.” answered Mr. Johnston.

“I'm going to step into the dark where my night scope will work best,” said the deputy. “Joe you stay here and tend the fire. Try to keep your back to it so your eyes will stay adjusted to the dark.”

“Silver Ears be sure you send a scout with the deputy to keep him company,” said Jesse. “If they sit next to each other that will help keep them warmer. Also, if they wrap a blanket around themselves that will help. I am beginning to see my breath. It may just snow before long”

{I will tell the scout, you tell the deputy. If the scout growls then there is someone or something moving out there. A yip means he he saw someone. A loud howl will wake the camp if things get dangerous. You remember Howler? He and his brothers came to help.}

Jesse relayed the instructions to the deputy who agreed. He wasn't looking forward to sitting out in the cold by himself. A wild wolf was not his preferred partner, but under the circumstances he was grateful for the warmth. Howler had stood watches at the dens in the cold like this by himself was glad to have company even if it was a human. They could put aside their fears and distrust for one night. The ranch owner told the deputy that the wolf with which he was standing watch was a member of her personal adopted family. “Don't pet him as if he is a domestic dog, but if you put your arm around him for warmth, he won't mind. He knows he is dealing with someone who is his equal. Treat him as an equal and you will do fine.”

The young girl crawled in her tent next to Gabriel. “Did you have a nice talk with my dad?” he asked.

“I thought you were asleep. And yes, I did have a nice talk.”

“Good, I can go back to sleep without worrying about you and dad getting along.” With that the young rancher spooned against his girlfriend and was soon asleep. Jesse laid awake a little realizing how wonderful it felt to have someone love her and comforting her as Gabriel was doing.”

Sometime in the night someone scratched on the tent. “Everyone up. We may a visitor soon. Don't show yourself by the fire. Meet in the dark by the butcher's van.” The steady rain, though light, made it hard to hear very far. The deputy that was in charge of the group had just come off watch. And the third deputy was now standing watch in the dark.

“Okay everyone listen up. Miss you better bring your wolf friend over. He sent two wolves out with Tom to help protect him.” When Silver Ears joined the group the deputy continued. “It started raining about a half and hour ago. Just before I came off watch, I thought I saw something move against the tree line. Tom is paying particular attention to the treeline, but the fugitive may try to get behind us. He still has his automatic weapon, and we don't know how many rounds he has left. It sounds like he has used up at least two clips and used one on the truck. Still there is no telling how many he has left, nor if he has any other weapons.

“It'll be harder to hear him moving in the rain and harder to see or smell him. That may be why our friend sent two wolves out with Tom. We need to set two watches until it gets light enough to see. Also, we need to keep this fire going as to entice him in. I don't think he will be content just to steal a vehicle to escape, but we have removed the batteries from the vehicles if he gets past us and tries. We may get little sleep the rest of the night. At least most of us have had an hour or two. Miss, I don't mean to sound sexist, but if you could keep the coffee going I will take it to the pickets as I make my rounds to check on them.”

“I don't mind. Silver Ears will stay with me to keep me company in case the fugitive gets past everyone.”

The deputy started arranging the watches when a shot rang out. He pulled out his radio and called to Tom. “Tom are you okay?”

“Yes, I thought I saw him. I missed and he went back into the woods.”

“Okay, he knows where you are. Move to the top of the ridge. It'll be light in about three hours. The rain is turning to sleet and maybe snow by morning.”

“10-4. Bring me some coffee when you get a chance. These wolves could use something, but I doubt they drink coffee.”

“10-4”

Jesse turned to Silver Ears, “Do you think that a couple of your scouts can safely approach the treeline and see if the fugitive has left or if they can find where he might be. They need to be careful. If they find he has left the trees they need to warn us without attracting gunfire and then track him.”

{I will send two scouts. They will send the warning bark if he has left the woods. If he is still in the trees they will give the hunting howl.}

The two scouts took off toward the tree line at a steady walk. Even wolves need some light to see by. They were trusting their keen hearing and smell to keep safe. To try and run across the open ground would have made too much noise and they could have tripped in a hole. Still they made good progress.

Tom called back in. “I'm in position. I can see our two friends approaching the tree line. If I see any movement I'll fire a warning shot if I think they are in danger.”

Sam called in. “I'm in position with my wolves. I don't see anything but our two friends... Wait there is some movement just to the left of them.”

“I see it,” said Tom. “The wolves are backing away slowly almost belly crawling. It looks like they are trying to get closer to the trees. One is standing while the other is dashing into the trees.

A sharp bark came to the watchers. “That's the warning,” said Sam. “Do we shoot or just keep a watch?”

“The Sheriff will want him alive,” said the head of the deputies. “Just continue to watch. Once he gets far enough from the tree line that he can't get back quickly I'll put the spotlight on him.”

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To Be Continued...