The Wolf

Chapter 9

Aleksi and his father woke up early. They climbed out of the tent and got ready for the day. Storm was still sleeping. So instead of waking him up, they took the hounds and went into the forest.

They found the tracks of a bear and followed them carefully. Until they found two bears fighting over a dead elk. Aleksi and Alfred watched them fight and roar. Until the smaller bear backed down and left the carcass for the larger brown bear.

"That's the bear that is killing the game on the hunters land. He has killed and attacked several people and dogs." Alfred raised his gun, watching the large creature.

The hunter fired and caused the bear to fall over. Aleksi shot the second one twice. Then both hunters went over to the two bears. Alfred lit a match and set both on fire. Bowing his head in respect.

"Dear Lord, thank you for looking after us, we thank you for the lives of these bears, their fur will bring warmth this autumn and winter. May they return to the earth and grow as grass to feed other animals."

"Amen," said Aleksi.

Alfred smiled and he and Aleksi went back to the camp. Hoping Storm would be awake to join them on their next hunt.

After packing up the tent the hunter and his son and their dogs trekked up the mountain. Each evening on their journey they would fish or catch a bird to eat and set up shelter. They did this until they got to the forest near the top of the mountain. The wolf forest, a dangerous place for a person.

"Aleksi, will you and Storm go and collect some firewood?" Alfred asked.

"Out there?" Aleksi looked at his father, not certain about going further into the forest.

"Storm and Tobi can keep you safe," Alfred said and handed him an axe. "Now go."

The hound dog named Tobi padded over to Aleksi. His sister, Poppy followed. So the two hounds, the wolf, and the boy walked into the wilderness to gather the fire wood.

Aleksi gathered up several sticks but he knew they needed more. So he picked a tree and began to chop it down. The hounds padded back and forth, sniffing every scent. While Storm stood close to the boy's side.

Shadows were watching them from the woods. Wolves approached them, surrounding the group. They bared their teeth and growled. Poppy, Storm, and Tobi barked and stood between the wolf pack and their master's son. There were five wolves against three. Aleksi became scared, he raised his axe and yelled for the wolf pack to leave.

"Leave us alone! Wynoś się stąd!" Aleksi yelled.

Tobi and two wolves began fighting, rolling around and biting each other. Aleksi hit both the wolves with the flat side of the axe. He swung and hit, keeping the wolves at bay.

Storm lunged and bit one wolf on the neck and threw him aside. He then walked up to the wolf and growled into his face. The pack was now scared of the boy and the axe, so they ran away into the woods. Aleksi cheered and hugged the dogs, happy that they were all alive and not injured.

Aleksi and the hunting dogs went back to the camp with the fire wood and set it down in the middle of a circle of rocks.

"A wolf pack attacked us, but the dogs and Storm fought them off. I used my axe as well," Aleksi told his father.

"Well done, but are you hurt?" Alfred felt his son's arms for any scars. Concern on his face.

"No, nobody got hurt," Aleksi replied.

"Good," Alfred smiled and began to light the fire. "Come help me prepare dinner now."

Aleksi sat down and his father took some mushrooms and cabbage and put them into a pot.

"Cabbage soup?" Aleksi asked.

"Yes."

The boy frowned and his stomach grumbled, he knew he had to eat it.

"What's wrong with hunting? Like we always do?"

"The wolves will come from the smell of blood," Alfred said.

Aleksi listened to the fire crackle as it boiled the water. Then he put the lettuce and mushrooms in to cook. The dogs waited for food, barking hungrily. Alfred gave the dogs a cake of meat each, making them stop barking.

When the sun began to set, Aleksi and his father ate their dinner together and crawled into the tents to sleep.