Blizzard Spirit

7- Not Because of Blood

Like all the other mornings before, me this one came bright and lively. I dragged myself out of my shelter to watch my pack. I decided I needed to name all of them, If they were to be my family. There were six in all, Alina, the kind-eyed, Juno, the regal ebony one, and the four others with rime-gray and pure white fur.

One of them, I could tell was a juvenile, probably a yearling at the least. He loved to play and make jokes with me. We teased each other by tugging on our fur and when the other would look back, we just sat innocently as if we didn't do anything. I laughed at his reactions. After I tugged his fur, he would look at me and cock his head, bend down and whine. I decided to name this little teaser, Joker. Juno's mate was a sleek, silvery female which I reckoned was aging in her years. She was a very serious one, but respectful to me. She kept a distance from everyone except Juno. I figured she has had some experience with humans before, I named her Amani.

The two others were siblings, probably Juno's one year. They stuck to each other and worked well as a team. One of them was all white with a grey spot on his back, so I named him Splotch. He was the bold and fearless one. The other pure as the snow after the blizzard, so I named him Snowy. 

My whole pack included then, Juno, Alina, Amani, Joker, Snowy and Splotch. I was content. The whole pack was a strong team which worked well, filling in each other's missing parts. I wondered where I fit into the equation. In order for me to be accepted fully, I have to give something the pack doesn't have, and I don't know what that could be.

I built my morning fire and cooked some of the caribou meat. Joker came around to me and I fed him little pieces, he loved them and danced around playfully in a circle. I created a rack from spruce branches to smoke some of the caribou. I didn't know much how to smoke meat, but I knew the basics. I had to keep it out of the fire and let it dry slowly from the heat of the fire for a long time. I managed to smoke one fillet of caribou before the pack got up and decided to go on their journey towards the den. Amani took a caribou leg to the pups' mother so she could be fed.

I packed up my supplies in a caribou leather sack that I sewed that morning. We started off at noon with energy towards the sun's direction. Every so often Juno howled to tell where they were. I loved hearing the cute barking noises the pups made when they heard the howls. Soon, the pack drifted ahead of me, but made sure that I could still spot them and the direction that they were heading. It was exhausting, but I kept my pace up through the valley and over high, rocky hills. Wolves were meant for trudging through the tundra, teenage girls, walking around the mall. Though this place was nothing like a mall, it was bitter cold and windy in and out of trenches, boulders and mountain ranges. Though seeing all Alaska had to offer was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something to talk about for years to come, if I survived it at least.

I speculated it was around the beginning of May here, and the sun now hasn't set for a day. The lone owls were coming in and out of view through the day, they loved hunting in the 24-hour sun. I was beginning to take a well deserved break when I spotted in my view over a hill, that the wolves were greeting each other. I heard Juno's deep howl to ask where I was. I howled to the best of my ability back, which wasn't the best, something like, "Aroowaroorooo arooouh." I laughed at myself and picked up my pace. I wanted to meet the pups and play with them.

They were about five-hundred meters away. I hiked up to their hill and spotted them. They raced towards me and licked my face, I giggled and played with them to show that I missed them. The pups were around the size of a fat housecat when I first saw them. They were adorable fluffy little things. Though, honestly weren't innocent. One of them went up from behind my back and took one of my food pouches. I growled at the wolf pup and he shook it as if it were alive. I played tug-o-war with him for a while until I became serious and commanded with a stern face that I needed it back. He cowered and dropped it onto the ground. They were playful no-doubt and would get into plenty of trouble. Together there were five pups. Daisy, Rascal, Banshee, Little Pheasant, and Fiona. their babysitter was a dark grey wolf that I named Sweet Paw, she had the most caring nature I've ever seen. I noticed that they were Juno and Amani's pups since they paid extra-attention towards them. Sweet Paw warily backed away when she first noticed me. I embraced Juno, and she noticed the way he didn't feel any resentment. She slowly came up to me and I whined lovingly, then she licked my face to show she accepted me into the pack.

From them on, I became the second-in-command when it came to baby-sitting the pups. Daisy was the best-behaved one with rascal as the most mischievous and bold. They all were my little puppies, and I gave each one my attention. Of course at times I would get upset and take some time off, but they filled my time with playful laughter which felt good. I was their big master, and they were my little treasures.

Time went by fast being a part of the wolf pack. I would look back and notice that I have been living on the tundra for two weeks. I thought about mom and Benjie often, wondering if they were doing their best to look for me. If they thought I was gone forever. Alaska became my new home, with the wolves my provider and family.  

I stayed at the den most hunting trips, about one in ten hunts were successful which was average. I took notice to Splotch's tendency to challenge Juno's leadership. He would growl and lift his rime-gray head to be higher than Juno's. He couldn't stand this insult and turned his back to the wolf, ignoring the challenge. Splotch felt cowardly and slunk back in a humble position. Snowy licked his ears to show he still cared for him, but had to listen and obey to Juno's leadership. The wolves didn't take huge notice to me anymore when I would make my camp outside the den and smoke the recent kill, they understood I stayed with them to survive, not to reside with them forever. I appreciated their hospitality.

Living away from the hustling and impatient world was a hidden blessing. Alaska was an amazing, fascinating place that tested every part of your abilities. I respected everything it had to offer. From the teeming little birds to the caribou's way of life made me rethink why everything at home was important. Why have I been so resistant to accepting Katie's apology? She is a person just like me, and leaving me for other friends is a lousy reason to destroy ruining one of the best friendships I've had. Katie is a fine person, she didn't understand how she really made me feel. I watched how Juno showed his affection to Amani. He would lick her face and snuggle up to her close at night and scarcely ever left her side. She needed someone to comfort her because of her timid nature.  My life needs to change, I need to change.