Ice -- Wolv book II

Sneak Peak - Her story

"...I don't know, sweetheart. It's getting a little late..."

"You promised tonight! You'd said you'd tell me the important story today!" A tiny voice squeaked back in reply, belonging to a little girl, happily sitting cross-legged on an old mattress.

"I know I did, but you've already stayed up way past your bedtime, little one! I'll tell you tomorrow, I promise!"

The statement was met with pouty eyes, and a wobbly lip. The little girl on the mattress did her best to look disappointed, to the point where tears began to pearl in the rims of her eyes--she was, after all, only four years old, and pretending to be sad could easily make her truly upset.

The older man looked down, a look of annoyance on his face. His long, black hair fell down over his shoulders, partially hiding his tanned skin. His daughter continued to sulk, her eyes getting more and more watery until a tear finally slipped down her little cheek.

He let out a sigh, and instantly the girl's face brightened--she was smart enough and sharp enough to know she'd won.

"Okay, okay," her father huffed, running his hands over his head and pinning his hair back behind him. The girl had a hold on his heart, and young as she was, she knew how to break him. "I will tell you the story, as long as you promise me you'll go to sleep once we're done!"

The little girl giggled and bounced up and down on the old mattress happily. "Geget, geget!" She chirped. Yes, yes! "I promise!"

Her father's face hardened. "I will hold you to that, Nadie! Now be still while I talk." Instantly, the giddy child huddled into herself, holding perfectly still and staring up expectantly at her father. This was the story she'd been waiting for her whole life, the one that the older kids all knew, but would never tell her. It was the special one--the secret one that the older children whispered about at the little schoolhouse, only to fall silent when one of the younger kids walked by. It was more than just a bedtime story--this one was different.

Her father sat down on the bed next to her, his face full of uncertainty. Was she really ready? She was so young...would she be able to handle the truth?

No, of course not! She wouldn't understand! Not really, anyways!

But he had promised...

"This is the story of Weneboj and Ma'iingan--"

"Oh, I love stories with Weneboj in them! They're just the best!"

The older man held up his hand, hushing her. "Weneboj was given the task of naming everything in the world. All of the plants, all of the animals, and all of the little bugs in the air. He even had to name the mountains and the rivers!"

Nadie's eyes grew big as she listened to the story. She'd heard many stories about Weneboj, the Ojibwe trickster, but she'd never heard this one before. "Really? Everything? But there's so much things!"

Her father smiled. "Yes, and do you know what? Weneboj thought so too! So he asked for a helper. For someone to stay by him, and be his friend! And so, he was sent not one, but two companions to walk alongside him. Ma'iingan, and Mahikan. Two wolf-brothers, who were loyal and caring for their new friend!"

Nadie scrunched up her nose. "Hutch says that a wolf is like a dog. Is that like Nizigos' dog? I don't like that dog. He's big and smells like hay and he always growls at me." Hutch Sappier was seven years old, three and a half whole years older than Nadie was. He was a shy child, one that only ever spoke to Nadie because she was so persistent in talking to him.

Her father tilted his head to one side, laughing quietly. "Well, Hutch was right, for the most part. A wolf is like a dog. But it's bigger, with sharper teeth and more reason than Nizigos' dog."