Forever His

Chapter Five

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The next Monday morning the town students, or townies as Lex puts them, were still celebrating their win on the first volleyball game of the season, even though it happened two weeks ago. I hadn't gone to the game, but I had heard numerous good things about the game. They had won 2-0 and had almost twenty-six kills, which I was told was something to celebrate. The townies were pumped and obviously proud of the team. Even Mrs. Rojas was getting into it. She had a lot of streamers and banners that came from the art club that were purple and gold: the school colors.

The school's mascot was the wolverine, and it had been for almost sixty years. Alyson said that the wolverine idea came from the Native American folklore. She had learned the tale from Nathaniel after they had first gotten married. Alyson had learned a lot when they started going out because she was introduced to a new culture and new family traditions. She told me she was scared because of all things that she was learning; she was scared of impressing Nathaniel's family and friends.

The wolverine came from an ancient Native American tribe that lived along the west coast of North America. The animal was peaceful and kind and was the tribe's familiar, the single warrior in the tribe that was blessed by Mother Nature and the Great Spirits because of his leadership and bravery. He had made his home with the people and also gave them protection from other enemy tribes. The greatest enemy was a tribe that had a familiar who could take the form of a mountain lion, the wolverine's archenemy.

The lion was cursed by the Great Spirits because he had abandoned his home tribe and left them defenseless, and out of rage killed his life mate. The lion had traveled to the home of the wolverine with the intent to kill him and take his place as his tribe's familiar, his anger and pride clouding his mind.

The wolverine's mate had begged him to flee with her out of fright that he would not live through the battle that he knew was coming. He had told her that to flee would present cowardliness and weakness, and he was not weak nor cowardly. The wolverine told his mate to trust him that he would come back to her. But even then she still had her doubts.

Eventually the mountain lion showed in his familiar form, ready to fight for what he thought he deserved. The wolverine met him and gave him one last chance to turn and mot upset the spirits even more, but the lion refused, intent to bring suffering to the wolverines home. Enraged both familiars fought, but soon the lion had gotten the upper hand. The wolverine's mate had been watching the battle and had cried out to him when she saw that he was going to die. Subdued, the wolverine looked to his mate with all the love and passion in his eyes, saying goodbye. In the next moment he was gone, for the lion had taken his chance and had stolen the wolverine's life.

The fellow warriors of the wolverine felt such hate and remorse that they ran after the lion, intent on killing him. But the lion fled, scared he might have lost his life to a few humans, but not defeated. He swore to return and finish what he started kill all the tribe's members. After he was out of sight the wolverine's mate ran to his lifeless body that willed back to his human form, having no energy to keep his familiar form. She cried out and screamed for her lost love. He had left her and unknowingly his child that was still inside of her womb. The wolverine's fellow warriors tried to consul her but she wouldn't have any of it. Hearing her cries the Great Spirits and Mother Nature their spirits came to fill her womb permanently with the spirit of the wolverine like his father before him. The warriors also felt the need of strength to protect their tribe. So the spirits filled them also, promising the forms of wolverine familiars to the warriors.