Beyond Timber Songs

Prologue

     Wisps of night began to cover the summer's evening sky as the sun dazzled the tops of thick pines with its last rays of light, their needles tinted orange and yellow as they bask in the last warm rays before having to spend the night hidden in the dark. As that orange glow of the sleepy day sky began to fade small shimmers of stars began to reveal their tiny white faces, each one desperately following the night away from the beams of their sister who so proudly bleaches the world with her warm rays. The buzzes and rings of late day insects can be heard as they continue their busy work as if the day were as young and bright as it were in the hours past. Chirps and shuffles of leaves and twigs of birds and animals are also heard as they scramble to escape the coming dark and retreat with the sun to some hidden home where they may rest. The sun sinks and her orange evening fades behind the distant horizon until soon only a white and blue glow may be seen shining as a last goodbye to the day and a restful welcome to the quiet of the night. A faint day breeze begins to die and a half-moon face soon begins to silently glow as the day finally settles, careful and curious of the world below. And for only a moment there is a dead and lonely silence. No insects with their buzzes and wines, and all birds and animals have stopped chirping or scattering about. There is only silence and nothing more. No rattles of trees swaying in a breeze. Nothing. Only a silence that seems to welcome the night as she roams across the warm earth to silence it's chatter and daily turmoil. But only for a moment does it last. After only seconds does a whole new set of sounds seem to occur. A chorus of nocturnal insects and animals start to buzz and clamor about. A gust of wind rattles the trees creating an orchestra of cracks and moans. Brookes an streams create a serenade of trickles and sloshes.  The woodland is then all at once suddenly singing a symphony of night which rings into the indigo sky.

     Deep in pines and far under the tall canopies, the ever so silent crunch of moist soil sounded under the light treading pad of a foot. A silhouette of short fur, spiked like needles, flashes about the foliage. Stiff weeds stood their ground as the short furred creature carefully crept along the forest floor, gently plowing it's feet upon the grass as if it were more delicate than ice. A break in the tall pine canopy let a patch of dim and misty moonlight shine upon the cold shamrock colored grass. The dim light washed over the short furred creature, causing it to shed it's skin of darkness and reveal it's true appearance. The creature had copper brown fur and black patches and thick stripes that arbitrarily assembled upon it's back and head. Pale grey fur painted it's fluffy underbelly. It had slim whit paws that were dirtied with soil and grit and a sleek, long, and thin head with dark, yet gleaming, round eyes that seemed to curl into it's face. It had one large dark grey nose that glittered in the dim light and at it's backside, one frizzy, long, copper tail . This creature was a young timber wolf.
     The young wolf stopped and stood in the patch of moonlight and tilted it's head towards the bright slit that tore through the dark sky. A sea of glistering stars seemed wink down at the Earth. The wolf's eye caught the starlight shine and, in a silent exchange, gleamed bright yellow back at the dazzling heavens. It then tilted it's head a continued on it's trek through the immense timberland. 
     

     Deeper into the forest, a small ravine ran down to an ancient riverbed where small gritted pebbles lay. The wolf skidded down the craggy stone sides of the ravine and began to trudge along the bottom of the bygone river. Further up the bed, three very small stone outcroppings shielded a shallow cave that cut back into the ravine wall. Each side of the cave was very smooth, as if a hand had simply scooped a ball of the stone from it's place. Small weeds grew merrily from the pebbles that scattered the ground.  The wolf wound it's way around the outcrops. Pale moonlight, with a welcoming gleam, shone at the entrance to the cave. The wolf padded up to the entrance and craned his neck into the round, shadowy crevice. Inside, barely visible, black silhouettes laid upon the far wall of the cave. These were the silhouettes of a mother wolf and two young pups, only a few weeks old, who were soundly asleep. As the other wolf peered into the cave a breeze stirred the restful trees into a fit of rustles and rattles. One of the silhouettes upon the back of the cave began to shiver. The wolf outside of the cave then, as quietly as possible, creeped into  the cave next to the mother and her pups. The wolf grew very close to the shivering pup and stood over it, staring at the petite bundle that was before it's feet. The pup was very plump and had glossy grey fur that had a ravishing blue tint to it. It smelled of sweet milk and pine. The pups head was pale and it had a lighter grey nose that wriggled and snuffed, reacting to the world beyond it's dreams. 
     The wolf looked solemnly at the pup, like some deep regret floated upon the innocent creature. The wolf then swiftly licked the soft creature and trotted silently out of the cave and around the outcrops. It then trudged itself up the ravine, knocking a small stone from it's easement. The stone clattered down the ravine and landed with a tiny clack in the riverbed that reverberated steadily from each side of the stagnate walls.
     The small pup that had been shivering awoke to the sound. The midnight sky reflected in it's eyes as it stared blankly out the cave entrance into the blissful night. The pup then laid it's head back to rest, closed it's eyes, and fell into a contented sleep.