Strong Spirits

Chapter Two

I sat alone on the cushion beside my window and watched the amber sun kiss the soft waves goodnight before it ducked down out of view. The trees stood like silent guardians, protecting the town until the sun was to rise in the morning. It was beautiful. Yet, that was not why I stared out my window every night. I sat there because I could see the whole town,  because I wanted to be out there. 

The wolves came again, this time, I sat outside. As the tan and black wolf approached, I stood on the porch. They seemed nervous. I sat down on my knees and they edged closer until I could feel their hot, wet breath on my skin. The tan one stared me dead in the eye and I sat there, freakishly calm. If it was anyone else, they'd be freaking out. But for some reason, I didn't. There was something about him. Something about this wolf's eyes. They almost seemed..... human.

I lifted my hand to let him smell it, only to have him press his muzzle into the palm of my hand. It surprised me, but I was still calm. My heart leaped and fluttered like a caged bird as I stroked his soft fur, running my hand over his head and ears. He let me pet him and it was the most thrilling experience I had ever had.

My pencil hit the paper and began to sketch out the delicate lines, forming themselves into the shape of a wolf. The lines danced into a drawing, and I sat back and looked it over. I stood up from my desk and walked to my window. The soft silver moonlight reached down to me and seemed to reach inside me, and calmed my mind. Putting my hands on the cold glass, I hung my head as my breath fogged up the glass. Looking up, I could see my reflection, and I didn't know why I looked so sad and alone. 

Anger stirred somewhere deep in my heart as I looked at my reflection. That wasn't me. I wasn't just some sad kid, I had plans. I turned and slammed my fists into the wall, yelling as I did so. I just got so angry sometimes, it burned in my chest. I picked up a book, and threw it across my room. It hit the wall, knocking down some pictures. I walked over to them and picked one up. It was a picture of me and my older brother Jace, before he left for the Army. He had been my best friend.

A year after that photo was taken, some men came to the door, and informed us he had died, his camp was ambushed. They gave my mother his tags, and left. The funeral, broke my families heart. My mother screamed and struggled as they buried his casket. It made me so angry. He didn't deserve to die, he was a fantastic kid. 

I took a deep breath and walked to the window in frustration.  The anger burned away as I sat there and looked out at the sky. Dark clouds loomed above, a storm was coming tonight. They stretched on over the raging ocean for miles, turning the horizon solid black. The wind tugged at the trees softly, the storm wasn't here yet.

I put on some sweat pants and a t-shirt, before walking downstairs. Stifling a yawn, I brushed a lock of hair out of my eyes, before walking into the kitchen and opening a cabinet. I grabbed a package of ramen noodles, and filled a pot with water as I turned on the stove. I was hungry, and noodles were quick and easy. I poured a glass of water for myself and sat at the table. As I waited for my food to cook, I made my way into the living room, looking at shelves and family photos. 

I made my way into the library, and ran my fingers along the rows of books, skimming over the titles. Every now and then I saw something that caught my eye and would pull it out to read the description. I stopped as a black, leather bound book seemed to jump at me. I looked at it, and it almost seemed to beg, to scream for me to look. My curiosity won, and I picked it up and looked at it closely. The cool leather didn't have any writing on it, and was worn and torn and frayed at the edges, suggesting it's age. I opened it, to find writing and drawings inside. 

It was a journal of some kind. The writing was smooth and flowing, but still rigid. The drawings were of both people and animals. One page was a picture of a man, standing beside a grizzly bear, and the caption said that some people, through either a gift, given through blood, or birth, a gift of the spirits. Every person has a spirit animal, one that they have the traits of and such. It said that if you had the gift, you could take the form of that spirit animal. Like the wolf-men of native legends. A gift given by the spirits, or gods.