Little Wolf

Ch 37 Family

Dad came in as I was stuffing a few of my things in a small, plastic grocery bag. I knew I had to smell of an odd mix of emotions. I waited for him to say something. He just sighed before moving away. I could hear him in the kitchen, then the door as he went out the back.

Is it weird that even though he didn't make a sound, I still heard every word he didn't say? This was home, and to some part of me it always would be. I dropped the bag of childhood mementoes in the bottom of my closet and headed outside.

"Did they approve of Tammy becoming an honorary member?" Mahina asked as I made my way over to her.

"They're going to discuss it," I told her, not really wanting to get into it. "I told them irregardless of what they decided, I would be calling her sister. She's part of my pack, right?"

Mahina laughed. Dad looked at me like he wanted to crawl in my head and figure out what was happening with me.

Running Elk came around the corner of the house then.

"Hey Uncle Black Wolf. Any sodas left in the fridge?"

"Hang on, I'll bring a few more out."

Running Elk sat down heavily next to me, knocking his shoulder against mine, then leaning against me.

"Hey Mahina," he said as he leaned forward slightly to wave at her.

"Hey Running Elk. What's up?"

"I got to be a fly on the wall tonight. One of the best nights ever! You should have seen the look on Grandfather's face! He..."

"What did you do, Little Wolf," asked Dad as he handed Running Elk a soda.

"He stood up to Grandfather! It was awesome,"
Running Elk started, full of enthusiasm for some reason.

I threw him a look. "Grandfather is an ass...owww!"

"You will not speak about your mother's father like that."

"I tried to update the council." I told him as I rubbed my head. Dad hadn't held back. "Only the old ones knew. Auntie said..." I closed my eyes, the anger still eating at me. I couldn't bring myself to repeat what Auntie had said about not having children, not in front of Mahina.

"Your mother always dealt with the council."

"Yeah, I think mom lied. She dealt with Grandfather, not the council. He hates me...us."

"He doesn't hate you," Dad said. He didn't say anything about himself. Nor did he say anything about my belief that mom had lied.

I looked at him, saw his slight shrug. I sighed.

"Little Sister was right, I don't know anything."

Dad only sighed back at me, giving me a wry grin. He looked up with narrowed eyes when Uncle Two Feathers walked by, purposefully not looking our way.

"Still on lockdown?" I asked Running Elk.

"He's just mad because I know. You should have seen the look on Grandfather's face when he told me I didn't understand and I told him I understood quite well, ever since I found my spirit guide."

We shared a look that helped heal the damage in my soul. Screw Grandfather. I still had family among the people.

"Still good cuz" we said at the same time, then busted out laughing.