The cold morning air was dancing in Anna’s den she curled up in a tighter ball. Then she remembered that her family pack was coming to visit for Christmas. She let out an excited yawn and went to the river to catch a fish in the frigid river. Silently she ate the bass she had coght until a trembling whimper, “May I have a bite its been a hard winter?”
Anna looked around, “Who is that?”
A thin young coyote came out of a naked bush and said, “I am sorry to ask miss wolf but may I have some fish? My name is Alex.”
“Well of course have as much as you would like mister Alex. Call me Anna.”
“Thank you Anna you are the kindest wolf I have ever met. Most of them chase me away for about a mile.”
“That's very nice of you to say Alex but I do not have a pack to share my food with but my family pack is supposed to come for christmas.”
With a shy smile Alex quiverd, “Thank you for the meal. I hope you get to see you pack, no one deserves to be alone on a holiday about family. I hope I see you around Anna have a good day!” He said cheerfully trotting away.
Feeling warm and fuzzy inside Anna took a silent walk. She smiled and hummed cheerfully until she saw the black tipes of a snow hare. She trotted over to the scared and cold rabbit and warmed him in her dappled gray coat. His eyes widened in utter fear and mumbled, “Please do not hurt me I am a father of ninety-six beutiful children.”
Anna rolled her eyes at the stereotype of all wolves eat dark meat like rabbits but said in her calm gentle voice, “Don’t worry. Just warm up. I am pretty sure your wonderful kittens don’t want a popsicle for a dad.”
“M-my name is T-twig.” Mumbled the timid rabbit leaning closer to Anna.
“Its ok Twig I can carry you home. You seem very tired. How long have you been out here?”
“I went looking for a berry bush for dinner tonight.”
“Oh, I know where a large one is. I can carry it and you can have some pine needles and grass I can dig up. If you would like?”
“Thank you kind wolf. No one has shown this much kindness to me sense. . . ever!”
“Call me Anna.” She said digging in the snow for some tender grass and putting on her back. “Go ahead and get on my back and hold on so I can run to the berry bush. OK?”
“Ok Anna.” Twig said burrowing onto Anna’s warm fluffy winter fur eating the grass she had dug up for him.
Anna trotted to the gooseberry bush. She yanked it out of the group and listened to the directions Twig gave her. Once at the borrow she placed the bush a foot away from the small opening. “Merry Christmas my friend!” Shouted Anna running happily to her den expecting her family pack.
As she neared the small cave she called home she herd small sad cries. “Mama! Mama where are you? Mama?” The words grew sad as the animal barking them was losing hope. She walked closer to the sound and saw a young black fox kit.
“Hi little buddy. Are you lost? I can take you to my den and feed you.”
The kit jumped up in fear seeing a gray wolf, one of his predators, next to him and he started to cry tears flooding his bright eyes, “P-Please don't hurt me.”
“Its ok I will not hurt you. All I eat is fish and berries. Call me Anna. What's your name little friend?”
“My name is Echo. Do you have any food with you? My mom went hunting last night and I thought I could find a human thing for her tomorrow. . . then I got lost and I panicked.”
“I do not have any food but I have some at my den. You can also have a nice warm bath in a hot spring in it.”
Echo followed his new friend happier to find someone who would protect him. But neither of them knew Echo’s mom had seen the wolf and heard her son’s cries for help and hid in the brush afraid that she would lead her to her cub. Seeing the kindness of the apex predator she followed them after she saw and heard no other wolves.
After the kit at an entire fish Anna took him to the hot spring and the previous springs dirt melted away and his dull gray coat was now a deep shimmering black. The cub clean and fed slept on some leaves that Anna had gather for him.
“Hello?” Came a timid voice from the small opening.
“Yes. Who is that? come right in I will be with you in a minute.” Called Anna.
A clean and pleased Echo trotted next to Anna and bolted to the opening once he saw his mother. “Mama! This is Anna she is very nice in fact she is the nicest animal in the forest!”
Anna blushed under her winter coat at the comment, “I can assume that you are his mom. He is cleaned and I fed him some fish, he had a nap a minute ago. Have a good christmas Echo and Miss. . .”
“Call me Gracy.” She said smiling walking out of the comfortable and warm den.
When she was gone and what Anna thought was out of earshot she let her tears flow realizing her family was not coming and she was alone for a holiday about family.
Little to the knowledge of Anna and Echo, Gracy heard Anna’s small sad whimpers and had a plan.
Anna woke christmas morning to the smell of berries and human food. She went to the opening to see Alex with a slab of meat humans prepared, Twig, his wife, his ninety-six kittens had brought and assortment of berries, and Echo and Gracy had brought warm human food scraps. “We thought you needed a family for christmas.” Said Gracy in a warm comforting voice. That night Anna was as happy as she could be knowing that she was loved in the forest.
