Chapters of a Life: Trainee (Complete)

22

Talk business we did. Turns out that my savior and the mercantile man are good friends. He had no problems with me bedding down behind his shop nor did he have a problem with coming down early so that I could load up the mules and be gone before first light.

As I made my way home I reflected on my time in town and decided that I would never be someone who liked them, too many tight places, overwhelming smells, and unfriendly people. No, the country was the place for me. I had begun to think that the trip home was going to be as easy as the one to town. When one of the mules lost his footing and slid down an embankment. It took more than half a day to lug the supplies that could be salvaged back up to where the two remaining mules and the stallion waited. Then I lost a mule when he decided to jump into a swollen river during a ferry crossing, luckily he had been unloaded at the time. Now I was walking and using the stallion as a pack mule. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that I would be home soon. The taste of Emily's tea, Rose's stew, Sarah's biscuits were dancing in my mouth. Tomorrow was the day, I would be home and this challenge was over.

I entered the clearing where the village had once stood. All that remained was a few weathered lodges and a forgotten fire pit. Tacked to the tree in the middle of the clearing was a message.

We knew you could do it. You have no use for us now.

Return home and fulfill your fate. Keep us in your heart

As we keep you in ours. If you ever need us, call to the

Wind and we will answer.

Tears streamed down my face. My challenge hadn't been the trip East. It was this moment. I could not make it all the way back to Dad walking. The first order of business was to find a pack animal. Several wild horses lived in the area all I had to do was catch one and I could be on my way home. Home before winter settled in. I mean how hard is it to catch and tame a horse?

It took nearly two weeks of hunting and tracking to catch one of the horses. Then I ended up with two because one wouldn't leave the other. Alright, now I've got them, throw the supplies on and off we go. Nope once again I was hugely mistaken. I had to let them get used to me then used being lead around, the used to a blanket then I began to add weight. Winter had set in but I had no choice but to move on. Humans had run off all the prey and had shot at me several times, this was no longer home.

The morning we started off was clear and bright as we got to the river my heartbeat a hard pattern in my chest. It hurt to breathe, I felt as if my chest was going to burst, I wasn't going to make it. Then the horses began to whinny and my stallion shook his head and I realized we were all across and all safe. I had done it! My biggest fear was behind me. I was homeward bound!

The snow did not let up a couple of times we had to hole up in a cave for days on end. I thought back on that first trip and wondered how I had not seen the hardships. Then I remembered all the studying and games and fun it had been me and my males. Goddess, how I was looking forward to seeing them. I crawled out of a cave and looked out over a beautiful valley, in the distance the smoke from several fires wafted gently in the cold crisp air. That was home my wolf cried, she was ready to burst out of our skin. I had to restrain her, remind her we had horses and a mule and supplies to care for before we could run. Huffing she bowed to my logic but it was with a huge attitude. Moving quickly I packed everyone back up and checked the straps twice. Before mounting up and heading for home. It took most of the day but as the sun began its descent behind the mountains I rode into Blood Wolfe pack and the next chapter of my life.