The Legend of Black Wolf - Sully's Journey Home

Chapter Twenty

        Afraid to wait any longer, Cloud Dancing prepared that next morning to travel back to the ridge and search for Sully. The ceremony for Owl Through The Trees had been a day long affair, but the tribe had needed the time to say goodbye to their beloved elder. The fires had burned late into the night, and he had slept deeply. Now, he packed some food, slung the pack over his shoulder, and headed out of camp.

        Walking towards the direction of Sully's lean-to, Cloud Dancing saw a rustle in the brush that he thought could be a rabbit. Stopping to watch and see what sort of animal it was, he was frozen into place when out of the weeds emerged a wolf cub. It paid him no notice as it walked directly to the lean-to. Feeling this was a sign, the medicine man followed quietly. He wanted to sneak up on the animal if he could to see its real intention.  

        Sully laid in the lean-to, sleeping on his side as the wolf cub approached him. Sitting near his face, the small cub watched him for a minute, then began licking Sully's chin. This immediately roused him from sleep, and his hand came up to gently pet the wolf cub as he sat up. Cloud Dancing was amazed and concerned. Not long ago, Sully had told him of his thoughts on wolves, and now here he has returned with a ransomed wolf cub! Cloud Dancing could hardly believe it.

        Cloud Dancing stepped into view as Sully stretched. The friendly greeting that Cloud Dancing had wanted to give was stuck in his throat at the ominous sight of the wolf cub tugging at Sully's pantleg. Grabbing a small stick for the cub to chew, Sully stood and approached his friend. Holding out his hand, they shook silently.

        "I searched for you on the Ridge, but you left your fire early." Cloud Dancing said. He dropped his pack on the ground. Sully nodded.

        "Thank you. I guess I didn't realize how far I had walked the other day." He admitted. "Followed a stream that led me all the way to the far side of town, then I came back." It took a second for Cloud Dancing to realize what stream Sully was talking about, then he raised his eyebrows.

        "That is a long walk." Cloud Dancing admitted, then pointed to the lean-to. "Is that where this one comes from?" Sully turned to look at the wolf cub, who was wrestling with the stick like it was a ferocious animal.

        "No, I found him. There was a dead deer high on the ridge, he was beside it, and his foot had a big splinter in it. The pack left him behind…guess he couldn't keep up anymore." Sully explained. As Cloud Dancing heard the story, he thought of his dreams of the injured black wolf. This pup was not black, but the connection to his long ago dream was eerie.

        "The mother might be out hunting to bring it food." Cloud Dancing countered.

        "We didn't get far the day I found him. She could'a tracked me easy." Sully said. "We only saw fish in the stream the whole way back." The danger of separating a mother from her baby was a serious one, regardless of the type of animal. But if Sully had been traveling with the pup and not seen or heard any sign of a wolf looking for the little one, it very well could have been abandoned.

        "What will you do?" The medicine man asked. He couldn't get over the sight of such an omen playing innocently in the white man's place. Surely his people would see this as a bad sign and fear the white man.

        "Back East, I seen plenty men who had dogs. Figure that…with those dreams you had of me before…that I was supposed ta come across this one and help it." Sully gathered up the pup in his hand and brought it over so Cloud Dancing could see him up close. "Once I got the splinter out and washed his foot, it's been looking alright. Don't think he'll be lame." Cloud Dancing backed away a step from Sully as he held the pup out to him. The respect he had for wolves included not touching one unless it was dead. The pup squirmed in Sully's hand and panted, looking almost as if it were trying to smile at the Indian.