# Black Wolf, Ch 14 - The Ascent of Black Wolf

Author: Dikran O.
Tags: Anthropomorphic, First Time, Future, Human, M/F, Orgasm, Sci-Fi, Virgin, Wolf, Wolfess, earth

The final chapter in the Black Wolf Saga.  
  
Black starts a new pack and finds that he is not as progressive as he once thought, but he sticks with it until it is time for him too to go up the mountain.

Black Wolf

Chapter 14 – The Ascent of Black Wolf

Having decided to stay Black assumed that he and Black Tail would be mated that night, but he was wrong.  She asked that he wait until she informed her sisters, and also if they could have a formal ceremony.

“In my mother's pack couples spent the night alone together and after that they were considered mated."  He recalled.  “Is that what you were thinking of?"

“Not really."

What did they do in your pack?"

“The female would leave her scat in plain sight and the male would urinate on them to indicate a desire to be come mates.  Then she would urinate on top of his to mingle their scents and by that everyone knew that they were mates.  Of course, I never actually saw anyone do it, but that is what my mother told me about her union with father."

Black's brow wrinkled.  “Is that what you want?"

“No, it sounds stupid and disgusting.  I was thinking maybe that we could meet on the flat rock when the sun rises.  I could come from the den with my sisters behind me and you could come from the west with your friends.  On the rock you could give me a token of your promise to stand by me and help me raise the cubs that will come.  I will give you something to show my undying loyalty to you and my appreciation for your strength and wisdom."

“Did you have something in mind?"

“To give you, yes.  But you have to come up with your own gift."

Black went away a little disappointed that their mating would have to wait and slightly worried about what to chose.  He had faced many challenges in his forty years, but this was by far the most difficult.

Three days later, on a day when there were no clouds and the sun was still strong enough to warm the morning air, they met on the rock that overlooked the plateau.  Black Tail was wearing a new loincloth that had been decorated with a pattern made from plant dyes and a breast covering that matched.  Her fur was freshly cleaned and scented with late Autumn wildflowers, as was her sisters'.

Black had also chosen a new loincloth, but a plain one.  He opted instead to colour the fur on his chest and arms with gold from the petals of the small yellow flowers and red from the sticky mud of the riverbank.  Slider and Slink had also done themselves up, Slider with dyed fur like Black and Slink with flowers woven into his coat. 

Black approached the rock with his hands behind his back and a sly smile on his face.  Black Tail did likewise but she was biting her lip in trepidation.  When they were face to face Black showed her what he had been hiding - it was a headdress woven from wild roses. 

“I made this for you," he began, “because unlike most flowers this one blooms from Spring until the snows come.  It is prickly, and difficult to handle, but it is strong and has a sweet scent.  They spread wherever they can and were a symbol of fertility in my old pack."

Black Tail bent and allowed him to place the crown of roses on her head.  Then she showed him what she had for him.  It was a wreath of purple thistles, the large kind that grew in the cracks and crevices where nothing else grew.

“These are edible, but bitter, and they can provide sustenance and survival in hard times.  Yet they stand tall and proud above all the rest of the wild plants and protect the approaches to the den with their strength and resilience.  With their crown of purple petals, they are called the king of the wild flowers."

Black had to kneel for her to place the wreath over his head and around his shoulders.  When he straightened up she was smiling at him, indicating her pleasure with his choice and the acceptance of hers.   They were mated.

Her sisters and Slink were crying as they watched the newly mated couple standing there silhouetted by the rising sun, rubbing muzzles for the first time.  Slider rolled his eyes at the spectacle but had to rub an errant tear of his own.

They wore their flowered gifts throughout the day, a day marked by feasting and gaiety.  The days were already shorter than the nights though and Black and his new mate retired to a small cave where his friends had thoughtfully provided a fire, a bladder or water and a soft bed.  Black Tail's sisters had contributed food in the form of nuts and berries and flowers to brighten the room and freshen the air. 

They knelt on the soft furs covering the pine boughs and moss the others had collected.  Black lifted her crown of roses off and placed it carefully to one side.  Then he tilted his head so she could raise the wreath of thistles off him.  She put them beside the roses, well out of the way.

“I have never done this before."  She said as he reached out for her.

“That was true for most of the females I have lain with, the first time."  He noted.  “I will be gentle."

She straightened her back and Black reached to undo the thong that held her breast covering in place.  Once undone it fell to her lap and she cast it aside. 

Her breasts were full and firm, covered with a fine silvery fuzz.  The pink nipples stood out proud and hard as she trembled in anticipation.  Black brushed one with the knuckles of his hand while placing his other around its mate.  He kneaded the hard nipple with the rough pad of his thumb as he reached around behind her for the cord to her loincloth.  She did the same and they pulled each other's off at the same time.

There was not much for Black to see with her knelling there, knees and thighs together, but he admired the curve of her hips and the shape of her legs.  A sweet coppery scent was rising up from their junction, cutting through the scent of flowers and freshly cut pine.

Black Tail was possibly getting the better of it.  Black had knelt with his knees slightly spread, and the removal of his loincloth had revealed parts already swollen in anticipation.  They hung halfway up between his thighs like a rattle snake that was just waking in the heat of the sun.  It was as thick and its head was as big as some of the smaller snakes, Black Tail noted.  Watching it rise made her lions twitch and dampen.  The scent they gave off made his parts rise even more.  By the time they were standing up hard and proud like a thistle she had already put a hand to her opening and begun rubbing it rhythmically.

Black gently took her hand away from her mound and replaced it with his own.  Her hand he placed on his stiff member, showing her how to wrap her fingers around it and guiding her for the first few strokes.  Meanwhile he rubbed her slit until the sweet petals spread enough for him to sink a finger inside her, rubbing the hardening bump that was forming at its apex as he gently felt around for the barrier that an inexperienced female was likely to have.

He found it deep inside, but not so deep that his long fingers could not pierce it.  “This may hurt a bit."  He told her. She leaned against him and bit down on her finger as he pushed in with one digit, then two.  There was a moment of resistance then the barrier parted.  Black Tail felt a slight tear, like having a claw split, and then a warm sensation.  Black withdrew his hand and wiped the blood on his thigh before returning to caress her mound and the knob that poked out from the soft fleshy lips that had emerged from it.  He continued to do so until the flow of blood was replaced by a sweet clear fluid that made his fingers glide smoothly over her tender flesh.

This being her first time it was important that she enjoy it, and so he continued to rub and caress her parts as he nibbled on her ears and flicked his tongue on the corners of her mouth.  His other hand he used to tease the fur at the base of her tail and massage her back while occasionally squeezing a breast or its nipple. 

When she was grinding her pelvis against his hand and gasping for breath Black paused and eased her back onto the soft hide covering the bedding.  She lay back with her knees bent and legs spread, her parts open and pink in the soft firelight.  Black moved forward as she lay down until he was above her, on his knees between her thighs.  He reached down, lifted her hips and pulled her towards him.  Resting her buttocks on his thighs he rubbed his staff on her wet slit until it was glistening.  Then he rolled his hips back until the tip was resting between the fleshy petals and pressed down until it popped inside.

It made her gasp, even though there was only a couple of finger widths worth inside.  Black rotated his hips back slowly and a bit more slid in.  He stopped before it got halfway, pulling back to gauge her reaction.

“More, give me more, my big black wolf.  More."

Black obliged, pushing forward as he rolled so that three quarters of it disappeared inside her.  She wiggled on it, fighting to get more in, so he pulled her hips back against him until there was just a bit of the base of his shaft was left showing.  Then he started a slow, steady pumping by rolling and rocking his hips, pulling it out so far that he had to put a thumb on top to keep the springy pole down before sinking it back in again each time.

With the barrier removed Black Tail was able to luxuriate in the feeling of being stretched as his shaft slid in and out.  It was rubbing against a spongy pad of flesh that had grown inside her, where he had been probing earlier with his fingers.  The passage of his hard flesh against her soft tissues felt good, no, better than good.  It was a sensation she could not explain; one she had never felt before. 

When not needed to keep his shaft down Black used his thumb on the knot at the top of her opening.  He rubbed the rough pad of his digit across it sometimes or flicked it up and down at others.  But when she started to lift her hips up to meet his thrusts, he concentrated on rolling the little love button in rapid circles.

It seemed that her very flesh was swelling inside her, squeezing him in an attempt to trap him.  The knob he was rolling with his thumb had grown larger too, as the swollen flesh below it forced it farther and farther out.  Sensual sensations built inside her, threatening to explode if not released.  Suddenly her body could take no more and everything turned to liquid all at once.  That fiery brew was forced out around his parts as they plunged into her and she grabbed at the fur on his hips to keep him from escaping again as she cried out.

Black had been holding back but when he felt the hot juices explode from her he let go.  Driving his shaft into her one last time he felt the first wads of hot sticky seed shot out of it.  She pulled him in and held him there.  He helped by pulling her against him, sealing in as much of their fluids as he could with parts that were still swollen and as hard as the shaft of his spear.

When her breathing slowed and his parts had shrunk a bit he pulled them out and lay down at her side.  His hand absently massaged her thigh, wet and a bit sticky now, while he kissed the corners of her mouth and rubbed muzzles with her.

“Is it always that good?"  Black Tail asked when she could speak.

“For you, yes.  I promise."

Black lived up to his promise three more times that night, apologizing for not being as young and robust as he once was.  Black Tail assured him that she had enough for one night but hoped that he would recover before dusk the next day.  Recover Black did, and for the next three cycles he recovered enough every night to live up to his promise. 

Black Tail was pregnant by the end of the third cycle.  It was the middle of winter by then and all six of their newly formed pack had taken to sleeping in the larger cave to keep warm.  Occasionally Slider and Slink would disappear into one of the smaller caves for a few hours, but Black and his mate simply waited until everyone had settled down to sleep before joining in slow, silent, satisfying mating.

They though that they were being discrete, but shuffling noises and the cloying scent of female arousal from the other side of the fire told Black that they might have an audience.  By the time that the snows melted and Black Tail's belly was growing big he was certain of it.

“My sister's have made a request."  Black Tail told him one day while the others were fishing, the game having yet to return to the plateau.

“They want to start howling for mates?"  Black guessed

“No.  They want you to be their mate."

“What?  But you're my mate."

“We talked about that.  The stories of your time in the Druid pack and your ability to ...  procreate, shall we say, with all those sisters has given them the impression that you may need or want more than one wolf can offer."

“And what do you think?"

She smiled and put a hand high on his thigh.  “I think that you do too a good a job at this mating thing.  Out mother was never reduced to a quivering pile of fur and they are convinced that you are the only one can do that for them.  And in truth, I do not mind."   She rubbed her swollen belly.  “We've shared everything since they were born, and I want to see them as happy as I am."

“So, you do not mind if I mate with them?"

“If you were to just mate with them then I would mind.  But you are not going to just mate with them, you are going to become their mate, just like you did with me."

“What, with flowers and everything?"

“Yes, and everything.  It's important to them, and to me, that we are all equal in status in this pack.  When you become their mate, you will promise to love and protect them just like you do me."

Black shook his head in wonder.  “Equals, eh?  Where does that leave you?"

“First among equals, of course.  Now come over here while the sun is warm, and the blood sucking bugs are still asleep."

When they were done Black Tail informed Black of some other arrangements that had been going on behind his back.

“Starlight and Moon Glow were disappointed to find out about Slider and Slink's preferences."  She Told him.  “But they love them like brothers, so they have convinced them to celebrate their partnership in a joint ceremony when they pledge themselves to you as mates.

“That is very ... unusual.  Not the multiple ceremony but ... you know."

“You have travelled with these two for ten years.  Fought beside them, hunted with them, shivered in the cold with them.  Does their happiness count less in your eyes than ours?"

Black hung his head.  “No."

“Then join us in celebrating it.  Slink will be taking a new name at the same time."

“Will he?  That's good.  He never liked the name his pack placed on him.  Do you know what name he picked?"  Then he noticed her staring at him.  “Why are you looking t me like that, Black Tail?"

“Because you have gone for forty years without a proper name.  It's time we stopped referring to you as 'the black wolf' and gave you a proper name."

Black thought about that for a few breaths.  “Can I pick the name?"

“Of course." 

“Alright then.  When are going to do all this?"

“On the day the sun and the moon have equal time in the sky."

\* \* \* \* \* \*

When Meili translated the conversation about the upcoming mating and naming ceremony she was excited and anxious.  This represented a milestone in the social development of the wolves.  Homosexual activity among mammals was not uncommon, but the recognition and acceptance of such activity among so-called advanced societies usually came in the later stages of development.  And the anthropologists would have a field day with the way the Black Tail pack had incorporated ceremonies to mark these events.

They will be holding funerals next, she guessed.

But she was anxious because the date they had picked, the summer equinox, was three weeks after the end of the fiscal year for the Science Council and all institutions regulated by it.  Three weeks after her forced departure from Earth, if Binks had his way.

If Binks had his way, she reminded herself, taking a deep breath as she read the reply to the request she had sent several weeks prior.

She was puzzled.  At first glance it looked like her request had been turned down, but on closer examination she discovered that she had not been refused outright.

“You case will be decided by the First Councillor for Government Affairs in consultation with the Co-Chair of the Science Council responsible for Administration."  It read.  It gave a date for the review, which would be held via tachyon transmitter.  It was less than a week away.

“Should the First Councillor's decision not be in your favour," it continued, “you will depart Earth on the shuttle Europa, transferring to the space liner Taikong Long bound for New Beijing at Solar Station Omega."

Meili spent the week reviewing her arguments.  It was the kind of case that seemed simple on the surface but which could have repercussions across the Galaxy, depending on how the regulations and rules were interpreted.  As far as she knew it was unprecedented, which meant that the First Councillor, whoever that was, would be free to act any way he, she or they decided. 

There had just been a change in Government and another coalition was in power, but this time the leading party, the LLP, had to bring in two others to form a government - Binks' C-F and the fledgling Pan-Galactic Party.  Meili had voted for the PGP but had not followed the election closely, and was not sure of the exact results, other than the fact that the government appointments were dived up between the parties in proportion to the number of seats they each had.  The important thing was that Binks was still Co-Chair of the Science Council and would be arguing against her in front of the First Councillor.

She looked up the name of the First Councillor for government Affairs but did not recognize the name of Councillor McGee.  She briefly considered researching the person's background but felt that her time would be better spent rehearsing her arguments.

On the day of the review she was slightly disappointed to find that the First Councillor would not be present on audio and visual feeds.  “The Councillor has decided to watch your arguments and respond by text only."  A functionary informed Meili and Roscoe Binks.  “The Councillor does not want to influence your arguments or interaction through any display of favouritism or disagreement that vocal tone or facial expression might covey."

Very clever, Meili thought, especially if the Councillor knew that she was an expert in reading body language.  Did that bode ill or well for her, she wondered?  But there was no time to consider the question, as she was then called upon to make her opening argument.

Meili began with a simple review of her request.

“According to the regulations governing the retirement of government or government regulated employees, of which I am one, section 106, paragraph D, subparagraph two, if an employee is entitled to full benefits, such as I am, the institution is required to transport them to and settle them in the location of their choice.  The limit is the cost of transportation from the employees current location to their home planet and any of the occupied planets in the Federation are eligible for resettlement.  Furthermore, if the cost of transportation to the employees place of settlement is more than the cost of transporting them to their home planet the employee shall bear those costs, but if less the employee shall be reimbursed the difference."

“So what?"  Binks interrupted.  “New Beijing is about as far as you can get from Earth.  And you only get the benefit if you retire completely.  If you take up a Chair at the Science Council you will be transported to Neu Geneva at Council expense, but your Wolf Project will be unsupervised, and therefore subject to termination."

A text message from the First Councillor appeared on the bottom of the screen, “Wait your turn" it said.

“Thank you, First Councillor."  Meili continued, with newfound confidence.  “I am sure that I do not need to emphasize the importance of the Wolf Project or the larger Intelligent Species Program here on Earth.  The developments in the wolf packs have been unprecedented these last thirty-five years.  They have advanced their hunting techniques and learned how to fish.  Their tools have evolved to the point where the bow and arrow are within reach. They have gone from simple lacing to sewing and making buckles, not an insignificant leap.  They have developed snowshoes and learned how to produce fire on demand.  But more importantly, they have evolved socially and politically."

“The policies put in place by the black wolf we call 302 have assured that such discoveries will not be lost when a pack dies out, but rather shared across the packs, accelerating their development as a species.  Moreover, his ideas about inter-pack cooperation have led to the reinforcement of the genetic traits that promote cooperation and cohesiveness, two criteria that are required to develop a civilization."

“I for one am convinced that left to themselves and without any other influences these wolves, and perhaps other species, would evolve into societies similar to those of mediaeval Earth, save for the lack of metal.  We removed most of what was accessible before the Great Exodus and what we left behind corroded away to dust thousands of years ago, but the lack doesn't seem to be holding them back."

Even if we left our home planet today, they are not beyond our influence.  Although the company contracted to reclaim Earth has made great strides in cleaning up huge swaths of the planet, tests have shown that human DNA is still present in the food chain here in Yellowstone.  It's in the soil and the water.  It's in the rocks that make up the mantel of the volcano that sheaths under our feet.  We left too much of ourselves behind to ignore, and now we're making a comeback through the wolves, coyotes, bears and mountain lions of Yellowstone.  These creatures are our legacy, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that the work of the project continues."

“But it can't continue if you are not there!"  Binks injected.

There was a moment of silence before the First Councillor's text appeared on the screen.  “Doctor Cheng, please continue."  It read.

“In accordance with the aforementioned regulation, and after confirming it's eligibility as an 'occupied planet', I have chosen to retire .... on Earth and continue supervising the Wolf project as a volunteer."

“What!"  Binks' scream made Meili's coffee cup rattle.  “You can't retire on Earth.  There are no settlements on Earth."

“Actually," Meili continued calmly, “there is.  EOS-1 was designated as a settlement almost thirty years ago in order to enable the C-F to place a political operative here.  Does the name Wang Lijun ring a bell, Mister Binks?"

“It's Chairman Binks to you, Cheng, and I never designated that piss hole as a settlement."

“Of course not.  One of your toadies did.  You probably just told them to spy on the Wolf Project and leave your name out of it and didn't bother with how they got it done.  But that little detail was buried in the thick wad of documentation you signed off on as Co-Chair.  Guess you got bored before you reached that part."

“Why, you little sl- ..." Binks was cut off by a 'ping' that indicated an incoming message from the First Councillor. 

“I have confirmed Doctor Cheng's assertion.  Earth is indeed an 'occupied planet' from a legal standpoint.  The head of the settlement is the Director of the facility, and he has the power to approve all residency requests.  Doctor Cheng, have you made such a request?"

“I have First Councillor, and I'm uploading his letter of acceptance now."  She punched a few keys on her console.

Meili had to give it to Binks, he was able to read and pick out the pertinent points in the documentation in just a few seconds.

“Wait, this says that you are going to pay the equivalent of space fare from New Beijing to Earth in exchange for residency and room and board in perpetuity.  If you never leave Earth then you aren't entitled to be reimbursed for the flight."

“There is abundant precedence to show that the retiring employee need not make the journey or even intend to make the journey in order to be entitled, as long as they have designated their place of retirement before submitting their request for retirement or reaching mandatory retirement age.  For the record, I designated Earth as my place of retirement an hour before requesting retirement."

“But you have already reached mandatory retirement age," Binks was grasping at straws and it showed in his voice, “six months ago, so you aren't eligible."

“As you so gleefully pointed out in our last communication, which I'm uploading now along with a number of our more interesting ... conversations … I had until the end of the fiscal year in which I turned sixty-five.  That is still a month away."

Binks' mouth was working but little more than spit was coming out.  The First Councillor's message ping sounded again, and it began to scroll across the monitor. 

“From the documentation submitted it is clear that Doctor Cheng has made a legal, if unprecedented request.  It is also evident that Co-Chair Binks has used his position to harass and intimidate the Director of the Wolf Project.  As such, and in accordance with the powers invested in my position, I declare his role in this decision to be compromised.  Furthermore, I have asked the Government to terminate his tenure as Co-Chair of the Science Council."

“They will never agree to that.  The LPP still needs the C-F to have a majority and I am still the Deputy-Head of the party, and ..."

Binks was interrupted by a tone and Meili saw him glance to one side where he must have another monitor set up.  His eyes flew back and forth three times before they went wide with shock.

“Fired!  They can't ... they wouldn't ... there must be some mistake."

Text began rolling across the screen again.  “I invited the Head of the C-F and the other voting members of your party's board of directors to listen in today."  The First Councillor wrote.  “I believe that they have finally recognized you as a deficit to the future of the C-F, but you can take that up with them personally when you see them.  As of this moment you are no longer Co-Chair of the Science Council and have no role to play in the upcoming decision.  Therefore, I have had the technicians mute your microphone, but rest assured that anything you say will be recorded and used in the investigation of your alleged misconduct under the Responsible Governance Act of c.e. 7521, which you were subject to from the moment you accepted the position of Co-Chair."

Meili could see that Binks' lips were forming words most uncomplimentary toward the First Councillor, and his body language was even easier to interpret, especially the raised middle finger.  She wondered if he remembered that the law against making direct threats to government officials carried some serious re-education time and hoped that he didn't. 

The next text read: “Although you can no longer participate, Mister Binks, please feel free to remain on the beam as I render my decision." There was a slight pause and then more words appeared.  “Since Doctor Cheng has been accepted as a resident of an 'occupied planet' and in accordance with the letter and spirit of the law I authorize her request to remain on Earth and be compensated for the flight in accordance with the relevant regulations.  Signed, R. McGee, First Councillor for Government Affairs of the Parliament of the Federated Earth Colonies"

Meili could almost hear the monitor in Binks' office shatter when he punched it several hundred light years away. 

“This concludes the official portion of this inquiry.  All parties will now be disconnected."

The feed from Binks' cracked screen went blank.  Several soft tones indicated that others on the beam were disconnecting.  Other government functionaries and the C-F leadership, she assumed.  Meili was just about to shut off her own connection when a new message appeared.

“Doctor Cheng, please stay connected for a private communication from the First Councillor's office."

Meili sat back, perplexed, but interested.  After a few seconds the screen lit up and she cried out in recognition.

“Rhiannon!  What are you doing on this channel?  Do you work for the First Councillor now?"

“Mary, I AM the First Councillor."

“What?  How?"

Her friend chuckled.  “I've been working my way up the ranks of the PGP for almost twenty years, hoping to be able to influence decisions when the people of the colonies woke up and demanded a change, and here I am.  We won more seats than the C-F and were guaranteed to be part of any coalition government.  Our Leader is the Deputy Prime Minister now and the C-F are barely hanging on to the minor positions they once held.  Anyone who can hurt their reputation is being shown the door.  In Binks' case that door will have bars on it if I get my way," her expression grew cold and serious, “and I probably will."

"Dear Rhiannon, I never realized.  I didn't recognize the name McGee at all."

“Don't feel bad.  With a first name like Rhiannon no one ever remembers the other part anyway.  Binks will though I'll bet."

A thought came to Meili.  “But what if he finds out about our friendship?  Won't he use that to invalidate your decision, or even get you removed?"

“Not likely.  When I took the position I made full disclosure, including a long, boring list of every teacher I ever had and the number of times I contacted them in the course of my studies.  The Ethics Commissioner signed off on it without making it halfway through, I know that because I glued a few pages together and when it came back approved they were still stuck together.  And he is, or was rather, another C-F appointee."

Meili appreciated the way her former student had also taken a page from Binks' playbook. 

“I do have one question though, Mary.  How do you intend to keep up the Wolf Project without any funding?  Your 'retirement' means that the position is officially vacant."

“Well, everything I need to live on will be provided through my arrangement with the management here at EOS-1.  And while the Science Council can stop funding the Project directly, they cannot cut off the funds designated to it from outside agencies or individuals.  I have donated my retirement benefits to the Science Council specifically for the maintenance of the Wolf Project, by whosoever on EOS-1 volunteers to do so, provided they are qualified.  The Universities and Research Institutes that are already funding drones and surveillance will continue to do so provided the basic project needs continue to be met.  The best part though, is that the funds dedicated to my departure flight from Earth will be unused, and can be re-designated to deploy another researcher here to take over the project when I get too old to manage it, provided there is enough demand to convince the new Co-Chair to add enough for a round-trip ticket."

“With the new developments in intellectual and social development among your wolves I'm sure that there will be."  Rhiannon assured her mentor.  “And since the next Co-Chair is going to be from my party I can almost guarantee that some funding will be put aside for the eventuality.  maybe some for new equipment also."

“Maybe a few high-altitude helicopters?  I know that the Techs here would appreciate them."

“No promises, but I'll look into it.  Meanwhile, tell me what the black wolf has been up to.  It's been years since I could spare the time to keep up with that rascal."

“Oh, well, let me tell you about the ceremony they have planned."

\* \* \* \* \* \*

The Black Tail pack held a joint ceremony on the day that the sun and moon were equal, and the weather could not have been better.  The day was warm and sunny with just enough breeze to blow the bugs away while keeping the wolves from getting too hot. 

They gathered on the flat rock where the black wolf and Black Tail had declared themselves mates.  Everyone was dressed in their best clothes, loincloths for the males and short skirts and chest coverings for the females, who also wore colourful shells and nut casings on thongs tied to their arms and ankles. 

Black Tail had woven a crown of thistles for Black and he had collected a bunch of wild roses for her to hold.  Slider was standing nervously holding a bunch of fresh blooms that he intended to give Slink, when his partner eventually appeared. 

The smaller wolf appeared when the sun was highest in the stay.  He was dressed like the females, in a skirt that hid his parts and a short cape that covered his chest.  He had added shells and nuts on cords around his neck and had also woven wild flowers into his fur.  When he came to the rock he stood on the side with Sunlight and Moon Glow, apart from Slider, Black and Black Tail.

“We are going to have the naming ceremony first."  Black Tail, who must have been consulted earlier unbeknownst to Black, announced.  “You first, black wolf."

Black cleared his throat.  “As I have spent forty years answered get to 'the black wolf' I have decided to take that as my name.  From today on I will be Black Wolf."  He caught the disappointed looks from his younger mates.  “Black to my friends and family, of course."

“Spend a lot of time coming up with that one?"  Black Tail whispered before continuing with the ceremony.  “Next, the wolf who has been known as Slink has chosen a new name."

Slink Stepped forward.  “I have rejected the name imposed on me by my home pack."  He began.  “I have also rejected the habits and practices that the pack structure imposed on me as a male.  Even though I found a measure of happiness," he said, catching the eye of Slider, “I have been like a flowering plant sleeping through the winter, waiting for spring to become what it was meant to be, until now.  And so, I have chosen the name 'Blossom', to indicate that I have been renewed."

The name was met with approval in the form of polite clapping as they immediately swung into the ceremony that would recognize Slider and Blossom as mates.  Everyone agreed that the flowers Slider had picked were very appropriate given his mate's new name.  They were a little perplexed by the stone that Blossom handed to Slider though until he explained.

“You have always been my rock, with unwavering strength and loyalty no matter what others said about us.  Keep this to remind you that I will always appreciate your strength of character."

It was the first time that Black could recall Slider and his partner ever embracing like that in public, and the kiss that followed was certainly unprecedented.  By then Sunlight and Moon Glow were crying openly.  Black Tail, who was due to give birth any day, had wet eyes, but blamed it on the pregnancy.  Even Black Wolf had to wipe a stray tear, but he was smiling, happy for his friends and travelling companions.

Too many wolves spent too much time doing what was expected of them, he thought.  He had been the exception for most of his life, but perhaps it was time that others started acting on their feelings.

It was a thought that proved to be ironic in the years that followed.

The mating ceremony between him and the young sisters was less dramatic than the Slider's and Blossom's, but Black Wolf was sincere in his promise to stand by them and protect them.  That night Slider and Blossom spent the night in a smaller cave and Black Tail slept outside by the fire.  Black Wolf took the younger sisters to the large cave and emerged exhausted at dawn, crawling into Black Tail's lap to sleep the rest of the morning away.

The cubs began coming steadily starting with Black Tail's single birth that summer.  She was followed by her sisters' two cubs each the following spring with Black tail due again in the fall.  With six cubs to watch and feed their hunting parties were reduced, so Black used the techniques he had learned to avoid getting his mates pregnant for the following year and then paced himself so that only one of his three mates would be pregnant at any given time.  The system helped grow the pack at a steady pace without straining their resources or tiring out the adults.

Other opportunities to increase the size of the pack presented themselves in the form of wandering males, but Black Wolf took a more traditional approach to them.  Having sole mating rights with the females in their little pack he found himself reluctant to give them up so he ran off any newcomers that might steal the affections of any of his three mates.

“You know that we will never leave you for another wolf."  Black Tail assured him.

“I know that you won't."  He said, hugging her to him.  “But your sisters mated with me when they had no other options, and while at first I only agreed because they were your sisters, I have grown fond of them."

“Just don't get killed for the sake of having more mates than you can handle."

“Than I can handle?"  Black Wolf stood and scooped her up off her feet.  “I'll show you what I can handle."

“Black, the cubs are watching."

The comment reminded him of something, or someone, but the heat coming from his senior mate drove the thoughts from his head as he carried her to the cave.  It was not until several years later that he recalled the incident.

Black Wolf did not know that he was officially the oldest wolf ever recorded, but he knew that he was older than any wolf he had ever heard of, and his age was showing itself in subtle ways like the stiffness in his legs when he went to sand up, or the swelling and aching of his hands in the morning.  He found himself struggling for breath after taking down a large elk and it was even getting harder to pee, even though he had to do so more often than before. 

These things made him unsure of his strength, a strength that was being put to the test more often now that word of his growing pack and advanced age had spread across the mountains.  To add to his woes his oldest daughters had come of age in a pack with no eligible males and were sneaking off to howl in the middle of the night.  It was tiring him out, hunting during the day and patrolling the borders of the plateau at night lest some interloper try to do what he had done to the Druid pack all those years ago.

Black Wolf had as many mates as he could manage in Black Tail and her sisters, and yet he could not bring himself to let in any of the wanderers that came around sniffing the air that carried the scent of his daughters' desire.  They protested, and their mothers tried to intervene on their behalf, but Black would not listen.

Lacking the confidence he once had, Black Wolf found himself attacking these trespassers fiercely and without warning.  Just the sight of the huge black male charging at them was enough to scare most off, and even the bravest fled after a taste of his ax-club, which like its owner was worse for wear these days, with a dull blade and cracked handle, but still formidable.

But at almost fifty years of age he was still the biggest, baddest wolf in the mountains, he told himself, and that must be some kind of record.  Even the formidable Menace had gone up the mountain when he was only forty.

The thought of Menace unleashed a flood of memories, old ones as well as those more recent.  What had the sisters of the Druid pack said about their father and his habits?  About the ferocity with which he chased off potential suitors and his lusty ways with their mother?  It all came back in a rush, the way they resented his strict control of the mating rights, the way he acted when overcome with lust, how he became fiercer and less reasonable as the years went by, how he would spend his nights looking for the black wolf that was so blatantly violating his daughters.

Black dropped to his knees in shock as the realized that he had become just like the old brute that he once took so much pride in outfoxing.

What have I become, he wondered?  An Alpha in my own pack, just as I desired, but what else? 

A killer like those whose who invaded Mist Valley forty-five years ago?  Maybe not as bad as them but he had killed other wolves to take territory or when challenged on someone else's.  Was he a bully like Bruiser?  He treated his friends well but when they were in exile he had driven his cubs to the breaking point to prepare them for his revenge.  It had changed them, some for the better like Stoic, but most for worse, and he had to accept responsibility for that.  A tyrant like Menace?  His daughters and the wanderers would think so. 

Life used to so full of wonder and joy, he recalled.  When did it change?  Or did it?  Perhaps I'm the one who has changed?

He wondered if he could change again at this advanced age.  He did not know the fate of Bruiser but perhaps Menace had come to regret his ways in the end.  Maybe that was why he went up the mountain while he still had the strength to do so?

Black pondered this for several days and nights.  He was lost in his own thoughts so much that most of the pack avoided him, keeping to their best behaviour least they set him off.  Only Black Tail was brave enough to seek him out to try and discover what was bothering him, but he sent her away with a silent shake of his head.

His senior mate had been planning a ceremony to mark his turning fifty years of age.  It was an unprecedented age and she wanted to mark it with a gathering of the pack.  They did not know the exact day that he would turn fifty but he knew the approximate time of the year from tales his mother had told him about his birth, so the ceremony was to be held on the night of the last full moon of summer, known as the red moon because late summer storms often set the dry grass on fire and the smoke from those fires gave the moon a red tint.

Several days before the moon was full, however, a challenger came to the Black Tail Plateau.  It was a large grey wolf named Crusher that had come from one of the few packs on the plains that still practiced single wolf mating rights.  He was young, but experienced, having fought the packs of the expanding alliance started by the Druid pack.  He was clever too, smart enough to realize that the time of the Alpha was done on the plains, but then he heard of a pack in the eastern mountains that was ruled by a single male who would not allow wanderers in.  When rumours circulated that the Alpha was so old that his formerly all-black coat now resembled snow on a dark rock Crusher decided that it was an opportunity too good to pass up. He spent the summer eating as much meat as he could get and practicing fighting against his brothers until he was larger than any wolf his pack had ever encountered.  Then he set out for the mountains.

Black Wolf briefly considered leading his sons and the aging Slider in an all-out attack against the contender when the challenge was issued, but enough of the old traditions still lived in him to make him face the challenger alone.

It was an epic battle, as those who gathered to watch could attest to.  It was as even a match as one could imagine.  Crusher was almost as large as Black, and much faster, but Black had more than thirty years of experience on the newcomer.  He blocked blows and avoided feints that would have fooled a younger wolf, but his laboured breathing indicated that he could not keep it up forever; he needed to land a killing blow, and soon.  But the black wolf seemed to be having problems lifting his old ax-club.

Crusher could sense his opponent weakening and redoubled his efforts.  The ax and long knife he wielded were more than a match for Black's ax-club, and as the sun moved slowly across the sky his blows struck home more often.  Before a span had passed Black was reduced to a bloody, ragged and gasping husk of his former self, with his weapon dragging in the dirt behind him.

Assured that victory was near, and not caring to offer Black the opportunity to surrender, Crusher dropped his knife and seized his ax with both hands.  He took a firm stance above his shattered opponent and raised the stone weapon high up and behind him for the kind of killing blow for which he had been named.  But the blow never came.

Black, who knew his limits far better than the stranger, had been harbouring the last of his strength.  He had let his weapon trail behind him, but he still had a firm reverse grip on the ancient wooden handle.  His submissive pose was designed to allow him to use the superior strength of his massive legs and thick muscles of his abdomen in one desperate lunge.  Coiled in a squat, he had been waiting for his opponent to let his guard down, and when Crusher did, he struck.

Black came out of his crouch with all the force of a crazed bison.  The shaft of his ax-club was clenched in a fist that snapped up just as his body was providing the maximum force, driving the chipped blade of the ax head into the groin of the big grey wolf.

The force of the blow lifted Crusher off the rock they were fighting on, the same rock that the Black Tail pack used for their ceremonies.  His weapon fell from his hands as the pain from his crushed testicles reached his brain.  That was followed by a gush of bright red blood as the crude stone blade cut the large veins and arteries there. 

Crushed curled up in a ball around the weapon that was lodged in his pelvis and died with a look of disbelief etched on his face.

The plateau was silent and still as Black stood over his defeated opponent.  The he fell face first on top of the intruder's corpse and the rest of the pack was shocked into action.  His oldest cubs, adults now, carried him back to the den where Black Tail and her sisters tended to his many wounds as best they could.

The night of the red moon passed without Black regaining conscious.  It was another quarter cycle before his eyes opened, and three more days before he spoke.

“I'm going up the mountain."  Were the first words out of his mouth.

Black Tail had been watching over him most of the time since the battle and she was the only one there when he spoke.

“You're not dying, not yet."  She assured him, although she believed that she was lying. 

“Not what I meant."  He said, shifting his god collar to ease an ache in his neck.  “I'm going to leave the pack and go up the mountains that I visited in my youth.  But this time I'm not going to turn back when the trees run out.  I meant o find out who or what lives up there."

“You are crazy from the infection in your shoulder."

“No, my lovely.  I'm serious and determined."

“You are too weak to visit the piss holes, let alone the mountain tops."

“I'll be healthy enough by the next full moon."  He assured her.

“Like I said – crazy."

But Black proved to be correct.  His recovery was swift, but not complete.  Several of his cuts refused to heal and the deepest, on his shoulder, was red and hot to the touch.  But by the time of the full moon that marked when the wild grains and nuts were ready to harvest, he could walk and carry a pack.

Over the objections of his mates and cubs he prepared for a long journey.  Of all the wolves in the pack only Slider and Blossom seemed to understand.  They had known him in his freebooting days after he left the Druid pack, and they were not unhappy to see a bit of the old Black Wolf return. 

Black insisted that there be no ceremony for his departure.  He packed his bag the night before and spent the evening reminiscing about his past with his family around him.  They laughed at his stories of daring deeds with comic twists and cried when he talked about those that had died when the Druid den was attacked in the attack and in the period of exile that followed.  He had no more wisdom to pass on, no advice for his mates or cubs; he just wanted them to know how much he loved them all and how he would miss them once he was gone.

“Then stay with us."  Black Tail cried at the end, unable to supress her feeling any more. 

Black took her in his arms and hugged her to his bandaged chest.  “Hush, my lovely.  I'll be with you always as all of you will be with me.  Just look to your cubs when you need to be reminded of me.  See?  Thistle has the same glint in her eyes, and Fearless has that tilt to his chin when his mind is made up that you hate so much in me."

When it was time to sleep the cubs stayed on one side of the fire while their father and his three mates cuddled silently on the other.  In the morning Black untangled himself from the sleeping forms of his mates and picked up his pack.  Outside the den Slider and Blossom sat by the fire with sad smiles on their faces.

“Come back to us one day, Black Wolf."  Blossom said, as he gave his old friend a parting hug.

“No."  Black Wolf replied as he began his ascent of the steep slope at the back of the plateau.  “I don't think that I will."

He was never seen again by his pack.  They assumed that he died from his wounds and exposure to the elements in the sudden cold snap that griped the mountains soon after he left.  On the night of the Spring Moon, after the snows melted, they celebrated his life on the flat rock where they marked all their important events. 

In time wanderers appeared and Black tail took a new mate, one of her choice, as did her sisters.  Some of the sons and daughters of Black Wolf left to seek mates elsewhere, others stayed and found mates from the alliance that had taken over the plain and the foothills. 

In time the tale of the black wolf who had outlived all others while spreading his seed across the plains and mountains faded from living memory and became legend.

\* \* \* \* \* \*

EPILOGUE

“This is a most interesting drink."  Black said as he sipped at the hot concoction the mountain lion Dane had made for him.  “What do you call it?"

The large tawny beast who lived in the cave Black was sheltering in turned away from the small fire to answer his guest.  “We call it 'tea'.  That is what the hairless one who died in my care called it anyway."

“Tell me again about the hairless ones."

Dane turned back to the fire, putting a domed object that seemed to be made of the same material as the lightning web aside.  “They fly up here on their noisy beasts and put up strange devices that have no obvious purpose.  Every few cycles they return to tend to them, often staying several days, especially if the weather is bad. Over the years they have left a lot of things behind, like this kettle."  He indicated the domed object.  “It can be used to heat water and when you add the right leaves to it, it becomes tea."

“Kettle?"

“Another word I learned from the hairless one that died here."

Dane then told Black the story of the mountain lions and their relationship with the ones the wolves thought of as gods, but who the big cats referred to as 'the hairless ones'. 

“At first they would kill us with sticks that spit fire."  Dane informed him.  “But when we began to be able to walk on two legs and talk a little, they stopped.  They avoided us, but we could get very close without being seen and we learned from them.  They were not gods, just another creature that could get sick and die and be afraid, like you and me.  Sometimes they died when their beasts crashed on the mountaintops, or other times when the wind and snow came up suddenly and they had no time to seek shelter.  They are rather weak specimens, for all their magic."

“We search their camps when they go," he continued. “and take anything that looks useful.  The big breakthrough came when I was just a young cat though.  One day one of their beasts died in mid air and crashed nearby.  I was the first on the scene and I found that one of the hairless ones was still alive, trapped in the wreckage.  I pulled her out, for I believe it was a female from her parts, and brought her here to try to heal her.  The weather was so bad that winter that none of her folk could fly up to search for her."

It seemed that the big cats had learned more about the nature of plants and their healing effects than the wolves ever had.  They knew that the bark of the weeping trees that grew near water could be soaked in water and drunk to relieve pain.  Other plants were good for the aches that came with age or ailments of the bowels. Some helped fight infections, others reduced swellings.  Boiling them in water as the hairless ones did made them more potent.  On the other hand, some, like the concoction of leaves of evergreens that grew in the alpine bogs that Black was sampling, just tasted good.

“I managed to keep her alive for almost two cycles."  Dane said sadly.  “She taught me a little of their language and how to use some of the objects we had taken over the years.  She had too much damage inside though.  Her death was bad, as bad as any I've seen since.  But don't you worry."  The big cat beamed.  “Your wounds are all treatable and I'm sure that you will recover."

Dane had found Black stumbling around delirious above the tree line and had brought him back to his cave.  At first Black had difficulty understanding the cat, but enough of the gestures, expressions and positions were similar enough to the wolf language for him to catch the cat's meaning.  The friendly cat had frowned at the angry red flesh around Blacks' wounds and had bound them up with poultices of herbs and grasses that he claimed would help draw the poisons out. 

Whatever the cat had done seemed to work, and in half a cycle Black was able to move about again and take some liquids, which was when he was introduced to tea.

“The hairless ones brought cans of tea with them and sometimes left them behind, but I ran out of that long ago.  Now I use various plants and herbs that we once chewed for their taste or curative properties.  Some are better than others, like the one you're drinking now."

The cat had launched into a lecture on the berries and shrubs that flourished above the tree line but Black only half listened.  There was another noise, a low dull throbbing sound, that he could hear in the distance that was distracting him.  He wondered what it could be.  When it became louder but Dane showed no signs of picking it up he interrupted his host to ask what it could be.

Dane cocked his smaller ears back and forth a few times before he caught the sound.  “Why, that is one of their flying beasts.  It seems to be getting closer.  Come outside with me, perhaps we'll be lucky enough to see it pass by below us."

Using a cleft stick that Dane had made for him Black limped out of the cave onto a flat portion of rock that overlooked the mountains.  It was a magnificent sight, with the snow-capped peaks all around, with the green band of the forest below it.  Off in the distance he could just make out the haze that covered the plains as the cold air of approaching winter turned the steam that came from the hot springs into fog.

The noise of the beast that answered to the gods, or the hairless ones, whichever you preferred he thought, echoed off the peaks as it grew louder.  Soon they could make out the thick green body with its insectile eyes and whirling wings, just like a giant dragonfly, Black thought.  Dane had never seen a dragon fly because they could not survive at these heights, so he was fascinated to find that there was a smaller version of the beasts down in the valleys. 

“Are they hollow, like the big ones?" The cat asked.  Black did not know; he had never taken the time to examine a dead one to find out.

The beast that they were watching continued to rise without wavering or veering off, as most of them did, Dane informed him. 

“It looks like it may be coming here."  Dane observed.

There was an open area covered with snow a few hundred paces below where they stood.  The beast hovered over it for a few breaths before settling down on the packed snow.  The noise died down and the wings slowed, eventually revealing themselves to be five rotating appendages, instead of the four flickering wings that Black had expected.

“It's bigger than the ones they usually come in."  Dane observed.  “And it flies better."

After it had been quiet for a time a part of the creature's body swung up and a smaller animal emerged.  It was bright red in colour, with a round white head and glassy eyes like a fly.

“That is just the hides they wear."  Dane whispered.  “The hard shell on their head comes off too.  They don't look nearly as scary without them."

As they watched the small creature held up a double loop of shiny material and waved it back and forth in the air while looking at something it was holding in its hand.  After a few breaths it looked up towards where the wolf and mountain lion were hidden in the rocks and began walking toward them.

As the figure drew closer a feeling of dread cane over Black.  The last time he had encountered one of these creatures they had chased him through the snow and brought him down with a weapon that knocked him down and put him out from father than a spear could be thrown, all without leaving a mark.  The next day he had woken up with the indestructible and unremovable collar.  Even if they weren't gods they commanded strange and immense powers, and that made him afraid. 

He retreated into the cave slowly.  Slow enough that he never lost sight of the advancing creature but fast enough that he stayed out of sight.  Dane matched his pace, eyes also fixed on the red intruder.

Once inside the cave there was no escape, however, and the two stood there nervously as first the hard, white shell covering the creature's head appeared over the rim of the entrance and then the rest of it hove into sight.

It paused on the flat shelf of rock and waved its device about again while focusing on the black device in its hand.  Then it looked straight to the cave.  There was no face on the front of its head, just a shiny golden dome that reflected the black entrance of the cave back at them.  Out there in the sunlight it would not be able to make out anything inside the dim cavern, Black was sure ... or could it?

As if it knew exactly where they were the creature dropped the double loop and the black box it was attached toon the ground and stepped forward into the cave.  Black and Dane shrunk back against the far wall, even though from this close they could see that the red figure was much smaller than either of them. 

It stopped in the middle of Dane's chamber and raised its hands.  Grasping the white shell from both sides it twisted and then lifted it.  For a second Black was afraid that there would be no head underneath, just a blank spot in space or a bloody stump of a neck.  Even Dane was watching the process with trepid fascination. 

But there was something under there.  At first it resembled the shaggy head of an old wolf with black fur shot through with white but then Black realized that he was looking at the top of its head, which it raised once the shell was clear to reveal a strange, naked face.

He, like most wolves, had imagined that the gods would look more or less like wolves, but as Dane had described its skin was free of fur from forehead to where the neck disappeared into the red suit, save for a thin streak over each eye.  It had no muzzle to speak of, and instead of a rough, black nose its nostrils were placed under a small knob of flesh the same colour as the rest of its face.  The eyes were also different from a wolf's, they were shaped differently and were very dark in the centre but they showed more white on the sides.

It was a completely alien face, yet it appeared to be smiling, showing teeth that were flat and even.  It was also holding its hands in the pose indicating that it desired peaceful dialogue.  It had no tail that he could see but Black had the impression that if it did it would be down in the submissive position.

The big wolf took a pace forward and put his hands in the same passive position.  He swallowed hard and took a deep breath before working up the courage to speak.

“My name is Black Wolf." He said, and then added hastily.  “Well met."

The creature's smile widened.

“Black Wolf," it said, “my name is Cheng Meili, but you can call me Mary.  I've been wanting to meet you for a very long time."

Based on _The Rise of Black Wolf_

Produced by National Geographic Television, © 2010 NGHT LLC

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/B1QXl8zn
Part of the series Black Wolf
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