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12th Spring

Softened sounds of footsteps crunching through damp leaves were mere whispers among the chattering birds throughout the forest. The patches of sunlight dotted the forest floor where there were openings in the tree branches. Walking through the faint golden rays of light was a young human by the name Alex. Fascination filled his eyes wherever he walked. Lush greens and rich earth colors filled the boy's sights. Every leaf was newly aglow with rejuvenation. There was no heavy snow or barren branches in sight. The chilly winds were but distant memories when the warmth of the sun touched his skin. More than three years had passed since he became lost in a snowstorm and found refuge in a cave. He survived the bitter cold with the help of a mountain lioness who returned him home. As valuable as those memories were to Alex, he was completely aware of his current surroundings. Spring was in full bloom. Trees had fresh bright green leaves, and the scents of wildflowers accompanied most breezes. Wildlife was easily found everywhere he looked.

At twelve years old, the forests surrounding the house he lived in were no different than a backyard to him. On the verge of adolescence, he desired to explore it all with an enthusiasm resembling the bountiful spring. Hopping over a rotten log, he accidentally stepped on a twig, causing it to snap. Alex froze in place as the sharp sound faded in an instant.

"Oops." He whispered and looked around, but he heard nothing move or startle nearby. Stepping ahead, he balanced atop the roots of a large oak. Scanning the ground for anything of interest, his eyes could see faint imprints in the soft earth among the leaves. Paths carved into the forest litter from hooves and foot traffic were always close by, if one could see them. For trained eyes they resembled invisible streams. Placing a hand on the trunk of the large tree, he looked over to his right, but his gaze froze halfway. His motion slowed as both feet planted themselves at the base of the tall tree.

"Huh?" Alex found himself staring face to face with a human-like figure. He blinked at the unexpected surprise. Covered in colorful fur from ear to toe was an anthro grey wolf. It wasn't uncommon to see the native inhabitants around the edge of the forests close to his house. But that was usually at a lengthy distance of one hundred yards or more. The young wolf standing before him was merely a few steps away! A little taller than Alex, strong digitigrade legs kept the canine upright. The wolf wore a basic loincloth tied around her waist, but nothing else resembling clothing. A bare furry chest of light fur hinted at development, indicating the wolf was an adolescent female. Long dark grey hair spilled over her shoulders and down her back like a veil. Brown eyes curiously stared at him with an unwavering gaze. They were both standing in the same posture. Her hand was resting against a tree trunk just like his. It eerily felt like looking into a mirror as an odd sense of familiarity overcame him.

'Have I seen her before?' He wondered, but couldn't place the odd thought. 'What should I do?' His legs refused to budge and decide. Light footsteps caught their ears as another figure appeared from the thicket of trees behind the wolf. This one was taller, a middle aged female red fox. The vixen's fur was a striking red and soft white against the earthy green background of the forest. Unlike the young she wolf, she wore a plain chest cloth with a few tassels for decoration. Her loincloth was similarly decorated. Long red hair was beautifully braided and adorned with feathers and thin strips of leather. Pausing behind the wolf, her amber eyes stared at him intently. Alex felt his mouth turn dry. He felt nervous. There were only two of them, but one of him. His legs tensed, ready to run away, but he was too scared to move.

"Hi." He shyly spoke up. Their ears moved as he spoke. The fox's jaws parted.

"Mehenun tui'ha natchehu?" The red vixen inquired without any gestures, but her foreign tongue sounded like twisted words to the boy's ears.

"I... I don't know what you're saying." He spoke up. The wolf blinked and her ears wiggled at the odd sound of Alex's words. The red vixen's expression relaxed as an ear turned away slightly where a chattering woodpecker was balking.

"Ketenyu." She held up her bow. Alex noticed that she was also wearing a quiver full of arrows.

'They are hunting?' He guessed but kept quiet. A brief moment of silent staring between the three ensued.

"Mahasensa nebunitchi ne." The adult vixen placed a hand on the young female wolf's shoulder. Then the anthro fox turned and disappeared back into the foliage. Alex's heart fell as the young she wolf turned to leave. He reached out with a hand but couldn't say anything. The wolf paused and looked over her shoulder at him. A soft grin was evident along the corner of her fur lined lips. Her tail swished before she quietly stepped away. She disappeared deeper into the woods. Alex's ears strained to listen. The soft crunching of leaves grew quieter as she walked away, deeper into the forest. Blinking, Alex looked around the still woods. It was as if he had never seen them at all! They had disappeared like a pair of robins flying through the treetops, vanishing without a trace. However, the chirps and sounds of birds were strong in his ears as if calling out to him.

'How did I not hear her?' Alex wondered about the young wolf. 'She just appeared.' After looking around the still trees, he decided to follow them. His curiosity amd excitement was piqued. there was so much he wanted to know. Pushing leaves and branches out of his way, he nearly stumbled trying to catch up but there was no one there.

'Where did they go?' Alex searched desperately. Finally, around one tree, he spotted the hunting pair walking carefully down a trail. The leaves crunched beneath his steps as he hastily followed behind them from a short distance, hoping to see them for a little longer. Despite not knowing where they would go, he felt safe being with them.

'I'll need to remember my way back...' Alex took note of the trees and foliage that they passed, but he wanted to keep up with them. The young female wolf suddenly looked over her shoulder. Alex stopped as their eyes met. For a moment neither moved, but then the grey wolf discreetly waved a hand towards herself.

'She wants me to come to her!' Alex's eyes widened at the friendly gesture. Her tail wagged excitedly as the human quickly approached.

"Masacheehee human." She grinned and walked in front of him.

'She said human!' The boy understood that word despite the throaty canine accent. He stared at her pretty mottled grey back while they walked through the trees. Every few seconds they would exchange looks while the red vixen led them through the trees and into a shaded little clearing within the forest. The towering trees around them and their numerous branches full of leaves stopped most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor. The forest floor was littered with dead wood from an old fallen tree. Mushrooms were plentiful along with richly green mosses. The forest noises around them were quiet. Birds were not close by, and the soft decayed wood softly meshed beneath their steps. 'It's quiet here.' Alex looked around the little sanctuary. The odor of earthy peat and soil was impossible to miss.

"I've never seen a wolf or fox in the woods before." Alex couldn't help himself from staring at both of them. The female wolf tilted her head and wiggled her ears at the sound of his voice. The red vixen stood idly nearby, inspecting the white flowers of a wild blueberry bush. The young female wolf looked him over with the same sense of curiosity. It was as if two separate worlds had suddenly met for the first time.

"Chisi nupan umhahir cheolilope'a." Her foreign tongue quickly spoke like a wild incantation.

"Uh..." Alex blinked with an open mouth. "What?" He dumbly replied. The wolf's muzzle parted as she softly laughed, revealing an impressive row of teeth bordering a lengthy canine tongue. She hopped over and sat down on the edge of a worn stump. Her paws rested on what remained of a fallen tree trunk.

"Me'ano amaki." She pointed with a claw tipped finger to the fallen tree before her. Alex blinked before approaching the fallen log. The boy cautiously sat down and found himself beside her paws. Below the knees, her legs were animalistic compared to his own. They were digitigrade, and perfectly resembled paws. They didn't require any footwear, unlike Alex, and looked powerful in their own right. He reached out and touched her durable digitigrade paws. The fur was soft, but the visible claws poking freely could easily leave a mark with a swift kick.

'Her paw is so different!' He marveled at the canine paw. It was obvious why the natives never needed footwear, even during the coldest winters. Her toes tightened their grip on the fallen trunk. The rotting wood softly caved beneath, but she stood her ground.

"Owasee ne?" She gave him a bizarre look

"Huh?" Alex stopped as he felt air puffing onto his hair. His hands bumped into a damp nose as he covered the top of his head.

"Ow!" The wolf covered her snout as they looked at each other.

"Managissuwa webwemmba naxchil." A voice interrupted the pair. The red vixen was looking at the young wolf beside Alex. She quickly stood up and motioned for the boy to follow suit.

"Huh? What's going on?" He asked. The pair of hunters walked through the tree once more, but in a different direction. Alex was quick to follow. The damp leaves softly crunched beneath all three of their steps.

"Ma'wichi kuhlo." The wolf whispered to him.

"What?" He didn't understand. 'We changed directions.' Alex knew that much as he looked at the vixen's arrow filled quiver on her back. The female fox stopped just ahead of them and turned halfway back. The red vixen pointed ahead without speaking. A hand on his back helped nudge him along. Taking a step forward, Alex emerged at the very edge of the forest itself. The tree line gave way entirely as he found himself staring at an expansive open field. Close by the grass was sparse and short, competing with moss for spade under the shade of the tall trees. Further away, tall grasses lightly bobbed from a subtle breeze. A familiar structure towards one side of the grassy plain caught his immediate attention.

"That's my house!" He was surprised to see it across the field. He never would've guessed that a hunting trail passed within sight of his house, but it wasn't by chance either. The red vixen and young wolf had led him back on purpose.

"Thank you!" He spun back around and grasped ahold of the red vixen's black "socked" hand. Her black tipped ears swiveled curiously at the embrace. She mumbled something before offering a polite grin. Alex turned to the young female wolf next. She did not hesitate and brought an arm around him and patted his back.

"Thank you."

"Tha oooh." She mimicked his words. With that said, Alex looked at he two once again before departing from the forest. He quickly walked into the grassy field with a sense of awe. He was speechless at the chance meeting that had happened. A wonderful sense of curiosity had been satisfied deep inside him. Alex turned back a final time and looked into the woods. The wolf's head was visible between the leaves of low hanging branches. For a moment, she was barely distinguishable from the forest itself.

"Bye!" He waved back at her. She smiled before disappearing behind the trees.

13th Summer

A lonely cabin along the edge of a vast field was humble in its appearance. The wooden walls were unchanged from the previous four seasons, and very little had changed since it was built more than a decade ago. The grass was listless and silent from a lull in the breeze. A large garden beside one wall was silent as well, but inside the simple dwelling was an active scene. The frontier family of three were busily cleaning and preparing their cabin.

"Hosting our house to a bunch of..." His mother stopped herself and tersely sighed as she cleaned a tabletop.

"You don't have to clean the table, Beatrice." Alex's dad spoke up as he swept away ashes from the hearth. "They don't sit at tables anyway." Any time when all three of them had to pitch in and help clean the modest frontier cabin meant important guests would be arriving.

"What are we preparing for again?" Alex questioned.

"Haven't I told you several times already?" The boy's mom shook her head with a half hidden smile on her face.

"Maybe..." He wasn't sure.

"A few important members of the Ashunakke village are visiting us. I will be talking with them."

"Can I listen?" Alex eagerly asked. His father looked amused at the request.

"We'll be talking about things you don't need to worry yourself about." His dad answered. The indifferent tone didn't deter the boy from trying.

"But what's it all about?"

"Important things between adults."

"I want to listen. Please!" Alex pleaded his case. The boy's relentless begging showed no signs of stopping.

"Alex. Ok! Only if you promise not to make any noise." His dad finally relented with a subtle sigh.

"Thank you!" He barely contained the excitement in his voice.

"They're here." Alex's mother spoke up with tiredness in her voice. The boy's head jerked to the side. Through the window, Alex could glimpse several tribal members approaching their house before disappearing from view.

"I will get the door. Remember your promise, Alex." His dad's voice was firm as he approached the door. Alex ran and hid behind the table much to his mother's amusement. He curiously watched as his dad calmly walked over and opened the door.

"Hello." An odd canine voice was heard.

"Welcome." Alex saw his dad grasp the arm of a furred figure. "Thank you all for meeting me here in my home." Thomas greeted the others as they entered. Staying hidden, he peered around to see what was going on. One of the figures was a husky, another was a red fox, but the other three were grey wolves. Each one was tall, like his dad, but only wore loincloths of various designs tied around their waists. Their hair was long and decoratively braided with feathers or strips of leather. None of them carried weapons, but to Alex's eyes, they hardly needed any weapons. Their claws on their hands and paws were more than capable of wounding someone.

'They have a lot of teeth too.' He looked at their muzzles. The five anthropomorphic tribal members filed into the house, but a smaller sixth one surprised him.

'It's her!' Alex's eyes instantly recognized the younger wolf. The mottled grey pelt was unmistakable. 'She was the wolf hunting with the red vixen in the woods last spring!' He couldn't believe it. Her gaze met his and approached as the others sat down.

"Hi." She kindly smiled. Alex could hardly believe what he had heard.

"Um... Hey." He managed to respond. The young female wolf smiled before walking over and sitting at the back of the group, closer to Alex. 'They're already talking!' The boy realized and quickly listened in.

"Well, I do not trap or hunt solely for furs," Alex's father spoke, "I abide by our agreement to hunt between the creek behind my house and the distant river in the woods across the field for pelts. Anything else is solely to feed my family."

"Most humans are not considerate like you are." The husky kindly spoke. "They tend to treat the land without any purpose. They grow on a plot of land until it is barren, and then clear many trees to start on another plot the same way. They take without giving back."

"This area has few human settlers, but I know most of them. They treat the land and tribes with respect." Thomas told them. The wolves felt some relief hearing this, but there was still an air of caution amongst them.

"There are more humans here than there were a few season cycles ago." One pointed out. "More ask for permission to hunt in our forests, and cross northward as well as westward."

"Yes, I have seen a few of them too." Alex's dad nodded. "They have come across the ocean, and seek a home for themselves and their families."

"How many more will come across the great water?" The red fox inquired.

"I do not know, but I do not think that it will stop." He gave an honest assessment. Looks of concern overcame the five, who murmured amongst themselves.

"More humans settlers are like a tide that never retreats." One of the wolves mentioned. "I fear it will be a force that doesn't yield."

"The humans living in towns on the coast never agree with those living inland on much." Thomas added. "They do not understand what it is like to live out here."

Alex hadn't paid the slightest attention to what his dad and the other wolves were saying . He couldn't focus on the complex issues that his dad and the other adults were talking about, not when his gaze met the young wolf's almost constantly.

'Her hair is so long.' He was completely enraptured by the young wolf's pretty hair. It was grey, like the fur on her back, and almost glossy from its smoothness. Alex didn't know why he liked it, but it fascinated him. It looked nice, just like her pretty mottled fur coat. The wolf smiled whenever she glanced back at him. Alex clutched his stomach sensing an odd giddy feeling whenever the canine looked back. His eyed widened as she decidedly turned to face him before standing up.

'She's walking towards me!' His heart pounded.

"Go there?" She quietly asked and pointed to the door with a clawed fingertip.

"You speak English?" Alex was surprised.

"English. A few words." She grinned with an odd canine smile. Glancing back at his father and the group of adult wolves, and then back at the female wolf standing before him, Alex made up his mind. They quickly left the cabin while the adults were still talking.

Once outside, the breath of fresh air was a welcome alternative from the stuffy house. The early summer heat was calm for the mid morning, like a gentle breeze. The lack of morning fog promised that the afternoon and evening wouldn't become hazy.

"I'm Alex." He introduced himself to the grey wolf. "And I'm thirteen years old."

"Thirteen?" She didn't know the number.

"Yeah. Remember when I saw you hunting last year?"

"I was hunting." She spoke the simple phrase and nodded. "I saw you." The grey wolf smiled. "You hunt?" Her triangular ears perked up with interest.

"No..." Alex answered dejectedly. "My dad hasn't let me use his rifle yet."

"Hmm..." She looked around curiously as her tail swished a few times. "Creek?" She asked in English, and pointed ahead.

"Yeah, there's a creek there. So you wanna go there?"

"Yes." She nodded and immediately set off. Alex followed her with interest. His sights were fixated on the wolf. Her long hair seemed to bounce and flow as she briskly walked ahead of him. "Nasumqua." The pretty she wolf beckoned for Alex to hurry up.

"What?" He didn't understand. Her tail wagged excitedly in response as they reached the first trees. The lush variety of plants increased as they walked further into the woods. Small ferns, grasses, and fresh saplings all vied for access to available water. Moss grew thick on the bark of several trees close to the water's edge. All of the deep greenery gave the appearance that they had traveled to a completely different world despite being so close to the cabin. There was a small dip in the land as the winding creek came into view. The grey wolf stopped before the rocky and sandy shore of the trickling shallow water. Her nose tipped upwards into the air as she appeared to smell something.

'What is she doing?' He wondered as she lowered her snout and looked around. The grey wolf looked back at him.

"Many Oki." She spoke.

"Okay?" Alex thought he had misheard.

"Oki." She repeated.

"I don't understand." He looked at her canine face with confusion. The grey wolf wiggled her nose and looked away quietly. Alex wondered what she had meant, but another thought entered his mind.

"Hey, do you know a mountain lioness?" He asked.

"Who?" Her ears dialed at the lengthy words.

"She's a feline lady from a tribe. She has round ears." He mimicked above his head. "And a long tail." Alex tried explaining, but the young wolf appeared completely confused by the human's description. "She saved me from a snowstorm when I was little."

"Uh. Don't know?" The grey wolf's ears splayed out.

"Oh." Alex held back a frown. "What can we do?" He mumbled as his gaze settled on a fallen tree that crossed over the creek, connecting both sides. An idea popped into his head. Alex jumped on top of the old fallen tree and balanced himself. He carefully crept forward using his arms to balance. The bark had been stripped away in some parts, but the trunk was otherwise steady and stable.

'Don't look down.' He told himself despite glancing towards the creek below. Alex didn't want to fall off and embarrass himself in front of her. He gradually walked across before jumping down beside several ferns in the muddy ground.

"Aha!" The human looked back at the wolf standing on the opposite side expectantly. Her ears wiggling, sensing a challenge. Rather than simply step up, she jumped onto the fallen tree trunk and landed solidly with both paws. Without a second thought she walked across in a few seconds before landing right beside him.

"Hmm..." The canine hummed and looked down at him with a content grin of her own. Feeling outdone, Alex had the sudden urge to impress her. Looking back at the creek he noticed several stepping stones to cross.

"Can you so this?" He hopped and landed onto one rock. He steadied himself before eyeing the next spot in the midst of the shallow water. Alex skipped onto the next rock only to notice the wolf moving just at the periphery of his sight.

"Huh?" He saw her bend forward and dip her hands into the water. His eyes widened as she flung the handful at him. "Ah!" Alex jumped to the next rock and then quickly to the shore as she sent more water after him. He ducked and hid behind the closest tree to evade the splashes. Water droplets harmlessly landed beside him.

"No hiding!" Her voice playfully barked from the creek, awaiting his return. Alex smiled as his hands left the bark of the tree. He jumped out of hiding and sprung to the creek. The wolf excitedly dipped her hands into the water to splash him, but this time Alex splashed back at her. They both jumped away from the oncoming shower of creek water before diving right back to the rocky shore. They jumped and moved around, splashing water at each other without care. Laughter, playful yells, and barks filled the air above the fray. Alex hadn't had so much fun before, and he enjoyed every second of it. When they both took a moment to catch their breath, Alex saw how wet his clothes were.

"You soaked me..." He looked at his shirt. It looked like he had been caught outside in a thunderstorm. The grey wolf stopped splashing Alex long enough for him to remove his shirt. He tossed the garment onto a branch to dry. But the truce was very brief. The splashes of paws in the creek alerted him. Quickly lifting his gaze, the wolf was in the middle of the creek wearing an excited grin. She was ready to pounce! Alex quickly spun around and abandoned he position on the edge of the creel. He fled back into the field with the wolf in hot pursuit. He looked over his shoulder only for his eyes to widen. The wolf was much faster than he anticipated. She was right behind him!

"Aaahh!" He yelled as she leapt forward and collided with him. Rolling onto the ground, the world spun as he managed to hang onto her. A scuffle ensued where the human managed to end up on top of her. "Gotcha." For a brief moment Alex believed he had won the little bout, but the wolf's eyes gleamed with strength. Her legs gripped his sides tightly, and with canine strength she rolled him onto his back. Stunned, Alex blinked as his wrists were pinned to the ground with a fierce yet gentle grip. He had been completely beaten!

"Captured." She spoke with a heavy accent. Alex attempted to move, but she held onto him with an unyielding strength.

"You got me." He relaxed and panted. They were breathing hard, but he truly didn't want her to move away. Without his shirt the wolf's fur felt very soft against his bare skin. She didn't seem to mind either. The grey wolf leaned a little closer and to his surprise she softly licked his cheek. The wet warmth of her tender tongue left him speechless. Alex held onto her furry sides. His cheeks blushed as his mouth opened silently. She rose back up to her elbows and licked her nose. Her soft brown eyes stared at him with the corners of her mouth curled into a noticeable black lipped grin. Alex didn't know what to make of the gesture, even though he liked it. His giddiness inside his chest that made him uncertain. He could feel his heart beating, and wondered if she could feel it too. The wolf's ears suddenly swiveled forward before she sat up.

"Alex!" A voice boomed and their heads turned around. The grey wolf clamored off him and scurried towards the house. Quickly jumping to his feet, Alex saw his dad standing by a corner of their cabin. The visiting grey wolves, husky, and fox were already departing. The boy quickly ran up to his dad who was standing beside a tall male wolf. The canine's stature made his dad look smaller despite being a strong human. His long light grey hair had two decorative braids leaving the rest finely combed.

"What were you two doing, and where is your shirt?" His dad asked. Still flustered, words appeared to escape the boy's mouth. Alex looked back at the woods for a second.

"It's on a branch." He pointed.

"Why is it there?"

"She uh... wrestled with me." He admitted.

"You wrestled?" His dad was perplexed.

"Yes!" Alex looked around and found the young she wolf a short distance way, hiding behind another wolf. She was peering around, watching from safe distance.

"My daughter, Awatu, is a good wrestler." The wolf smiled happily and patted his shoulder. The look on his face was a mixture of pride and amusement. "We had a good talk. Thank you for welcoming us into your home." The grey male wolf gave a deep nod.

"Of course, Sokoskano. I'm always happy to meet with you and your tribe." Alex's dad commented before giving a deep nod. Sokoskano turned and walked away where the others were filing single file towards the woods.

'They are leaving!' Alex realized and watched the female wolf join her dad. She looked back at him a final time before talking to her dad. The boy wanted to say something but suddenly felt nervous when he wanted to take a step forward. Those funny feelings were still lingering at the bottom of his heart.

"So what else did you two do while we talked?" Alex's dad asked.

"Oh. Uh. Not much." He watched the group of tribal warriors walk further away before entering the forest. One by one they disappeared with Awatu going last with her father. "When will they come back?" Alex turned to ask his dad.

"Come back?" His dad was surprised to hear Alex ask such a question. "Chief Taxila can't send a group of warriors to our house without reason."

"What about Awatu? Can she come back?"

"Awatu?" His dad questioned.

"She isn't a warrior."

"Oh. No, she is Soskoskano's daughter. I think she's a little older than you... maybe two years older."

"Can she come back?" Alex didn't hesitate to ask again.

"You're an eager beaver to have her come back." His dad caught on. "Do you like her?"

"What?" The boy's face appeared shocked. "No! I don't like her... It's not like that." He said only causing his dad to smile whimsically.

"Well, I don't know. Her village isn't very far away in the forest, but I'm sure her parents will allow it." Thomas gave his son a little hope.

14th Winter

A light snow lazily fell from the grey clouds above. The ground was already coated, partially hiding the shorter grasses in the field. The winter reigned with silence over the entire area. The sounds of wildlife were scarce and quiet when vocal compared to the warmer seasons. The cold sharpness in the air naturally forced plants and animals alike into dormancy, but despite the stillness there was a bustle of activity outside a particular cabin. The small human family of three were dressed warmly for a journey eastward.

Alex was helping his parents load beaver and deer pelts into the small wagon cart that they owned. Twice every winter, and once every spring his dad would go to Frederick Town and sell the furs and pelts that he had caught. This time the entire family was going.

"How much money will you get, dad?" Alex excitedly asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think we will make a nice sum of money." His dad spoke with cautious optimism. "We will meet up with Alfred just outside of town." His dad checked over everything a final time.

"Hmm?" Alex caught sight of a tall figure slowly walking along the edge of the woods. It was obviously a wolf, and a common sight for the family, considering that their cabin wasn't far from the nearest Anthro village. He recognized the canine figure easily. The male's brindle fur was easy to spot against the snow despite his white markings, but within the forest, the wolf was easily mistaken for a tree. It was perfect camouflage to hunt. Although by now, Alex wasn't as shy about approaching someone from a village anymore.

"Wekausu!" Alex ran up to the wolf, kicking up snow behind him. The wolf often passed by their home, delivering news to his dad when needed. He was also from the same Ashunakke village as Awatu. Alex was always more than eager to ask how she was doing, and learn a little of the native language. The canine paused by a tree to lean on as the human approached. His winter coat was thick and fluffy. The rabbit furred loincloth and bear furred cape he wore appeared fluffy as well.

"Alex. You run fast." His deep canine voiced english was broken, but easily understandably to the human.

"Yes! I'm growing older." Alex proudly stated.

"You and parent go to big human village?" He glanced at the cart.

"Yep!" He nodded. "My dad is selling the pelts he caught. We will be back before nightfall."

"I know he good hunter." Wekausu acknowledged.

"Can you teach me a new word before we leave?" He asked.

"Curious like your dad." The wolf held up a hand over Alex. The human immediately tried jumping up and hitting the canine's hand, but he couldn't reach. "Ayasu... that means Fish." The older wolf waved his other hand side to side, mimicking how one swam.

"You already taught me that word!" Alex laughed and jumped again, trying to reach the wolf's hand. This time Wekausu lowered his hand and let the boy tap his palm. "Tell me a new word!"

"Hmm..." His eyes looked around at the falling snow. Brushing his hand over a low branch, he collected a small pole of snow into his padded palm. "Look. Snow." He pointed with his nose and showed the human.

"Wah-nee." He pronounced the word.

"Wahnee." Alex spoke the word for snow. 'Wahnee. Wahnee.' He repeated it inside his thoughts.

"That's right." The wolf nodded in approval. "But you sound human." He teased.

"I am human." Alex laughed as the brindle furred wolf ruffled Alex's hat made of squirrel fur. "How is Awatu doing?" He asked. "Is she going to visit me again soon?"

"Awatu?" He cocked his head and thought. "Hmm. She can't visit. Not for a year." The surprise news shocked the human.

"What?" The boy's face instantly fell. "But I just saw her not too long ago." He insisted.

"She can't." Wekausu shook his head. "Time of passage." His words made little sense to the human as the snow fell between them, but it sounded official.

"I don't understand." Alex looked up at the wolf with pained eyes. He just wanted to see his friend again.

"It is an important time." He insisted and paused to look around. "I must go." The brindle wolf placed a large hand on Alex's arm and turned towards the forest. "All of you take care."

"Bye..." Alex waved back at the wolf before trotting back through the snow, utterly crestfallen. It felt like the cold had sapped all of the joy right out of him. His parents were seated in the horse drawn cart, ready to depart.

"Hop on and we'll go." His dad waved for him to hurry up. "Who was that?"

"It was Wekausu." Alex mentioned.

"It seems like you know everyone who walks in the forest." His dad grinned as Alex climbed aboard the cart, but he was alone in his thoughts as they started to move. The wheels on the cart clacked as they bumped along the uneven dirt road leading from their house. Hoof prints and lines from the wheels were left in the snow behind as snow continued to fall.

'A whole year...' Alex stared back at the woods towards the creek longingly, wondering how long it would take for a year to pass.

***

The bumpy ride to town took just under three hours. The light snowfall had ceased and the forest gave way to rolling fields overlooking a prosperous seaside town. The cleared area had fencing and fallow ground for grazing animals and farming. An old palisade wall still existed on the southern end of town, but a few newer buildings had since sprung outside its boundary. The town stretched north along the shoreline before reaching a seaside cliff. Columns of smoke were visible rising from countless chimneys, only gradually dispersing into the grey sky.

"Looks like we finally made it." Alex's dad spoke up as they bumped along the snow covered dirt road. Glancing over his shoulder, the boy's gaze remained empty as he stared across the snowy landscape.

"What's wrong? You haven't spoken since we left." His dad noticed.

"It's Awatu." Alex sighed but withheld his true sadness. "Wekausu told me that she wouldn't be able to visit me again... for an entire year."

"An entire year? Why would he say that?"

"I don't know. He told me that she had a time of passage that was important or something. Is that true?"

"Ohh..." His dad seemed to understand and gave a slow nod.

"Will she really be gone for a year?" He worried.

"It's hard to say." His dad honestly answered. "Adolescence is an important time for them, but I'm sure she will try to visit you as soon a she can." He gave his son a little hope to hold on to. The clopping of a horse drawn cart approached them.

"Hello!" A red haired man waved from a cart similar to their own.

"Thomas! Beatrice! How have you to been this fine... cold day." He sarcastically spoke, and quickly hobbled off the vehicle.

"The roads were bumpy too." Alex's dad cheerfully added.

"We've been fine. How about yourself?" His mom greeted him.

"I've been doing fine myself. You look lovely as ever my lady." He grinned with all his teeth.

"Speaking of which, where is your wife?" Thomas noticed no one else accompanying the red haired man.

"She's back at home feeling cozy by a fire with this dreary weather." He rubbed his hands to good effect.

"I can't say I blame her decision." Thomas grinned.

"Well, well, well, look at what you have here!" He caught sight of Alex standing by the cart. "Boy, have you grown!" Alfred Crone boasted with a jovial smile as they shook hands.

"Alex, do you remember Mr. Crone?" His dad asked.

"Uh. I don't know..." Alex hesitated, drawing a laugh from the other man.

"Thomas, he was just a boy no taller than a wagon wheel when he last met me." Alfred spoke. "I wouldn't expect him to remember me. He's practically a man now!"

"Yes, he's grown so fast." Beatrice smiled proudly. Alex shyly slipped back a few steps while his parents talked with Mr. Crone. Not wanting any extra attention, he scuffed his shoes on the ground and looked around the end of the street.

"What's this?" Alex picked up a piece of paper on the cobblestone street. The title read 'Halifax appointed governor!' in big bold letters, but the rest of the print was smaller and partially smudged from partially laying in the melted snow.

"Dad, what's this say?" Alex held up the paper.

"Let's see now..." His dad looked over the paper with a careful eye. "It says that Lord Montgomery Halifax is replacing Johannes von Hesse as the governor." He read aloud much to the ire of Mr. Crone.

"The king and his parliament lackeys... Whenever someone has sympathy with our lives, they kick him out." Alfred Crone frowned. "It's not fair, and it's wrong. You know, there are some people who are starting to say that we shouldn't have a royal governor over here." Alfred nodded his head inland.

"Now is not the time for politics." Thomas frowned and looked away from the paper before handing it back to Alex. "Beatrice, take Alex for the evening. I'll sell what we have with Alfred, and we can meet back here just after noon. Hopefully he won't get arrested." He added with a lighthearted tone.

"Come on Alex, let's walk around town." His mother offered a hand.

"Why can't we help dad?"

"You don't need an entire family to barter, and your father has enough on his hands at the moment." She glanced over her shoulder.

"There's a lot more honest people in the jails than the king's government..." They could hear Alfred continue complaining behind them.

"You don't need to feel sad about your friend, Alex." His mother comforted him. "You'll have plenty of people to communicate with here." She tried reassuring him with a hug and a smile. "You can always make mew friends wherever you go." Alex nodded and followed her down the street. The young teenager's eyes darted around the odd sights of the town. Having lived in a cabin virtually his entire life, the woods felt more like home compared to Frederick Town. All of the buildings felt alien to him. Even the sections of cobblestone streets and brick laid sidewalks felt strange to step on.

The loud pinging of a blacksmith hard at work sounded off without abandon, rather, it was impossible to miss. Frederick Town was noisy too, but not like a windy day in the field or woods. The whooshing gusts, singing of birds, and crickets were replaced. The clopping of horse hooves echoed incessantly wherever a horse trotted. Large cartwheels were even noisier. The voices of townspeople never seemed out of earshot. Despite the cold weather, there was always someone talking outside that he could hear. The people dressed differently too. Compared to his meager handmade clothes stitched together with buckskin, they appeared fancy. Petticoats, brass buttons, shoes with buckles, dresses, and tricorn hats were worn by many.

His mother took a turn and walked up a brick pathway to a stone building with an arched door. The door itself was dark colored and had a large pair of metal rings to knock with.

"What place is this?" Alex asked.

"It's a schoolhouse. I would like for you to attend sometime this year. You need a good education that your father and I can't give you at home." She insisted. Alex sulked at the idea of sitting inside a large musty building all day for weeks at a time.

"I'd rather not..." He mumbled under his breath.

"Hello! Sir?" His mother called out to a tall thin man walking towards the front door.

'He looks like a living shadow.' Alex thought to himself.

"Is there anything that I can help your with, ma'am?" The tall thin man asked.

"Yes, are you headmaster of this school?"

"I am."

"Can my son enroll here?"

"How old is he?" The man glanced at Alex.

"He is fourteen."

"We typically don't take anyone over the age of twelve ma'am." He sadly informed her.

"Can you make an exception? Perhaps something for the spring?" She hoped. Alex slipped away while his mother talked with the robe wearing man. He didn't care much about attending a school, especially when it was far away from home.

'I'd rather stay home.' He thought about playing in the woods when his work was done. 'Mom teaches me to read well enough.' Alex was fine with that. Wandering around, he turned down a corner and approached a big building at the end of the block. Unlike most of the wooden or brick buildings, the construction was made primarily with stone. It wasn't crude like the others and loomed like a giant among giants. There was a tower with a bell looming on top.

'What is this for?' Alex wondered without even noticing people walk past him.

"Look! A bognatcher." A young voice startled Alex.

"Huh?" He turned around expected an odd animal nearby, but instead found a group of boys just under his age. All of them dressed with similar clothes like the rest of the townspeople. They stared at him with curly grins and intrigued eyes.

"Look at his hat!" One sneered. "It's made from squirrel fur!" The rest giggled and snickered at the fact.

"Yeah, it's my-"

"Why don't you wear wool clothes, bognatcher?" A taller, lanky boy interrupted. "Aren't there any sheep or tailors in the woods?"

"No." Alex frowned and didn't like their rude behavior.

"Does he know what a sheep is?" Another questioned.

"Who made these clothes?" A blond haired boy asked.

"My mom and dad made them." Alex said only to receive a few looks of disapproval.

"Your mom and dad made them?" One laughed with a bizarre look. "What's wrong with your parents?"

"Is he trying to look like one of those scary wolves, or beasty animals?"

"Stop!" Alex felt his voice rise. "My parents are normal, and the wolves aren't animals. They're good people!"

"Ooh." Several deep teasing voices chimed in together like a chorus. "He's upset now..."

"Arooo!" One of the boys cupped his hands to his mouth and howled. Alex felt his face strain with anger at the sudden tirade of taunts from the group of schoolboys.

Gong! The sudden toll of a large bell interrupted the unfolding scene. The loud gong styled ring repeated itself before the first echo finished reverberating.

"Uh oh. We're going to be late for classes!" One of them realized. Alex used the distraction to run off. Flustered and embarrassed, Alex ran off and left the annoying schoolboys. The loud gonging sound seemed to follow him until he slowed down when the eleventh and final chime tolled.

'Why would they say those things?' Alex didn't understand as he meandered around the street. He felt confused and angry without a clear answer. The smell of salt in the cold air from the sea helped distract his mind from what had just happened to him. It wasn't foul, but it reminded him of a wilderness akin to the peaty forest or sweet grass fields. A figure standing ahead caught the boy's attention. Carried on a back was a large black furred pelt.

'A bearskin?' He blinked in surprise. Could someone from an Anthro village be in town? Alex quickly approached only to stop when he saw that the person carrying it was a burly bearded man.

"Haha!" The man boasted to a friend. "You should've seen how big this bear was before I killed it!"

"There you are Alex." A hand suddenly grabbed him from behind. Spinning around, he found his mother standing over him. "Where did you run off to?"

"I... I looked around." He managed to say. Alex didn't want to tell his mom what had happened earlier.

"You're always adventurous." She smiled. "We can walk by the docks before we meet back with your dad and Mr. Crone."

"Ok." He liked that. It was the first good news he had heard for the day. "What about the schoolhouse?"

"Well." His mother drew in a breath. "They won't take any new students at this time." Alex felt relief at that. "However, they might take new students in the late summer." She explained. Alex bit back any grumbling and glanced up at the grey sky. He wasn't accustomed to such a different place, and already felt homesick.

16th Spring

The dew on the tall grass was fast evaporating under the late morning sun. Lingering clouds were gradually scattering northeastward with the aid of a subtle breeze. The air was damp from a brief rain during the night. The lone cabin in the field was calm, much like the present weather. The sounds of mid-spring were impossible to miss; namely, chattering birds with a broad range of vocals. The sharp tweets of cardinals, the rattling songs of chickadees, and the bellowing clucks of the pileated woodpecker never let a moment of silence pass easily. The abrupt swing of an axe interrupted the bird calls for a second, and resulted in a swift chopping sound. A wooden log was split in half with both pieces falling off the old stump. They landed onto the moss and grass covered ground with a soft patter.

'I think that's all we need for now.' He thought to himself. Alex set the axe aside and wiped his forehead. Most of his days were spent working outside, helping his parents manage the house in any way possible. Although, his mother had him read whenever he was stuck inside during poor weather. Unfortunately for Alex, many spring days were full of rain, which inevitably led to plenty of daydreaming by a window. Adolescence made him more anxious than ever to spend time outside. Much like a caterpillar's cocoon, he was in the stage between an adult and child. Alex was taller, his face as grown out of its childish features, and his voice had depended. He was well on his way to becoming a man.

Despite the physical changes, time had passed without hurry for the fully fledged adolescent. More than a year had passed since he had last seen Awatu. When he was thirteen and fourteen, she was able to visit him several times. They quickly became close friends and would play games, run through the woods, learn each other's language, and talk about anything together. However, right before Alex turned fifteen, Awatu was suddenly unable to visit.

Months and seasons would pass without any word of where she was or how she was doing. Every season felt like winter without anyone his age to be with. Living out on a modest homestead as an only child meant there were a lack of people his age to socialize with. However, there was a purpose to the she wolf's absence.

He learned that adolescence was an important time for any neighboring tribe. There were trials, some spiritual, and other dedicated to hunting. He knew little about them, but it was part of a vital coming of age test. Despite this, Alex still yearned to see her again. There were many nights when he would wonder about the wolf, but she was hidden away, somewhere deep in the untamed forests. His only source of information was to spend time near the closest hunting trails and hope to meet a hunting party. That didn't go so well at first, but offering food proved to be an effective strategy for gathering information.

However, less than a week ago he received word that she would be visiting him again soon. Since then each passing day seemed better and brighter. It had been far too long since both had seen each other. The adolescent human paused his work and looked at all of the wood he had split. A sense of accomplishment gave him satisfaction.

'I feel so excited!' Alex couldn't explain why he felt a sudden surge of happiness, but it felt wonderful. He quickly began gathering the wood and piled it up with the rest.

"Arooooo-oooooh!" A sudden howl from close by startled Alex. Looking around, his eyes settled on a figure standing along the edge of the woods. Tall and covered in fur, a she wolf was looking at him eagerly. He instantly recognized her and his jaw dropped.

'Awatu!' He couldn't believe his eyes, but there she was standing right there.

"Hey!" He yelled and waved.

"Alex!" She barked and ran to him.

'Uh oh.' Alex prepared himself as the grey she wolf didn't slow down, and collided into him with a hug. Alex managed to remain standing despite the wolf's force. They laughed happily in each other's embrace. The female wolf eagerly brushed her muzzle against his face in a warm canine welcome.

"I haven't seen you in forever!" He exclaimed while wiping off strands of her fur from his face. "You're as strong as I remember." Alex patted her arm as they undid the long overdue embrace."And you are still taller than me."

"Wolves are taller than humans." She grinned. "But you've grown." Awatu placed a hand on his head and ruffled his hair.

"Hey!" Alex laughed and batted her hand away. "Your English is perfect too." He remarked.

"Thank you." Her ears fell back bashfully at the compliment. "I have been practicing it with everyone in my village, and anyone else who can speak it. I'm also better at wrestling now." She flashed a playful grin.

"Really? But you were already a good wrestler." The human distinctly remembered the wolf besting him many times.

"We were kids and pups, but I've learned a lot since then." Awatu held up her arm confidently. Alex didn't doubt her about that.

"I can be the judge of that." He didn't mind wrestling her.

"Confident." She hummed. The human offered a sheepish smile in return. "I also passed my winter hunting test." She smiled jovially with an open mouth. "I am no longer a pup."

"Wow. That's great!" He beamed excitement. "Does that mean you can hunt anything with any weapon?"

"Haha, well not exactly." She bashfully admitted. "I proved that I'm capable of hunting on my own, and making my own choices. I can wear the feathers of birds I have caught. I can also make clothes and wear hides of what I catch."

"That's really nice! Did you make these?" Alex looked at her loincloth and chest garment.

"No. My mom made them. I'm not as good at sewing as I am at hunting."

"I can hunt a little, but not with a bow and arrow." He grabbed ahold of his rifle leaning against the tree. "My dad gave it to me when I turned sixteen." He proudly held up the weapon. Awatu curiously looked over the firearm and folded her ears back.

"They're noisy." She remarked with a hint of distaste. "I've heard one before, and we call them thunder sticks for a reason."

"Thunder sticks?" Alex laughed at the name. "Why do you call them that?"

"That's what they are!" She insisted. "There is a boom, and then a smoke cloud." The wolf motioned with her hands. "It's just like a clap of thunder. It scares everything away, even birds in the trees."

"That's true." He admitted. "They aren't quiet."

"Alex!" Another voice called out from the cabin. Turning, they found his mother standing outside, curiosity watching them from afar. "Who are you with?" She asked.

"It's Awatu!" He called out. At first she didn't say anything in response as the grey wolf waved politely.

"Let us know if she is staying for dinner." She simply stated before returning inside.

"Ok!"

"Can we go to the creek?" Awatu asked.

"Sure."

"I think your mother doesn't like me." She whispered.

"She's always stern." He waved away her concerns. "I guess that's how mother are supposed to be."

"I guess." The grey wolf shrugged as they walked. "So how have you been?" Her mood brightened once again. Alex eagerly chatted with her about the past two years as they entered the woods. Everything appeared darker and greener from the recent rainfall. The soft preening of croaking and chirping filled the air around them. There was a little worn path barren of leaves from foot traffic over the past three years. It led to the creek where it eventually connected to a hunting trail used by the village's hunters. It was the same place where they had first played together, splashing each other with water before running off. Both crossed over the fallen tree, reminiscing with each step. After crossing the small trickling waterway, they entered a thicket of ferns and small trees that bordered the creek. The grey wolf made the turn around the corner just ahead of Alex, but when he crossed the same path, she had vanished.

"Awatu?" He looked around in confusion. 'Where did she go?' Alex had completely lost track of the young wolf.

"Aah!" He jumped as she appeared from around a tree. The canine laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Did I startle you?"

"Maybe." He wouldn't admit it. The wolf giggled and patted him for being a good sport about it.

"I didn't mean to!" Her tail wagged playfully as he remained skeptical.

"Yeah right." He mumbled only to grin as she nudged him.

"You have timid oki." She pointed out.

"Oki? I think I've heard you say that before." He tried remembering.

"They're spirits. We call them oki."

"Spirits? What does that mean? Are they ghosts?"

"Not exactly." She grinned. "Although, some of them are ghosts. I wasn't sure if humans were taught about them."

"No." He shook his head." I've only heard about this from you."

"Let's see if I can explain it... Everything has a spirit, they are things that exist everywhere but cannot be seen."

"Do I have a spirit?" He pointed at himself.

"Yes! You do." She nodded. "I do too. Your parents do, and I do. Everyone has a personal spirit that guides them whether they are awake of asleep. They can interact in a dream."

"What about trees or rocks? They don't do anything."

"A spirit can live inside them as well." She walked back to the creek before crouching down into the soft sandy soil. Alex knelt down beside her. "It's like this creek." She stretched out a hand liver the water. "But it flows through the air touching everything." Awatu gingerly spoke before dipping her hands into the cool water and bringing up a small amount to her nose. The wolf lapped it up thirstily.

"Yeah..." Glancing over, Alex paused as his eyes fell on her. The way she looked, crouched down beside him at the creek had his entire attention. She was a woman, or rather, an adult female wolf. Awatu was slender from living an athletic life in the woods, but she was also built like a wolf. Her strength was well hidden underneath her fur. The dappled sunlight filtered through the green canopy above made patches of her mottled grey coat appear to glow under its heavenly gaze. Her long partially braided grey hair trailing down her back, and spilling over her shoulders down to her sides like a misty waterfall. The grey she wolf's white fur resembled fresh fallen snow, but her once visible front was partially covered now. She wore a decorative buckskin with short tassels hanging freely over her fur. She had visible breasts hidden underneath. It was something he hadn't noticed until now. Like Awatu had told him before, she was no longer a pup.

'Beautiful...' The word formed in his thoughts without any hesitation.

"What is it?" The softness of her voice caught him off guard. Blinking, Alex found himself staring into the deepness of her dark brown eyes.

"Well... I kind of..." He felt his cheeks warm at the words caught in his throat.

"Hmm?" Her ears perked up. A cute canine face peered closely at him, tilted towards one side.

"H-hey! You're close to me." He leaned back a little, but she quickly leaned forward to close the gap. A little surprised, Alex didn't move. He could hear her breathing as the warmth of her breath washed over his skin. "U-uh." His heart jumped as the tip of her tongue softly licked him on the cheek. Alex looked over and stared at the wolf, wide eyed and speechless.

"Is that how you feel?" She quietly asked. The human's cheeks burned hotly as he struggled to say something.

"Mmhm." He managed to nod and hum to her amusement. Her smile only grew with every second. "I'm happy that you came back and visited." Alex spoke up feeling warmth inside of him. "You passed your hunting test too. A lot of time has passed, but it doesn't feel that long ago." His voice trailed off. "I was afraid that you... you wouldn't come back." He admitted to the grey wolf. Her ears perked up and head tilted in surprise.

"Why wouldn't I come back?" She asked with a half grin.

"I don't know." He loosened up and grinned. "It was a stupid thing to worry about."

"Worrying about me?" Awatu playfully nudged his side. The grin wouldn't lessen on his face for anything at that moment. "I've thought about you plenty of times over the past year and a half."

"You have?"

"Mmhm. My village thinks highly of your family, especially your dad. We're very happy to have you all live close to us." His cheeks felt warm as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm glad we're close to your village." Alex agreed.

"Would you like to come visit my village?" She asked.

"Yes!" He immediately answered, only to feel embarrassment. "Well, I'd like to visit your home." He composed himself.

"Great!" She smiled. "When can you come with me?"

"I'll have to ask my parents for their permission. Can you come by tomorrow?"

"Yes." Awatu nodded and they both stood up. "I will wait for you." She placed both hands on his shoulders. For a moment their eyes could only see each other, and nothing else around them. Alex felt a nervous giddy sensation and leaned his face closer to her. Craning his head, he started to close his eyes only for Awatu to move first and brush her muzzle across his cheek.

"I'll wait for you." She softly spoke and let her hands slowly trail down his arms and back to her sides.

"Right." He blinked and nodded. "Early morning, a little after sunrise." Alex cleared his throat. After a goodbye both parted ways. The human walked back to the field and the grey wolf vanished deeper into the woods. Alex felt exhilaration coursing through his veins as he hurried back home. The bright smile across his face carried him like a strong gale rig over the ground and before Alex knew it, he was opening the door to the cabin.

The delicious smells of food cooking excited his nose. His mother was seating by the hearth, keeping an eye on a cast iron pot hanging above the crackling flames while mending a torn sock.

"I saw that you had a visitor." His dad mentioned by the window. "Who was it?"

"It was Awatu."

"Oh? It's been some time since we've seen her. How has she been?"

"She's been doing well. We talked a lot." He talked fast. "She's taller, well I mean she's always been taller. She passed her hunting test too."

"Ah, I see. That is an important rite of passage for her village." His dad acknowledged.

"She asked me to go visit her village." Alex told them. His mother stopped what she was doing and looked at his father.

"Visit? You mean by yourself?" She didn't look pleased at the idea.

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"I just don't think it's a good idea to associate with those wolf people so much."

"Why not?

"I want you to read and study so you can get an education in Frederick Town."

"Mom! That's all the way on the coast. We can't afford that."

"Getting an education will help you live a good life, earn a decent living, and have a high place in society." She explained. "You won't have to live in the woods for the rest of your life like us."

"What's wrong with living in the woods?" He didn't understand.

"Your mother wants what she believes is best Alex." His dad explained.

"I know..." He mumbled having heard that phrase many times over. "But I really want to visit her village. I mean, she comes here and visits me. Can't I do the same?"

"Well, a village is different than a single house. Imagine going to someone's house like ours compared to Frederick Town, or Bell Haven."

"But I haven't been able to visit a village with you yet, dad." Alex pointed out. "I can't wait forever."

"That's true." His dad nodded and turned back his mother. "Our son is growing up Beatrice. A boy his age will become a man in due time. It's time for him to start doing things on his own." His father's words drew a bright smile across Alex's face. With reluctance his mother allowed it with a brief nod.

"Thank you!"

It was early morning. Soft sounds of morning crickets constantly chimed in the grass. Daylight had only started a short while ago, and a cool touch lingered in the air. Alex's shoes and pants were visibly damp from walking through the dew covered wild grasses of the field. He didn't even notice or waste any time as he followed the trail in the woods. He arrived at the creek and quickly crossed before looking around the dead end. The dirt path forked into two faintly visible hunting trails used by the Anthro natives.

'This is where she is supposed to be.' Alex thought to himself. He looked around for an invisible sign, something that the untrained eye wouldn't be able to see.

'There.' He spotted a thorn bush and approached it. Alex looked closer, but he was careful not to touch the thorny tendrils. He could see strands of fur caught on the thorns. 'She is here, but where?' Alex stood up and looked around the numerous trees within the forest.

"Looking for someone?" A sweet voice asked. Alex turned around and found Awatu standing innocently by a tree wearing a bright smile.

"Yes." He broke into a warm smile and walked up to the grey wolf. "I was looking for you." The grey wolf's face broke into a smile as she walked up to him.

"Will your parents allow you to come with me?" She asked hopefully and raised a hand with her palm facing up.

"Yes. They're ok with me going." He gently grasped her padded hand. Awatu's tail wagged excitedly for a moment.

"Let's go then!" She pulled him along to one of the trails. The sounds of the bubbling creek behind them soon faded away in the midst of the forest. Birds occasionally chattered from above and leaves crunched beneath their steps as Awatu led Alex by her hand.

"When I start hunting more, I'd like to use this hunting trail." She smiled at Alex.

"Why this trail? Is it special?"

"Yes, it's very special." Awatu hummed in agreement.

"But why? Do a lot of deer roam this way?"

"No." She innocently shook her head.

"Does it go to another village?"

"No." She answered again.

"Then why is this trail so special?" He asked.

"It leads to you." Awatu sweetly told him. Alex felt his cheeks warm up from her words. "I heard that you asked about me a lot." She quietly mentioned.

"Well, yeah, of course I would." He bashfully answered before clearing his throat. "I wanted to know how you were doing."

"Aww. Thank you, but you don't have to do that anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because I will be able to visit you more often now." She grinned as they walked further into the woods together.

***

The journey to the village took more than an hour hiking through the forest. They were busily catching up on the past year and a half they had been apart.

"You had to live in a human village?" Awatu curiously tilted her head as they crossed an old fallen tree.

"It wasn't fun." He remembered staying there for part of last fall. "My mom always wanted me to attend a schoolhouse, so I couldn't exactly tell her no."

"Why didn't you like it?"

"I'm not used to living in a place like that." He sighed. "The humans there are... well, they're different than people like my family who live inland." He recalled the teasing when he visited in the winter when he was only fourteen. "A lot of them think they're better than people like me."

"If it wasn't fun, then why did your mother send you there?"

"She wants me to learn a lot of things like arithmetic and law." He shrugged. "But I begged both my parents to come with you." Alex smiled.

"I'm happy that they allowed you." Her tail briefly wagged. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Alex noticed a male red fox silently watching them through the trees.

"Who is that?" Alex whispered.

"Akeshuwa." She only glanced at the fox. "He should be hunting, but maybe he's surprised to see a human here." Awatu found it funny. As the trail continued the dense forest suddenly thinned out to several pine trees spaced out from each other. They immediately captured the human's attention. Several of the pines had been stripped of their bark revealing softer inner wood that had been carved into faces.

"What are these?" Alex stopped to touch the smooth surface and traced a hand around the contours of a line.

"They're macheki-oki, carvings of our ancestors' spirits. We carve them to remember those who lived before us, and receive their guidance through dreams... I'm not sure if I am explaining that right though." She thought aloud, but Alex was even more excited to see the Anthro village.

Continuing past the carved trees revealed the tribal village hidden within the forest. Buildings appeared as they entered a large clearing surrounded by the forest. Had they taken a different path through the woods, simply wandered astray, Alex wasn't sure if he could've found the village on his own. An array of huts constructed into rectangular houses were primarily made from wood, bark, and thatch.

'Wow...' The human was fascinated with everything and everyone he saw, and several of the village's inhabitants had their sights on him with equal curiosity. The villagers were mostly wolves, but a few were foxes, and he even spotted a husky. Every adult regardless of species was taller than him, and much stronger simply from appearance alone. Long hair reaching the base of the tail was the most common hair style, braided or unbraided. Feathers of varying colors, primarily black from the crow, added prestige and beauty to their hair. Wooden rings often decorated the end of a braid where more feathers could be attached. Clothes also varied in their own unique tribal way. The loincloth was the most common garment, worn by everyone, but its designs and styles had immense variety. Some had beaded tassels and others stitched patterns. With few garments to wear, it gave simplicity in accentuating their natural beauty.

"What will we do first?" Alex asked. There was so much he wanted to explore.

"You need to go to the shaman's hut first." Awatu told him.

"Who is that?"

"Someone who understands medicine and spirits very well. It's for purification." She explained. "It will help dispel any bad spirits lingering on you." The justification sounded bizarre, but Alex was in a completely new world with different customs. Everything felt serious as she led him to a certain hut.

"What will the shaman do?" He asked with concern.

"Don't be scared." She grinned and nudged him along. They approached the shaman's humble abode. The hut looked more primitive compared to the other dwellings in the village. They both crept inside the low entrance. Inside Alex found an old black marble vixen seated on a mat with long braided white hair.

"Ma'enecki?" She spoke with a croaking voice from age. The numerous beaded necklaces and bracelets on her body clacked together from even the subtlest of movements.

"Topakko, human resu inchichnowi mapaliuk." Awatu spoke to the vixen. While they talked Alex looked around the shaman's home with unease. Various items reminded him of nightmares and fears. Scary masks carved out of wood dangled beside turtle shells, clusters of raven feathers, and small carved stones. Several stone knives resting close by made him worry. A hand landed on his shoulder making Alex jump.

"Sit still and don't talk." Awatu whispered as she took a seat beside him.

"Okay." Alex nodded and faced the shaman with a stoic face. She turned around and picked up a peculiar pipe with intricate carvings running along one side, and downy feathers adorning one end. He didn't know what was inside the pipe, but soon a smoldering smoke began wafting out. The vixen hummed a unique rhythm before bringing the tip to her lips. Mouth sealed, Alex heard her draw a breath before craning closer to him. Her icey blue eyes pierced right through him. The human's face tensed wondering what the shaman would do. She removed the pipe and blew pearly grey smoke onto Alex. He squinted and coughed several times as the odd smells wafted past him. The elder vixen half grinned at the human before speaking to Awatu.

"Natta lakiniuk wobashu'uma, Awatu." She gave a rusty laugh. They briefly chatted back and forth before the grey wolf finally tugged on Alex's arm.

"We can go now." She whispered. He was more than eager to leave the mysterious hut and shaman. Standing up outside, he felt relieved.

"What was in that pipe?" He waved a hand in front of his face and blew his nose.

"Probably just tobacco and sweet grass." She chuckled. "You should be fine." Awatu patted him on the back. "Oh! If you look there." She pointed at a certain plain clothed wolf talking to a few other villagers. "That is Taxila, our chieftain."

"He's your chieftain?" Alex was surprised to see the wolf wearing meager clothes. His hair was not braided, his loincloth bore no tassels or intriguing designs, he wore a thin armband, no sleek feathers adorned his hair or garments. All that stood out to Alex was the wolf's reddish fur with scarlet and auburn hues. "He doesn't look like a chieftain."

"To become a chieftain you must be skilled and gracious to everyone. Most chieftains give most of what they have to help others out so many others will support them in their position." Awatu explained. "It's common for a chieftain to own very little. Why don't humans have chieftains? Or is there another road for it?"

"We have a governor. I don't know a lot of people who like him." Alex shrugged. "And I'm sure he is very wealthy."

"I do not understand. What do you mean?" She peered at him curiously.

"Well, a governor rules in place of a king, or he rules for the king... This person rules over all the humans in the territory claimed by him."

"Someone rules over you, and your family?" Her furry brow contorted in confusion. "How? You live with your parents in one home."

"It's weird." Alex didn't know how to explain it further. His image of a 'king' was always lavish, and hated for collecting taxes. He never gave it much more thought.

"You should have a chieftain instead." Awatu teased and led him around the shaman's hut to several other humble homes constructed of wood. A young wolf pup darted out of their way before hiding behind a stretched hide to gaze at Alex.

"Silly thing." Alex found it cute. They walked past a group of elders sitting and playing a game involving bundles of sticks to a red vixen with beautiful long red hair matching her fur.

"Awatu!" Her amber eyes smiled seeing the grey wolf.

"Alex, this is my teacher Nahollo." She introduced Alex to the red vixen.

"Hello. I remember seeing you before." Alex recalled the first time he met Awatu in the forest. The grey wolf translated what he had said to the fox.

"Habalehetchni uwosse kui nil." Nahollo said before turning to the grey wolf and saying with a wide foxy grin, "Hohhot nu'bwitcho kaha navala..."

"Awassa nepethu ahat, Nahollo!" Awatu bashfully replied and departed with Alex.

"It was nice meeting you!" Alex called back to the grinning fox. "What did she say?" He prodded her for and answer.

"She said I caught you instead of a deer while hunting." Her ears flickered as if they were burning hot. "Nahollo is just teasing me." Awatu assured him, and showed Alex the rest of the village.

"Tachunbe..." Alex frequently heard some of the villagers say when they passed by.

"And this is the field we are using to grow food." Awatu walked onto a short bare trail. Just beyond a few more scattered trees was a field similar to the one he lived on. However, much of the land had been hand tilled with numerous crops growing; beans, squash, and most prevalent of all, corn. There were several wild growing grapevines as well. A breeze carried sweet fragrances of honey suckle from the edge of the field as they walked on. They approached a grassy and sandy mixed shoreline to a great body of water.

"This is lake Ishka." She showed him.

"A lake?" He understood, but the size resembled more of a sea to him. "It's a big lake." The human couldn't see the entirety of the lake, and the opposite shore was a fair distance away. He could see a canoe far out in the water where a little wooded island rested in the center of the water. Much closer, a large rock jutted out into the water from the shore where rambunctious pups jumped off and into a deeper section.

"We can go swimming if you want to." Awatu spoke up.

"Uh..."

"Uh?" She repeated.

"I can't swim." He admitted with some embarrassment.

"You can't? I can teach you!" She offered. The human's face lifted.

"Sure. I'd like that." He agreed, looking forward to her lessons.

"I'll be happy to be your teacher." Her wolffish smile betrayed how excited she was about it. Awatu brought him back into the village. Passing by the other huts, the human couldn't help his mouth from watering at the sights and smells of fish being cooked on open flames. He was famished from going much of the day without anything to eat.

"This is my home." Awatu stopped before a particular dwelling similar to the other huts. She directed him to two wolves seated inside, waiting for him.

"This is my father Sokoskano, and my mother Omei." Alex was already familiar with the strongly built tall male grey wolf who wore much of his long light grey hair in two lengthy braids. Awatu's mother, Omei was also a grey wolf, but had more of a darker touch to her pelt. Her hair was silvery in color, nearly bordering on white and kept freely loose. She was built like a wolf, strong and enduring but so noticeable softness and humanity gleaming from her smiling face and eyes.

"Hello."

"Ma'enecki." Her parents kindly greeted him with open smiles. The home smelled incredibly delicious, and Alex immediately wondered what was cooking. However, a fire burning in the other end of the home didn't reveal its secrets. The rest of the home could only be described by Alex as tribal in the most basic sense, but not primitive. Three bows and quivers with stocked arrows hung along a section of wall with a decorative war club and shield. Necklaces with beads, bear claws, and feathers were also visible alongside small woven baskets. Spare loincloths and chest cloths as well as minor garments like armbands were neatly folded in one corner.

"Hello." He kindly spoke to the grey wolf family as he was given a good mat to sit on.

"You have grown since we last met Alex." He smiled. "You look so much like your father." Sokoskano spoke kindly.

"Thank you." The human deeply nodded. "I am told that a lot."

"We have great respect for your father, Alex." Her father added. "His is a kind human. I remember a time many years ago when Awatu was starting to walk and say her first words. That's when your father had just agreed with our village to hunt between the creek close to his newly built home and the small river to the north. He was kind and considered our agreement very important. I have seen other humans disgrace agreements and promises as if their words were meant to lie and cheat us. We sometimes refer to him as 'Many Tongues'." The male wolf grinned.

"Why do you call him that?" Alex was curious.

"He can speak most of the Ashunakke language, and some of the Nahotchn'i language too."

"I haven't heard of that language. Who speaks it?"

"Another tribe who sends traders from a giant lake and down the great river." Sokoskano pointed towards the southwest. "We are part of the Chikikkano branch of the Ashunakke."

"I thought you were just Ashunakke? What is the Chikikkano?"

"There are two branches of the Ashunakke people." The adult wolf held up two canine fingers. "We are part of the Chikikkano, and the Hashikkana is the other branch. One means above the lake, and the other means below the lake." He explained.

"And the Nahotchn'i are a different tribe?"

"Yes. You can tell because most of them are mountain lions."

"Oh-!" Alex suddenly realized something. "Do either of you know a certain mountain lioness?" He asked the grey wolf family. "She was taller than me and very soft spoken."

"Do you know her name?" Awatu asked.

"No."Alex shook his head and drew back from his memory. "She saved me from freezing to death when I was nine years old."

"Oh. Wow." Sokoskano's eyes widened.

"She sang a song to me when I fell asleep... And I remember her wearing a necklace that had a wolf-like figure howling at the moon."

"Ah!" Sokoskano's eyes lit up. "That is Nonahk! She is a Nahotchn'i mountain lioness." He nodded. "Yes, I remember now. She used to live in our village several years ago. It was the same time our shaman's mate had died."

"Oh! That's right!" Awatu's eyes and mouth lit up brightly. "It was after that snowstorm. I was with Nahollo when the boy and his dad were reunited. You were that little human boy!" She realized. "I didn't even think of that when I went with my dad and a few warriors to your dad's house almost three years ago during the summer."

"You were there?" Alex was surprised. "I don't remember seeing you, or the vixen." He didn't remember anyone else except for the mountain lioness, his dad, and a few other Anthro people, but they were blurry in his memory compared to the former two.

"Yes, I was there!" Awatu exclaimed and nudged his shoulder while her dad translated to her mom. She left and checked on the food cooking over the fire.

"Wow. I had no idea." Alex was bewildered. The woods felt a little smaller upon realizing that they were all connected before he had even known it.

"My dad let me go because I was supposed to practice tracking that day with Nahollo, but we ended up going with the others meeting with your dad that morning to help look for you."

"You were an adventurous pup, Alex." Her dad smiled.

"Haha, yeah I was a little too adventurous for my age." Alex admitted. "So the mountain lioness's name is Nanohk? Does she still live here?"

"No." Sokoskano shook his head. "She moved back to her Nahotchn'i village a few years ago."

"Oh..." He replied with a deflated voice. "Does she visit often?"

"She might come by during the early winter." Awatu wasn't sure. "Both of my brothers live in the same village." She said as her father nodded.

"You have two older brothers?" Alex was surprised.

"Yes, Yammano and Makanoh but they have already married and moved to their mate's villages. After marriage the male always moves to the female's village." She explained. "Do humans do something similar?" She curiously asked.

"Um. I don't think so." He wondered. "After you marry, both will live in their own home where they choose. It could be anywhere. I haven't thought about it though." He admitted despite Awatu gazing at him while he said it.

"Nahopi chom." Omei interrupted as she brought food to them on a large dish.

"The food is ready." Awatu translated and licked her nose. Alex's eyes widened at the cooked duck, fish, as well as corn and beans.

"Please eat." Her dad gestured to the human. Taking a firm pluck of meat, he ate the offered food merrily.

"Mm. This is delicious!" Alex hummed and smiled with approval. Omei didn't need someone to translate the human's reaction. She smiled and accepted the praise with grace.

"While we eat, let me tell you the story of how the day and night came into creation." Sokoskano offered as everyone else began eating. "Chah and Nok were the first children of the world, born from Mother Earth and Father Sky. Before then there was very little light. The air was dim and hazy like a thick fog from the lake or sea, or it was completely dark. When Chah was young, he wandered through the darkness into the sky and talked to his father. He asked why it was so dark, because she couldn't see his sister Nok and play with her. Father Sky then created the sun and gave it to his son. Chah was very happy and pleased with the warm sun that he carried on his back. Wherever he went shining brightness of day ensued. Father Sky created the moon and gave his daughter Nok. She carried it on her back proudly because wherever she went a beautiful silver glow would shine into the darkness. However, Chah the sun was jealous of his sister's beautiful silver glow. When they played together, he always tried stealing it so he could carry both. She refused to hand it over anyone day there was a ferocious fight between the two siblings. Mother Earth broke up the fight and banished them from seeing each other. From that time on, they stayed on opposite sides of their mother, constantly appearing in the sky above us at different times. All living things on the land and sea are Chah's creations or children. All of Nok's children can be seen twinkling in the night as stars. That's how the story was told to me." Sokoskano concluded the old myth.

"I thought siblings were supposed to be kind to each other." Alex pointed out.

"Yes, although there are times when they can be troublesome." Awatu spoke ,along her dad laugh.

"I liked the story though. Thank you for telling it." Alex attempted to toss a bone from his meal into the fire, but everyone waved a hand for him to stop.

"You never throw bones into a fire." Sokoskano calmly warned Alex.

"Oh. Sorry." He retracted his hand.

"If you throw the bones of an animal that was captured. Then the smoke will disperse and the oki will tell the same living animals to flee from us while hunting them." Awatu elaborated. Alex didn't understand how this could be true, but he politely set the bone aside.

When the sun had set the only light in the home had dwindled down to the fiery glow of the fire pit's flames. Fine deer pelts with soft hides were brought out to sleep on. It was odd laying in a small lodge, crudely made compared to the cabin he lived in. He was only arms length away from Awatu to his right, and her parents to his left. But it was homely and inviting.

'The sun, moon, and animal bones...' He stared outside the home's entrance towards the faint glimmering of stars wondering if it was true.

Alex awoke from a nice long sleep feeling well rested. The soft animal pelts were much more comfortable than he had imagined. Sitting up with a stretch, his hand touched something soft.

"Sorry..." Alex rubbed his eyes and found Awatu's father sitting on his 'bed.' "Good morning."

"Ah. You are awake Alex. Did you have any dreams while you slept?" Sokoskano asked.

"Um, no I don't think so." Alex only remembered falling asleep. His gaze accidentally fell to the wolf's lap. A large set of male equipment rested between the wolf's legs. "Woah..." Alex averted his gaze from the dark furred region. 'No one is dressed yet.' He realized and glimpsed at Awatu's mother whose breasts were plainly visible. The small furry masses were covered in white fur, and two obvious pink nipples appeared to stare unwaveringly at the dormant fire pit. Looking over Alex found Awatu had disappeared from where she had slept.

"Where is-" Just as he spoke, a figure crept into the home carrying a large pitcher.

"You're finally awake." She warmly spoke and turned her attention to the human. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yep. I was last to wake up."

"Good." The grey wolf smiled. "Do you want to go outside?"

"Sure." He rose from his animal pelt bed. "What do I do with the pelt?"

"Leave it. We will take care of everything." Sokoskano told him. "We will also make corn cakes. They will be done in a little while." He encouraged them to do whatever they wanted for the early morning. Awatu was more than happy to lead Alex outside.

Their eyes briefly stung from the morning sunshine that filled the village. The distant yet noisy chirps of different birds could be heard from the surrounding forest. Alex could see other villagers starting their days as well. Some were emerging from their homes, and a distant bark was heard. It was nothing like the rambunctious Frederick Town.

"What did you have in mind?" Alex asked.

"Let's go to the lake for a bath."

"Wait. A bath?" Alex was confused.

"Yes." She grinned. "I know humans bathe."

"Are you parents going with us?" He whispered.

"No. They'll go later." Awatu insisted and encouraged him to come with her. Alex guessed that they would be alone, but quickly found that they weren't the only ones who were going to be in the lake for the morning. Approaching the lake's closest open shore, a few others were already there to bathe of all ages, male and female. A mother was even nursing her pup while halfway submerged in the lake's waters. Several loincloths and other garments were hanging on low nearby branches or rocks.

'Everyone is naked.' The realization struck him as odd for a moment. Even though wolves had fur, their bodies weren't too different compared to a human. Alex vaguely remembered his mother bathing him in the creek when he was very little. They were both naked, and it felt normal, but she was different. He wasn't with his mother, but a female wolf in a village. When Alex reached a certain age, it simply became improper for him to be around any of his family that way, let alone anyone else. He blinked and found Awatu already disrobed and wading into the calm dark blue waters.

"Ready?" She asked and glanced over her shoulder.

"Um. Sure." Seeing that everything was alright, he decided to join Awatu. Turning away he removed his clothes and took one step in. Alex sharply reacted with a shudder and chill.

"The water is cold!" He gritted his teeth.

"You will get used to it." She insisted, already waist deep. Alex held his breath before marching ahead despite the cold creeping up his spine. Wading up to his waist, he joined Awatu in a spot to themselves.

"It's still cold." He nudged her.

"Refreshing." She said and knelt down so that only her head wasn't submerged. Some of her long hair floated on the water around her. Alex lowered to his chest, but wasn't ready for another big shock and remained standing for the most part. Across the distant shores of the lake, clouds casted lengthy shadows on the forested hillside. The gentle lapping of little waves made them bob in place like ducks. It felt like a secret ocean for him to enjoy. Alex wished that he could swim to enjoy it during a warmer day.

"This place is very nice." He mentioned.

"Mmhm." Awatu hummed from the water's surface. Looking around, the others near them were soaking rather than scrubbing themselves. Pups of young ages were the only ones splashing around. "Are you getting cold?" She noticed his arms tightly folded in front of his chest.

"Yeah. Can we get out?"

"Sure." She rose to her full height with a subtle splash and waded with him back onto the sandy and grassy shore.

"Hey! Those are my clothes!" Alex spotted amount wolf pup examining his clothes. The little wolf jumped at the sound of the human's voice and strange language.

"Oya'yakanano uska!" Awatu shooed the pup away. A few parents close by laughed at how fast the pup scurried away.

"Thanks-ah. Careful." Alex shielded himself as Awatu shook herself free of excess water. The grey wolf resembled a skinnier spiky version of herself. He felt a grin grow on his face.

"What?" She innocently tilted her head at him.

"Uh. Nothing..." He bit back a laugh. "Where do we dry off?"

"In the sun." Gathering their clothes, they walked over to a large sunny stone jutting out into the water.

"Tachunbe... Ahyaku hil." Alex overhead one of the wolves say as they walked by. He had heard others say that yesterday.

"Tachunbe. What does that mean?" He asked Awatu.

"It means that you are a wandering bee." She explained.

"I'm a wandering bee?" Alex looked at her in confusion. "How so?"

"Yes." She giggled. "Because you're not from our village or tribe." They laid out on the cool stone being warmed by sunlight. Overlooking the lake shore, they could see others coming and going from the water.

"Do people normally bathe in the lake like this every day?"

"Yes, and sometimes twice a day unless it's too cold." Awatu told him. Alex was impressed. It was not something that humans did on a regular basis from his experience. The villagers bathed frequently and were a lot cleaner than the average human. Sitting in the sun, his skin dried faster than her fur.

"This would be a nice spot to take a nap." He mentioned.

"Rest while you can." Awatu grinned at Alex. "We won't be sitting on rocks in the sun all day."

"I know. I'm eager to see how well you wrestle now." He teased her. The grey wolf half grinned as he gathered his clothes. Alex used a bush to discreetly dress himself. He felt awake and refreshed to start the day.

A short distance away he could see a white furred mother wolf sitting with her back to a particular hut. The female wolf was cradling an infant pup, still covered in downy dark grey fluff, who hungrily suckled at her breast. He resembled a little storm cloud or puff of smoke against her solid white fur. Her other breast was in plain sight; round and distended with noticeable weight with a circle of naked skin in the center. It didn't feel inappropriate to watch, but rather, it felt oddly touching. Awatu caught sight of his prolonged and curious gaze.

"That is Nechuskoro. She's nursing her infant daughter."

"I've never seen it before." He quietly remarked.

"You've never seen a wolf pup?" She guessed.

"That too, but I have never see a mother, human or wolf nurse. It's just that human women... They are never supposed to be seen with a bare chest. It's wrong."

"How do they nurse their children then?" She wondered. "Do female humans hide their babies in their clothes?" Awatu giggled only for Alex to roll his eyes.

"No, it's not like that. You have to be hidden? I don't know." He shrugged. It wasn't something he knew much about anyway.

"You're being silly." She teased and grasped his hand. "Come on! There's so much more I want to show you!" Awatu pulled him along into the village.

"Hurry! It's raining again!" The leaves quickly crunched as Awatu and Alex ducked for cover under a large tree with plenty of foliage above. Rainfall quickly ensued leaving the pair in a small dry circle of leaves around the base of the trunk. Alex had stayed with Awatu in her village for three days before leaving on the fourth to return home. However, the sporadic patter of rain above forced them to take shelter several times along the hunting trail. A simple walk through the woods became tedious.

"The rain has been scattered all morning." Alex mentioned. "I'm surprised that we're still dry."

"Not completely dry." The grey wolf peered at his nose. "There." She wiped a droplet off his nose with her thumb.

"Thanks." He held back a laugh. The grey wolf grinned and stuck the tip of her tongue out at him playfully. "When are you going to start hunting out here?" Alex asked.

"Hmm." The canine thought. "I don't know yet, but as soon as I can." She told him. "Before you go on a hunt, whether alone or in a group, you usually consult the shaman to see what the signs are. It's not as simple as heading out on your own."

"Oh. Well, I hope to see you hunting here soon." He looked forward to it.

"Mmhm. You'll here me walking in this area in a while." She promised. Alex looked out into the forest as the drizzle began fizzling out. The smell of peat and wood filled the damp air of the forest. It was oddly comforting to the human. He had learned so much while staying at her village. He looked forward to seeing Awatu while she hunted near his cabin.

"Hmm. I think it stopped raining." He noticed the pattering had ceased once again in just a few minutes.

"If we wait for the clouds to leave, we might be here all day." Awatu stepped back onto the hunting trail with Alex. The damp leaves muffled their steps as they resumed walking. A few more twist and turns led them to the end of a dirt path directly beside the lush creek. The numerous ferns, saplings, and other foliage surrounded the waterway like an oasis. Alex felt a little sadness at the sight. It meant that his time together with her was done until another day.

"Well... Here's the creek-" He started to say but a furry body pressed against his back as a pair of arms wrapped around him tightly. "Hey!" He expected her to try and wrestle him, but the wolf merely held onto him. She was hugging him! Alex stopped and looked at the canine hands holding him. Her fingers appeared bulky, and intimidating with each black claw but they held him lovingly. Her chin settled on his shoulder and her furry cheek nuzzled his face. The warmth of her body was irreplaceable. Placing his hands on top of her own, they simply stood there in the woods without a word. Even though it was cloudy and threatened to drizzle rain at any second, it felt like the sun was only shining on them at that very moment.

Undoing the embrace, they turned to face each other.

"Thank you for taking me to your home. I enjoyed it." He happily spoke. "I will never forget the time I spent in your village."

"Do you promise to return one day?" She asked.

"Yes. I promise." He didn't hesitate to answer. The smile on her muzzle broadened to the point of revealing teeth.

"I'm happy to hear that." Awatu said before craning her head closer. Lowering her muzzle, their foreheads bumped together. Her beautiful soft brown eyes gazed at him with more humanity than most people he had met.

"I want you to have this." She took a step back and held up a necklace. It was a simple thin leather string with a single ornament attached. It was a smooth rock from the creek bed, partially carved into a rough circle with a swirl design. The dark green was naturally criss-crossed with white lines and lighter colors.

"I found it when I was at the creek one day, and I wanted you to have it." Her ears folded back bashfully for a moment. "You don't have to wear it, but I want you to keep it." She told him.

"I will." He clutched the personal item close. "Thank you."

"I'll come visit in a few days." She craned her neck and licked his cheek. Alex felt his heart soar from the little gesture.

"Don't keep me waiting too long." He grinned. "I know where you live now!" He teased.

"You finally do!" The grey wolf laughed as they parted ways once again. Alex walked up to the creek and leapt from stone to stone. After crossing the water he paused and looked back. Awatu was still standing there, fondly watching him from afar.

"Bye!" He waved.

"I'll see you soon!" She barked before disappearing into the forest.

18th Autumn

Quietly closing the door to their cabin, Alex checked and saw that everything was clear. The air was crisp and clear. A gentle breeze and party cloudy sky indicated a small chance of weather, but nothing immediate.

'Perfect. Time to go.' He told himself. Awatu had agreed to meet him again, but the human had taken to secretly meeting with the grey wolf. His mother was never happy about when he met with anyone she didn't know, tribal people in particular. And being a teenager, he liked having some privacy outside the cabin he had grown up in his entire life. He took a step, but voices nearby made him pause. Curiosity prodding him, the young man crept around to the corner of the house. Peering around he could see three people close to the house.

'Dad's talking to some neighbors.' Alex realized. Their closest neighbors homes were more than a mile away, but they were still neighbors no doubt. 'That's Mr. Alfred Crone and Mr. Sebastian Fluyt.' He recognized each man flanking his dad. All three were seated on logs by a dormant fire pit.

"I hate how the crown makes arbitrary decision for the colonies from so many leagues away. The ocean isn't a pond that they can skip across." Alfred Crone complained.

'They're talking about politics...' Alex didn't care for the subject at all. He knew it usually led to stupid arguments.

"The taxes are stupid. What are we paying for? His majesty's pleasure?"

"I've always questioned where my taxes go to." Thomas spoke. "They're arbitrary, and I don't think anyone back in the old world pays them."

"You're right!" Mr. Crone shook a finger. "That's why so many are angry. Why should we have to pay for the king's pleasures? We aren't living on the edge of the known world to be governed like sheep in a pasture."

"You two sound like you want to be governed by a pack of natives." The other man jeered. "Who is going to protect you when there's a raid from an angry tribe?"

"Nobody is at war." Thomas spoke.

"And few of them have guns." Alfred pointed out. "Most of them still fight with hand axes, bows and arrows."

"One of them in armed is more dangerous than ten humans armed with any weapon." Sebastian told them. "They're ferocious during war. Have you seen them hunt in packs?"

"I have." Alex's dad nodded. "We are not at war, and years have passed since there was any fighting. Nobody is at war." He reiterated.

"Not yet." His skeptical friend forecasted. "People complain about not being able to settle the forests and lands beyond the coast."

"It's already inhabited." Thomas explained. "That would cause conflict between us and the native villages."

"Do you really consider them as equals to humans Thomas?" The boldness of the man's question took Alex aback. He frowned as his muscles tensed, but he didn't move. Alex wanted to approach the man and yell at him. Standing still, he knew that wouldn't be a good thing to do.

"Of course I do Sebastien!" Alex's dad immediately responded. "When I built this house standing right here, I was curious but wary of the people who already inhabited this land. I have learned so much from them about the land and how to live. They have been much kinder, and far more accommodating for a stranger like me to inhabit their world than the governor, who enjoys collecting my taxes." Slex felt relief hearing his dad's quick rebuttal.

"Don't you go to church on Sundays?"

"The nearest one is a good distance away, and I don't like people who say one thing and do another." Thomas shook his head. Having heard enough, Alex quietly walked away.

***

Wandering into the field, Alex wondered what all of the talk between his dad and the others meant, if anything.

'Dad always seems so tense now.' He thought to himself. 'And they talk about things I don't care about.' He thought about the adults arguing. What Mr. Fluyt said still bothered him too.

'Why would he say such a thing?' Alex wondered why Mr. Fluyt believed that the tribal people were less than human. Having grown up in the woods, the young human couldn't understand why their distant neighbor harbored those feelings. 'Why does he think like that?' The questions swirled in his mind. He reached under his shirt and touched the necklace he wore. His thumb traced over the little creek rock's carved swirl pattern. Alex always kept it on his person since Awatu gave it to him. It was a small token that always reminded the human of the grey wolf he loved so fondly. The young human's gaze softened. There was one thing he understood without worry.

"I love her." He quietly whispered his feelings to himself. A content grin bloomed along his face. Whatever the changing landscape held in store for them, it didn't matter. Alex had her, and they had each other to rely on.

Reaching the end of the field, he spotted the mottled grey wolf standing close to the tree line. Facing the forest, her long dark grey hair gently blew in the breeze. She was a beautiful sight to see.

"Awatu!" He said aloud wearing a smile. Turning around, her face brightened seeing him.

"Alex!" Her tail briefly wagged as she hopped over to him. "So you decided to meet with me?" She grinned. The grey wolf was still taller than the human by a fair amount, but he had no issue looking up at her,

"Of course. When I have I ever declined to meet you?"

"Never." She chuckled.

"What were you doing here?"

"Nothing... Just thinking." She innocently spoke, and looked away towards the woods. The beautiful wolf, normally talkative and very open, was quiet and reserved. Alex didn't know what to make of it.

"What's on your mind?" He spoke up. Awatu hesitated at first.

"It's..." The canine seemed to struggle with the words. "What do your parents think of us seeing each other?" She suddenly asked.

"Well, my dad doesn't mind, but my mom... she's another story."

"Oh."

"She's just protective I guess. All moms are." He reasoned.

"Do you like me?" Her ears swiveled towards him.

"O-of course I like you!" He immediately answer, but with obvious shyness. The grey wolf's ears perked up as a little grin emerged on the corners of her lips. However, she didn't say anything. Alex felt that she was holding something from him. "You're acting different." He noticed. "Is everything ok?" Her grin faded. A moment passed before she spoke.

"I knew this was going to happen." Her gaze dropped to the ground.

"What?" The human felt worried. "Are you leaving?" He feared.

"No." She shook her head much to his relief.

"Then... What is it?"

"It's hard to explain..." She muttered with a hint of giddiness in her voice. The canine's unclear answer and subsequent silence had the human guessing her intentions. One possibility appeared likely.

'She's trying to play around.' He thought with a smirk. Alex waited for a moment and planned a little strategy to strike first. The wolfess was cunning and quick even during their little games.

"Ha!" The human spun and pounced. Grappling her, he started to wrestle. However, he was surprised to feel her give way. Stopping with half his face buried into her neck and shoulder fur, he felt a hand on his back. The wolf was gently holding him with purpose. The look in her eyes made his heart flutter. Alex's playful expression turned into confusion as he stepped back. Her jaws parted, but only a quiet pant was heard.

"Are you ok?" He wasn't sure what to do.

"Yes." Her breathy answer came quick. "Alex... I have these feelings." She grinned as her ears fell back shyly.

"What feelings?" The human searched her eyes for an answer.

"I can show you..." Awatu softly spoke. His eyes widened as the female wolf untied her loincloth and tossed it aside. The downy fur was impossible to see through, but the lack of any bulging masculine organs told that her womanhood laid beneath the protective fur. Next, she reached behind and loosened the leather string to her buckskin top. The garment dropped to the ground without a second thought. Alex's gaze settled on her naked form with admiration. Her breasts were small, but in no way less deserving of his attention. The feminine curves were subtle like most Anthropomorphic people. The bare rings of skin surrounding the stout peaks of flesh were clear reminders that despite being a forest dwelling tribal Anthro wolf, she was also a female. And Awatu was a beautiful wolf at that. She took ahold of his hand and guided him to the center of her chest, where her beating heart was hidden beneath.

"I can feel it in here." Awatu held her padded hand atop his own and pressed his palm onto her. Alex stared at his fingertips partially hidden in her soft fur. He could feel her breathing calmly. "And..." Her fingers curled around his hand before pulling his hand down. The human could only watch as he glided over her softer white belly fur, but she didn't stop there. Bringing his hand down to her groin, she invitingly parted her legs to show him. The downy white and grey fur of her nether region looked messy and a little curly compared to the rest of her fur coat. The hidden warmth nestled between her legs almost felt hot like a low burning flame.

"Oh." He didn't know what to say, and retracted his hand.

"It's... sensitive here." She carefully placed a hand over her sex. "I think... Well... I'm ready."

"You're ready? I don't understand..." He couldn't read her expression. There was giddiness, embarrassment, and nervousness all mashed together. Leaning closer, she whispered into his ear.

"Alex, I want to mate with you."

"Mate?" Alex felt his cheeks redden at the word. Despite being a human, he did know what that word meant to someone who was anthropomorphic like her.

"Mmhm." She nodded as her ears fell back shyly. "There's supposed to be a ceremony to bring us together, but I don't want to wait any longer. I love you."

"I love you too." He touched her shoulders. "But I've never... Um, you know..." His cheeks felt burn hotter with every word. Nervousness suddenly made him weak in the knees. He felt a little vulnerable, and the wolf could sense the perfect time to act. She placed a hand on his chest, directly over his heart, and didn't allow their gazes to part.

"I can show you." Her voice was not so subtle. Awatu traced her hand down his front as she knelt onto her knees. Alex was mesmerized as he watched. Her touch was gentle as always, but he could feel how jittery she was. She lightly gripped the hem of his pants and unfastened them. Without a seconds thought, Alex removed his shirt and tossed it onto her loincloth. In seconds she had his pants around his ankles, and Alex stepped freely out of them. Standing back up, there was nothing physically between them anymore.

"You still wear the necklace I gave you." She noticed the simple item hanging around his neck.

"Of course. It reminds me of you." He said as she touched the swirl pattern. Awatu smiled in response. The grey wolf pressed her front to Alex's front, and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. Alex was more than happy to reciprocate. The sensation of her sunbathed fur against his bare skin made his smile.

"You're warm." He murmured.

"Mm. You are too." She replied. They were completely naked, standing at the edge of the field; but no one else was around to see them. To Alex, it felt indescribable, like he had become connected to the natural world. Being a human, he normally wore concealing clothes, but someone like Awatu wore a mere cloth. He almost felt like a wolf, and the sensation was freeing.

"I'm not done yet." She cooed and licked his ear. Awatu slowly knelt down before him, and broke her gaze. Her muzzle was very close, and inching every closer to him. He started to back away, but a hand slipped around and held onto his rear to keep him still. "You don't have to be scared." The other lightly touched his thigh, and gave a gentle rub with her thumb.

"I'm not." Alex could barely speak the words with a dry mouth and pounding heart. He watched as she nuzzled her nose through his patch of dark hair. She breathed in his most intimate scent before eyeing what was directly below. His skin shuddered from the light touch. Alex saw a flicker of pink as her lips parted, but was completely unprepared for the sensations that followed. He audibly gasped feeling the wolf's slick tongue gently lap at his sensitive skin. The heat from her mouth made his toes curl into the grass below. The reaction was almost immediate. He was aroused in seconds. One final lick made his entire body tense before she stopped. Breathing deeply, Alex stared at his painfully rigid length pointing directly at her.

"Come here." Awatu reached up. She grasped his hands and tugged for him to join her on the ground. He fell forward onto his hands and knees. The wolf bumped into him, and they grappled in a brief playful wrestle. Arms and legs tangled as they fell onto their sides together, facing one another. Laying in the warm grass, both wore happy smiles with interlocked stares. The feelings pulsating throughout his entire body were surreal. Edging closer, the wolf's muzzle rubbed affectionately over his face. Whispers of love were exchanged as they touched one another, allowing fur and skin to brush against each other. The mingling of romance between wolf and human had finally blossomed.

Rising up to her paws, Awatu allowed him an eyeful of her naked figure before turning away. She dropped onto her hands and knees. Her tail flagged to the side as she looked over her shoulder expectantly. Rising up, he grabbed ahold of her waist and edged closer. Male hood bobbing ahead of him, his instincts knew what to do. With a single motion he pushed forward and buried himself into her welcoming downy fur.

"Alex!" She nearly barked. The human froze and looked up. She was looking over her shoulder, breathing with need. "You're not inside me..." She shifted to let him know.

"Oh." He had been humping her downy furred thighs. His cheeks blushed with embarrassment. Awatu offered a consoling whine before reaching back to help guide him forward. Burying himself inside, the slick warmth was indescribably arousing.

"Ok." He breathed, staring at his lover's backside. They were finally connected. As if driven by nature herself, Alex began thrusting causing Awatu to yip excitedly. He made love to her in the edge of the field without hesitation. The slick bumping of their bodies drew out a carnal desire within both of them. Alex could hear her moan and pant, edging him onward. And then he quickly reached a tipping point. With a blissful sensation, Alex gave shorter thrusts as he came inside her. He slowed down and stopped when he finished. Still holding onto her hips and legs, a red faced embarrassment overcame him. He could tell that she was still ready, but everything had finished so quickly. Alex pulled back and felt his softening length easily slip out. The panting grey wolf looked over her shoulder and saw. Turning around, she sat down and caught her breath.

"I-I..." Alex didn't know what to say.

"We can try again when your ready." Awatu grinned to his surprise. "I heard that males do not last long." She mentioned. "Especially during their first mating."

"Aren't you... done?" The human didn't understand. The wolf slowly shook her head.

"Females are different than males. They need more."

"Oh, uh... Sorry." He looked away only to feel her nose brush against his cheek.

"Don't worry. It felt good." She reassured him. "Lay down." She nudged him back onto the grass. As soon as his back touched the ground, the female wolf looked overtop him.

"I'm not ready." He felt nervous, but a calming hand touched his shoulder.

"I know. Let's rest a while." She laid on top of him, and lowered her head onto his chest. Alex breathed a little sigh of relief and loosely wrapped his arms around her. The warmth of her body was indescribable under the sensations of the pleasant afterglow. The softness of her fur caressed his naked skin in such a pleasant way. Their noses were barely apart, and the brown eyes gazing back at him captivated his attention. The whole world was right in front of him at the moment. Nothing else seemed to matter.

Awatu propped herself up a little and brushed her lips over his own. Her small whiskers were faintly visible in the sunlight. The fuzzy sensations grazing him made him smile broadly. It started as a kiss, but a canine tongue began licking his lips instead. It was simply soft and gentle. There was no lust filled rush colliding them together. Sticking his shorter tongue out, he attempted to lick her back only for her tongue to entirely slip past. Her persistent licks slipped between his lips, and their tongues began smoothly gliding as one. It was too soon for the human to reach that physical desire to mate again; but it wouldn't take much longer. Alex wanted to pleasure her and satisfy the wolf's every desire, just as she had done to him. When their mouths parted, he could glimpse the edge of the forest over her shoulders.

"Huh?" He glanced to a nearby tree and noticed a canine head staring at them. "Who is that?" Awatu quickly lifted and turned her head.

"Mom!" She barked. Alex felt a shared shock of embarrassment as the head disappeared from view. "Ugh." Awatu blew a frustrated snort and rested her head on Alex again. "She's making sure that we are okay." The young wolf cutely frowned and laid her ears back. He reached up and began petting her once again. Alex liked running his hands down her ears to her neck and back.

"Well... I'm okay. Are you?" He asked. A smile returned to her pretty muzzle.

"Yes. I'm more than okay. I'm with you." She nuzzled his chin and neck with her nose. The cozy warmth from before returned as he fur caressed him.

"She won't tell anyone, right?"

"No." Awatu shook her head only to giggle as he exhaled a sigh of relief. "Why? Do you feel embarrassed?" She guessed.

"Well... If anyone finds out..."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about." Her soft grin put his worries at ease.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She snuggled even closer to him. Alex trailed a hand up and down her back, ruffling through the dark grey pelt. Being so physically close to her now made him indescribably happy. Everything felt perfect simply laying in the field together. Alex's gaze drifted to the sky. Up above, the faraway scattered clouds were dark, but their sides were bright and pristinely white from the heavenly sun.