Deer | Yellowstone National Park
Microfiction | Part Two
The air felt different lending to a cautious step as her hooves turned up fresh earth. She grazed, but her ears stood at attention, twitching with every sound, expecting something. What? She wasn't sure. The energy was new, yet familiar.
The shift in the atmosphere impacted the very essence of her being. Nuzzling her fawn, she felt fierce, protective, and helpless. She had everything to lose.
The evening light dwindled as a piercing howl rang through the forest. She shuddered. Her instincts confirmed. The wolves are back.
___________________________________________________
*Between 1914 and 1926, 136 wolves were removed from Yellowstone Park, completely altering the entire ecosystem– from the flora to the birds and the flow of rivers.
1973, the Endangered Species Act was passed, and the gray wolf was one of the first species listed as endangered, mandating protection and recovery planning.
In 1995, eight gray wolves were reintroduced to the wild in Yellowstone, and through the years, the balance has been restored to the ecosystem.
Info gathered from several articles:
Clark, Jamie Rappaport. "We Were Wrong About Wolves, Here's Why." Defenders of Wildlife. March 21, 2020. https://defenders.org/blog/2020/03/we-were-wrong-about-wolves-heres-why
Farquhar, Brodie. "Wolf Reintroduction Changes Ecosystem in Yellowstone." Yellowstone National Park Trips. June 30, 2021. https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/wildlife/wolf-reintroduction-changes-ecosystem/
If you like, check out my first piece in this series: Yellowstone | Part One
About the Creator
Kristen Balyeat
Words fly to me on the wind, bump into me as I'm strolling the city, splash me in the face while I rest by the river, and shake me awake in the middle of the night– I’m humbly one of the many vessels they use to come to life.
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Wolf | Yellowstone National Park
Drowsy, he rises in a wide-open expanse with no recollection of how he arrived here. Shaking his body to clear grogginess, his claws dig into wild dirt. Energy of this new wilderness changes his matter as the spirits of his ancestors celebrate his return. Fresh earth fills his nostrils, kindling a visceral, primitive hunger– for exploration and marrow.
By Kristen Balyeat12 months ago in Fiction
Comments (13)
Love this. Gave you a wee shout out on the Raise Your Voice thread 😁
Very interesting author's note. Nature is amazing and I'm so glad for the awareness that some of us has to know that balance is a necessity. Great read, Kristen.
I have never heard this story about the wolves of Yellowstone! I love how you told it from the perspective of the deer in this one--creative!
Love this. I actually read about the wolves of Yellowstone a while ago! So fascinating. There’s also a book I read a while back called Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy that touches on the phenomenon. But nothing has changed the state of nature quite like humans. Great story!
Oh, I read the other one first. This is a nice bit of perspective on the other side of things. You're quite the marvel, Kristen! I've always wanted to visit Yellowstone, but not sure when I'd really have the opportunity! Great story!
Humans always gotta mess things up, lol! Loved your story!
I remember when that happened. We were serving four rural churches in north central South Dakota at the time. Some of the farmers/ranchers were dubious about protecting the wolves & reintroducing them so close to home, but it seemed right to me. A beautiful, intimate capturing of that particular moment in time. Great job, Kristen!
Love the way you present both sides in this relationship. Beautiful work 💙
Fair enough to consider the other side. We very, very occasionally have wolves around and their howling is transforming, but the deer are thick as thieves some years and they're a serious road hazard. Still, life would be poorer without them. Very emotive description Kristen, well done!
Enjoyed this micro, and the afterword too. Yellowstone is one of my favorite places. I hope I can get back this summer.
Great description of a brief moment in time. Every aspect of the instinct and then the confirmation at the end was so well told. Great short story!
Oh, I could feel this scene play out. Wonderful work immersing me right from the beginning. Well done :)
If you want to disrupt balance, throw humans into the mix. Great story, Kristen!