The Wolf

The cold breeze kisses my face in delight and then moves on to make the trees sway, cheating them out of their golden, bloody, mud, and ginger colored leaves. A few leaves drop slowly, fluttering to the ground with the grace of a butterfly. They are autumn’s snowflakes that litter the ground with all the pigment of the fall’s palette. From there, the wind continues on to caress the few birds that still remain in their nests, curled up against the cold, their wings wrapped around themselves, using their sleek feathers to keep their soft little delicate bodies warm. Flying away from the birds, the wind continues up into the sky and down to the forest floor to whisk up the fallen colors and to ruffle my red hair and redden my cheeks.

My feet produce a loud crunching sound that echoes throughout the twilight. The only other sound than those of my feet are the hoot of a barn owl obscured by the branches above and the sounds of squirrels racing across the branches above me. The squirrels’ light chocolate, furry bodies disturb the peace of every tree and bush they land on. Moving almost as quickly as the wind, they play chase to and fro like little kids on a playground. Then, once done with tag, they disappear up into the trees to play a game of hide and seek.

The rest of the world is in silence. The silence moves through me, calming me into an peace that I can't remember feeling since childhood. The clouds cover the last bit of the fading sun’s light. A beautiful shadow is cast over the pacific wood. My breath creates a mist in front of me that looks like a specter haunting the forest. I almost feel like I am being watched by hidden eyes. Most likely it is the animals spying on the strange intruder. Even though I am trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, with every step I change the world around me.

All of a sudden, a movement catches my eye. I freeze and listen to a crunch, much softer than my own, that echoes in this quiet wood. I hold my breath in fear of startling the rare creature in my peripheral vision. I wait, and then slowly turn my head to watch as the creature grows closer. I try to slow my breathing, even though my heart begins to beat faster. I know what is before my eyes now, a sight so dangerous and yet so beautiful.

The creature’s silvery grey coat blends into the surrounding atmosphere. It reminds me of the color of the clouds that cover the sun, only richer. I want to glimpse the coat in sunlight, knowing it will sparkle and glisten like snow. The coat is so thick that I long to run my fingers through it, yet I know that this is impossible. Large silver paws that extend from the torso’s miraculous coat allow the creature to stealthily slink through the darkness. The long black claws on the tips of the paws extending to exhibit the power of the creature before me. I now see that it is a she. Her breasts hang low with milk for her young. She must be searching for food to satisfy her own hunger. She desperately needs nourishment. Though her breasts are full, she is thin from her babies suckling her precious life from her. I am almost certain that if I touched her I would feel her ribs, yet she also appears so strong at the same time.

I adjust my weight to my back foot slowly, unknowingly breaking a twig that is underneath my feet in the process. Her ears perk up, sensing me near. Her body freezes, allowing her to blend in almost completely with her surroundings. Her head whips around in my direction; her keen senses let her discover me immediately. Her wary eyes meet mine, and I discover that one is a soft dark brown and another one is a shocking light blue, a contrast between the earthen, fall floor and the cloudless skies of spring. Her eyes seem to reveal the story of her, the duality of her being. She is a strong, agile survivor and a loving, doting mother, a true woman. She stands strong and does not run away from me, nor does she come closer to attack. She simply stares me down with her hypnotic eyes to convey a message. This is her territory, and I am not welcome. This beautiful, darkening world is not mine, it is forever hers no matter who comes into this forest. Her warning rings loud and clear.

I back away slowly, not making any sudden movements. It takes some time for me to carefully get far enough away to ease the tension in her form. Eventually, she seems to acknowledge that I have submitted to her, and she no longer sees me as a threat, yet I am no friend. Seeing that her warning broke through the barrier of language between us, she begins her elegant, agile stride into the blackening wood, content knowing I did not come to destroy her life or her home.