Oh, so you want one more story huh? Well I have one for you, it's called “The Young Wolf.”
Listen my boy; the world was once a very different place, a place unrecognizable by our eyes. There was a time that there were no cities, no buildings, no roads, no cars, no machines, there were just vast stretches of dark wilderness. My boy, the world was a cold place. Much of the land was covered in sheets of solid ice so tall they would stretch to the sky. Man was not king, we were nothing really nothing at all. We were just another beast in never ending dance of eating and being eaten. Now it is in this world my story takes place, a gray and wind swept world 15,000 years in the past.
My story begins in a wolf den where three wolves snuggled together to stay warm and dry, mama wolf, daddy wolf and baby wolf. It was on this morning the wolf family was awoken with a strange sound, voices like they have never heard.
“Stay in the den.” Daddy wolf warned his family.
“Be careful” mama wolf replied.
Baby wolf just sat there trembling.
Daddy wolf had only one eye but was still a formidable wolf. With his one eye he surveyed the woods and saw nothing for a long while, and then out of the mist emerged a lone figure like nothing daddy had ever seen. It had long gangly arms swinging from side to side, fleshy furless skin. It was the most hideous thing daddy wolf had ever witnessed. Daddy wolf crouched silently behind a gray log, as the monster approached closer and closer to the den. White mist cloaked the beast’s face with every breath. Daddy wolf could no longer control his fear and leapt from his hiding place at the colossal creature. The beast lifted his stick and thrust his spearhead with lighting speed. Daddy wolf felt hot sting and warm blood dripping down his rear leg. In shock and fright Daddy wolf ran and ran and until clasping next to a small creek waiting for the inevitable, the water turned red. As he faded away his only thoughts were with his family still hiding in the den.
Back in the den mommy wolf and baby wolf huddled together shaking in terror. When mommy wolf heard strange yelling and clamoring and daddy wolf’s yelp she could not longer hide. She too emerged out of the den into the cool misty morning, it was not long before the beasts spotted her from a distance, she could see the monsters approaching the den, she knew she had but one chance to save baby wolf so ran through a wooded grove attempting to lure the beasts away. Two hairless beasts raised bent sticks loading with what looked like another stick and with a twang an arrow hit her right in the in flank and she too would join he mate. Her eyes closed for the last time as the beasts whooped in excitement.
Baby wolf lay in the den cool and dark when suddenly and a fleshy hand reached for him and grabbed him by his neck. He yipped in pain and clawed and bit the air ferociously. The beast had him. But to baby wolf’s surprise the beast had a gentle touch and caressed his head softly and baby wolf calmed. After an argument with the others on what should be done with the baby wolf, it was this one particular beast that took baby wolf home to nurture him.
Over the next year baby wolf and the beasts lived together in a small hut made of the bones and tusks of great animals they had hunted. They would move every few moons as the game would migrate. He would join his new master on daily hunts in the woods. Baby wolf grew to a great size and he felt safe with his new master, they would eat dried meats together and sleep in the same bed made of thick furs. Master and baby wolf quickly became best friends and they would adventure together along the mountain ridges and game trails. By the following winter baby wolf was full grown and stood half a man tall. His new pack treated him well and all members fed him.
The following autumn the young wolf now 2 years old joined his master on an deer hunt just adjacent to the encampment in the darkest part of the forest that trailed a small creek. They had crested a minor ridge when suddenly out of the darkness emerged a great wolf bearing its teeth. The young wolf leaped him front of his master instinctively, snarled back and bristled. The monster leaped at his master and the young wolf intercepted the creature in mid-flight knocking it to the earth with a dull thud, hissing and snarling they tangled in a storm of tooth and claw. The young wolf growled and snapped as fur and blood flew. With a decisive bite he crushed the throat of the beast as the blood ran into his mouth. The great wolf let out his gasp of life as the young wolf held his crushing bite.
The young wolf released the massive creature only when his master approached and commanded he free his quarry. The young wolf examined the lifeless beast and noticed that it was missing an eye.
“I’m sorry my son.” it groaned.
The master lifted a large rock above his head and crushed the beast to ensure it was indeed dead. The young wolf felt nothing and did not recognize this animal.
Master slumped on a stone next to the young wolf patted his head gently and wearily said, “Good Dog.”
Now my boy, remember the young wolf every time you see a dog, every time you pet Penny and Cody for it was this young wolf who is the father to all dogs. He was the first wolf to choose man over blood and he gave to us the greatest gift a man can receive, friendship.