by Jane H Wood
Edmund felt his face flush with embarrassment but managed a nod of appreciation. Claire leaned towards him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. The tension in the room lifted and a light-hearted mood returned. The evening passed pleasantly, with everyone tucking into their meal heartily. Gus leaned discreetly towards Max beside him.
‘This was a nice gesture,’ he whispered. ‘I haven’t mentioned how Edmund got on this afternoon but, judging by this, you have come to your own conclusions.’
Max put down his fork and dabbed his mouth on his napkin before he spoke.
‘Well, let’s put it this way. I could read your face, Gus, and seeing a more tolerant, less grumpy face than usual, I assumed the boy had done okay,’ he said, beginning to twirl a few strands of spaghetti around his fork.
It had been an emotional and informative evening. As Edmund sat on his bed thinking about everything he’d heard, a knot was forming in his stomach. The picture of the wolves he’d drawn several months ago was still pinned on the wall beside his bed. He stood up and ran a gentle finger over the lead wolf, marvelling at how lifelike it was. He sighed, and reached down to retrieve the old toffee tin from his bedside cabinet. He opened the lid and unwrapped the paper, where safely tucked inside was the fine strand of hair.
‘GoldenEars,’ he whispered. ‘Where are you? Where did you go? However will I find you?’ He pressed the hair against his cheek and thought about his friend.
Again the conversation went around in his head. It was hard to believe that the wolf had spoken to him. It all seemed so bizarre now, but it must have happened because there was the hair to prove it.
It was getting late; the little clock beside him read 12:00. He hadn’t realised how long he’d sat there contemplating that night. The thunderstorm had receded into the distance but he could still hear a faint rumble over the hills. The rain persisted, however, battering against his window pane, the sound sending a shiver down his spine.
An air of despondency settled over him. Wolves were thought of with hostility and fear, and it sickened him to think people could hate an animal so much that they would want to kill it just because it was there. After hearing Max’s speech tonight, he realised just how passionate the man was about the plight of the wolves. Turning over onto his side, he sighed deeply, closing his eyes, and within a few minutes drifted off to sleep.
Edmund woke up with a jolt. He’d slept well for a change, then noticed Josh’s empty bed against the opposite wall.
Not wishing to be late for work, he immediately jumped to his feet. He’d better get moving. He’d decided that the best way he could help his friend was to become a good ranger: fight for the wolves, their right to exist, and change people’s misconceptions of this beautiful and caring creature.
He knew he would eventually search for GoldenEars but it needed careful planning. The wilderness was vast, encompassing hundreds of square miles across dangerous terrain. Since the strange earthquake, the ground had become riddled with potholes, leaving some areas susceptible to collapse.
His plan was to focus on the day ahead. He gazed out the window. The same dreary grey skies met his eyes, and he sighed. The ground looked saturated after the deluge the night before and he hoped that a trek through the forest wasn’t on the agenda for today. He washed and dressed quickly before hurrying downstairs.
‘Morning, Edmund! Come and join us, have some breakfast,’ called Max.
Edmund hurried towards the café area, where the tables had been returned to their normal positions, ready for the day’s visitors.
He smiled, seeing Max and the other rangers seated together, eating their usual fried breakfast.
‘Morning, everyone,’ he replied, taking a seat opposite Max. ‘I just wanted to say thank you for last night. I now know a little more of the way people perceive wolves, and I’m really sorry they can’t see them as I do. It’s going to be a challenge but we must make them see. It’s crucial we do, or there’s no future for them.’ His voice had risen an octave as he spoke. The frustration was building inside, caused by the seemingly impossible task that lay ahead of them. He exhaled irritably, reaching for the coffee pot, and poured himself a mugful.
Max nodded, noting his mood. ‘We’ve got a fight on our hands, there’s no doubt, but with all of you with me, pulling together, we’ll make a difference, I promise,’ he said earnestly, scanning the faces of his assembled men.
‘It’s great being here, in a position to help the wolves,’ said Edmund gratefully. ‘I can’t think of anything more worthwhile. I’ll try not to disappoint you, Max, or any of you.’
His chief ranger inclined his head, noting Edmund’s sincerity.
‘That’s perfectly all right, young man,’ he replied, with a smile. ‘You are a trainee ranger, and as such may do the odd thing wrong from time to time. But just remember we are a team, and you’ll do fine.’
31
Edmund stood beside the riverbank, his eyes trawling the distant hills and the plains to the west. He’d been still for several minutes, immersed in thought, speculating where GoldenEars might have taken the pack. This wasn’t the first time he’d been drawn to this spot, although deep down he didn’t really expect to see his wolf, or any of them, heading back this way. And under the circumstances, the way things were, it would be suicide if they chose to return now.
Edmund lowered his gaze and sighed disconsolately, aware that the month of July was slipping by, filled with new doubts and uncertainties.
A sudden voice made him jump.
‘Where are all the wolves?’ exclaimed Gus, arriving at his shoulder. ‘I haven’t seen a single one. And it’s highly unusual that none have filtered back here. The herds are growing larger without their number-one predator keeping them on their toes. It’s not good for the forest to have too many ungulates devouring the vegetation. The wolves’ prolonged absence will have a detrimental effect on the entire ecosystem if it continues. The new shoots have already been eaten on many of the low-lying plants and young trees. It stunts their growth, and over time a herd can decimate an area by over browsing.’
Edmund hadn’t thought of that, and the new piece of information brightened his spirits considerably.
‘You see, the wolves do an important job; they keep the herds strong. They are needed here,’ explained Gus.
‘But, Gus, it’s not safe for them… Will there ever be a time when the wolves are valued and the hunting stops?’
His senior ranger clapped a hand on his shoulder. ‘I don’t know, Edmund, and that’s the damn truth. We must trust in Max. He’s trying hard for this law and, well, we can only wait and see what happens.’
The pair left the riverbank and resumed their patrol through the forest.
‘Right, Edmund, today we are going back to school,’ announced Max one morning at the breakfast table. Edmund looked up, stunned by the outlandish suggestion, his spoon brimming, poised in mid-air, dribbling milk slowly onto the tablecloth.
‘I have been invited to give a talk,’ he continued, ‘so I thought it would be a good idea for you to accompany me.’ Max smiled. ‘We need to promote the wildlife centre. Get people back on board, inform them about the wolf’s plight… through their children.’ He nodded, giving Edmund a wink as a mischievous grin spread across his face. Suddenly Edmund was on the same page.
‘Yes! You mean tell them that the wolves are innocent?’
His chief ranger sighed.
‘Well, yes, but not in those precise words. It’s an opportunity to educate the youngsters by discussing things in a light-hearted way, for we’re dealing with ten-year-olds and we don’t want to frighten them. You’ll help me discuss Canada’s wildlife and all aspects of forestry conservation, and then steer the topic onto the grey wolf, explaining about their caring nature and the bonds between each pack member.’
Later that day the pair arrived at the first school and, as ar
ranged, Max began. Edmund observed his chief ranger telling a story, and before too long each child was listening, enthralled, often with jaws open in surprise.
Edmund was sitting comfortably at the back of the class, absorbed in Max’s storytelling. It was obvious he was a man happy and relaxed in the company of children, talking fluently and confidently. It wasn’t long before Edmund was chuckling at the youngsters’ faces, alight with glee as Max spoke about an animal they’d previously thought was boring.
‘Take the beaver.’ Then after a few minutes every child in the room was spellbound, listening about the lives of beavers and how they cut down trees using only their teeth.
Over the next two weeks they visited four elementary schools in the surrounding area, and during that period Max could see Edmund was confident enough to contribute. So, as arranged beforehand, he was invited to say a few words. With a class full of ten-year-olds sitting expectantly, staring at him, Edmund’s palms began to sweat.
It took him a faltering few minutes before he got into the swing of his talk. His chief ranger reclined casually at the back of the class, listening to his young ranger explain about the persecution of the wolf and the indiscriminate slaughter of this precious misunderstood species, the lies and fear generated by ignorance, and the spread of hatred by people who didn’t understand the true nature of the wolf.
Max had never heard Edmund talking so passionately before; it was a very dynamic speech. When he came to the end of his recital the room fell silent. He’d spoken quickly, from the heart, and now he took the opportunity to take some deep calming breaths while gazing around the classroom, taking in each child’s expression.
It was obvious he’d shocked some of the children, which alarmed him to some degree, but the majority of the class showed real empathy for the wolf. He’d set out to bring awareness, and hopefully succeeded. It was an eloquent speech, capturing the imagination of the whole class.
Max broke the silence with applause. Then the children joined in, clapping enthusiastically.
Slightly embarrassed, Edmund inclined his head, acknowledging their appreciation. He beamed at their smiling faces, pleased with his performance.
‘Don’t let that go to your head,’ Max joked as the pair travelled back to the reserve in their Land Rover.
‘Funny,’ started Edmund slowly, ‘but I really enjoyed that, although I must admit I felt scared at first. But they genuinely liked me.’
They continued to chat casually, firstly about bears, then the subject drifted seamlessly to wolves. Max was engineering the conversation purposely back to that dreadful night of the accident when the mob caught up with them.
‘What happened out there in the wilderness on that night?’ he coaxed, keeping his voice light and friendly. ‘You know, when you and Josh got separated from the others.’
It was as though a quiet understanding had been breached, increasing the tension between them. Edmund recoiled visibly and slumped in his seat.
Max took a sideways glance at the young man beside him. It wasn’t hard to see that he was upset about something, his brows furrowed and eyes downcast. He resisted the urge to probe any further, and they continued along the road in an awkward silence. It wouldn’t be long before they would arrive at the reserve, but before then he hoped Edmund would confide in him.
‘I’ve often wondered what happened,’ Max began again, making one last attempt to find out the truth. Keeping his eyes firmly on the road and his voice gentle, he asked, ‘Did you see GoldenEars, or any wolves for that matter? Josh was so vague when I asked him. Anyone would think it was a huge secret.’
Edmund licked his lips and sat up straight, trying to gather his thoughts.
‘That night, inside the mountain,’ he hesitated, remembering the feeling, ‘it was strange, we could see the sky. There was a long dark passageway, and at the end we saw a mist floating ahead of us. I felt weird, and Josh, well, he was so weak he could hardly stand. But… I’m sure I saw a large group of wolves in that mist. Oh… I know that sounds silly. It’s so muddled in my mind,’ finished Edmund, becoming frustrated.
It was clear he wasn’t going to say any more, so Max decided not to push it. Well, Edmund had said something about that night, and it was feasible there was an element of truth in it, otherwise why get so upset? But he knew intuitively that that wasn’t the whole story. So, why was he keeping something back?
Edmund woke early next morning having spent a restless night tossing and turning, half-awake one minute then falling into a fitful sleep the next. He lay there sweating and agitated, feeling a tightness encircle his ribcage. The pressure became intolerable. He inhaled deeply and rolled onto his right side and gradually the sensation subsided.
His weary eyes rested on the clock beside his bed. The illuminated face stared benignly at him, its hands pointing in opposite directions. Slowly, the time registered in his dull brain, realising that it was only 6am. Another day, he thought, rolling onto his back. He stared at the ceiling as an idea he’d been pondering for a while began to fall into place.
Coming to a decision, he swung his legs out of bed, hesitating only momentarily to look at Josh in the other bed, snoring peacefully, oblivious to his mental anguish. Although he imagined Max would still be asleep, he had to talk to him. Standing, he tiptoed over to the chair and pulled on his brown trousers and cream shirt that he’d left slung over the backrest the previous night. He crept out of the room.
Outside Max’s room, he listened, noting the gentle rhythmic breathing of someone in a deep sleep. Though he hated to disturb him, keeping this to himself was driving him mad.
He tapped lightly on the door and waited. A moment passed. Then he heard Max cough as he shifted his weight.
‘Who’s there?’ he called sleepily.
Edmund turned the handle and peeked inside.
‘May I come in, Max? It’s me,’ he whispered, hesitating beside the door.
‘Oh, Edmund,’ Max yawned. The mattress grumbled as he pulled himself to a sitting position. ‘Yes, come in. What’s wrong?’ he asked, surveying Edmund’s pale face and the dark circles under his eyes.
The young man pulled up a chair and sat facing him.
‘Sorry to come barging in so early but I’ve had something on my mind for a while now. Um, can I talk to you about it?’
Well, at last Edmund was going to explain about that night, Max thought. He was intrigued to know what had happened and smiled encouragingly.
‘Of course, Edmund. I would like to know. Fire away!’
It was a big ask, to change the way things were run, and he wasn’t sure if Max would even consider it.
‘Okay. I’m just going to say it. Please listen until I’ve finished, then tell me what you think, all right?’
Max nodded, and waited for Edmund to start.
‘Well, as I said before, when Josh and I were alone that night walking down that strange passageway inside the mountain,’ Edmund paused, ‘I saw GoldenEars in the mist, leading dozens of wolves to safety. I went into the mist and called to him and he came back. I’m unsure if the ground we were standing on was real, but I do know that he spoke to me and I understood every word,’ said Edmund, wide-eyed in excitement.
Max could see the wonder on his face as he relived his experience.
‘What did GoldenEars say?’ he asked, genuinely intrigued.
‘He said…’ Edmund bit his lip, trying to recall the exact words. ‘He said his ancestors were leading him, and in turn he was leading all the wolves to a safe land away from the persecution and hate of man, a new place where they could live in peace… What does that mean, Max? I didn’t understand. Will they ever come back?’
Max shook his head; he didn’t know what to make of the story.
‘But it did happen, I know it. Later I found a golden hair on my shirt, the same one I was wearing when I met him. Max, it belonged
to him, so that proves it really did happen. But where have they gone? There aren’t any wolves left here on the reserve, or even in the wilderness, so maybe, maybe…’ Edmund’s voice trailed off as he collected his thoughts.
‘What if our reserve… Yes, Max, it could work!’ exclaimed Edmund in excitement, and jumped on the side of his bed.
‘How about Huxforest Wolf Sanctuary? No hunting; the wolves are protected forever. Max, they would return if they knew they’d be safe. What do you think?’ he asked breathlessly, able to voice his idea at last. He waited expectantly for his chief ranger to consider it.
It wasn’t as easy as all that, thought Max, pondering the idea. But before he could reply Edmund rattled on as another thought entered his head.
‘Look. There’s no need to change everything. The wildlife reserve encompasses tens of thousands of acres, doesn’t it? So, to a large extent, the reserve can continue unaffected by the small change I’m proposing. The wolf sanctuary could be small initially, with just a few acres of enclosed land, with a shelter inside for their protection, and built close enough to the main building so we can keep an eye on them, and perhaps the public would be interested too. But it’s designed for the wolves’ benefit. Total protection.’ He waited, his breath tight in his throat.
Max rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
‘The reserve doesn’t belong to me personally. I would have to convince the authorities to change the status and working function of the whole place, because a move like this would cause quite a stir, and not necessarily for all for the right reasons.’
Edmund’s expression dropped with disappointment.
‘Look, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great idea. And I’ll think about it, see if I can convince the right people, then perhaps it might be approved.’ Max hesitated, observing the young man’s face come alive with hope.
Max sighed heavily. ‘I don’t want to dampen your hopes, but the wolves… How do you know what you saw was real? It’s such an incredible story, talking wolves walking on air, it’s so unbelievable.’