“It is true,” Ituria noted. “The white wolf is said to have the power to heal the ruler of Middle Forest.”
“What if I am to heal a ruler in Middle Forest? What if the legend means I shall heal not you, but Trent? Please tell me what I need to do! I do not want him to die,” Jenna pleaded.
“Are you sure you want to attempt this?” said Ituria. “You will absorb the wound, and you will feel all of Trent’s pain. You will only feel the pain for a few hours, but you will have the scar forever. Is this something you are willing to accept?”
Jenna looked over to Trent, and without hesitating, she answered calmly, “Yes. I am willing to accept the consequences. I believe this is why I am still a wolf and still in Middle Forest. This is what I am supposed to do, and I want to do so.”
“Trent,” Ituria called. “Jenna will try and help you. She understands the consequences and believes it is what she should do. Please lay still and we will do our best to help you get well.”
Trent was barely conscious but did open his eyes and look at Jenna. He looked worried for her safety but was too weak to speak. Jenna knew she must do whatever she could to save such a noble animal. Jenna looked back at Ituria and nodded. They quickly went toward Trent together.
“We must hurry,” Jenna urged. “I feel there is not much time!”
“Jenna, go to Trent, and put your paw gently on his shoulder wound,” instructed Ituria. “You must close your eyes and concentrate, connecting your thoughts with Trent’s. You must become one in mind with him – he is not strong so you must be his strength. Go now, I agree there is not much time!”
Jenna sat beside Trent and gently laid her paw on his shoulder. The instant connection with Trent surprised her but also encouraged her; this is what she should be doing.
She could feel Trent, barely breathing, struggling to stay alive. She closed her eyes and concentrated, like Ituria had said. She tried to feel Trent’s thoughts and emotions, but they were faint, barely hanging on.
“Trent,” she whispered. “Send me your thoughts, help me to help you. This is the way it is supposed to be.”
Jenna continued to concentrate; she remembered the first time she’d seen Trent, the shadow down by the stream, not knowing whether he was friend or foe. She remembered how he led them to Ituria’s home, and how she knew he had to survive. Her thoughts were getting further away as she went into a trance.
She could see the cave from Trent’s point of view, looking up to see Jenna at the front of the cave with Ituria. Jenna saw herself walk down to talk with Trent by the stream, discussing the situation and Ituria. She felt Trent’s concern as he stayed up all night to protect them and saw through Trent’s eyes as they came down the hill the next morning.
Suddenly, Jenna felt a pain in her shoulder that was growing increasingly painful. She did not know if she could hold on to Trent’s shoulder. But she knew she must, because if she let go, Trent would die.
Jenna kept repeating to herself, the pain would only last for a little while and will go away. It will go away, hang on, it will go away…
During the next few hours, Jenna drifted in and out of consciousness, overhearing things, but not having enough strength to respond or even open her eyes.
She felt Knocker pick her up, his strong arms lifted her gently, but she didn’t know where she was being carried. She heard Ituria talking with Trent, but she couldn’t understand what they were saying. Then she fell into a deep, deep sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Home Again
Jenna turned over; she felt so tired, but knew it was time to get up. She tried to figure out where she was, was she still in the forest? Had Knocker carried her back to Ituria’s cave? Where she was laying was soft, so she must be in somebody’s home.
She tried opening her eyes, it was a struggle. When she finally opened them, she gasped.
She was back in her own bedroom, the windows, the curtains, everything was where she left it yesterday evening. She quickly looked down at her hands, they were human hands, not wolf paws. She was no longer covered with white hair. Could this have been just one big dream?
As Jenna went to sit up, leaning on her shoulder, a twinge of pain shot through her arm, causing her to catch her breath. Jenna looked under her shirt and saw a scar the size of a quarter on her shoulder, in the same place Trent had been shot. So, it was real. She had absorbed Trent’s wound. It was almost healed, with the scar remaining. But who would believe her?
Slowly, her bedroom door opened, and a head peered into the darkened room. It was her older sister, Sandy. “Jenna, are you here? Are you back yet?” Sandy whispered.
“Sandy,” answered Jenna. “I’m right here. What’s going on?”
“I told Mom you weren’t feeling well yesterday and just wanted to stay in bed. I brought you food,” Sandy replied, pointing to several plates piled in the corner. “See the pile of food in the corner?”
This didn’t sound like the sister Jenna remembered just a day ago, the one who was always so ready to order her around. Her sister sounded uncertain and confused.
“Last night…” Sandy started, then paused, unsure how to continue. “Last night, I saw you outside with a fox, and somehow you transformed into a wolf and ran into the forest. It was so weird and scary. How did you do it?” Her question came out quickly and looking at Jenna, she took a deep breath and continued her side of the story.
“I figured I had better cover for you for a day or so if I could, or Mom would have everyone looking in the woods, shooting any wolf they saw, and they would shoot you!”
Jenna smiled at her sister’s prophetic words.
“So, I made up the story you were sick, and since Mom had to work, I told her I would take care of you.…” she rambled.
Jenna jumped up and hugged her and held her tight, whispering, “Thanks, Sandy.”
She had never felt this much love and appreciation for her sister. She had no idea if she could explain it all, or if her sister would even believe it, but things were different between them now. They both sat down on Jenna’s bed as Sandy looked at Jenna, waiting for her to explain.
In that moment, Jenna knew she and Sandy would be much closer, and Jenna finally felt she could trust her sister. “I have such a story to tell you!”
As Jenna recounted her amazing journey to Sandy, Jenna wondered in the back of her mind if she would ever see her forest friends again, and if she would ever again experience the excitement and strength of being a white wolf.
She was glad she had done her part to help Ituria, Trent and the others. She also knew she would always have friends in the forest. Only time will tell if they would need her help again.
Note From The Author
Although this is a fantasy fiction adventure, nature has had millions of years to evolve this planet into a diverse living ecosystem, where each animal and plant has fought for its place to survive. Yes, plants do fight, and fight hard, to survive. And in these fights, plants have attained such diversity it is amazing – there are some that live thousands of years (yes, thousands of years!); others feed on insects to supplement low nutrients in the soil; and still others that train animals – humans included – to protect them and to spread their seeds for future generations.
Plants training animals? Yes! As an example, you wouldn’t eat a green strawberry. Why not? Because you have learned that a green strawberry is not ripe and tastes bitter; so, you leave it on the plant and wait for it to turn red. When its seeds are ready to be eaten, the strawberry plant turns the strawberry bright red to attract attention. It’s saying, “Hey, look over here! Nice juicy sweet strawberry!” Once eaten, the seeds are transported to be planted away from the mother plant, expanding their territory. And by staggering the ripening of the strawberries, it guarantees that they will not all be eaten at the same time, allowing the seeds will be more widely distributed.
I am fascinated by how plants have learned to survive even in the most hostile of territories. When you realize that creativity is not a human invention, much can be learned by studying how plants have adapted and thrived, each in their own ecosystem. To learn many tricks and talents plants have perfected over millions of years to survive, check out one of my favorite books, The Private Life of Plants, by David Attenborough, and see just how vital and important plants really are, and how they have evolved to survive in almost any environment.
About the
Author
J.B. moved to Florida in her early teens and has lived there ever since, enjoying the mild weather and abundance of wildlife. She even spent several seasons raising orphan squirrels. She graduated from the University of Central Florida and has spent her working career in the legal profession. Her novels are inspired by her family and nature, as well as her need to escape from the real world once in a while.
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Book Club Questions
1.Why did Knocker think that Jenna was human when they were in the cave?
2.Why do you think Ranco was hunting in Middle Forest?
3.Are there really plants called “pitcher plants” that can hold water? If so, why do they hold water?
4.How does a Venus fly-trap catch its prey?
5.The Acacia tree provides a home and food to ant colonies; what does it get in return?
6.What is the only continent on Earth where there are no plants?
7.Dandelions don’t have fruit; how do their seeds get disbursed?
8.Something to think about – Ranco was thought to be hunting in Middle Forest because his North Forest was being cleared for houses. What happens to the animal residents when a forest is cleared for human use? Where can they go and how can they survive when their home is taken away from them?
Jenna and the Legend of the White Wolf Page 10