Taneika: Daughter of the Wolf

by R. Casteel

  Taren got out and slowly crossed the yard. He didn’t want a repeat of his last encounter with Lobo. The closer he got, the better she looked. Tan lines were absent from what he could see, which was plenty. Somehow, she didn’t seem like a thong panty type of woman, which meant she wasn’t wearing anything under those worn cutoffs. He could already feel the heat building deep inside. She was a walking, talking, come-to-life Playboy centerfold.

  Lobo sat, watching, vigilant as he drew closer.

  “Don’t worry. She remembers you.” Another arrow flew and found the center of the target. “You shoot?” Without waiting for a reply, she fitted another arrow and drew back the bowstring. Only then did she turn her head and flash him a smile. The bow never shook, the arrow pointing toward the target some forty yards away never wavered. Almost as soon as she looked back to the target, the arrow was in flight.

  “Where did you learn to shoot?”

  “My father taught me. I spent so many hours in the woods he said if I wasn’t going to learn the ways of a woman, I should at least provide food for the table. At first my brothers laughed at me, until I started bringing home more food than they did.”

  “May I?” Taren took the bow and ran his hand over the smooth polished grain of the wood. “This is a beautiful bow.” He looked for the manufacture’s name. “What brand is it?”

  “Brand?”

  “Who made it? I don’t see any markings on it.”

  She laughed, the sound sending warmth through him, diverting his attention from the bow to her.

  “I made it.”

  He heard the pride in her voice.

  “I’m impressed.” What would you do if I kissed you? “You have any other hidden talents?”

  The change was almost imperceptible, but it was there. The smile thinned, the eyes became veiled as if she were afraid he could see inside her soul.

  “No, none you would be interested in.” Reaching for the bow, she called to Lobo. “Sorry, I was just going in. Nice to see you again.”

  Taren stood watching as they walked away. Her movements were fluid and graceful, matching the stride of the wolf. Or was the wolf matching hers? The picture of the two running after a fleeting deer came to his mind. For some reason it didn’t seem as absurd as it had this morning. Funny what a few hours had done to change his way of thinking. The decision not to tell the department supervisor felt good for the first time.

  But there was still his job to consider. He couldn’t have her killing animals out of season and a bow was a silent killer. If only there had been enough left of the yearling to find the entry of her arrow. Taren turned and walked slowly to his porch.

  * * * * *

  What was Taren doing and why? She was used to the curious stares on the reservation, the whispers behind her back. Being able to hear them only made them worse, the taunts and snickers of her never finding a man if she didn’t know how to be a woman. Maybe she’s deformed, a boy without a penis. The boys resented her skills in the woods, her bow and her wolves. Taren’s friendship, although enjoyed, would turn out like so many others, shattered on the rocks of cruelty.

  She watched as Taren entered his back door. Being attracted to him caused conflicting emotions to spring up from within. Taren was several inches taller than her own five-foot-seven inches. Working so much outdoors had given him a tan almost as dark as her own, giving rise to the speculation of how much of his lean body was golden brown.

  He was curious of Lobo, as were others, but she sensed it went deeper. It was a feeling of acceptance, respect. What his feelings for her were, she couldn’t tell. Just once, she would like to be accepted for herself, not having to hide the little things that caused her to be an outcast, a freak, even among the people she grew up with.

  Lobo came and nuzzled her hand and she turned away from the window. “Sorry, girl. I won’t be running with you tonight. You go and have fun.”

  Taneika was engrossed in her biology book when she heard the scratching at the door: Lobo’s announcement she was back.

  Lobo sat at the door, a chunk of venison clamped within her teeth.

  “What is it, girl?” She smelled the venison and her mouth started to water. “You brought this back for me, did you?” Taking the offered meat from Lobo, Taneika was startled when the wolf started growling and barking.

  Looking at the meat more closely, she noticed it had been cut. The smooth edges were a clear warning someone had found last night’s meal. “Do you know who it was?”

  Lobo’s short yelp sent her heart into despair and troubled her mind. “Are you sure?”

  Lobo whined, then turned and left the house.

  “Lobo, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. Of course I believed you the first time.” She picked up the meat and began pacing the floor. What did this mean? Is this what Taren had been referring to earlier when he’d questioned her about hidden talents? Did he know, or just suspect? Unable to resist the aroma she bit off a piece of meat and began chewing. The sensation was almost intimate, knowing he had handled the meat she was eating.

  Once the meat was gone, she went into the bathroom and stripped off her clothes. Troubled over the realization that Taren had found their kill and her thoughts on the complications this could cause in her life, she forgot to close the blinds.

  He sat at the window, nursing a double scotch and watching the night. In the graying twilight, he had seen the wolf return and then leave again. Would she leave too, following Lobo into the woods? If she did, what should he do?

  A light came on and his eyes turned automatically to the window. He felt like a Peeping Tom as she removed her clothes. Her breasts were full, her waist slim. Just as he’d imagined, there were no tan lines. Knowing he should turn away and being unable to do so, he felt himself grow hard as she slipped the cutoffs down her legs. Expecting to see a mound covered in a thatch of black hair between her legs, he drew in a ragged breath when smooth skin was revealed.

  Taneika, the essence of his passionate dreams and exotic fantasies, stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain. Taren moved away from the window and headed for a shower of his own. The cold water did little to chill his heated blood as it coursed its way through his body.

  * * * * *

  Taren sat at his desk, looking at the tickets for the conservation banquet held at the park each fall. This was a political dinner with a dance afterward. Senators, Representatives and the Governor would be the featured guests. He stared at the note from the park superintendent for the tenth time.

  “No excuses this year. Be There.”

  “Damn.” He slammed his fist on the table. Not only was he being ordered to go, the second ticket meant he was supposed to bring a date. Going over the eligible women in the office, he cringed. The list wasn’t very promising. A vision of Taneika stepping into the shower swam before his eyes.

  “Taren!” The radio dispatcher yelled. “We have an emergency at the lake. A woman being chased by a wolf was spotted in the water at Willow Cove. When the fishermen approached, the woman ran into the woods with the wolf right on her heels. You are the only person available. Go check it out and report back.”

  He grabbed his jacket and ran out the door. Trying to explain this to the dispatcher without having gone through the motions of checking on the report would only render him another ass chewing. Picking up the handheld, he keyed the mike. “Five-two-three en route to Willow Cove.”

  Unlocking the gate, he drove down the over-grown path. This area of the park was a wildlife refuge. It was left as natural as possible while still giving access to hikers and seasoned bike riders. The only motorized vehicles allowed were those driven by park employees with prior authorization. Taren sighed; it was great to get out of the office.

  When he finished making a cursory inspection of Willow Cove, he would stop by Taneika’s place and have a chat with her. There was no doubt in his mind it was Taneika and Lobo the fishermen had seen at the cove.

  Keying the radio mike, he checked i
n. “Five-two-three…Base, arrived at Willow Cove.”

  “Ten-four, Five-two-three, keep advised.”

  Taren stepped through the trees and spotted the fishermen.

  “Officer, she was right over here when we seen her. She ran out of the water and I swear she was buck-ass naked. Took off right through those trees and the damn wolf was right on her heels. Damnedest thing I ever saw. She’s probably dead by now. Real shame too, a nice piece getting chewed up by a wolf.”

  Taren took their names. “Thanks, I may need to get back with you and get a written statement.” He squatted down and dipped his hand in the water, his eyes going to the footprints in the sand. Just the thought of her running naked on this secluded beach heated his blood.

  Returning to his truck, he headed back the way he had come. “Five-two-three to Base, I have met with the fishermen. I didn’t find anyone else around, suspect it was a biker with a large dog.”

  “Ten-four, Five-two-three. Are you returning to station?”

  “Negative, I will be ten-seven at my residence.”

  “Ten-four, have a good night.”

  Taren knocked on the door and Lobo greeted him with a fierce growl from the other side. A curtain moved and he smiled. The door opened and he was almost knocked down by a blur of gray and white.

  Soft laughter floated like jasmine on a spring breeze from the door.

  “Sorry, Lobo was a little upset with me. I came in sooner than she wanted to. Sometimes she still acts like a pup instead of an adult.”

  “The reason you came in early wouldn’t be because of a couple of fishermen at Willow Cove, would it?”

  Her face turned red and she looked away.

  “How. . .how did you find out?” She composed herself and turned back to Taren.

  “They reported you were being attacked by a wolf,” Taren grinned. “I suspected you had been swimming the other night but I couldn’t bring myself to believe anyone would jump willingly into the frigid water this time of year.”

  “I don’t normally swim in the daytime but I got home early and Lobo wanted to run. We ended up at the cove and I couldn’t resist. As to the water temperature, it’s difficult to explain. I don’t feel the cold, never have. I’m sorry if I caused any trouble.”

  “It’s no problem. The next time you decide to swim in the daytime, maybe you ought to wear a suit of some kind. I’m sure it’s one fishing trip those two will remember the rest of their lives.”

  Taneika felt the heat flush her face. She knew she was beet red. “I will try to remember. What are you going to report to your boss?”

  “The fishermen must have seen a biker with a large dog.”

  “Thank you, I owe you one.”

  Seeing his opening, he jumped in with both feet. “Well…you can repay me by going to the banquet and dance at the park’s Eagle Pavilion on Saturday night.”

  She felt like a rabbit must feel when cornered by Lobo. “You want me to go with you. Why?”

  “I have to go and it was strongly suggested I bring a date.”

  “It still doesn’t answer my question. Why me?”

  He felt like he was sinking. “Because you are the only woman I would want to go with. If you don’t go with me, then I will go by myself.”

  Taneika had a sixth sense about animals, sometimes towards humans as well. It was telling her he was telling the truth. He would rather incur the displeasure of his boss than take anyone else. There was just one problem.

  “I have heard about the banquet. It’s a formal affair. I don’t have anything fancy to wear. I’m truly sorry.” She saw the disappointment in his face. “Unless you count a Blackfoot ceremonial dress adequate.”

  “May I see it, please?”

  “Come in and I will get it.”

  Taren stood breathless at the beauty of the white gown. Only in pictures or museums had he ever seen anything so intricately made. The doeskin was soft as silk. The stitching was so tiny it was almost invisible. The beading and artwork was of the highest quality he had ever seen.

  “My mother made this for me. I was the daughter she could never have and she treated me like her own.”

  “Taneika, I would be honored to have you wear this to the banquet.”

  The little voice inside said his words were true; her doubt came from years of conditioning. “I was just kidding. This would look tacky alongside the evening gowns, the diamonds and pearls.”

  “No it wouldn’t. What better way to display the need to preserve the future of our land than to be reminded of our past? Your people were here first and should, by this fact alone, have a say in how it should be kept. You will be the queen of the ball.”

  “The laughing stock and a punch line for poor Indian jokes is more like it.”

  “Don’t let the cruelty of the past ruin your future, Taneika.”

  “What would you know of cruelty and ridicule?”

  “My great-grandmother was a full-blooded Pawnee. I grew up playing on the old ruins of Pawnee Rock outside of Great Bend, Kansas.”

  “All right, I’ll go.”

  “Thank you, Taneika. I will pick you up at seven on Saturday.”

  Closing the door, she wondered what she had gotten herself into.

  * * * * *

  Taren sat in the same chair, watching the same balding head. This was becoming a habit he would love to break. Harold raised his beady eyes. His face scrunched to the point where his bushy eyebrows were touching. With the pen he held, he tapped out a rhythm that sounded like a death march.

  “This is bullshit.”

  Harold slammed the pen on the desk and held his report up.

  “Pure bullshit. I know those fishermen. They know the difference between a wolf and damn dog. I want to know what the hell you did out there. Did you even look? If some hiker finds the remains of a woman, this department is going to look damn incompetent. Do you understand me, Taren?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, you had damn well better. ‘Cause if this department is perceived as incompetent it means I’m incompetent. And if that happens, your ass will be freezing in Alaska before you can take your next piss.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I want some answers and I want them now.”

  “I talked with the young woman. She was in no danger from the wolf.” Taren waited.

  “How the hell do you know if she was in no danger? I suppose you talked to the wolf and it told you this.”

  “Well, not exactly, but sort of.” His guts were tied in a knot. Not an unusual feeling when faced with Harold’s displeasure.

  “Taren, I am losing my patience.”

  “The wolf is her pet, sort off. She has had it since it was a pup.”

  “Owning a wolf is a violation of law, Taren.”

  “From what I can tell, the wolf is free to come and go. She stays with the woman of her own choice.”

  “You know this for a fact.”

  “Yes, sir.” Taren felt the noose tighten around his neck.

  “How long have you know about this woman and her wolf?”

  Harold was a prime candidate for a heart attack. Overweight, smoked, drank too much and if the veins popping out on his forehead were any indication, he was experiencing high blood pressure as well. “A little over a month. She is a student at Cody Community College.”

  “A month! A whole mother-fucking month and I am just now learning about it. Anything else I should know about this before I kick your ass out of here?”

  “No, sir.” Taren swallowed the suggestion of what Harold could do to himself. It would be physically impossible anyway.

  Chapter 2

  She sat on the back porch. Not wanting to take the chance of being seen, she waited until the lights in Taren’s house went out. Lobo sat beside her; she could feel the tension radiating from the wolf. “Easy, girl. Wait ‘til Taren goes to bed.” Lobo yelped. “Quiet. We don’t want him to hear us.

  The lights went out and Lobo stood. “Okay, go on. I
will be there in a few minutes.”

  He watched, hidden from view in the dark shadows of his room, as Lobo sped across the clearing. Would Taneika follow tonight? And if she did, could he follow without being caught? Would whatever he found ruin any relationship with her? Tomorrow was Saturday.

  Movement caught his eye. She moved into the night as swiftly and quietly as the wolf. Finding out more about her pushed the scales of doubt. He realized his best bet on finding her was Willow Cove.

  Arriving at the cove, Taren’s lungs burned as he breathed heavily. Knowing how fast Taneika could run he had pushed himself to get here before she did. Finding a hiding spot, he sat down to wait.

  Taren was about to give up and go home when Lobo came into the clearing. Taneika was right behind the wolf. Neither seemed out of breath nor tired. The cloudless sky allowed the three-quarters moon to bathe the cove in a dim glow.

  Taneika was naked. His mind whirled at the thought. She plunged into the water and started washing herself. The wind shifted ever so slightly. Lobo stopped running along the shore and turned toward him.

  Busted, with nowhere to hide.

  “Taren.” She crouched down, the water covering her breasts. “I know it’s you.”

  Slowly, he stood, wishing he had stayed at home. Silently, he damned his own curiosity and the wind for carrying his scent to the wolf.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Waiting for you. I got to wondering how you could spend two hours in the woods and still look fresh. When I saw Lobo leave, I waited.”

  “Go home, Taren. Please.”

  “Where are your clothes?”

  “Hidden inside the tree line, behind the house.”

  “Taneika, you may not believe this, but I am sorry.”

  She laughed. “Sorry you got caught or sorry you saw me naked?”

  “Yes to the first, no to the second. And I’m sorry for invading your privacy. Taneika, you are a beautiful woman. I hope deep down you will forgive me and this won’t change your mind about going tomorrow night. I have been looking forward to dancing the night away with you in my arms. If you change your mind, I will understand. Goodnight.” He turned and walked away.