Sisters of the Wolf

by Patricia Miller-Schroeder

  “We can’t just leave her.” Shinoni picks up the grandmothers’ stone-tipped spears and Deka’s long wooden spear with its fire-hardened wooden point.

  “She has help. Now would be a good time to leave, before Haken comes.” Keena pats Fadin’s bag. “And now we have both food and weapons.”

  “You wouldn’t really take their food and spears?” Shinoni says. “How can you even think of such a thing?”

  “You’re right. I’m just worried about getting back to my people.” Keena sighs, then claps Shinoni on the back. “We’ve brought her this far. It would be good to make sure she’s safe.”

  They turn and follow Fadin and Seezel as they half drag and half carry Deka toward their camp.

  Before long they arrive at an earthen mound rising above the grasses, like the one they used as a lookout just one sun ago. The vegetation covering its top and sides helps it blend into the surrounding steppe, except for a dead tree that sticks out of one side of the mound. Its bent and twisted trunk lies prone across the grass, but its roots are still firmly planted in the mound.

  “This isn’t much of a camp. Where’s the shelter?” Keena mutters.

  “There’s no sign of a hearth or food.” Shinoni views the open grassland uneasily.

  Fadin and Seezel stop at the edge of the mound and beckon the girls to join them. The grandmothers wrestle with the brush and slide a woven mat of shrubbery to one side. An opening appears, leading into the curved side of the mound. Seezel slips inside, and Fadin helps Deka into the hole, gently pushing her, then coaxing her to lie down and wriggle through.

  “Hurry, we must close the entrance,” Fadin urges. Shinoni and Keena each take a deep breath and disappear inside the earth mound.

  29

  SHINONI SLITHERS THROUGH the narrow opening, Keena’s feet pushing her from behind. They emerge into a much wider chamber hollowed out of the mound’s underbelly. Overhead, long-dead tree roots, gnarled and matted, provide a partial ceiling and extend down two sides of the chamber. The air smells of decaying vegetation and damp earth. Still, it’s a safe place, hidden from view.

  “Ho, Grandmother. Did you dig out all this dirt?” Shinoni asks, awestruck.

  “It was partly dug out when we found it, but we made it bigger.” Seezel has a fire started and tends to Deka on a bed of woven grass. She offers her a rolled deerskin to prop herself up and water to sip from a small stone bowl. Seezel then rubs Deka’s belly and chuckles. “I can feel the new one moving under my hand.”

  “This place has saved our lives more than once.” Fadin grunts as she pulls the mat of vegetation back across the entrance behind Keena. “Don’t dawdle, girl. We need to close the entrance.” She rolls a large stone to block entry from outside.

  Shinoni opens her pouch and brings out the leaves and red berries. “You can make a drink with these to help Deka push out the small one.”

  “Belly plants? Where did you come by these?” Fadin asks.

  “My grandmother was a healer.” Shinoni bows her head. “She sent me to gather these for a woman of our band who was ready to give breath to her young one.”

  “Your grandmother and the woman didn’t need these belly plants, then?” Fadin places the leaves and berries in a stone bowl full of water and sets it by the fire.

  “They’re both in the spirit world,” Shinoni says.

  Fadin looks at her. “Well, it’s good the plants will be used now,” she says. “This is probably the Dark One’s first small one. The drink will help her.”

  Fadin joins Seezel, who is now walking Deka around the small chamber. They rub her arms and back and sing in soft voices. Then they guide her back to the grass bed to see how the birth is progressing.

  “This one’s strong, Seezel. It’s good you had her walking. It’ll make the young one come faster.” Fadin nods.

  “They make a good team,” Keena whispers.

  “Yes, I think Deka will be safe with them,” Shinoni says.

  “We must be on our way now,” Keena says. She looks at Shinoni and nods toward the entrance.

  Shinoni knows that Keena is right, but she’s torn. It feels good to help the grandmothers like she used to help Reza. She’s proud she could help Deka with the belly plants she’d gathered. Fadin was impressed she knew how to make the drink that was helping Deka’s contractions.

  “Aaaiiiiieeee!” Deka cries. Shinoni and Keena turn around to see her crouching on the grass bed clutching her belly. Seezel pulls her into a squatting position and squats in front of her, demonstrating how to breathe in and push down, helping the new one come out. Fadin kneels behind her, putting pressure on the small of her back. Another belly squeeze grips Deka’s abdomen, and with a great effort, she pushes her small one out into Fadin’s waiting hands. The two grandmothers examine the baby and announce it’s a girl. Shinoni moves closer and hugs Deka, then helps her lie down on the grass bed. Fadin places the baby on Deka’s breast to nurse, then cuts the umbilical cord with a flint knife.

  Shinoni and Keena crowd close to get a good look at the small one. She’s tiny and wrinkled, with brown skin and wavy black hair on her head. Her fingers and toes are pink on the undersides and she clutches on to her mother’s long tangled hair as she nurses hungrily.

  Seezel and Fadin move to the fire to rest and gut the hares for roasting. Shinoni and Keena grin at Deka cuddling her small one as they collect their belongings and prepare to leave.

  “You’re not leaving, girls? Come and rest, eat. You must be tired and hungry.” Fadin makes room by the fire.

  “You must spend the night,” Seezel calls. “Tell us why you travel together with the Dark One who carries a young one in her belly.”

  Shinoni looks at Keena, knowing she is eager to leave. Keena shrugs, and the girls sit by the fire.

  Shinoni hopes they settle for the short version. “Keena and I have travelled a long way together. A cruel Krag hunter named Haken took her from her family. He also killed the people from my band. We escaped from his camp together and now he’s tracking us.”

  “If this Haken is dangerous and he’s following you, why did you travel with the Dark One?” Fadin asks. “She must’ve slowed you down.”

  “A lion killed her mate and she was alone, so we took her with us,” Shinoni explains. “Now we must leave quickly so Haken doesn’t find us.”

  “Deka and her small one can’t travel with you. What will you do with her?” Seezel’s face wrinkles with concern.

  It hadn’t occurred to Shinoni that the grandmothers might not want to keep Deka with them. “Where are your people? Can Deka and her small one stay with them?”

  “We have no people here. There’s just the two of us,” Fadin says.

  “How can that be?” Keena asks. “You have no hunters, or women and young ones?

  “Many suns ago a great snow came as our people hunted ibex in the high country. Our leader was young and thought the snow wouldn’t come so soon. We weren’t prepared.” Seezel shakes her head.

  “We found a small cave in the hills you came from,” Fadin adds. “It wasn’t large enough for all of us. Our leader was afraid the snows would stay and lock us in this area. He decided the hunters and younger people would try to make it through the snow into the valley below.”

  “We knew we’d slow them down,” Seezel says. “Maybe even cause the deaths of young ones, so we offered to stay behind and survive as long as we could.”

  “My sons and Seezel’s daughter didn’t want to leave us, but they had small ones to think about.” A tear trickles down Fadin’s cheek and her voice quavers.

  “It’s best we stayed. And now we’re here to help Deka,” Seezel says.

  “The Dark One and her little one can stay with us.” Fadin wipes away her tears. “We can move back to the cave, and we have other hiding places here in the grass where we hunt.”

  “The Sun Spirit smiled on us after our people left. We’ve been able to snare hares and gather nuts and other foods. The snow times will be hard,
but it’ll be good to have Deka with us. If she wants to stay.” Seezel beams.

  “Yes, it’ll be good to have young ones with us.” Fadin hugs Seezel.

  “You can help each other, then,” Shinoni says, relieved.

  Keena takes one last look at Deka, then turns to the grandmothers. “Haken and his hunters will kill you and Deka and the young one if they find you. It’ll be safest not to go to your cave for a few suns. He’s likely travelling that way.”

  Seezel nods grimly. “We’ve hidden from many predators and survived.”

  “It’s best if Deka rests. We’ll stay here for several suns,” Fadin assures them.

  Keena takes the leftover deer meat from her pack and looks at Shinoni, who nods agreement. “We’ll leave this meat so you won’t have to hunt for a while.”

  “Thank you for your help.” Shinoni hugs the grandmothers. “Take care of yourselves and Deka and her small one. Perhaps we’ll meet again.”

  “I’d like that,” Fadin says. Then she and Seezel roll the stone away from the entrance and pull back the woven mat of vegetation. They peer outside and suddenly freeze.

  “Aiiii-yiiii! What’s this?” Fadin shrieks. Over the grandmothers’ shoulders, Shinoni and Keena see Tewa stand up from the shrubbery. She yawns and stretches as Seezel reaches inside for her spear.

  “Don’t fear the wolf.” Shinoni holds Seezel’s arm. “She travels with us.”

  “She’s our friend and guardian,” Keena says.

  “You’re truly strange young women,” Fadin marvels.

  Seezel nods her agreement. “Go safely and swiftly with your wolf guide.”

  The sun’s rays slant halfway between day and night as Shinoni, Keena, and Tewa leave the earth mound. They resume their journey, quickly moving through the grass parallel to the hills, looking for a stream to follow into the high country.

  30

  SHINONI AND KEENA RACE along a dry creek bed, chests heaving and legs aching with each pounding step. Their fear of Haken goads them on. How close is he? Have they stayed too long with Deka? The constant strain of being prey is draining.

  Finally, when their path connects to a stream, they stop to fill their drinking bags. Tewa laps the water, then rubs against both Shinoni and Keena before bounding away into the grass.

  “Where do you think she’s going this time?” Keena asks as Tewa’s tail disappears from view. She misses Tewa now when she leaves. It’s strange how having this predator near makes her feel safer.

  “Perhaps she’s lonely for her pack and visits them,” Shinoni says, “but I wish she would stay with us.”

  “You said we’re her pack now,” Keena reminds her.

  “We are, but we’re still looking for our families. Maybe she is, too.”

  Scudding clouds cover the sun, whipped into a frenzy by the wind rushing down from the high country. Shinoni closes her eyes.

  “Are you all right?” Keena asks.

  “Every muscle in my body is tired,” Shinoni says. “And I’m so hungry. We need to find food soon.” She takes the sling from her pouch and they scour the windswept steppe, but nothing moves among the rustling grasses.

  “Perhaps we should’ve kept some of our meat.” Keena scoops a handful of dried purple berries off a bush and into her mouth.

  “It’s best we gave it to Deka and the grandmothers. They’ll be safer if they stay in.” Shinoni stares down the creek bed they’ve just left. “How far behind us do you think Haken is?”

  “He could be close. We’ve been off the trail with Deka, so maybe he’s even ahead of us.” Keena pops more berries into her mouth, grimacing at the bitter juice.

  “Do you think so?” Shinoni shivers. “I feel like there’s someone watching us from every bush.”

  “Maybe they’ll set a trap for us.” Keena gulps, almost choking on the berries, her nerves now on edge, too. “We’d better get going in case they’re close.”

  Shinoni and Keena pull their cloaks tighter around themselves as they leave the stream. A light dusting of snow coats the grass and shrubs, and frost bites their noses and ears. They walk close together, drawing warmth and strength from each other. Together is better, thinks Keena, remembering her father’s words.

  “Do you think they’ll make it?” As Shinoni exhales, her breath forms vapour in the air.

  “Haken and his hunters?” Keena asks. “They can travel through anything.”

  “No, Fadin and Seezel — and Deka. Will they make it through the snow time?”

  “Deka and the small one won’t survive without the grandmothers’ help,” Keena says. “I don’t know where her people are, and I’ve never seen anyone else like her.”

  “Well, we saw her mate, but he was dead,” Shinoni says.

  “Yes, he was certainly dead,” Keena says.

  They trudge through the snow for awhile, each deep in her own thoughts.

  Keena breaks the silence. “The grandmothers are tough and smart. I don’t understand why their group left them behind. They’re Kula, like you. Did your band leave grey hairs behind?”

  “I never saw that happen, but the snow times are hard,” Shinoni says. “Fadin and Seezel offered to stay behind to save the young ones. They’re very brave.”

  “We Krags honour our grey hairs. They carry our knowledge. Even if they can’t hunt or chew their food, we help them and care for them,” Keena says. “We say a lone Krag is a dead Krag, so we stick together.”

  “Is that why you stick with me?” Shinoni asks.

  “You chose to stick with me, too.” Keena nudges her. “We’re good together.”

  Shinoni and Keena lapse into silence. It’s harder now to lift their feet or hold their eyelids open as fatigue and hunger settle in. The curtain of falling snow masks the sky and the trail under their feet. Keena concentrates on taking one step at a time. It’s difficult to tell if they’re still heading toward the hills or how soon darkness will overtake them.

  “Ho, Kula, what’s that?” Keena stops abruptly and points. The snow has stopped swirling, and ahead of them lies a frozen pond surrounded by trees. Something large lies stretched out on the ice. Its white feathers ruffle in the wind, blending with the snow.

  “I think it’s a long-necked one,” Shinoni says. “It shouldn’t be here now, in the snow time.”

  “It looks dead, Kula,” Keena asserts. “I think Leeswi’s taken its breath so we can eat it.” They hurry to the pond and kneel beside the stiff swan.

  “It’s like the long-necked one just fell asleep.” Shinoni touches the graceful neck tucked back toward the folded wings. “There’s no blood or signs of a struggle.”

  “She couldn’t fly. See, her wing is bent.” Keena tries to move it.

  Skreeeiii, skreeeiii. A piercing shriek echoes from high in a tree nearby.

  “It’s my father’s spirit guide.” Shinoni leaps to her feet. “Shazur must’ve sent the eagle to help us.”

  “The eagle wants to make a meal of the long neck. It wants us to leave.” Keena watches the great bird warily as it spreads its enormous brown wings and flies to a tree beside the pond. Its massive yellow hooked beak opens again. Skreeeiii, skreeeiii. The eagle’s sharp talons wrap around a branch as thick as Keena’s arm. Its golden eyes are fixed on the forest behind Shinoni and Keena.

  The girls are startled by a sudden low growl. Shinoni spins around to face the new danger. Keena, too, turns in alarm, her heart racing. She recognizes the snarls and the putrid stench of the wolverine loping effortlessly toward them.

  “Quickly, Kula. Back away.” Keena tugs frantically on Shinoni’s tunic. “This stink bear will rip us apart.”

  “It can’t have the long neck. It died for us. Shazur sent it to feed us.” Shinoni stands her ground, knees shaking as the wolverine glides menacingly toward them. “We can drive it off, Keena. There are two of us.”

  “Stink bears take carcasses away from wolves. They kill hunters who get in their way.” Keena pulls Shinoni farther from the swan, but it�
��s too late. The snarling wolverine has closed the gap. Sharp claws click on the ice of the pond. Its powerful muscles ripple under its thick flowing fur. Its lips curl back and saliva drools over its gleaming teeth. The dark mask on its face emphasizes the glare of its small red eyes reflecting the setting sun. The wolverine leaps past the swan and stalks toward the girls.

  Skreeeiii, skreeeiii. A terrifying scream splits the air as the eagle swoops like a spear over Shinoni’s head, talons extended, raking the startled wolverine’s shoulder and bowling it over and over. The wolverine recovers and leaps, jaws snapping at the eagle. Then, undeterred, the wolverine turns back to Shinoni and Keena. The eagle rakes it with its talons again, drawing blood, but the wolverine advances, eyes focused on its prey as they scramble backward.

  Shinoni sends a stone flying from her sling, connecting with the wolverine’s head. It stops for a heartbeat, but then snarls and stamps its feet, preparing to lunge at Shinoni.

  A fierce snarl comes from behind as a large grey shape hurtles over Keena and strikes the stink bear broadside, knocking it over. Tewa enters the fray, hackles raised on her neck, and head down. She circles the confused wolverine as the eagle strikes it again from above. With one last snarl, the wolverine turns tail and races back toward the forest with the eagle following behind, swooping and screaming.

  “Tewa, sister, thank you.” Shinoni rubs the wolf’s strong back, smoothing the hackles that still stand erect. There’s blood on Tewa’s fur and she whines nervously. She licks Shinoni’s face, then walks over to Keena and licks her as well.

  “You’re a good friend, Tewa.” Keena hugs the wolf. “The blood on her belongs to the wolverine. We’re lucky she came when she did.”

  Shinoni and Keena go back to the swan. Tewa joins them, sniffing the dead bird and wagging her tail slightly. The bird is stiff and heavy, but Shinoni and Keena hoist it up together.

  Shinoni takes the swan in her arms and holds it against her chest. “I’ll carry the long neck first, then you can carry it when I get tired. We need to find shelter quickly.”