The Wolf and The Wind

A story inspired by my childhood pet, Apollo.

  The calm in the air made the forest seem like the safest place on earth.  This is a momentary feeling for most denizens.  Apollo, however, had a good reason to feel safe.  I doubt he ever put any thought to the notion of safety.  In all his life, he had only run for food or fun.  He knew what fear looked like because he could see it in the eyes of the hunted.  There was never any doubt the order of things in life.  It always began with a tightening in his belly, a feeling he never questioned.  Primal urges that made horible choices eaiser. A domino effect that made his blood run hot and brought everything in the forest to life.  Muscle and bone would become animated and restless.  His movements are willful and unconscious, coordinated by something inside and all around him.  The wind carries the messages and the meaning takes root in the soil.  The river would always run away from him and the leaves and trees told him everything he needed to know.  He is never more alive than in these moments.
  Maybe that is what seemed strangest.  Everything was so still and quiet.  The wind and the soil were silent.  He was not hungry but he could feel his stomach quiver.  He sat in the tallest grass he could find and waited.  I think that is how predators hide when uncertainty sets in, though you would never get one to admit it.  I am sure that Apollo just wanted the usual order of things to return.  So he sat in comfort, certain that he could blend in and be inconspicuous.  I cannot help but notice the irony.  The forest was never so peaceful but I, too, felt uneasy.  Something was different about the warmth of the sun and even the shade felt cooler than usual.  I know these conditions because they usually signal the coming of a storm.  This is not anything new for either of us.  We have both seen our share of storms.  Even the most terrible torrents have begun with similar conditions.  Like all alpha males, Apollo finds some comfort in that kind of chaos.  Back when he was just a pup he would run from shelter into the rain.  Pack elders would grin while whelps danced with discomfort.  They all understood what he was delightful about even if they could not imitate his behavoir.
  Nature is rarely cruel without a reason but nature can express itself freely.  We can watch with awe and envy when the sky releases it's ire.  It always has a beginning and an end.  Sometimes The storm takes away the comfort of familiarity and changes the landscape to something slightly different than what we recognize.  This is the way of things and both he and I have known this since before the first drops ever fell on our respective foreheads.  The cold comfort of reality has not made this day as bearable (as usual) as the clouds begin to block the sun.
  The uneasiness mest have begun to take hold because Apollo rose to his feet and headed back to the den.  There were not any familiar scents riding the winds but he knew this area well.  It was not uncommon for him to wander off to this part of the woods.  There was plenty of small game to keep his senses occupied and he was comfortable in his rusted white fur.  Though it seems that he suspects this impending tempest is the reason that he is heading for the collective, I can imagine in his mind he justifies it by being protection from the elements for his young.  They, of course, need to see his strength against the storm.  He knows something is different about this day.
  Maybe this is like what the deer feels when he is stalking.  Just before he reveals his presence, they move away to the comfort of familiarity.  He, however, has never been hunted.  His gait does not reveal any concerns but his pace is more deliberate that usual.  The air has that delicate quality just before the rain falls and the sky has darkened, but the ground beneath his paws has become fearful.  This is the first time he (or I) can remember such a feeling.  In the distance, Apollo sees a cloud desending to the treetops and he feels his heart beating in his chest.
  Never in his life has he seen a tree move through the air.  Only birds and leaves moved through the air.  He may have envied that ability in the past but this did not inspire envy.  The only thing he felt was fear.  I don't think his mind was focused on the fear because he kept running toward the storm.  Maybe this was that youthful naivete or some kind of stubborn ignorance.  Can you overcome fear without a reason?  Does something else have to occupy the mind for fear to be displaced?  For the first time, Apollo was running for a reason other than food or fun.  In an instant, all of his senses came to life.  Beneath his paws he felt the earth tremble, his mouth went dry, the crash of thunder was resonant, his eyes captured every second with the clarity of a photograph and the familiar smell of fear rode the wind in every direction.  He was easily the fastest member of his pack but his feet could not carry him to his destination as swiftly as was needed.  The power of the wind made each stride a challenge and flying debris struck at him with impunity.  Uprooted trees impeded his path while creatures of the woods traveled hastily in the opposite direction.  And as quickly as it began, the tempest began to end.
  Apollo soon reached the clearing outside the den.  His home looked nothing like what he left only hours before.  Wildflowers were strewn everywhere and all the shade trees were simply gone.  The creek bed had gone dry and all the lush green grass was replaced with rocks and mud.  He called out to his kin with a pain in his voice that seemed to raise the wind, if only slightly.  When the first few familiar faces appeared from the safety of the den the order of things returned, if only slowly.
  I don't know what the reason is for the way of things.  I just know that they are the way.  But I do know this, whether things happen for a reason or coincidences form the reality, one thing is true ... the storm subsided before Apollo arrived.

Reviews

[Alyss Erulisse]

I absolutely loved how the details and imagery you put into this story made it come to life, but watch out for fragmented sentences within your descriptions. I have read few stories told by a narrator, but the first person really through me off. Also, the tense was a little shaky, switching from past to present. I thought that perhaps another character was looking back and telling me the story while commenting on it. If so, I would suggest establishing an identity for this character within the narrative. Anyway, sorry for the critical review. I'm just trying to help out. Overall, I really loved your story.

[Kesha]

The details started right away in the beginning and I absolutely loved it you kept me hanging on to this story, I really love this, it seemed as though the words just came naturally to you and that made this even better! Now I don't normally read stories off of here for some reason i dont know why but this one really clung to me and made me want to read more and as always Charles what a wonderful job you have done!

[Miary Andriamihalia]

This is such an original plot that I really haven't seen anywhere. I really like how even though I could feel and relate to the emotions as a human, I never once stopped picturing the wolf. And it's very interesting to delve into the perspective of a natural predator in its moments of vulnerability. I don't get a sense of him losing his strength or being weak in any way. Instead it's almost like a strange epiphany for me as if I could be feeling my own fears for the first time when reading this.

I think the orientation to details was spectacular and naturally made the story. The first person narration was a bit confusing for me. Because the narrator voices his own speculations at times ("I doubt he ever put any thought to the notion of safety."), it makes it seems as though it's not an omniscient entity. On the other hand, there are lines in which this notion is contradicted where the narrator knows things about the character that technically only Apollo should know ("It always began with a tightening in his belly, a feeling he never questioned.)

Although, I might be looking too much into it as well. Regardless, it was an enjoyable read all around and extra points for the heart-warming effect it had on me (: Thank you for the read.