23 Ch 23 Forest Fire

Derrick and I were heading from one kind of fire to another.

The party had ended well, with the fire pit being a huge success. There was enough firewood stacked behind the old shed to last all winter and half of next summer.

Chani had taken a liking to Derrick, at least for the night. The two of them had spent some time kissing. With dad acting as chaperone, you can be sure nothing else happened.

Dad did swap out a few drinks from our younger guests, giving them a fresh can of coke.

I couldn't help thinking that no one could make a better guardian at a party. Wolf nose could smell the alcohol easily. Wolf hearing and smell would know if anyone snuck off. It made me realize how easy my dad had been on me on occasion, saying nothing about a few of my exploits.

I didn't doubt Dad got little sleep that night, patrolling the tents. He had given his truck keys to Running Elk when they headed out Monday morning.

Derrick and I were in a truck now, heading in the opposite direction. We had been called upon to help with a forest fire that broke out in the Smoky Mountains that was endangering residents. Our inexperienced selves were being sent as part of the force going door to door, looking for people left behind after the call to evacuate.

A few other guys from our station were in the truck in front of us. The beds of both trucks were full of supplies, including cases of bottled water. My bike was in the back of our truck, just in case.

We spent the first day there knocking on doors. I found a few people that might have gotten missed. I put my wolf nose and hearing to good use. For a little while, I helped an animal group with a van and cages rescue pets that that were left behind.

We were exhausted by the time daylight ended. We ended up parking the truck with a bunch of other neighboring firefighters. It was like everyone was your friend that you'd known for years.

We shared our water, a few other people were sharing food. Derrick and I had brought enough food to last us for a few days just in case. I set up my tent, preferring that to the crowded building that was putting us up. Mine wasn't the only tent off to the side. After hanging out with the guys we came with, Derrick opted to share my tent.

The second night there, I woke suddenly in the middle of the night, already sitting up. My mind was focused on the image in my mind. Was it a dream? A call for help had echoed through the local night. It was a desperate, terrified howl, screaming for help.

'Help! Anyone? Please come help me! I can't do this! We're gonna die!' The words echoed within me.

My spirit-vision sped toward the frightened howling wolf. I only had the quickest glimpse of him holding a smaller, hurt companion. The companion was the reason he was unable to escape the surrounding flames. He had no good direction to go, his burden heavy in his arms. I guessed he was in his early teens. I saw the fire through wolf eyes, saw a clear path through the flames.

That initial thought that this was merely a vivid dream was gone.

Derrick was grabbing my arm as I loaded up my gear. I had already pulled my bike from the truck. I put a finger to my lips, shushing anything he might say.

"There's need. Cover for me."

I left him standing in the parking lot, looking confused and like he wanted to yell at me.

I had a sense of the direction I needed to go. The roads were empty as I pushed my bike to its limits heading toward the fire.

I found a group of fire trucks and rescue vehicles. I parked my bike between a few that were in a small group by themselves further back. I stripped cautiously, putting everything in my saddlebags, leaving the heavy yellow work jacket over my seat. I shifted quickly.

I paused once I was in the woods. I closed my eyes, depending on spirit vision for a second to guide me. My path through the fire was suddenly clear.

I opened my eyes and took off. I don't think I had ever run this fast, four feet gliding over the ground. Leaps over obstacles were smooth movements. Smaller trees and bushes were easy to weave through.

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There were patches of fire now. My paws crushed the ash and burnt debris beneath them. Smoke swirled above me. There were times when the path through areas of flame was a narrow one. Long high leaps through the smoke had me clear.

I ran on. The vision remained true. I howled to let them know I was coming.

I heard an answering howl, then two more; other rescuers who were as lost in the woods as my prey. They had no vision to guide them.

I heard a howl from my target. Fear and relief were in his short howl. It was as if I could hear words buried in his howl- 'Hurry, please!'

I came to a stop in front of a young teenage boy. In his arms he held a girl about eight or nine years old. My sudden appearance startled him. His steps faltered and he turned his body to shield the girl from me. I smelt the wolf on him, but not her. He looked Native American, like myself, but different, probably from a different tribe.

I lifted up my front end, standing as a man, the fur quickly receding from my skin. His eyes got wide. I grinned at him. Looking back at my return path, I knew running as human wasn't going to work.

I partially shifted back to wolf, making sure my face was mostly wolf. My voice came out deep and growly. My hand gently pressured him to turn so I could see the girl in his arms.

"Little one," I rasped out, putting a human hand on her neck, checking her pulse.

She struggled to focus on me.

I took her from the boy, set her on the ground, examined her briefly. Her one leg was roughly splinted, bound by the boy's flannel shirt. I held the leg, feeling along the bones, sniffing deeply. I couldn't feel any bump, and there was no smell of blood. I was hoping it was only sprained, and not broken. Her arms at least were fine.

I looked up to see her staring at me. Her eyes were as big as saucers. The boy looked like he was about to freak out with me revealing myself to her.

"Little one, what are you doing on this side of the river?" I asked, hoping that in these circumstances, I could pass myself off as Spirit Wolf himself. "Come, I will carry you home. You must hold on to me as tightly as you wish to hold on to life. You must not fall off my back. Do you understand?"

She nodded. The boy helped her up. Her hands wrapped around my neck.

"Tighter, little one. You cannot hurt me. Your hold on me, like your hold on life itself, must be secure."

I was three quarter wolf. Her legs hung over my sides. My paws were partially clawed hands and feet. I looked at the boy, motioning with my hand for him to change shape and go on all fours, then waited while his transformation took place.

He shifted behind me, out of the girl's view. His young body made for a small wolf.

When he was finished, I let loose a howl. It was a summons for those others lost in the surrounding fire. My vision shifted for a second. I could see where they were in the woods. There were three of them, timber wolves all, like the boy beside me.

"We're going now, little one, hold tight. Run with me, my brother. Stay as close behind me as you can. Follow in my footsteps. Do not stop."

I took off gliding, as smooth a run as I could make it. I could hear the boy struggling to keep my pace. I wasn't going my fastest, but I dared not slow down.

The wolves behind me were gaining on us, their paths converging behind us. I was no longer concerned about them. They were adult wolves, capable of following my trail, even through the ash-filled countryside.

There was a tree down ahead of us, flames licking the ground. I didn't stop. I slowed for a second, grabbed the boy as he came level with me, my arms around his middle. I threw his wolf form over the area. My own claws scrabbled against the burning bark.

The girl was having trouble holding on. I shifted to two furred legs. I swung one arm behind my back, supporting her as much as I could. I felt her adjust. She was more stable. Four legs now, growls and barks, encouraging the boy to keep going.

Sometimes I was more wolf, pushing off against the ground. Sometimes I used clawed hands to grab small trees on either side of my path, vaulting myself forward.

The trail through the fire coincided with a deer trail for awhile. I pushed the boy in front of me. He was slowing, which meant I was slowing. I urged him forward, keeping my nose against his flank, pushing him.

The timber wolves finally caught up. They were now ranging around us. I left the boy to them, leaping ahead of them.

My vision shifted, spirit-vision overlapping what my eyes were showing me. The clear path veered from the deer trail. With a short howl that was part bark, I angled off again. I was trusting the timber wolves to follow.

I didn't hold back now; my body shifting between man and wolf and everything in between as needed. I was wolf when I needed speed. I became partially man when the girl on my back needed help.

My vision kept shifting. Man saw flames, wolf saw smells buried under the smell of smoke, spirit kept an eye on the path through the wildfire and the wolves that followed.

There were man-sounds ahead. The wolves around me had been barking and howling. Others had come. A man in jeans and flannel now ran behind me, carrying the youth, who was now a boy again, on his back.

There were men in front of me blocking my path. I was feral, no numbers in my head to help me focus. I was consumed with protecting my burden. Wolf growled at them as I stood on four legs.

It wasn't until one of the men came closer, kneeling on the ground before me, that my mind shifted again. His actions were too similar to Lone Wolf's. This man wasn't bowing to me though, he was merely lowering himself so we were eye to eye.

The girl stirred. I shifted enough so when I stood and twisted around, she slid into my arms. My snout touched her face, her neck.

"Safe."

The word came out, but the sounds that made the word were sounds a wolf would make.

She smiled at me. She wasn't afraid. I smiled back, not even knowing how much of me was wolf and how much was man. I set her down carefully on the forest floor.

I looked at the man in front of me. The growl I gave him was a warning. I stood over the girl for a moment, back on four legs. She reached for my front leg.

"Thank you, Spirit Wolf."

I could feel Spirit Wolf looking at her through my eyes with fondness. She was still smiling. I took a step back.

Man sounds invaded my awareness as Spirit Wolf withdrew. It was too much. I couldn't focus.

I sprang away full wolf.