River Guide: Pawprints on the Riverbank

To Keep A Promise

Adam's mother was outside hanging some washing to dry in the mid-day breeze. The day was always pleasant, the breeze warm, and the stream waters cool. Chores were few but enjoyed. It seemed to go on like that forever. As she went to hang up a shirt to dry, she was face to face with her son, Adam. It had been many years, but he had come home as he promised to do. The shirt dropped to the dirt at her feet. She screamed in joy and hugged her son close, kissing his face all over and wetting it with her salty warm tears. More of the family came pouring out of their cabins to see what the fuss was, and they were all amazed and joyful to see Adam with two unknown women. Adam introduced them to his mother first as the others listened. "Mother, this is my wife, Star Joy. She and I married a while ago. We have no children, but she is with our child now." His mother burst into tears again and greeted the bulging gleaming Star Joy with open arms. Once all of that rejoicing was over, Adam introduced the other woman. "Mother, this is Cherish. She lost her mother in a great flood and has come to live in our village with us. She saved my life once and is now my special friend." At that, mother took Cherish into her arms and kissed her face repeatedly.

"Any angel that saves my son's life is welcome in my house forever. Well, what a blessing today has become! I never imagined that you'd be returning at all. Yet here you are with wife and child in tow and a precious friend to boot! You'll have to come and share at least one meal with us, and I won't take no for an answer. You have to catch us all up!" Adam relented with a smile, and they all jumped into preparing for a feast. There were salted and smoked meats, vegetables, wine, and fruit preserves with bread loaves. All the best things were brought out and prepared as a celebration broke out at the homestead. Adam's mother couldn't stop touching Star Joy's tummy and praising them for making her so happy for her son. Star Joy was a wonderful dream come true. She had learned enough English now to hold simple conversations with them all, and she just loved the great joy within Adam's mother. Cherish was given the seat of honor at the table and had the first choice of all served. She took meager portions but enough to not offend.

Things got more somber as the celebration wound down, and it was just father, mother, Adam, and the ladies. "Mother," Adam started from his relaxed pose, "we wanted to come. I wanted to see that you were well and fulfill my old promise to return. These two wanted to meet you, and I wanted you to meet them." Adam started to look more detached by the moment, and he sat next to his mother then and spoke to her holding her hands. "I came now, but I cannot stay or come again for a long time. It is not because of you. It is because of who I am and who we are now. I love you from my heart and have longed to see you dearly for some time. We have a special calling, mother. A special duty that we have been gifted with. To each other, all of you, our people, and this land. I cannot explain to you properly with words, but I can show you." he said and released his mother's hands. He stepped back, and where Adam stood was now a large black fierce wolf. His mother gasped and gripped her husband's hand tightly!

Cherish chimed in, saying, "We are spirit walkers now, ma'am. We were chosen to be a blessing to the whole world. We protect that which is good and put away that which is not. We love you all, but we cannot return here until it is time for us to do so. Adam wanted you to know this and to understand why. He will always watch over you and never stop loving you, and neither shall we." As she said this, she suddenly changed into a beautiful white wolf with glowing white eyes. She touched her paw to Adam's mother's hand, and his mother understood who they now were. They were blessed, and a blessing. She could never be more proud and held Adam's father's hand a bit looser. Adam's father nodded proudly to his son with a knowing little grin and said, "Do it well, son. Do it well for us all." Star Joy changed into a dark wolf covered in bright white glowing spots like the stars, and the three all looked at Adam's parents and nodded. Then the wolves turned and looked to the distant hills, and they vanished.

That was a long week of tears for mother, but she never stopped being proud of her spirit walker son and his new family. She wanted to see her grandchild but accepted that she might never know she was looking at it, even if she could see it. With every creature she saw from that day forward, she thought of those three and the child. She would wave and smile at almost any animal with feet and was proud to be part of that family.