His Wolf

Chapter 16

Back at home the four wolves actually helped for the first time since they had crashed his home. The sharp teeth sliced through the tough meat of his caribou, expertly separating the skin from the muscle. If Anton hadn't known before, then now would have been the last straw, because wolves were strategically skinning a caribou without tearing it apart. The fact alone that they didn't harm him would have driven people over to insanity for sure.

They were currently all behind the shed, where Anton normally prepared the carcass and to do it with others, even if they were not all human, was still a nice change from his lonely pre-existance. While the whole pack was actively skinning, Ida doing something in the house, a weird droning sound came closer and closer. Standing to his feet, Ant rounded the corner of the shed and kept a keen gaze on the frozen landscape. Down near the edge of decline, just behind the treeline, a crow took flight.

The low whirring became louder and soon turned into the rumble of the engine of a snowmobile, one that he recognised. Ant hadn't realised that it was already near the yearly occurrence of their Fire nights, a yearly spectacle that could, apparently, only be seen from his property. Something to do with the location gave one the only view of the meteor showers that came so close to earth that they breached the aurora borealis, creating a truly epic view.

By now, his new pack had gathered around Anton, they watched calmly as the machine drew closer and closer to the homestead. A few metres away from Anton and the wolves, the snowmobile came to a stop, engine still idling. The driver took off his ski mask and snow goggles and the large grin on his best friends face showed through.

"Day Ant, what's up wit' te new fam'ly? Ne'er picked ya fer tha' wolfie kind." The grin never left his friends face. Anton wondered if Packer was actually for real right now. He that always argued that it wasn't safe for Ant to live in the mountains by himself. And now he didn't bat even an eyelash at the four majestic creatures, whose hackles, by now, had risen along their spines. "Oh, calm ye fussin' ye hairy furballs. Don' ye recognise a wolf when ye see one?"

This made Anton's eyebrows crease. "What do you mean Packer? Why are you not acting differently?"

His friend looked at him with what appeared apology in his eyes. "Me fam'ly s'got wolf in me, Ant. Ai've known aboot 'em me whole life. It just ain't te type o' story ye tell anyone tha' don't know aboot it themselves. And there's codes that prohibit anyone from tellin'. Wha' I'm tryna' say Ant, is tha' I'm sorry fer no' tellin' ya."

The sincerety in his friends eyes made him stop from unleashing a monologue of accusations at him. When he thought about it it made sense. So instead of making the situation harder than it had to be, Ant simply nodded at his friend and stepped forward embracing him in welcome. 

"Well, it's nice to see a familiar face. And i can introduce you." Anton had already turned back towards the house and made it up the front steps.

"Intraduce me? Ta whom?" Upon a glance at Packer's face Anton had to smirk.

"To my soulmate of course." Anton had just spoke the words when he reached the door and opened it. "Ida? There's someone I'd like you to meet!"

His beautiful Ida came around the corner and looked curiously at him and then the towering man behind him. With a sniff of the room, her crystal eyes widened before they snapped to Ant. "He's wolf! Ant!" Then directly  addressing the stranger she said "You're wolf!"

Ant turned to watch Packer's reaction carefully. A light blush had risen up his cheeks, mostly covered by the thick growth of his facial monstrosity. "Well, par'ly a' least. The name's Packer by tha' way."

Ida nodded at his friend before looking back at Ant. "I didn't know you had more wolf friends."

Anton answered nonchalantly that he didn't either.

Before long the other wolves had also come into the house and apparently Packer understood everything they were communicating through their body language. Ant knew there was still a lot he was missing out on, but he was getting there. 

Outside, the sky was rapidly descending into pitch black. With a gleeful smile Packer made eye contact with Anton before announcing "it's time" to the rest. Anton quickly gathered a mountain of furs and made his way outside. A good ten yards away from the house he stopped and splayed the blankets on the snowy ground.

Packer was not far behind him with a large thermos of hot tea and another of what he presumed was water for the wolves. Ida, ever the curious one, was standing in the middle of the way and looking around, watching as to what they were doing.

"Don' ye fret lassie. The show has'na yet begun." Packer laughed at himself and continued to do bring out some food in the form of snacks that he himself had brought along from town.

The wolves were sniffing along the furs and trotting out into the darkness before appearing in the light again. Ant watched Ida in among them playing tag with one of her brothers. He loved her playful attitude. He decided it would be worthwhile to bring his camera. He only needed one picture and then he could sell it again. Although he wasn't so sure yet. They had to turn out to be good enough first.

Snow was crunching under his boot, the yips and yaps of the wolves and the giggles of his mate made his chest want to burst with joy. Settling onto the warm layers next to Packer they lay back and watched the sky for the northern light. 

"Congratulations, mate!" Packer said next to him. "It isna' easy findin' a soulmate. I donna know if i should be jealous of ye or happy. Either way, i wish ye tha' best o' luck. Least now i know ye won't be all alone up hear."

Warmth spread through Anton's chest. The words meant the world to him, especially coming from his best friend. "Thanks Packer, I appreciate it."

Behind him, Ida's giggles drew closer until her body jumped down next to his. Her body was still shaking from laughter as she snuggled closer to Anton's chest. Ant draped his arm over her shoulder and drew her closer while leaning up and placing a loving kiss on the crown of her head.

"So what are we waiting..." Before Ida could finish her sentence, her eyes were drawn to the black sky. Only the slow snaking tendrils of the aurora borealis were starting to make their appearance.

Anton didn't bother answered her unfinished question, for moments later, the first shooting star whizzed through the dancing lights in the sky leaving a brilliant trail of blue sparks behind. Where the shooting star penetrated the light, the tendrils were distorted from their rhythm and swirled in a lazy circle. Within the circle, thousands of sparks twinkled and looked as though the stars were truly falling towards the earth.

The fire night had begun.