Deep Within The Thicket

Deep Within The Thicket

There on the range, my horse and I stood, his reins held tightly in my hands. I was enjoying the scene before me. Off In the distance, miles from where I stood, dark gray clouds billowed in the hot summer heat, a sure sign of a thunder storm. I watched as the sky darkened and bolts of lightening zigzagged its way across the horizon. My black Mustang; Blackjack bolted at the loud noises, but settled down when I soothed him with a soft voice and a caress upon his neck. When the lightening bolts become more frequent, the wind picked up and began to blow fiercely across the range, the grass leaned away from the wind as if to save it self from breaking off. Rain drops fell softly upon the rocky soil. Here and there drops of rain fell upon the little yellow wild flowers bursting from the earth. The storm went as fast as it had come. One of those summer showers that freshens the earth, settles the dust, and gives Mother Nature a well needed boost now and again. I stood there for a moment breathing in the freshness in the air.

After the storm had subsided I heard what sounded like a lone wolf, faintly in the distance I heard it, but where? That lonely eerie sound that carries chills to your very core. I heard it again, only this time it is much closer. Where was it coming from? There was a clearing about a quarter mile from me. Off to my left, just beyond that thicket of trees and underbrush. Several Pine trees block my view. Below this is a rock ledge, and below it is a stream running full from the rains. My heart is beating so loudly even I can hear it. Standing there squinting my eyes, looking in the shadows of the ledge I see movement, but what is it?

The sun is at its peak now and the rain has caused a vapor to fog my view. There standing at the very top of the ledge, is the most beautiful wolf I have ever seen. He is mostly white, from what I can see of him. Was he a wolf I wondered? He sounded like a wolf when he called out? I watched from the tall brush, I lay down on the ground, and using my binoculars, I am able to get a better view of him and his mate. She looked more like what I envisioned a wolf would look like. She had the brown, black and gray colors that mingled together, giving her that frosted look.

They romped in the grass, drank from the stream, and loved with abandonment. To them nothing else in their world existed. Suddenly out of nowhere, a movement in the thicket brought them to an abrupt halt, for a moment they didn’t move. Then they, in unison moved towards the thicket, tails wagging. Tumbling out of the thicket came five pups, all running towards the adults. They each in turn received a face washing, a sniff and lots of loving. Among the pups there were four brown ones like the mother and one white one like the father. After several moments of romping and tail pulling and having fun they settled in for a nourishing meal. Settling down mother made a head count, she laid her paw across them and lay her head down and was content as they fed. The father watched for a moment or two, and then disappeared into the trees. I have no idea where he went, but as I lay there watching the she dog care for her litter, she bathed them and nuzzled them as they nursed. And she drifted off into a wakeful sleep.

It seemed like an hour, but it couldn’t have been that long. The sun beat warmly upon the damp grass as I lay there. The fresh scent of the rain and wet grass was so relaxing that I must have dozed off for a moment or two, for when I awoke the shadow of Blackjack startled me and I jumped up. As I looked down into the clearing the pups had disappeared, and the male and female were eating what was left of a very large rabbit. Apparently in all the excitement they had heard me or seen me, and before I could drop back down to the ground they ran into the brush. I stood there for a long time, wondering if I would see them again. Knowing that I probably wouldn’t, and that was probably a good thing. I prayed that GOD would keep them safe, and maybe some day we would meet again.

@ K.L. Farnum

Story ID:	1540
Written by:	K. L. Farnum (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Story
Location:	Montana U. S. A.
Year:	2006
Person:	Me