She Wolf Ch. 04

"I understand. Thank you for your gifts. I hope I prove worthy of them."

"You will be tested to your limits. You will need all your skills. The fate of many rests upon you."

He sat down as he had been when they arrived. "My time is now over. I have given all the gifts I have. I am ready to die."

"No, Great Bear, no! You are Great Bear. You are needed. Our people need you."

He shook his head and said solemnly. "I am ready. I am not afraid. It is so. You need to rejoin your packs. The tribal pack must travel north to join the others. Time is short."

"It will take two nights to get back and get them started."

Janet said "No it won't. I realize the approach as wolves was necessary in order for the gifts to be bestowed, but there is no need for that sort of journey now. The time is urgent. We'll get them started right away and the plane can be here quickly."

She closed her eyes and communicated with Fang.

Before dark five motorcycles with two riders each and three pickups loaded with riders and gear headed north. One additional motorcycle had only one rider. That motorcycle roared up to Great Bear's hogan and Eagle Claw hopped aboard to join the caravan, twenty five pack members in all, drawing from all the tribes. Henry had the plane loaded and was in the air on the way to pick up Janet.

The plane touched down on the dusty dirt road leading to Great Bear. Janet loaded her bow and arrow and prepared to board.

"Wait. I feel something."

She ran back to the hogan. "Great Bear, there is evil nearby. Come with us."

He shook his head.

"Then we'll take care of it."

Again he shook his head. "No. It is my time to go. I have nothing to give them. There is nothing here they can use. Take your gifts and go. You are needed up north. Evil will win some battles, but must be destroyed. I will handle what happens here."

Reluctantly Janet boarded the plane and Henry turned to take off. As the plane rose Janet gasped to see four wolves circling Great Bear's hogan. Tears ran down her face as she watched them close in and rush inside. One flew out, a burning ball of fire, but soon the hogan was engulfed in flames. The wolf outside continued to burn with a fire that could not be extinguished, and none of the other wolves escaped. Ordinary fire could not destroy wolves, but Great Bear had prepared fire that would destroy them.

"We will do this for you, Great Bear. Thank you."

Celestial is heading to face an unknown foe and Swift has some decisions to make. Chapter 5 continues the story.