GRANDFATHER URSINWOLF Part 1: A young vulmane cub slept soundly. The muscles under his thick coat of fur were sore from one of the first day of learning how to hunt bears, a particularly important lesson for the Ursinwolf bloodline. Even in his dreams memory recalled of stalking an aged grizzly with more muscle than any one wolfen could handle. Like their four legged ancestors the tribal hunters worked together to take down the bear. This would prepare the young cub for the day he would have to tackle a smaller but mature bear later in life, all on his own. For many generations this was a rite of passage into adulthood. There were only several of them. They all utilized their skills to track the strongest game. The hunt begain near a river bank where fish would be returning for the mating season. At first there were only females to be found. Wisdom passed on from his grandfather reminded him, it is best not to hunt the females. The importance to birthing each and every gerneration to follow stretched the duration of their value longer than males. Finally the wolfen cubs spotted a large male who'd seen many seasons. They reported back to their fathers and the hunt really began. Each elder held their spear and stalked the wild beast. With a mighty howl from his father own father they began their attack when the animal had been most unaware. The attacks began with archers targeting the beast in the hind quarters and forhead. Swift was the grizzly and alert. It stood in the natural pool of water splashing about with its large claws at fish trying to get away yet, it managed to hear something that gave the skilled vulmane away. It stood on its two rear legs, which were thick as tree trunks. It roared a roar that could be heard for many miles away. More arrows were launched through the air. The bear saw that the intruders were not going away alive so it began to charge. Spears began to pierce the air, miss. Large were the strides. Within moment the bear was towering toe to toe with them all. Cubs were ordered to stay back as the elders began swinging their weapons at it. Many times it was struck and many times it just grew angrier which only made it easier to ignore the pan. Vulmane were swatted to the side. Then the hunters became the hunted. The elders led the beast in a direction opposite of the wolfen cubs. Still curious, they followed at a great distance. The command was given for one part of the group to taunt the bear with their spears while those with bows stayed out of it. It wasn't the moment to strike, they would just lose. The bear was then led on to chase by being poked lightly with spear heads. Archers ran uphill for a higher angle. Fast were the running elders who volenteered to become the bait for now. In a wide circle they ran, yelling and howling at the prey. They led it back to where the group had split up. The cubs watched intently and feeling the excitement as they themselves were there for the struggle to survive each slashing from those dark thick claws. A signal was made and down came the arrows that struck the grizzly. It took almost all arrows to slow it down before the final blow could be made by spear whenit finally fell dead. Every elder wooped loudly. The archers ran down hill to join the victory. Every vulmane cub was in awe. They were impressed with their fathers but in awe at the prey as well. It put up a terrific struggle for its right to live. They'd heard stories of how strong a bear could get but never believed any were so large and so powerful. There was no wonder why he relived the day in the dreaming world. Overhead outside through the night the moon crawled. It was early springtime. Days were beginning to last longer once more. Migrating birds returned from the warmer climates. Leaves were buddng on the branches of every tree. Flowers began their bloom. The nights were still chilly and daytime still cool. It was normal for this time of year. Soundly the cub snored. His elders were fast asleep. Something began stirring his dreams though. It was a chill in the air besides nature's spring time. His ice blue eyes snapped open. He looked around to see elder Ursinwolfs. They slept well. Then he saw his grandfather, Maghorn Marshwolf, his mother's father. How he smiled earlier today at his grandson's excitement from the first day scouting. He was proud of the good work the cub did earlier. "Too bad you couldn't have been there grandpa." Words echoing from earlier in thought. The cub would have loved to have had the old dog along but he'd been too ill to share the time. Losing weight. Sleeping more. He had that sickly smell about him. Still, he loved the vulmane alot. He smiled at the sight but it didn't last long. A careful look said something was wrong. Infact he was sleeping too well. Part 2: "Oh no." Tears began to form against those icy blues. "Grandfather?" Slowly the cub got out from underneath his blankets. Silent as if on the hunt again, he stepped across dirt floor inside the large tent. When within arms reach, he placed a paw on his grandfather. "No." He whispered. "Grandfather." Instead of howling woefully he just sat back staring forward. It was hard to blink from the subtle shock coming on. Again he reached out. Not out of hope for imagining this was part of a dream gone wrong. He was too aware a wolfen to second guess. It was because once the other's found out, once he told them it would be impossible to feel the course fur so close of one whom he respected so much. He never, at only so few winters old imagined any of those loved dearly gone for good. Upon that thought he felt something like strength to lunge foreward from the spot he sat at. How tightly he held Maghorn. Tears poured now down his cheeks. One ran along the whiskers at the end of his snout, dropping to the ground. "This will be the last hug I get to give you the biggest hug grandfather." It was hard to speak from breathe so lost. It took several more times before he could say more. He nuzzled Maghorn effectionately as he would either of his parents when so sad. "I'm sorry. Sorry I am being weak right now. I'll never be as tough as you. Or as strong." "Vkori." Someone said. Vkori turned away from his grandfather and looked up. He expected it to be his grandfather for some reason but it was his mother. "Mother." He couldn't tear himself away from Maghorn. Part of him was embarressed from being seen crying. His mother kneeled. A gulp went down her throat. She nodded, letting Vkori having the space he needed at the moment. "I know." It took a moment to find something to say. No matter what, anything would sound awkward. For now she'd let her son have space while speaking. She, herself was not crying openly. She'd been taught well over about the cycle of life. It didn't stop her from being sad but, her cub needed her to be made of stone. What could she say though. "Did you see him die?" "No." the whites of his eyes burning red from saddness. "Something woke me. A breeze I think. He was laying there as expected and then....Oh mother why? Why now?" Both mother and son looked at each other briefly. It was hard to make eye contact for both. Vkori looked away to the side. "I don't know Vkori. I don't even know if there is a why. Sometimes things just are." She too looked aside. It was hard to keep looking at her son so upset. It was just as hard to face her father who'd sleep forever from this time forward. "We all have seasons to our life. We are spring when mothers give birth to us. We grow, living life as wolfen cub, that is our summer with hope to spare some for when we are still youthful adults. When you reach my age, it will be the autumn of life. Your grandfather, Maghorn, was in his winter." "Why can't he just have spring again?" Cried out Vkori. His mother shook her head. "I don't know that either. Some might say he will. Some wolfen sages believe wolfen spirits will rejoin this life once more, many generations from now as another wolfen, or wild beast. Others say that there is the realm where all wolfen go after leaving the mortal world to be with each other forever in a place meant only for spirits." Vkori looked up once more at his father. "Do you know what will happen to his spirit?" "No my son. I do not. I have no magic to tell me. I am no seer. Nor am I one of the gods." She paused for a moment to clear her throat. "I can only tell you I am feeling lost as you are." "You don't cry though." Vkori looked back at his grandfather, once more keeping as close as he would when a newborn."I'm a weakling." Part 3: "No Vkori. Your grandfather would not say such things about you, nor think you are weak." She built up the strength to finaly look into her cub's eyes straight on. They were calm. He ran up to her, looking over his shoulder the whole way until grasping tightly to her shoulders. Now the tears really came out and the other Ursinwolfs began to stir. "I don't either." They cried together. Cousins, uncles and aunts comforted each other as well. At the center was the late elder's material form. One by one they began to look over to old Maghorn. There was peace unlike any other that had taken his face. For years he'd been ill. Which made their family's nomadic life difficult. Yet, the love for Maghorn kept them all by his side just as now love for him kept them all close to each other. Sadness wore them all out. Eventually Maghorn's form was left to be alone with his offspring and wife. Vkori watched from outside. They spoke to his grandfather as though he could still hear somehow. Around him stretcher of bear hide and wooden poled were being prepared. "Grandfather." His whispers went unnoticed. "I'm going to miss you. I wish you could have been here to see the day I am no longer a cub. I wanted to go fishing with you once more like we did last summer. I'm not alot like the rest of us Ursinwolfs and I know I'm not tough like you. If you can hear me somehow, if your spirit lingers somewhere, I'd like you to know how much I wish you'd hear me saying goodbye." He kept a distance from the rest of the family for the rest of the night. To the sky he looked to the moon barely touching the horizon. Eventually he fell asleep. It was a troubled sleep where his saddness came to life . Prologue: Vkori was the last to walk away from the burial site. It was daytime. Ravens cawed overhead. For a moment he thought he heard the sound of a horse in the distance. For the briefest moment he imagined a white horse standing motionless on the horizon. Sitting on top looked like a healthy woflen. In one hand, a hammer was held tight. The steed came closer. Up he looked at the vulmane rider. The fur patterns matched that of Maghorn. The armor and horned helm looked familer too. The cub didn't know what to do. His footsteps were frozen in place. "Mother!" He howled. "Grandmother!" Just what was going on here, Vkori wondered. He looked back to where all his family stood many many large strides away. No one heard him it seemed. He turned once more to the wolfen warrior on horseback. Vkori stood alone. There was nothing to see but the burial marker and the surrounding trees gentley blown by nature's breathe.
