//- BLACK WOLF'S PACK -- PROTECTORS OF THE FOREST -\\

In the eastern region of Colorado and the western region of South Dakota, there was a pack of Wolves that inhabited these parts of the Rocky Mountains. The leader of this pack was black as midnight, and he was known as Black Wolf ~ he was very mysterious, very dominant, very cautious, very determined, very protective, very shy, and very illusive! His yellow eyes were very prominent with the black color of his body! When he was alarmed, his ears would stand very erect, his hair around the nape of his neck would bristle up, his yellow eyes became sharply focused, and his fangs would show very commandingly! He was the Alpha of this wolf pack!

His pack consisted of nine wolves that included three young wolves. They were very close knitted and followed a strict social ranking. They often would go to their favorite ledge high above all other ledges, which over looked far and wide over a large and spacious area to howl or to serenade. There, he and his mate would begin to serenade or howl in their typical calls to locate other wolves in their vicinity to see if they were friend or foe! Their serenade was very tingling and ghostly if heard by a human! But each wolf had his or her own distinctive call! For they knew who was serenading or howling! Black Wolf did not want any strange wolves in his domain! If there was a reply to his howling, Black Wolf would locate this stranger and challenge him to be gone from his territory. This was a very strict social and political hierarchy that was important to Black Wolf that no strange wolf would enter his domain and mix within his pack of wolves.

One day an Indian brave by the name of Kicking Bird was out on a hunt from his nearby village seeking food. He had brought down an antelope and a deer with his arrows as his prize for food, clothing, and warmth. As he was bringing his prizes towards his village, he stumbled and fell due to the weight of his prizes he was carrying. When he fell, his head hit a large stone, which caused a deep cut on his head. The cut was bleeding rather fast, and his ankle was hurt. He could not get up nor attend to his head wound. He was in a wild territory, and he was very vulnerable. However, Black Wolf who had been following and stalking him for some time saw this human fall. On seeing Kicking Bird fall and motionless, Black Wolf knew something was wrong and that this human was hurt. As he cautiously approached the fallen hunter who he had seen many times in the woods, Black Wolf knew him to be also a friend of the forest. What could he do to help this fallen human and befriend him? He began to howl to his pack to come to him.

"A friend of the forest lies here and is hurt. He was bringing food to his people and fell. His head is hurt and he is losing his life. We must help him. You, Grey Wolf, go to his people and find a friend of his village! In your way, tell the friend to follow you, and bring him to this place. In the mean time, let's drag Kicking Bird to the cave of our home, and protect him from harm. We shall try in our way to bring him to life."

Black Wolf's mate, Maia, and her wolves dragged the antelope and deer to their cave for protection. Kicking Bird began to move and realized that Black Wolf and the other wolves were dragging him into their cave. He moaned and knew that he was hurt and bleeding. He recognized Black Wolf as an old friend! He held out his hand as a gesture to say "thanks". Black Wolf came closer to Kicking Bird! Black Wolf's yellow eyes looked at Kicking Bird as if to say, "You are with us now to help you, have no fear!"

Black Wolf's mate was called, Maia. She was almost all white except for her light-brownish colored streaks down her back and over her body. She had a very distinctive medium sized black patch on her chest that was diamond shaped. Her yellow eyes were very prominent with her golden-white color between her black nose and yellow eyes. Her fur was thick for warmth. She had very prominent fangs. She was very strong willed and very determined. Yet she was gentle and caring when it came time to be responsible to her family and pups.

Maia and the other wolves had no difficulty in dragging Kicking Bird's antelope and deer to a secluded place in their cave to save his food. They wanted to help save Kicking Bird for he was their friend of the forest. Maia even gnawed a piece of skin from the antelope's leg and placed it on Kicking Bird's deep cut on his head to help stop the blood from flowing rapidly from the wound. This piece of skin helped to stop the bleeding for it was fresh and warm. Kicking Bird instantly knew this piece of skin helped the cut on his head for it soothed the area of the wound. He was beginning to regain his senses.

Grey Wolf rapidly went to Kicking Bird's village. He circled the village several times in search of a friend to follow him by barking and yelping. He was seen several times but he quickly vanished into the woods. Several warriors of Kicking Bird's village did not yet understand the manner that Grey Wolf was trying to pick a likeable friend of Kicking Bird. Finally, a brave named Red Hawk sensed Grey Wolf's mannerisms and ventured into the woods to locate the wolf. Red Hawk had not gone very far when he saw Grey Wolf looking at him with caution, head down to the ground, ears erect, his fangs showing commandingly, his yellow eyes glaring and were sharply focused on Red Hawk. Then Grey Wolf suddenly turned and ran a short distance, stopped and repeated his actions. Red Hawk said to Grey Wolf, "What are you trying to tell me to do?" Grey Wolf barked at Red Hawk to make further gestures of gaining his attention. He backed up into the forest facing Red Hawk as if to say, "Follow Me!" He turned around quickly and ran another short distance, stopped, and repeated again his mannerisms. Red Hawk knew then that the wolf was trying to make Red Hawk follow him. Grey Wolf started at a fast trot with Red Hawk quickly following him. In a short time, Grey Wolf led Red Hawk to a very dense wooded area towards a big cave.

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