36 Ch 36 Marathon (2/2)

She giggled as only a young girl can do. I knew if I left now she would be on cloud nine for forever.

I needed to get her back on course, and soon. I did that obvious come-follow-me thing that dogs do. The last part of the marathon used a road that ran parallel to the first part. I could save her a lot of steps leading her through the woods.

When she didn't get up right away I came back. I was less hesitant, going up and sniffing around her. There was a slight smell of blood from a scraped knee. There were spots... I knew then I had just identified the smell of cancer. I closed my eyes, leaning my head into her. I was surprised at her words as her fingers worked their way into my ruff.

\”Don't cry, it's ok. Some day I'm going to really get my wish. I'm going to be just like you and run forever on four legs. When I get tired of running I'm going to get a drink from a clear forest stream. Then I'm going to lay down for a while in a sun-filled meadow and watch the clouds.\”

I pulled back enough to look at her. Her fingers were still in my ruff. She wasn't at all afraid, talking to me as if I was her best friend.

\”I'm not going to be alone either!\” She continued. \”There's this beautiful wolf there. You'll like him! He has silver eyes and grey fur, but it isn't solid grey. There are hints of red, yellow, black and white... hey, just like that little song! Do you know it? Red yellow black and white, all are precious in his sight! I never thought of that before!\”

She grinned at me in delight of her little revelation. I grinned back but then encouraged her to move by pushing her up from under her armpit. She grabbed onto me, really leaning her weight on me as she finally stood up.

\”Yeah, I suppose your right, I should get back. I don't want to though. I want to stay with you!\”

I gave her a look she could decipher even coming from a wolf. She sighed dramatically and started to walk away from me, waving sadly. I shook my head and circled around to head her in the right direction.

\”Can I really go with you?\” She squealed excitedly.

I laughed at her sudden joy, pricking my ears up. I know she thought that was for her, but in truth I figured if anyone was around they would have heard that squeal! No one. I wondered how long ago she had managed to dump her dad.

We walked through the woods then, her hand on my head or on my back. She occasionally leaned on me, putting her weight on me as we went up small hills, or to steady herself as we went down them. I went at her pace, lifting my snout toward her on occasion to let her know I was still listening to her, for she hadn't stopped talking the entire time!

She told me about her cancer. She shared the pain of missing so much school because of being sick so much. She missed hanging out with her friends. She told me about how her mom quit her job to stay home with her, how her dad worked even harder. She told me how sad she felt for them, having to be burdened with caring for her. She shared the joys too, the family times that let her know those burdens she imagined were easily shouldered by her parents because of the love they had for her.

\”It makes me feel bad, the way I yelled at dad to get my way. I told him I wanted to just be alone in nature for awhile and he should go on and wait for me at the next rest stop. I yelled at mom yesterday too. I shouldn't yell so much!\”

I nodded sagely, giving a little huff. She laughed at me.

\”I know, I know! I'll apologize to them when we get back. Both of them! Did you know mom learned to knit just so she could make me this hat? I always picture myself as a white wolf. White wolves are supposed to be special, but white is so boring! I always told her I'd color my fur with some pink so it would look like I was wearing a tiara, a pink tiara! I bet you think that's silly, huh?\”

She went on as I sidetracked just a little to where I knew there was a small, very small, stream so she could drink. That elicited another \”Ohhhh!!!\”

After we had drunk some side by side I pushed her on.  It wasn't long after that I was able to hear people ahead of us. I led her up a small embankment, then pulled away.

\”Noooo!!!\”

I nodded yes, motioning with my snout that I wanted her to go on alone. She stood there a moment shaking her head no, tears coming from her eyes.

I came back to her, rising up to put my paws on her shoulders. I was careful to put my weight on my hind legs and not on her. I nuzzled her and licked her face in a gentle kiss. I put my forehead against hers for a moment. She gave a heavy sigh.

\”I love you,\” she said sincerely. \”I will always love you! Thank you for spending today with me!\” She gave me a kiss on my nose, then we broke apart.

I dropped to all fours and gave her a playful nudge forward. She stumbled slightly and by the time she straightened up and looked for me, I was gone.

I watched as she slid down the embankment to the road. I watched as she waved down some runners, one of which ran back the way they had come. I wanted to keep watching, but this was the perfect time for me to truly slide away.

I dropped down from the tree I had climbed. It had never occurred to her to look up, and I knew how to be silent. I ran at my fastest speed back to where my clothes were.

I dressed quickly, not bothering with the socks, merely shoving them into my pocket for now. I had a sense of urgency for some reason. It had been building since I left her on the road.

It was as if Spirit Wolf was goading me on.

I ran, scenting her backward trail until I came to the place she had slid. There! My hand snatched the small rock of its own accord. I held it as if it was a treasure. If anyone were to look at me right now, I knew they would see wolf eyes in my face, black wolf nose even without much of a snout. This was something new for me but I barely gave it a thought.

All of my senses were focused on the small stone in my hand, half of it covered in her blood from where she had scraped her knee.

The blood of the innocent upon the land.

The words were a refrain in my head that kept repeating itself as I panted from more than my run. I felt as unfocused as I had the night of the fire. Spirit Wolf's presence was overwhelming.

The blood of the innocent upon the land.

I felt Spirit Wolf's calling within me. Soon it would be time for my new name. My feet were on the path. The events that would lead to that name were set in motion.

The blood of the innocent upon the land.

I would give my life to protect those innocents, guarding them against any who would dare try to spill that blood. I would fight to make sure that innocent blood did not spill!

My head went back, and my howl reverberated through the woods, echoing across the sky. There was no boundary in me between body, mind and spirit; no boundary between wolf and man. My song had gained new notes, new depth, new determination, as if the little sister's fierce song of life had become embedded in my own.

The blood of the innocent upon the land.

That refrain now echoed within me, with every beat of my heart, as much a part of me as my own blood that flowed within me.