“It must,” Storm said. He went inside the pen. He looked directly into the eyes of the older wolf.
It seemed to Shoshana that they were communicating in some mystical, silent way.
She gasped with awe when the wolf stepped closer to Storm, nuzzled his hand with its nose, then gave its pup a long, last look and left the pen, yapping as it ran to catch up with the others.
“You seemed to be communicating with one another,” Shoshana said, moving to Storm’s side. “And . . . and . . . she actually left her pup behind, apparently in your care.”
“I have talked often to animals, as they talk to me,” Storm said. He bent low and gathered up the tiny, weak pup in his arms, cuddling it close to his chest.
“Will you take the pup to your village to care for it?” Shoshana asked as Storm carried it away from the pen.
“Yes, it will be a part of my people until it is well enough to be released back to the wild,” Storm said. He nodded to the horse tied at the hitching rail. “Mount the steed. We must not delay any longer.”
Overjoyed to be leaving that filthy cabin behind, Shoshana didn’t hesitate to mount the horse.
After Storm secured the wolf pup in the bag at the side of his horse, where only its face was exposed, he mounted his own steed and, together, he and Shoshana rode from the cabin.
“How far do we have to travel before reaching your stronghold?” Shoshana asked, suddenly realizing just how tired she was, and hungry.
She was also beginning to feel guilty for not having asked to be taken to the fort so that George Whaley would know she was all right.
Yet part of her rejoiced in her freedom from him. In a very real way, his love had kept her a prisoner. She was free for the first time since that day when her entire world had been torn apart.
“It is quite a distance, but if you grow too tired along the way, we can stop and rest. It would be best to continue onward until we reach the safety of the stronghold,” Storm said.
They traveled through the narrow canyon, then through the thick aspen forest, and started up a narrow pass, with a steep drop-off at one side.
Shoshana didn’t feel the danger of the drop-off. In fact, she felt as though she were home. She felt completely safe with this man.
Staying close by his side, she glanced over at him. She admired his splendid panther-skin saddle. She admired him. He had such poise . . . such dignity of character!
“Are you married?” Shoshana suddenly blurted out, then blushed when she saw his stunned expression.
She was surprised at herself for being so inquisitive. She started to apologize, but didn’t, for she truly did want to know if he was married or not.
“No, I am not married,” Storm said slowly. “My life is too full of responsibilities. I have not wanted any others . . . until today.”
“What do you mean by that?” Shoshana dared ask. “What is different about today?”
He looked over at her. Her eyes met his in the soft moonlight.
“You,” he said thickly.
She was taken off guard by his answer, and wondered if she should be afraid.
“Why . . . me . . . ?” she murmured, knowing that he must be able to see the blush on her copper cheeks, with the moon’s glow rendering the night so much like day.
“Because I must see to your safety,” Storm said, lying again.
Trying to hide her disappointment, Shoshana turned her eyes quickly away from Storm. She had been foolish to think that she might be something more than a responsibility to Storm.
They had only just met!
But Storm was thinking to himself that until today he hadn’t wanted such a responsibility as a wife, nor the sadness of losing one.
But now? He was attracted to Shoshana in ways he
had never felt before.