Part XXVI

It was a relief to them all when Spring finally arrived in late March. Counting Wolver Tom, four of the prospectors had lived to see it come. Katie had survived as well, though she was considerably paler and thinner than she had been the past fall. She brushed aside Logan's concern with a smile.

"Nothing wrong with me any more that some good sunshine and fresh air won't fix. Just sad we lost so many. I suspect the illness came with two of the younger prospectors that we lost. Disease seems to be able to do that in some folks. Just hold on to them until the conditions favor it and then attack. If we'd had access to better medicines or warmer rooms... ah, but that's like wishing for pulling a diamond out of a creek. And no guarantees that anything else might have saved them either. That's the hard part about nursing folks, Logan. Some times you can have everything you need and do everything right, but the patient still dies. Just no getting around it."

One thing Katie had decreed was that all the bedding was going to get a good boiling, so Logan spent a good portion of his morning hauling water and wood. But that afternoon, he went out with Wolver Tom to see about taking care of the bodies. There wasn't much left to see. Mostly just bones.

Wolver Tom took a closer look around and pointed to some tracks.

"Wolverines been having a feast, look like. Well, no need telling that to the others. Let's just bury th' bones. Bones is all that'd be left after awhile anyway."

"Woverines? Do they hunt wolves too?"

Wolver Tom just laughed as he leaned on his shovel.

"Naw. Rascals are mean enough to try, though. Don't think they aren't. Ones I've seen are mebbe a yard long, but nature managed to cram a grizzly bear temper inside that little package. Small, scrappy and damn near fearless."

The two went to work and stayed mostly silent after that. They laid the remaining bones into shallow graves that they piled over with rocks since the ground was still too hard to penitrate well. Once they finished, Wolver Tom pulled off his cap and stood by the piles.

"Ain't much o' a hand at this, but Katie'll feel better if she knows a few words were said over you boys. The Lord giveth - the Lord taketh away. Amen"

At that, he plopped his hat back onto his head. Seeing Logan's puzzled look, he just shrugged.

"Closest thing t' a prayer I know, pup. I'm sure you ain't mistakin' me for no missionary."

Shouldering the shovel, he headed back toward camp.

"Y'know, still some good daylight left. Why don't we see if we can find us some fresh meat for the pot? You head on, I'll catch up after I get my rifle."

Logan just nodded and headed into the hills. Burying the other prospectors just reminded him of Victor. He hadn't had a lot of time to dwell on losing him, but whenever something reminded him, it hurt. And right now he just couldn't get his brother off of his mind.

He froze then as realization slowly dawned. He was smelling something that reminded him of Victor. Only wilder? Logan couldn't believe his nose, but he started heading toward the scent as quickly as he could. And then he froze again.

When he saw the grimy nude figure that was crouched down on all fours, Logan's immediate reaction was to wonder what it was. His nose practically slapped his brain with the information, but his eyes didn't believe it. Finally, he spoke, but his voice wasn't much over a whisper.

"Victor?"

The blonde head snapped up at that and then their eyes met. Logan shuddered. He'd never seen Victor's eyes look like that. So dark. So animalistic. But somewhere in the depths of those eyes, he could see a faint spark of recognition. Then a voice, raw and rough from long disuse.

"Juh... Jimmy?"

A shotgun blast ripped into Victor's right shoulder. Snarling, he disappeared back into the surrounding rocks. Wolver Tom came into Logan's sight then, shaking his head.

"Consarn it, boy. Don't go standing face to face with a wildcat. Especially not one that size. Mangy-ish looking one I ever did see. Worse - if they act like they got no fear of you, they could well be rabid."

Logan didn't fight it when Wolver Tom grabbed him by the arm and started them back toward camp, but his keen hearing picked up the very distinct sound of a growl.