Chapter 22.
On The Trail
Virginia stood in the small clearing, yawning and stretching her aching back. She had carried her share of the load with the others, despite Evelyn's objections, but Virginia would have felt weighed down even if she had walked naked. The small group of campers had been trailing the wolf pack for nearly a week now and every morning brought another load of despair to her already burdened shoulders.
She just couldn't believe that they had disappeared into thin air, yet Shaman had told her that a wolf-packs territory could cover hundreds of square miles, and their movements were erratic, unplanned. It was also quite likely, she had said, that the pack knew of their presence and were deftly avoiding them. Virginia did not want to think what that meant. At least she knew her Wolf still ran with his wild cousins. They had seen his footprints several times, mixed up with the natural padmarks. The trails crisscrossed the forest. Virginia was very glad she had such experienced trackers with her. She would have been completely lost within a day otherwise.
She looked around the camp site, seeing the rest of the group beginning to stir from their tents and bedrolls. The weather had been kind to them, at least, with Virginia spending most nights under the stars, just in case a wandering half-wolf should pass by and recognize her. She brushed tears away angrily. She was tired of crying. To distract herself, she rubbed absently at her stomach, smiling at the tiny yet clearly noticable bump that had appeared, as if overnight. Cub was growing strong, making his presence felt in many ways. She had to step off the trail several times a day now to pass water and her bra struggled to contain her swelling breasts. She daydreamed about what Wolf's reaction to them would be when they were together again. They would be together, she told herself fiercely. She had discovered an inner determination which had proved itself stronger than she had thought possible. Most of the time anyway. Nights were the worst, tears trickling down into Wolf's old shirt she held to her nose, breathing in his natural, wild, clean scent.
The camp stirred and she smelt food cooking, smiling at the unmistakeable odour of frying bacon. The party had been replenished with fresh supplies every few days as various clan members picked up their trail, carrying in what was needed and returning back to the lodge community. Virginia had specifically asked for the bacon, knowing her man well enough that even if he had gone totally wolf-wild, that particular scent would draw him from miles away. They'd had no luck, though, she had to admit. Not yet anyway.
Virginia turned to see Shaman approaching. She was amazed at the older woman's vigour, keeping up with the younger members of the party and sometimes even leading them. Her bird bright eyes sparkled in the early morning light.
"Come and eat, little mother" she said, patting at Virginia's baby bump. Although too small yet to be felt, Cub squirmed in pleasure at the touch, doing little somersaults in his warm and dark home, kicking his legs and flicking his tiny tail.
Later, as they prepared to break camp, she drew Virginia aside.
"Hmm, my heart tells me that we are getting closer" she said.
"Really! Do you think so?" said Virginia, hoping she wasn't sounding too doubtful.
"You must prepare yourself, Virginia" Shaman said solemnly.
"He may not be the man you remember, not even remotely" she added.
"Shaman, what do you feel had happened to him, really? I do not understand why he has made no effort to return to me, to our life together, our cub" Virginia said, choking back tears once more.
"Well, from what you have told me about his nature, I would think that his wolf-half is now completely dominant, even now that the full moon is well past. It's most likely a survival technique he used when they were, torturing, him. Pain will do that even to the strongest. His human mind may have been unable to tolerate what was being done, so his wolf-mind took over. It was his wolf-self that got him out of there, that caused the damage and routed the priests. Perhaps it is unwilling to relinquish it's control until he feels safe once more. We don't know how long that will take, if at all" Shaman said, holding Virginia.
"I would not blame him for that"
"Nor I! Still, I am not giving up just yet! And there is much that can be done when we do catch up to him" she added firmly.
Virginia was glad of the old womans' confidence, taking strength from her.
"I don't know what I would have done without you, all of you" she said with meaning.
"Heh heh heh. It was meant to be, dear one. Freely sought, freely given. Besides, we haven't had such an interesting adventure in so many years!" Shaman answered her, winking.
Camp was struck finally and Virginia and the others shouldered their loads, though Virginia suspected that hers had been lightened secretly during the night. She smiled to herself, following her friends as they stepped back onto the winding trail.