The Raven and the Wolf

"Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from-the Quileutes, I mean?" he asked.

"Not really," I admitted.

"Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood-supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive, like Noah and the ark." He smiled then, to show me how little stock he put in the histories. "Another legend claims that we descended from wolves-and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them.

"Then there are the stories about the cold ones." His voice dropped a little lower.

"The cold ones?"

"Yes. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend , my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land." Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Your great-grandfather?"

"He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf-well, not the wolf really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves."

"Werewolves have enemies?"

"Only one."

I remembered the words like a tape recorder in my head. Playing over in Jacob's smooth dulcet tone.

It was amazing really how much information the story provided. First, discovering Edward, then Jacob, and now what? Jacob had told me Jerimiah was not entirely human, and that the Tlingit Indians of southern Alaska were related, some how, to the Quileutes?

"The Tribes of the Tlingit are divided into catagories then subcatagories. First, there are the three decent groups or moieties, the Yeil, Raven, the Gooch, Wolf, and the Ch'aak, or Eagle. The Moietie of the Ch'aak has been reduced somewhat in population, but the Raven and the Wolf descents still run strong..."

It was weird how it was as if he were repeating the words for me right here in my room, but it was only the crystal clear impression of his voice in my head.

"...Raven and Wolf descents still run strong..."

The relationship had to be in the wolf right? So if The Quileute, Jacob, are the wolves then Is Jerimiah the Raven? And if here in Forks there's a treaty with the Cullens is It similar in Alaska in Denali?

I had to stop thinking so much. Though Jacob said he'd be over later, I couldn't expect he'd be over at all.

I got up from my bed and walked down stairs in a sublime daze. I mean, you think you know the world and all it's dullness until smack something like this happens to you. Two years ago I would have dismissed the theory without even thinking it impossible. But now.... I didn't know what to expect to be around the next corner or through the next door way. Even walking down stairs I half expected Edward to be sitting at the kitchen table.

Unfortunately he wasn't. I knew he would be the only one to comfort my troubled thoughts. That he would somehow find a way to break through the weariness and unknown.

I gazed out the back window hoping to see the old style mansion through the slits in the trees, but all there was were brown and gray trunks and vivid green foliage.

Then there was a knock at the door.

I bounded away from the window, stumbling over the table chairs and wretched the door open.

Jacob smiled almost ear to ear, must have hearing my attempt to get to the door quickly.

"May I come in ?" He inquired

"Oh yeah. Come on in." I moved aside to let him in and shut the door behind him. "Now, I expect you came here to explain your friends?" I said as he sat down in the same chair I fell over.

"Well... I've come to the conclusion that I'm not the one to explain it."

I looked at him irritated, "Not yours to explain huh? Yeah, I believe that one." I rolled my eyes.

"If anyone, Bella, you would know," He paused. "People like us, we have our secrets and we have to respect that."

"I guess your right Jacob, but will I-"

"Meet Jerimiah tomorrow after school at the downtown diner," He interjected. "He'll explain everything to you, if he wants."

I nodded.

"And maybe I'll see you later, before Edward gets back." He said his name as if it pained him.

"Ok Jacob, see you then." And with that He opened the door, walked out in one step, and closed it behind him.

"Tomorrow." I said with an absent sigh.