Wolf-Girl

A young girl sat sobbing in a corner of the tiny prarie house. To her left, a brunette woman lay still on the bed, not breathing. The little girl stopped sobbing for a minute, shuffling her knees along the floor on her dirty pinifore, and stopped by the edge of the bed.1

"Mummy?" She whispered, but no sound came from the lifeless body. She sank onto the floor, and began to sob her little heart out again. She didn't understand what had happened. Her Mummy had been poorly, yes, but Mummy had said that she would be fine. The little girl, Clare, had no father; he had left when she was a baby. When she woke up this morning, her Mummy hadn't been moving, so Clare had got up to make some breakfast, as she was ill. Then she realised that her Mummy had died.2

Clare stood up suddenly, wiping her tears away with a dirty hand. Although she was only seven, she was a resourceful little girl. She decided the best thing to do, would be to do what her Mummy had done every morning before she became ill. Clare decided she would gather some wood to light a fire to warm the house up.3

As she opened the wooden door, she heard a soft, frightened whimpering. Looking out into the woods, she saw a tiny grey wolf pup crying and dragging his leg.4

Dropping to her knees, she held out her arm. "Come here little baby, come here." She called out in her childish sing-song voice.5

Slowly, still whimpering, the little wolf limped over to her, eyeing her cautiously. As he got in front of her, she gathered him into her arms, and struggled inside with him. Closing the door behind her, she looked at him, rather sternly.6

"Now, what have we done now?" She asked, folding her arms in the manner her Mummy would have.7

The little pup looked up at her and held out his back paw. It was sore and bleeding. The little girl gasped, and ran over to the chest at the bottom of the bed. Gently placing the pup on the floor, she opened the chest and pulled out some rags. She then ran over to the pump at the sink, and filled a bowl with water, the little wolf watching her curiously.8

Clare ran back over to the tiny animal, splashing some of the water onto the wooden floorboards. Gently, she reached out for the sore leg. Her tiny hands searched until she found a sharp nail in his fur. The pup yelped as she touched it, and tried to back off. Clare firmly got hold of him, and pulled her onto her lap, like a baby. 9

"I know it hurts, but I'm going to make it better." She soothed, the little wolf looking up at her with its sharp blue eyes. Being quick as well as careful, Clare pulled the nail out. She dropped it quickly on the floor, and started cleaning the leg with a rag. 10

When she had finished, she tenderly wrapped a rag around his leg, like a bandage. The wolf looked up at her gratefully, finally fully understanding she was a friend. Clare looked at him, and frowned for a second. "Hmmm. I don't know what to call you. How about....Wolfie?" The tiny wolf barked his approval, and ran round in a crazy circle.11

She then looked at her mother's lifeless form, and her expression grew sad. 12

"Oh, Wolfie, my Mummy has died." The tiny pup padded over and nuzzled his nose into her hand, sensing she was sad. Clare looked down, smiling at him.13

"Have you lost your mummy too? Shall we look after each other?" She asked, excitedly, stroking his head with a tiny hand. Wolfie barked again, and ran across the floor, excited also.14

Clare nodded, determinedly. "Then we shall. There is no-one else out here in the woods, and I don't know how to get out of them. Shall we go and find some wood?" The little girl beckoned the wolf towards her as she opened the door.15

They returned five minutes later, her arms straining under a massive pile of branches. Wolfie helped, carrying a single branch between his teeth, skipping after her. 16

"Phew." She wiped her forehead, and closed the door behind them. She smiled down at Wolfie. "Lets make it nice and warm, hey?"17

"Ruff! Ruff!" Wolfie replied. Clare laughed, a tinkling sound of pure happiness. Carefully, she piled the branches into the stove, and lit a match, letting it light properly before throwing it in. She looked at Wolfie, who was yelping disapprovingly at the fire. Clare stood looking at him, and thrust her hands on her hips.18

"Well I know we shouldn't Wolfie, but Mummy can't do it because shes with the angels, and someone has to make the house warm." Tutting just like a tiny version of a housewife, she stroked him softly, then turned to where her mother lay. Clare knew she couldn't leave her Mummy on the bed, as she herself had to sleep there. She decided she would have to try and drag her mother outside. 19

"Mummy always said she liked the oak tree at the back of the house, so we'll put her there." Clare explained to Wolfie. He cocked his head, and thoughtfully scratched his ear. Puffing and panting, the tiny girl managed to drag her mother's cold body off the bed and outside. How she did it was incredible, as her mother was thin, but still quite a weight for a seven-year old girl. Wolfie helped, pulling one of her mother's arms towards Clare. He didn't understand what she was doing, but he understood his new little mother wanted the lady outside, and it made her happy if he helped. So he did so.20

Clare walked back inside after laying some flowers on her mother, Wolfie at her heels. 21

"Now, we should probably make something to eat. What do wolves eat, I wonder?" Clare pondered this for a second, then supposed they might like bread dipped in milk, as she knew some baby animals did. She tore hunks of bread off a loaf, and soaked them in a bowl of milk, then placed it in front of him. Luckily, he seemed to enjoy it, and tucked in hungrily, milk splashing across the floor. 22

"Well, that's you sorted." Clare murmured to herself. It suddenly hit her that she would have to buy more bread than usual. There was an old pedlar woman who came through the woods, that her mother used to buy provisions off. However, recently, Clare had been buying them off the old woman as her mother had become ill, so at least nothing would be amiss there. But she would have to buy more bread this time, as well as more milk. Clare decided if the old woman asked, she would say her mother was getting her strength back. 23

Sadly, she spared a thought for the fact that her Mummy was no longer here, and sniffed. Then she remembered little Wolfie and smiled. "Maybe God sent him for me to look after instead of Mummy." She said quietly to herself, before setting herself about making some food for herself.24

That night, she lay quietly on the bed, her arm curled around Wolfie's furry form, as she decided it was okay if he lay on the bed with her. "I love you Wolfie." Clare yawned, sleepily, as she closed her eyes. Wolfie nuzzled her face in reply, and yawned noisily himself.25

They both fell into a peaceful sleep.26

**************************27

It was now twenty years later.28

Clare and Wolfie had lived a happy life in the woods, undisturbed by anyone. Clare now ventured into the town six miles away, to sell her knitted goods, and buy more provisions. Wolfie now wore a small blue rag as a collar, and was Clare's constant companion.29

But one day, Clare realised that Wolfie was getting old. She also realised she didn't want to be left alone.30

As they went to bed that night, she prayed to God. 31

"God, please don't let Wolfie go without me. We need to look after each other."32

As she climbed into the bed, Wolfie jumped up onto the bottom of the bed, and sat looking at her with his intelligent eyes. He howled mournfully.33

Clare smiled. "Its okay, Wolfie. We're going to go to sleep together." She laid down and held her arm out for him to cuddle into, just like he did all those years ago, on that first night.34

Unbeknown to them, an angel watched from the window, her soft wings making no sound. She smiled on the sleeping forms of the wolf and girl. "You shall both go to heaven tonight." She whispered into the breeze. "For you have both earned your place." And with that, she blew her golden breath over both of them, and let it hover there, watching.35

Wolfie looked up and saw the gold dust above his head. He wasn't scared, but he was curious. Whimpering, he licked Clare's nose until she woke up. 36

"What is it Wolfie?" she asked, sleepily, rubbing her eyes. She looked up and also noticed the dust. "Wha....its so beautiful.." she murmured, closly holding onto Wolfie. She turned her head, and noticed the angel at the window. The angel moved through the wall as though it were mist, and held out her hand as a soft golden light appeared leading upwards through the ceiling. 37

"Come my children." The angel spoke in a soft voice, warm and welcoming. 38

Slowly, Clare and Wolfie climbed off the bed, and walked towards the angel. Wolfie staying close to Clare, they followed the angel up the warm golden glow, until they could see a beautiful lush garden in front of them.....