Jesse has inherited his Grandfather's ranch now he must fight his father to keep it while he must honor his Grandfather's last wish of seeking Coyote.

Thank you Hope for your encouragement and help in editing. Thanks to all who have commented or left Kudos. And most of all, THANK YOU and LOVE to Erin for letting us post our stories here. I have learned much and have had much encouragement from all.

And finally, apologies for the lateness, between the writers block, the wonderful stories on this site, and other extracurricular reading (at this time Thomas Paine's Common Sense), I finally pushed through to finish this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

Barb

Chapter 12 Starting for Home

A short recap of Chapter 11.

Far Wanderer turned to Two Bears, {{How will we get Merry Heart off the mountain in time for me to protect the ranch and the wilderness?}}

{{I am not sure, she will need to ride or be carried. She is too big for you to carry and if I try to carry her by the scruff of her neck it may hurt her. She won't be able to hold on to ride as she is, and a bear is not designed to be ridden.}}

{{I will carry her.}}

And now Chapter 12.

Far Wanderer was surprised to see Big Spot standing there. The nervousness could be seen in his eyes, also, the determination not to bolt and run. Horses are the natural prey for wolves. For a horse to voluntarily walk into a den of wolves was unheard of. But here he was. His head held high as one who knew the dangers and accepted the assignment.

The white wolf was trying to determine why Big Spot came to the wolves' home when Coyote stepped from around the horse and said, {{I told him to come, that he was needed, and I'd protect him. The Great Spirit could heal the little ones heart, but there are times when modern medicine may be of benefit. Jesse, you must listen to your spirit as you have with this one to know when you can help or when the help of others is needed. For Merry Heart to be able to ride, her body must be different. She will need hands with which to hold on.

{{Merry Heart come here. You will be a little girl and grow up human as Far Wanderer's sister. You will be able to come and visit your wolf family as you have need. No one can replace your father and mother, but you'll meet two people at the ranch who will love you as their own and help you through the times of uncertainty and trouble.}} With that Merry Heart changed to a little girl of about three years of age. Her hair was thick and long reaching down to the middle of her back {{You will have some learning to catch up to humans that are of your age. Which is three years. Far Wanderer has friends who will help establish a human identity for you.}}

Coyote then turned to Bear Friend, {{Bear Friend come here please.}}

Far Wanderer watched the little wolf slowly walk over to the large Coyote, but he held his head up as if he was not afraid. {{Are you going to turn me into a human too? I don't want to be a human.}}

{{No little one you will not be turned into a human. I do have a question for you? Are you willing to leave your mother and father and travel with Two Bears?}}

{{I like Two Bears, but leaving would make mom and dad sad. Merry Heart is already leaving.}}

{{What if I told you that Two Bears will show you how to visit your mom and dad when ever you wanted to.}}

Bear Friend turned to his mother and father, {{Would you mind if I went with Two Bears?}}

Black Paws said, {{If Coyote says you need to go with Two Bears then He has a good reason. You should go. We will look forward to your visits.}}

Bear Friend turned back to Coyote, {{Mom says I should go.}} With a big sigh he said, {{I will go.}}

{{Good for you, spoken as one who is willing and brave and one who honors his parents. You will be honored among your kind. You will not come with Us on this journey as you have just been weaned from your mother and will not be able to keep up. When the snow falls again you are to leave family and friends to come seek Me. I will take you to find Two Bears, who will begin to teach you the ways of a shaman,}} said Coyote. Far Wanderer watched Coyote turn and walk down the trail slowly disappearing.

Bear Friend turned to his family, {{Wow! I'm going to be a shaman.}} Then he turn to his mother, {{ Mom, I don't know what a shaman is.}}

Black Paws laughed, {{You were all excited about being a shaman, but you will have to ask Two Bears. He is the teacher.}}

{{All in good time Bear Friend, you will know what a Shaman is and what they do. You must learn how to be a wolf first, and there is no one better to teach you than your own father. Now, we must leave.}} said Two Bears

Merry Heart asked, “How am I to get on to a horse as big as Big Spot, and how do I keep from falling off?”

{{ I am sorry little one,}} said Big Spot. {{I forgot that getting on me could be difficult for one so small. Do you see that large rock over there? Can you climb up on it?}}

“I think so.”

{{You climb up on that rock, and I will walk over to it, so you can climb off it on to my back. Then you get two hand fulls of my mane and hang on. I will not let you fall off even at full gallop. I will teach you how to ride, and you will be the best rider in the county.}} Merry Heart walked unsteadily over to the rock and started to climb. She wasn't used to walking on two legs, and having fingers instead of claws was quite a bit different too. Her father came up behind her and would push her and steady her when she became stuck. The horse walked over to the rock and leaned over so she could climb on his back. Her small legs just barely coming over his sides. She grabbed two hand fulls of his mane.

{{Are you ready?}} asked Big Spot.

“I'm scared,” she answered.

{{Good, that'll make you hold on tighter

{{Jesse, we are ready,}} said Big Spot.

Silver Ears and his family walked to the edge of the wolves' home saying their goodbyes. The warm afternoon sun made the start of the journey pleasant. Merry Heart and Big Spot chatted as they walked. Sensing that Merry Heart had relaxed, Big Spot asked, {{Are you ready to go faster little one? Don't worry about falling off. It is my job to carry you and keep you safe.}}

Merry Heart took a deep breath, “Let's go faster.” The more she rode the more comfortable she was becoming with the horse. As the horse went from a walk to a trot and then into a cantor, the little girl squealed partly with delight and partly with fear as she tightened her grip as the horse would change his gait. Horses can maintain a trot for long distances, but cantors and especially full gallops would wind them quickly. Whenever Big Spot tired he would slow to a trot. Jesse and Two Bears stayed with the horse as he changed speed.

{{Jesse, we will not make the lake before dark and then it will be way late. I can't run at full speed through these woods, and it'll be worse when it gets darker. It will be too cold for the little girl to keep riding after sunset. She has no fur like the rest of us.}} said Big Spot. {{Two Bears will protect the girl and me. You run to the lake and bring something back that she can wear to keep her warm.}}

Jesse knew the horse was right. As she ran to the lake, the nagging thought about horse sense bothered her. She knew the little girl didn't have any clothes, but if it became too cold, Two Bears could wrap her in his arms and keep her warm. She thought there is nothing like a bear skin coat. Especially, if the bear is still in it to help keep it warm. It was way after dark when Jesse arrived at the smoke lodge where her gear was kept. As she walked into the lodge she was thankful that she was still a wolf with the keen eyesight and sense of smell of a wolf. If she had been human, Jesse didn't think she could have found her winter coat quickly.

Jesse pulled the coat out of the lodge, but realized quickly dragging it back up the trail would be difficult. She had to find away to drag it without tripping or stumbling over it. Also, she had to find a way to drag it so she could run with it without it snagging on the roots and stumps. She settled on dragging it by one arm, but not running as fast as she could. If she held the coat loosely in her teeth, when the coat snagged, it would pull out without hurting her neck. The cold night air kept her cool enough she didn't have to pant to expel her body heat.

Jesse reached her companions just as the sky was turning gray. She found Two Bears asleep with the little girl in his arms. Big Spot had stood guard over them through the night. Jesse nuzzled Two Bears to wake him. They had to find a way to get the winter coat on to Merry and get it zipped up to keep her warm. How does one tell someone how to put on a coat when the person hasn't worn clothes and has walked on all fours. The other problem is in manipulating a zipper without hands. Two Bears could revert back to his human form, but he did not want to expose his naked body to the little girl. They would have to make do as best as they could.

Two Bears held the coat by the collar as Jesse coaxed Merry over to it. {{Merry this is called a coat. It will help keep you warm. I need you to put your arms in the sleeves.}} Merry looked confused.

{{What's the matter little one?}} asked Jesse.

“Far Wanderer I don't know what an arm or a sleeve is.”

{{I forgot that you are a wolf. I am sorry little one.}} said Jesse. {{Humans call their fore legs arms and a sleeve is the holes in the coat. You'll need to back up to Two Bears and stick one arm in the hole and turn slightly so you can stick the other arm in. I'll show you.}}

Jesse had Merry stand with her back to the bear and nuzzled her arm up to the arm hole. “Are there any bugs in the holes?” asked Merry.

{{Are you afraid of bugs?}} asked Jesse

“Just ones I can't see.”

{{You are such a girl. There are no bugs. The camp is still three hours away. We need to hurry. Then I can help you better with the coat.}}, said Jesse. Jesse helped Merry get her arms in the coat which hung well past her hands. The coat could wrap around the small child twice if not more. But with no way to zip or tie the coat, they were going to have to let it hang open.

Jesse had Big Spot lie down so she could help Merry get on to the horse. Merry was standing watching with the coat pull closed about her. “Far Wanderer, I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?” Merry asked in the whiny voice of a child.

{{I'm so sorry, Merry. I could not bring any food with me, But I smelled some dried beef in the lodge. When we get back, I will fix us something to eat. I need you to get on Big Spot, so we can get to the food.}}

Merry walked over to the horse and was having trouble getting on. Jesse laid down next to Big Spot where the little girl could use her as a step up on to the horse. {{You must hold on tight as I get up.}} said Big Spot. Merry grabbed hold of his mane as tight as she could as the horse stood up with his fore legs first and then his back legs. The child held on through the effort and was proud that she hadn't fallen off.

“Look Far Wanderer! I didn't fall off.”

{{Way to go Merry. Before long you'll be able to get up on Big Spot by yourself.}} Merry was grinning ear to ear with Jesse's praise.

{{Are you ready to go?}} asked Jesse

The little girl nodded she was ready and laid down on the back of the horse to keep warm. Big spot was very careful not to jar the girl too much as he trotted down the trail with the others. {{You were never that gentle with me, Big Spot,}} said Jesse.

{{You were never this small and you don't remember when we first went riding. You were a boy and all you could think about was going as fast as we could. It is hard to be gentle at a full gallop.}} Jesse laughed at the memory.

{{I am glad we can speak with each other as friends. I wanted to go fast to impress the ranch hands, but I was scared that I would fall off. Thank you for not dropping me.}}

The trip to the lake took the three hours as was predicted. Jesse looked around to confirm that nothing was disturbed. It had only been a few days since she left, but she was certain that the puma she had met earlier had been sniffing around. She didn't smell it last night when she came and got her coat out of the lodge, so she was sure that the puma was not far off and may be watching. Jesse walked over to Two Bears, {{Do you smell the puma?}}

{{I smelled it. I wasn't going to say anything to frighten you, but as you have smelled it, you had better be careful going down the mountain. You change back to human and call George to meet you on the trail. I will stay in bear form until you leave. You will have to trust to Coyote on the trail.}}

Jesse entered the lodge to change back to human form and get dressed. She was wearing jeans that were now too big for her and a sweatshirt with a wind breaker. The boots were too big as well but after putting on a couple extra socks they would fit well enough to get off the mountain. The trouble was to find something that she could dress Merry Heart in. The winter coat was already hanging almost to the ground. The cotton boxers she had brought with her would be too big until she remembered the safety pins in the pack she carried. Jesse called the little girl into the lodge.

“Lets see if I can get some clothes on you so that you stay warmer. Then we will call my friend George, pack, and start down the mountain.” After dressing Merry and zipping up the winter coat, Jesse retrieved the satellite phone and called George. 'How am I going to explain all this to George.'