Epilogue

He was shirtless and his athletic frame was not spared the paint of the waning sun. The sun was always the most brilliant when it was about to dip under the horizon of the world. Especially here, where the tree-covered hills rolled into each other, creating a deep, rich valley in which a river flowed through and into the vast ocean. The red of the sky dipped and bled into the ocean turning it bright amber. The river became pure mercury as it slid through the land, eager to rejoin its place in the endless ocean, denying the boundaries of land. He watched as the sun sank into the ocean as he had done many times.

He looked down and ran his fingers through the grey pelt in his hands. Everything that had happened, all this time away, and his valley still felt so familiar, but the loss of the wolves was something he felt as something tangible, like the absence of wind, or birds singing in the forest.

The full moon rose behind him as he turned and knelt. Here, above the valley on the rocky ground he had built a fire pit. He pushed a match box forward and lit a match, lighting the tinder against a small wind break made from a log. The small flame licked and consumed the tender and spread the kindling, licking up the wood as the small flame turned into a small fire. He stood up looking at his Lunar Mother, before dropping his gaze to the grey fur pelt, clutched tightly in his hands.

"Ansuya, why are you here?" William asked quietly.

The beautiful woman stepped forward, out from behind the tree's shadow. "I thought this is where you might be. I also thought the presence of friend might be appreciated."

William smiled a little sadly, but nodded. "This is something I need to, but you being here is appreciated."

Ansuya stepped next to William, looking down at the pelt in his hands, but saying nothing.

The sky darkened around them as the fire grew. William felt the heat from the flames as sparks rose up into the rapidly darkening sky, clutching the pelt in both hands. "It started here. The Old Grey was my first opponent, my first victory." William looked out over the valley and pointed to where his burrow used to be. "I used to live down there. I would come here on the full moon, to change under her full light. I should have been here. I should have protected them."

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Ansuya gently touched William's arm. "If you had been here, you'd have been captured and killed. You must know that now. What happened here after you left, was no fault of yours."

William nodded, knowing that Ansuya was right. He may not have been able to be here for them, at least he could do this one last thing. He carefully draped the grey pelt over the fire, making sure he didn't snuff out the fire, but placing the pelt just so that it would burn.

William stood up and watched the fire lick and slowly reach around the grey fur. Ansuya took a small step closer to William, her hand resting lightly on his arm. He was reminded of how he had laid his hand on hers on that rock when they were out in the desert.

The night deepened around them; the flames grew brighter. William said a silent prayer, hoping that his friend rested easily in the afterlife. Together, they kept a silent vigil over the old protector of this place.

A howl split the night and William looked around startled. His eyes met Ansuya as they turned in the direction of the howl. William's eyes searched the rock faces and there, shining brightly with reflected moonlight, were two wolves. Nose to the wind, a perfect silhouette against the night sky.

William couldn't believe what he was seeing, with all the pelts on Kenneth's wall, he was sure that all the wolves here must have been killed. He felt Ansuya's arm wrap around his as she leaned against him, watching the pair.

Suddenly they bolted down into the valley and were gone from sight.

"Evil can't destroy all life. There is always a next generation ready to take up the call. We'll keep an eye on them, and make sure they are given a fair chance," Ansuya stated softly.

William nodded. Life was full of possibilities. These two young wolves proved that. Through this next generation the cycle would continue, and the hunt would carry on.

* * * * *

His footsteps crunched softly through the cold desert sand.

He wasn't entirely sure where he was, but he knew where he was going. His best guess was to keep walking eastward. The night sky was bright with the full moon in the sky, that made visible shadows. It was bright as daylight but the light was pale, shrouding objects in shimmering light.

Wondering if he was in the completely wrong place, he scanned the horizon ahead of him. He turned his head to his head to the north and saw something small on the horizon. It may have been a house. He was so far south of his intended target he was closer to being lost then he would like to admit. Turning towards the north, he headed for the structure.

He walked for a very long time. The flat desert around him twisted and distorted distances. When he first saw the structure he thought it would take him thirty to sixty minutes to get there. He was pretty sure he had been walking for almost two hours, but the house was close now, he could see windows and a soft light from inside the house.

An audible metal click sounded behind him, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"I wouldn't make any sudden movements, son. I got two rounds of buckshot aimed right at your head. Now turn around real slow and tell me why you're out here in the middle of nowhere at two o'clock in the morning."

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