The group huddled under the blanket roof that was held up by the rafter like ropes secured to adjacent rocks and sides weighted down by packed snow. It was primitive but served its purpose quite well. Just outside the front opening Moose started a small fire that offered some heat and a serine orange glow. Sarah snuggled close to Nick who held her in his arms and kissed her forehead. When the third search party arrived, Fox Tail, Sarah and Nick moved outside to give the new comers a place in the shelter to warm up and regain their strength.

Nick went up the rocks to the edge of the crevasse to check on the pilot and Jessie. He peered over the edge and started some small talk with the pilot to relieve the solace feeling. Fox Tail went over to Sarah and asked about her friend.
“Why is this wolf appearing to me” Sarah said? “Why is it following me”? “How can I know it and it know me so well” she asked not expecting an answer.
“The wolf is within you and you within it. You crave its freedom and it craves your options in life”. “You did not choose the wolf, it choose you”. “Within you lies a dormant woman who cries to you every day, begging you to be more than you are; pleading with you to step forward and be, not to just exist”. “Within the wolf lies the freedom, what you think is a life care free of the troubles you live with day in and day out. Embrace the wolf from within and let it guide you, free the wolf and yourself in turn” said Fox Tail.

Fox Tail turned away, leaving her to her thoughts. He went up to exchange places with Nick. “Your friend needs you” was all he said. Nick told Jessie and the pilot he would be back in a little while to check on them and went to Sarah. He held her tight in his arms as though he would never let go and she held him tight in return never wanting to be let go. The snow swirled around the two encompassing them in a gentle whirlwind of dancing crystals across their souls as though they were suspended in the air up near the heavens.

Dan interrupted them as he passed by with the now rested third party.” We’re returning to the station to arrange a helicopter at first light weather permitting” he said. “How did the last report look” asked Nick. “Not good” was all that Dan said as they continued past and they faded from sight.

“Let’s get back in the shelter Nick” said Sarah. With the others gone there was now enough room for the remaining rescuers to comfortably fit under the make shift roof. They passed by the fire at the front and nestled themselves in the back. Nick held again close to him not wanting to let go. They each drifted off to sleep for a couple of hours when Nick awoke to the softly spoken words of Moose “your turn to check on the pilot and then tend the fire”. Nick carefully released himself from the comfort of Sarah and covered her with the remaining portion of the blanket he was using.

When he got outside the shelter he was rudely reminded of the bitter cold and blinding snow that had yet to let up. He grabbed a now granola-cicle from the pack and went to the edge of the crevasse. He got himself comfortable in the dugout area used by the others before him and looked over the edge. “You awake down there” Nick asked.
“Yeah it’s hard to get any shut eye with all these visitors dropping by” laughed the pilot.
“We just want to make sure you don’t fall asleep permanently” replied Nick.
“Why did you leave so late when you knew a storm was headed this way” asked Nick trying to engage a conversation to pass time. “That’s a long story” said the pilot. “Well, we’ve got the time for it” said Nick.

“I was visiting my five year old daughter at my estranged wife’s house as my last trip for the day”. “I don’t get to see her often and I needed to be with her, you know maybe read a bed time story or something”. “I got that chance and even chased away a monster or two from under the bed” he continued. “Could the story have not waited for another day, with the weather report and all” Nick asked? “Where are the others” asked the pilot. “Their huddled up in a make shift shelter, don’t worry about us we are just fine”. “Dan and the other search party left awhile ago to get back to the station and arrange for a chopper to get you in the morning when the weather clears” Nick explained. “Don’t you think that maybe you should have left sooner” asked Nick? “No not really” answered the pilot. “Well surely you could have spent the night there” Nick suggested. “No, that would not be possible. The ex and I do not see eye to eye and it’s all I can do just to get a precious few moments with my daughter” replied the pilot. “Can you do me a favor” asked the pilot? “Of course, what do you need” asked Nick. “Pull your dog back up while I can still manage to get her in the blanket securely; please” requested the pilot. “Don’t worry about Jessie she can handle it, besides she can help keep you warm” Nick added. “You don’t understand” the pilot paused for a moment and then continued “I’m not doing well down here and I fear for your dog. We both know that the storms not going to let up in the morning or anytime soon after that. I’m not going to make it until first light so would you please pull your dog back up” the pilot once more pleaded.

“What about your daughter, do you think she would want you to give up” Nick argued. A silence fell over them for a moment while the pilot placed Jessie on the frozen blanket and tied the ropes. “Six months ago” the pilot started “six months ago I was diagnosed with cancer, inoperable. That’s why I stayed longer with her. These moments are the only ones available to me. I will never see her grow up or finish school, get married or even see her children for that time is not granted to me. Don’t ever let her know. I made the choice and I alone carry the burden of the consequences for my actions. Please pull Jessie up” the pilot begged.

Nick felt a tug at the rope from the pilot and reluctantly raised Jessie out of the crevasse. When she reached the top he unbundled her and they sat there together keeping the pilot company. They talked for as long as the pilot could stay awake and when he finally fell asleep for the last time Nick said with a choked up voice “Have a safe journey my friend”.

When the two entered the tent they were greeted by the puzzled yet knowing faces of the occupants. Nick had no words; he just shook his head as if to say he’s gone. Sarah held open the blanket for him to return back to and not a word was spoken until morning light.

Each remaining member reflected in their own way on the events that happened until they at last drifted off to sleep. When morning arrived, the storm although not as intense was still far too dangerous to chance an air rescue. They agreed to pack up camp and head for home when Nick spoke up and explained that he needed to head for the rangers station and contact the pilot’s ex-wife and daughter. “Can you take Sarah back with you” asked Nick of Fox Tail. “If she wants she can join us in the village” replied Fox Tail. “What do you say Sarah” asked Nick?

Reluctantly she agreed as she searched for the answers to why she was all of a sudden being shut out of his life. She surmised that he would tell her when he was ready.

They hugged and he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Silently he turned and headed down the mountain towards the station his mind flooding with thoughts he had kept suppressed for so many years.

“He will return for you” Foxtail smiled as he reassured her that she was not abandoned.
With that they turned and headed off to the village. As they traveled along the snow laden path yet established Foxtail spoke of what she could expect in the village, the people and their proud heritage, their way of life, family structure and social oneness with nature. He then struck a chord with her that startled her back into the conversation when he asked her “What the wolf meant to her”. She was dumb founded as she still had no answers to this creature’s existence. “When we get to the village I will introduce you to one of our elders and you can speak to her” Foxtail continued. Sarah just smiled and said thank you.

He turned the conversation to their surroundings and pointed out the meanings in literally everything they could see, hear, touch and smell. The wind, the clouds, the sun that started to break, the trees and birds, even the rocks and snow beneath their feet. She had some idea of Native culture but did not expect to be immersed in it so freely and welcomed the chance to learn more.

Nick continued his hike fighting the emotions that had been surfacing becoming more and more frustrated with the injustice that had been served upon him. He knew full well that he would have to live with the decisions he made those seventeen years ago but none the less they still tore through his heart with the same ferocious ferocity the moment he made them.

Distracting himself with snow balls he vented some anger by hurling them into the sky as though to say “Hey what did I ever do to you, you call this a plan”.

His nerves had calmed by the time he reached the ranger station and entered the bustling environment of the command centre.

Dan looked over at Nick and asked the question to which no reply was necessary “Do we still have a rescue to perform or are we now downgraded to a recovery”?

Nick just sighed and announced that the pilot passed away peacefully in his sleep before the internal injuries bled him dry, he further added that he had cancer and was not expected to live much longer and then a lump the size of the mountain he was just on filled his throat as he told the officers on site that he had a message to give the pilots daughter.

The officer in charge pulled Nick aside and explained that they could not release the death of the pilot to the family until the man’s body was recovered and an autopsy performed verifying death. Nick paused for a split second and then stepped forward into the officer’s face and spoke very quietly “Either you give me a ride up to her house or put one in the back of my head as I leave”. “I understand your protocol; do you think I want to tell a child her father’s dead”?” I made that man a promise and dammit I aim to keep it”!

The officer stepped back away from Nick’s steadfast posture and sized up the situation finally yielding to his request. “You better tell me everything, and I mean everything that happened up there while we are on the way to tell the child and if I don’t like what I hear you will get one” stated the officer reasserting his position of authority. “Fair enough Nick” agreed.

“Hey Nick” called out Dan “where is Sarah”?
“She went with Fox Tail to stay at the reserve until I do what I must do. Which reminds me can you help me get back to my truck when I return”? He asked.
“Sure” Dan replied.
As Sarah and her party got closer to the village they came across the road and welcomed the easier trail to navigate. She could see the wooden homes and smoke billowing from the chimneys. She breathed in deeply to take in the aroma from the burning logs and searched the entire town with her eyes drinking up every nuance of the life she wanted so desperately. A single family community and not a community of single families was the impression she got.

The kids playing outdoors in the snow, the dogs barking and playing amongst themselves, the couples holding hands while walking together, the peaceful feeling that hung heavy in the air.

When they reached the door of Fox Tail’s home he asked her to wait outside for a second so he could inform his wife they had company. When the door opened there stood a woman with eyes as soft and trouble free as the freshly driven snow, she smiled and spoke “come in, sorry my husband has no manners leaving you out here in the cold like this, men what can you do” she laughed which broke the ice between the two women.

They entered the house and Sarah again drank up every detail, the art work, carvings, dream catchers, the rugs and the even lighting. “What a spectacular home you have” she complimented.

They sat down at the dining room table while tea was prepared by the eldest son. “So Sarah, tell us where you are from”. “I’m from Texas” she started to explain when she was interrupted by the woman “Sorry but we don’t allow cowboys or cowgirls in the village” she chuckled then added “just kidding, go on”. They all laughed and Sarah continued “Back home I have a family, two boys age fourteen and sixteen and a husband”. Fox Tail sensing girl talk emanating from the conversation excused himself from the table taking his tea to the living room as a means of shelter.

The eldest son asked if anyone was hungry and proceeded to take breakfast orders from the famished group. “What’s your secret” asked Sarah as she pointed towards the kitchen “I can’t get any of my three boys to help out around the house at all”.
“It’s no secret, just a way of life” was the response she got. The girls continued talking until breakfast was served when they all sat down together and enjoyed the meal as a unit. Her mind slipped back and forth from her life at home and this way of life she could only imagine before. After breakfast she helped clean up and sat down in the living room with her new friends. They told her stories of how they met and their plights in life and even told her about the day they met Nick.

“It was spring time when he drove into their village totally lost. Foxtail had gone over to greet him and see if he needed assistance. Back then Nick was but half the man he is today, shy, uncertain, confused and he had no idea of who he was. He may have read a map and new the direction he was traveling in the truck but his soul was lost, adrift and unattached from his mind. But now Whispering Wind is a welcomed member of our community. If he gets back here before tonight we are having a dance and both of you must attend” the woman with cotton eyes said.
“You must be tired dear” why don’t you go lie down for a while.
With that Sarah graciously accepted the offer and found herself dreaming in no time.

The road twisted and turned as the two made their way to Nick’s call of honor. By the time they reached the house of the fallen pilot his story had been laid out before the officer of not only the closing hours of the chopper master but Nick’s tale of woes.

They stopped in front of the home and gave each other a good luck look.
Each step towards the home filled the pit of their stomachs with anguish.
Reality kicked in with the rapping on the door by the officer and subsequent answer to the call.

The pilots’ wife opened the door and they both caught site of a child playing on the floor with a toy helicopter when the officer asked the woman if they could talk to her in private. She grabbed a coat and her boots and came out onto the porch.
“Miss my name is Nicholas and last night your ex-husbands chopper went down on the mountain in the storm.” He paused for a moment to allow her to grasp the seriousness of what he had to say.” It fell into a deep crevasse and he went down with it. When we arrived at the crash site he was conscious but bleeding internally and unreachable do to the instability of the walls. I’m so sorry to tell you that he passed away in the middle of the night.” The officer broke in and explained how they were working on recovering his body and that no official report will be issued until that time. Emotionless the woman waited for the two to finish. “Your ex asked me to give a message to your daughter and I would like your permission to fill his last wish” pleaded Nick.

She opened the door and called over to the child “Destiny, this man has something to tell you”. “Thank you” Nick replied as he removed his boots and went inside. Destiny looked up at Nick and her eyes nearly broke his heart as tear formed for her loss. “Destiny, my name is Nick and I met your father last night. His helicopter got caught in the storm and he crashed on the mountain. I spoke with him and he told me to tell you that he loves you with all his heart and that he had to go to heaven and would not be able to visit you anymore. I’m so sorry Destiny for your loss but your daddy did tell me to tell you that he will always watch over you from heaven and he is so proud of you. He told me that the most precious gift he ever received was you.” he continued.

Outside the officer and new widow carried forth their conversation involving her inquiries as to whether or not her child support would continue or was she expected to live on his life insurance policy premium.

Destiny started to cry as she became aware of the fact that her dad would no longer visit her and Nick quickly gave her a hug not only to console the child but to hide the tears he felt as his own ghosts appeared in his mind tormenting him.

“Let’s go get your mom” Nick suggested. They opened the door and the officer with her mom entered the house. The officer gave the widow his card and asked if she was going to be alright. With the reassurance that they were no longer needed they both left in silence.

The trip back to the ranger station was a solemn one with neither man knowing what the other had said or heard.