He was born in the land of aspen trees and icy rivers where many colored pools of hot water decorated the land, and great plumes of water flew into the crystal air. His parents came from the north where the forests were deeper and the cold lasted longer. They entered the new land with trepidation, but they found all they needed to survive. Now their son was approaching maturity. He had challenged other males and found himself forced to the periphery of the pack. When a new born buffalo was surrounded and brought down he was excluded from the hunt. When at last he could approach the kill there was nothing left but well chewed bones and a few scraps he had to fight for with the buzzards.
He was a fine looking creature with heart stopping eyes and a joyful way of leaping at the field mice and gophers that made up most of his diet. There were three young females in the pack, and each of them kept an eye on the young male.
He was now expelled, but still he stayed in sight of the others. One day a young female ran out to join him. They danced together for a while and brought down a rabbit and fought over it. But in the night the young female heard the calls of the pack and she returned to it.
The male began to range further. He slipped between mountains and came down into a new country where the valley floor was cut into hay fields. The young wolf was hungry. It is hard to hunt alone. He got between a cow and her calf and ate splendidly. These animals were not buffalo but they tasted as good. For several nights he stalked the cattle with no luck.
He did not know what the rifle crack was. He did not see where it came from. He did not know the bullet pierced his ear and made a perfect hole that would mark and distinguish him all his days. He ran. He became a kaleidoscopic shadow in the cloudy early morning as he moved into the foothills among the rocks and aspen trees.
That night he called long and loud under the moon and the young female appeared beside him. They slipped into dark shadows between bright splashes of moonlight.