GoldenEars

by Jane H Wood

  Perhaps a minute went by, he was barely aware of what was happening, but he could feel the snow being scraped away. An inquisitive nose probed his body, then a warm tongue licked his frozen face. The smell of wolf filled his nostrils as a warm weight settled over his body.

  ***

  On the horizon, a pale yellow streak was spreading and brightening as the sun climbed in the sky. The landscape was gradually changing from the drab grey of night to the warming glow of a new day. The wind had abated and a quiet tranquillity descended.

  After hours of searching, the three men had been forced to make camp and spend the night in the forest. At first light they’d resumed their search for Edmund, systematically scouring areas where they thought he might have gone.

  Eventually the group of men arrived at the edge of a steep bank, discovering the ground had recently suffered a massive shift of snow, sliding some twenty yards down the bank beneath them. The dislodged snow appeared soft and dangerous to walk on.

  Sam peered down the bank as far as he dared, when a flash of red caught his attention.

  ‘Look! Isn’t that Edmund’s hat poking out of the snow?!’ he yelled anxiously.

  The sudden sound of human voices woke Kegg. He’d been keeping Edmund warm during the night, and his friend was breathing steadily. His golden eyes looked up the bank and spied the men on the edge, staring down in his direction. The boy would be safe now, he thought, and swiftly ran into the forest.

  ‘Hey! Did you see that? A wolf in the snow down there!’ yelled Sam, pointing at the retreating wolf.

  Everyone prepared to descend the slope as Keith unravelled the rope, tying the end securely around his waist.

  ‘I’ll take your weight; hold onto the rope and make your way down one at a time,’ he instructed, spreading his legs and anchoring his weight in the snow. He braced himself, clutching the rope in both hands.

  Without delay Max grasped the rope and edged backwards, descending slowly down the bank to the spot where they hoped Edmund was lying. He was almost at the bottom when he noticed a shock of dark hair peeping out of the snow. Max squinted, registering the top of the boy’s head and the faint outline of his body lying just beneath the snow.

  ‘Yes, he’s here. Quick, Sam, come down!’ he called, taking his weight off the rope and holding it steady for him.

  Sam didn’t need telling twice and scrambled down the bank. Crouching beside his son, he wiped the snow from his face. With brimming eyes, he stared into Edmund’s pale lifeless face. Pulling off his gloves, he felt his son’s cheeks. He was so cold. The unthinkable raced through his mind… He was dead!

  ‘No!’ shouted Sam, simultaneously giving Edmund a slight shake. ‘No, he can’t be dead! He can’t be!’ he yelled, desperately trying to lift him out of the snow.

  In a flurry of sliding snow, Max angled to his other side and grasped Edmund’s wrist, feeling for a pulse.

  ‘There’s a little warmth! And a faint pulse. He’s alive, Sam! That wolf, I think was GoldenEars, the boy’s wolf. He’s saved him, no doubt about it!’ said Max, utterly amazed.

  After the initial assessment, Edmund was hoisted up the bank, then they wrapped him snugly in warm blankets, before carrying him back to the centre.

  A short distance away lay Kegg, quietly observing the rescue. Last night he’d sensed the boy was in danger and returned just in time to save him from the penetrating cold. But now he stayed low among the snow-covered bushes, relieved the boy was safe.

  The adult wolves had also witnessed the scene. It was then that a strange feeling washed over Joel… a mixture of pride and confusion, concerning his rather unusual son.

  Back in his room at the wildlife centre, Edmund lay tucked up in bed. It had been a near thing; any longer and the outcome could have been quite different. According to the doctor he’d suffered only mild hypothermia and got off lightly under the circumstances, after his unthinking escapade into the frozen wilderness. It was agreed that after a further two days of bed rest he would be sufficiently recovered to return home.

  Edmund had admitted his foolishness, realising he could have died out there in the snow. But he hadn’t imagined it… GoldenEars did come to his aid. The young wolf was free now, and his brother too, back in the wild where they belonged, with their family.

  The thought warmed his heart, then a disturbing tightness gripped his stomach, as though he was riding a roller coaster, plummeting from its highest point then surging up into the air again. He grabbed the sides of his mattress, hanging on firmly until the giddy feeling subsided.

  It was a disarming sensation, as though he was out of control and about to fall. He felt puzzled afterwards, and temporarily disoriented too, but thankfully he was alone and didn’t have to explain himself.

  Max visited him on a few occasions; he felt partly responsible for the boy’s actions. Perhaps if he’d explained more clearly about the dangers he wouldn’t have rashly run off without thinking. Not surprisingly, GoldenEars was the main topic of conversation whenever he paid a visit, and Max didn’t mind admitting that he’d never seen any animal act in that way before, especially not a wild wolf.

  ‘Please read the book I gave you, Edmund, about survival in the wilderness. I don’t think I could take another experience like that!’ he said, shaking his head.

  ‘No, me neither!’ replied Edmund, then a sudden thought popped into his head.

  ‘Um, where do you think the wolves are now?’

  ‘Don’t you worry about them, they are more than capable of looking after themselves.’

  The days passed, and Edmund was deemed fit enough to go home. It had been quite a birthday. He had gone through every emotion possible, but he felt a little wiser, more grown-up. And he remembered what Max had said: ‘Do not venture into the wilderness unprepared and without telling someone where you’re going!’

  It was a huge relief for Sam and Doreen when they left the reserve with their son. The journey home was relatively quiet, the three of them lost in their own thoughts concerning the past weeks and months.

  For a blissful moment Edmund was happy, warm and comfortable, resting on the back seat, wrapped up in a blanket. He was thinking about his wolf who had come back to save him.

  Doreen on the other hand was pleased she was leaving the forest and going home with her family. It had been an emotional five months; things had happened that she never dreamed possible, or wished to repeat. Her son had changed, he was different, single-minded about that wolf, or passionate was a more accurate word. But she had him back now, and there was no way she was ever going to let him out of her sight again.

  21

  January slipped by in a haze of sleet and snow. In a way Edmund was thankful he was at home and in the warm. Although he had recovered from his experience under the snow, he was sensible enough to know that he needed the rest to fully recuperate after everything he’d been through.

  The month of February passed slowly, the weather unchanged, with overcast skies of the dullest grey, intermittent snow flurries and icy winds.

  He felt trapped inside, with boredom threatening to return. He couldn’t stop thinking about GoldenEars and the wildlife reserve. He wondered how the rangers coped in such extreme weather conditions and reiterated his concerns to his mom. She recognised the longing in his voice while she listened to him speaking. It frightened her, and she lashed out in the only way she could… by banning any discussions about the rangers, the wolves or wildlife in general. They were taboo subjects, likely to cause friction whenever he mentioned them.

  His parents were being overprotective in a stifling, unhealthy way. But he swallowed his frustrations, doing his utmost to see their point of view. He filled his days wandering around the house, or staying up in his bedroom, gazing at the picture of the wolf pack he’d drawn, now affixed on the wall opposite his bed.

  Here by himself he had time to think
, wondering where the pack had gone and hoping they were surviving the freezing weather conditions.

  An uncomfortable feeling settled over him. It was a familiar sensation that tensed his body and quickened his heart. It was anxiety gnawing at his insides again. He knew it wouldn’t subside until he was certain his wolf was safe. He closed his eyes, attempting to slow his breathing, focusing his mind on something calming. The image of GoldenEars as a young pup playing with him in the grass last summer stayed with him as he opened his eyes. He glanced at the picture again, then ambled downstairs. He felt restless; he wanted to go back to the reserve, become a ranger and do something to help the wolves.

  He’d swallowed his temper many times, considerate to his mom’s sensitive feelings.

  ‘But there’s nothing else I want to do!’ he finally exploded, unable to contain himself any longer.

  ‘Out of the question!’ stormed Doreen, her dark eyes penetrating his.

  His dad tried to talk him into working in his garage in town.

  ‘The business will be yours one day, Ed. You should take an interest, learn to drive, also train to be a mechanic, then you can work with me. How does that sound?’ he suggested, trying to persuade his son that a normal job could be worthwhile.

  In response Edmund nodded slowly, fatigued by all the talking and moaning about his future… what they wanted for him.

  Fed up, he returned to the solitude of his room and sat on the bed looking at the picture of the pack of grey wolves. He let out a deep sigh and whispered, ‘Oh GoldenEars, what can I do? How can I make them see? I miss you so much.’

  He sat there thinking. Perhaps he was doing this all wrong; instead of fighting their every suggestion he should show them that he was serious about his future with the rangers.

  But how…? He slowly got to his feet and wandered over to the window to stare out at their garden below. It was then that a memory resurfaced; a conversation he’d had with Marion over the Christmas period. He could hear her voice now, willing him to understand.

  ‘Your parents love you very much, you know, Edmund,’ she’d said. ‘And, well, I’m not surprised they are frightened… A lot has happened to you. Things could have ended very badly, and you are their only son. When you are a parent, you will understand how terrifying the thought of losing a child can be. If you really want to be a ranger, take away some of the doubts and worries that surround a job like this. Remember your parents see this as a constant danger, with you in the middle of it.’

  Edmund rubbed a hand across his face. He’d never given her words much thought before, but now her meaning was clear and made a lot of sense. The ache he felt in his heart was for GoldenEars; he knew he loved him. He’d never even thought what it must be like for his mom and dad, the pain they felt for him.

  In the following weeks Edmund tried his best to be agreeable. He became helpful around the house, and as the weather improved he managed to persuade his parents to let him go outside to clear the pathway of snow. One evening he even tried his hand at cooking, after his mom and dad had telephoned saying they would be home a little late that night.

  The smell of fried fish greeted his parents on their arrival home. His attempt to surprise them proved more amusing than he’d thought. Instantly the mood lightened and the house became the happy place it used to be.

  ‘Oh darling! You’re cooking! How lovely,’ cooed Doreen.

  Hurrying over to see what her son was doing, she put her arms around his waist and squeezed him affectionately, peering over his shoulder.

  ‘Hmm, nice. Trout. That’s great, isn’t it, Sam?’

  ‘Wow, son! Who taught you to cook? And what’s with the fish… Fries, perhaps?’ asked Sam hopefully.

  ‘No, Dad, I’m doing spaghetti. It’s easier,’ replied Edmund, flipping the fish over and causing the oil to sizzle noisily in the frying pan.

  ‘That’s marvellous, darling. Let me pour you a glass of orange juice,’ said Doreen, heading for the fridge.

  ‘Any bread with the meal?’ Sam asked.

  ‘Yes, there’s a crusty loaf in the breadbin,’ answered Edmund, checking the pan containing the spaghetti.

  ‘It’s ready!’ he announced a minute later.

  His parents were almost tripping over themselves in their haste to help him.

  ‘Oh, I prepared a side salad too. It’s in the fridge, Mom.’

  The job done, he sat at the table trying to hide his smug expression while surveying the plates of food, perfectly cooked and waiting to be eaten.

  Doreen was speechless at the feast in front of her, prepared by her son. Sam was equally impressed and nearly choked on a mouthful of wine as his eyes registered the table crammed with plates of food, each one smelling delicious.

  The winter was nearly over, and Edmund had continued to behave in a grown-up and responsible way. He’d deliberately stopped referring to the wolves because the fear the subject invoked in his mom’s eyes enhanced his feelings of guilt. So, he held on to his thoughts, keeping GoldenEars close inside him like a secret companion. He chose his words carefully when he spoke about the rangers, retelling short snippets of information that he remembered Max mentioning. He kept the emotion from his voice; after all, he didn’t want to come across like an overexcited child. No, this was serious. Their work was serious, and the rangers had to be tough, coping with hardships, perhaps on a daily basis, he guessed. And, in retrospect, given what Max had told him, training would equip him with the skills and knowledge to meet those challenges. He was determined to show them that he’d changed, that they could trust him to take care of himself.

  ‘Not much longer, GoldenEars,’ he whispered to the drawing on his bedroom wall.

  As soon as his parents left for work, he hurried to the hallway table and picked up the telephone receiver. Taking care, he dialled the number for the Huxforest Wildlife Reserve and waited. After only two rings the receiver was lifted off its rest.

  ‘Hi Max! It’s me, Edmund,’ he blurted quickly, unable to contain his excitement.

  ‘Oh Edmund! I was wondering when I’d hear from you. How’s it going? You know, persuading your parents… Any luck?’

  ‘I’ve been working on them, and I think they’re ready. So, tonight is when I’m going to ask them. I’ll ring tomorrow and let you know when I’m coming,’ he said confidently.

  He’d rehearsed his little speech, trying to word it so his parents couldn’t have an argument against the job. He needed to reassure them above all, convince them that he’d changed, become more responsible and grown-up.

  After the evening meal he plucked up the courage to ask them, reaffirming that the position of trainee ranger awaited him. As expected he was met with a wall of silence. He sat rigid in his seat, barely able to breathe, waiting for them to consider his words or remonstrate against the whole idea.

  But to his amazement his dad smiled. Even his mom managed a weak smile as their eyes locked on to each other. It appeared they’d come to a silent agreement, because they both turned to study his worried face. Edmund was chewing his lip, waiting for one of them to speak. Although his mom was smiling at him, he could sense her underlying sadness.

  ‘We were expecting this, Edmund…’ She paused, reluctant to continue. ‘And after everything that’s happened, we know this is what you really want. And, well, your dad and I have given up trying to dissuade you… So, yes, you can go.’

  Before his mom could say any more, Edmund leapt forward, his arms around her, hugging her with happiness and relief.

  It took a few days to organise, but with his dad’s old Chevy crammed with his belongings, they set off towards the Huxforest Wildlife Reserve.

  22

  Edmund was sharing a room with Josh, an experienced ranger only six years older than himself. The pair had taken an immediate liking to each other when they’d met briefly the last time he was here.

&n
bsp; ‘Hey Edmund. Glad you managed to persuade your parents to let you join us. I bet it was difficult under the circumstances.’ Josh stopped in mid-sentence, watching Edmund unroll a large picture. Edmund hesitated, considering where to hang it for the best view of the wolves.

  ‘Yeah it was,’ he said absent-mindedly, looking at the plain painted walls beside his own bed.

  ‘Hey! That’s pretty good… Did you do it?’ Josh asked, jumping off his bed and striding across the room for a closer look.

  ‘Yeah, I drew it a while ago,’ confirmed Edmund, pleased Josh was interested.

  ‘I’m going to put it on the wall beside my bed,’ Edmund announced, climbing on the mattress and securing the picture with some sticky tape. Now he could see them whenever he wished. Josh stood admiring the picture, commenting favourably on Edmund’s drawing skills.

  At the beginning of the year a new ranger by the name of Gus Curtis had begun working at the reserve. He was older than the other rangers, even older than Max. He must be at least fifty, thought Edmund when he was introduced to the man. There was a directness about him that was almost disconcerting. His pale grey eyes peered through metal-framed spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose, his eyes staring unerringly into his own brown eyes. The man’s weathered unshaven face and untidy shoulder-length hair streaked with grey, coupled with his overall dishevelled appearance, gave the impression of someone who’d just returned from a night in the wilderness.

  Gus’s handshake was firm, his rough skin chafing against Edmund’s soft hand, but he returned the pressure, still maintaining eye contact as the ranger released his grip.

  Max watched as Edmund and Gus became acquainted, and smiled to himself, seeing an approving glint in Gus’s eyes as he surveyed the boy.