Wolf! The Legend of Tom Sawyer's Island

by Nancy Temple Rodrigue

  “Well, that’s why I knew my Island would be altered as well and that you and the Doctor would be in danger. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I think we need to assume your real time period will also be altered from the coming changes.”

  Wals broke in, his hand resting on the white plumage on her back as Rose nestled next to his side. “We found out that Disneyland is going to reopen the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through. It originally opened in 1957 and was then redesigned in 1977 when technology got better and they could put more movement in the displays. It’s been closed since 2001.”

  The swan’s head tilted sideways and she looked at Wolf, not understanding the significance.

  “After being closed and quiet for all that time, Maleficent will be back, free again to roam the hallways of the Castle.”

  Maleficent—the evil fairy. Maleficent—the conjuror of all things bad. Rose started to shiver, looking wildly from one man to the other. She had to get back and warn her family.

  Wals held her closer. “We have some time, Rose. The Walk-Through isn’t scheduled to open until July 17 and we still need to find the correct portal….”

  Rose suddenly broke away from him and dove into the water. Swimming over to the first decorative tunnel under the drawbridge, the one closest to the Castle, she flapped her wings, half rising from the water. Guests walking by stopped to admire the beautiful bird, some took pictures of the swan that usually just swam dejectedly around the small moat.

  When Wolf gestured to her, she hurried back to the men. Wals put a calming hand on her neck. Her plumage settled and she relaxed a little, still breathing hard. Wolf looked directly into her eyes. “What are you trying to tell me? Is that the portal? That first tunnel?”

  The head dipped once.

  “You sure?”

  Rose nipped his leg.

  Wolf ignored the welt that was already rising. “So, you remembered?”

  Rose turned away from him and returned to the water. She swam over to the first tunnel again, but pointedly turned away from it. After swimming back and forth through the second tunnel, she returned to the men.

  Wals was confused, but Wolf seemed to figure it out. “So, you have a bad feeling when you approach that tunnel? You don’t use it, do you?”

  Rose became excited and whistled at them.

  Wolf gestured for them to remain there as he got silently to his feet. Without any explanation, he walked through the Castle and reemerged at the main entrance at the base of the drawbridge. When he was directly over the first tunnel, Wolf stopped. His eyes closed in concentration, they were amazed when the placid water in the moat began to ripple. It was centered inside of that first tunnel. Wolf opened his eyes and looked down into the water, nodding once in confirmation.

  When Wolf rejoined them, they both looked expectantly at him. “Did you see it, too?”

  “If you mean did we see the water start to move, then yes, we did. You caused it, didn’t you?”

  Wolf just nodded, thinking. “I wasn’t sure where else it would work,” he muttered, more to himself than to them. “I never knew the extent of it, where all the portals might be. I was a boy when I learned the location of that first vortex on the River. That’s where my Father killed the wolf that bit my Mother. All the other locations I have had to figure out—sometimes by trial and error. I never knew about this one.” His eyes cleared, coming back to the present. “Now that we know we have another portal and it may be Rose’s doorway, we need to make some plans. Wals, I’m going to arrange for you to transfer to Fantasyland for two reasons. One: So you can be closer to Rose. And, two: So you can keep a better eye on the progress of the Walk-Through. We might have to leave faster than planned.”

  “And what are you going to do?”

  Wolf looked over toward Frontierland, his voice quiet. “I need to see my family.”

  Thinking he understood, Wals nodded. “To give you a chance to say good-bye? We didn’t get to when the pirates attacked.”

  “My people don’t say good-bye. We say doka.”

  “Oh, really? What does that mean? I thought I heard the Shaman say it right before we went into the storm.”

  Wolf thought for a moment. “The closest meaning would be ‘See you later.’”

  “Well, tell your father pispisza for me.” Proud of himself, Wals folded his arms over his chest.

  Wolf gave him a half-grin.

  Wals, knowing his friend well, saw the smirk and figured he’d just done something stupid. “What’d I just say?” Wals sighed, not sure if he really wanted to know.

  “You just called my father a prairie dog.”

  Wals gave a chuckle. “Hmm, that might not go over well. How do you say thank you?”

  “Philamaya.”

  “Yeah, that,” Wals smiled. “Thought I had it right.” Getting back to their original topic, Wals had another question. “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

  Wolf looked to the west. It was coming soon. “I don’t know. I shouldn’t be gone too long, but this is important. I don’t know when I’ll see them again.” Or,if, he added silently to himself.

  It was well after midnight. Two men and a swan quietly stood together in the darkness on the grassy patch next to Swan Lake. Wolf held a package tightly wrapped in a waterproof cloth. At Wals’ questioning look, Wolf handed it to him. “Rose’s clothes. If this goes like we hope, she’ll need something to wear once we get there.”

  The two men looked at the swan, her white plumage brilliant in the moonlight. They could see a faint pink blush rise around her cheeks before she averted her face.

  Wals was dressed in a princely outfit he had swiped from the Costume Department. He had chosen royal blue velour, with a gold-trimmed white blousy shirt and blue riding breeches tucked into tall black boots. The red cloak hung off one shoulder, pinned in place with a large gold medallion. The newly-polished sword he had found on the Island hung from a black leather belt around his waist. An oval hat flopped over toward one eye and a jaunty white feather moved in the faint breeze of the night. He hoped it wouldn’t get ruined in the water and the passage. To protect the pendant, he had wrapped it in an extra sock and stuffed it in the toe of a boot that was half a size too large.

  Wolf had already removed his Security clothes and hidden them behind one of the brick turrets of the Castle. He assumed he would be a wolf when he got wherever they were going. If not, he would be cold, embarrassed, and naked. He took back the package that held Rose’s outfit and put the heavy string around his neck. Wals would have enough to do.

  Wolf broke his concentration for a moment. He needed to talk to Wals. His blue eyes picked up the moonlight and reflected it back to Wals as he turned to face his friend. He was serious, pensive. “I need you to know that I’m not sure what form I’ll take once we get to Rose’s time.”

  Also worried about that, Wals tried to lighten the tense mood. “Well, just as long as you don’t turn into one of Maleficent’s flying monkeys.”

  Wolf didn’t return the smile. “I don’t know what I’ll be.” He paused, and then added quietly, “We might be on opposite sides, Wals.”

  Wals was about to joke, “Opposite sides of the moat?” but decided the time for humor was over. He knew what Wolf had meant. He put a steady hand on Rose’s head. “I’ll do what I have to do to protect her.”

  Wolf gave one nod. “Understood. And I’ll do what I have to do as well.”

  Wolf stuck his hand out to Wals. Wals regarded his friend’s outstretched palm for a moment. He looked into the familiar eyes. Wals gave him an answering nod and shook. “Understood.”

  Far above them, on the balcony of the tallest spire of the Castle, stood a plump figure dressed all in blue who intently watched the proceedings below. She gaily clapped her hands and exclaimed, “We finally get to go home!” With the flick of her wrist, a shimmering wand appeared in her hand. “Oh, I’ve missed you!” She hugged the seemingly inanimate object to her ample breast. “Shall we join them?�
�� With a flourish, the wand made a glitter-filled circle over her head and a shimmering Merriweather reduced in size to an inch tall. Humming happily, she stepped over the edge of the balcony and dropped toward the moat below.

  The time for words was over. All eyes focused on the tunnel under the drawbridge. For a moment, they were lost in their own private thoughts. Wolf turned away from them and lifted his handsome face to the night sky. Frowning, his eyes narrowed at the tiny blue sparkle falling from the sky.

  So, I see you’ve finally made yourself known. His thought was thrown toward the glitter of light.

  Yes, yes, let’s get on with it, wolf. We’ve a lot to do.

  Ignoring her now, he closed his eyes in concentration. His hands rose to chest height and reached out towards the dark tunnel. The quiet of the night was split by a startling sound that rose from deep within Wolf’s chest. It rumbled and climbed through his still body. It chilled Wals to the core and caused Rose to shiver. A plaintive cry rose on the breeze and dispersed until it was a soft moan drifting on the breeze. Wolf called again and the hairs on the back of Wals’ neck tingled.

  It was working. Wolf could feel the change beginning within him. Everything was getting sharper, more focused behind his closed eyes. He felt exhilarated, free.

  Wals and Rose watched in scared silence as the fog began creeping over the still water. It seemed to be coming from Snow White’s Grotto on the other side of the Castle. The fog kept low on the water and filled in every space. In the center of the tunnel, the one that held their fascinated gaze, a swirl appeared in the water, subtle at first. There was barely a ripple in the moving fog. Then, as they watched, it began to take on more form, more definition. It turned in on itself and grew in height. The sides of the fog rose and fell inward again, turning, ever turning.

  When the first streak of lightning touched the water near the topiaries, they all knew it was time. With the quivering Aurora held securely in Wals’ arms, the two men entered the shallow water of the moat. All around them, they felt a current pick up in what should have been still water. As they strode forward, the force in the water increased, pushing, shoving them forward into the swirling tunnel. They watched wide-eyed as the jagged bolt of lightning hit the water and headed straight toward them.

  —THE END—

  The story continues with...

  WOLF CROSSES PATHS WITH MERLIN AS HE ATTEMPTS TO RETURN THE RED DIAMOND TO IT'S RIGHTFUL OWNER

  Wolf, the mysterious Disneyland security guard and Guardian of Walt Disney, now armed with a 21st century helper and a beautiful damsel lost in the stream of time, finds himself traveling back and forth through history as he attempts to get the enchanted princess, Briar Rose, back home to her own castle and time.

  AN EVIL FORCE PUTS EVERYTHING INTO GAINING CONTROL OVER THAT GEM

  Once loved by the powerful Merlin, his apprentice Nimue shows her true colors by betraying him—and all who come close to her—as she attempts to regain control of the powerful pendant. Her name might change through the eons, but her heart of evil stays the same.

  WOLF STRUGGLES TO RESIST THE POWERFUL FORCES OF DARKNESS

  Trying to keep his home base of Disneyland as his touchstone, Wolf struggles against the powers of darkness. When it finally overtakes him, his friend Wals must figure out a way to break through the fabric of time to bring back help. Returning to the Guardian's distant past, Wals must convince Wolf's warrior brother Mato to trust him and step into the swirling vortex that destroyed his brother's life.

  CAN THEY UNITE TO SAVE WALT & DISNEYLAND?

  Join the heroes—past and present—as they unite for one last stand against the forces of evil in a showdown that will rock the very foundations on which Disneyland was built.

  Will it end...Happily Ever After?

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  About the Author

  Nancy Temple Rodrigue

  Nancy lives in the small town of Lompoc, California.

  Her work shows her admiration and respect for the man who started it all–Walt Disney. Her love of all things Disney was shown in her four Hidden Mickey novels. After reading and enjoying this book, you’ll want to jump right in to Hidden Mickey 4: Wolf! Happily Ever After? and rather than leave you hanging she continues the Hidden Mickey saga with the Hidden Mickey Adventures series, featuring even more action-adventure Mystery starring Wolf and a next generation of clue-solvers.

  The Hidden Mickey Adventures series begins with Hidden Mickey Adventures 1: Peter and the Wolf, written for all her readers to enjoy–Adults, Teens & Tweens (9 to 90).

  See your favorite Disney Parks in a whole new way with Nancy’s Hidden Mickey Quests series. Designed to be played inside the Parks, these games and quests take readers on a new, exciting journey.

  Nancy actively holds book signing and speaking events. Visit blog.hiddenmickeybook.com to follow the author’s blog and learn the locations and dates of her book signing events.