Furred Traditions Chapter 4
#5 of Furred Traditions
The nights in our village are usually calm. But one particular summer night, things became very lively. I was woken by the sound of howling, multiple sources could be heard. I went outside to see I wasn't the only one awake. Many people stood outside their tipis looking north towards the Big Woods.
"Wolves." Wise Beyond His Years said, coming from behind me.
"Wolves? I thought the white men scared them all away from here?"
"For the most part. Those that weren't hunted left, but some remain to prove their strength and pride. At least that's what Strong As The Wolf told me." I looked back to the woods. The wolves were defiantly energetic tonight. Then, a thought.
"Where is Strong As The Wolf?" I asked.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since sun down. It's the middle of the night, if he's smart he's at home sleeping." Wise Beyond His Years yawned. "I'm going back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." I looked back to the woods. I knew that if it had something to do with wolves, Strong As The Wolf was likely involved. I needed to find out for myself, but first I would need to create a diversion. I looked over and saw the horses drinking at the river. I quietly made my way to the riverside, walking on all fours like an actually Husky. I snuck up on one of the horses behind some cattail plants and let out a mumbled growl. The horse looked my direction and I began barking wildly. The horse panicked and began to run, which caused the other horses to panic until I had a small stampede on my hands.
"The horses!" I heard someone yell. "The wolves are going after the horses! Get the women and children back inside! " I peeked my head out to see men running down to the river to get the horses back, and the women and children going back inside their tipis. Now was my chance. I crawled on all fours and snuck past the tipis. If I was discovered, they would assume I was a wolf and would try to chase me back into the woods.
But no one saw me, and I was able to enter the Big Woods undetected. The moon was full that night, and with the Great Spirits watching over me, I was able to find my way through the trees just fine. As I walked, the sound of the wolves got louder. 'I must be close' I told myself. If Strong As The Wolf was out here, he was going to have some explaining to do. I found a small clearing lit by the moonlight, and what should be there but the wolves. They had stopped howling and were gathered around a tree stump in the middle of the clearing. Strong As The Wolf was sitting on the stump, playing a flute. He played high notes in a slow and careful manner, a wolf would howl occasionally. The music was so clear and beautiful, I had no idea Strong As The Wolf could even play a flute. The wolves sat around the stump and intently listened. When they would howl, it would fit the music perfectly and often times sound harmonious. I stepped into the clearing and earned a glance from Strong As The Wolf. He gave me a nod that meant everything was ok. He blew the last few notes of his song and slowly lowered the flute. The wolves stood and gazed at me, some showing their teeth.
"It's ok brothers." Strong As The Wolf told them. "He is a friend to us." The wolves closed their mouths and lowered their heads and legs as if to bow at me. I walked to Strong As The Wolf on his stump, the wolves' eyes weighed heavily on me as I passed them. "Hello Friends With Dog, I'm glad you could join us."
"What's going on here?" I finally asked. Strong As The Wolf chuckled and began petting one of the wolves.
"I'm just talking with my wolf brethren. We're sorry if we caused any problems."
"Oh you caused some problems alright. You woke up half the village with your howling out here."
"I'm sorry. We were just talking is all. Nobody heard my flute, did they?" I shook my head. "Oh good. It's best to keep that a secret."
"What were you playing, anyway?" I asked, looking at his wooden flute.
"Wolf Song. All Wolf animal men know it instinctively. I come out here and play it for my wolf brothers sometimes, but most of the time we just talk about how our lives are going."
"Wait, you actually talk to the wolves?"
"Yes. Animal men can talk to their respective animals, you know that."
"No I don't. I've never met a domestic Husky." But before I could get a reply, one of the wolves put its paw on Strong As The Wolf's lap and quietly woofed to him. He smiled and began speaking in a tongue I had never heard before. The wolf nodded and left, the rest of the wolves following deeper into the woods. "What was that?" I asked, confused on what had just happened.
"That's the alpha wolf. He told me it was time for their hunt, so I wished him luck and told him I'd see him again soon."
"What kind of language was that? It certainly wasn't Dakota or white man's language."
"It was the language of the wolves, Wolfen. All Wolf animal men and regular wolves instinctively know it. I know you've never met a regular Husky to try it on, but haven't you ever found yourself thinking or speaking in a language you don't ever remember learning?"
"Come to think of it, yes. I remember once when I was still a child I was playing with some of the human boys while the adults were out hunting. One of the boys tripped me, and when I got up I started yelling at him in a language I had never spoken before. No one knew what I was saying, but I can remember it was something about how wrong it was to trip someone."
"Maybe if you focused, you could speak it again." Strong As The Wolf encouraged. "It'd be cool to hear another animal language. I know Wise Beyond His Years speaks Foxen, but I've never heard him do it. Just see if you can get something." I closed my eyes and searched deep within my mind. After a few moments of looking, I found something.
"Qui sami no. De sphik zi Huskanee." I spoke. Strong As The Wolf's eyes were huge.
"That's so cool! What did you say?"
"I think I said 'I see now. The language is Huskanee.'" I was amazed I could even tell what I said.
"Huskanee? Interesting, the language of the Huskies." Strong As The Wolf scratched at his chin and smiled.
"You should see if Soozan can understand Huskanee. She is a Husky after all, and all animal men know their language deep inside." He looked at me for an answer. I thought it over and nodded.
"I'm overdue for a visit as it is. I could test it on her..." I thought out loud. It had been at least a week since I had gone into town to see Susan. I was beginning to miss her and was contemplating a visit as it was. I grinned with a nod. "I think I will go see her tomorrow. I'll test her knowledge of our language." Strong As The Wolf chuckled as he stood up off his stump.
"Som mu mand, fets cu den." He said.
"You expect me to figure out what you said?" I asked, giving him a friendly glare.
"Come my friend, let's go home." He answered. I put my arm around his shoulder and we began walking.
"Yeh, gez toe hutta." I replied. He just had to look at me with his friendly eyes and I already knew what he was going to ask. "Yes, let's go home."
The sun beamed down heavily on my black fur while I walked through town looking for Susan's friend's house. I could never remember exactly where it was, and it didn't help that most of the houses looked very similar. When I believed I had the right one I knocked on the door and waited for a response. A tall man with spiked black hair and a muscular bare chest opened the door. The look on his face wasn't too reassuring.
"Why're you dressed like an Indian?" he asked. I quietly gulped and opened my mouth.
"Because I am Dakota." I answered. The man sneered at me, showing his bright white teeth.
"Well what the hell does an Indian want with me?"
"I am looking for Susan. She lives here right?" The man growled and spat.
"Hey Susan, there's an Indian here lookin' for ya. Don't know why, but I'd be careful around it." he snarled. I heard footsteps and saw the familiar figure with black and white fur and long silky brown hair.
"Alright, thanks Evan. Now go on back inside, Mary's calling for you." Susan said, walking out the door. Evan spit once again and went back inside. As soon as the door was closed, I was immediately pulled behind the house. Susan practically jumped into my arms she was so happy.
"Oh Friends With Dog I've missed you! Where have been?" she asked. I held her tight in my arms and got out an answer.
"We have been busy in the village so I have not been able to visit. I am sorry I made you wait so long."
"That's ok, Honey. It's only been about a week."
"But it felt like so much longer." I flirted. Susan giggled and gave me a kiss on the snout. She put her hand on my cheek and looked deep into my eyes.
"You are so handsome." She said.
"Nothing can compare to your beauty." I told her. We engaged in a short kiss and began walking through town. Susan had linked arms and walked very close to my side. I rather enjoyed the company she gave me, and I tried my best to return the favor as often as I could. "Susan, who was that man who answered the door?" I asked her, breaking the quiet.
"Oh that's just Evan. He's my friend Mary's husband. I'm sorry if he was mean to you, he's just not very keen about Indians."
"So I noticed."
"Ah, don't worry about him. He's a pretty nice guy once you get to know him." We continued to walk through town when I remembered about Huskanee.
"Susan, kurnt oo tek Huskanee?"
"Yeh, qui tek Huskanee. Mai Husky kurt. Ve tun oo foug?" I couldn't believe my ears. Had it really just been me, not being part of my own heritage?
"I ask because I was uncertain, but now it is much clearer. Susan, have you ever spoken Huskanee to another Husky before?" I needed to know more.
"Of course, it was the language we spoke at home. Engli- I mean, white man's language, is of course the language we learned at birth and speak to everyone in, but at home, my parents, my brother and I would all talk to each other in Huskanee. It was kind of a way to hold on to our Anthro heritage in a human world, do you know what I mean?"
"Yes, I understand. Have you ever spoken to a regular Husky?"
"Sure. Actually, there's a Husky I take care of on the other end of town." I was shocked to hear this.
"Really?! Here in this town?! You must take me to him!" I lost control of myself. Susan giggled and took hold of my arm.
"Calm down, silly! I can take you to meet him, but you have to promise you'll show a little more self control." She teased. I blushed and kicked at the ground.
"I am sorry. I will behave." Susan laughed and started walking again.
"Good, now come on, he's this way!"
Susan led me to the western side of town. It was much quieter and less inhabited than the rest of town and had a peaceful feeling to it. We went down an alley and at the end of it was a large barrel.
"Akino, tin yiear. Creavas lus co aqui oo." Just as Susan had told him, a Husky walked out of the barrel. He was a beautiful specimen, standing boldly with is chest slightly puffed out. His gray and white fur was well kept and somewhat poofy. His shining gray eyes looked straight at me.
"<Hello Susan.>" he woofed. "<Who is this who wants to meet me?>" he asked. I couldn't believe what was happening. Here for the first time I was meeting a real Husky, and I could understand what he was saying, even if he wasn't actually speaking words. Susan spoke to him in Huskanee.
"<Akino, this is my friend Friends With Dog. He's never met a regular Husky before and wants to get to know you.>" Akino looked back and me and wagged his tail.
"<Hello Friends With Dog. May I ask how you got such a name?>" he asked me.
"<When I was a child, I lived alone with a dog. He and I were best friends, totally inseparable. My people began calling me Friends With Dog because of how close he and I were.>"
"<Your people? Don't you affiliate yourself with the white settlers?>"
"<No Akino, I am of the Dakota nation.>"
"<Really? Well I guess that would explain your name as well. Susan has told me much about the culture of your kind. I must say, it's rather fascinating.>" I smiled and bowed.
"<Thank you Akino, I'm glad you take interest in my culture.>" Akino smiled and wagged his tail some more. Susan bent down and began caressing Akino's head.
"<I found him here a few months ago. He just showed up in town, very thin and sick. Mary and Evan wouldn't let me keep him, so I took him to the quiet part of town and nursed him back to health.>" she explained.
"<And she still feeds me everyday!>" Akino licked Susan's face. She giggled and gave him a kiss on the snout.
"<Now I only wish I could give you a real home...>" she sighed.
"<You could come stay with me if you like.>" I offered. Akino and Susan's ears perked up.
"<Really? You would do that for me?>" Akino asked.
"<Certainly. A fellow Husky is always welcome in my tipi.>" The next thing I knew I was on the ground being licked fiercely by Akino.
"<Oh thank you so much! I promise I'll be the best buddy you ever had!>" he said between licks. I had to fight my way up and hold the excited Husky back. Susan laughed as she watched the two of us wrestle it out. I finally got up and wiped my face from all the slobber.
"<Come on, Akino. Let's go home.>"