Wolf Speaker

By Caitlin Summers

The Trip

On a cold winter night a plane flew to the artic. On it were a research team, led by Jeff Summers and his daughter, 12 year old Lily. She looked out her window, to the frozen ground beyond. Maybe, she thought, this mission would give me and my father some time to spend with each other. Ever since Mom died he’d been busy, she thought with a sigh. Lily went back to listening to a song on her CD player. But before Lily could finish the song the plane landed in the cold artic. The team and her then retrieved their bags and headed to the bus that would take them to the small Alaskan town.


June Bay

June Bay, a town in Alaska was where the researchers were staying, since it was close to the glacier they were studying. The small town was bustling with working Alaskans, fishers and hunters, and looked like a quaint town on the front of a Christmas card. Children ran through the snowy street as busy mothers cooked and cleaned. There was only one hotel in the village, It was owned by Gwen Tiller, who had moved here and married an Eskimo. The hotel was small and the room where the Summers family was staying only had one bed and a couch. “We’ll make do!” Lily’s father said, smiling grimly. He had not expected this. That night when she was sleeping, Lily heard something… It was a pack of wolves howling, calling to each other. And also calling, Lily realized, to her!
What?

The next day Lily’s father said he had a surprise for her. Lily was excited, she new her father finally wanted to spend time with her! But when she came over to her dad there were 2 other people there too! Lily knew one of them, Delia Goodman, a worker on the team, but she didn’t recognize the 2nd. He was a strange boy! “Lily,” Jeff Summers said happily, “You know me and Delia have been dating for a while,” No! Lily thought disgusted. “And we have decided to get married.” Those words were killer to Lily’s heart, No one, she thought NO ONE could replace mom! “This is Jake your new brother.” Lily nodded her head silently. “When do we go to the glaciers dad,” she said ignoring the sad feeling in her heart. “Going?” her father said surprised? “Oh yeah, I promised you could come. Sorry honey, Jake’s going with us today so their isn’t room. Maybe next time!” Lily felt tears come into her eyes, this ruined the whole expedition!

Delia’s Plan

That day while everyone was at the expedition, Lily was working on homework. When her father came home instead of doing something with her, him and Jake went skiing. She asked Delia to do something with her, but she only scowled at the small child and continued talking to one of the Alaskans about how “Wonderful her new husband and her son were! And how perfect the family will be!” Later Lily heard her speaking to Gwen Tiller. “The girl’s a awful thing,” Delia said “I love her father, but she’s so quiet!” Lily felt like hitting the blonde lady, but decided not to. Later that night she eavesdropped on a talk between her father and Delia. “ I think Lily needs help. She’s so quiet and shy, and I think traveling all the time is bad for her. So I came up with a solution, Red Butterfly Boarding school! She’d get the therapy she needs!” Delia said happily. Lily scowled, she needed to find a way to ruin this marriage.

Wolves

That night, as Lily listened to the wolves she could help it no more. Lily sneaked of the couch and dressed in a hat, coat, scarf, gloves, and warm jacket, she took along her dad’s cell phone just in case she got lost.

Then, Lily sneaked out of the hotel.
Outside, Lily followed the voices of the wolves to a forest. There, before her, was a large wolf pack. They howled before her, and one of them even jumped up in the snow, welcoming her.

Then something happened. Instead of howls she heard voices, many, in the wind, in the air. “Wolf Speaker!” the wolves called, “You have come!”