My dog Edward has always been my hero, and best friend. Years older now, I have noticed a restlessness in him recently that appears out of place with his advanced age. Ed has grown obsessed with a pack of Coyotes living near his local stomping grounds. When I take him there for his daily walk , I see him looking around obsessively. Stopping to sniff where they have been, and even howl along with his imaginary friends.
Ed has always been a bit of a wild child. His appearance, mind and mannerisms are much closer to those of a Wolf than your average suburban house dog. Not too long after Ed's initial adoption papers were drawn up, and signed we grew aware of his wild side, and made every effort to offer him an outlet for his non traditional ways. Arranging play dates for him and a few of his like minded friends, and walking in wilderness areas similar to those of his Canadian youth all seemed to be a good compromise for his new life. But, lately Ed has grown restless in his advanced years. He desperately wants, and needs to belong with this pack of wild animals.
Our walk began as usual, on a cool foggy afternoon. Ed was on a play date with his two best friends George, and Gracie. The three were running through the grass when the resident pack of Coyotes started to howl in the distance. Our dogs stopped dead in their tracks to listen for the direction of the howls before they took off running. I was able to grab Edward who at twice the age of his friends is the slowest. The others were not to be stopped, and ran in the direction of the Coyotes disappearing in to the fog..
We started to grow nervous as time went by, and the howls grew closer. Much to our relief we finally saw both dogs running towards us with a third dog in tow. It did not take long to figure out that the wild beauty they were running from was no dog at all, but a single Coyote .
Edward is not the fastest dog in the world, and the poor guy could not fight his way out of a paper bag, but he has a heart the size of the ocean. When he saw that Coyote chasing his friends, and running towards me, he decided to take matters in to his own paws, and chase the Coyote down.
I stood there in disbelief as I watched my dog who cowers if you look at him the wrong way chase off a wild animal. It did not take long for my surprise to turn to fear, as the reality of the situation began to sink in. Coyotes are know to use their smaller pups as bait. Once they can get a domestic dog to run into their den they pack up. First crippling, and eventually killing to eat what is simply their prey.
Fearing Ed was in trouble I started to run towards their den. Pushing my way through the bushes, and slipping and falling in the swamp area while screaming his name, and pleading with him to come back. I screamed so hard, and for so long my voice went horse and my head started to pound.
The fog made it hard to see what or who may be in front of me. Even relying on sound became worthless as all I could hear were the howls that turned into yips from the coyotes, as they appeared to call from every direction. My thoughts turned to nightmares as I pictured Ed being packed up on by wild animals unable to defend himself. My heart broke into a million pieces knowing if I heard his cries I would be helpless to stop them.
I knew I was approaching the den area when I saw dozens of paw prints in the mud. There was a faint smell of death that grew stronger the closer I got, until I realized that there were half eaten carcasses everywhere. Ranging from small rabbits to bodies so large they may have been human.
My mind was slowly adapting to this awful scene as reality set in, and tears began to stream down my face. Suddenly I noticed some rustling in the bushes. Desperately hoping it was Ed my heart sank when I saw that not only was it not Edward, it was not even a coyote. What came out of those bushes had to be the largest Timber Wolf I could have ever imagined.
The Wolf came towards me as my mind tried to process what was about to happen. Turning my back to the Wolf I could not stand to look into the eyes of my killer while he determined the easiest way to end my life. My heart was beating out of my chest as I thought that this was going to be the end for us both. Ed would die alone believing he had been abandoned, a promise now broken. He would never know how hard I tried to save him, or that he was my world. I braced myself for the first bite that would sever my flesh, sealing my fate. Suddenly I felt a warm, and very familiar nose on my hand. I looked down to see Edward standing there with a concerned look on his face. No longer a large wolf, Ed looked like himself only calm, and regal.
I have told a few close friends about our time in the woods, and most have a similar theory on Ed's sudden metamorphosis in to a Wolf. Many believe that I was so exhausted from running, and screaming that the intensity of the moment caused me to not recognize my own dog when he emerged from the bushes. Some think that the stress of the moment cased me to hallucinate , and a few think I really should get to an eye doctor as it may be time for me to look in to prescription glasses. While the theory's make perfect sense Edward, and I are the only two who really know what happened that day, and it's none of the above.
As Edward chased the Coyote through the wilderness he could no longer resist the call of his ancestors. Like a Caterpillar who finally grows wings, Ed became what he was born to be. His floppy ears standing straight up, that flat head of his taking on a whole new shape, while his fur turned silver, and dignity and power shined through his amber eyes. Ed was free for the first time in his life to live on his own terms. From this day forward Ed was following his destiny as a pack leader. Just as he was as a dog, he became in the wild. Ed was one of a kind regardless of the world he lived in.
It was not until he saw me standing in the swamp crying that he stopped running..He only wanted to say goodbye, and go on his way. But, when he touched his nose to my hand to reassure me, as he has done a thousand times before something happened.
Ed felt too much love to leave, and knew neither one of us wanted to survive without the other. We both fulfilled a promise made years before, and it was at that moment we understood. Love may not conquer all, but it does trump freedom for some. Ed turned back into Ed, but ever since that day I have seen a pride in him that was simply not there before. As the fog lifted Edward, and I walked out of the wilderness together, and in to the shining sun.
