I left the van at the foot of an old maintainance trail and carefully made my way towards the doctor's lair through the thick brush. I only had vague information about the layout of the place, and I needed more before I could make any solid plans. I set out for the steam my friend had mentioned. It hadn't been on any of the park's maps, but my friend's directions proved accurate, and I soon found it.
But gods, Yellowstone was beautiful in the Fall! Aspens grew along the river, and I found it hard to watch my path, entranced as I was by their flittering yellow leaves. In the distance, I saw an elk. I heard birdsong and the burble of the brook. Careful? Cautious? Here, in this natural glory? Yes, I knew there was a need for that, but it was hard to sustain the feeling .
That's probably why I didn't see the wolf until it was too late. I looked up and suddenly there she was, standing in front of me, staring at me with her golden eyes and snarling. Deer, I reflected, lived their whole lives in this paradise without forgetting caution. I'd made a tourist's mistake, stumbling into the wrong part of town while mesmerised by famous landmarks and neon lights.
Or at least, that was the gist of my thoughts. The aspens had put me in an eloquent mood, but there's only so far that will go when staring at a hungry wolf.
But as I sized her up, and she me, I felt there was something strange about her - what was it?
Ah. There. Hanging from her right ear was a round, red, earring, like a ripe berry on a particularly ferocious, gray bush. Was she one of the humans turned animal, then? Could I reason with her?
Did I have the guts to risk it?
Did I have the guts to risk it?