A Wolf Called Wander

When he can walk again, Wander goes in search of water. He finds a human footprint and waits hours to make sure that there are no humans in his immediate area, proceeding cautiously to a stream and drinking from it despite the smell of cattle that surrounds it. He conquers the pain in his leg long enough to kill and eat a racoon, and the remnants attract the attention of a raven. She takes the scraps that he offers, and Wander is surprised when she does not immediately fly away.

Wander remembers watching his father collaborate with the ravens to acquire food in his family’s home territory, but he is inexperienced in navigating the delicate balance of this dynamic. The raven performs tricks and swoops about Wander’s head, encouraging him to follow her. He is frustrated when she leads him across terrain that often smells of humans, especially when they happen upon a farm with a vehicle careening around, making tremendous noise. The only opportunity for food arises when Wander chases off a pack of coyotes standing over their kill, but when he discovers in horror that the coyotes have killed a human’s pet, he moves off, unwilling to lower himself to consuming it despite his intense hunger.

Wander begins running out of options as he struggles to find enough food to sustain him. Although he is loath to ingratiate himself to the nearby bachelor wolves in order to eat, Wander feels that he has no choice but to try to join them in order to secure enough food to survive. When he finds them, they are feasting on the carcass of a calf. To Wander, this act is even worse than dining on sheep, for it goes against all of the values his father instilled in him, but Wander is so desperate that he is willing to lower himself to eat. Wander crouches in the grass a safe distance away from the wolves, planning to make his approach, when he senses another presence. The scent on the air fills him with joy when he realizes that his brother Warm is also hiding and watching the bachelor wolves. He approaches Warm quietly and gives a soft bark, and the two brothers nuzzle each other in contentment. Wander is first devastated and then infuriated to find that his brother’s back has been torn apart by claw marks that have cut deep into his flesh. Warm’s condition is severe; he is gravely thin, and his wounds are life-threatening. Wander vows to protect his brother but is humbled by the limits of their mutual incapacitation. Warm repeats his promise, “I would follow you anywhere” (87).

Wander detects the smell of men. The humans approach the bachelor wolves, who have not noticed them. Wander remembers his mother’s warning that humans “can kill with a look.” (91) The men raise their guns and shoot the bachelor wolves, firing more rounds into their bodies even when they lie motionless. Wander urges Warm to get up and run as fast as he is able, running by his side to guide and shield him. Wander finds a tree beneath which they can hide, positioning himself around Warm to protect him and feeling his brother’s wounds begin to bleed. They hear the men’s vehicle starting and Wander hopes that they will go away, but instead, the humans find Warm and Wander and open fire on the weakened wolves. Both wolves jump up and begin running. Wander tries to attract the men’s attention, hoping that they will pursue him and not his brother. Wander runs faster than he realizes, certain that he can meet up with Warm again once they are both safe. When he hears the report of a gunshot echo through the night, Wander leaps over a road, which he calls a “black river,” tumbling down a hill on the opposite side. As he tries to recover, he considers going back to look for Warm, but admits that he is too afraid. He finds water and curls up in a safe place to rest. When he awakens, he realizes that the sound he heard was likely the gunshot that ended his brother’s life, and he is heartbroken and ashamed of having failed his sweet, selfless, and determined brother.

Wander rests for days. Although he is still hungry, his body is less sore when he awakens. By this point in his journey, he has covered a great deal of ground, and the terrain is unfamiliar. He finds himself in a canyon beside a stream, and to his delight, when he calls to a raven circling above, she answers and descends; it is his friend. Together, they watch as a kingfisher swoops down and plucks a fish from the stream. The raven snatches the fish when the smaller bird drops it; she tries to share with Wander, but the fish is too small. Wander goes to the bank, spying a salmon moving through the water. He was never taught to hunt this way, but Wander has seen bears pluck fish from a stream, and he succeeds when trying it himself. He avails himself of all the nutrients in his fresh catch, sharing the bits he does not want with his raven friend. He knows that he must continue onward; his mother always taught him that wolves can be found in the mountains, and he knows that ravens can be relied upon to lead wolves to kills. He follows the raven even though he is moving away from the mountains, because he has accepted that there is no home for him in his family’s old territory. Although Wander’s health returns with his improved access to food and water, his loneliness persists, growing ever more unbearable.