A man can live his entire life in perfection and yet make one mistake and he will be labelled a monster for eternity. A different man can spend his entire life destroying others and consuming without end, but if he is popular or rich enough his deeds go unpunished as he is remembered as a saint. These are the real monsters of this world, those who do as they like and never see a true punishment to fit their crimes. Bill was this kind of monster. His father owned a great deal of land and businesses and Bill had whatever he wanted provided for him. Nothing was out of his reach when he wanted something, only to become bored with it later. He assumed that he had great intelligence, but what he had was influence over the weak minded people in his world. Walter and Grace had challenged that world. She lied to him and Walter attacked him and threatened his life. He had waited long enough to pay them back for their misdeeds.
The day had finally arrived and the snow had melted enough so he set out in the middle of the night with his supplies in hand. He would not need much to start the fire that was needed to destroy Walter and those awful animals he was protecting. "No one can have them if I can not" he told himself as he marched into the woods to end the lives of those who challenged him and denied him what was rightfully his.
The stable boy was out for his usual morning walk after checking on the horses and noticed the dark figure enter the woods. He was sure it was Bill carrying supplies. Where could he be going at such an early hour? He was eccentric so strange behavior from him was nothing new and as long as he stayed away from Miss Grace's house then he did not care what he was up to. He did not trust Bill at all and was glad to see him vanish since that meant trouble was leaving with him also.
After a long trek Bill arrived close to Walter's cabin and observed the area for the best place to start his fire. He considered just lighting up Walter's cabin, but that would be too quick. He wanted fear to consume him, well he wanted the fire to consume him as well. He decided to start on the tree line surrounding the property as that should close in on the cabin and close off all exits. In his mind he could see the fire closing in from all sides with Walter and the animals frozen in fear as they could only watch their end come for them. A real hell on earth, Bill smiled to himself.
He collected wood and placed it across the path leading out and connecting to both sides of the forest, trying his best to keep the noise down and yet not get lost in the darkness. His plan was coming together perfectly. Soon he would pour down some burning fluids and walk back down the path to make sure his fire took hold. He felt the excitement race through him just at the thought of this massive fire. As a boy he set a few fires as well, but he was never caught for doing it or punished. "We can always buy more slaves," his father said and so they did. He wondered if his father ever knew it was him or if he even cared. He tripped over part of his creation, setting it up cursing loudly, then quieting himself quickly.
Nibelski heard the commotion and peaked her head out the door of the shed to scan the surroundings. Garius said they would be leaving soon and she was looking forward to her new life with him and being away from this place where she had been captured by that evil human. Then she saw him fumbling around in the dark building what looked like a beaver's dam. She hid a little more inside, but kept an eye on him and his activities. If he came anywhere close she would alert Garius immediately. What a dark human.
Bill stepped back to look at his work proudly, "This will do." He told himself as he began to spread his burning fluids across it and into the connected local woods until it was all used up. He took out a small steel box, removed a match, then struck it as its light shot throughout the early morning. He lit the far edge of the fluid and ran back to the path. He was amazed how quickly the fire ran across the ground and into all the woods around him. It looked like it had a life of its own, yet it was life he gave to it and he felt like a kid watching it blaze. It started to move quickly and he felt fear overcoming his child-like feelings so he ran down the trail heading back to town, back to the safety of his house.
Nibelski froze in fear seeing this monster rise out of the woods, consuming everything in its path. "What to do? What to do? She asked herself. "Garius, I must save him," she said, running back into the shed. She pushed at him, finally biting him to wake him up.
Garius awoke and upon seeing her eyes he knew something was wrong. "What is it, Nibelski?"
"Fire!" she yelped. "The evil one came back, and started a fire!"
Garius leapt up and ran out of the shed. The forest was a wall of fire and quickly spreading all around them, soon it would circle them and there would be no escape. He ran to the human's dwelling and let out his loudest howl to alert him.
Walter emerged from his cabin in his underwear, "my God!" was all he could utter as he ran back in to quickly throw on clothes, boots and grab his gun. Garius stood there looking at him wondering if he had a plan. Walter looked around wondering what they could do as running in the woods behind them was the only escape but that would lead them to a cliff and soon this fire would be upon them there as well. They needed a space where no woods could continue to burn and the only place he could think of was the local town which was a good distance away and directly through the fire in front of them. He looked down at the large wolf "I think we're in trouble" as many wild creatures agreed as they had run out of the smoke filled woods towards Walter's place. They could not wait to plan anymore, they had to move quickly, and that is when Nibelski ran up and stood beside them both.
Raising her head she filled her lungs and let out a cry like they had never heard before. Every animal was attuned to it and responded immediately running to be close to her. Something had changed and she could feel it. She felt older now, wiser now, and she saw streaks of white, almost like light guiding her into the fire directly on the edge of the wood.
"You must all follow me, I know the way out." she told them as Garius looked at her proudly, her strength inspiring him. She was not just a fox anymore and he knew it. She let out a yelp "now!" as she ran to the forest's edge with every animal following closely behind her. She was running on an instinct that she did not understand, but it drove her to lead everyone out of danger. Walter too felt the pull so he ran after her as well.
She followed the white streaks to the edge of the blaze and she could now see past the fire to what looked like a tunnel's edge. She did not stop, but burst through the flames sending branches and burning wood everywhere. Garius was immediately behind her and did the same, making an open path through the blazing woods onto the safe path into town. All the animals had filed a line behind her as she had become their salvation from the depths of this man made hell.
"Well, I'll be damned," Walter said as he saw the path open up and he too charged in trying to follow the animals as quickly as he could, his heart pounding inside his chest. The must make it to town as quickly as possible so he can warn them and get the fire crew together to prepare for this incoming storm.
All Nibelski could see was the streams of white light guiding her as she ran her fasting calling out from time to time for the animals to follow her to safety. She was speaking a language that she did not learn, yet every animal understood her clearly and join the large army that was running the trail out of the woods and into the arms of safety.
In town some people had noticed the smoke in the distance, but nothing could have prepared them for what would happen next. The ground shook as if an earthquake was starting and the trees on the old path started to sway back and forth. Next the most beautiful animal they had ever seen burst forth from those woods. Unsure if it was the sunlight or a natural glow she was radiant and strong as a large wolf and an entire forest's worth of animals exploded out of those woods behind her like she was their leader. She leapt unto a large boulder in town and howled a cry like none other as all the animals approached her, bowed and then left into the safer side of the woods. The people of the town, unable to believe what they were seeing, just stood in awe of this event..
Grace emerged from her home to see what all the commotion was about only to see the fox and the wolf surrounded by wildlife and the town's folk. The fox looked so different now, like she had become her true self, very wolf-like with the large wolf standing by her side. It was an amazing sight to see as a very tired Walter emerged from the woods screaming "Fire! We've got a fire headed this way!"
Everyone snapped out of their trance to prepare for the worst, preparing fire fighting tools and water for the incoming blaze. Grace ran over to Walter as he sat there hunched over, breathing heavy. "Walter, what is going on?"
After catching his breath he replied "My whole property is on fire, it started in the woods and was quickly surrounding us." He pointed to the wolf "he woke me up instead of running, and she saved us."
"Saved you how?"
"It's like nothing I have ever seen. She let out this hypnotic howl and ran right into the fire leading us all out. The path was blocked and on fire, but they both burst through and brought us here. You should have seen it, Grace. She called every animal and they followed her obediently. We are alive because of her."
Grace looked over at Nibelski standing there as the last of the animals bowed and left. From deer, elk, bears and others, thanking her and then leaving town. No aggression, just a peaceful procession. Grace could not believe what she was seeing and it made no sense. As the last of the animals cleared out she approached her and said "You're a hero, Miss wolf." Then looking at the wolf she corrected herself "or is that Mrs. Wolf?"
Nibelski lowered her head and looked back at her like she had returned to normal. She climbed down off the boulder and collapsed onto the ground.
"Nibelski!" Garius exclaimed as he ran to her. She was motionless as he pushed her body with his nose.
Not thinking about how the wolf might interpret it, Grace ran to Nibelski's aid quickly checking her over. Running her hand over her body. She had a pulse, she was exhausted, and then Grace stood up and stepped back surprised by what she discovered next.
Walter ran up. "What is it? Is she ok?"
Grace looked at him with tears in her eyes, "How many miracles can you handle today?" she asked. "She's pregnant.". She looked down at the wolf and told him "she will be ok, I will take her to my place. You're going to be a father."
Garius noticed the human's gentle tone and he trusted her. He watched Walter pick up Nibelski and they all went to a new dwelling. He hoped that this human could help Nibelski like they helped him.
"She is very heavy," Walter told Grace as he carried her.
"Well she is no longer the little fox we once saw, she has grown into something bigger than any of us could have imagined." Grace led everyone to the back of her house where she had a small yard setup for animal recovery. She pointed to a small structure and told Walter to place her in the hay bed there as Garius lay down beside her staying close at all times as Grace checked her over completely. She looked at Garius and smiled. He did not know what it meant, but it felt good and he knew Nibelski would be safe in this human's care. He felt indebted so much to them.
The towns folk were very busy preparing for the incoming fire and a few people from the volunteer fire department went into the woods to clear more trees and to create a channel of water to help fight the blaze before it could reach town. Although the town was built in a well cleared spot they wanted to ensure its safety completely. As the fire approached quickly one man refused to leave his post as he felt more trees needed to be cleared quickly. He fell victim to the ensuing inferno, losing his life and leaving behind a wife and four children. Most quickly forgot about the miracle of the animals as the town had to grieve the loss of the sheriff's brother, Tom. He would be greatly missed by all.
That day there was a knock at Grace's door. Walter answered it to see Cliff, the stable boy standing there. "Come to see the miracle animals?" Walter asked him.
"No, sir. " he replied. "I've come to tell you and Miss Grace something I saw on the morning of the fire."
Grace called to him from inside the house, "Come in Cliff. Please tell us" as Walter closed the door after he entered.