Fear and panic must be the two chief causes of thoughtlessness. Maybe because of some drive to survive, animals of every sort will think only of themselves when faced with a threat. At least, that would be the normal response. There are heroes in every species naturally, but heroes are not common animals. More common would be those animals who have some portion of heroic instinct inside that will sometimes be drawn to the surface by circumstance. Heroism would be the third most common cause of thoughtlessness, but heroes are thoughtless of themselves. Selfless to be exact.
When the girl left the cabin to help her friend, she was not thinking about consequences. She was thinking only of her friend’s urgent need. The hero in her surfaced because her friend needed her. Unfortunately, when nature drives animals to act without thinking, sad consequences often follow. In this way, she was left behind.
A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she waited for someone to call her into the den but mostly she was thinking about thoughtlessness. She realized to her dismay that she hadn’t thought once about Barrru’s family during the time he was with her at the cabin. She never considered whether they worried about him when he did not return to the den or whether the bears had delivered the little cub safely to his mama. Her cheeks were burning with shame when Barrru’s head popped through the bush.
He had a broad grin for her and a twinkle in his eyes. She knew everything was fine with his family. For the first time in days, she believed they would all be fine.
Then little Rrru popped his head through his papa’s legs. She was relieved to see him looking so well and happy. Then five more cubs came leaping out of the bush! Six cubs in all!
The six pounced on her all at once. All six of them licking her face, and nuzzling her with their soft little faces. A fit of giggles seized the girl because all those soft furry faces and equally soft little tongues lapping her face were full of tickles for her bare skin.
The cubs had never seen giggles. They respectfully withdrew and looked on her with some wonderment.
Barrru cleared his throat, then stood up very straight and proud. He nodded to his children and they lined up seemingly in order before him, largest to smallest. He introduced each of them to her with the sort of formal pride only a papa could have for his children. They were, in order, Buhbuh, Grrrf, Arr, Ahh, Rruuuf, and Barrru the Little whom they called Rrru for short.
Buhbuh was the oldest, a girl, who stood taller than her father. She smiled shyly, her head turned to one side. The little girl could see she had beautiful cool blue eyes but when Buhbuh turned her head the other way, the girl was surprised to see she had brown eyes like her papa!
Barrru chuckled his wolfish chuckle. He spoke to Buhbuh who turned her head so that she was looking at the girl with both eyes. She had one brown eye and one blue!
Grrrf was the next largest, a boy, handsome and strong just like his papa. He had that same gallant air about him and smiled just the same as Barrru. Next were the identical twins, Arr and Ahh, a boy and a girl who looked so much alike that a quick glance would make you think you were seeing double. Rruuuf was a playful boy, fidgeting the whole time and obviously eager to go back to some game or other. He was nudging his little brother, Rrru, as he made small impatient sounds that were clearly begging his father for permission to leave. Little Rrru just sat patiently, beaming at her the whole while.
Rrru’s attentions had not gone unnoticed by Barrru. Barrru grinned a little as his thoughts came to her. “I think my youngest has a crush on you.” She blushed as she made a small and very correct curtsey for his children. Then she heard him introduce her to all of them. To her great surprise, he told them, “Children, I’d like you to meet Arrrooo.”
She had no idea what name she had other than “princess”, so the new name had been a surprise. Yet the more she thought of it, the more she embraced her new name. She rolled it around in her mind, “Arrrooo, arrrooo!” Yes, she would be Arrrooo!
She was still lost in puzzling over the name when a very beautiful wolf appeared from the blackberry bush. She had come so quietly, the girl had not noticed her at all. Barrru motioned her over with a nod of his head. He said, “Arrrooo, meet Baa, my wife.”
Baa said, “Welcome, daughter. I believe you and Buhbuh are the same age so we will have a second set of twins.” Baa smiled warmly at her so the girl would know that she was genuinely welcomed. She was part of the pack.
Wolf cubs are not named by their mama and papa. She discovered this later when she had a bit of time alone with Barrru. He explained that cubs name themselves. Sometimes this happens when they’re still quite small. Sometimes it takes quite awhile until a cub settles on a name for certain. Because she always called to him in the same way, he quite naturally thought she was telling him the name she had decided on for herself.
Baa said, “Let’s go into the den and get you settled. Also, you need to meet Tobias still and my little brother, Ahwooo.”
Arrrooo crouched low as she passed through the bush and into the den. She was not afraid even though she could see it was extremely dim inside. She had never feared the dark.
As it turned out, the den was not quite as dim as she expected owing to a small hole in the ceiling that let in a little sunlight. The light filtered down through a pack of snow as she saw when she looked up. It was icy white up there. Barrru noticed her examining the hole and explained that he had dug the hole to let the air in when the mouth of the den was covered with snow. “Also, it gives us a way to escape if the snow is too high for too long. We have to eat after all.”
When her eyes adjusted to the faint light, she could see a very old wolf asleep on a nice straw bed. Barrru said, “This is my papa, Tobias. He’s very old now and needs his rest so we won’t wake him just now.”
Then a young wolf she had not seen before approached her from one of the darker corners. Baa said, “Arrrooo, meet Ahwooo, my younger brother. We call him just ‘uncle’ quite often.”
Arrrooo had always known the solitude of an only child but also the devotion of parents who cared for her as if she were porcelain. They adored her as their only child, but also worried over her. They never said so, naturally, but in their minds she was a misfit, because she could not speak or understand speech. They would not tell her she was a burden to them, and always would be, or so they thought. They never spoke of it at all even if the thought was in their hearts. So perhaps, she was fortunate after all that she came to the world without words. She never knew their fears. She only knew their unspoken kindness and even a silent pride they had in her for those things she could do well and for her obvious courage.
She was also a wise enough child to see that life in a wolf’s den would present some difficulties. She would not have the mama making meals for her. She would not have the papa protecting her. But she had grown strong and brave beyond her years. She had confidence and a child’s faith. Simple and durable.
She contemplated the advantages against the disadvantages of her new life. She was not alone as she might have been. She had a new family who loved and respected her. She had a mama and papa who could speak to her and whom she could understand. She was no longer an only child. Now she had brothers and sisters! She would not be lonely anymore. She even entertained the idea that her life was destined to follow this path. She was satisfied.
Barrru broke in on her pondering. His solemn nod told her that he heard her thoughts and approved. He lay down by her side and spoke to her as he had never done before.
“Little one, there are things you will want to know about us. There are things you need to know.” So began her first lesson.
Chapter Six
When the girl left the cabin to help her friend, she was not thinking about consequences. She was thinking only of her friend’s urgent need. The hero in her surfaced because her friend needed her. Unfortunately, when nature drives animals to act without thinking, sad consequences often follow. In this way, she was left behind.
A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she waited for someone to call her into the den but mostly she was thinking about thoughtlessness. She realized to her dismay that she hadn’t thought once about Barrru’s family during the time he was with her at the cabin. She never considered whether they worried about him when he did not return to the den or whether the bears had delivered the little cub safely to his mama. Her cheeks were burning with shame when Barrru’s head popped through the bush.
He had a broad grin for her and a twinkle in his eyes. She knew everything was fine with his family. For the first time in days, she believed they would all be fine.
Then little Rrru popped his head through his papa’s legs. She was relieved to see him looking so well and happy. Then five more cubs came leaping out of the bush! Six cubs in all!
The six pounced on her all at once. All six of them licking her face, and nuzzling her with their soft little faces. A fit of giggles seized the girl because all those soft furry faces and equally soft little tongues lapping her face were full of tickles for her bare skin.
The cubs had never seen giggles. They respectfully withdrew and looked on her with some wonderment.
Barrru cleared his throat, then stood up very straight and proud. He nodded to his children and they lined up seemingly in order before him, largest to smallest. He introduced each of them to her with the sort of formal pride only a papa could have for his children. They were, in order, Buhbuh, Grrrf, Arr, Ahh, Rruuuf, and Barrru the Little whom they called Rrru for short.
Buhbuh was the oldest, a girl, who stood taller than her father. She smiled shyly, her head turned to one side. The little girl could see she had beautiful cool blue eyes but when Buhbuh turned her head the other way, the girl was surprised to see she had brown eyes like her papa!
Barrru chuckled his wolfish chuckle. He spoke to Buhbuh who turned her head so that she was looking at the girl with both eyes. She had one brown eye and one blue!
Grrrf was the next largest, a boy, handsome and strong just like his papa. He had that same gallant air about him and smiled just the same as Barrru. Next were the identical twins, Arr and Ahh, a boy and a girl who looked so much alike that a quick glance would make you think you were seeing double. Rruuuf was a playful boy, fidgeting the whole time and obviously eager to go back to some game or other. He was nudging his little brother, Rrru, as he made small impatient sounds that were clearly begging his father for permission to leave. Little Rrru just sat patiently, beaming at her the whole while.
Rrru’s attentions had not gone unnoticed by Barrru. Barrru grinned a little as his thoughts came to her. “I think my youngest has a crush on you.” She blushed as she made a small and very correct curtsey for his children. Then she heard him introduce her to all of them. To her great surprise, he told them, “Children, I’d like you to meet Arrrooo.”
She had no idea what name she had other than “princess”, so the new name had been a surprise. Yet the more she thought of it, the more she embraced her new name. She rolled it around in her mind, “Arrrooo, arrrooo!” Yes, she would be Arrrooo!
She was still lost in puzzling over the name when a very beautiful wolf appeared from the blackberry bush. She had come so quietly, the girl had not noticed her at all. Barrru motioned her over with a nod of his head. He said, “Arrrooo, meet Baa, my wife.”
Baa said, “Welcome, daughter. I believe you and Buhbuh are the same age so we will have a second set of twins.” Baa smiled warmly at her so the girl would know that she was genuinely welcomed. She was part of the pack.
Wolf cubs are not named by their mama and papa. She discovered this later when she had a bit of time alone with Barrru. He explained that cubs name themselves. Sometimes this happens when they’re still quite small. Sometimes it takes quite awhile until a cub settles on a name for certain. Because she always called to him in the same way, he quite naturally thought she was telling him the name she had decided on for herself.
Baa said, “Let’s go into the den and get you settled. Also, you need to meet Tobias still and my little brother, Ahwooo.”
Arrrooo crouched low as she passed through the bush and into the den. She was not afraid even though she could see it was extremely dim inside. She had never feared the dark.
As it turned out, the den was not quite as dim as she expected owing to a small hole in the ceiling that let in a little sunlight. The light filtered down through a pack of snow as she saw when she looked up. It was icy white up there. Barrru noticed her examining the hole and explained that he had dug the hole to let the air in when the mouth of the den was covered with snow. “Also, it gives us a way to escape if the snow is too high for too long. We have to eat after all.”
When her eyes adjusted to the faint light, she could see a very old wolf asleep on a nice straw bed. Barrru said, “This is my papa, Tobias. He’s very old now and needs his rest so we won’t wake him just now.”
Then a young wolf she had not seen before approached her from one of the darker corners. Baa said, “Arrrooo, meet Ahwooo, my younger brother. We call him just ‘uncle’ quite often.”
Arrrooo had always known the solitude of an only child but also the devotion of parents who cared for her as if she were porcelain. They adored her as their only child, but also worried over her. They never said so, naturally, but in their minds she was a misfit, because she could not speak or understand speech. They would not tell her she was a burden to them, and always would be, or so they thought. They never spoke of it at all even if the thought was in their hearts. So perhaps, she was fortunate after all that she came to the world without words. She never knew their fears. She only knew their unspoken kindness and even a silent pride they had in her for those things she could do well and for her obvious courage.
She was also a wise enough child to see that life in a wolf’s den would present some difficulties. She would not have the mama making meals for her. She would not have the papa protecting her. But she had grown strong and brave beyond her years. She had confidence and a child’s faith. Simple and durable.
She contemplated the advantages against the disadvantages of her new life. She was not alone as she might have been. She had a new family who loved and respected her. She had a mama and papa who could speak to her and whom she could understand. She was no longer an only child. Now she had brothers and sisters! She would not be lonely anymore. She even entertained the idea that her life was destined to follow this path. She was satisfied.
Barrru broke in on her pondering. His solemn nod told her that he heard her thoughts and approved. He lay down by her side and spoke to her as he had never done before.
“Little one, there are things you will want to know about us. There are things you need to know.” So began her first lesson.
Chapter Six
The Story of Tobias
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