Free Howl by Karen Hood-Caddy

abattoir.”
    She stroked the baby bear. “Conner and his dad, Rick, they don’t kill to eat. They kill to feel powerful. You should see the inside of their place. There’s antlers and animal heads on every wall. Like trophies. I bet they make Kingshot and Conner feel like big shots every time they look at them.”
    “But he is a big shot,” Squirm argued. “Look at all the stuff he’s got, trucks, cars, ATVs —”
    “Big boy toys.” Griff let out a long, slow sigh. “Stuff like that might give you a thrill at first, but it doesn’t last.” She tousled Squirm’s hair. “It just goes to show, you can never have enough of what you don’t really want.” She stood up. “And speaking of mounting heads on a wall, that’s what I’m going to do with Conner’s if he doesn’t bring Ari back soon.”
    Her son stopped his hammering. “Ari’s with Conner? How did that happen?”
    Griff shrugged. “He offered to take her for a ride and she went.”
    “You shouldn’t have let her!”
    The sound of the ATV approaching stopped their conversation. Squirm yawned. “Is Conner going to be Ari’s boyfriend now?”
    Griff dropped the hammer she was holding. “What a dastardly thought. But I can see why she likes him. He’s got that choirboy cherubic face, yet he’s a bit of a rebel. A lot of girls like that. In my generation, we used to swoon over James Dean.”
    “What’s swoon?”
    Griff smiled with amusement. “What your sister is doing.”
    Robin peeked out the barn door and watched her sister saying goodbye to Conner. When Robin had seen her with other boys, she’d always looked bored, as if she was putting up with them, but now, with Conner, her face was flushed and dreamy.
    Robin went back inside and helped arrange more straw in the bear’s stall.
    Squirm yawned again. “I’m hungry. Can we go now?”
    Griff nodded. “Of course. I’ve got to get some baby food ready. This guy’s going to be hungry when he wakes up.” She looked at the bear fondly. “Won’t you, Mukwa.”
    “‘Mukwa’?” Robin asked.
    Griff explained. “It’s Ojibway for the word bear .”
    “Cool,” Squirm said.
    After they left, Robin stretched out on the bale of hay and looked at the cub. He was sleeping with his head tucked into the soft fur of his chest. As if feeling her gaze, he opened his eyes. Becoming agitated, he tried to pull himself up.
    Robin spoke to him quietly. “I know. You’re wondering where your mom is. But I promise, you will see her again. As soon as your arm’s better.” The bear seemed to settle at the sound of her voice. “Meanwhile, we’re going to take care of you. So, you don’t have to be afraid. You and your mom will be back together soon.”
    Robin wiped her eyes. What was she crying for now?
    The baby bear became quiet and closed its eyes. In another few moments, she heard the low rhythmic snuffle of his breathing and knew he was asleep. She smiled. They’d saved the bear from being shot. That was good.
    She stood up and checked on Relentless and the puppies. They were all piled on top of one another, legs and tails and snouts going in every direction, but fast asleep. That felt good too.
    Whistling, she left the barn.



Chapter
Nine
    Robin’s alarm went off at six. With the bear to feed as well as the puppies, she had to get up even earlier these days. She pulled a jacket over her pajamas and stumbled bleary-eyed towards the barn. As soon as she stepped outside, the brightness of the day greeted her. The sun was out, and it felt warm against her face. No wonder all the snow was melting. There was hardly any in the yard now. She took in a deep breath. The air smelled fresh and new, and it made her feel hopeful and alive.
    As usual, Mukwa smelled her coming and was standing at the front of his enclosure when she came in. The creak of the barn door ignited the puppies into a frenzy of ecstatic yips and yelps. Their exuberance at the sight of her made all her tiredness disappear.
    She