Free Long Snows Moon by Stacey Darlington

charged her.
    “No!” Analise commanded, as she put herself
between Ducks and Claire. She knelt and stared into her eyes until
Ducks backed down. “It’s okay,” Analise, whispered, “it’s not her
fault, it's mine.”
    Ducks resumed her post and Claire sidled into
the store.
    “What’s your fault, Mom?” Devon asked.
    “Some animals don’t like certain scents,”
Analise said. “The perfume I bought for Claire seems to offend
Ducks.”
    Devon scowled. That sounded like a lie. It
was easier to believe Ducks sensed the evil that was Claire.
    “It really does smell awful on her,” Devon
said.
    “I’m sorry,” Analise, told the animal.
    Ducks sighed and closed her eyes as if to
dismiss her. Analise seemed reluctant to leave but followed Claire
inside.
    “I didn’t know my mom loved dogs,” Devon
pondered aloud.
    “She seems to have a special way with
animals,” the girl noted.
    “Weird. Can I see the puppies?”
    “Sure, follow me.” She led Devon into a huge
greenhouse behind the store. “They’re almost weaned and will be
leaving soon.”
    “Where are they going?” Devon cried,
assaulted by six tufts of fur. “They’re so cute how can you get rid
of them?”
    “My mom sells them. They’re all sold except
for that one there, the black one, and this one.” She picked up a
grey bundle and cooed to her, tickling her tummy and kissing her
nose. “This one is mine, my mom said I can keep her, and when she’s
old enough she will have puppies and I will sell them.”
    “How could you ever sell them?”
    “So humans can learn from them.”
    “I wish I could have one.” Devon pouted as
she snuggled one.
    “Pure wolves mate and cycle once a year but
Ducks is a husky so she can have puppies any time of year. It is
rare for a high content hybrid to have blue or green eyes, but ours
do. This one has green eyes. The one I’m keeping has blue.”
    “They are beautiful.”
    The girl continued, “They aren’t easy to
train. They’re escape artists and like to dig. Wolves tend to be
timid and a hybrid that's not properly governed can be disposed to
fear biting. They must be taught early not to nip, ever. A dog's
nature is to please its master but a wolf does not care like
that.”
    “Why would anyone want to own one then?”
    “I already told you, so humans can
learn.”
    “Learn what?”
    “Wolves teach leadership and self-control.
Their magic opens a path for a new direction, reminding humans to
reach higher for their dreams. To keep their family unit tight and
revere their elders. To protect the pack.”
    “I don't have a pack,” Devon wrinkled her
nose and shrugged. “I'm an only child.”
    “I guess you're a lone wolf,” the girl
grinned.
    Devon chuckled. “Yeah, that sounds right.
What's your name?”
    “Jameson. What's yours?”
    “Devon,” Analise called. “We are leaving in a
few minutes.”
    They laughed.
    “You know a lot about wolves.”
    Jameson nodded. “I learn as I go.”
    “What are you going to name yours?”
    “She already has a name, she was the first
born under the Ripe Berries Moon so I’ll call her Berry.”
    “What’s Ripe Berries Moon?”
    “Its Native American astrology but it’s done
under the moon instead of the sun. Like I’ll bet you’re a Virgo and
you just had a birthday.”
    “Yeah, my birthday was September fifteenth.
Are you a mind reader or something?”
    “I can just tell stuff about people. I get it
from my mom. She calls it intuition I call it knowing. She’s a
medicine woman.”
    “She's a doctor?”
    The girl nodded. “She's a psychiatrist, an
M.D., she has a Ph.D. in Botany, and she's a good old fashioned
medicine woman, descended from a long line of shamans and healers.
Plus, she's a cool mom.”
    “That is cool,” Devon nodded.
    “Anyway, since your birthday was September
fifteenth, you were born under the Harvest Moon. It was my mom’s
idea to name the first-born pup after their moon cycle for the
pedigree papers. It’s