Sully paused his story to look at Michaela, unsure of how she would react to his mention of his love for his first wife. He looked over at her and saw the she had tears in her eyes. “Michaela?”

“I’m sorry Sully, I never realized . . .” she stopped, too consumed with emotion over the grief that her husband had suffered so early in life.

“Shhh, its ok, things got better,” he gave her a slight smile. Looking down at his beloved wolf, Sully added, “didn’t it boy?”

“Please Sully, continue your story,” Michaela encouraged with love in her eyes.

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Sully didn’t know how long he had been there or even exactly where he was. He remembered walking and finding the lean-to but beyond that the next several days were a blur. He was awakened one morning by a warm tongue on his face. Too exhausted from fever and grief Sully just opened his eyes to stare into the amber eyes of a grey wolf.

Fearing that he had become the main course in a winter feast for the animal, Sully laid perfectly still to await the animal's intent. Slowly the wolf just sniffed around him, introducing himself to the sent of this strange man. To Sully’s complete astonishment the animal plopped down and covered Sully’s body with his own. He was offering his body heat to the stranger.

For the next several days the wolf remained and provided warmth for Sully. He would leave occasionally and return with a rabbit or squirrel that they would share. Sully was grateful to his new friend who seemed to defy the laws of nature. As the days drew on, Sully’s fever waned and he re-gained his strength enough to venture away from the lean-to. It was on one of these trips that Sully was suddenly thrust into the company of his would-be blood brother.

*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*

Cloud Dancing came upon two sets of tracks; a man and a dog. His hunting party had been out for several days looking for food to feed his tribe. The buffalo had been slowly fleeing the area and the Army was restricting the Cheyenne hunting grounds, leaving very little food for his people. Curious about this traveling pair, Cloud Dancing began to follow the tracks. After a while he began to notice that the tracks weren’t heading anywhere in particular. They were just wandering through the woods. He wondered if this man was lost. Suddenly he heard a loud coughing sound. He waited and listened for it to stop. The coughing became more severe and Cloud Dancing began to run towards the sound. As he approached the man doubled over on his knees raking his lungs out, he stopped and watched. The man traveled with a grey wolf; this was a sign that the man respected nature and it's creatures. Slowly Cloud Dancing neared the man; the animal did not hinder his approach. The man looked up at him with troubled eyes. He was not afraid or angry, he was sad and hurt. Their eyes met and neither spoke. The coughing had stopped and the man was breathing heavy from the effort.

“Who are you?” the man asked.

“I am a medicine man, my people call me Cloud Dancing. You are sick,” he replied. His English was good, somewhat broken but much more than Sully had expected.

“It’s nothin’,” Sully replied.

“You travel with ho’nehe . . . wolf.”

“Yeah he just showed up about a week ago, won’t leave me alone,” Sully feigned irritation at the animals presence.

“He is your guardian,” Cloud Dancing stated. “He was sent by the Spirits to watch over you.”

Sully nodded. He was becoming exhausted from his walk and the fit of coughing, he wasn’t sure if he could make it back to the lean-to.

“You are ill. Come I will take you back to my village.” He moved to help Sully from his position on the ground.

“I’m fine. Just leave me be!” Sully spat. He began to stand, the effort becoming too much for him, Sully collapsed into unconsciousness on the ground at the medicine man’s feet

*~*~*~*~* ~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*

When Sully woke he felt warm, a feeling he hadn’t felt in weeks. He was warm and covered in some kind of fur blanket. He opened his eyes and looked around. He was in what appeared to be a tee-pee. A fire was blazing near by and his newfound companion was sleeping at his side. “Hey boy,” he choked out. His throat was sore and his voice raspy from lack of use. The animal’s ears perked at the sound of his master’s voice and he began to whine for attention.

At that moment the Indian that Sully had seen in the woods came through a flap in the side of the tee-pee.

“You are awake. This is good,” Cloud Dancing stated.

“Yeah, thanks ah . . .”

“Cloud Dancing.”

“Sully,” he replied pointing to his chest. “How long have I been here?”

“The sun has risen two times. You were sick with the fever.”

“You saved me?”

“You saved yourself my friend. Your ho’nehe was watching over you.”

“My what?” Sully was confused by the riddles that this Indian seemed to thrive on.

“The wolf you travel with, he is watching out for you.”

“He saved my life before; he brought me food when I was sick.”

“Yes I believe you share a spirit, he has not left your side since I found you in the woods.”

With that Sully looked down at the wolf at his side, his amber eyes filled with loyalty and trust. “He’s my family now . . . the only family I have,” Sully reached down and scratched the ears of his wolf. He was indebted to the animal and would forever call him his friend.

*~*~*~* ~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*

“And that’s how I got my Cheyenne name Ea’novetano ho’nehe; Sad Wolf,” Sully gave Michaela a half smile. “The rest is history,” Sully said.

Michaela was amazed by the story of loyalty her husband had shared with her. “That was beautiful Sully,” she whispered.

“Wolf and I have been through a lot together. He’s saved my life more than a few times. I owe him so much. He found you when you were taken by dog soldiers, he’s provided warmth and companionship on many a lonely night in that cave a few years back, and he’s become the guardian of our children. Michaela, I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him,” Sully was overcome with grief that he may lose his oldest friend; his family. Tears began to freely flow down his face.

Suddenly he felt a warm sensation on his cheek. When Sully opened his eyes Wolf was sitting up, licking the tears from Sully’s face. Sully embraced his friend sending a silent prayer to the spirits for giving saving his comrade.

“Well, it looks like the two of you have again evaded the inevitable,” Michaela said, smiling at the scene of love and loyalty before her. “He’s going to be just fine Sully. He won’t be hunting for a few weeks but he will be ok.”

Sully grabbed her hand, “Thank you Michaela.” He gave her a smile filled with love and gratitude.

“You’re family is my family Sully,” she smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Knowing that Sully needed to be assured that Wolf would be alright she added, “I’ll get a blanket so we can stay with him tonight.”

Smiling at her ability to read his mind Sully gently repositioned himself to leave room for Michaela to sleep beside him. When she returned with the blanket and a pillow from their bedroom she lay down next to him; giving him a soft kiss on the lips she said, “Good night Ea’novetano ho’nehe.”

“Goodnight Medicine Woman.”