She Wolf Ch. 04

Janet raised an eyebrow.

"I've given you what I can, but there is more you can do. While advanced skills come with advanced responsibilities I think you are ready to handle the responsibilities involved."

"Handle what? What are you talking about?"

"I know of a shaman in Arizona. I've communicated with him a few times over the years, and I think he'd be willing to up your game a notch. Give you something even MRKX wouldn't expect."

"What...?"

"I can't promise anything, but as long as you're going out west anyway it could be worth your while to pay him a visit. It sounds like time is of the essence, so you'd better be packed and ready to head out on short notice. Henry, can you have the plane ready as soon as we hear back from Gray?"

"I just did some maintenance. She'll be gassed up and ready to roll as esrly as tomorrow morning."

The next day Gray reported "I'm pretty sure it's MRKX. And from the size of the cloaked area he must have a considerable force - much larger than we've ever faced before. It seems like New York was partly a test to see what our abilities are. He'll have more and stronger forces than he had in New York."

"I'll bring my team with me and we'll leave here tomorrow morning. We're stronger, too. He must realize that."

"He knows that, I'm sure. Yet, if it really is MRKX he must be confident to face a stronger Celestial, so he has some sort of plan. We've got to be careful not to be led into a trap."

"How strong are you?"

"I've drawn together most of my resources in the west. More come in every day from Canada, the Midwest and east coast."

"We'll have to be careful. Yet we must be bold with him. He will exploit weakness."

"Agreed. When will you arrive?"

"Swift has arranged for me to meet someone in the southwest. When I leave there I may bring some additional forces with me. I should be there in a few days, at latest by the end of the week."

"Good. I've got more coming in daily, so I will have added strength by then."

Janet couldn't sleep, bothered by the possibility of facing a stronger MRKX. Charles stroked her hair. "You'll be fine. We'll all be fine."

"Will we? Will we really? I'm worried about leaving them behind."

"Gertrude says she's old and creaky, but she has more in the tank than she lets on."

"I hope you're right."

His caresses moved down her body and she sighed. Facing each other in bed she felt his erection rise between them.

"One for the road?" she laughed.

He cupped a breast and kissed her while her fingers twined the hair on his chest. One hand slid up her thigh and slipped into her growing wetness, probing and stroking more wetness out. She wrapped two hands around his thick penis.

A finger slipped into her and she moaned in anticipation for what was to come, but he took his time, giving her a climax with his fingers. His head lowered to her breast and his tongue and lips played over the nipple. With the finger inside her he began to stroke again, and she came to a second climax.

"I want it now," she panted as she pumped him with her hands.

"Always ready to please, ma'am."

By now she was used to taking him face to face and she moved her legs to ease his access. He still took time entering her, letting her get used to him a few inches at a time, until he was fully sheathed and she flipped him over.

Her rocking began slowly. At first he admired her breasts, but she leaned forward and he held them in his hands, rubbing thumbs over the nipples. She leaned farther forward and he took one in his mouth and sucked.

The years had taught him that she needed control sometimes, and let her set her own pace. He still was amazed that she could pull back until he was almost withdrawn and then slam forward. The tightness he felt inside her stimulated him beyond comprehension. His grunting always let her know when it was time for him. Frequently she slowed down to prolong them both, but tonight she rammed harder.

One thing she always loved about their lovemaking was the feeling of him pulsing inside her and the sensation of warm semen filling her. He met her thrusts with his own until he was finished, although she was not. The third orgasm took longer to build, but he remained stiff enough for her.

Her eyes rolled back in her head and she gasped as she shuddered with violent contractions until she collapsed onto his chest, unable to move. For minutes the only sound in the room was their labored breathing.

"That was a good sendoff," she gasped as she rolled off and he slipped out.

He caressed her hair once again, thinking that there might not be another chance like this until the business out west was settled - if they survived it.

Gertrude, Wanda and Clark drove the four and their gear in two vehicles to see them off. Gertrude took Janet by the shoulders. "You can do this, Janet. I contacted him last night. You'll be meeting with Great Bear. His grandson, Eagle Claw, will meet you and take you to him."

Lydia, Cliff, Janet and Charles loaded gear into the plane and hopped in. Henry taxied to the end of the runway, gunned the engine and soon they were on their way.

After one refueling stop and meal break they reached their destination - a remote airstrip in Arizona - and were met by a Native American leaning back against a beat up Jeep. He wore a necklace of eagle talons over a faded shirt with a black dusty cowboy hat and stood with his arms folded, chewing on a toothpick.

He shook his head at the amount of gear unloaded from the plane, but managed to stow it somehow in the very back of the jeep and on the roof rack. They drove, or rather bounced, over a washboard road for about fifteen minutes before pulling up to a small adobe house that looked like it had seen better days. During the trip he was a man of few words.

Inside he introduced Three Fingers and Red Deer. The three Native Americans looked over the four strangers, focusing on Charles, as he was the largest by far, and dismissing the others. They were taken aback when Janet announced she was Celestial.

Realizing she would have to give some sign she closed her eyes and concentrated 'who is the one Swift has been communicating with? Is one of you Great Bear?'

Eagle Claw grinned at last and thought back 'Swift talked to me. Great Bear isn't here. We have to go to him.'

Satisfied, Eagle Claw announced that he would take Celestial to Great Bear.

"Fine. Let's get started."

Eagle Claw shook his head. "We must travel at night. It's too hot to run during the day."

"Run? Can't we drive?"

With a head shake Eagle Claw said "No. We must run as wolves."

"How long will it take?"

"Two night's journey."

"Claw could fly us closer..."

"No! The journey is part of the bestowing of gifts. It must be this way." He looked over the group and laughed "We weren't expecting any women, and figured the rest would just bed down in here. There's a shed out back if you need to stow weapons."

"The group will be fine. We'll all just be wolves for a few days."

After unpacking the group decided that if the majority had to stay there they'd take time to make sure all weapons were in good working order before they shifted. The hosts were impressed with the custom axes and machetes they now carried to use for severing heads. Every implement was balanced for the hand that used it.

After dark Eagle Claw and Celestial set out at a good running pace. She noticed that he had not removed the necklace when he shifted, but it fit like a collar when he was wolf. After several hours of running he looked back to see if she was fading, but she was with him step for step. Her eyes picked out the faint path they followed and at one point blew past him and outpaced him, eventually slowing until he caught up.

'Nice. I guess you are related to Swift, but don't do it again. There are some forks in the path and taking the wrong one would cost us time.'

'Just wanted you to know I have abilities, even if I'm female. I saw you look at Charles, figuring him to be Celestial as he looks like a natural leader. He's my mate and a pack leader for the northeast.'

As the sky began to lighten they came upon an abandoned dwelling and headed in for shelter from the scorching heat of the day.

'We sleep during the day. There is food and water here. We made good time. Sometimes the sun is up before we get here. Rest now.'

They curled up and slept most of the day in the cool of the building.

In the evening they set out once again. The previous night she had been preoccupied with keeping to the path, but the second night she blew past him again. Some distance ahead she sat and observed the landscape.

'I said to follow me.'

'I am. But I'm a painter in real life, and love to paint what I see at night. I'm memorizing what I see so I can paint it later. It's a different kind of beautiful than the woods I'm used to. I didn't want to slow us down when I stopped.'

He grumbled 'You can paint IF we get back from the battle ahead. Word is we might be dealing with MRKX.'

'It sounds like we might. I've fought him before, but his spirit escaped when we ended him and I am concerned he has more power now. I think that's why I'm supposed to meet Great Bear. I don't know what that's going to be about.'

Eagle Claw projected no more thoughts as he resumed running.

Celestial felt something and ran up beside him. 'There's something out here.'

'Where?'

'Don't know yet, but it's getting stronger. Could there be a scout from MRKX out to spy on us?'

'Never seen one before.'

'Well, there's something tonight. It's still. Waiting. My sense tells me it's behind that rocky hill up on the right. You keep on as if nothing is happening while I circle around and check it out.'

Eagle Claw kept up a steady pace as he approached the hill, but Celestial put on speed to circle around at a distance far enough she hoped she couldn't be heard. She slowed and crept up cautiously until she saw plainly a wolf straining to see evidence of movement along the path. Everything about him told her he was intent on doing them harm.

When she was as close as she dared she put on the speed to attack. By the time the wolf heard her and turned toward her she leaped, snarling, grabbed its neck and flung the wolf against a rock. With much snarling the two faced off. The wolf gathered to leap at her, but she was faster, snapping a leg with her jaws. The wolf tried to snap at her, but she tore at its throat and it went limp just as Eagle Claw arrived.

She snapped the neck and after a quick shift they managed to twist the head off. Eagle Claw looked at her approvingly, then motioned for them to shift again and move onward to Great Bear.

It was a couple of hours before sunup that they came upon the hogan where Great Bear lived. Eagle Claw yipped at the bearskin hanging as a cover for the open door and entered, Celestial following. Inside they shifted.

The interior was dim but a figure sat cross-legged by a fire. At first Janet thought he was in a trance or even dead, as he remained motionless. His ancient tanned face was creased with many deep wrinkles; with his eyes closed they were swallowed up in the wrinkles. She couldn't see that he had eyes at all. The only indication of a mouth was the pipe that stuck out of it. He seemed to be dressed in some sort of simple brown cloth, and sat surrounded by jars and bowls of various sizes and colors.

"Great Bear, this is Celestial."

Great Bear grunted a greeting, and his eyes opened to study her as he set the pipe aside. "Swift has told me much about you."

Janet at first thought to make a quip about her grandmother, but dismissed the thought and nodded.

"You are on a quest, and I am to bestow upon you some gifts."

He closed his eyes again and there was silence for, to Janet, an interminable time. She sensed that he was concentrating and this was not to be a conversation.

"Give me your hands."

She held out her hands and he took them in his and closed his eyes. She had expected to be able to communicate with him by thought as Swift had done but for some reason she didn't understand she could neither hear nor understand his thoughts.

Finally he spoke. "I can help you. Your adversary is great but your heart is pure."

After releasing her hands he rocked rhythmically for a few moments.

"Come, sit by the fire."

She assumed a position on the floor similar to his and waited.

"Do you have questions for me?"

"I was sent to you. I don't question what you have or what you can do; I merely await your instructions."

He nodded slowly. "I am old and ready to die. These are the last gifts I will give. I will give you what I can. I can tell you already have many gifts and powers, but they are not enough to defeat your adversary in his present form. He has grown in size and strength."

He stared at her intently and she looked into eyes that that probed hers, seemingly deeper than any others she had ever seen. "His power is mighty, but you can defeat him."

"He was strong when we last met, but I do understand that he has grown more powerful. I cannot defeat him as I am."

"With what I give you, you can defeat him. If you use what I give you wisely."

He turned and picked up two large metal arrowheads, laying them in the fire. He shook a rattle over the fire and chanted something in a tongue she didn't understand. After chanting he reached into a jar for some substance that he threw into the fire, causing it to flare up in multicolor flames. Eventually the arrowheads glowed red hot.

"Hold out your hands."

Janet held her hands out palms up, as he indicated. She watched, fascinated as he reached into the fire and picked up the glowing items, mindless of the flames licking around his hands or the heat of the metal.

She started to jerk her hands back as he made to lay the glowing metal in her palms, but steeled herself, trusting him. An arrowhead was laid on each of her palms, the points near her fingers and the bases at the heels of her hands. The flesh hissed and sizzled, yet she felt nothing but slight warmth.

The arrowheads remained in her hands until the glow had faded before great Bear removed them.

"Eagle Claw, replace these on the shelf."

Eagle Claw, watching the procedure, assumed the metal had cooled but was surprised and yelled as he took the arrowheads. He tossed the objects in the air several times to cool them as he raced to the shelf, dumping them as soon as he could. He fanned his hands, but stared at her, serenely holding her hands out with the burned imprints of the arrowheads in her palms.

Great Bear held her hands and chanted again. He reached for a small jug and poured a brownish liquid on her palms. After setting the jug down, he rubbed the liquid into the skin of her hands while continuing to chant. When the chanting stopped he examined her hands.

"Hold your hands over the fire."

Eagle Claw gasped as Janet slowly reached out and held her hands, palms down, over the flames.

"Lower your hands into the fire."

She slowly lowered her hands until the flames licked around them.

"Remove your hands."

When she pulled her hands from the fire she saw the arrowhead imprints in her palms glow red. Great Bear removed a small piece of burning wood and held it upright. "Put your hands around the flame."

She looked at her palms, still glowing, and stretched out her hands on either side of the burning wood. He nodded his head and she brought her hands together to hold the burning wood between her hands. When her hands came together the fire was extinguished.

"You now have the gift of control of fire."

Great Bear sat back, as did Janet. He tossed the wood back into the fire, where it rekindled, and turned to her, pointing to a space on the floor, indicating for her to lie down.

"Close your eyes."

With her eyes closed she felt something poured onto them and his hands on her face. After more chanting he wiped her eyes off and had her sit up.

"Close your eyes and think of your adversary."

With her eyes closed she remembered MRKX as he had been when they fought. She remembered him and something happened to her eyes. When she opened them she saw the dim room as if it was brightly lit, every object perfectly clear. There was something in her eyes that she couldn't quite describe. It wasn't a burning or tingling, but something...almost electric was the only way she could think of to describe it.

"Return to this room."

She blinked and her regular sight was restored.

"You now have the gift of extreme sight. It can be used whenever you need it."

They had been it this for quite a while. Great Bear offered them food - jerky and some sort of corn - and water.

After they ate she asked "Why did I have to run here instead of driving?"

A faint smile shifted the wrinkles on his face, and the wrinkles around his eyes deepened. "Great gifts require great effort." He paused. "You were tested along the way."

"Was that something you did?"

He shook his head. "Evil forces are about. You proved yourself worthy."

"Couldn't you do something about it?"

Again he shook his head. "That is your task. Evil diminished when you defeated your adversary before, but has been growing again. To truly defeat it you will need to do more than cut off the head."

Janet solemnly nodded understanding. "We've cut off his head before. We've got to destroy MRKX this time, not merely defeat him."

"That task is your destiny."

After a time of silence Great Beat said "I have one more gift for you." He arose, shuffled over to the corner and reached for an unstrung bow.

"Eagle Claw, reach the arrow in the top shelf."

Eagle Claw brought down a long metal arrow. "What is this, Great Bear? It is metal and too heavy to shoot."

"It is silver."

"How could you shoot a silver arrow? It's so heavy it wouldn't go far."

Great Bear told Eagle Claw "String the bow."

The string was already fastened on one end and the bow had to merely be bent to fasten the string onto the other end of the bow. Eagle Claw strained mightily to bend the bow to string it.

"Celestial, string the bow."

Janet had used a bow growing up and knew how to string it, but had watched as Eagle Claw, with all his strength, couldn't bend it. Yet, she took the bow and found she easily bent it to seat the string. Eagle Claw sat slack-jawed.

"Celestial, this is now your bow. It will only respond to you."

He took the silver arrow and laid it in the fire. As it heated he threw various powders into the flames, causing them once again to flare up with colors. He chanted and shook the rattle over the fire once again.

When the arrow was red hot Great Bear said "Celestial, remove the arrow from the fire."

Janet's rational self screamed 'NO!!', but she trusted after what had happened earlier and reached into the flames to retrieve the arrow. She held it until it cooled.

"Eagle Claw, pull the bow."

He gingerly felt the arrow to be sure it was cool enough to handle, then fitted it onto the string and pulled the bow. With all his strength he could only pull it back a few inches.

"Celestial, pull the bow."

She fitted the arrow and pulled the bow as she had learned, holding the end of the arrow on her cheek just below eye level, then pushing the bow up, out, and down until her left arm was straight and she aimed down the arrow.

"This is your arrow. Only you can shoot it."

She relaxed, removed the arrow and unstrung the bow.

"Eagle Claw, you have great physical strength. But this bow and this arrow are not for you. Only Celestial can use them. They are easy in her hands, but only her hands."

Great Bear placed a hand on Janet's shoulder. "You have a bow. You can use any arrows with it. But the silver arrow can only be used once. Use it wisely."

Great Bear peered deeply into her eyes. "It cannot be said enough. Great gifts come with great responsibility. Whether your destiny is to be fulfilled will depend on your decisions."