New
Arrivals
Author-Suzie
Titles
Destiny and Napanee
by Suzie
Summary: A visit. Getting there is half the fun.
Disclaimer: Some of the characters in this story belong to the UPN Network and Pet Fly Productions as part of the television show The Sentinel. I do not claim these characters as my own. No money has changed hands.
Notes: This is for Kristine, who gave me a gentle kick. In other words, "Why didn't I think of it myself?!"
"Are we there yet?" Blair asked, his excitement and anticipation apparent in his voice and on his expressive face.
"Not yet," Jim said patiently.
**********
It had snowed off and on Christmas and Friday, and Jim had feared he'd have to postpone their planned Saturday trip to Wolf Haven. He had held his breath through the weather report Friday evening, and was relieved when the forecast was in their favor.
"Jim, are we going to be able to go?" Blair asked quietly from the table where he'd been working on his laptop.
Jim stood and stretched. "Yeah. Forecast calls for clearing over the next couple days."
"Great!" Blair grinned. "What time we leaving?"
"Early."
Blair looked at the big man over the top of his glasses. "Umm ... how early is early, Jim?"
Jim just stood there grinning.
"Oh ... man," Blair groaned.
**********
5am the following day.
"Rise and shine," Jim called, sticking his head in Blair's room.
"Oookay," Blair sighed from under the blankets.
"One hour, Sandburg!" Jim was in the kitchen now, starting breakfast.
Silence.
"I'll leave without you!"
"No you won't," Blair whispered, knowing Jim would hear.
"Sandburg!"
"I'm up! I'm up!" Blair untangled himself from the blankets and nearly fell out of bed as he sat up. Stumbling, eyes half closed, he went to the kitchen. "Cof ..."
Jim smiled and pushed a steaming mug across the counter.
"...fee." Blair picked up the mug and took a sip. "Thanks, man." Then he headed for the bathroom and a shower.
"Breakfast will be ready soon," Jim called after him.
A grunt was the only acknowledgement Blair gave to having heard the statement.
Jim chuckled and thought, He will never be a morning person.
By the time Blair was showered, shaved and dressed, he was down right bouncy with excitement.
"C'mon, Chief!" Jim called out when he heard Blair rummaging around in his room. "Your breakfast is getting cold!"
"Yeah ... okay," Blair said, his voice slightly muffled by the stuff he was going through in his closet. "Ah ha! Found it!" More shuffling sounds, then he walked out and sat down at his place at the table.
"Found what?" Jim asked.
"My camera. I'm gonna get some great shot of Napanee and Destiny for us."
Jim nodded and smiled. "I want you to pack a few things for overnight, okay? Just in case we don't make it back here tonight."
"Okay," Blair said as he took a bite of his eggs. "Has the weather report changed?"
"Only slightly. I don't think it's going to make much difference."
**********
"It's snowing harder, Jim," Blair said.
"I noticed," came Jim's sarcastic reply. "Remind me to call the television station and talk to their weather department."
It started snowing just outside Tacoma, and was getting worse as the drove south.
Blair screwed up his face and squinted his eyes in an attempt to see through the blanket of white falling outside. "Jim, can you see?"
"Yeah, I'm doing fine here, Chief."
"Be careful, man. We don't need you zoning out while you're driving in this stuff."
"There's an exit up ahead. Let's stop for lunch."
"Sounds good. Maybe it will let up a little."
Finding a Sheri's restaurant just off the freeway, Jim pulled into the lot and parked the truck.
They got out and started inside when Jim stopped and said, "Go on ahead. I want to get the map."
Blair nodded and continued on towards the door, being careful not to fall in the icy lot.
"Hey, Sandburg!" Jim called out as Blair reached for the door handle.
Blair turned to see what the bigger man wanted and was hit ~ Sploosh ~ in the side of the head with a snowball.
Hearing the laughter from across the parking lot, Blair shook the snow out of his hair and began brushing it off his coat. "Very funny, big guy!"
Sploosh!
"JIM!!"
Sploosh!
"HEY!!" Blair was trying to sound serious, but he'd started giggling as he backed against the door. "That's enough, man!"
Sploosh!
Blair's foot slipped on an icy patch as he turned to open the door and he sat down hard.
Jim hurried to his friend's side. "You okay, Chief?" he asked. "Didn't mean for that to happen."
"I'm alright." Blair grinned up at Jim and reached a hand up. "Help me up."
Jim grasped the hand firmly and tugged, but Blair had other ideas. He pulled down just hard enough to put Jim off balance. With an *oof* Jim landed on his butt next to Blair.
The two men looked at each other. Jim shocked that Blair could catch him off guard like that and Blair surprised that he'd been able to do it.
"Got snow in your hair, Chief," Jim grinned.
"Thanks, Jim," Blair giggled. "Get the map?"
"Uh huh."
There was a knock on the door behind them. Jim and Blair looked up to see a waitress smiling down at them from inside.
"Thanks for the show, guys," she said through the glass. "Come on in and get warmed up, now."
Jim and Blair got to their feet and brushed themselves off. As they entered the restaurant, they heard clapping from around the dinning area.
**********
An hour later, they were back on the road. The snowfall had let up a little, but a fierce wind had come up and the freeway was becoming more and more slick. Visibility was zero as far as normal eyesight was concerned in the blowing snow. Sentinel sight let Jim see just enough to keep them on the road, but even his visibility was limited in this weather.
Another 2 hours and Jim knew he had to face the inevitable. "Ya know, Chief. I don't think we're going to make it to Wolf Haven after all." The back of the truck slipped again and he thought, Thank God for studded tires.
"Yeah, I know," Blair said with a little sigh.
"I know you're disappointed ... so am I, but it's just getting to dangerous to go on."
Blair looked at Jim, "Oh, I understand, Jim. I just keep hoping that if we go down the road another mile it'll get better."
"Don't think that's going to happen here, Chief. I'll take the next exit. There should be a hotel where we can hold up for the night." Jim spared a quick glance at the young man across from him. The disappointment Blair was trying to hide made him feel bad, but Jim knew his friend wasn't stupid and he really did understand their need to stop for safety sake. "Hey, maybe it'll clear up overnight, and we can go on in the morning."
Blair brightened. "Ya think ... maybe?"
"It's possible. The clear weather in Cascade might be coming this way," Jim replied, feeling a little better now that Blair wasn't so down.
At the next exit they found a hotel near the freeway with a restaurant next door so they wouldn't have to drive anywhere to eat.
"Well, at least they have HBO *and* Showtime," Blair said with a smile. "Since it's not exactly sight seeing weather."
**********
The weather did clear over night and Jim and Blair woke to cold, blue skies and sunshine.
"Are we there yet?" Blair asked, his excitement and anticipation apparent in his voice and on his expressive face.
"Not yet," Jim said patiently.
Twenty minutes later Jim pulled the truck into the parking lot at Wolf Haven.
"I can't believe it, Jim!" Blair grinned. "We actually made it!"
Jim looked at his watch. "10am. Let's go see if they're open."
"Oh, man, this is soo cool!" Blair bounced as he peered through the chain link gate into the compound. He could see some of the wolves lounging in their habitats, trying to suck what warmth they could from the sun. Standing out against the fresh, white show.
Jim turned away from the ticket window and called to his wayward partner, "Hey ... c'mon, Chief! You need to buy a ticket here." The big man grinned at the sight of his younger friend.
"Yeah ... okay, I'm coming!" Blair jogged to where Jim was waiting for him. "Are we the first ones here today?" he asked as he handed the correct amount to the man behind the window.
"Chances are you two will be the only ones here today," the middle aged man said with a smile. "This snow will keep most people home."
"Well, my mom gave us each a wolf for Christmas. We thought we'd come for a visit."
"Step on over to the gate, and we'll see what can be done for introductions."
Blair suddenly realized something was missing. "Damn!"
"What is it, Chief?" Jim asked.
"Jim, my camera. I left it in the truck, man."
Jim tossed him the keys and told him to hurry.
**********
The compound where the wolves were kept was made up of different fenced off areas. Some areas held entire family groups, while others held only a single mating pair or several siblings.
Ron was in his early twenties and the guide for Jim and Blair's tour. The young man obviously thoroughly loved doing the volunteer work at Wolf Haven. He patiently explained the purpose and history of Wolf Haven and the histories of each wolf. His affection and respect for the big animals was apparent as he spoke to them as individuals and was even able to scratch several through the tall chain link fence.
At every enclosure the wolves would stop and look at the little group of three people. Then, one by one, they would come forward ... to where Jim stood. They would momentarily lock eyes with the big man, and then they would go on like nothing unusual had happened. By the time they had reached the third enclosure, Ron knew there was something different about Jim. There was a respect for this stranger the wolves had never shown before, and Ron thought that if Jim walked into an enclosure he would be accepted as alpha without question.
Blair found it fascinating to see the family groups interacting. Playing and fussing at one another, or seeing the alphas asserting themselves over the subordinates. Kinda like us, Blair thought with a faint smile. He had noticed the way the wolves acted with Jim and wondered what part his heightened senses were playing in it all. Mental note. Get Jim in lab for tests. Possible animal contact and/or interaction.
**********
And so they meet ...
Napanee and Destiny were in an enclosure together. Alpha male and female of a family group of about ten. They stood back; watching from a high vantage as the rest of their pack strode up to the fence.
"That's Destiny and Napanee up there," Ron said, pointing to the two wolves.
"Wow, they're beautiful!" Blair said with a voice full of awe. "Aren't they awesome, Jim?"
"Wonder why they aren't coming over like the others?"
The other wolves paced the fence line whining and pushing against the chain link. Ron spoke to them and scratched those who would allow it.
Blair looked up at Jim when he didn't respond to see him staring at Destiny and Napanee intently. Oh no! Zone out! Blair thought with a twinge of panic. Nudging Jim slightly, he whispered, "Jim ... you okay, big guy?"
Jim smiled and looked at his friend. "Fine, Chief. They are pretty special. Naomi did a ..."
A sudden, sharp bark from Napanee interrupted. The wolves at the fence wasted no time in retreating as Destiny and Napanee trotted down the rise, side by side in the snow, toward the three men.
Ron was enthralled by what was happening. "I've never seen ... this is ... amazing!" he whispered to himself.
Destiny stood at the fence with her big yellow eyes locked with Jim's blue ones. The big animal leaned her entire weight against the chain link and let a low growl rumble up from deep inside.
Jim moved forward a step, then hesitated. He looked at Blair, who just gave a little nod. Destiny rumbled again, drawing Jim's attention back. With long strides Jim closed the remaining distance.
"Oh God! Sir, you can't ...," Ron tried, but the protest was half-hearted and faded on his lips.
Kneeling in the snow, Jim reached his fingers through the fence to touch the dark coat at her neck. Shifting slightly, Destiny gently closed her mouth around the fingers.
Ron gasped, his mind seeing Jim losing his fingers with one bite. Blair only smiled, as if he knew that nothing bad was going to happen.
Destiny then released the fingers and stroked Jim's hand with her big, pink tongue.
"OhmyGod!" Ron whispered. "Oh ... my ... God!"
Jim began stroking the fur with the fingers of his right hand as the wolf continued to lick and nuzzle his left.
A whimper sounded and Blair turned to meet the eyes of the second wolf. "Napanee," Blair whispered.
The big male sat patiently, staring at Blair with dark, expressive eyes. He shook his head and pawed at the fence with one foot.
Blair grinned broadly and stepped up to his adopted wolf. His smaller hand just fit through the chain link, allowing him to sink his hand into the dense fur on the animal's chest, Blair was shocked when a big, warm, wet tongue swiped across his nose. Jim chuckled as Blair wiped his face on his coat sleeve.
There was a connection, something that defied explanation. Jim and Blair both felt it like electricity through their bodies. Was it some kind of Sentinel/Guide connection? Did the animals somehow know that Jim and Blair were, in some way, special, different from other humans? Or was it some odd coincidence?
Ron only knew that it had taken months of patience before he was rewarded with acceptance by a few of the wolves. Some people work at the compound for years and are never allowed by the animals to touch them. Two strangers show up out of no where special and they're accepted ... like old friends. No, it was more than that. Destiny and Napanee were treating Jim and Blair like senior members of the pack.
**********
They all stayed that way for a long time. Jim and Blair sat in the snow, oblivious to the cold, with Destiny and Napanee as close as the fence would allow. They spoke in quiet tones to the wolves, who seemed to understand and respond in their own way.
Poor Ron only stood in mute awe as he watched the display. Soon other Wolf Haven volunteers were watching with unbelieving stares.
"I'm really glad we made it today, Jim," Blair said quietly.
Napanee's paw was draped over Blair's wrist, as it to tell him not leave that spot.
Jim grinned as he continued caressing Destiny. "So am I, Chief. So am I." Hesitating a moment, his gaze never leaving Blair's face, Jim whispered, "She's pregnant."
Blair's mouth dropped opened and his eyebrows hitched upwards. "Jim ... how?"
Shrugging, Jim answered, "She told me."
And every wolf housed in the compound lifted their heads in song.
<>~~<>~~<>
end
Disclaimer: I do not claim to know the workings of the facilities at Wolf Haven.