Nika’s Destiny

Nika rumbled a happy growl in the back of her throat. She licked her litter; it was small for a first litter, just three, but they seemed healthy enough. Her two-legged always smelled so happy when the three squabbled and wrestled and nipped and played.

So much had changed in the last set of moon risings. She’d met another like herself on her way back to the two-leggeds. She’d gotten distracted, and he was good looking. He was alone and strong. They’d played and wrestled, and something in her body changed. He’d left after a few nights, and she’d gone back to scenting for the two-leggeds.

When she first arrived, the two-legged who hit her was working with a male two-legged and a female two-legged. The female didn’t seem to be a life partner to either male, but just another sheep keeper.

When Nika was a short distance away, she crawled low to the ground and began approaching the two-legged who’d hit her. She made her body small and close to the ground, belly on the dirt which was uncomfortable to her and she didn’t know why yet. She started to whimper to tell him she wanted back with his sheep and his pack.

The two-leggeds tapped the one who had hit her on the arm. He turned, and when he saw Nika, he got a happy and excited smell. He ran to her and got down on one knee, and he started to scratch her ears and her belly. He cupped her nuzzle in his hands.

Nika was confused. He seemed happy to see her, after having been so mean to her the last time. He pulled a rope out of his robe, and as he put it around her, used that two-legged howl and whimper that she didn’t understand, saying, “You’re home, girl. You’re home. I don’t understand you, but I think my other shepherd friend might.”

Her confusion increased as the two-legged who’d hit her with the stick passed the rope to the other two-legged. The new two-legged slapped the back of the original two-legged and the female.

The new two-legged took Nika to where his sheep were kept. There were no others like her there, so she didn’t have to worry about too many pack rules. Over time, he’d done for her like the other two-legged. She had good water and medicine, and even occasionally a little meat — it wasn’t sheep, but it was still good to eat.

As her belly swelled over the moons, she’d realized the lone wolf had given her a whelp. She would do for them just as her momma had done, and they were bringing the new two-legged such joy she hoped that was what he needed to feel good about being around her. She also knew she was the start of a new pack.