Part Four

Tyren was only a little dissapointed as the pack galloped over a high slope with Flint among them. The wolf hadn't even looked back. She turned and went back along her own trail. Seeing Flints smaller insertions in the snow brought tears to her eyes. When she got home, she flopped on her bed, sobbing silently. Knowing perfectly well she looked pathetically weak. It had been a bitter sweet ending, Ty seeing it more bitter but the wolf was finally amongst his kind and they would teach him everything she couldn't. Her father returned home later that night and shed his coat, noticing her on one side of the couch with her knees to her chin.

"Hm, Flint's out hunting"

"With a pack" she spoke gently, holding back more tears.

"Really?" he paused thinking "He found a pack?"

"They came to us" she said, solemnly

"Well, How convenient" he chuckled, trying to make his daughter laugh and getting no feedback.

"Don't worry Ty" he reassured her and sat down next to her.

"He'll be fine"

"I hope so" she said quietly.

"Aw, of course he will, he's still young but he's strong and intelligent" he grinned and rose. Going casually into the kitchen and poured a glass of water.

"Had another little feud with Capps today"

"About what?" she turned to face him

"Said a few days ago, he saw a wolf around here" he took a gulp of water and finished it before he spoke again. "A black one"

"He also said he saw Flint come right up on the porch and would of shot him but had that idea of us owning him came into his so called brain"

"We never owned Flint" Ty said, suddenly angry. Her father nodded.

"Well, I asked him what he was doing on our property anyway, he didn't answer, just walked right out" he shook his head.

"Now I'm glad he found a pack" she said, getting up from the couch.

"Me too" he looked at her with calm eyes.

"I know it's hard to let go of something you love but I think if you would have waited any longer, he would of been shot." Tyren nodded understandingly and her father smiled.

"Now, I'm going take a shower and going to bed" her father turned on one heel and walked out. She waited until her father was finished and took another shower herself, crawling into bed soon after. She no longer sobbed, now relieved that Capps had not shot her beloved friend. Tomorrow she would go back to the spot in hope she would see him once more for a proper farewell. She soon drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The sun was barely visible as it cautiously peaked over the mountains. Giving Tyren just enough light to see the deep path she had made. The spot where the pack had come was in full view and she whistled for Flint. He didn't come. A large stump behind her, welcomed her already tired body and she sat willingly. The pack nor her friend was nowhere to be see and with great reluctance, she headed back home and fixed a cup of cocoa when she returned. Although she was upset that the wolf had not returned, she figured moping around the cabin would do no good. Once again she wandered off onto her broken trail towards Cody. Before Ty even stepped foot into town, she heard Jeremy Capps' wicked laughter as she began walking onto the paved road.

The man was in one of the old barns that had stood in Cody for years. His men and other town men stood beside him. She could see they were looking at something and laughing. Ty shook her head and strolled into her father's store.

"Hey Ty, What brings you here?" he said, grinning

"Boredom"

"Glad to see you too" he said sarcastically. She couldn't help but smile at her own personal comedian.

"Glad you came though, Ms. Miller needs some help with boxes at the bakery"

"How thrilling"

"Great, then you should have no problem" her father chuckled as she sneered at him. Ms. Miller was a nice woman but strongly believed in the old days. She was a seventy-six year old widow who ran the towns bakery for over 35 years. As Ty walked into the bakery, the woman greeted her like her own granddaughter.

"Why hello Tyren"

"Hi, Ms. Miller, My dad said you needed help" blurting it out as quickly so she could to do the task and be done with it. She already had begun walking to the back when the womans voice made her stop.

"Not so fast dear" she motioned for her to come to her.

"Let me take a look at you" It had been a little less then a month since she'd seen Ms. Miller but she seemed to check Ty over if they'd gone more then a week without meeting. She couldn't help feeling like a purebred dog, being checked over by a judge.

"Oh Tyren, you seem to be getting more beautiful everytime I see you" Ty quickly imagined her image. Dull brown eyes, a mouth that rarely smiled and a straight body. If anything defined her, beautiful was not the word.

"Thanks Ms. Miller" she said, walking to the back again and not daring to tell her what she just thought. If so, she'd have a lecture on how it's never good to think yourself ugly. She unloaded every box and it was long after her father noted he was going home when she finally finished. She walked through the town on her way home and saw and light coming from the old barn and Jeremy Capps inside. Snarls came from inside and she could hear a dog snapping at the man. She narrowed her eyes and walked back on the trail, heading home. Ty immediately fell asleep when she hit the pillow. For the first time, in a long time, she dreamed of Flint. He came to her out of a dense fog. She kneeled calling him but he only gazed at her. A cold gaze that made her stir in her sleep. A gaze you give to a betrayer. She awoke wide-eyed. She had to find Flint. The night was freezing and snow began to fall as she walked through the woods. She was looking for the pack. Figuring they would be out hunting under the cover of darkness. She immitated a howl and was surprised when it sounded immpressively real and was even more stunned when a reply was made. Ty called back and saw the pack run over the slope. They snarled at the sight of her and fear gripped her throat. She kneeled, getting on eye level with the black alpha.

"I won't hurt you" she explained softly.

"Tell me, Where is my Flint?"

The black wolf lowered his ears and looked towards the town of Cody. Thats when it hit her. The dog that was being harassed by Jeremy Capps was not a dog at all. It was Flint. Ty immediately ran into town and sighed with relief when the barn light was off. Cautiously, she stepped into the barn and saw nothing but heard a heart stopping snarl to her left. She closed the two wooden doors and turned on the light. Sure enough, Flint stood, bristled in a steel cage, eyes filled with hatred. Glistening fangs dared her to step closer. Tyren walked over to the cage and stood a few feet away. The wolf's snarls had not faltered with recognization.

"Flint" his name escaped her lips and too his ears. He lifted his head and his fangs dissapeared. The wolf gazed at the girls face for a long time. Its only been two days and he's forgotten me she thought.

"Oh Flint, have they tormented you so much as to forget you ever loved a human?" his hackles were no longer raised and he jumped at the cage, desperately trying to lick her face. Ty smiled and slid open the steel latch, letting the wolf jump up on her and lick her face. She opened the barn doors and let him slip out first then she walked out. They both crept quietly through the town and Flint suddenly turned, snarling and leaped towards her. Panic gripped Ty but the wolf missed her and knocked over a man behind her. Jeremy Capps himself, flapped around and knocked the wolf off of him. Rage boiled in Ty's veins and she wrapped her arm around his neck. Forcing him to gasp for air until he shoved her off of him. She landed heavily in the snow but was unharmed. Catching her breath, she watched Flint tear at the mans arm. The girl was unprepared when the man grabbed a dagger from his belt with a bloody hand and jabbed it into Flint's heart. Her own scream filled her ears and tears blinded Capps' image as she ran at him, his back towards her.

Just as she was ready to jump him he turned and slide the knife between her ribs. It had not hurt as much as she imagined it would and she looked up at the wide-eyed man.

"Oh god, what have I done?" he began shaking and Ty felt a weak grin on her face, which seemed to terrify the man further. She barely noticed when he turned and fled. She fell to her knees and looked at her own blood dripping onto the snow, then let her gaze fall to the hilt of the knife in her side. Nothing really came to her. Not the flash of her life before her eyes. She even thought of stupid things. Well, never thought this would happen she thought. She was soon pushed back to reality and the numbness her body had supplied from the foreign object in her body was gone. The pain hit like a train and she found it unbearable to breathe. She looked over at Flint's motionless body and tears flowed from her eyes. Tyren had given herself to death long before Mr. Michaels found the devastating scene. This was the man that Ty could never remember the name of, the man who knew from the start Flint was a wolf and competed against her father. He recognized the hilt of the knife as Capps'. The man had bought it from him years ago.

Soon after Jeremy was soon captured and was thrown in jail for many offenses. There is no sad ending to this story though. Indeed, Tyren and her beloved Flint parished but their troubles are over and they have never been happier.

"You sure I did that?"

"Possitive" Ty's mother replied.

"Guess I was crazy back then too"

"uh huh, you were"

"Hey, look at these two" her mother motioned towards the two wolves, wrestling on the ground.

"Which one this time?"

"Mother"

"Well I'm for-"

"Flint, I know"

"Well, you understand", "You've known his mother for a while like I've known Flint" Her mother smiled and looked back towards the wolves.

"Lets see who wins this one"

The