Chapter Two

Lone Wolf was so excited. He had met the woman. He loved her and she seemed to love him too. He walked out of town to the woods to relieve himself. On the outskirts of town, he saw Solo and remembered what the woman had told him. How could he leave Solo all alone in the forest for a whole night? He had to find the woman and tell her he could not stay at her place. He wandered around the town for her but she was nowhere in sight. He really wished he knew her name. He knew Solo would be so upset with him. He could not do that to him. Especially since he had left him the day before. Lone Wolf really loved the woman and he wished she could be with him for just one night - alone together. He was going crazy without her. He thought about her always. He wondered if she felt the same. He wondered if she thought about him too. As he wandered through the town, he heard someone calling his name. He turned to see the woman leaning on a wall behind the General Store. She was all beaten up, and as she fell he ran to catch her. No one offered her any help. They all ignored her as if they didn't want to get involved. He carried her to the outskirts of town to help her. He asked her who had done this. She told him, "the wealthy man.. his name is Calhoun - Winston Calhoun. He saw us kiss and he will be looking for you. He saw us talking and thought I kissed you. That was why he hit me. I told him it was you that hit me.. but now he'll be looking for you". The woman apologized but Lone Wolf assured her, "it's not your fault". He carried her to the woods, and Solo followed behind them. At first, she was scared of Solo, but Lone Wolf told her he was a friend and would not hurt her.

Lone had to plan what they would do for the next couple of days. She could not go back into town because Calhoun probably saw them leave town together. They stayed the night in the forest. He dressed her woulds and he and Solo kept watch. Lone Wolf did not sleep at all that night. He thought about her and what she must have gone through. He watched her sleep and made sure she was okay. She woke up a couple times from nightmares of Calhoun. Lone Wolf calmed her down and got her back to sleep again. At last the morning came, and they walked on. They went at a slower pace than Lone Wolf was used to, but he didn't mind because she couldn't go any faster. As they walked on, he asked her what her name was. She told him, "I go by Rachel. My last name was Atherton but my family betrayed me, so I did not keep the family name." She was thin and sensitive, long blond hair and pale blue eyes. She was hoping to find her way in the world. Lone Wolf loved her name. He felt like it sounded like a prestigious name.He asked her about her family. "They owned large property in Montana," she said. Lone Wolf learned that her mother had also been raped but her family despised Rachel. Rachel's mother loved her but knew should couldn't not keep a bastard child. "She took care of me until I was old enough. Then her family took me away and sold me for prostitution. Both my mother and I cried. Nobody probably expected me to remember that part of my life. I remember my mother and the way her family treated her. I feel sorry for her. I don't blame her, but her family instead. She was so young that every just made a choice for her."

As they moved on, they came to a new town. Rachel knew this town. Calhoun had brought her here once before. She was hesitant about going into town with Lone Wolf. Lone Wolf told her, "we can walk around and go through the forest." Rachel gave him her money and told him to go into town and buy some food and trade his furs. She would follow with Solo around to the other side of town. Lone Wolf paused but Rachel told him not to worry, he would be okay and she would be waiting for him on the other side. He went ahead into town to buy the necessities and pass on through. Many people in town were friendly with him and offered to help him find everything he needed. He saw many other Navajo in town and didn't feel so strange. He got everything he needed and met Rachel at the other end of town. They went on their way until night-time. They stopped twice for Rachel to rest her feet, but Lone Wolf didn't mind.

Lone Wolf loved Rachel and was worried about how he could keep her safe from Calhoun. Calhoun would surely look everywhere for them. Once he found them, who knows what he would do next. Rachel loved Lone Wolf and she wanted to be with him always. She could never go back to Calhoun, she would never go back. As the days went on, Rachel got her strength back. She was very thankful to Lone Wolf for saving her from Calhoun. As Rachel looked back on her life, she wondered if it would have been any better if she had still lived at home with her family who despised her. Lone Wolf told her that if she had stayed with her family, then they never would have met. Rachel was happy with that. She was happy they had met. She loved him very much but didn't know how to tell him. She hoped he could some day tell her the same. She didn't know how he felt about her - if he felt the same. Whenever they moved on to a new town, she worried that she would meet someone who knew Calhoun. Lone Wolf loved her too much to put her in that situation. For many towns, she walked around the town and met him at the other side with Solo. Solo got used to her, and even let her touch him. He waited for her when she started to lag behind. He would watch out for her and protect her while Lone Wolfe was in town. Rachel knew they could not go on forever. They would have to stop somewhere and make a home for themselves. It could be anywhere between towns. They could keep Solo to themselves. Lone Wolf wasn't so sure about that idea. He hadn't lived in a house before and he hadn't really had a home for many years. He was accustomed to wandering and living off the land. He did not know how to live in a house. For the few years he had a home, they were huts and 'teepees'. How would he live in a house? There are doors to open and close, cold and strangers to keep out. Rachel liked the idea of having a house. She had never slept outside until she met Lone Wold; and she liked the idea of having a soft bed to sleep on, instead of the cold, hard dirt. Lone Wolf agreed, but where would they get this house. He did not know how to build one. They talked of a house but felt they would have to take things as they come. One day, their conversation came true. As they wandered on, they saw what appeared to be an old shack. Lone Wolf peered in through the window. When he lightly tapped on the door, it fell down! He looked inside. It was definitely abandoned. Lone Wolf liked the look of it. He figured he could probably fix it up and they could live there. He did not know how they could get a bed or a table and chairs, but he figured Rachel could think of a way. Rachel thought the 'house' looked too old and shabby but they had no other choice. She knew that Lone Wolf loved it. He didn't know what a house was like. To him, it looked wonderful. Rachel just laughed and said, "If you think it's good, then let's take it."

They worked together on their house. Rachel wondered why the house was abandoned. Would the owner come back to find someone else living there? ..unless the owner had died. Lone Wolf found scrap wood on the ground - put it on the house, following the way the other pieces had been. Rachel went through her old dresses from Calhoun. She made makeshift curtains and other decorations to make the house look nicer. Solo did not go inside the house. It appeared to be a trap to him. He slept right outside the door. Lone Wolf made a bed out of wood. It wasn't very soft, but they didn't mind so much. Rachel made the pillows and blankets for the bed. When it was all done, they stood back and looked at their new home.

That night was Lone Wolf's first night in a real house. His one other chance had been the night that Rachel invited him to stay at her place. That had never worked out because later that day they ran away together into the forest. That was the day that Calhoun's men had beat her up. Lone Wolf felt trapped in the new house. He would wake in the middle of the night and go outside. Rachel went out to get him. She comforted him and told him it would be okay. He was still scared. She reassured him, "nothing can happen to us here." As the nights went on, Lone Wolf grew more accustomed to the new house and didn't mind sleeping inside all night.

Rachel loved Lone Wolf. She wanted to marry him, but didn't know how he would feel. How could they get married? They never go into any town, and if they did she would need a dress. Everyone would see them.. what is someone recognized them? Rachel loved him.. she wanted to bear his children and start a family of their own where every child would be loved and accepted. She told Lone Wolf about her plan to bear his children. He liked that idea but the thought of getting married was a shock to him. It seemed possible. He hadn't thought of it. He told her "Tomorrow, I'll go into town, find someone to marry us here at home. You don't need to get all dressed up. You would like beautiful no matter the dress you wear". She agreed. Lone Wolf went into town and found Reverend Carmichael. He came the following day and married them. He came with a few witnesses from town. Everyone congratulated them. They were so happy - they realized that nothing had really changed. They were already living together in the same house, sleeping in the same bed. They had already made love many times. Rachel knew that they would be happy together - they were already together, and already happy..

Chapter One

He was unlike any other man. They called him the "lone wolf" and the "wayward wanderer". He was a strong fellow. A man of 20, he had lived the life of a traveler. He did not have a true name. Born of Navajo heritage he knew how to survive with just the necessary things. He knew the tricks of the trade. He could sneak his way onto a farm to get food and kill a deer in silence. His strong muscles could get him anywhere over the course of a day. He could walk for a whole day, hunting while traveling. Many saw him and wondered. No one ever talked to him. He liked it that way. He never stopped except at night. He could travel more. He didn't really have anywhere certain to go; he just went on. He was not full-blood Navajo. The Navajo liked him but whites thought he was an "Indian" so they did not. Those who did not know him could not tell he was half white. They would not like it that way. They would think he was Navajo. His mother was Navajo, but he did not know his father. His father was not well liked by Navajos. He was a man passing through the wilderness who had violated his mother. He left her to care for Lone Wolf alone. Lone Wolf did not trust white men. His mother had never even met him. She died the day he was born.

As he wandered on he felt someone or something following him. He would turn to see no one. Finally, he turned to see a grey wolf - a lone wolf. He had a patchy coat; a lank form battered by a troubled life trying to endure through cold winders and the season of the hunt. Lone Wolf looked around to see no other wolves. As he walked on he always had his companion. This wolf would not let him near, but followed everywhere he went. He wondered if he would be able to hunt and go through town with a wolf following him. Everyone would surely stare, although the wolf might not even go near the town. He like his new companion and did not want to desert him so he decided to go around town. The wolf would help him hunt deer and rabbits and he cared for the wolf by leaving him scraps of food as he walked along. The wolf knew to stay away from the town. Lone Wolf talked to no one and no one bothered him. They all knew of him from others. The others did not know whether to trust Lone Wolf. They all left him alone. He could never buy anything from the town because he had no money, but people would trade furs with him. He never spoke so as not to offend people. He was lonely without a family but now he had the wolf as his family - his brother. He loved the wolf. He worried when the wolf was on his own. He worried that he might get hurt. He nicknamed the wolf Solo Viajero - meaning the lonely traveler.

One day things didn't go quite as he expected. He went through town only to find that Solo was not at the other end waiting. He worried that his friend was gone, to never be found. He retraced his way through the forest, to hopefully find a sign of Solo. He traveled for hours but would not give up on his friend. He finally found Solo, wounded but still standing. He had been shot by a hunter, but kept on moving. Lone Wolf dressed his wounds and carried him for the rest of that day. At night he redressed his wounds and Solo was on his way to keep night-watch and hunt for himself. Lone Wolf was worried about how his day had gone. What would he have done without his "brother", his hunting partner and friend? They had to stick together as two lone wolves. Lone Wolf did not know where he was going but Solo Viajero did not seem to mind. He would follow him every day. He hunted with Lone Wolf, and Lone Wolf protected him. He had saved his life and maybe one day Solo would do the same.

Lone Wolf wondered if he came to a friendly town, could he stay with Solo out in the forest waiting? Solo would not be able to come into town. Lone Wolf could never find a home in town because he could not leave Solo behind. He could not do that to his companion. One day, as Lone Wolf walked through a crowded town, he saw a woman who seemed tormented. She was with a man who held her wrist very tightly. She was screaming for someone to help her. No one responded. Everyone looked away and ignored her cries. Lone Wolf normally wouldn't interfere, but he couldn't let her be tormented. He walked up to the man, and calmly asked, "What has she done that you are punishing her so?" He asked in such a way that the woman was even more frightened. Lone Wolf meant no harm to her. The man explained, "I took her shopping and she screamed that she would never like anything that I could buy for her." Lone Wolf was shocked. This man must be so wealthy to treat any woman this way. Lone Wolf asked, "has your wife ever done this before." The man hesitated and quietly explained, "this is not my wife. This is my mistress... and I cannot take her home to reprimand her because my wife is at home. I hope she does not hear of this disturbance." Lone Wolf told the man that he agreed with him. This woman should be reprimanded, but if he did it his wife would surely hear of it. The man agreed... then told Lone Wolf "Why don't you reprimand her? You are an Indian and she will learn to behave in public." Lone Wolf agreed. The woman fought him, but Lone Wolf held on tight to her and she soon conceded. Lone Wolf explained, "Well, I can't do this on the street.. it would surely cause a scene.. I will secretly reprimand her and bring her back." The man hesitated, but then agreed when Lone Wolf claimed - "to prevent a disturbance". Lone Wolf walked off with the woman.

He took the woman to behind a building. He talked to her and calmed her down. He found out that she was not yet 17 and had been sold by her family into prostitution. She had been born to an un-wed mother, and the family despised her. Although she was a beautiful girl with blond hair and fair skin, her family rejected her. "I met this man and have been with him ever since. He takes care of me and found me a place to live. Although small, it is a shelter from the cold and the sun. I have a place to rest my head at night. Every night he comes to my place and has his way with me. I do not like it much, but he gave a choice. With him I have a home, without him I would be out on the street. He is wealthy in this town, and no one says 'no' to him. I discovered that in the store." Lone Wolf convinced her he would not hurt her. He told her that she could come to him and not worry about that man. She thanked him but told him that man would just come after him. She told him that should would please the man, and he would not hurt her. Lone Wolf let her go and told the man that he had greatly reprimanded her. She would not embarrass him again. Lone Wolf and the woman agreed to tell the man that she had been reprimanded even though he had never laid a hand on her. The man thanked Lone Wolf and then they went their separate ways.

Lone Wolf left that town and met up with Solo Viajero. He could tell that Solo had been waiting, and was very angry with him. He would not walk along with him like usual. He would run through the woods at his side. That night, Solo disappeared and went off on his own. Lone Wolf didn't see or hear him until morning. Lone Wolf felt sorry for what he had done to Solo but he couldn't just leave the girl in the town. No one seemed to care about her. Lone Wolf did not travel far that day. He wanted to stick by that town. He was worried about that woman... for what the man might do to her.
He learned from other around town that this man secretly had 2 wives and many numerous mistresses. He was a big burly man; not to be messed with. Wealthy and powerful, he had his way with any town - no one bothered him or he would soon leave them homeless. He was abusive with many of his mistresses but no one had the courage to do anything about it. He was a wealthy man owning a lot of property. No one wanted to turn on him, because he could foreclose their property. Lone Wolf could not understand how one man could do all that. He went through the town to find the man. At that moment, he realized he had changed his ways. He had talked to someone in town, and had offended no one; and he had made a friend. His friend was even a woman. He loved that woman but had no way to take her away from that man. He would not be able to take good care of her and wondered who she would be better off with. Would she even go with him? Probably not. Not if she knew he lived off the land, and had no home to call his own.

He found the man in the saloon with another woman. He went in and sat with the man. They had a nice conversation and the man thanked Lone Wolf for what he had done the day before. Lone Wolf stayed a little while longer then went outside to look for the young woman. He found her walked through the town. He pulled her aside and kissed her. She didn't hesitate. She seemed to like it. She didn't fight him and she seemed to kiss him back. She asked him what his name was. He told her that most people called him the "Lone Wolf" and the name just stuck. She asked what his parents had called him. He hesitated and then started to walk away from her. She grabbed his arm and asked him what was wrong. He told her of his Navajo mother and 'white' father. He did not know his father because he had raped his mother. His mother had died after he was born so he didn't know her either. No one really named him, and he didn't stick around long enough for someone to really call family. As he wandered from town to town, he heard people call him the lone wolf and he adopted that name as his own. She put her hands to his face. He loved how soft and gentle her hands were.
She sympathized with him and told him, "you don't have to wander so much. You should stay in town and get a good night's sleep". "Oh I do fine living off the land". She told him "you can stay at my place tonight. I will be staying with that wealthy man. His wife has gone to visit family on the eastern coast and he has the house to himself. He is having his mistresses and my place will be empty." Lone Wolf agreed. He turned to walk away when he remembered he didn't not even know her name. He turned to ask but she was gone...