To Grandma's House

The Road at Night*

Xael enjoyed the quietness of the forest. The night air smelled like pine needles and earth. She grew up in these woods and had missed them. When she was little she would spend hours outside wandering around, climbing trees and getting lost in her thoughts. Her Grams didn't care cause she knew Xael would be just fine and could find her way home no matter how far into the woods she got. Grams always told her she was special and the forest loved her and would always protect her. Now that she was back in it, she knew her Grams was right. She felt so at home here.

They lived outside of town because Xael's mom was wary of others being around her little girl. Xael was mixed-raced, not uncommon for her tribe, but it was for Wolfen. Her dad was Native-American, her mom, African-American and also a Rogue. Rogues were rare these days as most Wolfen stayed within their packs but not Xael's mom. Xael missed her parents. What she could remember of them is that they were crazy about each other, her mom was tall and beautiful with skin rich in melanin. Her dad was also tall with strikingly handsome features, his family and tribe welcomed her with open arms. Not only was Xael mixed but she had been blessed with her mother's height and melanin along with her dad's striking features, not to mention a pair of piercing grey eyes. Her eyes always drew unwanted attention to her, even as a child. When she was growing up, little kids at school would tease her and call her 'wolf eyed blackie' but she didn't care. She was proud of how she looked, dark skin and all. As long as others kept their hands to themselves, they were fine.

As Xael continued to walk, her pups growled. There was a vehicle approaching back in the distance. She shorted the hold on their leashes, keeping them safe from traffic. Seeing headlights approach her from behind, she didn't pay it any attention. The pups and her had enough safety gear on that they were easily visible. Suddenly the headlights turned to flashing red and blue lights.

"Shit..." Xael growled under her breath as the police car sounded its horn. She stopped but didn't turn around. She looked over to her pups and gave a verbal command. 'Sitz!' The dogs sat. Xael had the hood up on the hoody cause the night was a little chilly for some reason. She turned off the headlamp and turned around, keeping her head lowered. The officer walked towards her, shining his flashlight at her. When he got within 10 feet of her, the dogs growled, warning him to stop. He immediately stopped and made a gesture towards his gun which caused them to growl louder but neither of them moved.

"Don't."   Xael finally spoke, more like growled at the officer. Looking down at her pups she gave them another command. 'Platz!'

Both were down on the ground now, their eyes locked on the officer. He moved his hand away from his weapon.

"You Xael Thunder Wolf?"

"Yes."

"Mind showing me your face?"

She let out a visible sigh. She figured he was new on the force as everyone in the tribe knew her. She was pretty hard to miss.

"Hmmpff, You must be new."

He stood and waited for her to comply which she didn't. He went to command her again when she raised her face, her eyes reflecting the bright light of the flashlight.

"You mind not shining that in my face?"

Deputy Shado was surprised at the face staring back at him. Xael Thunder Wolf wasn't a he but a she, a very beautiful she. He stood there frozen.

"Deputy!"

"O-o-ohh Sorry. Your grandma called us to look for you."

"Well you found me. Are you going to give me a ride home or are you going to make me walk the rest of the way?"

"Uh, get in. I'll take you the rest of the way."

'Fuss!' The pups were up and standing by her side. She walked towards the police cruiser. Walking past the Deputy she averted her eyes. "Thanks for the ride." Making it to the vehicle she opened the back door for her pups to get in and took a seat up front. Shado was standing in front of the cruiser like a deer in headlights. Xael was running out of patience, she rolled the window down.

"I can't go nowhere until you get in."

Shado shook it off and walked towards the cruiser and got in. Putting the car in gear he started to take off.

"Deer..."

"Hmm?"

"Deer!"

Shado slammed on brakes as 3 large does and a massive buck darted across the road. The Deputy sat for a minute to get himself together. He looked over at his passenger.

"How'd you see them? I didn't see anything!"

"I didn't, I smelled them. You can drive now." She still wouldn't look at him.

Shado shook his head and headed towards Ms. Emma's. Pulling up to the cabin, her Grams was already there, anxiously waiting. Before he could put the cruiser in park, his passenger was already out. She opened the back door letting her pups out and ran to her Grams. She scooped the Elder up in a big hug.

"Grams!!"

"Xael! Honey it's so good to see you!" The pups sat at the base of the steps waiting. The boys were very well trained.

Deputy Shado got out and walked towards the front porch. The dogs both turned in sync and sat so that they were facing him. Xael turned and looked at the officer then back at her boys.

"Fuss." The pups trotted up the steps and stood beside her. She released her Grandmother from the hug as the Elder turned to the officer. Looking at the two, he saw how Xael towered over the smaller woman.

"Oh Deputy Shado thank you so much!! Come by the diner in the morning for breakfast!"

"Will do Ms. Emma, you two stay safe out here."

"Night!"

Shado noticed how the tall woman had avoided eye contact with him. Getting into the cruiser he drove off into the night.

Xael and the pups stood and waited. They were about to enter her home for the 'first time.' Her grams looked at her and smiled. The Elder was happy that her granddaughter remembered their little custom. Whenever Xael would visit after being in the city, Grams would smudge her before she entered the cabin, allowing her to leave the negative energy of the city behind and not bring it into the house. She was waiting for her to smudge her and the pups.

"Ah! You remembered!"

"Of course!"

Her grams went inside to fetch her sage bundle. Striking the match on the door frame, she lit the bundle and proceeded to smudge Xael and the pups. She stood tall and motionless, deeply inhaling the smoke. When the Elder got to the pups, one of them sneezed while the other groaned.

"Oh please, you two are used to this so quit being so dramatic." Xael just shook her head at her boys. She smudged every day when she returned home from work so this was nothing new to them.

Xael followed her Grams into the cabin. Once inside she removed her shoes out of respect for her space and took off her pack followed by the pups and their paw booties. Finished, she turned to her grams and wrapped her in another hug.

"I missed you Grams."

"I missed you to hon. I'm so glad you're back home. Come on! Get some rest, we have an early start tomorrow!"

"Mn."

Xael led her pups into the room she would be sleeping in and went to shower. After a hot shower, she braided her hair and gave her grams one more hug before going back to her room. Once there she crashed onto the bed and was fast asleep, her pups taking up their spots in front of the door, side by side. They wouldn't let anything get to her while she slept.

Well, maybe only Grams cause as she approached them, they both rolled over for belly rubs.