Gracefully, McKay flew low to the sea of tall swaying green grass. Looking for her friends, the wolves who have been in her life for as long as she can remember, she spots them. To her right, Jet ran. Jet, the leader of the pack, had always been kind to her. And so had the others, but McKay especially appreciated Jet’s kindness.

She flew higher and saw all the wolves. The young ones played with some of the mothers as guards. The air smelt sweet and fresh, and not to mention of all the pine trees surrounding them. But there was a difference in the way the air moved with her, and the way it smelt. With her violet purple eyes, she scanned the treetops. Even with her keen hawk sight, she saw no disturbance.

Until she heard all she needed to.

A gunshot had been fired.

But not at her, the freak flying in the sky, but at one of the wolves. Her heart sank while she still glided through the sky, unnoticed by the hunters. Black hair whipped her in the face as she dove into the treetops. Seeking cover, she grabbed onto a pine tree’s branch and perched herself there.

She spotted the hunters almost immediately. Her T-shirt was covered in pine needles that poked her, and her shorts dabbed in mud from her fall this morning. But she was grateful for it. It made her blend in with her settings. She thought for a moment, debating what action would cause what reaction.

“Look, fellows,” one of the hunters laughed. “It’s a whole den of pups.”

“Aye,” another one agreed. “Strange for a wolf pack to have so many pups.”

McKay jumped down from her perch and snuck over to the other side of the field. From that side, she walked in plain sight. Making sure the hunters would notice her and stop firing gunshots at her friends. Her family. With no fear, McKay walked through the group of scared pups and faced the first two hunters.


“That’s because they aren’t like other wolf packs.” McKay explained. “Half of these pups were found abandonded and they were taken in.”


“Aye, look here.” The first hunter looked her over. “Country gal I think.”


“More like wild.” McKay extended her arms to show that this field was her home.

“By golly,” second hunter gasped. “She’s got wings!”

McKay smirked as she outstretched her wings. Showing off the color of her white wings. As her wings covered up the sight of the pups, they ran across the field to the pine woods, disappearing with their pack. And the second that Jet howled that they had escaped, she pulled her wings in.

“You,” the first hunter gasped. “You, you …. Have wings! I’d make me a fortune using this picture!”


The first hunter held up a picture as he ran with the other in the opposite direction. McKay only laughed, and then whistled a call. A hawk flew down and snatched the picture out of his hand. The hunter no longer had his evidence. McKay spun around and flew circles around the field. She knew her family was no longer running through it, and that they were no longer playing with each other there, but she still enjoyed the view.


She had risked an awful lot. Getting discovered; being captured; being shot. And all for her family. Her wolf pack.


And if Jet had been able to speak to her aloud, he would have said something that she would quote later on in her life.


But in her head, she heard the words. She knew what she might quote.


“Now that’s what I would call flying the distance.” She heard the raspy voice in her mind and smiled to herself as she flew off into the sunset.