Sketch drawn by, Theresa F. Koch.

Grey Squirrel looked once more upon the land with hopes he had stored enough provisions for old man winters chill. Silently caribou moved closer to the oceans jagged cliffs. The grizzly groaned loudly as he ran out of steam ready now to snuggle up till spring roaring once more deeply in the tundra’s new fallen snow.

Moose knew she must move in much closer to the man village if she hoped to eat the willows last branches peeking through the ice and snow. Moving now towards the village’s lights up ahead she shivered. Hmmm, just the thought stirred and uneasy feeling within her soul. As she remembered her sons fall from one mans bullet of destruction just last season.

Someday they will know just how close they stood to God and will stop eating another child’s flesh, she thought, perhaps soon as the veil is growing thinner to their weakened eyes. Alaska oh beautiful wilderness still left much untouched by man. So strong in this world tries not to bend to the human weakness.

As moose approached the man village she could smell the smoke coming from within their dens. As it touched the top of the tinsel looking trees it danced amongst the frozen air making drawings for all to see.

Light life giving was leaving till the spring, with it you would see less of the other forest creatures around. Salmon would then return with the sun as well as grizzly. Then willow would be plentiful for the moose again. Till that time she must venture in with the hopes to go another season unnoticed by the human’s hunger.

Listening to the sound of the winds soft voice she watched up ahead knowing soon the Northern Lights would dance in celebration of the Christ child’s birth. Just as always the heavens would rejoice in its entire glorious splendor.

Crunching from the distance made her jump. As she saw the wolf run quickly through the trees edge. Oh just another worry the wolves incredible hunger. Life cycle, after life cycle, moved throughout this land. As death then birth kept time with the earth’s movements. If she could make it through the man village to the other side of the valley a kind old woman would lay hay along her fence line for the wildlife she loved.

Old woman looked out at the dim October sky wondering if moose had made it through yet another long year. She looked forward to seeing if she would return each year as her moose mother brought her here just four years prior as a child herself.

Together they had an odd pact almost with each other based on respect and love each looked forward to seeing the other in an uncommon way. Curious relationship thought old woman’s dog Chandler as he watched the tears well up in old woman’s eyes as moose came up over the distant horizon.


Breaking fresh ice and snow moose sighed with gracious relief as she saw old woman’s little cabin in the distance. Picking up speed she began to run for her fenced picketed yard safety she would have one more season there until the spring breakup.

Hay and a few willow sprigs were set outside the old woman’s barn door by the fence line. Moose knew they had been placed there just for her. She turned to look in old woman’s window eyes met eyes each one filled with love for the other to see last winters friend return. At that Chandler howled to let the wild wolves know keep your distance as old woman was his dearest friend and she kept sanctuary for moose as others.

Come quick cawed out raven to his friends moose returns to old woman’s as he swooped into scan the grounds for morsels of bread she would scatter outside with hopes raven would stay out of her trash cans till she could burn the rubbish later. More than often raven and his friends lived closer to the human’s food places and trash piles for easy meals in the long winter. But old woman’s was always a good place to fly by for a few morsels.

Winter seemed to be falling hard as wolf gathered his cubs into their den he hoped the snowshoe rabbit would be enough to last till he could catch another for his families next meal. Snowshoes were fast and not always easy for wolf at his age of eight to see. Field mice were already in their homes for winter. Spring brought babies to all Alaskan animals and a strong pack could live well on a moose or caribou child. But here in winters icy cold only a few fox and snowshoe were easy for the catching.

Lynx dressed in their best wintry white slid slowly into their warm dens as flakes of silver danced pirouettes outside. Beauty and danger for mammals made the mountains sleep till spring. Ice lakes and rivers wide made excellent roadways for the Athabaskan hunters. Smoke filled skies twinkled as the air froze at sixty below zero. Moose sighed as she fell asleep under the old birch tree whose branches ached at the weight of snow and ice. It made a good windbreaker for moose along with a shelter, her mind began to drift off to rest. Tomorrow would be the start of her stay till spring when the wild roses again would open up and sing in the sun.

Old woman smiled as she settled in front of the crackling fire to read. Chandler warm and friendly sleeping at her feet made her feel so happy and loved. Slowly her eyes grew heavier and heavier here in her little cabin in Alaska old woman drifted slowly asleep.

And winter once again took its claim on the frozen land………