LA LOBA!

Finally, Riley felt at peace. In the wilds she belonged and in the wilds she would stay. Anyplace without humans. She was through with that life. It had served only as a waiting room, a miserable portal, to get her where she was. No more worry about brutality for someone’s enjoyment and the only killing would be by the animals for essential food. No more need for clothing or a vehicle. In a few days, she would go back long enough to dispose of her possessions and set up a fund for the sanctuary. Shift in, shift out. Adios. No more interfering with the Grand Plan by healing sick people and the best part, no more killing of criminal swine. If she stayed with humans, she would have no choice.

There was so much violence, way too much.

She was not designed to kill.

“Rollin’ -- rollin’ -- rollin’ on a river,” she sang, floating on her back in clear water in the Colorado foothills. She let the current take her along, her arms outstretched, moving toward white water rapids that led to a steep drop-off. The conditions in this channel were so dangerous, it was off-limits to thrill-seekers. The entire area was free of human scent.

The roar of the rapids grew louder, overpowering the bird song and her song but she still sang, changing the words where needed.

“Left a bad job in the city, workin’ for the man every night and day. Have always lost many minutes of sleepin’, worried ‘bout the way things have always been. Big wheel keeps on turnin’, proud Fluffy keeps on burnin’ -- rollin’ -- rollin’ -- rollin’ on a rih-ih-ver.”

“Yup, I think I like being Fluffy much better,” she said to the clouds. “Riley Redd, the human, is history.”

Proud Fluffy was swept into the rapids. She let her body spin and flip with the tumultuous water, aware of every jutting jagged rock underneath although it did not matter. She was a part of nature now and she felt the beauty and synchronicity of the wild water, all the more beautiful to her because humans had never been in it. She bobbed vigorously along, letting the action take her under and toss her back up. When she was at the drop-off, she pushed away from the edge and did a swan dive. She allowed her momentum to take her under water and all the way to the shore. She crawled higher on the warm sand and plopped on her stomach, her eyes closed.

“Ah, yes. This is nice,” she said, and drifted off for a nap while the golden rays of life dried her fur.

“There, there, big fella, take it easy now,” a male voice said.

What the hell?!

She wasn’t dreaming. Someone was standing over her, tentatively reaching to touch her.

“Holy mango!” she exclaimed, turning over and sitting up.

“Oh, my goodness!” the man said, jerking his hand back. “You’re a girl fella!”

“Now how the hell did I not know you were here?” Riley asked, the question for herself, not the man. Those glitches in her system were still at work. She was going to get into real trouble if this continued.

“I don’t know how you missed me either,” the man said. “I smell bad enough.”

“Now that you mention it, you are a little ripe,” she said, her arms resting on raised knees, looking at the man, wondering why she didn’t pick up on him. Whatever it was, she really needed to get it fixed!

At first glance, the man appeared old with his long hair, scraggly beard, and well-worn clothing. But Riley could tell he was probably in his forties and he was in good health.

“You don’t seem hurt,” the man said. “I thought you must be dead. I saw you getting tossed around in the rapids. How on earth did you survive that fall?”

Riley sighed, resigned to dealing with one more human. “What are you doing walking up to strange creatures? Did you want to harvest my pelt?”

“Oh, no!” he said. “I would take care of you if you were injured. And if you were dead, I would bury you and keep it to myself.”

“Why aren’t you afraid?” she asked, standing and looking down at him.

“Well, I wouldn’t be much of an animal friend if I acted like that, now would I?” he asked, a little indignant, staring at her with admiration. She had not changed from her first level of transformation since leaving Aziza.

“I guess not,” she said. “That’s a damn good attitude.” She started walking away.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked, sounding wistful.