Shadow Wolf

There are stories out there that have endured time;
Stories worthy enough to be put into rhyme.
That's cool and all but, the story I'm going to share
Can't be found in a newspaper, magazine or book anywhere.

There's no official word if this story is false or true;
At the end, I think I'll leave that judgement up to you.
This is the story of a dark, misted, shadowed hound;
So now, please, enjoy one of the strangest stories ever found.
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The Berkley's lived in a cabin when Todd was sixteen years old;
Just outside his door was a forest that the snow froze cold.
Todd Daniel Berkley was the third oldest boy of nine,
At a time you ate what you caught and what you would find.

Growing up, his mom and father warned his brothers; and sisters too,
"Don't wonder too far in the forest, or Shadow Wolf will devour you!"
"What's a 'shadow wolf?'" one of Todd's brothers asked one day.
His mom and dad looked at each other, and only had this to say;

"He's a very dangerous spirit that prowls the forest day and night;
He hunts and eats every single boy and girl in his sharp sight.
He is twice as large, dark and evil as any other wolf on Earth;
He's had a smokey, misted shadow shrouding him since his birth."

A long, frozen winter set in, and Todd couldn't find anything to eat;
He had eleven mouths to feed, and he wasn't going back without meat.
He searched and searched, but found nothing to aim at and shoot;
So, he set off deeper into the forest; toes freezing in his boot.

He walked deeper into the forest; deeper than he'd ever been,
All while jumping at every leaf shaking in the brutal wind.
The wind! The cold, brutal, stinging wind burned his cheek;
He kept going until he couldn't take another step; he felt weak.

He kept going, though; thoughts of his family keeping him alive.
He had to get them food if he wished for them to thrive.
Eventually, he had to admit defeat and give in,
Thinking, "when the sun comes out, I'll try again."

As he turned toward home, fresh snow started falling on his back;
He watched in horror as the white powder started cover his track.
"How am I going to get back home now?" Todd thought in fear.
Suddenly, he heard a growl and hiss from an animal near.

Frozen in place, Todd Daniel Berkley forced himself to turn around;
Only to find a large, brown grizzly bear made the terrifying sound.
Todd could see a rib cage through the animal's fur coat;
And he knew the bear's eyes were staring at his throat.

Todd did what anyone in that situation would have done;
He did a 180 and, as fast as he could, started to run.
As he ran, he didn't have the need to look back;
He knew he was about to be a victim of a bear attack.

Todd's heart threatened to quit; he completely ran out of breath.
But, he knew that stopping would mean an instant, painful death.
The bear kept the promise of a good supper in his sight;
Prepared to chase him, if needed, until later that night.

Todd kept running and running as fast as he possibly could,
When, suddenly, something was running beside in him the wood.
A large, black shadow gracefully dashed from tree to tree
As Todd thought, "it's Shadow Wolf! He's going to get me!"

Proving that he wasn't always the sharpest tool in the shed;
Todd wasn't looking out when, suddenly, a branch hit his head.
That branch stopped Todd dead during the run to save his hide;
He wondered what it would be like to join others who had died.

Todd scuttled as fast as he could against a grey boulder;
He noted that the branch also put deep cuts in his shoulder.
"Who'll get to and kill me first, Shadow Wolf or the bear?"
Todd wondered after saying his final, silent prayer.

Shadow Wolf was nowhere in sight as the bear approached him;
By this time, Todd knew his survival chances were slim.
As the bear lifted a giant paw to deliver the first blow,
Shadow Wolf leaped out from a nearby bank of snow.

Faster than any normal wolf would be able to go,
Shadow Wolf knocked the bear into the snow.
He got between Todd and the bear as he pulled back his lip,
To reveal a dozen, white teeth; each with a razor tip.

The bear stood and glanced between Shadow Wolf and Todd Berkley;
He choose to take the risk instead of the chance to flea.
Todd watched in awe as the bear approached the wolf with fur black;
His awe turned to horror as he saw Shadow Wolf make the first attack.

Something thick and warm dripped onto Todd's eye lash,
As he watched the two massive animals fight and clash.
He reached up and touched the side of his head;
When he looked at his hand, it was drenched blood red.

Todd suddenly started to feel weak and sick;
He knew he was bleeding, but not this quick.
The last thing Todd saw before darkness overtook his sight,
Was Shadow Wolf chase the bear away and win the fight.

The last thing Todd felt was a cold figure clamp his wrist
As Shadow Wolf started to drag his limp body into the mist.
The last thing Todd heard was Shadow Wolf's heavy breath,
As he slipped into the darkness he knew was Death.

"Who is bumping my cheek with a cold, wet stone?"
Todd thought to himself, "Why not leave me alone?"
Wanting to tell the person to stop bumping a rock to his cheek;
Todd opened his and, what he saw, made him want to shriek.

Beside his face, was a black snout with a yellow-eyed stare;
Todd wasn't sure if he should breath with Shadow Wolf there.
Keeping his eye on the shadow, Todd slowly got to his feet;
The next this he heard was, "Get in here right now, Todd Berkley!"

Forgetting for a moment Shadow Wolf was by his side,
Todd looked up, saw his house and smiled wide.
He looked back to Shadow Wolf; wanting to give him a stroke.
But, all Todd caught was a wisp of black, misty smoke.
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Now, I don't know if this story is false or true;
Like I said before, that judgement's up to you.
I have to depart now but, before I go I just want to say,
"Shadow Wolf, thanks for saving my great-great-grandpa that day."