The Hopeless Wolf - A story based on a single "starlight" picture
An english project to the end of PYP5 school year
by Carmen Penélope Ziegler

With the dark blue sky and the magical stars, this was one of the most beautiful nights I have ever experienced. I looked at the sky, daydreaming once more, and at that very moment, I saw something that changed my life forever.

"Ahhhh!" I shouted while looking from side to side in a panic.

I looked down in shock. As my eyes slowly adjusted to the light of my lamp, I saw a baby wolf! It was lying beside my food trying to get a bite of my meat filled sandwich. I was stunned as the little pup was crawling towards me. I saw that his leg was hurt and that he had trouble standing with only three legs because he was still so small and was just learning how to walk. I felt bad for the little pup, so I took out my blanket, wrapped him in it and wanted to take him to a vet for wild animals. But just as I was climbing down the hill, I tripped and hurt my foot.

I was so scared at that moment. I didn't know what to do. My leg hurts so terribly bad and the wolf was slowly struggling out of the blanket to see what was going on. I screamed and shouted for help, when suddenly a tall man was walking towards me with a lamp. I took a sigh of relief as the man helped me up. He looked at me and the wolf.

"We'll how did you get in such a mess?" he asked in a rough voice as he struck his eyes on the wolf once more. I can get you to the doctor and the wolf to a vet since he is bleeding and seems to be in pain.

"You would really do that?" I asked with a confused and scared expression. "Well I don't know if I can trust you, yet but I do need help ..." I explained to him in a slightly angry voice.

"Don't you recognize me?" he asked while giggling a little.

"Should I know you?" I answered a bit confused.

"Im Tanny's father!"

"Wait, you are Arlian?"

"Yes it's me!"

"I am so sorry for not recognizing you! But you've changed a lot!" I replied in a slightly embarrassed voice.

"It's ok you didn't see me for over a year! So I'd expect you to not recognize me with a long beard." he said while laughing a bit. "Now come on let's get you to the hospital!"

"Thank you sir" I sighted.

We went to the hospital and the doctor noticed "I had just sprained my ankle". He gave me a small bandage just so my leg stays in the right position. After we arrived we went to a vet for wild animals who mentioned "it was a good thing that you brought him there because even if the pup had a mother, he was too weak to walk around on three legs for such a long time. "

The doctor gave the pup a cast. Of course without the pup wanting to participate. Even though the wolf is small, he still gave the vet a really hard time. I thanked the vet for helping me and went to see my friend Tanny. Tanny worked at an animal sanctuary. So I just knew she would help me out. And she did! She said that there were a few places free and that she could set up something. After two days, she said it was ready! I slowly put him in his new "forest" and waited patiently for him to show me his wild side once more.

After ten minutes, he saw a bug and he chased it like a maniac. After that I left him to do what he wanted in peace. After a few days I figured out that Tanny named him peter. When his broken leg finally healed, we could finally really prepare him for the wild. We did so for six months. When the time came to release him I was a little disappointed. I got so attached to Peter that I didn't want to lose him. I was worried that he would get hurt again. But I knew that releasing him was the best opportunity for him to start a new and better life.

A year had passed since I last saw Peter. I was at the same mountain, at the same time. I was enjoying my time being able to relax again. When I felt something nibbling on my hair. I turned around quickly and saw it was Peter! I was excited and scared at the same time. What if he came here to eat me. Or what if he just came here because of my food. Peter slowly inched closer to me. I didn't move this time. And to my surprise he licked me once, stole my sandwich and slowly walked away.

"Wow ..." I shouted while the wind was blowing my hair to the side. I was so happy that Peter was ok. And so was Tanny when I told her. And how did this change my life you may ask? Well the answer is simple...

"Because I have rescued one wolf that was hurt, what about the others that are having a hard time." So I decided to work at the same place where my friend Tanny works. At the animal sanctuary