Dire Wolf

Prairie folk have the coyotes to consider. Our niece Hayley happened upon one in Grandma and Grandpa's livestock pens one day, emaciated and losing her coat. The coyote, not Hayley. Suburbanites in many locales have to deal with wild turkeys; ornery, menacing and toothless as the hill people who have consumed more than a few dram of the namesake beverage. I even have a boo boo a result of a vacuum-cleaner accident. Point is we all have our crosses-to-bear, dangers in our environs. Cortes has more than her share.
Wolves wander the island at night seeking food and perhaps a nightcap, I don't know. We've found the inedible hunks of wolf prey more than once: hooves and little else. These legendary canids have snatched doggies, their own cousins, off forest paths right in front of the owners. They've taken livestock through split-rail fences. One disquieting story we heard was of a kitty grabbed up from someone's doorstep. Vigilance is the key. Truth is, wolves don't like humans very much. Considering everything, who can blame them? Have you watched the Republican debates?
I wish they liked telemarketers.
Lili was home the other day, sick. The lovely and efficient Liesa, school secretary and resident wise woman, called. I answered. She said,
"Tell her not to worry because we're handling it, but there's a lame wolf on the playground."
My gulp was audible so she continued.
"Bruce (bus driver, fireman, part-time oral surgeon, Island Sage) is here and we have all the kids accounted for and in the building."
Not knowing what else to say or the protocol in an event like this, I asked, "Is Bruce going to shoot it?"
"Of course not! He's called the conservation officer."
"Ah," says I. "Is Bruce going to shoot him?"
"Just pass on the message, please?"
Wolves are generally not solitary creatures. They don't wander around in broad daylight, either. This poor creature was/is in trouble, perhaps more than just a gamy leg. More as details come in.

Jeeze, they are beautiful.