SHELTER

     I can't decide, whether it was more terrible to face a murderous bear or an enraged Japanese commander!
     Yokoyama first ordered captain Sawanni to meet with him. We tried to ignore the shouting that ensued, but there was no place in the camp, where we couldn't hear Yokoyama's ranting and swearing. 
     Aishi stayed with us. He was older than my boys, but made fast friends with them. Time to time, I glimpsed them talking behind the main house by the trees. 
     All conversation stopped, however, when we heard a lone wolf's howling. The soldiers in the yard looked at each other and then, as one, turned to Dular and Amur. My kids' faces were beaming: "Midori! She found us!"
     I wasn't fast enough to stop them, when they grabbed Aishi by a sleeve and pulled him into the forest. 
    The boys didn't return for hours. The General finished with Sawanni and came out in the yard to see, how his son was doing. Unfortunately, the sight of him walking into the camp next to a green wolf did nothing to allay Yokoyama's misgivings. His hand went for the pistol. Aishi rushed to his father, speaking rapidly in Japanese. Amur and Dular crouched by Midori, hugging and protecting her, as she bared her fangs in either an ingratiating smile or a threat. The blue-red crest on her back was up, but she didn't make any aggressive moves.
     Yokoyama threw Sawanni a disgusted look, turned toward me and spat out a request: "I would like to meet with you and your sons, if you don't mind. Please leave this monster outside!"

To Be continued

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