She shrugs."Pretty close."
"Were you afraid?"
"No.Wolves don't eat people.They do what they can to avoid humans."
Ira shakes his head."Dad and I went to the rock carvings, and there was a wolf.It ran straight for us."
I place my hand on Ira's shoulder and squeeze reassuringly while fighting the shiver trying to take over my body.
"Hmm."Zahrah looks at Boris, and I'm almost sure she's gonna say Ira has made it up, but I was there.It was real.I've never been so afraid in my whole life.Or maybe I have, but not from an animal running toward me.I was sure it would eat Ira.Convinced.
"It's not normal behavior."She put a hand on Ira's and pats gently."I'm afraid wolves can be insane too, and you clearly came across a crazy one."
There is a snicker from somewhere behind her, and I try to see if someone is listening in, but no one is looking at us.It could've been someone laughing at something else, but it fit so perfectly with how she delivered the words.
"Next time you see a wolf, try to see if it's showing teeth."She switches the serene photo of the two wolves in the snow for one with a wolf stalking toward her with its teeth bared and hackles raised.Isuck in a breath before I can stop myself.It's so close.
Zahrah shoots me a quick look before focusing on Ira."Did it look like this?"
He shakes his head."No."He looks at me."I don't think so."
I force my muscles to unclench and shake my head."No, no bared teeth."
"Then it was most likely only curious.Stupid, but not a danger to you."
Was she right?I'd been so sure it would attack Ira.
"Is it angry with you for being too close?"Ira is leaning closer to the photo.
"Nah, he thought I was talking too much."She grins, but I have no idea why.
Ira's eyes narrow."Is it the same wolf Boris has on his wall?"
She stares at him, surprised."What makes you think it is?"
He shrugs."I don't know.It's darker around the eyes than the two in the other photo, and...I don't know.It feels like the same wolf."
She nods."It is the same one.He's normally friendly."
"Not in that photo."I point at the bared teeth.
She shrugs."Wolves don't bother anyone unless you corner them.I came on too strong.Got a great shot out of it, though."
I want to argue, but watching the wolf captured mid-step with a lowered head, bared teeth, and the fur raised makes me realize the one that ran toward us back in June didn't look angry.
"Will you go near it again?"Ira's voice is no more than a whisper, and again I get the feeling someone is listening to our conversation and finds it hilarious because there's a muffled laugh.
"Yeah, can't avoid him if I try.He's a needy little pup."
This time, someone is laughing for real.
Ira frowns, and Boris rolls his eyes."Are there only photos of wolves?"
"I believed you wanted to see wolves."She narrows her eyes but rearranges the stack of photos again to show a forest with yellowing leaves, morning light streaming through the canopy.It's breathtaking.
"It's beautiful.You're really good, Zahrah."
She shrugs."I like it.There is nothing like the calm of being out in the forest alone with nothing but your camera."The next is of a raven sitting on a gate post while snow is falling around it.And the final one is of wolves, four of them, but at a distance.Almost as if she were standing on a cliff or something and looking down at them in a valley.It's haunting, morning mist almost hiding them.Mythical.
