Twenty

STACY GAZED OUT over the ocean at the thriving coral reef. The water was teeming with tropical fish swimming among the vibrant blues, pinks, yellows, and reds of the reef. Paisley did it! She restored the coral! The mangrove forest was flourishing, and Paisley had even begun growing a protective wall of palm trees and shrubs to create a barrier around the entire island to hide. They’ll be safe here; everyone will think this island is overgrown. They’ll have no idea about the tropical paradise inside. Everest appeared alongside Stacy, holding her swimming goggles so that Stacy could get a better view of the revitalized section of the ocean.

“Thank you, Everest,” Stacy said to him. Then she put on the goggles and dove into the warm water to inspect the coral with Paisley and Pearl.

Stacy couldn’t believe how much the reef had changed during the short time she had been on the island. It was so beautiful and lush—like an underwater forest. She saw animals everywhere she looked. There were sea horses and little orange-and-white-striped clown fish. She even saw Ouch the pufferfish and Hatch, the baby sea turtle, who had practically doubled in size since the last time she saw him. There were yellow sponges, crabs, and starfish too. And the dolphins were there! Stacy could see that the revitalization of the coral reef had strengthened the ocean’s food web. Everyone would be able to eat and survive now that Paisley had rehabilitated the coral. She’d literally saved hundreds of animals in an area that had likely taken hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of years to form.

Stacy came up for air and turned on her back to float. Obviously, the reef still had a way to go to be completely healed, to have the chance to expand and grow. But with Paisley here, there was no question in Stacy’s mind that it would happen. Paisley will see to it. Stacy thought about the mesa pack as she swam to the shore and sat down on the sand to wait for the sun to dry her off. The mesa wolves fit in perfectly here. Obviously Pearl needs to be here and can swim all around the islands to see if any animals need rescuing . . . the sea turtles like Hatch, dolphins like the one from the shipwreck, whales, fish, squid, sharks, jellyfish . . . she can bring them to Ribsy, who can heal them. Atlas can keep watch for passing ships and protect the birds—seagulls, hummingbirds, plovers, and pelicans—who live here. And Paisley’s talent is with the island vegetation. Making sure all the plants and trees and coral and kelp are sustained. She can maintain the reef and take care of any litter that washes up on the shore. They’ll keep this part of the world safe—just like my pack does back in the taiga. They’re the sentinels of this ocean!

Everest walked over and sat next to Stacy. Stacy looked to him and he nodded. He agrees with me. They looked out at Pearl, Ribsy, Atlas, and Paisley all playing together in the surf. They belong here. They’ve found their mission.

It occurred to Stacy that she’d found her mission as well. Without the Arctic explorer . . . my mother . . . around to study and protect the wolves with abilities, this was Stacy’s secret to keep now. Her wolf pack would continue to protect the animals and nature around them in the taiga. And the mesa pack, now permanently relocated to the ocean, would protect the environment here. Who knows! Maybe I’ll find other wolves in the future in different parts of the world—I could create a rescue network of the wolves, living in secrecy and guarding the planet!

Stacy knew what she needed to do. She decided right then and there that she would return to the taiga as soon as she could and prepare to start school in the fall. Reading every book I can get my hands on and picking up things here and there from Addison and my other wolves just isn’t enough. If I’m going to do this, I need to get as much education as I can so I’ll know what to do in any situation I’m faced with. Stacy was confident she’d be able to go to school in the village and still sneak back to the taiga to live with her pack and go on rescue missions. It’s perfect. And who knows, maybe I’ll even go to Village State University one day.

For the next several days, Everest, Noah, and Atlas worked on salvaging more planks from the boat wreckage to use for constructing a raft. Stacy helped as well, once again using a stone and the box of nails to fortify the raft. Leftover rope from the boat’s sails was used to fashion two harnesses for Noah and Pearl to pull the raft back to the rocky beach where their ocean adventure had started. The plan was for Pearl to accompany them at least that far, and then she’d return to what Stacy had named Our Little Island while Stacy, Noah, and Everest journeyed on to the taiga.

And just like that, before Stacy was ready at all, the raft was finished and it was time to say good-bye. Leaving at sunset meant that they would make it back to the beach on the mainland under the cover of night. The water was still and smooth, and they’d be able to make camp in the cave they’d spent so many nights in while they were restoring the boat. And then the next morning Stacy, Noah, and Everest could get an early start back to the taiga.

Stacy stood on the beach with Everest on the raft and Noah and Pearl in the water. Paisley was the first wolf to come over to Stacy for a good-bye. Paisley had something in her mouth—the bandanna that Stacy had given to her the first day they met. She had used some natural pigments from around the island to dye it a beautiful shade of light blue, Stacy’s favorite color. Stacy took the bandanna from Paisley and used it to wipe away the tears that were running down her cheeks. Then she threw her arms around the wolf.

“I love you, Paisley,” Stacy whispered. “I’ll come back to visit you as soon as I can.” Stacy knew that in all likelihood that probably wouldn’t be until it was winter in the taiga, but she couldn’t bear the thought that she was saying good-bye to Paisley for that many months.

Ribsy was next.

“You saved Pearl’s life, you know that, right?” Stacy said, giving Ribsy a big hug. “She’s lucky to have you. We all are.” Ribsy bowed his head to Stacy and Everest.

Stacy was dreading saying good-bye to Atlas the most. He had been the hardest wolf to befriend by far, but now that he had warmed up to Stacy (and saved her life several times), they had bonded. It was like Stacy was leaving a small piece of her heart behind on the island with him.

“I love you too, Atlas,” Stacy sobbed into the wolf’s soft coat.

Before she could change her mind, Stacy let go of Atlas and jumped onto the raft with Everest.

“I’ll see you soon,” Stacy said, choking back more tears. Noah and Pearl began to pull the raft forward toward the setting sun. Milo the bat fluttered at Stacy’s shoulder while Stacy clung to Everest. She looked back at Our Little Island as it became smaller and smaller and she could no longer see Paisley, Ribsy, and Atlas standing on the beach. As the island disappeared into the distance, she heard a sorrowful howl from Atlas. Stacy wiped the tears from her eyes again with her bandanna and then dug her hands into Everest’s thick fur.

I miss them already.

Stacy couldn’t help but be amazed at how much her life had changed over the last few weeks. She hadn’t known the wolves from the mesa then—she hadn’t even known they existed. And now they were part of her family. She looked at Pearl, who was pulling the raft with ease in the water; Noah struggling to keep up. Stacy closed her eyes and enjoyed her last moments in the deep ocean, knowing her life was about to change even more.