According to Black Elk wolves, unlike cougars who are to selfish and territorial to listen first and eat later, are perfectly willing to understand reason when a better option is presented to them. Most packs operated on a “What is best for my family.” policy it would seem. He and Black Elk agreed that the hunting of the cattlemens herds was perfectly logical from the wolves stand point. When the Buffalo Hunters and Cattlemen had moved in and killed what big game they hadn’t chased further West the wolves had moved on to the next most sustainable food supply: the cattle. Especially now that most of the ranches in the area had switched to raising the less cantankerous Shorthorned variety of beef; moving away from the old Texas staple: The Longhorn.

Oliver, flabbergasted by the idea of negotiating with wolves instead of hunting them, admitted to Black Elk as much. He could not talk to animals the way that Black Elk apparently could although this fact did not seem to come as a surprise to the elk-man.

“It is a rare talent for those with two legs.' Black Elk had said, brushing it off as unimportant

The elk-man had then offered to negotiate with the wolves to move them West the way the great herds had done. He had been passing through doing just that when the two of them had met that sunny May day. He had heard stories that bison were still flourishing in the high plains past the western mountains. If he could convince the wolves to move with him once he could walk again then the problem would be solved with far less bloodshed.

Oliver had been left with no choice but to agree. This type of thing being far from his realm of expertise or experience. So as the weeks dragged by and the two of them continued to heal they finished the barn rooms roof. They added a sturdier door with planked wood purchased from Mr. Conner that Oliver had ridden out to get once his leg was well enough to endure the longer trip without busting a stitch.

Just at the beginning of August they had a surprise visit from a T-anchor hand and his dog about the rumored wolf hunt. Black Elk had been just down the hill collecting greens when the rider came into view. He had somehow managed to hide himself in a cluster of nearby mesquite before being spotted, leaving Mad Ann to graze calmly where he'd been. The cowboy had come and gone, dog and all, without so much as a sideways sniff but Oliver's heart had been pounding out a warning the entirety of the interaction. His eyes never leaving the perfectly visible rack of antlers sticking up from the corpse of thin leafed trees. Oliver had directed him on to the JA Ranch headquarters then held his breath until the cowboy was out of sight.

Once they had the canyon to themselves again Black Elk, with the mare, had limped up the hill and declared it time to take the splint off and start exercising the offend limb. The sudden appearance of the cowboy had taken Black Elk completely off guard as well and he was standing, although a little shakily, in the grove of trees before he had even realized he had left Mad Ann behind. With that bit of good news the near miss of discovery was overlooked. The last of Olivers stitches had been pulled out weeks beforehand and it was a relief to know that Black Elk had been healing well too.

They spent the a while taking progressively longer walks along the creek bank. Exercising the stiffness and slowly re-acclimating Black Elks limb to holding his full weight again. When the elk-man could once again trot short distances in at mile eating pace that elk were so famous for they began discus their plan to speak to the wolves in more detail. Oliver followed along a best he could but so much of the concept was still so foreign to him that he eventually just begged as small a role as possible from his half elk friend. Black Elk had agreed.

The two of them settled on arranging a meeting with the wolf packs once a date for the hunt had been set. Armed with that information it would be easier for Black Elk to give the creatures as deadline by which to make their decision. The alternative to moving on being that they would be hunted down by a large group of settlers, cowboys, and bored buffalo hunters.

It was also agreed on that Mad Ann would stay back at the dugout, much for her own safety as that of the wolves who might attend the meeting. Apparently the mare had made it clear that she would, if presented with the chance, just as soon kill a wolf as suffer its proximity. Oliver took Black Elks word for that; although his knew Mad Ann was perfectly willing and capable of killing a wolf if she so pleased. With out the surefooted horse there as a backup getaway option if negotiations took an ill turn however Oliver would be left stranded. As quick on his two feet as he might be he was in no way fast enough to outrun a gathering of cantankerous lobo. Black Elk gave the problem some thought, two days of it, before coming to Oliver with an idea that he seemed reluctant to share.

“If thing go poorly with the packs...' Black Elk said one night as the two of them ate their respective suppers '...you may mount my back so that your are not left behind.”

“What?' Oliver gaped, letting the spoon full of beans that had been halfway to his mouth drip unceremoniously back onto his plate.

It was clear that Black Elk was not comfortable with the idea. Oliver honestly had no idea if the cervine body would even be able to support the weight of a man. He wondered if it might potentiality cripple his friend the way a young horse might be crippled if ridden to young.

“Would that even be safe? Fer you I mean!”

“Hm.' The elk-man nodded looking away and hastily shoving a handful of wild plums into his mouth.

They sat in silence for a while. The lights of a few hundred fireflies blinking in and out of view around the shrubbier areas and down by the creek. The weird chirping of some late seasoned cicada echoed in the darkness. Oliver finished his plate of food and glanced over at Black Elk as he set the empty vessel down on the dirt next to him.

“I dun know.' he started “If yer not really all aboard with the idea I'd just as soon high-tail it out on foot. Take ma' chances that away.”

“I am sorry my friend, this is not a thing my people would normally do.' Black Elk sighed deeply

“I gathered as much.” Black Elk gave Oliver a look which he returned. His eyebrows raised as if in inquiry of what was to come next.

“You must promise never to speak of it. To anyone!” The elk-man said seriously with a slight frown

“HA!' Oliver barked out a laugh at which the elk-man pinned his ears

“Who 'm I gonna tell, eh? Aint as though anyone'd believe me anyhow!' he threw his arms out as if he was addressing a nonexistent crowd. 'Here now! Y'all listen up! I once rode a half elk man while bein' took after by a hoard o' angry wolves that I'd been havin' a chat wit! HA! They'd take me for a drunk er have me locked up for a madman!”

Oliver devolved into a healthy fit of laughter and, after a moment of thoughtful contemplation, Black Elk too joined in with his own hiccuping bay. Mad Ann nickered at them questioningly from her paddock but must have decided she wasn’t all that interested in what was going on. She turned her back to them and went back to munching what was left of her own supper, leaving the two men to their heeing and hawing.