Riding hood…

Suddenly,

Torak had the strangest sense that the cub knew what he was thinking…

More than any other hunters in the Forest,

Fa whispered in his mind,

wolves are like us…

They hunt in packs…

They enjoy talking and playing…

They have a fierce love for their mates and cubs…

And each wolf works hard for the good of the pack…

— in Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

I’ve been counting down,

the games…

Only one more to go,

and then,

#13 is bound,

to make mincemeat,

on Blackhawk ice…

During the last two games of the regular season,

Little Gem sat beside me,

on our old couch,

and said,

I miss Raffi…

Things just aren’t the same without him….

Absence not only makes,

the heart grow fonder,

it also,

works its magic,

in teaching contrast…

Just like we can’t remember,

what life was like,

before we got the the cats,

last October,

I’m finding it difficult,

to remember,

what the Canucks were like,

before Raffi’s hat trick,

last November…

Seems to me,

that was his way of saying,

Heads up,

because I’m here now…

And maybe this four game suspension,

is his way of saying,

Heads up,

because I’m well-rested,

and I’m in the business,

of taking no prisoners…

And his being back,

ain’t just gonna be pretty,

it’s gonna be,

a Torresian experience,

outside the penalty box…

Yesterday,

a horse got away from me,

by breaking through,

a make-shift fence,

before I could get,

the boards across…

You can’t hold back,

a horse,

who’s hell bent,

on being with his buddies…

And that drive to be,

with his herd,

is what shifted my panic,

to purpose,

because when I thought,

he was gone for good,

that painted horse,

turned a corner,

mid-flight,

through an open gate,

and straight into the paddock,

he calls home…