The Wounded Wolf by Jean Craighead George
Summary: The Wounded Wolf by Jean Craighead George is about Roko who becomes the injured wolf on a hunt during the "season of starvation", struggles to survive and is later rescued by his pack leader, Kiglo
Characters:
Roko - He is "the wounded wolf"
Kiglo - The pack leader
Ravens - Their "kong, kong" sound resonates the closeness of Roko's death
White Fox - It's "hahaha" is a realization of Roko's struggle to stay alive
Snowy Owl - Follows Roko in a way that is cautious
Grizzly Bear - Wakes from his winter's rest and follows the train of animals that have followed Roko into a corner
Caribou - The animals that Roko's pack had been chasing during the season of starvation
Musk-ox - By forming a circle, they alert Roko to the grizzly that has awakened
Section 1:
- At dawn Roko, a wolf wounded by caribou, looks at his pack which is led by Kiglo leave him when he is "gravely" wounded during the season of starvation
- Wounded Roko is followed by ravens, a white fox and an owl because they are hungry and he is hurt; he can become potential food if he dies
- The Ravens say "kong, kong" and the white fox says "hahaha" as they follow the injured Roko
- After smelling "the wind", Roko realizes that the grizzly bear has awakened from his "winter's sleep" and will have a craving for flesh
- Roko "strains" to reach "the shelter rock" as the other animals follow
- The raven picks at Roko's wound, the white fox picks at Roko's toes as the owl gets even closer and the the grizzly bear "stumbles onto Toklat Ridge"
- Very close to the shelter Rock, Roko falls and the ravens attack him as the white fox attacks his wound, the owl "waits"
- Roko gets up, manages to shake off the ravens and the white fox and wedges himself into shelter rock
- Roko is protected on three sides and growls at all of the animals following him
- Roko here's his pack sing the "hunt's end" song and take roll call in the "Toklat pack"
- Kiglo sounds off twice but Roko cannot lift his head to answer at either time and the pack remains silent
- The raven calls his "kong, kong" which alerts Roko's pack that he is dying
- Kiglo breaks up the animal train that had followed Roko to his near death
- Kiglo brings Roko meat and "excitedly" wags his tail
- Roko honors Kiglo by licking Kiglo's chin
- Kiglo tells Roko that Kiglo is Roko's leader by putting his mouth around his nose which binds the pack
- Roko wags his tail
- As Roko feels better as Kiglo brings food to him for days
- The scraps of food go to he animals who once followed him and even to a "long-tailed jaeger full
- Roko wags his tail
- On a dawn, he "walks" and "romps" and the "hunt's end song" is sung an a roll call is made
- As the pack remains silent, Kiglo and Roko twice say that they are there
- The dawn is filled with celebration and Roko "prances down the Ridge" finally at great strength to completely join the pack
Other Notes:
- Jean Craighead George's authenticity of the animals in her stories comes from her upbringing in a rural environment where she grew up around animals and nature
- Jean Craighead George calls her work "documentary novels" for the nature that she describes within her work is true to life
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