Epilogue

A/N: I want to take this time to thank all of you for coming along on this journey with me. I'm glad I could weave a tale that you all could enjoy.


I also want to give one last shout  out to leelator for the chats, encouragement and the information she gave me on the Quileute and other Pacific Northwest tribes. Her knowledge helped me to re-write this story so that it fit the people of Jacob Black's origins.


Also, I'd like to thank all of those who gave me so much support through emails and chats while I was trying to come up with ways to make this story more "Jacob". Thanks to Misty, luvinj, April, Pants, MP and many others that I know I left out.


Last but not least, thanks to all of the readers and most especially the ones who left comments for me. I enjoyed reading and replying to every last one of them! Hugs!

*3 Years Later*

The two riders spurred their horses on even as the wind began to pick up. One of them bundled the heavy fur coat more snugly around their body as the other complained loudly. Even so, his voice could barely be heard above the wind.

“Argh, now whose idea was it ta go ridin’ out in this wind? I shoulda had the good sense to stay home an’ bundle up wit a cup o’ coffee!”

Before his companion could reply, a shout was heard from the distance. They both looked up to see two Quedeyona warriors running out to greet them. Both had their bows and arrows trained on them, but were lowering them as they recognized the riders even bundled up at they were.

The warriors however, wore nothing more than jerkins and leggings in the wind that was fast becoming colder.

Again came the grumble. “Sure, sure. They just have ta rub it in, don’ they? Gotta prove they be made of sterner stuff than tha rest o’ us.”

As his companion shook their head at him, he slowed his horse down to greet the two warriors in flawless Quedeyona.

“Greetings, Elk Brother and Diving Blue Heron.”


“Greetings, Weasel Tracks. White Swan sent word that you were to be expected today. She is waiting for you at her home.” replied Diving Blue Heron.

Jasper nodded his thanks before they continued on to the village. As soon as they arrived at the outskirts, they were greeted by two boys who took their mounts from them. After making sure his companion was still bundled up along with gathering the gifts they brought with them, they made their way to the home White Swan shared with her husband, Black Wolf, who was also the chief of the tribe and the main negotiator with the whites for the Quedeyona village.

Jasper scratched on the flap, eyes going wide with amazement when White Swan answered it almost immediately.

With a huge grin on her face and a protruding belly, White Swan ushered them both in without further ado. “Well it’s about time you two got here! Come in out of the cold before we all get sick!”

As Jasper helped his companion out of her thick furs, he looked around the home with a frown. “Where’s that little rascal o’ yours, White Swan?”

She waved her hand towards the door. “Out hunting with his father, of course.”

A gasp came from beneath the last of the fur coat as Alice’s concerned face reveled itself. “Isn’t he a bit young ta be doing that?”

White Swan chuckled, along with Jasper as she enveloped her little sister in a hug as much as her belly would allow. “You forget little sister, the Quedeyona are born warriors. Did you really think Kicking Wolf would want to stay behind even when Lynx Keeps Secrets and Screaming Possum were allowed to join their fathers?”

Alice’s eyes widened. “Screaming Possum went hunting? What was Fighting Dog thinkin‘? Or are they really planning on catchin’ anything?”

White Swan laughed at the reference to Fighting Dog and Porcupine Smiles’ loud son. The boy had literally been born screaming just as his mother had been doing during his birthing and from the complaints of both his parents plus a few others in the village, the boy still couldn’t keep his voice down much.

He was the complete opposite of Mountain Lion Guides and Owl Sees Truth’s son. Lynx Keeps Secrets was just as quiet and stealthy as his father was, plus he was one of the best squirrel trackers for his age, which was just unheard of.

White Swan tilted her head to the side as she rested her hands over her stomach. “I believe they are trying to catch something, Alice. Fighting Dog says the boy has to learn how to be quiet sometime especially when he realizes that if he can’t hunt, he can’t eat. And Kicking Wolf is now old enough to go with them. The other two boys started when they both turned two, so now it’s time for our son to join them since he’s of age. If we had not allowed him to go, he would have looked at it as a disgrace.”

Alice shook her head as Jasper led her to a seat across from White Swan. They watched as White Swan got settled before rubbing her belly a bit. It made both of them grin when she smiled.

“How much longer do ya have ‘til this one comes?” asked Jasper.

“About four more months, we hope. I am as ready as ever to have this one. Thankfully this baby isn’t as restless as Kicking Wolf was while I carried him.”

Alice smiled. “That could mean it’ll be a girl.”

White Swan nodded. “That’s what Black Wolf is hoping for. He’s got his son, but he’s always wanted a little girl.”

Jasper chuckled, “Might be ‘cause there’s already too many boys ‘round here, ya think?”

White Swan grinned. “That and he sees how wonderful Mountain Lion Guides and Owl Sees Truth’s little girl is. I think he adores Silent Fawn a lot and hopes his daughter is as wonderful as she is. Plus, with Silent Fawn being barely a year old, our daughter will have a playmate to grow up with.”

They nodded at that as Jasper dug around in his bag for the letter to give White Swan. Finding it, he pulled it out and handed it to her.

White Swan thanked him before asking, “How are Emmett and Rose doing, by the way? And how was Boston for you two?”

While Alice made a face, Jasper filled her in. “They’re doing mighty fine, o’ course. So’s Amelia. Did ya know she turned a year old three months ago? Emmett adores his daughter by the way, but I ken tell, tha girl is gonna be locked up ‘til she’s an ol’ maid!”

White Swan chuckled. “Yes, I agree. When Emmett wrote to tell me he and Rose had a baby girl, all I could think of was how he was going to shelter that little girl like no other. Especially with the way he treated me and Alice.”

Alice tsked. “He’s already started if ya ask me. Oh, an’ Boston…eh, I nev’r thought I’d live ta see the day when I actually preferred tha wilderness to that place!”

“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” asked White Swan.

“Oh it was bad! I tell ya, Rose couldn’t wait ta get her hands on me! She thought fer sure I’d fall in line like all the other ladies she associates with. The minute she got me in one o’ those scratchy, cumbersome ball dresses I was ready ta come home!”

Jasper grimaced. “I don’ think I’ve ever seen me wife look that uncomfortable since tha day I met her!”

Alice huffed, “Haven’t felt that uncomfortable since that day, myself! An’ I’m glad that it’s over. Not ta mention the constant lectures I got from me brother!”

White Swan sighed as Alice rolled her eyes. She knew what she was talking about. Emmett had yet to let up on the lectures ever since he’d found out that Alice and Jasper had become a couple.

It had taken nearly a year for Emmett to finally have a way to go back East with Rosalie and Alice. That had come in the form of a letter from Jasper’s father. It seemed that Carlisle Whitlock had managed to locate the business that Rosalie’s father had started back East. Not only that, but the business was still owned by her father’s family.

When the Hale’s got word that the girls were still alive, they asked Carlisle to send for them. Rosalie had agreed to go back on the condition that her fiancé, Emmett Swan, be allowed to work for the business plus they had to be allowed to marry and settle there too.

Thrilled to hear that Rosalie Lillian Hale was alive and well, they were more than happy to welcome both Rosalie and Emmett with open arms. However, when they got ready to head East, Alice informed Emmett that she was staying with Jasper.

At first, Emmett was furious just like he’d been with Bella until they’d managed to talk sense into him. Jasper, Bella and Alice all had their piece to say, even Rosalie had stepped in. They all did their best to explain to Emmett how Alice was better off in a secluded place with Jasper since he seemed to be one of the few who could help her deal with the world.

In the end Emmett knew he had to leave Alice where she was the happiest, even if that was with Jasper. Still, he had never missed the chance to lecture her whenever he saw her. It had taken Rosalie and him a little over a year to get settled in a new house in Boston, one that Rosalie had always dreamed of living in. During that time, Emmett also took the time to get a handle of the Hale business.

Once they were happily situated, they had returned to visit Jasper and Alice to attend their small wedding ceremony near the Whitlock cabin. At that point Emmett had lectured Alice again about her way of life. Then when she went off with Jasper on their honeymoon, he lectured Bella on her way of life before he and Rosalie returned to Boston.

Then again, when Alice and Jasper had recently gone to spend a month with Rosalie and Emmett in Boston, Alice got the lectures all over again as well as having to deal with Rosalie and the trials of Rosalie’s high society living. Everyone was glad that Rosalie had finally gotten her dream, even Owl Sees Truth stated that she was glad in the letter she had written to her family informing them of her choice to stay right where she was.

Granted, the Hale family had not been happy about Leah Amy Hale’s choice, but realized there wasn’t much to be done since she was already married with a family. Thankfully, they focused on welcoming Rosalie and Emmett into the family instead of seeking Leah out.

“Well, you’re home now so the lectures can stop for a while,” replied White Swan.

Alice nodded. “I really, really missed this place!”

Jasper chuckled. “An’ we got back not a moment too soon! That northern wind is early this year it seems!”

White Swan nodded. “That’s what the Shaman is saying. I’m surprised you two made it here today, but I know the others are going to be happy to welcome you two back as well.”

Just as she finished saying that, the flap to the house was pushed aside as a little bundle of fur came tumbling in. Black Wolf appeared in the doorway, holding the flap aside so that Kicking Wolf could scramble to his feet.

“Mother, look what I…” exclaimed the boy until he noticed that his mother wasn’t alone. “Uncle Weasel, Aunt Rabbit! You’re back!”

Jasper grinned at the boy even as he greeted the boy’s father. “Hello, Kicking Wolf. Hello, Black Wolf.”

“Weasel Tracks, Darting Rabbit welcome home.” replied Black Wolf as he closed the flap before settling down next to White Swan.

They watched as he affectionately greeted his wife with a kiss to her cheek while his hand rubbed her belly. Alice glanced at Jasper, sharing a private smile with him before they were interrupted by Black Wolf.

“So, how was the trip to Boston?” he asked.

Once more Jasper and Alice told him what they had told White Swan, making Black Wolf give them a sympathetic smile when they got to the part about Emmett’s lecturing.

“He hasn’t changed after these few years has he?” stated Black Wolf.

“No,” answered Alice. “And I doubt he ever will. I am just glad that he lives so far away now, so that I don’t have to put up with him often.”

They all laughed as White Swan added, “Oh, believe me, I really do understand that!”

Kicking Wolf held up the squirrels he had caught with a pout. “Mother, don’t you want to hear the story about how I caught these? I even did much better than Screaming Possum!”

Black Wolf grinned at his son. “My son speaks the truth. He proved that he could stay still and quiet much longer than Screaming Possum has ever been able to.”

His comments made the boy puff out his chest with pride.

“Put the squirrels on the rack then come sit by me,” White Swan said. “You can tell us all about your hunt when you have done so.”

Kicking Wolf rushed to the rack to put his squirrels up as Jasper asked Black Wolf and White Swan another question. “How have things been going in the village? Have you heard anything more from Beaver Two Tails?”

White Swan sighed as Black Wolf wrapped a protective arm around her. It was he who answered Jasper.“Unfortunately the council had to banish him from the tribe because of his last act. He tried to attack my wife when she was visiting my mother. Luckily Hawk Soars was walking by when he heard my mother’s warning cry. He was able to detain Beaver Two Tails until I returned from the whale hunt.


My mother and White Swan both told the council that he had simply rushed inside, knowing that they were alone. He had his hunting knife upraised, but my mother threw a burning log at him which was enough to distract him so that Hawk Soars could run in to disarm him.”

Alice gasped as she turned frightened eyes on her older sister. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. He never got close to me, thanks to Hawk Soars.”

Black Wolf nodded. “I had the shaman check her out. Both she and the baby are fine. And that has been the only incident we’ve had since then. It has been relatively quiet these days.”

All of them were grateful for that since Beaver Two Tails had been the last in a small line of villagers who had still refused to accept the union between their chief and the former white slave. Most of the villagers who had not easily accepted the union were not as violet as Beaver Two Tails, however. Eventually what was left of the small handful of dissenters, had been quieted by the constant strong support of the council and other elders like Gentle Otter.

There was also the fact that most people saw just how good of a leader Black Wolf was with White Swan at his side. Plus, they could see just how much White Swan cared for the people of her husband’s tribe. Neither Black Wolf nor White Swan backed down when it came to standing up for their beliefs and their rights. It was hard to hate a woman who constantly showed strength and love for those she cared about.

Now that Beaver Two Tails had been dealt with, peace seemed to have settled among the remaining villagers so much so that Black Wolf didn’t feel the need to have a warrior or two constantly assigned to watch his wife and child anymore. He knew he could trust any villagers who were around his wife now. If she should have any trouble, the villagers were more than happy to help her out without hesitance. She was now treated with respect and courtesy everywhere she went, just like Black Wolf was.

As for Kicking Wolf, the entire village was fast becoming protective of the little future chief. He was the spitting image of his father in both looks and personality. Those two things combined seemed to instantly win over everyone he came into contact with. Even those who had been reluctant to accept White Swan had easily accepted Kicking Wolf as one of their own.

Kicking Wolf finally returned to his mother’s side, quickly sitting down before patiently waiting for the okay from his father. Black Wolf settled his wife closer to his side before nodding to his son. When Kicking Wolf launched into the telling of his first hunt to the others, Black Wolf leaned over White Swan to give her a long kiss hello.

When Kicking Wolf paused to give a long-suffering sigh, Black Wolf pulled away from his wife, chuckled, then ruffled his son’s hair before he settled back to listen to the story. A story that would simply be but a part of the lives and The Legend of Black Wolf and White Swan.

THE END