Read an Excerpt
A Raven's Call
A True Story
By C. Marchi
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 C. Marchi
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4520-3715-8
Chapter One
I lived most of my life in Alaska. Alaska has jagged mountain ranges and has over three million lakes and streams. Hidden in Alaska's vast landscape are many types of plants and animals.
It's an exciting place to live.
I have watched the fox play on frozen lakes. I have heard wolves howling at the moon. I have seen eagles hover, then dive downward at full speed for food. I have heard the whispered murmurs of the plants.
I remember spending hours observing migrating moose. Gracefully, they traveled single—file through the tundra. When the lead moose stopped, they all stopped. They listened to the sounds around them. Once sensing their safety, they moved onward.
It was quite a sight to see.
I knew I was connected to these plants and animals. Sitting quietly and listening to them, I understood their way of life—even what they were saying to one another. I have learned so much by calmly sitting and listening.
I guess listening is a gift.
I recall long walks out on the tundra with my dog, Knik. She was part German Shepherd, and part Rottweiler. She was a large dog, weighing in at one hundred twenty—five pounds. We were the best of pals.
Each morning, Knik sat on the front porch waiting for her friend, Raider—a brawny black lab. I remember watching them play on the glacier moraine. They chased rabbits. They barked at moose. Using my listening and watching skills helped me to learn their language. I understood them, and they understood me.
Watching is a gift, as well.
The three of us took long walks on the tundra. Often we saw coyote tracks, porcupines wobbling across our path, and caterpillars transforming into butterflies. High—flying hawks and eagles soared above Alaska's tundra. Up ahead, Ravens cawed.
The Ravens' caw warned us of trouble ahead—possibly a wolf pack, hunting their afternoon meal. The other animals disappeared. The birds quieted, and the plants stilled themselves. I watched the dogs' reactions. They stood motionless. I stood in the calm of the Ravens' message, listening. All life on the tundra waited as the trill of silence moved through the valley. By listening, we knew when it was time to return home.
Everyone has the gift of listening. I'm sure of it.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from A Raven's Call by C. Marchi Copyright © 2011 by C. Marchi. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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