Wolf on the cover of The Plains of Passage.
Wolf was the wolf that Ayla raised; he was named after the Mamutoi word for "wolf." He had typical coloring but was often described as the biggest wolf that anyone had ever seen.
History[]
During Ayla's winter with the Mamutoi, she went hunting for ermine. When a starving black wolf tried to steal the meat, Ayla killed it. Ayla felt remorse when she realized that the female was nursing out of season and was probably a lone wolf. She followed the female's tracks back to the den, where she discovered a single wolf pup.
Wolf on the cover of The Land of the Painted Caves.
Ayla brought the pup back to the Mamutoi lodge. They agreed to allow the wolf to stay so long as it did not threaten anyone. Wolf imprinted on Ayla and the Lion Camp and came to regard those people as his pack.
Wolf followed Jondalar and Ayla during their return Journey to the Zelandonii.
Wolf's sole attack against a human occurred when Attaroa was about to kill Ayla. Wolf saved Ayla's life by tearing out Attaroa's throat.
During Ayla's first summer with the Zelandonii, Wolf found a companion or mate -- a lone black female. However, the female was killed by a rival pack, and Wolf was badly injured.
Relationships[]
Wolf on Russian book 4 cover.
Wolf was incredibly loyal to Ayla, who patiently trained him. Wolf eventually learned not to be aggressive to strangers, to come and stay when told, and to flush game for Ayla. Ayla often worried that Wolf would leave to live with his own kind, as Baby the lion had done.
Although Jondalar was fond of Wolf, he initially viewed the animal as a nuisance. Wolf sometimes destroyed their possessions, jeopardized the success of hunts, and delayed river crossings. He also made other people avoid the travelers. Jondalar's feelings changed when Wolf saved Ayla's life.
Wolf got along well with the horses, since he was introduced to them as a harmless pup. The animals often rubbed noses as a gesture of greeting, and Wolf and Racer enjoyed chasing each other.
Ayla introduced Wolf to strangers by having him smell their hands. Most strangers feared Wolf but eventually grew to tolerate the animal. Many people attributed Ayla's control over the animal to supernatural powers, but some eventually realized that it was just a matter of raising a young animal.
However, Wolf was good with children. He seemed to know the difference between the innocent poking and pulling of a young child and deliberate teasing by an older child. (He responded to the latter with gentle nips.) Some mothers even began to rely on Wolf to look after their children.