Flops the Wanderer

This is the story of a young wolf pup and the very important lesson he learns about safety, awareness, and the importance of listening to his parents.

It is midsummer in Yellowstone National Park, and the land is teeming with life. Birds are building new nests in preparation for their upcoming broods. Young deer fawns gleefully follow their mothers, learning the ways of the forest. Another group of youngsters is just beginning to emerge from their den for the first time—a small pack of wolves tucked away over a mountain ridge near one of the park’s main roads.

Within this pack is a curious little pup named Flops.

At six weeks old, all the wolf pups are starting to grow bolder and more adventurous. Their mother, ever watchful and protective, keeps them close to the den. Yellowstone is a beautiful place, but it's also home to many predators—grizzly bears, bald eagles, coyotes, and more. The last thing the pack wants is for one of their pups to wander off and get hurt—or worse.

To keep them safe, the alpha pair teaches their pups to follow orders and stay close. But Flops, being the eldest, is also the most stubborn. He believes he's old enough to handle the world on his own.

One bright, warm morning, Flops decides to leave the safety of the den. The mountains call to him, and curiosity gets the best of him. There are so many sights to see, sounds to hear, and scents to follow. He trots along happily, weaving through trees and leaping over rocks, exploring without a care.

After a few hours of wandering, something changes. A prickling sensation creeps down Flops’ spine—like he’s being watched. He slows his pace, ears twitching, eyes scanning. Suddenly, something slams into his side, sending him tumbling through the underbrush.

It was a bald eagle.

The bird had been circling high above, scanning for prey, when it spotted the small, lone pup. It dove silently, talons extended. Luckily, Flops sensed something was wrong and ducked at the last second. Though the eagle missed its full grip, its foot clipped Flops, knocking him off balance.

Shaken but unharmed, Flops scrambled to his feet and bolted through the forest. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran back toward home, but danger hadn’t finished with him yet.

As he raced through a familiar open field, Flops spotted a grizzly bear and her cub grazing in the tall grasses. He froze, heart thudding. The bears hadn’t seen him yet. Remembering what his parents had taught him about staying quiet and avoiding confrontation, Flops slowly backed into the trees.

Keeping low, he circled around the clearing, using the trees as cover. A few times, the bears paused and sniffed the air, but thankfully, they didn’t investigate. Flops held his breath and kept moving, step by careful step, until he was finally on the other side of the field.

Without another moment’s hesitation, he ran all the way back to the den.

When he arrived, his family was already out looking for him. They had woken up to find him missing and had been frantically searching. As Flops came into view, the pack rushed to meet him—relief and anger mixed in equal parts. His parents scolded him, but their worry melted into hugs and gentle nuzzles once they knew he was safe.

Flops gave them each an apologetic lick on the nose.

From that day on, Flops stayed close to the den and listened carefully to his parents' lessons. He realized that exploring was fun, but safety always came first. Because in Yellowstone, one wrong move could make the difference between life and becoming someone else's lunch.