where the wild things are

Yesterday Ruby and I set out to walk some of the tracks I explored on Sunday, only walking in the opposite direction. We had reached the back of hill number 3 and I was looking up at the higher peaks behind and the argan trees in the little valleys, thinking to myself that if I was very quiet I might see a wild boar or two.

Ruby had been running ahead, up and down the hill seeing if she could find any ground squirrels but all of a sudden I heard her galloping down a track to suddenly appear in front of me. Hackles up, she immediately turned round and stared back the way she came. I looked up the track and there was a wolf looking back at me! Ruby immediately started to bark and the wolf turned tail and ran before I had time to take in anything more than it's grey face and bright eyes. I am sure it was a wolf and not a fox or a feral dog.... it was larger than the foxes we have seen and the wrong colour. It was about Ruby's size but as I say it was all too quick for me to see much more than the face.

Ruby's hackles stayed up for a good half hour and she kept her eye on the hillside till we were well on our way back down the valley. It is good to know that she would come back to me when under threat... though whether it was to offer or get protection I don't know. I think the wolf was just as surprised to see me as I was to see it.... it was that time of day when most Moroccans are on their way home with the goats or settling in to their second breakfast of the day.

I am not having any luck posting photos - not that I have any of the wolf - but I will try and get some online later.