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Happy Groundhog Day! It’s February 2nd and by now we all know how long winter is supposed to last thanks to Punxsutawny Phil’s prediction. But did you know that wolves have also been associated with the ability to predict the future?

Among the Cheyenne, there were men who were said to understand the language of wolves. Stories tell of wolves predicting enemy attacks and warning the Cheyenne people. The gift of prophecy could be bestowed by wolves on worthy individuals.

wolf howlingThe ancient Romans believed that wolves were sacred to Mars, god of war. They were rarely sacrificed but each sacrifice was followed by reading the entrails, both to divine if the god had accepted the sacrifice and to discern the future.  The Greeks did the same, offering wolves to Apollo, the sun god. To both Romans and Greeks, seeing a wolf was a sign of good fortune. Eventually, whatever the wolf was doing became important as well. For instance, a wolf running to the right with food in its mouth signified great joy.

Wolves were considered strong omens in battle, and before the battle of Sentinum (295 BC), a deer pursued by a wolf ran between the two battle lines. The deer ran toward the Gauls, who killed it. The wolf ran toward the Romans and they parted ranks to permit the wolf safe passage. The Romans believed that the appearance of the wolf signified they would be victorious and, in spite of several setbacks, the Romans won the day.

Wolves were once deities in Japan, and were said to have served as divine messengers. Their task was to bring words from the gods to the Shinto temples.

The Koyukon are a group of Athabaskan people living in northern Alaska. Their stories portray wolves as harbingers of doom – if a wolf howled in a strange manner, someone in the village was likely to die. Other native tribes, such as the Blackfeet and the Skagit, considered the presence of wolves to bring good luck, especially when hunting.

In modern times, wolves continue to be associated with foretelling the future, at least in an immediate physical sense.  In 1920, an 8.5 earthquake hit China’s Ninghxia Province. According to reports of eyewitnesses, prior to this earthquake, wolves were seen running wildly around in packs. China is currently researching animal sensitivity to seismic events. The possibility also exists that wolves can predict lightning strikes. This was demonstrated in a 2007 YouTube video when an entire group of captive wolves suddenly stood up and began howling. Within a few seconds, lightning struck about 250 feet away.

And last but not least, the scientific world announced in 2011 that wolves are helping predict climate effects on evolution. A 15-year study of 150 wolves in Yellowstone helped scientists at Imperial College develop a computer model that will predict future changes to wolves and other animals – and eventually even humans.

In my own stories about Changelings – beings who can assume the form of a wolf at will – there are several characters with the ability to sense the future. For instance, Connor Macleod experiences far sight. Zoey Tyler inherited psychic ability from her human family. Pack leader Jessie Watson has made accurate predictions too, usually about the Changelings in her charge — such as James Macleod.

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GIVEAWAY

As you know, I never come to a blog empty handed! One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of my latest shapeshifter release, Changeling Dawn. So tell me if you’ve ever experienced a prediction that came true!  Or tell me what you like about wolves and werewolves. Don’t forget to leave me an email address so I can contact you if you win! I’ll draw a name from the big blue mixing bowl on Feb. 10th.