For the past decade, ever since he returned to his hometown in rural Alaska, Jacob had been working as a forest ranger. Though he was now in his early sixties, the man remained sturdy, agile, and in excellent health. It was all thanks to a life spent outdoors in the crisp, invigorating air. He lived in the family home he’d inherited from his mother—a solid brick house that stood strong against the harsh winters. Jacob had helped build it himself years ago, right next to the old, crumbling cabin that time had worn down beyond repair.
He’d pitched in with the money, hired a crew, and overseen every step of the construction. At the time, he was on extended leave, and his salary back then was quite generous. As a Navy veteran, he’d wanted nothing more than for his mother to enjoy her later years in a comfortable home with modern amenities. But fate had other plans; she didn’t even make it three years in the new place. So, when Jacob retired from service and collected his pension, he moved back to the small town. The only downside was that he had no family left at all.
He was facing the end of his days on his own. Jacob Richardson had served as a petty officer on one of the ships in the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet, patrolling the chilly waters of the Bering Sea. His wife had left him long ago. She couldn’t stand waiting for him for months on end along the unforgiving shores of that frigid northern ocean. A native of the sunny South, she never warmed to the stark, polar-like wilderness of Alaska. One day, she just couldn’t take it anymore and headed back to her parents in Florida, without so much as leaving a note for her husband. When the petty officer found out, he grieved for a while, then shipped out again on his next deployment.
They divorced in absentia, as it were. There was no shared property, no children to complicate things. From that point on, Jacob devoted himself entirely to his duty to his country, without holding back. Upon retiring, he felt an undeniable pull back to his roots in the Alaskan wilderness, to the forests and the untamed land, and he decided to settle in that very house he’d built for his mother. As it turned out, it was really for himself all along. Over his years of service, he’d never remarried, and he had no children—at least none that he knew of officially. If there were any others out there from fleeting encounters, he remained unaware of them. Jacob returned to his quiet hometown, but idleness wasn’t in his nature; he couldn’t just sit around doing nothing.
The family home, the petty officer quickly restored to its former glory, fixing up the weathered spots and making it feel lived-in again. Then, opportunity knocked: the previous ranger had passed away, and the position was offered to him. He dove into the job with enthusiasm, bolstered by his naval discipline and resilience. The locals soon grew accustomed to their new neighbor, affectionately calling him simply Rich. His health allowed him to cover vast distances on foot each day, and from childhood, he’d been trained in how to navigate the wilds properly. He was a crack shot, fearless in most situations, and above all, a man of unyielding principles.
Despite his age, Jacob carried out his duties in protecting the forest with unwavering diligence, and poachers learned to dread him. He’d caught many in the act of illegal hunting, issuing fines to some and even ensuring others faced jail time. He was exactly the kind of steadfast guardian the role demanded. His one and only loyal companion was a wolf named North. The man had stumbled upon the injured wolf pup deep in the woods one day, its leg mangled badly. Jacob nursed it back to health over weeks, and in the animal’s eyes, he could see a profound mix of longing and gratitude. The old sailor took pity and decided to keep him.