The Outcasts

In Short

This allegorical animal fable follows A’tim, a mongrel creature rejected by both his canine and lupine kin, and Shag, a battle-scarred buffalo bull pushed out of his herd by age and encroaching human hunters. Seeking safety and sustenance, they travel from the Montana borderlands toward the forests of the Athabasca. Through their uneasy partnership, the story explores themes of displacement, the destructive influence of humanity on the natural world, and the fragile, often treacherous nature of survival for those cast out from society.

The Story

The narrative opens on the southern prairie, where A’tim, a “Dog-Wolf,” skulks near the Blood Indians’ camp. He is perpetually starving, a scavenger living on the scraps of human cruelty and the remnants of the vanishing buffalo herds. He encounters Shag, a massive, aging bull who has been driven into exile by younger, stronger members of his herd. Both feel the weight of a world altered by the “Paleface” and their “Fire-sticks” (guns). Recognizing a shared status as outcasts, they agree to travel together. A’tim, relying on his cunning, promises to lead the gullible, weary Shag to a northern land where life is abundant and safe.

As they trek north, their relationship is defined by a constant, unspoken tension. Shag provides warmth and occasional protection, while A’tim provides direction and guidance, though he secretly harbors a desperate, ravenous hunger. A’tim’s loyalty is non-existent; he views the bull as both a temporary benefactor and a future meal. During their journey, they witness the desolation left by human expansion—the poisoned carcasses of buffalo and the charred ruins of the prairie. Shag’s physical decline and rheumatism often slow them down, forcing him to rely on A’tim’s deceitful encouragement, which includes lying about the existence of “Fur Flowers” that supposedly promise to restore the bull’s youthful coat.

The psychological game reaches a breaking point near the Athabasca region. A’tim attempts to sabotage Shag by leading him into a treacherous muskeg bog and later to the “Coulee of the Long Rest,” where poisonous aconite grows. Each time, chance and Shag’s latent survival instincts save the bull. Eventually, they encounter a small, scattered group of surviving wood buffalo. Driven by extreme hunger and a desire to see the bull dead, A’tim leads a pack of wolves to the herd.

The climax occurs on a fire-swept plain. The wolves attack, but Shag, rejuvenated by the primal urge to protect his kind, crushes the wolf leader under his massive weight. Having failed in his betrayal, A’tim is pinned between Shag’s horns. Despite knowing that the dog is a treacherous liar, Shag’s noble nature prevails. He chooses mercy over vengeance, sparing A’tim because both are outcasts. The story concludes with Shag finding acceptance as the leader of a new herd, while A’tim is left to wander, forever defined by his own duplicity.

How It Unfolds

A meeting of exiles. A’tim and Shag encounter each other on the Belly River flat-lands, bonding over their shared bitterness toward the hunters who have devastated the landscape. They decide to abandon the southern plains for a northern sanctuary.

The journey north. The duo treks through vast, changing terrains, with the Dog-Wolf manipulating the aging bull’s hopes and fears. Along the way, they witness the environmental destruction wrought by humans and fire.

The betrayal begins. A’tim’s hunger overrides his companionship, leading him to attempt several traps, including a deadly marsh and a poisonous valley. Shag survives these attempts, though he remains largely oblivious to his companion’s true intentions.

The final confrontation. A’tim leads a pack of wolves to the herd of wood buffalo in the forest. A violent skirmish ensues, ending in the death of the wolves and the capture of A’tim by the bull.

The choice of mercy. Shag recognizes the dog’s treachery but ultimately releases him, citing their shared history as outcasts. The bull integrates into the herd, beginning a new chapter, while the dog remains a solitary, broken wanderer.

The People

A’tim is the “Dog-Wolf,” a creature of mixed ancestry and low morals. He is defined by his insatiable hunger and his cynical, manipulative worldview. He wants only to survive and eat, and he views every other living thing, including his companion, as a resource to be exploited.

Shag is a giant, rheumatic buffalo bull who represents the fading strength of the old world. He is slow-thinking but fundamentally noble and prone to melancholy. He craves safety and a sense of belonging, and he is often blinded by his own vanity and a desperate need to believe that his former glory can be restored.

The Wolf Pack Leader acts as a foil to A’tim. He represents the pure, unvarnished predatory nature that A’tim mimics but lacks the strength to fully embody. His presence forces the final conflict and highlights the stark difference between the animalistic violence of the wild and the human-influenced cruelty that A’tim adopts.

In Its Own Voice

"I am no Wolf, Shag; I am A'tim, which meaneth a Dog in the talk of the Crees."

A’tim attempts to distance himself from his wolf heritage when speaking to the bull, hoping to frame himself as a more domesticated and trustworthy companion.

"Thou art a traitor, and a great liar," said the Bull.

Shag delivers this final judgment to A’tim after surviving the wolf attack, marking the conclusion of their partnership.

What It's Really About

The central question is how one maintains dignity when the world they know has been systematically destroyed. The book argues that humanity’s expansion is not merely a political or economic event but a moral catastrophe that forces animals into desperate, unnatural behaviors. A’tim represents the corruption that occurs when a creature is denied a place in the natural order, while Shag represents the tragic, residual nobility of a dying age. The story poses a difficult question: can mercy exist in a world governed by total, ruthless competition? The author suggests that while such mercy is rare and perhaps even foolish, it remains the only thin line separating the civilized from the savage.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic, turn-of-the-century animal fiction—similar in tone to Jack London or Ernest Thompson Seton—will find this book compelling. It offers a grim, unvarnished look at the Canadian wilderness at the turn of the 20th century. The writing is precise and atmospheric, successfully grounding the reader in the sensory details of the prairie and forest.

However, the reader must be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding the “proper” hierarchy of animals and the starkly fatalistic view of the natural world. The pacing occasionally slows during the long, repetitive middle section of the journey, reflecting the exhausting nature of the trek itself. The dialogue, which is heavily stylized to reflect a primal, mythic speech pattern, can feel artificial to modern ears. Nevertheless, the book succeeds as a haunting portrait of displacement. It stays with the reader not because it is a comforting story about animals, but because it captures a profound sense of loss—a threnody for a landscape that has been irrevocably altered. It serves as a reminder that the "outcast" is often a mirror for the greater, more destructive shifts in the world at large.