BECAME SKILLED SHIPBUILDERS AND FISHERMEN.‖
— Billy Black (Eclipse, Chapter 11)
His wife, Sarah, died in a car accident nine years later. Rachel and Rebecca had a very difficult time living around the memories of their mother, and both of them found ways to leave La Push as soon as they were old enough. Billy wouldn‘t leave; he felt like his children, his young son particularly, needed the stability of the place where they‘d grown up. Billy was away working on his fishing boat so often, and he wanted Jacob to be with people he could trust. In the back of his mind, Billy always worried about accidentally taking Jacob away to a place where he might encounter vampires. The same thing could happen in La Push someday, of course, but at least then Jacob would have the support of a pack, and tribal elders who understood. A few years later, Billy had to quit his job because of the progression of his diabetes. It was difficult for him to lose mobility, but it gave him more time with his children. With his daughters more active socially, it was Jacob who cared for his father most often. They became very close.
Billy was always a social person; he had many friends. Harry Clearwater and Quil Ateara IV were his closest friends, almost his brothers. They, too, grew up in a world with magic, and also spent a few years wishing for the chance to be superheroes. If the vampires had come, Harry and Quil would have been his packmates. When Quil‘s small boat was destroyed in a storm, killing Quil, it was hard for both Harry and Billy; if Quil had been a shape-shifter, he would have been able to survive the accident.
Billy was also close with Charlie Swan, despite the fact that Charlie could know nothing about Billy‘s secrets. Charlie did know about losing a wife, though not in the same circumstances, and they both had daughters who were often mysteries to their fathers. Billy and Charlie also shared a love for fishing.
The elders had taught the histories to their sons, but the entire tribe had begun to believe that the stories were only legend.
When the Cullens returned to Forks, it was a dark time for the tribe. Billy knew exactly what this would mean for his son, and he mourned for the safe and commonplace life Jacob would lose. The elders had taught the histories to their sons, but the entire tribe had begun to believe that the stories were only legend. Billy had warned Jacob about the signs of the werewolf — the heat, the growth spurt, the anger — but Jacob had totally ignored him, thinking Billy no more than superstitious. Billy knew that his son was unprepared for what was coming.
Billy knew the Cullens were vampires. He had no history with them, only the tales of his grandfather, as passed to him by his father. He did not believe that the Cullens were as harmless as they presented themselves to be. He feared that without a strong wolf pack to enforce the treaty, the Cullens would take advantage. He worried for his tribe, and for his friends in Forks.
He tried to warn Charlie to stay away from the Cullens, but his warning backfired. Charlie had already taken a liking to Carlisle, and he was upset about Billy‘s prejudice against the newcomers. When Charlie learned that members of the Quileute tribe were boycotting the hospital, it caused a rift between Billy and Charlie for a few years.
Watching Sam deal with the blows his werewolf heritage had forced upon him, Billy was even more concerned for Jacob. He was glad, though, that Jacob had struck up a friendship with Charlie‘s daughter. Billy missed Charlie and was glad for the excuse to visit him again.
However, in the course of that visit, he was shocked and horrified to learn of Bella‘s relationship with one of the local vampires. Now he had more specific worries for his friend and his friend‘s family.
FAMOUS QUOTE
“You seem… well informed about the Cullens. More informed than I expected.” Twilight, Chapter 17
QUIL ATEARA III
NAME: Quil Ateara III; nickname: Old Quil
DATE OF BIRTH: Early 1940s
QUILEUTE STATUS: Tribal elder — non-werewolf
WEREWOLF GENE SOURCE: Ateara line
HAIR COLOR: White
EYE COLOR: Black
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Old Quil is a frail man with a deeply wrinkled face and a thin tenor of a voice.
EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: He is an elder on the tribal council. He used to be a fisherman.
FAMILY MEMBERS: He married Molly Swan (very distantly related to Charlie Swan), now deceased. They had one son, Quil Ateara IV, who died in his twenties. Old Quil now lives with his daughter-in-law, Joy Ateara, and his grandson, Quil Ateara V.
PERSONAL HISTORY:
Quil Ateara III, commonly known as Old Quil, is one of the few living tribe members who knew the last generation of werewolves. Old Quil was born just after the Cullens left the La Push area the first time, and he saw his father make the transformation.
Old Quil married Molly Swan, making him Billy Black‘s uncle, and they had one child, Quil Ateara IV. Both Old Quil and Molly were alive to see their only son marry Joy Quehpa and to see their grandchild, Quil Ateara V, born.
In the years that followed, Old Quil lost both his wife and his son. Quil IV was killed during a bad storm when his boat capsized off the coast of La Push; his body washed ashore later. After Quil IV‘s death, Old Quil moved in with Joy and Quil V. He acted as both grandfather and father to young Quil.
Old Quil was the first to discover that a new generation of werewolves had begun transforming.
Old Quil was the first to discover that a new generation of werewolves had begun transforming. During a visit to Sam Uley‘s mother, Old Quil shook the young man‘s hand and recognized the extreme body heat that was the hallmark of a werewolf in human form. Sam‘s recent disappearance was easily understood now. Old Quil, along with Harry Clearwater and Billy Black, met with Sam and revealed what they knew. They explained that all the tribal legends about werewolves were true, and let Sam know at least some of what he could expect.
Old Quil knew that his grandson would soon transform, too. He tried to prepare Quil V, but like his friends, Quil believed the stories were pure legend.
FAMOUS QUOTE
“And so the sons of our tribe again carry the burden and share the sacrifice their fathers endured before them.” Eclipse, Chapter 11
SUE ULEY CLEARWATER
NAME: Sue Uley Clearwater
DATE OF BIRTH: Mid-1960s
QUILEUTE STATUS: Tribal elder — non-werewolf
WEREWOLF GENE SOURCE: Black and Uley lines
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Black
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Sue has a thin face, and her hair is cut in a short, severe style.
EDUCATION/OCCUPATION: She is a registered nurse and an elder on the tribal council.