my pups or the love of my life without a fight." 

"Mayak, Amak is a very kind dog, and he'd never do anything to hurt you," she pleaded, "Please, if you ever cared about me, you'd do this for me."

"For you?" Mayak muttered, coming right up to her face, "You think, after this, I'll do something for you?!" he bellowed, and then in one motion, he raised his paw and struck it across her face, knocking her down. Normally, Amak remained cool under pressure, but that single blow set him off. He vowed he would never let anyone hurt Aniu, and with that strike, Mayak had just crossed the line. 

The instant Mayak struck her, Amak lunged at him and snapped his jaw around the wolf's muzzle, digging his claws into his neck. As she recovered from the blow, she could hear Mayak's screams of terror through his closed muzzle and Amak's growls of anger. In shock, Mayak backed off, dragging Amak with him. Amak had latched himself onto Mayak's face and Mayak twisted around, trying to shake him off. When he finally did, blood streamed down his muzzle from where Amak had bit into him. Mayak tried to charge for Aniu again, but Amak bit down into his flank. He held on with his jaws, while using his back legs to drag him away from her. Mayak couldn't twist his body enough to bite Amak, so he kicked out with his back legs, hitting Amak square in the throat. 

"I've had enough of you!" Mayak shouted out as Amak coughed from the blow to his neck. Mayak turned all his attention to him, leaving his back exposed for Aniu to spring into action. Mayak bit into Amak's shoulder, but she got to her feet and came in from behind to bite into his rear, while Amak bit into the back of his neck, locking the three of them together. Mayak tried to kick out at her, but she had learned from Amak's first attempt and moved to the side to avoid his kicks. Mayak was trying desperately to break free while Amak, his mouth still around Mayak's neck, pushed all his weight on him to try to knock him over. Seeing this, Aniu joined in the shoving match too, and eventually, Mayak was toppled to the ground.

Even on the ground and against two opponents, Mayak would not give up the fight. He kept biting and thrashing, trying to break free. By now, all three fighters were covered in bites and scratches, but that didn't stop them. Mayak grabbed a hold of Amak's paw in his jaws and bit down. The pain made Amak stumble, allowing Mayak to push him off. Aniu tried to get at Mayak's throat to finish the fight, but he knocked her legs out from under her and she fell off him. In his split-second of freedom, he got up, grabbed onto her neck and threw her, slamming her into a rock. Amak had recovered from Mayak's last attack, and when he saw her get thrown around, he flew into a rage. Snarling, he jumped right on top of Mayak, knocking him into the ground. He held down on his throat with his paws, pressing all his weight onto his throat.

"You. Won't. Hurt. Her!" Amak gasped as he strangled Mayak with his paws. Mayak gasped for air and tried slashing him with his claws, but Amak seemed oblivious to it. All that mattered to him now was that he stopped the wolf that was trying to kill his mate and unborn pups.

"Wait…" Mayak gasped and stopped struggling under Amak, "I give," he said, and that was all Amak wanted to hear. He let go of Mayak's neck, and the alpha wolf gasped for air while putting himself into a submissive position under Amak.

"There, not so tough now when you're facing an angry father," Amak said as he stepped away from his defeated opponent, "Aniu, are you okay there?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied as she recovered from the impact on the rock.

"What should I do with the psycho over there?" he asked.

"Leave him be," she replied, "I think you've proven your point."

Right beside him, Mayak glared at Amak; he would not let himself be beaten by any dog. While Amak was focused on Aniu, he took advantage of that distraction. He kicked out his legs, tripping Amak, and before either of them could react, he had sunk his fangs into Amak's neck, causing it to let out a sickening crunch. Aniu could only watch in paralyzed horror as Amak's eyes bulged out in pain from the attack. He tried to scream, but all that came out was a strangled gurgle. Once the blow had been dealt, Mayak tore his fangs out, destroying Amak's throat. Mayak had needed only four seconds to turn the tables on them.

Amak was still breathing, but it was in short gasps as his shattered windpipe struggled to deliver air to his lungs. Blood oozed out of his torn neck and dripped from Mayak's fangs as the wolf laughed evilly. Adrenaline surged through Aniu as she watched Amak struggle to hold onto his life, "No, no, NOOOO!" she screamed and lunged at Mayak. He was caught off guard by her sudden attack as she bit into his shoulder. Instead of stopping, she kept on charging, pushing Mayak along until she slammed his head into a tree. He grunted and was knocked out by the blow. Aniu was about to deal her own fatal strike when she heard someone call for her. 

"Aniu…." Amak weakly called, "Where…. are you?"

"Amak, I'm right here," she said as she came to his side. Blood was pooling around him as his life was slowly sapped away, "No Amak, not you. Please not you," she said. 

"Aniu…… you have …… to get out of here. It's not safe," he said.

"No, I'm not leaving you. I can't," she replied, as tears started welling up in her eyes.

"Aniu…… please promise me…… one thing…" he said, his breathing becoming lower.

"No, just stay still," she said, "Please don't go. Don't leave me Amak." 

"It's too late…"

"No."

"Promise me…"

"You can't die Amak."

"Promise me you'll tell our pups …… about their papa….. make sure they know…… who they are."

"Amak, no. Don't leave me," she cried, "I can't do this alone. I need you."

"I will…… always look out for you…… while dancing…… with the spirits," he said. 

"No, this can't be happening. You can't die," she pleaded. 

"Aniu, you…… must remain strong…… for me …… and for our pups."

"…… I will," she said, "I'll always protect them. I love you."

"I'll see you on the other side......"

"I love you Amak. I love you so much." 

" I…… love………… you," those were his last words before his eyes glazed over and his chest fell for the last time. She finally broke down sobbing beside his body. She rubbed into his chest hoping that there was still some trace of life, but she heard no heartbeat from inside him. He was gone. 

She looked up and saw that nearby were the other members of her pack. Faro, Ataka and Salin looked at her in shock as she sobbed over a husky's body. However, it was not an angry shock, but one of sadness. Salin was the first to approach her, and he looked over Amak's body, "Aniu, I'm so sorry," he said, "He was the husky friend you told me about wasn't he?" She nodded and Faro and Atka come over as well to console her, "You were right, he wasn't that bad. He just wanted to protect you," Salin continued. However they soon heard Mayak's groans as he recovered from her last blow. 

"Oh no, he's going to be awake soon," Atka said.

"Aniu, you've got to get out of here," Faro warned, "We can cover your escape, but you've got to run now!"

"No, I can't leave him," she cried, "I can't leave Amak."

"Aniu, he died protecting you; don't let his sacrifice be in vain," Salin replied, "Go, get out of here! Run while you can! RUN!" 

She knew that they were right and took off into the brush, while Faro covered up her tracks. Behind her, she heard Mayak yell out while the others told him that she had gone the other way. His shouts became more and more distant as he was led the wrong way, but she kept on going. It didn't matter where she went, just that she got as far away from Mayak as possible. Finally, after hours of running, her legs gave out. She didn't know how far she had run, or in what direction, but that didn't matter. She broke down and sobbed for hours over her loss. Amak was gone and there was no way to bring him back. She was now alone in the world.

 ----------

Chapter 8: A Champion's Legacy

Time didn't seem to apply to Aniu anymore. A day, a week, it all seemed the same to her as she wandered through the woods. She didn't care which direction she went; she had nowhere to go. Mayak had turned against her and Amak had been killed, so she couldn't go to her pack or White Mountain for comfort. She was an outcast, with nowhere and no one to call her own. 

"Aniu, you…… must remain strong…… for me …… and for our pups."

Another creature in her situation might have given up and folded from this loss, but Amak's dying wish had been that she would stay strong. She