different result. If I was attacking you instead of training you, you wouldn’t have rolled down the hill, you just would’ve died.”

Saba nodded.

“Good initiative though.” Shadow said. “I like the way you’re thinking.”

Saba smiled. “Here it comes…” She thought.

“Now let’s go.” Shadow said. “Our next lesson is going to be help you out with fighting. That way you can defend yourself if the need arises.”

Saba nodded, and followed Shadow back up the hill, and back toward the cave.

“Why can’t he just say it?” Saba thought. “Why can’t he just tell me I’m doing good?”

Back in Nome, Astarre and Blaize were nearing the old mill. Blaize was in the middle of trying to explain to his friend who some of the other dogs were, and what they were like.

“… and then of course their’s Drake and his mate Gemeni. Drake is our keeper of the law.”

“What’s that?” Astarre asked.

“The keeper of the law is the judge of our town, of Nome. He makes sure everyone follows the system of laws we have set up.”

“What’s a law?” Astarre asked.

Blaize stopped walking. “What?”

“What’s a law?” Astarre repeated.

“You don’t know what a law is?” Blaize asked.

A confused look came over Astarre’s face. “No, should I?”

“Well… yeah, you should. I mean… where are you from?”

“”A little town called Frontier.” Astarre said. “It’s about Twenty-five miles outside Applegate.”

“And there are no laws there?” Blaize asked.

“I guess not.” Astarre said. “I’ve never heard that word… what does it mean?”

“A law is a rule that everyone has to follow. Laws keep us safe.” Blaize said.

“How?” Astarre asked.

“Well… like murder for instance, murder is against the law.”

“What is murder?” Astarre asked.

“Murder is when someone takes another’s life, kills someone else.”

“Oh,” Astarre said. “So… what if that dog was trying to hurt you, or your family? Would you be breaking the law if you killed them? That doesn’t seem right.”

“No,” Blaize responded. “That would b self defense. Murder is… malicious, it’s killing someone for selfish reasons, or personal gain.”

“Oh,” Astarre said. “So there are exceptions to the law.”

“Sometimes,” Blaize said, “but it has to be a really good reason.”

“What’s another law?” Astarre asked.

“Stealing is another big one around here.” Blaize said.

“That’s against the law?” Astarre asked.

Blaize nodded. “Of course it is. You’re taking something from someone that is not your own.”

“Is necessity an exception to that law?” Astarre asked.

“No.” Blaize said. “Stealing is wrong just about anyway you slice it.”

“… but my father and I have stolen things before, but it was food, and it was because we didn’t have any.”

Blaize sighed. “That is a problem, even here in Nome, but it’s still stealing.”

“… but what are we supposed to do without food?” Astarre asked. “Starve?”

“No.” Blaize said. “We as a community try to help out anyone who comes to us. Drake won’t tolerate thieves though, as long as you’re here, you shouldn’t steal things.”

“I won’t now that I know that it’s wrong.” Astarre said. She paused for a moment, and when she resumed talking her voice was quiet. “Blaize… when you were talking about Murder earlier… what if you don’t kill someone? What if you just hurt them?”

“That’s against the law also.” Blaize said. “It’s called assault.”

“Oh… I see…” Astarre said.

“Why do you want to know that?” Blaize asked.

“I’m just wondering, that’s all.” Astarre said. “So what happens if you break the law?” Astarre asked.

“If you break the law then you have to go to a hearing in front of Drake. He decides if you did actually commit the crime…”

Astarre interrupted him. “Crime?” She asked.

“A crime is a violation of the law.” Blaize answered.

“Oh.” Astarre said. “You were saying?”

“Yes, well… .you go before Drake, and he decides whether you committed the crime.”

“How does he know?” Astarre asked.

“He uses other dogs who saw the violation, called witnesses, and evidence at the scene of the crime, such as blood or a collar or something like that, to make his decision.”

“So then what?” Astarre asked.

“Then he hands out your punishment, basically what you owe our society for the commission of your crimes. That can be as small as not being able to go near a certain dog, or area, or as big as death.”

“He can kill you!?” Astarre asked, surprised.

“Yes,” Blaize said. “… but only for something really bad, like murder or something.”

“Oh…”Astarre said.

“You really didn’t’ know what a law was?” Blaize asked.”

Astarre shook her head. “I do now though. I should talk to this Drake fellow once we get inside so I can learn what the other laws are.” She paused. “Blaize, what’s the punishment for Assault?”

Blaize sighed. “Well, depending on the circumstances, the other dog could be barred from seeing you, he could be banished, which means that he can never again come into Nome. Why are you so interested in assault?”

“”I was just wondering,” Astarre said. “Come on, let’s go to the old mill. I’m really anxious to talk to this Drake.”

Astarre and Blaize started walking toward the Old Mill.

Chapter 4:

Saba was alert.

She knew that Shadow was testing her again. Periodically throughout the day he’d disappear, and then he’d sneak up on her, testing her ability to detect him. Shadow and Saba had just finished up some fighting skills training, and then he’d disappeared without a word.

The forest was veiled in the inky blackness of night, and the snow glowed a deep blue, as if lit from within, as the moonbeams danced across it.

Saba never once imagined she was in actual danger.

A sharp SnaP echoed through the silent night, and Saba turned around, just as a dark shape lunged at her from a rock above. Time seemed to slow as the shape fell toward her. Saba could see white fangs shining as it fell.

“That’s strange,” Saba thought. “Shadow hasn’t attacked me yet…”

Then time resumed its usual speed, and the shape, which Saba could now tell was a wolf, landed on top of her, and the two went rolling. At first Saba thought that this was Shadow who was attacking her, and that maybe this was just some kind of more realistic training, but then she noticed that this wolf was black.

Saba threw the wolf off of her, and stood up.

She watched as the wolf regained his feet and growled at her, his ears laid flat against his skull in a sign of disrespect, and aggression. His muzzle was pulled back to reveal a gleaming set of fangs that Saba was sure the wolf wouldn’t hesitate to use.

Strangely enough though, even though she was confronted by this enraged wolf, she didn’t feel the fear that she thought she would. Instead she felt… well, angry, annoyed that this wolf picked her to attack. It felt strange, but she felt strong in a way she’d never experienced before.

The wolf suddenly charged Saba, and she side stepped, and as the wolf ran past, belted him in the side of the head.

The wolf shook his head, and lunged at Saba. He hit her once before she pushed him up off of her, and hit him again, this time square in the face.

The wolf backed off, and Saba pushed forward. She hit the wolf numerous times as he tried in vain to defend himself. Saba was driven by something, or rather someone, she couldn’t see, and indeed, did not even know existed.

Had she turned around, Saba would have seen a cloud of snow dust, that had been kicked up by the fight, as it coalesced and formed the visage of a white wolf, but the dust resumed it’s original form much too soon for Saba to notice, as she hit the wolf again, and sent him over the top of the hill she’d been on.

The black wolf stood, looked at her, shook his head, and ran off into the night.

Saba was short of breath. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done. It was impossible, and yet… it happened.

I fought a wolf, and I won!” Saba thought.

She had come a long way from cowering in front of Stripe.

Shadow ran around the corner then. “What happened?” He asked.

Saba smiled. “A wolf attacked me, but I won!”

“That’s great.” Shadow said, “but those wolves won’t stop there. I think I know