village back. Just pack of Tommies won`t scare us, mein Herren.” German commander Hartmann decided. “We will have a mortar support. It will be easy, I am convinced.”

“Yes, sir!” men were eager and they trusted their leader. He could be compared to Wilhelm, like Mut could be compared to Napper.

He knew that re-taking of this village was pointless, but he was ordered to.

“We will wait till morning and then we will go. Take dogs, too. Any questions?”

There weren`t any.

But Wolf had lot of them. “Wilhelm, tell me, what if Renna would be…”

“It`s a war, Wolf. And although you love her, she is still our enemy.”

“No! She is not my enemy! She is enemy of yours!” Wolf shouted out to Wilhelm`s face.

But Wilhelm remained easy and pleasant. “Yes, yes… I forgot. I was in love, too, so I know how love can be selfish.”

“But… what if…” Wolfgang calmed and was ashamed for that recent shout.

“Look,” Wilhelm whispered, “I can’t promise you she won`t die. We will go and see. We have no other choice.”

------------------------------------------

Renna followed Mut to the barn where she met Wolfgang for the first time. Napper decided the barn would be their headquarters, so men put almost all their things here, weapons, munition and everything what could have been useful. Who wasn‘t on guard was chatting with others here and pretended there was no war. As dogs entered, Thomas and Napper turned their direction and Napper grinned: “See, they are right here. I knew Mut would take care of her.”

“I see, John...” Thomas and Napper became more familiar when they found out they were neighbours, practically.

“Well, it seems our masters became friends...” Mut stated.

“You mean that...”

“Ah, I forgot you are new. Yes, Sergeant is my master.” He grinned and headed to Jon, who lay near kerosene lamp, which was found by somebody.

“And what about Jon, he didn`t- “

But renna was interrupted by Mut, who whispered: “Never talk about master in front of him. His master was killed the first day he joined us, but McShaw adopted him, although he has got Danny already. I know, there were some problems with it, but sergeant took care and then everything went smoothly. I spoke with Jon about his master. He was quite strict and nearly heartless and he treated Jon roughly, but I think Jon mourns his loss.”

“That`s sad...”

Mut nodded. “So, anything new?” he asked Jon.

“No, not at all.” Jon lounged as an overgrown pup. “It seems it will be calm night...”

-----------------

Wolf was watching village from safe distance. Tomorrow, they will attack it. He hated being a soldier. And now, he would give everything for not to be.

“Hi, Wolfgang,” Manfred approached him from behind, “What`s the matter with you, guy?”

Manfred was strong rottweiler, older than Wilhelm and Wolfgang, and proud father of three little pups. Other dogs admired and loved him for his strenght and wisdom.

“Manfred, tell me, where did you met your mate for the first time?”

“I don`t know exactly, but I know it was raining and... maybe it was restaurant, I don`t remeber it clearly. But it was love at the first sight. Why are you interested?”

“Never mind...” Wolf kept watching the village and Manfred noticed that.

“Are you afraid of tomorrow?”

“Yes, but it’s not because of my life, but-“

“But because of the life of somebody you love, isn’t it?” Manfred finished it and Wolfgang nodded.

“That’s normal. I am afraid of it, too. This fear is nothing you can get used to. But if we protect each other and take good cover, then what can-”

“Manfred, look, it’s not about protection. I mean I am afraid of life of somebody who I am supposed to kill.”

“So then don’t kill him... or, in your case, her.” Manfred obviously knew it. But he wasn`t shocked or upset or something else. He didn`t tell Wolf it was bad to love enemy and so on.

But who told him?

“How do you know?”

“Oh, do you think I am blind, deaf and totally stupid? I can realize somebody fell in love.”

“And what do you think?”

“You want me to tell you whether it is good or bad?  I can`t judge it. If you feel it`s good, then... I can`t find anything bad about love. And if you think it`s bad, and you don`t seem like this, you wouldn`t even started. It`s your choice.”

“You can be very helpful, I see. You didn`t help me at all.”

Manfred just smiled and replied: “How can I help you when you already made up your mind?”

Wolf didn`t say a word for a while. And then he whispered: “I wish I was as wise as you are.”

“You will be, Wolfgang, one day, you will be. And you will be even smarter, I am convinced.”

--------------------

For a moment, Renna thought she was at home. Everyone was joking and was in a good mood, she was chatting with Jon and Mut and night was warm and whole barn was full of pleasant feelings. She fell asleep just near Jon and then cuddled against him. She didn`t even noticed when Jon left to replace Danny.

Although her body was in the barn somewhere in France, her mind was in Alaska with her family. She had a dream about her childhood. But... it was just a dream.

---------------------

“I wonder what they are doing right now...”

Wolfgang was sure Manfred was talking about his family.

“After the war, they will tell you, I am sure...”

“Thanks. But I think my road will come to the end tomorrow morning.”

“What? Are you kidding?”

“If I was kidding, I would tell you a joke.”

“I have the same feeling, really.”

“I am not afraid of death, but who will tell my family I will never come back?” Manfred sighed. Now, it was serious.

“Nobody, because you will come back.” Wolfgang was scared. He never heard speech like this from Manfred.

“Promise me one thing...” Manfred asked him, “If anything happens to me, don`t take care but make sure she is safe.”

“Manfred, I...”

“Just promise me, maybe you won`t have second chance to do so.”

“Allright, I promise.”

They both watched the village for a while, and then Wilhelm and Reinhardt came. They sat down near Manfred and Wilhelm said: “Men, if there is bullet for you, you are going to get it. But tomorrow, there will be a lot of bullets and each of us has got only one. So yours one may not be even fired. I know you are afraid. I don`t know anybody who isn`t. But I am pleased you are not afraid of your death.” he wanted to say something else, but he stopped. Even Reinhardt was quiet.

------------------

It was just before dawn.

“Schmidt, Jung... you are the best marksmen in our squadron. You will cover us with sniper rifles. If you see enemy who is careless enough to show even little bit of him, shoot him. If you see anybody firing at us, shoot him.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And Jung, I will take care of Manfred, you can be sure, although I can`t promise you he will survive. But we need every man and dog.”

Jung just nodded and picked up his gun and made sure it was loaded.

“And the rest... we will split up into two teams. First team, led by me, will try to draw enemy fire and locate enemies, so second team, which will remain back, can provide covering fire and direct mortar fire. We will have to wait; I want mortar to shoot at least five times. We will use the craters and haystacks for cover. And after that, first team, followed by second, will rush in, eliminating all resistance, and for that purpose I need all dogs.

I know it`s bit cynical, but better dogs than anyone of us. I expect enemy uses the old barn as base. So try to hit it with first mortar shot.”

He took a brief look at his men and continued: “They don`t expect this. We can take them by surprise. We have about fifteen minutes till light. Check your guns. First team: Schwab, Böhm, Weiss, Fuchs, Klein, Brandt, Schiffer, Vogt, Mauer, Richter, follow me.

Wilhelm, Manfred, come!” Wilhelm and Manfred were followed by Böhm`s Wolfgang and Richter`s Reinhardt.

“In fifteen minutes from now shoot the mortar!”

--------------------

Napper was nervous. There was something in the air, but he didn`t know what. He woke up his men and said: “Take your guns. Something is going to happen. Take cover in the buildings.”

If he hadn`t been Sergeant Napper, they wouldn`t have paid attention to him. But he was Sergeant Napper, the same who risked his life for them and treated them like his sons.

“Yeah, and dogs will stay here. We don`t need anything that could show Krauts we are waiting for them.”

-------------------

It was the longest fifteen minutes in Wolfgang`s life. First team made it safe to the cover and now it could begin. Just three minutes... two... one...

Allright, where is the mortar?

-------------------

Kinley and McShaw were crouching behind low hedge right in front of the first house of the village. They had been told to try to make it to the old foxholes and trench about half a kilometer behind the village, if the situation would have been critical. These foxholes were remains of recent German fortifications, but, as Napper said, it could serve them well, too.

“Tom, do you think they will come?”

“I don`t think so, but... it is possible, so...”

 

And the first mortar shell exploded about twenty metres behind them and hit one of the houses.

 

“Well... that`s bad!”

-----------------

It was bad, indeed.

-----------------

“Wait, four to go!” Hartmann ordered. Dogs were eager like men, but Wolfgang gasped and stuttered in fear to Wilhelm: “She... she is in... the barn... I know it! She is right there!”

“What?!”

“I know it! She is-“

 

Second shell exploded and hit the ground just in front of the barn.

 

“Wolf, you stay here! Don’t go outside! I will take care if...”

 

Third shell hit the barn.

---------------------

Renna jumped

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