old enemy of Dash’s family perfectly.

“I’m sorry, Tan, but we must go.” Panted wolf, standing slowly. “I can’t carry you, but still we must climb that mountain and howl the alarm.”

“I could walk myself.” Replied pup.

“That’s good, boy. Let’s go!” And wounded wolf with tired pup set off up the slope of Yanny Hill.

*

Steele was sleepy, however somehow relaxed. Finally, after over five years of constant trying, he was at doorstep of his revenge. He was an old dog, one would say that too old. He was eleven years old – in that age most of canines where just noble elders, depending on help of owner or pack. He had no owner and his pack was depending rather on him. And he was proud of it – he had an aim in life and he was going to score it. In best company he could imagine.

“Crew!” he called, waking pack up. “This day is the day!”

“It’s not a day actually.” Noticed Venn, digging out from the snow. He had right – there was about three hours to sundawn.

Just after Venn, from the same hole came out Sno. Steele smiled involuntary. Most likely in times of Beech Pack, young male was showing omega of the pack nothing but scorn, the fiercest as he was the next low in the ranking. But their quest wiped out any differences, or even if not, made them easy to ignore. In last hours of life, two young canines needed each other close.

“This world is strange!” thought Steele. “With me was all the same – I understood so many things yesterday – when it’s much too late to change anything! Or maybe it’s purposeful? We could die, because we learned what we had to?”

“No, it’s still a night.” Nodded leader. “But we must entered Home Forest while it’s still dark. Do you know the drill?”

Muista and Kosta just came from grove nearby. Steele almost jumped with amaze, seeing wolfess. She looked so different. From, her muzzle disappeared any expression of pain and hopelessness, just calm smile took its place. “She is beautiful.” Thought dog. “But most likely everyone is beautiful, good and great when she or he find own place and peace. She found her peace in incoming death.”

“It’s simple.” Replied Muista. “We are entering Home Valley, sneaking on southern slope. Before the dusk, we have to get over Home Cave and we infiltrate it when night come.”

“Speaking shortly: that’s right.” Nodded Steele. “Crew, one more announcement. If it happen that some of you survive… and lost a chase, let’s meet here. It’s isn’t very probable, but I’m telling it just in case.”

“If not, we will meet all in Land of Eternal Hunting.” Said Sno. “But don’t die, December.”

“Have I any particular reason?” asked surprised dog.

“Of course!” replied Sno smiling. “You must have a son to name him after me.” Pack burst in laughter.

Steele wagged his tail and Avengers formed a line to follow leader. Dog took his place and set off uphill. They were going in order given with names: from December on front to January on tail. So just after dog was marching former Uniea Pawmaster.

“December?” asked Kostan. “I know it sounds strange, but I thought over many things last night.”

“I could believe that.” Replied Steele smiling.

“I mean about the aim of your quest…” explained wolf. “I can’t say there is no anger in me, but I learned we are doing something more.”

“As you said, November.” Replied dog. “We are Nature’s self-defence. I understood that too.”

“So your vengeance…”

“Is vain and stupid.” Finished Steele. “I even don’t fight for my dead family, but only for spotted pride. But not the motivation is the point. I think we are doing something bigger than anyone of us.”

“But most likely we will fail.” Noticed Kostan.

“And somehow we have already won.” Replied commander. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, sure.” Agreed Uniea. “By our trek we put Talbourne at full alert. Most likely we forced Shadow to draw back and stop his conquer. He bought precious time for all Uniea remnants to regroup and prepare for combat. And even more.”

“Continue.” Asked Steele. “I want to know, what the hero I am.”

“Now it’s a mating time.” Said Kostan. “But Talbourne wolves instead of love, make hatred. Instead of forming couples and procreate, they are running in forests, looking for some ghost menace that we are. I bet that losses we inflicted to clan military are even less severe than those we did to its population balance.”

“I always knew I’m a good guy.” Smiled Steele. “I just was shown in very unfavourable light.”

“He’s saint of the cinders – cause incineration // Used for good, is holy, as act of creation.” Recited Kostan some lines of old poem, unknown to dog. However malamute liked to see himself as the angel of fire.

“All right, we both know the point.” Replied Steele. “Even if we fail today, we have to try achieve some minor goals. After all, we are few, they are countless. That life-trade is not bad.” Then he added with quieter voice. “Stay close to me. Whatever happen I need your skills to make some serious mayhem.”

Then over hills sounded a wolf’s call. It was very weak and painful, however – or maybe even because of that – he was loud and piercing. It sounded like alarm. Dog and wolf cursed aloud, scanning area. After moment of thinking Kostan said.

“It’s our chase. They are close.”

“There is only one way to counter that! RUN!” ordered malamute.

*

They instantly switched to banzai mode. Avengers left comfortable path and started to run in forest. That way was much harder, but tracking them in such a dense flora was even harder and was taking much time. But pack couldn’t avoid some obvious disadvantages of that solution.

Remer ordered his wolves to ignore tracks and run directly to Home Cave. He hoped to make an ambush already before main caves complex. It was risky move, but mind of guardian – already dimmed with psychoactive drug – was thinking in the easiest possible way. If assassins were up to kill Aleu, so defenders should cross their way just before that.

“Remer?” asked confused sergeant of Home Guards, Jali. “What he heck are you doing here.”

“Call for alarm! He’s here.” Replied Remer, even without slowing.

Alert reached also Lightning, who was inspecting stationing troops. Hearing howl of Dash, he gasped with anger, asking himself who dared to break rule of communication silence within Home Valley. But then he discovered who’s was that call and he shivered. He shivered once again, when he understood what Dash was saying.

“Alarm!” called master scout.

He growled some orders to civilians gathered clearing and waiting for departure with escort for winter lairs. But that case had to wait. Lightning commanded all soldiers there to form a tyraliere and directed them up the slope. He knew it was a unprepared move, but in case of emergency doing anything was ten times better than doing nothing. At least Lightning believed in that, and such philosophy allowed him to live eight years.

Steele and his squad saw it from upper slope of valley, but didn’t stop they march. Dog estimated that enemy, about four miles ahead and half a mile lower, was too surprised to act rational. More he was afraid of chasing team, who was slowly overrunning him, running in easy path of creek’s bed.

Avengers entered small clearing where totally surprised squad of new recruits was training under oversee of old veteran. There was no time to set any plan – pack just struck down like a storm, rolling over ten wolves as there where helpless roes.

Steele pinned down veteran and with decisive bite hit his paw. Dog didn’t know he was already so adrenaline-boosted. He felt pain in jaws, but then learned he just had slashed the paw away and deadly confused foe is lying on the snow, trying to stand up on three limbs and bleeding to his death. Steele let the paw that was still in his mouth loose and jumped to help his companions. The killing started, but dog knew that reserve of luck was already exhausted. From then on Avengers were also about to die.

 

VI. Saints of the Cinders

 

Trainee group was down after no longer than three minutes. But it claimed some price for own destruction. As it could be predicted, the weakest elements of attracters were hit. Regne got a serious hit on her face and though the blood Steele noticed that one of eyes was permanently damaged. Dog almost gasped due to mix of anger, but also an admire – wolfess, except of initial cry, gave no sign of her injury. The same they could say about Sno. Two of Talbourne recruits pounced on former omega, throwing her from three metres wall down the slope. Somehow she managed to overturn in her flight, landing on one of enemies. Bones cracked and soldier laid down dead and broken. But Sno also got a scar, however unseen one. He clashed on body of foe, but then bounced few metres farther and down, hitting cold wall with her side. Second Talbourne tried to get to her and finish her, but Venn jumped here, suddenly pouncing on enemy’s back. After short fight Avenger stood up with few cuts while local stayed on ground chocked to death. Then February ran to Sno.

“Sno!” he called. “I mean… January!”

“I’m fine.” Replied wolfess and coughed with blood. “Just help me stand up… and don’t say them about it.”

He grabbed her nape with jaws and lifted her light body up. Then he noticed what was wrong in her – under fur of her belly appeared an oedema, nasty, pulsing one. Wolf understood that it meant worst possible option – a massive internal bleeding.

“Lead me up.” Sobbed Sno. “I know what happened… but I will manage. At least for a while.”

They hobbled back on clearing where rest of pack was finishing trainee unit. Steele, Kostan and Annen looked in the same moment on former omega guided by Venn, then looked on themselves. So the first victim was killed. Not literally, not at the moment, but wolfess was already doomed.

“I could go!” called Sno. Steele wanted to say something, comfort

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