mercy on our enemies.”

“Don’t talk stupid things.” Replied dog. “They are our countermeasures! We will use them to catch attention of chasing team. I thought it over carefully.”

That wasn’t true – it was improvised excuse for keeping pups alive. Steele invented that talking with Muista. But he couldn’t tell it to Tro. If she had lost faith in him, he would feel… very bad. “Am I close to fall in love?” asked himself. “But according to how low I am now, it would be <raising to love> I guess…”

“Believe me, it’s all the part of a plan.” Said Steele.

“I hope.” Said Tro and closed her eyes.

*

On the next morning, Steele ordered what he invented on previous evening. He took Tan and asked Kostan to take girl-pup, called Cher. Then he pointed a hill before them, where was to be rendezvous point.

“We will take pups to the forest and leave them in rough places.” He explained. “It will force chasing team to stop, to split their forces and waste few hours. Also it will slow them down if they take pups with them, or permanently weaken them, if they chose few wolves to stay with youths.”

“Smart!” smiled Kostan. “If you said it yesterday, I’m sure no one would suspect you for being soft.”

“November!” replied Steele. “I’m not expecting you to obey me, because I’m talking smart things, but because I’m giving you orders. Is that clear?” Avengers nodded their heads. “So let’s go! Annen, you lead, we will join you soon.” Then he went to Uniea pawmaster and whispered to his ear. “Do you know, why I’m sending you on that mission?”

“Because Muista would have torn pup apart instantly after she disappeared in forest?” asked Kostan.

“Exactly.” Nodded Steele. “I hope you will carry out your orders properly.”

And they set off – main group ahead, Steele more on south, Kostan on north-west. Sun was shining from clear sky, so icy frost of night quickly turned into warm, March day. But Steele sensed a blizzard in the air and was grateful to ancestors for that. “That is our chance – snow is muffling trails, misleading chase and calming down sentries. With nature on our side, we have real chance to get to Home Cave!”

“How are you doing, boy?” dog asked pup, who was sitting on his back.

“I’m not sure, sir.” Replied Tan. “My paw hurt.”

“There is no cure for that. Life is rather a painful experience.” Said Steele.

“Sir…” added pup. “Thank you… Thank you that you stopped that cruel wolfess from killing us.”

“As you heard boy, I had some reasons.” Replied dog.

“You are good creature.” Assured Tan with decisive voice. “I believe that!”

“You are wrong.” Said malamute. “Soon you will see that you are wrong. I should have killed you, because if you survive… and most likely you will… some day you will join your clan’s military and become one of wolves I’m fighting with.”

“But I see you are good!” sobbed pup. “I have no reason to fight with you.”

“Your mother is dead.” Reminded him Steele. “You also have a reason for revenge, as any of my pack.”

“But it was not you!” cried pup. “I feel you are different.” Steele smiled and put the pup on the snow.

“You have no idea… But that’s is the end of our road. Here I will left you. Don’t move too much, for not hurt your paw more. Soon some Talbourne will come for you.”

“I will never stand against you, sir Steele.” assured pup.

“We will see.” Replied dog and thoughts. “Yes, we will see. This pup is marked. If I survive this venture, I will have a chance to check what happen with him. But he will do what I expect… our nature is stronger than any oath…” Then he bended down to Tan and whispered to his ear. “By the way: that was I, who killed your mother.” Then he turned back and ran north.

*

Meanwhile about ten miles north Kostan was carrying Cher on remote path on slope of snowed hill. For most of way they were silent, but finally wolf said.

“Are you with me, girl?”

“I am, mister Uniea.” Replied pup.

“Haven’t you any comments on that I’m going to kill alpha of your clan?”

“Why have you killed mommy?” sobbed girl.

“Because she sinned heavily.” Replied Kostan. “She was alive, had pups. Some excuse for her was that your father had died, but she was about to find another mate. She was definitely too happy for me stay calm.”

“You are talking cruel things.” Sobbed Cher. “But I believe you was heavily hurt… Why you hate us so much?”

“I don’t know.” replied wolf. “Most likely because the similar reason that your kins killed my alpha, destroyed my clan, drove us away from home and took all of my children. You know? I had four children. All of them died at war.” Cher shivered on back of wolf. “But I don’t blame you in person.” He put pup down on snow and stood just over her. “I even might be sorry for you. But I can’t forgive you one thing – yesterday you made Muista cry.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” cried girl. “I didn’t want to…”

“I don’t want too.” Replied Kostan. “But to keep some basic balance, I must. You’ve done stupid, upsetting my Muista.” His jaws clenched so fast that pup’s skull was not just squashed, but almost exploded.

Then Kostan spat the blood and set off to rendezvous point.

*

Dash’s team was almost dead. Even Remer was exhausted after the effort they made in previous two days. So when they got to the clearing, they all – without any order – fell down to sleep.

“Keep the sentries!” called one of soldiers. “It could be a trap!” but few seconds alter he was asleep.

“He’s right.” Panted Dash, hobbling still west. “Remer, come with me.”

Warrior almost overturned with effort, but followed his commander into the forest. Even leaders were so tired that any fight nor defence was impossible, but Dash wanted to check some elusive premonition, floating in the air. But after walking about three hundred yards it turned out that sixth scout’s sense was right.

“O, my God!” cried Dash, seeing remnants after the massacre.

Remer gasped too. There was not more than twenty bodies, so less than in cleansing that Talbourne warrior had made just six days earlier, but those were enemies, not worthy to spit at. But then Remer was looking on allied victims and was genuinely shocked.

“Bastards!” he howled. “Those were elders and children!”

“Pups!” yelled Dash, sensing well known scent. That was a trail of Shiela’s children: Cher and Tan. “Remer, we can’t rest! They have pups!” ordered scout. “We must pursue!”

 

V. Of Love and Hatred

 

After they met on the slope of Yanny Hill about three hours before the dusk, they started to climb ahead. Steele decided to make a solid rest before entering the next valley. It was cause by simple geographical reason – beyond Yanny Hill was flowing Talbourne Creek. To reach Home Cave they have to walk about twenty miles more up the stream on north-west. But that was the harder twenty miles they could imagine – malamute knew that numerous patrols of Home Area would be in valley, so he was prepared to take a roundabout way. He planned to sneak through “capitol’s vicinity” and entered the core on next night. But to do that they have to rest.

“Crew, listen to me.” Said Steele to Avengers. “I know it sounds stupid… very cliché, but beware that is it most likely last night for some, maybe even for all of us. If even we reach Aleu, I doubt if Talbourne would let us run away. It’s safer to assume we are doomed. Any other result will a pleasant surprise.” Some wolves laughed quietly. “I see you got my point. So let’s rest and prepare to run, because tomorrow there will be no time for anything. Most likely also no time to say goodbye. That will be a busy day – we will die efficiently.” Pack raised their muzzles to fullmoon sky, but gave no howl, being careful not to alarm locals. “ I must say…” continued Steele. “…that time with you was… interesting. It’s hard for me to say such puppyish and soft crap like this… and additionally I remind you I hate wolves… but if I had to be a wolf, I wish to have a pack like your.” He looked on Tro, with uncertainty. “I hope it didn’t sound too stupid.”

“It did.” Replied wolfess with smile and licked his face. “But let’s be stupid, maybe for the last time.”

“Steele…” said Elske quietly. “Thank you… You did a great job, guiding us here. I’m sure that Glemt and Fort would be proud of you.”

“All right, cut the pathos.” Said dog, embarrassed. However it was that strange and pleasant way of being embarrassed. He said what he said honestly – he wished to have a pack like that. “No, be cool just few more hours.” He ordered himself silently. “Tomorrow it all will have no meaning.” Then he added aloud. “So I wish you have good night.”

He turned to place where he dug his den and Tro followed him. “God!” though dog “It became a routine! Are we acting like mates of three years seniority?” he smiled to his thought, but then shivered with uncontrollable quivers.

“What’s wrong, December?” asked Tro, laying herself to lair.

“I just understand that not only I’m sounding stupid, but also thinking stupid.” Re replied.

“Do you want talk about it?”

“No, let the moment be.” Said Steele and kissed Tro.

“Ow, I see, you came straight to the point.” Said silverfurred and returned the kiss. But in that moment Steele froze.

“O, my God!” he gasped. Tro looked on him confused.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m terribly sorry.” Said dog. “But I must deal with something. I’ll be back soon. Will you wait for me?”

“For that last time I could wait.” Said Tro, still surprised, but she didn’t ask more. “I even will wait with pleasure.”

Steele stood up and went to the grove.

*

Not far from there, in small pan next to frozen torrent, went Muista and Kostan. They stopped before snowdrift, easy to turn in comfortable den, then old wolf started to dig the hole. Silverfurred watched it silently, then suddenly sighed with confusion.

“Kostan…” she whispered.

“Shhh!” replied Kostan smiling. “Steele is near. Call

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