mail. Malamute accepted the leadership in last moment. Maybe the decisive factor of that was enraged stare of Blade, seeing through the Tazaku house’s window. It tipped the scale and awoke in former leader... an actual leader – he became whom he once had been. And just before they set out Japanese came to his new favourite and put an collar on his neck.

“Do you like it?” asked with smile. “I don’t know how you was called before but from now on you will be <Steve>. It was a name of captain who help me to escape from Vladiwostock. I don’t know why but I think you have something in common. Both you are touch and proud.”

“<Steve>?” surprised Sky. “But Steele, don’t worry, it could be worse. And he almost guessed...”

“<Almost> makes a huge difference.” Murmured malamute but he craned his neck with pride to receive a symbol of human’s belonging. “Are you sure that you want me on the lead?” asked dog, when doctor was still stocking his back.

“Of course I want.” Replied wolfbitch. “I will lead with pleasure but first I want to learn some trick from the champion. My time will come.”

“I bet it will.” Agreed malamute and John Ash gently cracked the whip. In the air of course – he didn’t have to discipline his dogs, because they were under a lead of so gifted leader as <Steve>. Sled started to slide on Buckland street, directing east into morning’s mists. Sweet harness was caressing avid Steele’s neck. Although morning was cold the run warmed dogs of team and after just a several minutes they went into calm trance of route. Way was initially easy – old snow was covered with layer of ice, so sled was lightly sliding on the road (but leader had to be careful not to sidetrack). To the midday they hadn’t made any stop apart of short break for meal, that fully regenerated their strength. Till the evening (that was: in three hours after dinner) they made almost fifty miles. They were in first day of trek, satisfied and well-rested, additionally weather was on their side too. However that result was amazing anyway.

For camp John Ash chosen small rock on Yukon Range foot. He lighted the fire, fed dogs, pitched a tent and cover himself with fur-coats for a sleep. Pack immediately dug some snow-dens to shelter from frost, near the human’s bedding. Right after they fell asleep. Only Steele was still awake because of feelings that were burning him from inside. He put out his muzzle on surface and for long time he looked on campfire. He was reminding old times in Nome, moments on routes with master Kaasen. In those times he wasn’t able to appreciate his life and happiness, but as a Buckland leader he saw it with all greatness. He was serving and protecting his human owner and that was the purpose of sleddog life. He fell asleep with that merry thought but also with muzzle on open air. So he woke up frozen as hell but still happy anyway.

On second day the weather was worse. They started at seven but yet at ten they had to make some stop. Wind that previous day only was polished layer of ice on snow, then grew stronger and changed its direction – was blowing into wanderers faces. Sled was still going quite well but Steele noticed first signs of exhaustion of his sister. Initially he thought that it was Daniel’s and David’s fault (he scolded them few times) but after some time he just judged that wolfbitch was struggling with task above her might. Mister Ash, encouraged with success of previous day, was expecting too much from his dogs. Much too much that was reasonable. Young man still was learning of life on the North and he didn’t notice signs of fatigue in team. That why after long after midday stop malamute came to sister and whispered so quietly that no one else heard.

“When you judge you are really tired, maybe you try to switch with Daniel? I think that because Ice is shorter than you, you have to put more effort in pulling...”

“Am I running too slow?” asked wolfbitch with sad voice. She thought that suggestion was a form of scold.

“No... Just you sometimes have to cast aside your pride and trust the team. There is no shame in that, I’ve done it countless times. I just worried about your condition.”

“All right. But let me stay here just today.” She asked. „Tomorrow I’ll take any position you want.”

Sky made it but made it barely. Dry and frosty wind speeded up to over fifty miles per hour. Although there was no snowfall, wind was throwing a ice shards and slashing mercilessly both human and dogs. On next morning they all awoke as tired as they had fallen asleep and started in farther way barely. Steele was on the lead and John was for the first time so glad of that. Trapper was sleepy and tired of watching the route but leader was watching instead of him. In some way Steele replaced the human – he was deciding when to stop and managing the strength of team. He became the real leader and guide. He ordered the first break about ten. Ash was surprised that dogs so quickly wanted to rest but he obeyed significant barks of Steele, trusting in his instinct. And he had right – when wind slowed a little they started with fresh might, much faster. Leader was pulling hard and driving his companions with harsh barking. He felt that recent blizzard was just a prelude to the real storm and icy hell. That why he didn’t spare even own sister.

“Sky, don’t give up!” he growled. “We must reach for the forest until dusk!”

And she only yelled with pain but also with agree and moved farther. Ice wasn’t responding to any instruction, because he had no more strength. He was saving every joule of energy to make another steps, not to slow whole team... too much. Although he was the weaker point of pack, Steele couldn’t not to admire spirit of greenland – as the smaller one he complain less than others.

“Ahead!” repeated malamute, but he himself was going slower and slower.

They were marching thought the Yukon Range valleys. It was hard road – maybe not so steep but there was no trees to shelter sled from blowing wind. From out the peaks of mountains were blowing masses of icy air that were throwing iceshards in muzzles of dogs. Steele instructed team to lower theirs head and close theirs eyes – as the one he had to struggle whole element’s rage before his face. They were going but going terribly slow. Leader knew that Ice wanted to ask of rest but he hadn’t done it yet because he had no might to open his jaws and overscream the storm.

Human seemed to realise his dramatic situation, because he even stopped to drive dogs faster – he was probably feared that his charges would rebel. He shrank, covering his face with arms and was waiting. Steele had to find some place for camp for night, shielded from freezing wind. With despair he was convinced that because of snowblind he missed countless caves and shelters. Looking on naked wall of valley he was close to panic. He was hoped even for a single tree that gave them some shield and fuel for fire. But when they got to small pan next to road he judged that risking father march was a suicide. He pulled a sled to stone wall and stopped.

John Ash very slowly stood from sled and went to harness. Malamute saw that human was opening harness with fainting moves – he seemed to be extremely exhausted. “He is dehydrated!” thought Steele with terror. “He was so cold that he didn’t want to drink anything. Now he isn’t even feel his own weakness. If he doesn’t light a fire and drink something hot he will surely die!” So when he was released from leather belts he looked on his fainting pack, that was digging dens for night. They even have serious difficulty to break layer of ice on the snow.

“It’s no use!” she caller, overscreaming the blizzard. “Leave it and come with me! We must find some wood for master to fuel the fire!”

“Are you nuts?” yelled Daniel. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“If you don’t you will kill us all.” Replied malamute. “We will be done if human doesn’t light some fire. Follow me!”

Then she started into snowy and frosty night, leaving half-frozen Ash on sled. Brothers and Ice unwillingly followed the leader. Steele turned to Sky and said.

“If you feel you won’t make it, just stay here with master John.”

“There is no time.” She replied, shocking on whole body. “We must find the fuel quickly.”

Malamute led them to the end of the pan, going after his instinct’s voice. He started to carefully climbing on pan’s slope, for time to time turning his head back to see if they were all in place. That time greenland turned out to be the touchiest one – his short but strong paws were firmly walking on frozen rock and easily were carrying the small body. Ice was also supporting hobbling Sky, for what Steele was praising him silently. So they got to small ledge where – as malamute predicted – they found a cluster of dwarf mountain pines. Dogs started to cut dwarf pines with theirs jaws then throw branches down to the pan. After dozen of minutes of that work they collected whole colony and started back. Someone even faster that he wanted to.

Daniel slid in a half a way and instantly lost his balance. Only desperate grip of Steele’s jaws prevent him from falling on hard surface of ice below. Malamute grabbed husky’s neck – it was painfully but effective – dog regained his balance and thanks to malamute’s grip stepped deeper on ledge. They got to the ground without any more incidents.

They had to wake up mister John. Finally Steele bit his hand, tearing a glove but he was sure it was necessary. Human opened his eyes and looked clearly surprised on leader. Then a new life came into Ash’s body. He at once stood and went ahead with fear in his stare, like he was just recalling about all actions needed in camping at such low temperature. Looking for a fuel he made few steps then stumbled down on pile of pine’s