while pack disappeared in forest.

“Well... They feared of my colt. Wise creatures.” Judged doctor Tazaku.

But such adventures were only nice variation of Steele’s life. Summer and early autumn passed him on hinging with friends and since October he started to run in sled. Ash decided that he was a leader but few times (for example: at first autumn run) however malamute gave that honour to his sister. But in November, January and February Steele as the strongest dog in team was leader and guide of sled. And in March... but no – lets back to December, namely to talk that Steele had with Ice on route.

Somehow it happened that two friends on one of the stops made theirs snow-dens just next to each other. Then, too froze to sleep well, they were quietly talking from below the snow. Rest of pack was too far to hear them, even if someone was still awake. Malamute finally had opportunity to ask his friend about something that had been troubling him since some time.

“Ice?” he started uncertainly. “How it is with you and Sky?” Only silence answered him, but he was inquiring. “I mean... Don’t say if you don’t want but for some time I’ve noticed that... e... it doesn’t matter I guess.” He gave it up.

“What have you noticed?” asked greenland after minute of silence. “Because I’m afraid that...”

“No.” disagree malamute. “Sky is thinking about you all the time. I think the problem is in you. She is afraid that you... you know.”

“What I know?” amazed Ice.

“It might sound quite stupid... but she suspects that you don’t want to engage in that relationship, because... your pups...”

“What <our pups>?” inquired dog with growing embarrassment. It took another minute for Steele to answer.

“They wouldn’t be pure breed. And that...”

“No!” replied greenland, interrupting malamute’s sentence in half. “It’s very bad that she think that. I’m just not ready for being... WHAT?” called with amaze, although that tone was muffled by snow. “She thinks I love her less because she is wolfdog?”

“No, she just is afraid of it.” Replied leader. “And you have done nothing to prove her wrong.”

“And what I’m suppose to do now?” asked greenland with grave tune in his voice.

“That what heart tells you.” Advised malamute. “But fast. I have postponed many things in my life and one day it turned out to be too late.”

“Ow, I see.” Replied Ice and fell silent.

“I said: too late!” repeated his friend.

“But what... now?” yelled amazed dog. The leader gave no answer.

So after while of silence, sound of dog coming out from snow sounded.

Two months later, when team was about to set off for March mail, Sky announced to her brother.

“Steele you going to be uncle.”

Malamute didn’t represses disobedient voice from the distant past: “An uncle of hybrids.” But just after wave of joy deluged his heart, washing out that foolish thought and he pounced on sister with puppyish delight. Then he realised with aversion that because of that he had to take Blade on March and April trek. But next spark of joy, caused by Sky’s smiled, cleared his mind.

Pups born in April and it happened that one of six was called <Steele> by doctor Tazaku. However uncle was charmed by all four bitches and two dogs. When Ashes discovered that Ice was a father they let him stay in Tazaku’s house. So Steele moved to the kennel. Although his sister and brother-in-law opposed he insist to make room for Ice, at least for few months, until pups were under parents care. For that two months he was living with all dogs community it happened something important as well but much more sad.

“He is dead.” Announced Julia, standing over motionless body of Bernard. “Our beloved leader and carer is gone.” And the same evening she took Steele aside and said him blunt.

“Now you are the elder of Buckland.”

“Technically... yes. I’m eight.” Agreed malamute. „But I shouldn’t took his place. I have no right.”

“You are commonly respected, you proved your valour and strength as sled dog. Whom we should obey? Blade?”

“You.”

“I’m a bitch.” Replied Julia. „I had my own duties, different from male’s ones. The most noble male should be the elder of town.” She noticed expression of uncertainty in malamute’s stare. “I don’t care what would you say about your <dark past>, because that is past! And present needs you. You have to give an example to youngsters how to serve humans.” At that time he refused and agreed after encouragement of Sky.

Finally six of pups of Sky and Ice, that are: Agnes, Lucy, Ari, Steele (junior), Kiva and Armand (according to doctor Tazaku, they came to this world in that order) was given in Bucklanders care. Doctor made sure that they were adopted by good families from nearby, who surely wouldn’t leave town. Then Steele returned to the shed and was living with sister again. However greenland was almost permanent guest in Tazaku’s storage.

Next summer malamute spent even happier than previous one – apart of duties of town elder (being honest: that never took him too much time. Few times he was an arbiter between argued dogs but not more than that) he had only to help Sky and ice in raising pups. Often he was keeping an eye on them (in Buckland all pups were growing together) when his sister and brother-in-law needed a moment for themselves. Several times he was accompanying doctor Tazaku in his trips, but he experienced no adventures worthy to describe.

But that harmony of brave new life was still disturbing by some shadows of the past. Steele was greedily listen to every news from Nome, especially about his former owner – Gunnar Kaasen. Each time he heard something about Norwegian he raised his ears with anxiety and was listening to the last word. It was like was experiencing all his love to master afterward – once he had thinking about trapper only as guide and caretaker, in some way just secondary addition to his champion’s carrier. But in Buckland was often recalling his crime to owner and realising how much he owned to that human. Some day he said to Sky that he wanted to go to Nome, just to see his master.

“I don’t know if that would changed anything. I couldn’t stayed there. But just to see his eyes... To apologise...” Sister put paw on his muzzle, soothing burning thoughts.

„No, it’s foolish.” She judged. “You are who you are, here and now – a new dog. Honest and noble – you have atoned for that countless times. Here, in Buckalnd you are doing great work. Your former master would be proud if he knew...” Then she noticed that her brother had something more on mind. “But it isn’t all? Not only him you wanted to see, right?” he nodded his muzzle. “Jenna?” asked and he sighed.

“And with her also I’ve fallen in love too late. Once I was making advances to her but because of my pride, to get the most beautiful bitch in town, not because of love. And now... I see what I’ve lost. She is with Balto... maybe she even doesn’t remember me...”

“Don’t talk about her.” Interrupted Sky. “If you feel lonely I just don’t believe you haven’t noticed as Arrow speaks about you so often and...”

“No.” Steele shocked his head. “I don’t think I’m able to fall in love with bitch other than Jenna. But maybe it came in good way – she wouldn’t be happy with old Steele. And Balto...” he instinctively clutched his jaws and closed his eyes. “No... I can’t return to Nome. I know what I would do there. Even in front of Jenna I would pounce on that rotter and crushed his neck. That what survived from old Steele – I know I gave no real reason, but still I hate this stray!”

“So don’t think about that place anymore. Is there bad to you?”

“No!” objected malamute. “I got much better life than I’ve deserved. I’ve found here home, family... You are my second chance.”

Then a wave of pups flooded theirs mother and uncle. Ice, entering shed after them only smiled, seeing airy play of his beloved and his friend. He thought “This is like a dream. We are safe and happy. If anyone wanted more?”

Through that year probably only once Steele felt that his peace of mind was disturbed. Although as an town elder he was commonly respected (expressing in the loudest way by Bart – that tiny terrier who had bitten malamute so hard...), Blade and David still were hating the leader. Sooner or later that hatred had to explode. The struggle was about to be sudden and unfair. Spitz after fatal experience with personal revenge asked husky to help. Both dogs ambushed next to doctor Tazaku’s enclosure, that Steele was often inspecting. With firsts hits they pinned him to the ground, so he was lying helplessly on moss.

“Will you never forget?” panted malamute, desperately trying to break out from grip.

“Never.” Replied Blade. He hit with paw but missed malamute’s muzzle.

“But maybe try to...”

Then David ultimately immobilized him. Steele felt what they were going to do – to cripple, maybe by cutting his tendons, so he wouldn’t ever pull the sled again. Shocked and wounded malamute could only wait for a miracle. Of course, miracle came.

“Well, well, well... what we’ve got here...” murmured Niju with curiosity. He entered the clearing with Nuk, Sumac and Yak. They stopped before swirling mass of fighting dog. “Hey, you two! I give you ten seconds to release my buddy. One, two... ten. Guys, get them!”

Four wolves instantly pinned spitz and husky to the ground and stopping with teethes near of theirs necks. Steele stood and for several second were breathing heavily, trying to regain orientation. When he saw what happened with his enemies, he shouted.

“Don’t kill!” he did it in last moment, because Niju was clutching his fangs on Blade’s throat. “Release them... Those are dogs of... my pack.” Chocking spitz opened his eyes with amaze, just like those words of salvation he considered as highly

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