they started to wandering in forest together Steele watched carefully Dymitr’s behaviour. If earlier malamute’s hunt were successful due to speed and agility of dog, that winter he discovered whole world of sneaking and tracking preys. Predator showed him how to sneak to animals and how to predict theirs escape routes. And what was even more matter – when to give up on unsuccessful chase. Steele was nodding his muzzle and keeping that advices not only for hunting the caribu.

Once, at the end of February, Dymitr smelt his own pack. Because he was on hunt and driving prey on Steele, he decided to discreetly leave his saviour and run to his companions. There was heavy snow that day, covering track, reducing visibility and muffling all smells. Predator didn’t expected that malamute could so persistently chase his prey. He taught his much but not in that discipline, and he doubted that dog could had gained that knowledge from elsewhere. He was wrong – former leader found his prisoner just two days later when he was resting on seashore, under a snow. Steele didn’t punish runaway – he just bit his tendons of forelegs. Not hard enough for permanent crippling but much too well to turn eventual escape into real torment. Then he ordered (with perfectly calm tone) Dymirt to follow him home. Predator hobbled after saviour back to cave and gave up plans of escape. In next few day his paws recovered but he attempted no other try to run away.

With beginning of the spring their training gained some new character – Dymitr sneaked to, attacked and chased Steele. Malamute was learning how to be watchful and how to run, because he was sure that those skills would be necessary for him. He knew that to avenge maximal number of enemies he had to survive as long as he could. That why he didn’t plan his vengeance at one, suicidal strike on Nava’s pack. It was to be a series of guerrilla attacks, one to one hitting in single murderers of his sister. The logic of revenge ruled in dogs mind and within its paradigms he became a perfectionist – he demanded from Dymitr advices and exercises completely unclear to wolf, not explaining anything. Forest predator since long time hadn’t dared to ask any question, but orderliness and determination of malamute were slowly arousing a real admire in heart of wolf. Some April evening, when they were resting in cave, he event started a talk with student.

“When you will be ready?” asked prisoner.

“Never.” Replied dog. „But I will attack them soon.”

“You want to have it finally done?” guessed Dymitr.

“No, I’m just getting old.” Explained malamute with indifferent voice and turned on the other side. In cave cold silence fell. But after a while forest predator asked once more.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m getting old as every creature has to.” Repeated dog. “I’m nine and my strength slowly is fading. I must get them, when I’m still able to fight. And one thing more... I wish to kill Nava, before he dies.”

“And what about me?”

“What <And what about me?>” surprised Steele.

“What will happened with me when I no longer necessary to you?” Former leader was silent for a while, that he replied with hollow voice.

“I guess, when you are no longer necessary to me... you are no longer necessary to me.” Explained and fell asleep, just like he already had explained everything.

Short summer left Alaska and autumn came – even shorter than the previous season. October was closing fast with the first anniversary of Sky’s death. Maybe in Buckland that day was about to be celebrated in some specific way but for Steele it didn’t matters. Time stopped for him on that October night year earlier – later all events were stretching into long and terrible <now>. He didn’t measure time but only own progress in preparation to revenge. It was just an coincidence that in first anniversary of Sky death he woke up Dymitr with rude way, hitting this thigh, aching after old shot.

“Get up!” growled malamute and forest predator obediently raised up from bedding. “This is the end.” Announced dog. “I have learnt from you all I need.”

For one second the sleepy wolf was sure that his saviour would pounce on him and crush this throat. But Steele just pointed cave’s exit with his muzzle and remained silent. Outside a grey dawn was coming and there weren’t to cold. Gentle wind was throwing snowflakes from whitened ground but weather wasn’t overall bad. Surely not reminding what had happened year earlier.

“Go!” hastened him malamute. “You are no longer necessary to me.” Seeing surprise on wolf’s muzzle he added. “You will manage. You already recovered, there still is no frosts. You will surely get on south before actual winter.”

“And you?”

„I will be searching them.” He didn’t has to explain, whom he had on mind.

“Alone?”

“Alone.”

“But maybe...” In wolf’s heart arouse something strange. Until that moment he hadn’t bestowed Steele with any emotion – nether likeness not hatred. Malamute just <was> and lived with predator for previous year. But perspective of parting with angry saviour suddenly scared Dymitr. “Where I should go?” though.  “Where I should go?” asked aloud.

“I have no idea.” Replied Steele. “Or... do what you want. I’m going west anyway.” He pointed cave’s wall with paw. “It’s your. I doubt I would ever return here.” Then he started to exit.

“Steele!” called wolf and dog stopped on entrance. “I could help you...”

“To kill ones of your?” asked malamute with ironical voice but didn’t move his muzzle even an inch.

“For last year you was <mine>.” Replied predator with uncertain voice.

That strange sentence for one second pierced tight armour of dog’s rage. From below thick shield of frozen lust of revenge called old Steel from Buckland, from Sky and Ice. “What the heel has happened with me?” asked inner voice of former leader. “Why haven’t I returned to town, to sled... to Sky’s children?” But a moment later that gap in ice of hatred was fulfilled and revenge was once again only aim fir Steele – like vast, frozen ocean than its shore he was running. So he replied with hollow voice, even he wasn’t sure that was a joke or true.

“If you want wolves, go to wolves. If you want to people, go to people. I suggest you Buckland – they once accepted a wolf like me. If you don’t know what to do, stay here. Yesterday’s caribu I dug in next to torrent.” Then he started to run from Bears Mountain sole. Dymitr was still standing on entrance for few minutes then he also left the cave. He ate remnants of prey of previous day and moved south. In people’s direction.

Malamute was wandering on shore forests for few days, not thinking about anything apart of hunting and waiting for something he can’t describe. But when on some morning he smelt a well known scent, he knew what he was up to. Without any doubt he had a track of two wolves – Nava and Niju were on the shore. What more: they were alone without rest of the pack. Former leader burst in mad laughter when he found out that his enemies were divided and theirs first division was at paw. Without hesitation he started with fresh track and caught then after two days. Of course he  didn’t show his presence. That fight was about to decided quickly and without any wound, because the rest of pack was waiting for its turn too. Before attack on elder and beta he ate a solid meal, waited for night and started to sneak to sleeping wolves. He didn’t care if that battle could be considered as fair – the effect mattered. He had to fulfil gap in his heart with enemies blood and additionally survive that struggle. He had much more blood to spill.

He hadn’t made any error – that Niju was superb sentry. Since his pack moved on icefloat after herd of caribu thought Bering Strait, elder and beta were wandering on seashore, sharing the preys and protecting each other. That was: Niju was hunting for Nava and protecting old chief. When pack was gone reason of their hostility was gone too. Former claimant got humble and started to treat elder with genuine respect, so different from envy from old times. Wise but weaken due to age Nava was teaching old rival about mysteries of nature, showing a new world to him. What was unusual, elder even made his student to practice swimming and that lesson Niju accepted with anger but also with humility. So they turned out to be almost perfect team and for few months were living peacefully on western part of peninsula, where Steele found them.

So lets back to that night – malamute was sneaking silently and carefully but Niju had chosen place for rest perfectly. It was moderate hillock - dog slid on its slope and fell on the snow. Sound of falling body alarmed senses of sleeping predator. He sprung out from den and growled instantly.

“Nava, watch out!” and before elder scrambled out from the snow, darkfurred spotted potential enemy and froze. “Steele...” whispered.

“How did you guess?” Gasped former leader. “I can assure you that whole pleasure is yours.” And without any more prefaces he pounced on predator.

Fight was matched only on first glimpse – there were two defenders, both sleepy and one weaken due to age. It was – in theory – balancing malamute’s superiority of surprise, his warmed up muscles and full stomach. But Nava who quickly joined the battle, estimated that he and his companion were in serious trouble. Malamute was fighting like a devil, jumping, shunning and hitting with paws. That way he was completely distracting amazed Niju, who was equally strong but surely less agile than adversary. Elder few times tried to hit the enemy but was instantly pushing away but accurate charges of Steele. Additionally he knew that such a duel wasn’t fatiguing the dog, opposite to Niju and him. Both wolves were forced to step down from hill and draw back to