invalid!” whispered silently, but in the same time he was choosing the right place and time to change that condition. He knew that killing of Cher’s beloved was kind of delayed suicide. “She would never even look on murdered like I would be.” he thought. But there was no alternative – vision of smiling Daniel and Cher caressing him was worse than anything he experienced in his life. After all, he was just a pawn and he had to fulfil Player’s wished.

*

Cher opened a dog-hatch and held it until Daniel entered. Dog went to the centre of room and stopped, uncertain what to do then. So cherry-furred nudged his side and guided him to won bedding.

“That’s here.” She whispered and gentle pushed him down. Then she laid down next to him. Daniel was barely repressing his excitation. He surrender to intoxicating caress of Cher’s touch. “But now, sleep, my dear.” Said she-husky. “Tomorrow we will start it all over.” “At least I will” added in mind.

Daniel remained sleepless for long time. He was trying to order and understand events of previous days. He felt happy, as he hadn’t been in his life. Loss of sight seemed to be just a minor discomfort comparing to wonderful presence of Cher at his side. Although words of brother sowed some anxiety in his mind, slowly that unpleasant impression faded out and husky was just delighting with taste of victory. “It was worthy to do all that.” He whispered in dark room and then nestled to sleeping Cher.

VIII. The Dame of North

We are dogs, aren’t we? As the humans would say - genus: canis, family: canidae, order: carnivora. So all we eat meat, right? Killing to live or let our owner to kill or to buy meat of killed animals. And no one calls it murder, right? It’s just a feeding. Life of everyone of us costs a thousands of lives of minor creatures. There is no cruelty in that, just a way of life. If we don’t eat the meat, we die. I want to remind you that before you say a word too much. You are looking on my life and surely trying to judge it according to own morality and views. But you are wrong!
Don’t you ever judge me! Let my way be, as well as you leave the way of life itself. Don’t search for etiquettes and pompous epithets. Just accept that this is the natural order of things. Eat to live, rule to live. Care of own business to live. Think about it what you like, but spare me those preaches. I’m the Dame of North and as a monarchess of my own land I make my will the law. I, the weakest of my litter but the strongest of all. Something I inherited after Great Balto – an incline to be victorious.
So as I said: don’t judge me! There must be the apples-trees on this world.

Two days later morning seemed to be fair and pleasant. Although it was cold, sun was shining from clear sky and making the snow-layer to shine with reflections. Ice was going in kennel’s direction, surrounded by six of his children. Youngsters were barely repressing emotions because that day they was about to start formal sled training with rest of team.

“So would be go in March mail-route?” asked Armand, as always avid to sled-duty.

“Some March for sure.” Replied his father. But not this year unless you stop to ask me for that.

They came to kennel and noticed that almost every dogs were outside, on yard. Sled-team was only about one forth of whole community of over forty dogs but reception of new members (that were: Ice’s children) was always a whole town event. So dogs were waiting before the building. Even old Blade, former (and retired due to health problems) leader of team, came to watch fresh recruits.

“Right” called Ice. “Sled-team: fall in rank!”

Arrow, Ringo, Moon, and mackenzie sisters formed a rank before greenland, but David, standing nearby remained in place. He looked on leader and said.

“Where is Daniel?”

“I don’t know.” Replied Ice. “He was sleeping in doc’s house... with Cher.” Added uncertainly. “I haven’t woken them. Your brother is probably tired and...”

“So, where is Cher?”

“With him I guess...”

“Ice, come on side.” Said David with serious voice. Greenland looked on his team and ordered.

“Right, arrow leads the training. I’ll be right back.” And he went after light-furred husky. They came between kennel and Ash’s house, to talk in private.

“Sorry for that, but recently I have some weird premonitions.” Said David. “Look, I know it’s sound quite strange, but may I ask you to have an eye on Daniel when he is with Cher or... what is more important... with Jack?”

“What do you mean?” asked confused greenland. “Look, I know it could be quite confusing for you, but your brother is a mature dog. He met his love and mate and you have to use to that he is living with her.”

“He is blind.” Said husky. “He needs our help.

“Or maybe he needs her help?” asked Ice. “I know that you are worried about Daniel but just believe that Cher loves him and would never...” she stopped, looking somewhere over David’s shoulder. “...leave him.”

“Ow, hallo Ice. Hallo, David?” greeted them Cher with her most innocent and charming voice.

“Hi, Cher.” Replied quite confused greenland.

“Where is Daniel?” asked husky straight.

‘Well...” said cherry-furred with expression of slight surprise in her eyes. “I thought he is already here. I sent Jack to guide him and...”

David didn’t hear whole sentence, just started to run to Tazaku’s residence. In one second a flame of fear burst in his mind. He caught the scent of twin and followed it with heavy beating heart.

*

Daniel was going after Jack. According to what Nome husky said, that morning training was to take place by the river, outside of town. Daniel wanted to ask why Ice had hit on such stupid idea, but he just forgot. Just like that – since few days moments of dissociation happened to him over and over. But why not? A change wasn’t bad. In fact, dark-furred husky was anyway unable to pull the sled, so his participation in training was useless. He was going just to talk with Daniel and Ice.

“I have to apologize Ice.” He thought. “I was acting like a pup and got huff on him for just stupid premonitions. Jealous because of him? No, Ice is my friend, he wouldn’t backstab me in any way. And hell... that doesn’t matter, because Cher loves me! Me! Me!” he was reveling in that idea.

“Watch the patch.” Voice of Jack interrupted his merry thoughts. “Now we will be going up hill.”

“Yes, of course.” Replied Daniel, however in edge of reason he questioned himself where the hell they were going. He heard a sound of river current, but behind his back. But he obediently followed his guide. “That is Cher’s friend.” He thought. “I must be nice to him!”

But when they made about a mile thought dense forest, Daniel felt strange. This definitely wasn’t a right place for a training.

“Jack, where we are going?”

“Ahead.” Replied dog honestly. “I want to find some remote place, where no one would interrupt us.”

“Ow, yes...” murmured Daniel. “Don’t you mind if I ask: interrupt in what?” asked husky.

“We must explain some matters with about Cher.” Said Jack, very proud that he wasn’t forced to lie.

“Right, Cher.” Smiled Daniel and that only enraged Jack even more.

“This is the right place.” He said, barely repressing emotions. “Sit if you are tired.”

“Yes, I felt a little tired.” Admitted dark-furred and sat on the moss. “What exactly you want from me?”

“Not so much.” Said Jack. “Just your pathetic life.”

“Pardon?” asked Daniel, still taking it as some kind of joke.

“I like you, Daniel.” Said enraged husky, coming to rival from behind. “Just hold on still and I’ll make it quick.”

“WHAT?” yelled blind dog.

And then all happened instantly. Daniel sensed a presence of Jack behind him. He pounced ahead, in last moment shunning enemy’s jaws. Blind dog hit a pine before him, but at once jumped aside, avoiding another blow. Although he saw nothing, he had some advantage that Jack didn’t know. Buckland’s resident knew it place. He recognised that clearing where he had been playing countless times with David, so he once saw every tree and rock in range. He was desperately trying to recall relief of area and to find some shelter from raging enemy. But that was just a delaying something unavoidable.

“Jack!”  panted Daniel. “Just think a minute! You can’t kill me!”

“Do you wanna bet?” asked husky with mad voice.

“No, that is useless.” Called dark-furred. “Everyone will know what you have done. And she will to!”

“I will bury you deep.” Comforted him Jack.

“No!” Daniel yelled. “She would hate you for that!”

“She hates me already.” Replied Jack, again jumping on rival. But again me missed, because dark-furred rolled aside and hide behind dwarf-pine cluster. “And despises me. She chose you, a pathetic cripple...” sudden his muzzle gained a new expression, however Daniel was unable to notice that. “Ow, sorry, pal. I shouldn’t said that. You have saved her and I’m grateful for that. But I can’t let you live...”

“I won’t tell anybody!” called Daniel. “No one will knows about today. Just go home and...”

“Sorry, Daniel. It’s not me. It’s her.” Said husky and pinned down enemy down.

Daniel tried to shook the rival off but he was exhausted and confused after hitting the tree. So they just were wrestling for few minutes, without word, only with grave awareness of that was unavoidable. Finally Jack found Daniel’s throat and plunged his teethes in it. Blind dog made no cry of pain, just whispered with fading consciousness.

“You have right... That’s not you... That’s just her...” Then from his mouth burst a wave of blood.

David and Ice found him when he was digging a grave.

*

Jack remembered a little from following hours. What he saved that when they run to him, he burst with mad laughter and fell on Daniel’s body.

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