would breath safely again. His decision was made.

“Don’t make me do this,” Kaltag said when he heard a growling coming from Star. Star whirled around and swept his back leg, tripping up Kaltag making him fall face first. Star brought up his paw and sent it crashing down onto Kaltag’s skull. Kaltag immediately grabbed his head and groaned.

“Who knew that you knew how to fight.”

Kaltag swung upwards with his paw and hit Star in the chops. He stood up and wiped across his mouth.

“But you forget. I’m bigger than you.”

The Chinook walked beside the smaller dog and sat on him enough to keep him immobile. Star struggled, but he made it look like he was trying harder than he actually was. This was probably the only way he could get away with not harming Kaltag too badly. He whispered a quiet “Thank you” when Kaltag turned away.

~-~-

Now was Kodi’s face-off. He stood there as the dog/clown was hunched down, his white teeth bared, sparkling white.

“Ya know, I never did like clowns.”

“And the clowns don’t like you half-pint.”

Hal hit a paw down on Kodi’s muzzle, snapping his mouth together, and ran beside him in one fluid movement before he put all his weight on Kodi and forced him down. Hal grinned at him sadistically as he chortled. He had the younger dog right where he wanted. Finally he had control over what he did without anyone there to stop him. He leaned down and opened his mouth wide, wrapping his jaws around the husky’s small throat. How he wanted to end it right there, but he had a thought. This was a boring way to end someone‘s life, he wouldn’t suffer enough, and it would be over quickly, and of course he couldn’t allow that. He grinned wider as Kodi winced. 

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” he cackled, “And this is only the beginning. Oh what fun we can have! And we will have fun!”

Hal moved his mouth towards the wound he had just opened up in Kodi’s pelt. He placed a paw onto the husky’s neck and lapped at the viscous liquid, savoring its taste. Kodi hissed in pain again as a sharp claw raked through him again.

“Ooh, I don’t think Pup likes that,” Hal laughed.

~-~-

“Nikki. Why? I thought we was always pals.”

“Sorry Jack, but things just gotta change sometimes,” Nikki said with an emotionless tone.

Burt wandered up behind Jack and looked at Nikki. Nikki closed his eyes briefly as Jack felt a tap on his shoulder. When he looked back, he found himself out of breath as he had just been hit hard in the stomach. Jack began wheezing as he tried to crawl away feebly. Burt could feel Steele’s eyes on them presently.

“Nikki, either you take him, or I will. It’s what our dear leader wishes.”

Nikki shook his head solemnly, he didn’t want to be a part of any killing. He shut his eyes and covered his ears. There was a snap followed by the sound of tedious breathing, which then ended quickly. Nikki peaked an eye open and then turned away. He never wanted to see something like that again.

~-~-

Stevan scraped his teeth across a brown husky’s leg, causing a red scar to appear. Becca grabbed onto his tail with her teeth and hung on with her life as he wildly flailed her about. And Seth had jumped onto his back and began to gnaw at his ears. The husky howled in pain as he tried to shake them all off, but it was no use. Each one of them was determined to not let down their uncle. Seth suddenly found himself lying on the floor.

“Oh no you don’t,” he growled.

This was his one chance to prove to Steele that he wasn’t as useless as he thought. He was going to be the most ruthless dog he could be, and impress him. With a snarl he ran towards the husky, knocking Stevan off of his leg and taking his place. He looked from the corner of his eye and saw Greg looking at him for a brief moment before looking bored and focusing on something else. Seth growled and latched all four sets of his claws and a set of teeth into the husky, hearing him shriek, giving Seth and odd sense of pleasure. He suddenly tasted a new something that had been foreign to him before… and he liked it very much.

~-~-

Steele stepped away from Jenna, leaving her alone to watch the horrifying scene taking place in front of her. She could hear the pain and agony being cried out by friend and enemy alike. She saw the small pup named Becca being flung about and she frowned. Jenna understood perfectly now. She had trusted this pup, befriended her, but all along she had been working with Steele to drag her and everyone else down. She tried to jerk away from the pipe, but all she got from that was a dull pinging noise. She laid down, her head resting between her paws as she closed her eyes. How could she have let this happen? How could she have been so blind and foolish to this obvious plot? She would have kept wallowing in her self pity, had it not been for the sudden silence. She became curious and stole a peak. They had all stopped fighting, but only for the reason of a stand-off taking place before them.

“Alright Balto. Enough waiting. Your life is two years overdue,” Steele smiled, cracking his neck and staring at the tan hybrid with his icy blue eyes.

Balto held the intensity with his own brown eyes. “Steele. It doesn’t have to come down to this. I don’t want to fight.”

“Typical. You’re too spineless of a coward to even defend the ones you love. Just like a wolf.”

Steele smirked and ran his tongue across his teeth. He knew exactly how to play this wolf-dog, knew how to make his blood boil.

“I never said that,” Balto whispered, “I don’t want innocents getting hurt because of some sick twisted revenge scheme.”

“Well then!” Steele called out in a much higher than normal pitch. “I bet you won’t like this too much then.”

He walked back to Jenna, watching Balto over his shoulder. He sat right down next to her and slipped the bandana off her muzzle. Before Jenna could show a sign of relief, her face screwed up in pain. Steele dug a claw deeper into her side and she screamed. A huge, sinister grin appeared on his face, his eyes widening at this feeling of dominance and power.

“Let her go!” Balto growled.

“Ooh, so Lobo has a little temper,” Steele chuckled.

He stood back up, kicked Jenna in the side, and began to pace towards Balto, leaving her gasping. Steele pushed his way through the other dogs and came within inches of his enemies face. The other dogs formed a semi-circle around the two dogs, keeping them pinned between themselves and the door, the boiler right in the center.

“So… Balto… I say you just go have at your mother, because I’m not leaving here without the girl.”

“She has a name you know..”

“And I’m sure she’ll have plenty more when I get through with her, if you know what I mean.”

Balto had had enough. This was against most of what he believed in, but he wasn’t going to let this monster hurt and degrade Jenna anymore, or anyone else for that matter.

“Steele. This ends tonight.”

The fire blazed fiercely in the boiler, hiding half of their bodies in the shadows it cast. Steele’s teeth sparkled in the light and a harsh wind bellowed through a window, sending the chains above clanking.

“I thought you’d never have such a wonderful idea.”

Everyone watched on in silence as they waited for the first move to be made.

“C’mon Balto!” Jenna shouted.

Steele turned around in surprise, and Balto took this to his advantage. He quickly rammed into Steele sending him flying to the floor. The dogs surrounding them whispered intensely as Steele stood up again. He rolled his shoulders and whipped around to face Balto again.

“Well half-breed, looks like there’s still some hope for you after all!” he called out shrilly.

This time Steele barreled after Balto who calmly stepped aside, not realizing that Steele had already planned for this. He changed his direction slightly and ran past Balto, but not before grabbing the scruff of his neck with his razor sharp teeth and dragging him across the floor.

“Honestly, is that all you got!?”

Balto groaned quietly as he picked himself up. He could hear both cheers and hisses directed towards him and he gave a small smile. 

“I’m just getting warmed up.”

“Balto! Behind you!” yelled a brown husky.

Balto suddenly felt something land on his back.

“What the-”

“Take this!”

He winced and felt a stinging sensation as teeth sunk into his back, and then he felt claws ripping at him as well. Steele smirked in pleasure.

“Aw, what’s the matter Balto? Can’t handle a pup?”

“Hey! That’s unfair!” Kaltag yelled in anger as he took a step forward.

“All’s fair in love and war.”

Steele looked at his side and nodded to them. Lilith shoved Star and Nikki towards Jenna. Steele’s eyes began to twinkle like a pup’s. Everything was going perfectly!

“Now, any of you interfere, you’ll lose Jenna too. And I don’t think you want that.”

Lilith whispered to Hal and snickered.

“Best part is, Brother Steele made those three pups think that Stevan was his best pick, but in fact, he was the worst. He was just using him to make the others jealous, and I guess Seth was the one who wants to shine.”

“Ooh, how very…