V. Espionage Tactics

In straight line the distance between Haven Valley and cape was not more than hundred miles. By marching in easy way, passing by mountains and hills ranges, it turns out to be about hundred and fifty miles. But with arctofox on back, the route seemed to stretch to over two hundred or more. After two days of walking in deep snow and carrying Kitty, Cris had enough of that.

“What a wonderful landscape!” sighed white-furred. “Hey, look on that valley. Don’t keep your nose down.”
”One... word... more...” panted wolfdog. “And... we... swap...”

But the vicinity was stunning indeed. Cris had never been there before – so far on west in shore-belt. The pattern of valleys and hills ranges, all covered with dense taiga turned to more flan and monotonous area. But in looser forest, where fast torrents turn to wide rivers and still lakes, the midday sun was glimmering in silver water, almost blinding wanderers. That why Cris kept his nose to the ground, however he also had to admit that Shoreland was beautiful.

“Stop...” pandet brownish-furred. “Let’s make a break.”

“Oh no, I can go farther.” Said riding Kitty, but seeing bared teethes of friend she added. “Of course, you could use some break... if you want.”

They sat in cluster of dwarf-pines and Cris was panting aloud for some time. Then he started to eat some snow to quench his thirst. It took several minutes before he was ready further actions.

“You hear that?” he asked. “That is the sea... I guess. But never mind. Some wolves were here, in this grove. Not earlier that two days ago. That means, our mission is on.”

“Your mission, comrade!” replied Kitty.

“That’s not funny.” Hissed wolfdog. “You are here to help me and be ready to forward my messages to packs.”

“How?” yelled arctofox. “Should I howl? Because if you think that I could go back on my own...”

“Never mind.” Interrupted her Cris. “You must hide anyway. I think that dog joining the wolfpack with fox as a friend is weird enough to wake some suspicions.”

“You are very distrustful.”

“But alive.” Noticed wolfdog. “So hide somewhere here and do not contact with me unless... unless...” wondered. “I know – let’s meet on fullmoon... that is for four days... here. Right?”

“Right, sir!” reported Kitty and gave a salute. “But bring me some meal, because I don’t want to hunt myself... You know... I have to take care about my camouflage.”

“Good, I’ll try.” Said Cris. “But go now. I sense some wolves.”

“Bye, Cris... take care!” called Kitty and in one second she disappeared under the snow.

“Wow. Your winter coat is really useful.” Murmured wolfdog. “And besides it’s pretty.” Added.

Then he laid among dwarf-pines to wait for residents of grove. He wanted to stay alert in case if pack would return, but effort of journey soon overcame him. Eyelids became heavy and sticky, so Cris even hadn’t noticed when he fell asleep. It was just coincidence – fortunately or not – that he laid on side, cuddled to pine’s trunk. He half submerged into snow and was turned to centre of grove with his lower, almost white coat. In fact his unintentional camouflage was good as Kitty’s one.

“I can’t believe it!” female voice awoke Cris. In last moment he repressed himself from jumping up, because he noticed that some wolves are just next to him. “You are against me too!”

Cris nestled deeper in snow but he raised his ears and was listening carefully. He still didn’t see the talking newcomers, but he was sure they are close.

“No, Natalya... you are wrong.” Replied another female voice. “I’m thinking about your future. That it the best way to save our new pack intact and best way for you to still be an alpha.”

“Sasha, you are talking just like him!” yelled the first she-wolf.

“And what is bad in that?” asked the second. “Sergey is very handsome...” added with dreamy voice. “And he wants to be your mate. So you will be alpha not just of our old, small pack, but great wolves-coalition, who is about to claim own territory. And thanks to that you could do everything you want to... for example: make your best friend a beta.”

Cris carefully raised his muzzle to take a look from the snow. He was able to notice a silhouette of grey-furred female with darker spots on her back. And few feet further was standing the most beautiful bitch Cris had ever seen. She was silver-furred, of slim and fragile figure. Fur on her gentle muzzle was wet of tears, however her stare was decisive and firm. Wolfdog gasped quietly due to that sudden amaze, fortunately the beautiful unknown started to talk in the same moment.

“Listen... I don’t care what you talk about Sergey. I’m sick of his sticky, sly and bossy talks. I don’t want be his mate. But besides...” she hushed her friend with raised paw. “But besides of that, I’m alpha anyway! My father was leader of Drift Pack and I should take his heritage as my own.”

“Natalya...” whispered grey-furred. “That is not the Drift Pack any longer. We are the Outcast Pack. But under Sergey... and I hope: also yours leadership, we will became the Conquerors Pack.”

“Listen to yourself!” cried Natalya. “My father raised you as own daughter, after your parents died. And if I remember good, he raised you as a Drift Wolf. Your pack is dying!” called with emotional voice. “We lost our homeland, we lost our leader. If Sergey is to be an alpha, it will lost its tradition too. And right now he are loosing own very identity, by joining that wanderers. And they want to declare war! For what! We are new here and we are going to bite our hosts! I don’t want to be responsible for that.”

“Your decision.” Replied Sasha. “You could mate with Sergey after we conquered that cape.”

“No, you don’t understand!” sighed silver-furred and lower her muzzle. “Go to the pack and said that you lost me on hunt. I will back evening.”

“Ow, Natalya...” asked Sasha. “Will you be all right?”

“Yes, leave me alone.” She murmured. “I’ll be fine. What do you think: maybe some local, bloodthirsty wolf is already spying and is ready assassinate me to stop our pack?”

Cris narrowed his eyes abut he remained silent. Sasha lowered her ears, nodded her head and turned to the forest. Then she set off in pack’s direction. Wolfdog was lying still in snow, heavily thinking what to do then. He wanted with all his heart to stand and show himself to beautiful she-wolf, but he knew it was too late. Actually he had been eavesdropping and entering the scene then was rather inelegant. But events outran him quickly. He heard a muffled sobbing of silver-furred. She was crying, cuddling her muzzle in snow just next to him. Cris felt that her nose was just few inches from his side. Wolfdog gulped quietly and stood up.

“E...” said rather ineloquently.

“Sergey...” sobbed Natalya. “So you heard... I don’t care. Exile me, kill me, I’m tired of that.”

“Ma’am...” interrupted her wolf-dog. “I’m very sorry, but...”

Suddenly she burst with new energy. She-wolf jumped up, showering Cris with snow and pushed him with front paws. Confused Cris shielded his eyes with paw, but then Natalya pounced on him and overturned him. Bitch was light, but she was charging with unexpected strength on unprepared dog. So brownish-furred found himself pressed into the snow and sensed the jaws grabbing his neck.

“Ow, you are not Sergey...” whispered Natalya, loosing her grip. “Well, if it was him, he wouldn’t have let me beat him like that...”

Cris cast aside his a bit touched pride and stood up from ground. He looked on silver-furred.

“No, ma’am. My name is not Sergey, but I would be more careful with judging his abilities. I bet no wolf would shun your welcome.”

“Who are you?” she asked with confused voice. “You are dog, malamute...”

“Actually not a malamute, but: half malamute, one-eight Siberian husky, one-eight wolf and quarter Alaskan husky. My name is Cris.”

“Nice to bite... I mean: nice to meet you, Cris.” Said silver-furred, discreetly wiping her tears from muzzle. Then she pointed a curious stare on him. “But why did you spying us?”

“I’m terribly sorry, ma’am.” Replied wolfdog. “I was just carefully. You know, I have no pack and right now I’m living on my own... Your group is huge and I wasn’t sure if you are friendly... In fact, I’m still not sure.”

She smiled and came closer to brownish-furred.

“I’m not hostile... at least not as hostile as you could think after our... greeting. My name is Natalya and I’m... I was an alpha of Drift Pack.”

“Ow...” murmured Cris. “I was listening you a while, but I’m still confused. You meat you was deposed by some claimant named Sergey?”

“That is not your business, Cris.” She barred her teethes but just after that she narrowed her eyes and turned her stare to the ground. “And I guess that not my anymore.” She was silent for a while, but then looked in wolfdog’s eyes. “Is it possible to manage at own here?”

“Ha?” gasped Cris.

“Sorry, I would go some further, not to host on your area... Is many game here?”

“But what do you mean?” yelled brownish-furred. “You want leave own pack?”

“Ask her, how numerous they are!” whispered Kitty, who was looking on that scene from rock above them. “Where they sleep and about weakness of their leader.” Of course, she was too far for Cris to hear her and in fact it was fortunate for her.

“You hear that... I don’t want to be Sergey’s mate. And I know I can’t save my father’s pack from vanishing. So now I’m an outcast... I guess – just like you.”

“But if someone challenge that Sergey and win a duel for you...” said Cris, although he didn’t want to call it loud. Before he finished, he was already scared by won word. “No, that not good idea!” though desperately. “I’m here on a mission not to find another troubles.” But then he looked in deep, green Natalya’s eyes and all doubts flew away.

“You’re kidding.” She snorted. “No one would win with him, he