his tail to ask Niju and Dymitr aside. When wolves followed him, he jumped on his favourite ledge in Haven and said on prepared brush-bedding. “Nice going... But it’s still looks grim, in condition that we are going to face whole that pack.”

“With panic you should wait for first report of your son.” Noticed Niju. “We don’t know if they are weak or strong...”

“...and if they are hostile or peacefully.” Finished Steele.

“I don’t recognize you.” Smiled Dymitr. “You lose your zeal when you are about to bite some wolves?” He and Niju laughed.

“That’s not funny.” Murmured Steele. “Even if we win, there would be casualties. Many casualties. I’m thinking about alternative.”

“There is no alternative, Steele.” Said Niju seriously. “When wolfpacks are rivalling for territory they must fight or run. We won’t run and I expect they won’t either. Casualties? Well, that’s the nature’s way. Maybe not very merciful, but it’s going through the ages.”

“I bet you would say something different if Flame got his part in that <natural selection> process.”

“My son will be fighting in first line!” growled black-furred alpha. “You won’t see him with rolled up tail!”

“I believe.” Replied Steele. “But still I wish to find some friendly paw, not hostile claw.” He jumped down from the ledge. He landed on aching left paw and barely represses a gasp of pain. “I hope that pack will come soon.” He thought with bitter smile. “Before I die!”

*

Quest of searching wolpack turned out to be extremely difficult. Although neither Arathi nor Gunnar knew what had happened to many wolves in USSR, they understood that mostly of creatures knew the sound of plane-engine and is deadly scared by it. So it was a grind – friends were flying over the shore and desperately trying to recognise if lone silhouettes of canines were stray dogs, lone wolves of members of vast pack, who accidentally didn’t manage to hide on time. One thing that they were sure was two pack who crossed the ice-float-bridge on twenty fifth and twenty eighth October. Creatures were running in haze, not caring even for plane over them.

“That’s not good.” Murmured Arashi, hiding his camera to backpack. “Let’s fly back, I guess the fuel is low.”

“As you wish.” Replied Norwegian. “You decide because it’s your turn to land.”

“Again?” yelled Tazaku. “I was landing yesterday!”

“I doesn’t count, because you failed.” Smiled Kaasen. “You drove us in your daughter’s laundry!”

“Nobody’s dead, so...”

When friends were arguing on the sky, in forest below then Natalya and Cris were crouching in snow den, waiting for plane to fly out. Although wolfdog knew that the risk was minimal – Steele had told him much about humans – but he didn’t want to show she-wolf anything about him. “I’ll be better just a stray dog, with no connections with humans, wolves nor with anyone.” Thought. “God! My camouflage is so good that for now I have no connection even with main object of my observation!” Once again he decided to made Natalya go back to grove and follow the pack. But few times he had failed to do that, because she didn’t want to have anything to do with former companions.

“Hey, I guess, we may go.” Said Cris.

Natalya moved back from Cris side. When they had taken cover, she instinctively nestled to dog, shivering, but when danger was gone, she pretended that nothing that had happened. “She is afraid.” Thought brownish-furred. “But she can’t show it.”

“Right. Lead the way.” They exited their den and stopped on sunned clearing day was clear and warm, although no clouds on the sky was announcing the frosty night. Fortunately theirs stomachs were full, thanks to Natalya’s hunting skills. “Where now, Cris?”

“I don’t know...” murmured dog. “Maybe south? We could find some leftovers from your former pack...” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...”

“No...” she said. “You have right, I can’t let them influence my life any longer. I left them, so I don’t take care of them... and definitely I don’t fear them. Lead the way – go south!”

“Thanks...” murmured dog. “But you go first. I don’t know how fast I should...”

“Ow, ow, ow...” hissed Natalya, pretending she was huffed. “What are you saying, mister <sledmaster>. You think I can’t keep you up? So take this! TAG! YOU’RE IT!” she pushed Cris side so hard, he overturned on the snow and she started to run south with full speed, laughing. Dog spited out snow from his mouth but then he too burst in laughter, chasing his companions. Until the evening they made ten miles and returned to the dwarf-pine grove. And then they found Amber.

Whole scene looked strange – two adolescent, but almost mature canines were running in snow, laughing and joking around, time to time wrestling and chasing like tiny pups in airily play. They ran on clearing before the grove and heard the moan of unconsciousness wolf. That cut all they joy in one second. Cris raised his ears and murmured to Natalya.

“Stop here! I will check it out.”

Probably few weeks earlier wolfish pride would have forbade silver-furred to let dog stand as her bodyguard, but then she was so surprised she didn’t say a word. She just crouched in snow, seeing when brownish-furred was sneaking to bush of pines where moans were coming from. After several seconds she ragained her cold blood and decided to follow her companion, when she heard Cris yell. Dog jumped up and Natalya started to run to him. But second after Cris froze, just looking down on the ground. When she-wolf got there she found him and some black shape on the snow. It was Amber. Wolf was dying from fever.

“O, my God!” gasped Cris. “That’s the guy I threw down the ledge yesterday! What happened?”

Natalya went closer and sniffed over shivering body. But the cause of illness was easy to find – wolf had broke rear-left paw and injury overgrown with pus and was pulsing in scary way.

“Amber?” asked silver-furred. “Wake up!” But when he didn’t react, she turned to Cris. “I guess we won’t do much. But if he is there, pack must be near, so they will return to him. Let’s go before...” But then she noticed rank of track – as is Drifters and others had gone in ordered formation few hours earlier. “Or they won’t...” she finished with terror.

“They left him?” whispered Cris with confusion.

“Yes.” Confirmed Natalya. “And his paw is not broken because of fall... but because of duel...” On Amber’s body were numerous cuts of teethes and few pools of blood nearby. “Sergey did it... Amber had to challenge him... I can’t believe it!” she turned her stare into the ground. “It wouldn’t happened in times of my father. He used to exile claimants who lost the challenge, but he never fought to death!”

“He’s not dead yet!” said Cris with decisive voice. “And he won’t be. Help me!”

Natalya joined uncertain tries of wolfdog. When she immobilised other paws of wolf, he sank his teethes into the swelling to cut it and suck out the pus. After few attempts – when Amber awoken but few moments later was stunned by pain again – they manage to clear the wound. They set the bone, thanks to unconsciousness of patient, then carefully dragged wolf deeper in grove, where was warmer. Then Cris said.

“Wait here with him I’ll get some meat.”

“Cris...” called Natalya. Dog stopped. “I... thank you... He is not of my pack... But I was responsible for him for few days and...”

“You’re welcome.” Replied brownish-furred and ran to the forest. He was desperately hoping he get some prey despite of weariness and aching paws.

*

Kitty found him on Shore Hills. Actually, he didn’t recognise he scent and almost hunt her. He stopped in last moment with jaws over her nape.

“Hi, Cris!” called fox, exiting his grab.

“Damn!” murmured dog. “Be more careful! There are plenty of wolves there and it’s not only me.”

“You’re not a wolf, but half malamute, one-eight... All right, all right!” she stopped when he grabbed her in jaws and started to shake. “I got the point. I will be careful. Put now: put me down and give me a report.”

“To you?” gasped Cris, putting her on the snow.

“Yes, and I will forward it to Rin, Niju’s scout.” She replied. “He is few miles away, but he doesn’t want to come closer, aware not to alarm that pack. So tell me: how many jaws, where they are heading and is that cute silver-furred is your pass to coup d’etat?”

“What?” yelled dog.

“So you picking her up privately?” asked with curious stare. “That is not the best way to fulfil our mission.”

“I’m not picking her up!” opposed dog. “She has some troubles, she left her pack.” But seeing the ironical stare of Kitty, he left it and added. “But I have a prisoner now.”

“Wow!” gasped fox. “Let me interrogate him!”

“No, no! he is wounded now.” Murmured wolfdog. “But when he find out who save him... I could persuade him to help us. He was almost killed by chief of that lot – Sergey.”

“That is something...” whispered Kitty. “We have villain’s name – time to invite some propaganda-pun-rhymes on him, huh?”

“Go now.” Asked Cris. “I have to hunt something.”

“Follow me!” smiled Kitty. “Those guys left many good meat after them!”

*

He returned to grove about midnight, carrying a solid potion of meat. It was – technically - a carcass and leftover, but due to overwhelming frost the meat was fresher than they wished to.

“Cris! You did it!” smiled Natalya, seeing the prey.”

“Of course I did!” snorted dog. “I’m living on my own for some time and I manage. Don’t you see?”

She went to him, licked his forehead with gratitude and started to tear food to smaller portions. After few minutes they had many small bitefulls, which they can give to Amber. Dark wolf was still weak but awaken. He greeted the meat with smile on his face and quickly devoured his share. When finally he regained some breath he said.

“Thank you...” he looked on Natalya. “I’m so sorry