IX. All Dogs go to Hell

Steele woke up about midday. Recent day he had been practicing with pack, what exhausted him hard. Moreover - ache in paws increased caused insomnia for most of the night. But when sleepy malamute opened his eyes quickly he felt growing anger on Peninsulans and Bucks that they hadn’t awoken him. He slowly stood up, take a look ion cave, ready to scold first spotted wolf. But no one was there.

Steele went out from cave (he wanted to run, but aching paw turned that effort into just slow march) and saw that both packs were gone. The message that Niju scratched on pine trunk in front of entrance was clear. It was a sign of war.

“I can’t believe it!” snorted malamute. “Again Niju thinks he is a smart alec!” He burst in laughter but after few seconds stopped, narrowed his eyes and sniffed the fresh tracks.

About ten hours. So it would be hard, but he still had some chance to catch them. Hobbling malamute set off west trying to avoid basing on front-left paw.

*

Cris woke on dawn and instantly continued his pursuit. It turn out to be harder than he thought, because both Conquerors Pack (dog sensed well they tracks) and Natalya started to stray. Wolves made a turn north, passed the brink of Sandy Range and then turned once again and back to the west. It looked like Sergey was looking for something and when he didn’t find, directed back to the shore. Hoping that he was right, Cris decided to risk and make a shortcut, by crossing hills.

He was still confused by his nightly vision, but he was close to believe that all was true. Even running on Sandy Range we was sensing some presence, reminding him dead brother. That unseen specter seemed to guiding him, finding the easier way. At least Cris believed that – he was running fast and firmly in area he had been never before. Additionally the vision somehow calmed him down – none of his problem was solved but dog knew he wasn’t alone.

Finally Cris reached the bed of some unnamed river. It was mountain torrent, coming down from Bears Range then floating next to hills he was going. Smelling strong scent of wolves in the air, dog with relief entered frozen surface of wide river. Frosts of recent nights iced it solidly, at least near the banks. So Cris was speeding on that comfortable route, still sniffing for well known scent. About midday he sensed it right in front of him.

*

Pack stopped and was looking on leader with questioning stare. But Sergey was furious and paid no attention on his charges. And if he did, he would probably felt a bit uncertain – there wasn’t any intention in that, but wolves instinctively divided into two groups – newcomers and original Drifts. Both teams were seeing that scene from slightly different perspective. Strays were just waiting what their leader would do. Drifts looked on daughter of their old chief with expectations.

Natalya was on the road west, just next to river’s cliff. She was looking with decisive stare on Sergey and her teethes were bared. She had changed for those few days and all pack, especially brown-furred alpha knew it well.

“Welcome, my dear.” Said Sergey, covering his anger with venomous kindness. “Are reconsidered your... problems and went back?”

“Yes and no.” replied Natalya. “I reconsidered problems I have and understood that only serious one is you!” and added with louder and more willful voice. “And I haven’t leave the pack. Only you left the rightful leader.”

“Crack.” Whispered Sergey. “Get her, but don’t kill her.”

“I don’t know, boss...” murmured black-furred. “But I think you was challenged.”

Sergey looked on beta with anger. Crack smiled and in that smile all turned out to be clear. Wolf wasn’t loyal to alpha as he wasn’t loyal to anyone. He was just waiting for his chance... Maybe with few leaderess he would become an alpha male?

“You will regret that.” Gasped Sergey, setting off ahead.

“I doubt, sir. I’m not sentimental one.” Replied beta with irony.

“Sergey, stand and fight!” called Natalya. Brown-furred went before ranks of wolves and came to bitch.

“What the hell possessed you!” murmured quietly. “I will kill you...”

“Are you sure?” smiled Natalya. Sergey’s jaw dropped. “I’m sure you won’t. I could win and even if I don’t you still need me. Instead of your loyal subjects.” She smiled and pointed on laughing Crack and indifferent Olga.

“You expect to rule them?” asked alpha. “They gave no heck about you when I exiled you.”

“The same as for you now.” Noticed silver-furred. “But I’m a female after all. I still haven’t chosen a mate. So I hope at least for one, loyal ally.”

“Ow...” Sergey snorted. “I don’t recognize you! You started talking like touch one. What how it could be that you - so sweet pup – became so cynical?”

“I had a good tutor.” Smiled Natalya, although the careful observer could notice a two tears in corners of her eyes. “So, let’s fight. If I win, I will consider making you an alpha. But if you win you will have no other choice than making me mate and alpha female if you want to rule that lot.”

Sergey burst in laughter and was laughing for over minute. Then pinned his furious stare in Natalya’s eyes.

“Cool!” he snorted. “But what about if I accidentally kill you?”

“You have to try.” Replied silver-furred with still firm voice, although yet without that overwhelming certainty.

So Sergey attacked without any more warning. He pounced on enemy with outstretched paws, intending to quickly pin her down and immobilize her. But Natalya seemed to wait for that. She jumped aside and wolf hit just snow on the verge of road. Impetus pushed brown-furred further and he, slipping, got to the cliff. In spite of desperate moves, he fell behind the edge and second later hit the ice below.

Natalya was ready for that. She jumped down, landing firmly on stunned wolf and grabbed his neck. Although he was much stronger and more experienced the temporally shock of fall made him defenseless for several seconds. It was enough for Natalya to hardly grab enemy’s throat and clasp it. Steel muscles of Sergey made a unbreakable barrier for silver-furred’s fangs, so she was unable to crush his trachea. But firm grip of bitch started to slowly chocking a giant male. When he understood that danger he made an impulsive attempt to free himself. He fell down on side, overturning Natalya with him and pushed the ice with all paws. So they both slid about ten feet out from the shore. There river was turning into backwater. Wide pool of still water, all covered with ice, was about hundred meters wide. But current of river was still alive under that layer. Most probably in center of backwater ice was thin and fragile. Sergey was hoping he would scare enemy, but he was wrong.

Silver-furred was still grasping his neck, in spite that wolf was crawling to the center of pool. Slowly losing his consciousness alpha knew that he would be killed by weaker female if he wouldn’t stopped her plan quickly. That why with dimmed mind he was still marching to the thin ice, despite of louder and louder sounds of crack under their paws.

Conquerors Pack divided. When Drifters noticed that their rightful alpha had a chance to win they started to gather in group. In reply newcomers formed another club on the other side of road. Olga stayed on the road, uncertain what to do. She was sure she couldn’t hope for any privileges among strays however she felt that Crack surely wouldn’t kill her. For the other paw she offender or discouraged most of Drifters. She looked helplessly on Crack.

“So what will you do, Olga?” asked Sasha with strong voice. “Decide: we or them!”

“Touching.” Smiled Crack, looking in Olga’s eyes. “But we still have a number high ground.”

Beta took a quick look on old pack. Sasha formed Drifters in ranks, taking a leadership, but leaving one place in front free – as it was waiting for Natalya.

“You were Alexander’s beta.” Gasped gamma. “And now you are Natalya’s... whatever you do.”

“Come with us.” Called black-furred. “Fourteen to twenty five jaws! We will win!”

“I’m sorry, Crack...” whispered Olga and stepped to Drift rank.

“No... that I’m who is sorry.” Replied dark-furred with almost sad voice. Then he wagged his tail, giving a signal to attack. Wolves set off to charge, when...

Ice cracked.

Sergey with his last effort dragged Natalya almost to the middle of backwater. She noticed the danger but she also knew that loosing enemy meant almost death-sentence. She had no chance with Sergey in close combat so she was still holding hic throat hoping she would finally stun him or choke him. But when ice broke below her paws she lost her grab.

They didn’t fall into cold water. Both Natalya and Sergey managed to get on some big, solid drifts. Those two ice pieces were about five feet from each other, so enemies were on range of pounce. But they didn’t think about charging but desperately trying to maintain balance and not to fall to the frosty water. A look on river freed from ice-layer wasn’t soothing – smaller drifts were pulled under ice, because of strong current. If something gets under it had almost for sure float downriver.

“And whet now, sweety?” asked Sergey, panting, but quickly regaining his confidence. “I would say we have a draw. You prove to be worthy. How about our weeding plans?”

“We are not finished yet!” hasped Natalya.

“O my God!” snorted brown-furred. “Are bored by life? Now you have what you want. Let join me and as an alpha you will help me to conquer some territory for us!” He laid down on drift and put his paw to water. It seemed to be just random moves, but wolf started to row in solid ice direction. “It all came on your way, didn’t it? So let’s go to the shore and celebrate our alliance and... love...” smiled Sergey.

“At least...” snorted Natalya with growing anger., “Cris was lying in much more charming way!”

But then brown-furred