paws, enduring that shove. She bares her teethes, but Niju just smiles, like he was proud of that.]

What is goodness if not power? What is beauty if not might?
Cause for every blooming flower ten more wither with no light
Does life really is the blessing, or we must deserve for it
God created our fangs to tear the meat 

[Then he comes to some other female – she is strong and is growling on old leader loud. He bends to her, as if he wants to kiss her. She snapped her jaws on him – Niju jumps back with laughter.]

You could sympathy the weakling, knowing you will fall one day
But that tragedy on road-side just can’t lead you on astray
And when my time some day will come – I won’t yell for any break
That heroism all of you will someday make

[Niju comes to Crack, who is probably the strongest of Conquerors (along with Sergey). He pretends he pushes him, but in the same time he trips dark wolf with paw, so Crack falls down. Then Niju puts a paw on his forehead, but let him go after few seconds.]

Chorus:
The survival of the fittest
And for weakling just death’s call
Call it cruelty for the weaker?
That’s the fairest deal of all!

[He is walking back to own pack, fare welled but hostile snaps of Conquerors and Drifters. His own wolves part before him with respect. Then the rank gets back to tight formation. Niju is again on lead, between Flame and Dymitr.]

By hell we’re fighting right now
We’re ascending to divine
With his instinct one understands
Be the best means be alive

[Zoom-in on Flame’s face – he looks almost hypnotized by father’s song. When it ends, he turn to enemy with even greater fury in eyes. Music stops.]

 

“Shoot me down!” murmured Gunnar, looking on wolves in their sophisticated ritual and nudging Arashi’s side. “I thought that such a ridicules are only in those stupid books. But now I see it on my own eyes.”

“Sometimes I’m glad I have a myopia.” Replied Japanese and then a loud howl sounded.

“Steele!” called surprised Niju.

“Dad!” cried Cris with relief.

“Not only!” called Kitty, sitting on Steele’s back. “We are in right moment for cavalry, mister sled-one.”

“What a mess here!” barked malamute. “Son, we have to clean it up. You must bring your mother and sister here. I will make sure they won’t bite themselves to death.”

“I’ll do it, dad!” said Cris and bended down to lying Natalya. “Listen to me... I have to leave... But I’ll be back, I promise.”

“I believe you, my love.” She replied with weak voice. “Help them... and that way you will help me... you will help our.” She licked his cheek.

“So I’m going.” Repeated Cris. “Don’t be afraid of those humans. As I figured out they are friends of my father.” She nodded her muzzle and dog turned to west.

“Do you think we will let you go?” asked Sergey with genuine amaze.

“No.” replied dog and added quieter. “I hate baths!”

And then he ran to other side of isle, hit the ice with paws, breaking it. Instantly he jumped under and let current to take him.

“What the...” gasped Conquerors alpha, seeing the shade of floating dog right below his ranks.

“Quick!” called Steele. “Make him an air-hole!” Several Peninsulas and Buck starts to his the ice straight down-river from isle. After few hits ice cracked and Cris muzzle appeared. Wolves grabbed his fur with jaws and helped him go out from water.

“Funny thing.” Said Gunnar to confused Arashi. Actually Norwegian was also shocked, but whole situation seemed so weird for him that he decided to ignore any new wonders. “That malamute... He looks familiar...”

 

 

XI. Fathers and Sons

 

Few hours passes and wind grew stronger, bringing heavy snowfall. Actually the real storm was coming. Thanks to that frost wasn’t to severe but fresh snow was even greater danger for unprepared humans. Arashi and Gunnar were dressed properly for Alaska’s frosts but they had limited supplies and whet they had, had drown with plane. So they were lacking of food and ammunition and dwarf-pines from island could fuel their fire but wood was also limited. Around them was dark, October night and tens of wolves.

“Whatever will happen, I won’t kill that wolf.” Said Tazaku, correcting Natalya’s bandage.

“So you think we will be here long enough to get so hungry that we would consider eating her?” asked Kaasen. “Come on, somebody will get know something happened. Probably right now in Buckland they are thinking about searching us.”

“Probably.” Agreed Japanese. “But it’s useless. They have no airplane and journey with sled would take full two days... under condition they know where to go.”

“So they telegraph to Nenana, ask for air reconnaissance... Ow.” Stopped Gunnar with grim smile. “Yes, that could took a while. But now don’t think about it. Take a rest, until we have fire and I’m strong enough to keep the watch.”

“I will change you in few hours.” Promised Arashi and laid down next to fire. “Wake me up if they attack or I start to burn.”

But two circles of wolves were waiting in silence. Snow in the air made that night quite bright – no stars were seen but white layer on the ground and milky cover on the sky was glowing with mild, reflected light. Also glare of campfire was enlightening whole area. Gunnar was on watch. About two hours passed in peace but then trapped spotted some moving shadow. He nudged sleeping Japanese, waking him up immediately. Arashi raised his head, turned it in pointed direction and gasped with amaze.

“I can’t believe it too.” Agreed Kaasen.

Two silhouettes ware marching to the island. When they reached inner circle of Drifters and Conquerors they were greeted by hostile growls and barks. But they didn’t stopped. Ignoring scary jaw-snaps in the air, two shadows entered the circle. In mouths of both canines were bodies of does.

“We have to go back for more.” Murmured Steele, who was barely audible due to load in his mouth.

“What?” gasped Sahsha. “That many meat will last her for few days.”

“That is meat for humans!” replied malamute. “I had to lie we giving it Natalya, because it was the only way to make your companions let me in.”

“You’re witty one, sir.” Said Sasha. “But next time I suggest you explain me your plans.” They entered circle of light from fire. Two humans froze, falling silent and lowering their guns. Then they called.

“STEELE!” cried Gunnar.

“STEVE!” cried Arashi.

“THAT’S MY DOG!” they called together.

“Ow, so you are living double life all the time?” smiled Sasha and put her load in front of humans.

“Some sort.” Replied dog. “Maybe even triple.”

Then he threw down the meat and went to humans. He lowered his ears and open his mouth, craning his tongue. He laid down in snow. First Gunnar, carefully stretched his arm and touched malamute’s head. Steele licked his glove. Then Arashi came and put his hand on dog’s side.

“It can’t be...” he said. “Steele? I’m sure that is my old sled-team leader, Steve!”

“That’s Steele! My best guide, whom I lost six years ago and saw three years ago in forest...”

“You said <Six years ago>?” amazed Japanese. “That the time I found Steve in Buckland...”

“Go back.” Ordered malamute to Sasha. “Family reminiscences could take a while. Get your wolves and hunt something for Natalya.”

“Right, sir.” Replied she-wolf and disappeared in darkness, while humans were still petting Steele and trying to create the true history of dog. Finally malamute barked.

“Ow, right...” agreed Arashi. “We must look on those wolves. You have luck they let you in...”

“O, my God!” gasped Guunar. “They left theirs preys! For us... or for that wounded bitch.” He looked on friend with amaze in his stare. “Arashi, you are the educated man. Tell me, how it is possible.”

“You are not scientist.” Replied doctor. “YOU tell me how it could be. I can only explain you that is impossible.”

“At last, master.” Murmured Steele, cuddling to Gunnar’s side. “I know you can’t hear me but I hope you feel it. That is for that in Nome. Now I’ll do what I have failed there. Save you... or die trying.”

“All right.” Said Japanese. Get the meat, cut some raw part for that wolf and let grill the rest.”

When humans started to prepare the meal, Steele came to Natalya and woke her with gentle nudging on her nose. She opened her eyes and noticed malamute in front of her.

“Who are... You look like Cris!”

“Or even more handsome!” smiled dog. “Nice to meet you, I’m Cris father. Did I understand it well? Are we going to be family?”

“If we survive this, I would like to.” Replied wolf.

“Another wolf in family.” Murmured Steele. “God has His own sense of humour. But anyway, how you paw?”

“Good... I mean: bad, but humans bandaged it.” She replied. “Do you think that Cris will make it?”

“I think he has no other choice.”

*

What was just pleasant snowfall on shore-lowland, higher in mountain, on Green Range, turned out to be real storm. Cris decided to take the shortest straw to Buckland, whatever it takes. He hoped that when he passed Bears Mountain main peak, he would be able to howl and being heard from town. He knew that his mother sharp hear would recognize son’s voice from many miles. But even that wouldn’t help if storm is still raging.

“Go, go, go ahead. If stop that means you’re dead!” was murmuring Cris silently, wresting with furious element.

Wind was hitting him with snow right into his muzzle. He left the peaceful pine forest and was marching on mountain slope, passing just dwarf-pine groves. Those gave him minimal shelter from the storm. But that situation had also some advantage – the terrain was so hard that Cris just could think about making a stop. So he was going on and on, barely sensing own paws.

“For

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