disappeared.

*

Philip Fering was piloting. Additionally it was a plane borrowed by his money. Neither Jack Straw – the Alaska Governor’s Special Environmental Commissioner nor John Ash were avid to fund it. US Government did what it could, giving Straw any plenary powers to appoint the area of the new national park, but gave him nothing more. The Great Crisis was still causing chaos even on remote state of Alaska. Fortunately the King’s Government turned out to be more generous. The case was fixed: it was a joined venture of Canada and US to create a special zone for wild animals. Wardens got the additional instructions on that case and Alaska governor assigned some funds for compensations for farmers for eventually killed cows. But anyway most of new pack had to be driven on eastern side of border, to Yukon. But that was the part that Philip hoped to order his American friends. Or American-Japanese-Norwegian friends.

“Prepare for landing.” Warned Fering. “Parachutes are in hold.” John and Jack Straw instantly stood up and set off from cockpit. “Stop! I was just kidding!” called Phillip and he added with quieter voice. “Those bloody stiff just can’t appreciate some well, English sense of humour...”

He lowered the plane. It was huge Fokker F. VII, triple engine machine, designed to hard conditions of the North. It was also equipped with float-undercarriage to land on lakes. Philip turned nose to plane down and smiled.

“Here they are!” called to still a bit scared companions. “And they were even so kind to clear ice from landing run for us...” He took another look, searching for something in forest. “But there are those wolves. I can see just bunch of well tamed dogs.”

*

Fokker landed easily, what pleased humans but scared wolves. They were still aware of strange, humans machines, however not as terrified as few weeks ago. Two-legged beasts turn out to be acceptable... in few cases.

“So, what’s the plan?” asked Cris, when he was standing with wolves in grove. Meanwhile his parents were telling whole story to dogs of Buckland.

“Quite simple.” Replied Natalya. “Peninsulas and Drifters will go back on their seats. They will try to make a room for one new pack and if they failed, we will worry about then... then. Conquerors... will be created as independent pack. It will be lead by Amber and Crack. Sasha still isn’t sure if she stays with me as beta or goes with brothers east. Because they have to move east. Yukon, I guess.”

“And Drift Pack?” asked Cris with tensed voice.

“It’s obvious – I will lead it.” Smiled she-wolf. “Not alone, I think.”

But then Cris narrowed his face and went away from circle of wolves. Natalya followed him to shore of backwater and asked.

“Cris... what happened? Aren’t you happy to be my mate and pack-alpha?”

“Natalya...” whispered dog with tensed voice. “I want it as nothing else on this world, but...” he sighed and looked in her eyes. “My parents need help. After that fight, dad might to cripple for good. Mom won’t be able to take care of him alone...”

“We will take him with us...” said Natalya firmly.

“Hobbling dog slowing down wolf-pack?” asked Cris mournfully. “It won’t work. I must...”

But then she interrupted him with kiss. They fell silent, caressing each other for long while and when they finally finished, silver-furred said.

“It was a time of miracles. I’m sure we could expect at least one miracle more.”

“What do you mean?” surprised Cris.

“Look!” Natalya pointed on humans, sitting next to the camp-fire.

*

“I still don’t get it.” Confessed Philip. “Why don’t you want to tell me, what happened here?”

“My friend...” said Arashi. “One thing I’m sure: you wouldn’t believe it.”

“Anyway.” Replied Canadian. “Now it’s your worry, I have much work back in Yukon. You must think about constant care over the park and some foresters in lodges...”

“We will manage it.” Assured Gunnar. “How do you think, Steele?” He stroked his dog, who was lying next to fire. “With Steele I’m sure we will manage.”

XIV. Epilogue – The Age of Cris

It was about week after last snowfall. Since that time frost had come to Alaska, calming down all life and bringing the silence into forests. Sun was shinning on white and frozen land, but even its rays couldn’t broke the spell of cold. However under that silence still was life. Hidden but still strong. Actually it was the hardest time of winter – end of February when herbivores were falling due to lack of forage and carnivores were falling due to lack of herbivores, so only scavenges had an easy life. Then was the time of trials that Niju spoke about weak ones died and strong barely survived. Usually.

Steele yawned in warmth of stove. He was laying on furry carpet in the middle of forester lodge. From his bedding he saw a white word outside what brought him strange thoughts. He wanted to be there, free and wild, running in frozen forest, looking for the last game of that winter. It was hard life, but surely life itself. The fight always made him sense the blood in his veins and gave him that bitter-sweet emotion that was the point of his existence. It was always be like that – when he was the sled-leader, winner of all mushers contests, but also later when he was alone facing the whole pack of wolves, seeking his own vengeance. In that moment he wanted to avenge Sky, but also – what he was able to face just after many years – standing in front of furious pack brought him the same taste of adventure like the hardest routes in sled. And even later – happy years in forest with Aleu and pups somehow were reminding him the never-ending trial. Every day’s struggle for food and battle with winter frosts. And during his whole, almost fourteen-year long life Steele was fighting. Others dogs, Balto, frost, own weakness, wolves, game of Alaska – it doesn’t matter – it was the real life. For the very first time malamute was calm and out of duties. Living with his master took away from him necessity of hunting and being careful of own neck.

And this was the second thought that came to Steele – it was time for that. In wild he would be probably dead – due to frost or some malnutrition illness. Of course, if not care of Aleu and Cris he would be dead long before, but it was the way of Nature. However that order was... if not disturbed, at least modified by humans. Gunnar Kaasen decided to leave all his employments and became the main warden of new-created wolf-park in Seward Peninsula. He moved to small cabin near to Northern Route, where he lived visited only by his friends: Arashi Tazaku and John Ash. But he was not all alone. He had his dog. And somehow – the wolf.

Steele stood up, sniffing the well known scent. Gunnar, napping on armchair next to stove even didn’t moved, knowing that his dog knew what he was doing. So malamute walked slowly – he was hobbling on three paws – to doors to vestibule and exited by dog-hatch. Then he went thought the next, similar passage to get outside.

For unprepared malamute frost seemed to be biting. Front-left paw instantly started to ache, but he clenched his jaws and ignored it. He looked north, where he noticed Aleu, returning from hunting. But apart of his mate, dog noticed also silhouette of wolfdog, walking from west and more wolves behind. It was the Drifts Pack.

Aleu went to Steele, with pride she put down the killed rabbit. Then she noticed another guests and she smiled radiantly.

“Look, your son came to visit you.” She said.

“And you to, mom.” Said Cris. To wolfdog joined silver-furred bitch, being in advanced pregnancy. The rest of pack stopped about fifty yards from cabin, still too scared by humans to approach closer. Natalya was able to get to seat of two-legged, because she still remembered well the care that doctor Tazaku provided her. So she marched, following her mate, to brownish-furred wolfdog and malamute.

“Hi, mom, hi dad...” said Cris.

“Good day, ma’am. Sir.” Said Natalya officially and nodded her head.

But Ale came to her and licked her cheek cordially. She was so excited with coming pups, almost as parents-to-be.

“I guess not so good, if you were forced to visit your oldies.” Said Steele and smiled.

“Mom! Not in front of pack!” hissed Cris when Aleu was licking him as if he was tiny pup.

“Ow, leave him.” Snorted malamute. “He is alpha after all.”

“Sir, we came here for advice.” Said Natalya seriously.

Steele raised his ears with interest. So now it came the age of Cris and Natalya, but he still was needed by them. An advice – well, it still was some sort of fight. Maybe not with specified enemy but with own ignorance and stupidity. Steele smiled in mind. Both aching paw and ask of daughter-in-law was making him to feel the life. Until it ends, he have to be the best.

Until that day – he was.