Glemt’s silhouette. “E… why the heck are you in harness?”

“I was practising all day with Kodi.” Replied husky. “I’m still using to it.”

“Is it a reason to wear it during the night?” Balto laughed with surprised, yet friendly laughter. “Ow Glemt, you are really weird one.”

“You have no idea…” murmured silverfurred, then added silently. “Maybe I inherited it after my father.”

“But come, sit down. And tell me, what’s up.”

“Wait a second.” Asked Glemt and backed to the doorstep. He grabbed again the log and returned to Balto. Wolfdog was looking on it with confusion, however not sensing anything dangerous. “Now, we must talk. I heard much stories about you, sir.”

“Just Balto.” Corrected him wolfdog.

“I wish to stay with <sir>.” Said silverfurred. “But nevermind. I heard stories about you… in every such a tale I was hearing about noble and brave dog, always honest and constant.”

“I feel really weird hearing that too.” Said Balto. “Is he trying to tell me something?” wondered Glemt. “But you probably know those are just stories. No one is perfect, at least I know I am not. I have – as always – some flaws, hidden at the first sight, but real.”

“Secrets.” Added Glemt.

“Yes, secrets too.” Nodded Balto.

“So, do you feel all right with that?” asked silverfurred. “I mean with all your legend, although you know the truth is different.”

“It seems I have a little choice.” Replied Balto. “It’s is stronger than me. I became a legend in the day I return with medicine to Nome. Since that time most of creatures I know are focused more than on hero I am seen as, than on real dog behind it.”

In Glemt’s mind awoke a spark of hope. “Confess!” he yelled in mind. “I never thought I would want that, but now I wish your salvation. Confess me all about my mother… maybe in that case I wont do what I intend… but you must show me the clear regret.”

“So maybe it’s time to end it?” asked silverfurred. “Tell them all about… all. I know it hard, but…”

“E… boy?” asked surprised Balto. “What are talking about in particular?”

“I feel you already know.” Replied dog. “I hoped you wouldn’t pretend it different.” Sighed with regret. “Ow, sir… you are making it all much harder!”

“What?” murmured Balto with amazement. “I think we are deeply misunderstood.”

“Let’s check it.” Smiled Glemt with bitter smile. “So, what do you think I’m talking about?”

“I think…” started Balto carefully. “That you are trying to start a talk about Saba, but somehow you went in very wrong way.”

“Saba… Saba?” Glemt barely repressed himself from bursting in laughter. “Not sir, definitely that is not my point.”

“E… so what is?” asked hybrid, totally confused.

“Do not play fool on me, or…” then dog stopped, and thought a while. “I’m terribly sorry, sir. I just assumed that you are living with that every day. But I see we must dig deep to awake your conscience.”

In that moment Balto for the very first time asked himself if Glemt is sane. “Harness, such nonsense… Poor Saba, she chose a wrong person…”

“My conscience? About what?”

“About whom.” Corrected him Glemt. “About my mom… father!” he finished with growl.

“Yeah, he has a problem.” Thought Balto, but in the same time he felt extremely curious about madness of Glemt.

“Mom? Father?” asked. “What does it mean?”

“Please, do not enrage me. I really don’t want to hurt you.” Replied god with growing irritation. “I just can’t, for you are my parent. But if you offence memory of mom, I can’t guaranty my manners!”

“But who the hell you mean?” yelled Balto.

“Trinea!” called Glemt much louder than he wanted to. “My mother, dad. The one whom you seduced, left alone and finally killed, when you found out she was pregnant.”

Balto wanted to sigh just: WHAT?, but he was so shocked that just opened his lips.

“Yes, I know about it all.” Smiled Glemt with half-mad smile. “And they all will learn about you soon. I’m a living proof for your crimes. I’m the proof you seduced my mother. I can’t find the direct evidence you killed her, but I hope you will confess.”

“No, Glemt, you are totally wrong!” said quickly Balto.

“Drop it, dad.” Replied silverfurred. “Let’s talk hear to heart, like father and son!” he looked in Balto’s eyes, to see just amazement. So he sighed and stepped back few steps. “No!” he growled. “So you persist in your lies… Believe me father, I didn’t want this.” Then he bended down for some shape on the floor.

“You are totally wrong, boy!” repeated hybrid. “I don’t know who told you that nonsense but I have never slept with your mother and for surely I didn’t hurt her. It’s just some cosmic misunderstanding…” seeing that dog was still bended down, hastened him. “Glemt, say something!” But Glemt just couldn’t reply, because he had full jaws.

Dog made a quick turn-back. Log made an arc in the air and hit with precise blow in neck of hybrid. Balto managed just to sigh with more surprise than pain, to hobble on paws and fell down on the floor of hangar. Seeing that Glemt put the log on the ground, understanding that any replay wasn’t required.

“I’m so sorry, dad.” He said with honest sorrow in his voice. “I really wanted that you confess without force. But you left me no choice. Now others will judge you.”

“What!?” tried to call wolfdog, but he was half-stunned. His mouth rebelled and just sounded with amorphous yell of pain. Meanwhile Glemt started to put off his harness.

“You know…” she said to barely aware wolfdog. “Just for sure… I must bind you and take you on the place of judgement. Do not resist it will be less painful.”

Be lowered to Balto and started to tie him up. As for a dog, he was going extremely well. The technique was simple – because he was to clumsy to use his paws, he just turn Balto on one or other side, keeping him tangling in belts. Glemt could button up any buckle, so he relied on simple ties, that he could clench with wish jaws and paws. Whatever strange and funny it looked, in quarter Balto was tied up. Maybe not professionally, but in efficient way. Even if wolfdog would overcome the effects of beating, he would be trapped anyway.

Glemt had to take a break. Whole scene – sneaking to hanger, talk with Balto and finally manual effort, existed him hard. He sat down in front of his prisoner, panting heavily. He looked in confused eyes of wolfdog.

“We have plenty of time. Kodi called the meeting on sundawn. All what we need is to get to backwater.” Then he smiled with irony. “I will pull you. Isn’t it a proper way of travelling for a sled dog?” Hybrid wanted to say something, but Glemt added. “Hush, dad. Don’t tire yourself. You will talk tomorrow and you will talk much. Only thing you should think over now is what you did three years ago. I almost pity you.” Added with anger. “But now, pretending you forgot about it all, you striped yourself with all sympathy I thought you deserved. You are just a killer, or even something worse!” his voice came to hissing. “The life of my mother meant nothing to you. Only thing you cared was your fame… your fame as a hero and a saint. It’s so uncreauresus… you killed her and my sibling just to remove a nuisance of your life! To make sure that truth will never reach the light… But you failed! You should have make sure she is dead… and all her pups too. As you see, I survived to testimony how it was. I…” He stopped for a while then added. „You have no idea how dear it cost me. To leave my family, real family I love and came here, to clean the mess you’ve done. I thought I would never care about my blood relatives… but now I do. I feel so terrible shame, that I’m a son of such a monster.” Balto shook his head, but Glemt took is as try to bite his bounds. “Do not fight with it.” He added. “You got from fate much more that you deserved – few years of peace. I hope it wasn’t peace of mind. Haven’t you any pangs of remorse!?” But then he fell silent, hearing some noise outside the hanger. “Dammit!” he whispered. “They can’t find you… not yet.” So he lifted log again and delivered another blow into Balto’s head. “Forgive, father.” He whispered. “I must just make sure.” Then he turned to the door. Balto, know out for good, couldn’t comment that.

*

Saba had no precise hope of success, but some intuition drove her to father’s house. It was about three hours after midnight, late even for her solitary walks. But she wasn’t on a walk, she desperately tried to find Glemt. Alone, not in rush, easy to make him some definite decisions. She was scared of that, but also she knew she needed to know.

“It’s almost two years…” she thought. “Everest, I miss you so much… But I can’t go ahead alone. Glemt is someone who could help me. I think I love him. It’s something different that between us, but also… you know… less troubling.” She smiled with bitter smile. “I hope you won’t be angry on, wherever you are. But now I must find Glemt.”

And then, just as if it was a magic wish, silverfurred appeared on doorstep of Luke’s hangar. He noticed Saba and froze in place, a bit uncertain what to do. Then moved to her, trying to prevent her from looking inside the shed.

“Glemt…” said Saba with mix of relief and fear. “I was looking for you.”

“Me?” asked husky and for one second thought about the worse possibility. Kodi would told them all about their plans… But, no. Seeing special expression on her face, he understood that was not a point. He relaxed. “So I am here, but what…”

“You were talking with my father?”

“Our father.” Corrected Glemt in mind. Aloud he replied. “I wanted to, but now he… well… he is asleep.” Said. “More or less.” Added silently.

“Glemt, we need to talk.” Whispered Saba with emotional voice.

“Yeah, sure.” Nodded dog. “But let’s go somewhere farther.” In the same time he desperately hoped that he would be able to cut of this talk before Balto awake. Hybrid was tied up, however he also could alert whole town if he was