were a little younger.”

“That’s what you said!” said lawkeeper to Glemt. “I heard you was raised by wolfpack. How do you know who is really your father?”

“I mother was sure of that.” Replied husky.

“But why she doesn’t witness?” inquired Drake. “Why we have to believe your words.”

“You have no choice.” Replied husky. “My mother is dead.”

“Don’t do it, Glemt.” Whispered Balto, trying to stand up. “You will make a terrible mistake… I swear I didn’t hurt your mother in any way that…”

“Dad…” interrupted him husky. “Just shut up!” He came closer to hybrid and overturned him on ice once again. White layer crunched again and more cracks appeared nearby.

“Glemt, we are all sorry about that.” Replied Drake from shore. “But that your mother is dead…”

“He killed her!” cried silverfurred with powerful and enraged voice. “He killed my mother to cover his crime.” Crowd of dogs froze in silence. Only Kodi dropped his jaws and cursed badly. “When he discovered my mother was pregnant, she lured her outside the town and threw away from cliff.” Was calling still Glemt. “She died… but first managed to bore a litter of pups. I, as one and only, survived this and was saved by my pack. But mom and my siblings are victims of cold-blood-plotted murder!” He bended down to Balto and whispered with poisonous voice. “I will give you a last chance, dad. Confess!” Then ice sounded with another crack.

“Ice…” murmured terrified hybrid.

“So, you are afraid to die, aren’t you?” smiled Glemt. “No remorse, just a fear… All right, I will unknot you.” He grabbed belts and with decisive move freed hybrid. “After all I can’t kill you. You are my father.” Then added with completely different voice. Balto heard tones of actual care and fear. “If ice breaks, just swim. You could stay on surface for a while, then I will help you and…” he paused for a moment to whisper. “I’m so sorry to do it, dad. But you have to pay. That’s all.”

“No wait…” yelled Balto, standing on his paws.

“Liar!” called voice from shore it was Jenna. “Balto would never…”

“She is dead!” called Glemt.

“Mom, I swear I know nothing about that!” whispered Kodi. He was lost. In first impulse he thought silverfurred was just mad, but… If Balto lied about Trinea, it was possible that… “No!” thought leader. “It can’t be.”

“That is grave accusation.” said Drake. “Do you have any proof for that?”

“Proof?” yelled Glemt. “How could I have? He did it perfectly, choosing place with no witnesses, so far from town that my mother had no chance to return even if she survived the fall. It was a heavenly miracle that Beech Pack was nearby.”

“Did any of your packmates saw Balto pushing Trinea?” asked Drake with serious voice.

“Drake!” called Jenna. “Cut it! He is mad!” But marshal was looking on silverfurred, waiting on answer.

“No. None of them.” Replied husky. He came few steps further and climbed on dead tree-trunk, partially standing over surface. From that <tribune> he continued. “They were too busy with saving her… and her litter to chase the murdered. If that helps you, I could added that was told all events took place on twentieth March 1927.”

“So, you can’t say you have a proof.” Concluded lawkeeper. He noticed that Balto was already standing on his paws, trying to overcome confusion. Marshal noticed a chance for friend to get free.

“He must run himself.” Thought. “I could play on time to make it easier.”

“I can’t.” Nodded Glemt. “But I guess you call that one: chain circumstantial evidences. If that doesn’t appeal to you, even if my mother appeared here from dead, you would be sceptical!”

“That is how law works.” Murmured Drake and added. “I must admit those are really strong circumstantial evidences, but not strong enough to judge.”

“You believe him?” yelled Jenna.

“I… have to be sure.” Replied Drake, but in his eyes one could see cold stare. He completed the puzzle in his head and understood that Glemt’s theory was so logical and simple. “Jenna, I hate to ask for that, but do remember where was Balto on twentieth March 1927?”

“No, Drake…” whispered redfurred.

“Balto, do you read me?” asked lawkeeper. “What did you do on night twentieth March 1927?”

Hybrid stopped in place and crouched down, pretending he was still stunned. He replied with weary voice, not sure if Drake was asking seriously, or it was still part of game that could help him get free.

“I… can’t remember… I guess I was in my boat…”

“Any witnesses?”

“Boris I guess… no, he was not there…” Then wolfdog learned that Drake was not playing. He was actually asking, doing his job of marshal. “It’s a madness!” thought Balto. “It can’t be!” He added aloud. “I can’t, but I didn’t do it! Stop it. That is some terrible mistake.”

“He was with me!” instantly Jenna. In my mistress Rossy’s house.

“No, Jenna.” Replied Drake with serious voice. “Now I remember that night. Blazie and Jadze were with Gemini, while you was out for those days… and you came for them that night. I recall that I asked you where is Balto and you said he went to master Luke.”

“I was with Luke!” cried Balto.

“Yeah, ask the human to witness us.” Growled Glemt. “I sense some lies, father!”

“Glemt, listen to me!” called Drake. “Right, we will take a look on this case once again. But not now. We must gather evidence and witnesses, ask any dogs here… It will take it’s time. So for now you should just go away from that ice and for few days…”

“You lie!” cried silverfurred. “You want just to stonewall whole case. Judge my father now…”

“Or what?” asked Drake with cold voice. “You will judge him? Kill him?”

“I have no right to judge over my own parent.” Said Glemt. “I can’t kill my own father. But mother’s blood calls to me, to bring justice back. I need you! You judge him, according to your laws. Then judge me, if you wish, I won’t run. But do not leave this one. It about life…” his voice shivered. Mature and brave dog was on the edge of cry. “…and death. I… never cared about my real parents, while I had wonderful carers that raised me… But they raised me to be a wolf… a dog I am now. Forer, creature I used to call <father>, everyday of his life was teaching me that obeying laws and customs is making us who we are. And that for I can’t let it go. Judge him! Let me finish what I have to do.”

If before most of dogs were very sceptical towards Glemt’s revelations, a touching speech of newcomer shocked them all. Emotions, genuine emotions seen on muzzle of silverfurred, his words and opened question from the past brought many confusion among Nomes. Crowd started to whisper. More and more voices repeated the same question. “Did he…” Jenna couldn’t stand it.

“Kodi… save him!” she sobbed, nestling to son’s side.

“Kodi…” whispered Saba. They stares met and they both, in the same moment understood that there was some possibility that Glemt was right. However that changed nothing. They had to save Balto. “Do something!” she pleaded and then added quieter. “But… do not hurt Glemt! You can’t hurt him!”

“He is…” nodded Kodi. She knew what he wanted to say. “…our brother.”

In Saba’s heart a storm was raging on. She just couldn’t believe in many events around her. Night before she had made a final decision – she would try to forgot about Everest and take her chance to rebuild her life with Glemt. But then she learned about Glemt… and soon after came her father’s trial. She wasn’t aware what she felt towards silverfurred. All she know it was her brother and she had to protect him for all cost. The initial reason was not important then.

“You believed in that?” asked shocked Jenna.

“It doesn’t matter now, mom.” Replied Kodi. “We must try to save him now… but then we will ask him some questions!” added with anger. “Saba, are you going with me?” They made few steps, entering ice layer.

And Glemt was still looking on gathered dogs, waiting for any reaction. He sensed slow change in emotions and hoped that force Drake to further moves. He missed that Balto again stood up and started to sneak away from his captor.

“So… what do you say?” asked silverfurred. “Will you judge him?”

“Sorry, Glemt, you still have no ultimate proof.” Called Drake.

“Good… so you drove me to that.” Replied Glemt. “All right, you will hear a confession!” then he turned back to place where was Balto… once. “WAIT!” called enraged dog, seeing his prisoner running away. He pounced ahead in pursue after speeding hybrid. That was a thing that started whole avalanche of events.

*

Seeing that, Aleu screamed and freed herself from grasps of Lightning and Gerth. Surprised wolves let her go, but few seconds later senior scout howled in signal to stop his leader. Whole unit set off, running to river after escaping alpha.

That electricized Beeches. Ready wolves made no move, but just inside prepared themselves on welcoming striking enemies. When Aleu entered the other side of river, Fort was there. He pounced on foe, overturned her on snowy beach and immobilised easily. He didn’t want to kill, just cripple her and temporally eliminate from combat, but Wemer didn’t know that. Warrior struck on enemy’s alpha, jumping on his back and biting in his neck. Then chaotic battle burst.

Nine Beeches under command of Annen remained in line, keeping Talbournes from entering the shore. But Fort, Tro and Elske were fighting Aleu, Lightning and Wemer on rock of their side of stream.

“Keep them away!” called Fort. “We will finish those here.”

That was a bad move, because senior guardian, hearing his alpha was about to be killed, pressed his jaws, tearing Fort’s skin and fur. Wolf fell on the ground with rear paws hitting enemy’s side. It worked – guardian was pushed away and he hit Lightning, preparing to jump. That moment used Elske, charging on both wolves from behind and grabbing Lightning’s front-left paw. Then snow-dust, evoked from ground covered the battle. Rest