Her head was still filled with dreadful words of prophecy, but she could no longer look on that drama indifferently. She gasped with sorrow over stiff body of child. All she wanted then was that next cub was alive.

“We could only pray.” Said Forer. “Maybe at least one of them survive.” Then he again looked on dog. “Yes, I promise you that we will take care of them…” said and added in mind: “If any survives”.

“Third…” called Vis. “Boy again. And again…”

Alpha clenched his jaws. He was a witness of a dying, assumable also a witness of a terrible crime. In that moment he imagined that dog, Balto, standing somewhere on top of bluff and smiling with cruel smile. “Murderer!” thought wolf. “I hope that at least on of your children will survive and thank you for what you’ve done!”

“Fourth.” Called Vis. “I’m sorry…” she burst with tears. “She didn’t make it.”

“Please… keep them and raise them.” Asked Trinea, clearly not aware of what was happening. “I beg you… Ow, Balto, why did you do it?”

“It’s over, sir.” Said shaman. “All four are gone.”

“No…” gasped Forer looking on passing Trinea.

“Take care of them and…” whispered dog with last breath. “Balto, you would have been perfect father…” Then she froze and finally freed from her mortal coil.

Forer was silent for few seconds, finally said with hollow voice. “I guess that your prophecy was wrong, Vis.”

“Sir… I wanted them live…” sobbed shaman.

“Sir!” called Annen, backing from digging team. “We have a basic hole. I’m sure they…”

“It’s too late, friend.” Interrupted him alpha. “She is gone, as well as all four pups.”

“And that fifth?” asked beta.

Then they looked again on still Trinea’s body and Vis yelled with surprise and emotion. They saw another shape between husky’s legs – a fifth cub, clearly alive and breathing, because it was trying to get away itself.

“He alive!” called shaman, grabbing gently tiny pup in her jaws. Last one, silverfurred (but in that moment heavily stained with blood) child was breathing heavily, yelping quietly.

“Get him to the lair!” ordered Forer. “And warm him. Then we go to sanctuary… We need Bry to feed him.”

So shaman of Beech Pack took barely living pup into snow shelter. When part of emotions were gone, she again recalled a prophecy. “A feral pup, stray dog will come // If pack save him, itself is done // The dog of doom will lead to death // From long dead womb to pack's last breath...” She was afraid as never in her life. But she also felt that leader did what he had to. Leaving that child, a victim of terrible crime, was not an option. “Maybe it’s just a stupid dream?” asked herself Vis.

*

Spring came to Bear Mountain, bringing life with it. Bry gave birth to litter of four pubs, but unfortunately only one survived. It was no one’s fault – just some mysterious illness that took three pups. So in may it turned out that Bry and Forer were blessed only with two children – daughter Tro and adopted son, they called Glemt. The Forgotten One in ancient language of pack, because they almost forgot about him during his dramatic birth. But this was mainly a good name – uncle of chief Forer was named that and Glemt senior was strong and noble warrior before previous winter claimed him.

But future of pack seemed to be secured. Alphas of Beeches allow two pair of other wolves to raise a litter with help of pack. So several other pups, including Elske, Fort and Venn was growing with alphas heirs.

Beech Pack was one, concordant family. They found themselves a small area of hunting, right between territories of huge clans: Uniea and Talbourne. Not provoking them small group of wolves managed to settle a peaceful haven where children of pack was growing in peace.

Strange, but true – although Glemt was pup from outside, actually even not a wolf, he was quickly accepted by companions. He was easily growing among his wolfish colleagues and moreover quickly attached himself to his step-sister. Siblings were inseparable. Even if Tro and Glemt were spending much time with Elske, Fort and other cubs, that two was loving and unanimous team. The different in blood was recompensed by unity in spirit. Wolfess was actually consider dog as her brother. The same thought husky.

Foster parents loved they miraculously gained child as own. Glemt very quickly understood that he was different from wolves among whose he was living. But in the same time he learned that his difference should be a reason to shame. He was not like them, but was one of them.

“God, you are growing so fast…” said Bry, licking his son’s fur to clean it up. It was some summer morning when most of pack was hunting, but alphess was keeping group’s children in their sanctuary.

“Well maybe.” Said Glemt. “But Tro is taller. And… mom, she looks so different.” Then he stopped, took a deep breath and added. “Or maybe I look different. Unlike she, unlike Fort or rest… Not even like you or dad.”

“Yes, that’s correct.” Agreed Bry, still bathing her son. “But it’s just like your father and I told you. I haven’t born you. We got you as a gift. You look different from us, but still you are our child. Nothing could change it.”

“I know… I love you mom.” Replied dog and licked her carer back. But then said with queter voice. “But still Tro is stronger than me and runs faster…”

“But you have better sight and when you grow up, you will be far more better winter wanderer than she. It’s all equal – you have some gifts that other lacks and in the same time you depend on our abilities if you are not so gifted in some. We are family… a pack. We need each other.”

“You said I’m a dog.” Said Glemt. “That I descent from creatures that lives with humans.”

“Yes, you are.” Nodded alphess. “But now you are wolf. You want be a wolf?”

“I want be as you, dad and Tro.”

“So you are a wolf. Forget about all else.”

*

“You still persist with your superstitions?” asked one day Forer. He and Vis were looking down the valley on sparring of young members of pack. All one-year-ones, that meant Tro, Elske, Fort, Venn, Vind, Hviske and Glemt were wresting on green grass of newborn spring. The youngest pups were looking on older compactions with half-aware stares of just opened eyes. The new year for Beeches started perfectly. Alpha male wanted to check his shaman’s mind.

“That were not a…” started Vis, but then she burst in laughter. “You are right, sir. I was totally out of my mind then. Glemt is one of us, there is no doubt about that.”

“So no more talking about that stupid dream?” asked alpha. Shaman was silent for a while, so Forer insisted. “Well?”

“Sir…” said Vis quietly. “Just listen me for the last time. We will forget about it, but just hear that prophecy again.”

“Ow, you are really…” murmured alpha and laid on the grass.

“Please!” pleaded shaman. When she noticed that her leader closed his eyes – with irritation but also with resignation, she started to talk. “So I had a dream about Glemt. I’m sure it was about him – I recall his face from that visions. And how he came to us… As I said – one who lead our pack to death will be dog, born of dying mother. I also dreamed about blood. This child was a victim of terrible crime. Murder I sensed.”

“You know what?” asked Forer. “We aren’t even sure what happened there. Theory that Balto killed Trinea is just a theory… The result of our conclusions, with no proof behind it.”

“But with many circumstantial evidences.” Replied Vis. When leader examined her with careful stare, she added. “Forgive, chief, but I was inquiring… I asked Annen for help and some… intelligence.”

“Has he so much to share?” smiled Forer.

“I meant: espionage. He made a reconnaissance in Nome area and found out many important… yet a bit shocking facts. About Trinea and Balto.”

“So, enlighten me!” demanded alpha.

“What we found about Balto is that he is sled dog, a local hero of human community in Nome. He was leader of sled that brought town vaccine on some human disease. But whatever – the point is that Balto have a mate, called Jenna and several pups with her. But over year ago there was a case that concerned whole town. Balto was accused of seducing young bitch, called Trinea.”

“Glemt’s mother!” gasped Forer.

“Most likely.” Nodded shaman. “We found out that Balto was found guilty of adultery, forced to separate from his mate and… And then we have a gap in our information, but what we established is that few weeks later Jenna forgave Balto, they became mates again and Trinea just disappeared for not to be seen again. No one confirmed she was pregnant, but…”

“God!” yelled Forer. “Is that true? It means that Balto… that monster killed Trinea to cover his adultery. He… removed proofs of his guilt.”

“I know it sound shocking sir, but it is most logical assumption.” Said shaman. “I also felt in my dreams something terrible about Glemt. Like his birth was… stained in blood. I know, it was literally, but I mean the sense of violence. I felt his aura and sensed violence… killing.”

“Killing.” Repeated Forer. “I would gladly rip that bastard apart. Murdered of own mate and pups!”

“I suggest you not to try.” Said shaman with grave voice. “One of Balto’s children is now the alpha of whole Talbourne clan.” Forer gasped, hearing that. “I’m serious. She had over five hundreds wolves in command.”

“So I guess the strength-solutions are quite popular in that family!” murmured chief. “I just can’t believe that Glemt is one of them… He is so unlike…”

“Sir, you won’t do anything stupid?” asked shaman.

“Avenging on Balto? I’m not suicide!” snorted leader. “I think that Balto deserves to die. But I won’t endanger our pack for some personal vendetta.”

“Although you want to…”

“But I must take care about future… also for Glemt.”

“Future.” Sighed shaman. 

Alpha turned his stare down and was silent for a longer while. Then he said with heavy voice. “So it somehow