was popular, not always in good sense of that word.

*

“Tell me about your home, Glemt.” Said Saba, when they are resting on hill surrounding Nome. “How is there… Ow, I mean tell me, if you don’t mind. If those are some hard memories, I understand.”

They were lying in fresh snow on west side of town, not far from Dorothy’s Backwater. It was a moderate hill with small grove of pines and junipers. In normal conditions Glemt should be seriously uneasy – they were easily seen from great distance. But for those three days he used to airy way of life among humans. He had no idea that he was carefully observed by many eyes. Some friendly, some suspicious.

“Home…” repeated husky. “I had no home in normal sense of that word. I guess that clan of your sister is special, but ordinary pack has just a keep used mostly as a pups haven and territory where it wanders, looking for food. I do not long for any particular place. More for persons, family and friends.”

“So… they haven’t kicked you out?” asked Saba, in next second regretting that question. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s ok.” Replied dog. “But my departure was a bit more complicated. I left by my own will, however I had no choice.”

“You plan to return there someday?”

“I wish to… but I have no idea if I have a chance.” Said Glemt honestly.

“So you will stay here?”

“For a while.”

Saba moved closer to him and licked his forehead with compassion. Or not – it was something more intimate. She hoped to comfort silverfurred… in more complex way. Inside of dog two forced instantly stretched his muscles. Whatever he was doing, he had a mate. Any step further would be something he didn’t intend to do Elske. And besides… “God, she is my sister!” thought, mixing confusion and amusement. “Let’s cut it!”

“Egh…” murmured Glemt, gently moving away from bitch.

“Something is wrong?” asked Saba, little disappointed.

“You said today about dog called Drake, a local marshal, or someone like that.”

“Well, yes.” She nodded completely confused. “But why you say about him?”

“I need to ask him for few things.”

“E… now?”

“It is too late? Should I visit him tomorrow?” asked silverfurred.

“No, you could go today, but… for what?”

“I just understood that I know almost nothing about your laws here.” Replied husky. “If you could take me to him, I would be grateful.” Then, seeing her clear disappointment, added. “Don’t get me wrong. I had a wonderful day with you and I’m very grateful for that. I just… have to do few things in order to… have clean conscience.” Then he licked Saba’s forehead, carefully both to keep that gesture unobliging… and proper for brother and sister.

“Ugh! It will be harder than I thought.” Yelled Glemt in mind. “Thanks to all I saw in those days. Balto… my father did a crime, but you all, his family, will pay for it. I’m really feel terrible, breaking that peace on mind of you, Jenna and others.”

*

Seeing that from hill about kilometre away, Tro smiled and said with playful voice.

“All right, I must admit my brother is decent guy. He restrained that chick as he should.”

“I never had doubt in him.” Replied scarred wolfess. Then he turned to her sister in law and added. “But if there is any good of that, we must make him back. To deal with Balto quickly and leave this damned town.”

“Yeah, the sooner, the better.” Agreed Annen. “Most likely that patrol of Talbourne already spotted us.”

Pack was resting on brink of forest, next to Dorothy’s Backwater. Annen hadn’t sent scouts on the other side, but he knew exactly the strength and location of claners. That why he was so in hurry. As old hunter and skilled warrior knew that in eventual battle pack didn’t stand a chance. It was eleven to sixteen, moreover that sixteen were young soldiers from specialised war unit. Against they have ordinary wolf family. That’s why beta strongly suggest to respect border with clan didn’t matter what they thought about legality of Talbourne’s previous conquers.

“Vis, why are you so silent?” asked Tro, looking on shaman, lying still in snow.

“Because if I was talking, you would have ordered me to be quiet.” Replied old wolfess. Seeing surprised stare of leaderess, she added. “We didn’t let Glemt go to endanger pack in such stupid way. Maybe we avoided announced doom, but playing with biggest clan of Alaska that just has exterminated or subdued wolves of second biggest clan here is idiotic. If we have die anyway, it’s much better to at least have Glemt with us.”

“We can’t leave him alone.” Replied both Tro and Elske.

“Don’t you see what he is intending?” asked shaman. “He is gathering more data, going around Balto to get a proof of murder. It could take much time… and when he finally gain certainty, he will most likely try to force him to confess. There the hell will burst here.”

“And we are in that case.” Said Elske with decisive voice. “We will help him.”

“I bet he wouldn’t do it, knowing we are here.” Replied shaman. “He left pack to save it, not involve in his business.”

“Cut it!” snorted Tro. “There is only way to drive us from here – explain it to Fort.”

“Fort will do what you two want.” Noticed Vis. “So I’m talking not with a head but with neck that moves it.”

“We will stay.” Said Tro.

“We will stay.” Nodded Elske.

*

Glemt was introduced to Drake by Saba. Then bitch got back to her home and husky stayed with marshal on longer heart-to-heart talk. Old peacekeeper was a bit surprised about curiosity of newcomer. He was glad to tell about Nome laws (in fact no one - even Gemini! – didn’t listen to him, when he said something about law) so he asked no inquiring questions. But soon that lecture went in very unexpected way.

“So instant execution is the punishment for premeditated murder.” Summed Glemt. “Yeah, that’s logical. So tell me about adultery. Is secular law has anything to do with that?”

“Well…” said a bit confused Drake. “Usually not, but theory, if one of mates reports that to me… But in fact recently we had only one such a case, and – thanks God – it was a great misunderstanding.”

“Tell me about it.” Asked husky.

“But… but it’s about Jenna and Balto.” Said marshal with a bit shaking voice. “It’s old case and it turned out to be nothing important.”

“First grade murder I would call something quite important.” Thought Glemt coldly but said kindly. “But it was public case. You can tell me about it.”

“If you insist…” sighed Drake and started to recall events from three years earlier.

Meanwhile husky was listening and thinking. All pieces of puzzle seemed to be fitting perfectly. Only putting them together was a problem. “I must force him to acknowledge me as son.” Thought silverfurred. “Then I will become a living proof of his crimes!”

V. Shadows of the Past

Next day Glemt went to kennels. Or to be exact – he was taken to kennels by Saba. She guided him there, then solely ordered Kodi (silverfurred didn’t hear it, although he expected something like that) to behave properly. Do black and white husky, not fully willingly, become a temporally guide dog.

“All right.” Said sled leader. “Most of crew is not here, just idling in town. But by most time we all sleep here, next to master Kaasen’s house.” Glemt nodded his head, but not answered. “Those day we have not so much work – mail routes twice a month and some other occasional jobs. Also master Kaasen is participating in most of races here.”

“Yeah, cool.” Said husky instinctively.

“Are you listening to me?” asked Kodi, not hiding his irritation. He just didn’t like stranger and didn’t like to pretend it was different.

“Yes, I do, but… show me the harnesses.” Asked newcomer.

So they entered building of kennels. Only Dusty and Bart were resting there, most of dogs just went to their foster houses or were running freely in town. Kodi’s mate nodded Glemt with moderate kindness, Bart even didn’t raised his head. Day after long route to Nenana sled crew was just tired.

“Here it is.” Said Kodi, coming to one of harnesses, hanging on wall of building.

“May I try on it?”

“E… you could have some trouble with putting on… wait, I will help you.” Said leader. He jumped to grab leather belts, then landed next to silverfurred with harness in his jaws.

then they mounted belts on Glemt’s back – not without an effort, but after few minutes of tries they succeeded. Feeling touch of leather husky felt strange. For the very first time in his life he had something artificial on his back. Belts seemed to scratch him every second he was wearing them. It was terribly uncomfortable. “How the heck they would run hundreds of miles in such a thing?!” the asked himself silently.

“Good, now find me something I could pull.” Asked Glemt. Kodi looked on him with surprise.

“I see you was really wrapped up.” He thought for a while, then added. “All right, come with me.”

They exited kennels and climbed on nearby hill. It looked strange as one of dogs was wearing harness belts without purpose, but fortunately no one from humans noticed it. When leader and his new gained apprentice reached the top, Kodi grabbed belts in his jaws.

“Pull me!” ordered.

So Glemt pulled. It wasn’t too hard after all – snow was fresh, bit not too deep, slippery and easy to go. Kodi could weighted not more than forty kilos. However for silverfurred it was totally new experience. His first steps were awkward and unsure, it took him about five minutes to find a way proper to pull.

“I feel like an idiot.” Said Kodi, lying on his side and still holding belts of harness. “But if there would be some profit from this, you must sweat a little. Take me down, then back uphill.” After next ten minutes Glemt started to tire, however he wanted to hide it.

“Not bad as a first time.” Said Kodi. Whatever he thought about silverfurred, he already entered the tutor mode. From the moment he become a teacher for young