in whole peninsula and then – on safer and lower grounds tragedy happened.

Yes, he got lost, however he still knew where he was. Snow-blinded and extremely exhausted he sidetracked from main route to find a shortcut. Then he got back, when he understood it was useless. His team took it as a sing of trouble and then murmurs started. His dogs thought he – the great leader – got lost and they got terrified. Thanks to that Balto has an easy task with taking over the sled. Steele clenched his jaws, thinking about that. But he repressed his emotions and looked ahead to monumental rock ahead of him.

So, the Eagle Pass was a narrow strait between two peak of Yukon Range. The mountains top were about three thousand feet high and the highest place of the pass was about two thousand feet elevated. But that one thousand made the crucial difference – the pass was the only way for sleds in many miles. If one was in real hurry, he or she had to take that way.

But it was unreachable in some seasons. The early January was one of those. With piercing wind blowing in pass and temperature sometimes lower than minus fifty degrees it was a bold move to set off in such a journey. And Steele though that even not the pass itself was the worst point but nasty way up to it. A ice field - partially overgrown with thin bushes of mountain dwarf-pines - was deadly. It was extremely easy to sidetrack from few safe way and slide down to the edge of precipice. It was quite dangerous for lone dog, and in team bounded in harness fall of one could bring the doom of all. Malamute hated that – he was depending on others abilities, what was both shaming and highly uncertain.

With such thoughts Steele was bothering his mind during way uphill. It was – as we mentioned – very hazardous way. But paradoxically in that frosty morning not as hazardous as usually. Of course – passing in pass itself meant freezing and fighting the wind, but Eagle Coming was that day quite easy, at least comparing to normal conditions.

Sun of that dawn – two days after Steele’s escape from Nome – was shining bright on while wall of mountains. Rays were reflecting in icefield, showing the best patches to run ahead. Malamute thanked spirits he wasn’t forced to walk there at night. But soon he was wrapped by wild beauty of that landscape. Pass and range’s wall was sparking with reflections, blinding but also charming the gazer. From under fresh snow the waves of light were sprouting, making whole landscape looking like dream of part of heaven.

For the first time since few days, Steele smiled, seeing that. Heart of dog way filled with anger and despair, but sight of unearthly beauty melted that feeling, at least for few moments. Malamute was walking up, slowly not to miss any moment of that play. Sun was shining from east and was coning to peninsula side only by pass. Pass itself turned to be light-tunnel and bright line shining on the valley ahead.

But when sun raised high enough to light from above Yukon Range that show ceased. Again whole valley was snow-white without mysterious reflections and colourful sparks. Meanwhile Steele got to the pass-path and started to walk with wind against his face. Then a fulfilment after seeing wonderful event turned once again to anger.

“Balto!” he growled in mind, still walking in white tunnel of pass. “He would have never pass this way. I am the real hero of Nome, I led master Gunnar thought the most dangerous part of way. That mutt came to steal my victory. He stole everything I had. That can’t pass unpunished…”

If Steele had been running without clear purpose before, in that moment of struggle on white path, he understood he knew what to do. Leader of Nome died with being deposed from lead. But an avenger was born. Malamute discovered that only factor that was hasting him to go was a dream of Balto, lying on front of him with broken neck.

“Vengeance is mine, wolf!” whispered against the wind. “I will make sure you won’t taste your victory for too long.

*

Although Steele despised wolfkind, he was well aware of his kinship with forest predators. He perfectly knew all the features that spitze – in particular his malamute breed – inherited from wild relatives. It were among others: endurance, strong muscles and perfect terrain orientation. But one of few features that malmutes lack was extreme stamina of wolves and they ability to starve for weeks. Steele’s stomach was calling for food since he left Nome. After a quick meal in boiler room and accidental prey on route (but it was just a arctofox), he ate nothing. So he decided that a hunt was necessary. When he entered a forest on eastern side of range he made a quick stop to gather his strength to incoming chase. But after few minutes of resting Steele understood that something was wrong. Very wrong.

“A silence.” Murmured dog. “It’s too silent here. No birds singing, no other noises…”

It was a winter but even in January some voices of wild life should been heard. In that moment the forest was silent. Just like dead.

Malamute stood up and started to sniff in cold air. It was about dusk when he came down from pass and night was coming quickly. Wind ceased and every smell of every creature nearby should be sensed by former leader. Should, but it didn’t. instead of that Steele sensed the scent of death.

“A plague.” thought dog without any emotion.

He walked few stops and started to dig in snow at random. His theory turn out to be true – he discovered a dead squirrel in drift. It was frozen – without any wounds, looked quite satisfied before it died. And what was the most scary – no scavenger eaten that creature. There could be only two answers: its meat was toxic or there was no scavenger to do it.

“Black death.” Estimated Steele, looking on swollen neck of squirrel.

He smiled and ate creature in two bites. If meat was still infected, dog was already dead. But former leader decided that possibility of that is minimal and he was hungry. Besides matters of life and death – even own life and death – became a bit unclear to him. He was unable to fear own end, in fact he was unable to fear anything. He was living just to kill Balto and that little plague, that probably killed most of animal population on Valley just couldn’t stop him.

It didn’t mean that Steele wasn’t aware of danger. He knew he had to avoid contact with living carriers of illness, but he showed no panic about hard quest he had to do.

“I will manage.” He smiled and set off on east. “No one could stop me from killing that scum. Even not a death. I’m the death!” called in silent forest. His howl echoed and thrown some snow from nearest young pines.

But unexpectedly the call was returned. A cry from deeper forest came to Steele’s ears. Dog stood, thinking fast. However he was almost indifferent of dangers of wild, he still have to be careful. He had to survive in order to fulfil his quest. That why he took a quick look around and estimated eventual way of escape. Narrow path up to the pass was easy to block and malamute felt he was able to defend himself even from moderate pack of wolves. So he howled again, hoping that pack wasn’t too big and too hungry.

“Here!” answered him weary voice of some canine. “Come here… But carefully… We are infected.”

Steele gasped with nasty curse, because he had no intention to interact with carriers of plague. Those were far more dangerous that even most enraged wolves. But he discovered his position and additionally wanted to get know more about pestilence. So he set off in voice direction, looking carefully in slowly darkening forest.

“Stop!” called dog from bushes. It was an older malamute with dirty fur and long scar on his muzzle. He looks ill, because his neck was already swollen and dripping with pus. “He won’t stand more than week.” Estimated Steele.

“I’m clean.” Said Steele. “And I wish to stay that way!”

“Of course, stranger.” Replied second malamute. “You are windward to me, so you are perfectly safe for now.” Then he raised his weary stare on newcomer and narrowed his eyes in surprise. “Sir! That’s you… But how it could be!?”

Steele looked on dog who addressed him <sir>, but had no idea who could he be. Malamute was probably even older than former leader – he could be eight year old. However looking on newcomer he crouched and lowered his ears as he was greeting an alpha of his pack. Steele instinctively smiled.

“Do we know each other?” asked with curious voice.

“Sir, that’s me, Barry from third row of our harness… And Kate is here too…”

“What are you talking about?” gasped former leader, desperately trying to recall muzzle of that dog.

“Sir, do not pretend you don’t remember.” Said infected spitz. “And if you are alive… Are you came here to punish us?” Then – in spite of obedient expression of face – dog burst with bitter laughter. “Too late, boss. The nature punished us already. Kate and I are infected. We…”

“Shut up!” called Steele. “I don’t know you!”

“Sir, but…” then eyes of dog became narrow and piercing. He was gazing on Steele’s face with no word, to finally add. “But you are not Sharp!”

“No, my name…” replied former leader, but then he understood. “My father! My father’s name is Sharp!”

“Steele.” whispered infected. “Boss told us about you… many times… So you are the son of chief Sharp…”

“Excuse me, friend.” Said Steele. “I missed many important things. Could you tell me once again who you are and…” But then dog turned back to forest and called with all his might.

“Kate! Kate! Come here! Son of boss is here.”

“Wait! Do not bother yourself…” murmured malamute, slowly backing to the path. He felt a nasty premonition that he encounter some real troubles.

“Sir, she will be here in any moment.” Called infected from the forest. Newcomer temporary lost him, but he didn’t care. He decided to withdraw as soon as it was