so surprised that he surrendered to that move and after just second he was lying under Steele. But malamute didn’t attack. He would even reach the friend’s throat – dog was so exposed – and kill him, but Steele knew that he had to shun for his life. He stood up and jumped aside in last moment – few dogs pounced on him, landing finally on Kaltag. But few next, including strong and dangerous Nikki, was pursing him still. So malamute had to run. He set off to instant retreat and… froze in place.

In the lane was standing Jenna. Just on his path, few feet before him to break free he had to push he aside. It sounds amazing, but he just couldn’t. He stopped, looking in deep Jenna’s eyes, unable to make a move. She was staring on him with fear, disgust and… a spark of remorse? Steele didn’t understand that stare, however it expressed something more than plain hatred. “Once we were almost together baby.” Thought malamute. “I wished to live and die at your side. Funny – most likely I will die at your side. Now.” And in the same moment Steele sensed a terrible pain in his paw.

Star certainly had his day. He had managed to first Steele as a first and soon after he hit him again and – what was even more incredible – in the same spot. The hurt paw was again pierced by short but sharp dog’s teethes. However tough Steele was, he wasn’t steel-made. When Star grabbed him and pulled, he fell.

Again malamute met the snow. Still looking in Jenna’s eyes. He was clearly seeing her surprise when he was falling down and hitting the ground. Maybe she wanted to call (ask for mercy on him?), but scream died on her lips. Malamute wanted to say his last words just to her, telling something remarkable. Like: “You didn’t want to see on me and my life. So, look on my death.” But then he understood that whatever he would say, he wouldn’t be remembered because that. He was done, lost, without his vengeance nor any other real aim of his life. With just a dirty snow in his mouth. So he just panted.

“Jen…” and he felt terrible pain on his back.

Epilogue: A season for…

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3;1

Berenice was speeding like a demon. On empty streets of Nome, dark and snowed, she was running almost like a race dog on its route. However she was faster. Then she was cursing herself for waiting so long. What had made her to finish her fight? For that error, fatal mistake Steele would had paid a deadly price. She was crying. Crying and running with bared fangs.

She didn’t know the town, but she came to that lane perfectly.

There was no time to hesitate nor to think, so she didn’t hesitated, nor thought. She just pounced into the mob of dogs, doing what she was doing the best. She grabbed paw of random dog, based on back of other and pulled with unbelievable might. Bone cracked, dog yelled and she let him loose and picked another target.

Amazed attackers stopped their charge on lying Steele after third yell of their companion. Berenice was like an angel of death – silent and fast. She made no sounds, only her victims were screaming. The second dog rolled aside with broken paw, and the third with deep cut on his side. She-malamute didn’t stopped on that and grabbed Star – the last dog on Steele’s back.

They were almost of the same constitution, however female just grabbed male’s neck and threw him away as if he was a dried bone. Amazed Star flew few feet and hit Mikel, yelling dog with squashed paw. Meanwhile Berenice got to the Steele.

“Stand up!” she cried. “We are withdrawing to the wall.”

Malamute was too shocked to obey and even if he was fully aware of that it was hard to stand up quick on three paws. So bitch had to lift him up and put on legs. Then came another wave of dogs. “To the wall!” screamed Berenice and grabbed Nikki’s throat. Dog was so confused by sudden action of fragile looking female that he allowed her to overturn him. She lost her participation in many league matches, however she had even more fight than she expected to.

“Stop it!” finally called Jenna, but no one listened to her.

Berenice pushed Steele back and shielded him with own body. Attack of Star (this guy was amazing that night – he stood up in seconds after his knock-out!) she received on front, grabbing his paw and – just like he was sport throwing-hammer – threw him away again.

Steele regained a bit of his awareness and gasped.

“What the hell you are doing! Get away or they kill you!”

“It’s finally my turn.” She smiled. “Let me save you this time.” They backed to the dead end of lane – a low tool shed.

“We must flee.” Said quickly Steele. “Get on my back and jump to that roof.”

“And you?” she asked rhetorically, seeing his wounded paw. “No, we stay here and…”

“You!” called Balto from second rank of dogs. “Go away. That is not your business.”

“It’s mine from now on.” She replied. “I’m an enterprising girl.”

“He is a criminal.” Said hybrid. “We wished to go easy with him and just banish him again… but he attacked us.”

“I did it too.” Smiled Berenice.

“No!” gasped Steele. “Run!”

“I won’t.” replied she-malamute with whisper. “I will stay where you are.”

“Don’t you know who I am?” he murmured. “Haven’t they told you.”

“I know everything.” She replied. “And somehow I’m happy that you need me so much. Because I need you even more.”

“What!?”

“My name is <bearer of victory>, remember?” She smiled, still looking on closing Balto. “And I will get what I want. I want you, because I love you. Now more than ever. So tell me Steele, will I die as a victor? Did I won you?”

“Christ’s sake!” gasped malamute. “You are mad!” then he added a little quieter. “And I think I love you because of that. Point for you.”

“Stay back, stranger!” called Balto to Berenice. “We must punish him.”

“That means: kill him?” asked she-malamute.

“I don’t want to, but he is a threat for us. We must deal with that threat.”

“That will cost you dearly.” She barked. “You won’t get him. Eventually, you get him after stopping over my dead body. But it might be a bit hard walk!”

“Why do you stand for that dog?” asked confused Balto. “He is a rascal and a coward.”

“And that why you are going to kill him in that mob? Twenty to one? That’s a bravery!” she smiled and Steele felt something strange in his heart. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling towards Berenice, but certainly her sense of humour appealed to him.

“Stay back, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Unfortunate, I want to hurt you. But our quests still aren’t at variance.” She looked deep in wolfdog’s eyes. “I love him and if you hurt him, you will get know how much. You will learn it on your throat.”

“Balto, wait!” called Jenna. Nome’s hero and mob of dogs finally felt silent. “Let me solve that.” She came to the first line and said, looking on Steele. “We will let you live, if you promise that you will never hurt Balto.”

Berenice turn a look on surrounding dogs. Although she was great warrior, or maybe: because she was a great warrior, she knew her limits. It was useless to resist to such a mass. She felt also that mob was enraged and ready to kill. There was no way back, if Steele didn’t cease his vengeance.

“Whatever you say, I will stay with you.” She whispered. “I could die here with you… but, but… I would be so happy, if you decided to live. With me or without, but to live. You are my greatest prize, Steele. I just can’t lose you.”

“Go away.” He replied. “There is no way out for me.”

“That is the only order I will not obey, my love. Decide – we die together or live together.”

In Steele’s heart opened a long forgotten cave. He was basing on Berenice’s side and sensing her breathing and pulse through her fur and skin. She was ready to die for him. And he was ready to sacrifice her just to get his revenge. And die soon after. That was definitely not right. “Is there a way back?” asked Steele himself.

Then dog saw a blurred silhouette behind crowd of dog. It was giant malamute, strong and noble-looking. And he was staring on his son. That spectre was Sharp. “There is always way back, my son. And as a skilled sled leader you know it.”

“Are you serious?” inquired malamute.

“Are we staying?” asked Berenice. In her voice was sounding a sorrow, but definitely not a hesitation. She was about to fight for him.

“I’m going to regret that.” Smiled Steele. “But I’m comforting myself with thought that you will regret you decision too.” Then he looked on Jenna and said with decisive voice. “I won’t hurt Balto.”

“Swear! You will never raise you paw on him!” called red husky.

“I won’t.” added Steele.

And then it finished. One second the bloodthirsty mob turned to just a group of dogs, heavily amazed what they had been about to do. Wall of hatred crumpled down and then Nomers were looking on each other with shame.

“It’s went a bit weird.” Said Star. “I’m sorry boss.”

And Steele was still standing in place, on three healthy and one wounded paw and was thinking how weird it went indeed. He was wounded – serious injure of his paw most likely wouldn’t let him to ever pull again. But he was alive and at his side he had a girl who was loving him. It wasn’t a bad share after all.

In his heart was struggling two forces. The force of death who called to him to kill, don’t matter he would be killed. That was a voice of revenge and hatred. But there was a second voice of life who demanded to be heard and obeyed. He wanted Steele to live and love. In that second Steele discovered that he know what he was feeling towards Berenice. It was love indeed – an emotion new to him, however promising well. The voice of life won. He loved Berenice. He loved the life. He… was finally actually alive.

Father nodded his head and Steele thought, maybe just to excuse himself.

“I’m not leaving my vengeance…” he looked in deep, green