officers, especially Fred seemed quite amazed by that weakness of leader.

So Victor went back to his slaughterhouse, slept for almost two days, then started his fights.

*

It was a summer night, when he was fighting with Fred. Wolfdog was strong and agile, additionally skilled in such a fight. That duel was a real challenge. Yellow furred won – of course – but not untouched. His ear was bleeding  - that ear once wounded by Om (of the holy memory…), side was scratched and overall god was exhausted. His enemy was beaten even worse, but the duel was observed by several others Rupert’s soldiers and if they wanted to finish mongrel then, they would had done it easily.

“Who’s next?” panted Victor. He had to ask about it, as he was asking every time. However he wasn’t ready to second duel that night.

Blooded Fred nodded and one of his soldiers steeped ahead, wanting to challenge enemy. Victor bared his teethes, sensing a real problem. But then came Daisy.

“That was great, sir!” she licked his cheek and in the same time she had to support him, as he was faltering. “May I lead you to kennel?”

Rupert’s paws stopped unsure what to do next. Fights were over and numerous audience was looking on gangsters with careful stares. Fred cursed, knowing it was too late. They missed a good opportunity. He wagged his tail to stop underling. So Daisy and Victor went away.

*

“Am I looking so bad, that you judge I have to be saved?” asked mongrel, when they reached slaughterhouse.

“No sir… I just thought you are a bit tired.”

“I’m a bit tired by all of that even after eight hours sleep.” He murmured and let her lay him down on bedding made of old rags.

“Just take a rest, sir. Tomorrow the world will look better.”

“I’m repeating it every evening… Hey, what are you doing?” he asked confused, when she started to lick his side.

“Those scratches had to be cleaned.” She repeated instantly. “I’ll try to do it carefully.”

“You should go home.” Said Victor. “It really nice that you are doing it, but I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I never suggested that.” She replied and started to caress his forehead. Dog froze in surprise, then recalled he had a cut there too.

“Thank you, but I’ll be all right.”

“Let me finish that, sir.” She said with breaking voice. So he stayed silent until she finished.

“Sir?” asked Daisy. “May I asked you about something?”

“You could always ask.” Replied yellow furred. “I’m just not sure if I reply you.”

“Why are doing it, sir?” she asked. “All this. Fights…”

“Long and sad story.” Replied dog. “Better say some other question.

“But answer on that is important. I’m not sure if I could ask any other.”

“You can. I just see if I could answer.”

She sat in front of his bedding and looked on him with shyly stare. Then she said with breaking voice.

“Do you feel lonely here, sir?”

“Hard to say. I’m not here for social matters.” He answered with indifferent voice.

“But… but…” suddenly some unexpected bolt of decision enflamed her face. “I love you sir.”

Victor pointed his stare on her and understood she was serious. It was quite shocking for him, however meant no other emotions.

“That wasn’t a question.” He noticed. “So I can’t answer on that.”

“I love you, sir.” She repeated and some tears appeared in her eyes.

“That’s very stupid idea.” Replied warrior. “Just leave it and… hey! I thought that you are about to mate with that dalmatian Eryk.”

“It’s just… no, sir.” She replied with a slight sobbing. “That’s what my owners and parents want. But I think you are ten times a dog than him.”

“However I’m not dalmatian.” Said Victor and smiled, as if he was recalling something.

“Sir!” she sobbed. “I don’t care about it. If you just let me, I wish stay with you…”

“Go back!” ordered Victor, trying to sound both polite and wilfully. “Your parents are worried.”

“Sir…”

But then they heard a sound of running outside. Victor stood up, ready to defend fro another team of killers. But that was just Eryk, dalmatian from Mitchels family.

“Daisy!” he called with relief in his voice.

“Do not follow me!” she called. “I asked you to leave me alone!”

“You parents…”

“I don’t care.”

“Daisy…” said Victor gentle. “Just go with Eryk. He will lead you home. It’s late.”

“Sir…” she looked on him with despair in her eyes.

“Leave her, sir.” Said Eryk with decisive voice, but careful listener would hear some fear in that. But yellow furred just nodded and answered.

“Take her home. She is very tired and talking strange things.”

“I was serious.” She cried.

“I’m serious too.” Said warrior. “Mostly because of the answer on your first question.” She lowered her head and went away after Eryk.

Victor quickly fell asleep and on next morning he felt nothing from recent injuries. Also Agatha came to him in sleep. He didn’t remembered what that dream was about but it was wonderful. Victor felt he wanted the wanted to be sooner, that he could set off on his quest.

*

It took a while but winter came and Victor went on route. That time he was sure he was ready to fight Ravens Pack. After over month of scouting he localised one of groups created on ashes of deceased pack.

He captured an omega to interrogate it. However wolf was weak and slim, but she was still bigger than dog. But dog, a mutt was holding her in his grab, pressing to the frozen ground.

“You lie!” called mongrel. “It’s impossible.”

“I swear! Okto is dead!” yelled wolfess.

“I was in Chuich Pack and prisoner said me that Beth of Ravens Pack is dead. The same goes about Alima, Kurt and few others. That is madness!”

“No. That is that malamuteeeee! Stop it!” yelled, when Victor was pressing her neck. “A giant malamute with blue eyes and golden collar. He killed Okto.”

“You are lucky I asked you as a last.” Murmured dog. “If I encountered you as a first, I would have killed you. You have to admit it’s hard to believe in story of ghost-malamute, killing every member of Ravens Pack.”

“Do you think my pack believes me, if I say about domestic dog doing the same?” sobbed wolfess.

“Right, I’m a bit strange too.” Agreed Victor. “But it changes nothing. It nearly impossible that malamute did what I wanted to do, just few months before me.” He was silent for a while, and omega tried to stood up. But dog instantly pressed her back. “No, wait…”

“You promised that you…”

“You will live!” hushed her Victor. “But I have to know what happened with husky called Black and wolfess called Aniu.”

“Those were alphas of Ravens Pack.”

“I know that!” growled dog. “I need know where they are now.”

“They lost.” Yelled omega. “Black is surely dead and no one seen Aniu for years.”

“And their pups?” she asked. He always wanted to know who was responsible for death of Agatha. Who drove Black to kill his beloved.

“That are dead too...” replied omega, and seeing that Victor wanted to hit her. “Wait! But maybe not all of them… One of pups was called Balto and he got lost in blizzard with Black.”

“And?”

“And there is possibility that is the same Balto who is serving humans in Nome.”

“But you don’t know that…” murmured yellow furred and wolfess shielded with paws, waiting for another blow. But it didn’t come. Victor just murmured. “Well… I have to check it out.”

II.II High Midnight

Victor needed a break. He just stopped for few weeks in mountains, two days of march from Eagle Pass. The path was still impassable, at least for Victor. Maybe skilled sled dog, or long-pawed wolf would make it, but yellow furred had no might nor want to do that. So he just chose some small cave on slope of Yu mountain and was waiting for nothing. He had just to forget about whole world around, as he had done it previous year and earlier. Sometimes that rest last for week, sometimes almost month. However it was required.

“Ow, strange.” Thought dog, lying in his cave. “Strange smell, a death smell. Just as if someone was there being sick, or something.” On stone wall he discovered spot long-clotted pus. He understood that it was sign of bubonic plague, but he didn’t react. That pus had maybe two years and juts couldn’t be dangerous anymore.

So Victor was sleeping, hunting, sleeping, hunting, endlessly looking in grey walls of cave and trying to clear his mind. something was telling him that his vengeance if far from being complete. Even if Aniu was dead (and dog thought she was) there still was one criminal alive. That pup, last remaining pup from Aniu’s litter. To kill his kin wolf had to have a good reason. Agatha was doomed by such a reason that was litter of pups to feed by pack. If not them, maybe  - or even most likely – she would had survived. So that Balto was the real killer. In person innocent, however fully responsible. Victor came across that conclusion about early April. Then he just stood up one morning and set off in Selawik direction. For what exactly? Good question.

*

He entered the town in night. It just happened that he reached valley about dusk and came to outskirts few hours before midnight. At the first sight he already sensed that something changed. Town was different, filled with hew air and new smell. It was a smell of fear. Not in world of humans, but among dogs. Something bad had happened, what Victor understood quickly. However for him it was so hard to worry about it, at least before he met Ben and three gang soldiers.

“You are back.” Said mastiff.

“Really?” asked Victor, trying turn that irony to a sing of fondness. “It’s good to be in my old home…”

“There are some changes here.” Said soldier. Winter was gone and early summer was melting every remnants of snow there. However in smell of spring was something scary, different that smell of life.

“I see.” Nodded mongrel. “You have been promoted. Now you have your squad…”

“Rupert is dead and Fred is in charge.” Said Ben.

“Ow, I see.” Smiled Victor. “So new promotions are in