Vengeance is mine (I will replay)

Part III. – Avenging Angel

0. Prologue

Night, wind, frost, death.

No way back.

Kodi was terrible aware that they had no chance to get alive from there. And what was even worse, he knew that it was his fault. He doomed his owner, sled team and beloved Dusty. He, lead dog, guide of sled. Son of great Balto turned out to be loser and somehow killer. “My pride killed us.” He sobbed in mind. He was still walking ahead, but he saw no road on front of him. “I wanted to be as father… and I failed. But we all will pay for my stupidity.”

He heard a muffled yell behind him. Muffled because of wind, he was almost sure that Dusty cried aloud. Yes, that was his girlfriend who fell down as a first. It wasn’t her fault, she got just badluck to step on frozen crack. Kodi stopped.

“Go!” called Peter Kinrs. “Mush!” and he waved his whip.

“Stop!” barked Ralph. “She won’t make it.”

“Mush, dammit!” yelled musher and hit Bart, who was marching in last row.

“Don’t leave me here.” Whispered Dusty.

Kodi just took out his harness and went to bitch. Human was still shouting and hitting with his whip, but then he understood that he had no chance to force his dogs to impossible. No one could pull the heavy sled up hill on iced ground. Wind wiped snow from path and cleared the surface of ice. They were lost and stuck in place. And they had to run, before some avalanche would bury them. But with crippled Dusty (then Kodi noticed that her paw was twisted) they just couldn’t make it.

“No we won’t.” assured Kodi. “We will die here.” Added in mind. She smiled and whispered.

“I know. I love you and I’m sure that…”

The further sentence was muffled by sound of crumbling snow. Sudden wave of avalanche came from uphill and deluged sled and dogs. No one managed even to fell any fear or pain. The white death was faster.

When day came on slope of Yu mountain was just a giant pulp of fresh snow. Sun was shining on icy tomb of Peter Kinrs’s sled.

*

Of course dogs couldn’t enter the post office, but almost every Nomers was waiting for news from Morse. But Jenna just couldn’t stand that waiting. She crouched down and started to crawl under building. Balto followed her and finally they both reached floor under the main room of post office.

They didn’t know the Morse code well, however the message was so clear that translator wasn’t necessary. Because – due to that terrible storm - telegraph cables to Buckland were damaged, all messages from Galena were going via Ungalik. It caused serious late of every signal, making the waiting longer and more painful. The strings of nerves of both Jenna and Balto were stretched to maximum. But then came the message again. Again, so both dogs understood its meaning.

[no_sleds_reached_galena_in_past_two_days_STOP_no_sleds_reached_galena_in_past_two_days_STOP_no_sleds…]

Jenna was too tired to cry. She just cuddled her muzzle in Balto’s side.

I.I. Golden Collar

Look, I am sending an angel to precede you, to guard you as you go and bring you to the place that I have prepared.
Revere him and obey what he says. Do not defy him: he will not forgive any wrong-doing on your part, for my name is in him.
Exodus 23:20

I theory all was already clear, however Berenice didn’t think like that.

Because if she thought she had already won, that would be the main reason of her failure. So she was approaching to the new enemy with carefulness, giving her best. And Garry from Anchorage deserved to give one’s best against him. German shepherd wasn’t as big dog as some mackenzies of malamutes, but he was extremely fast and agile – the same as Berenice. So that was highly technical duel, one of the most attractive in season of 1927/28.

The ring – as always – was covered in twilight, only a point light was shining on its centre. Black-and-white malamute and black-sandy shepherd were slowly making circles around themselves. Human faces she barely visible in darkness, not to disturb fighting dogs. Garry’s owner was Jarrik White Claw from outskirts of Anchorage, trapper, musher and dog breeder. He came to Nome with his finest dogs, swayed by fame of Martin Eden’s team. Berenice’s status was special. In theory she was a dog of Martine Eden, however Gunnar Kaasen claimed her was his. Norwegian was the one who found her and Steele that night two years earlier, took them home, cured their injuries and then gave Berenice back to Eden. However he made some conditions.

Trapper instantly recognised Steele and took his as own, without any question or rebuke. Some says that there is no more constant love than dog’s towards his humans, but sometime the equal emotion was feeling by human towards dog. Kaasen just enjoyed return of lost ward and even part of his likeness put on Berenice. So he claimed that he saved both dogs (it wasn’t fully true, but Gunnar could think that) and their lives were his. So he allowed Eden to take Berenice on dogfights – under condition that she was doing it willingly (she was) – and made Eden promise that he would never force her to fighting, especially if she became pregnant. He also wanted all pups of Steele and her. Those were hard conditions, but Martin agreed. So new family – lame dog and master warrioress of Nome were living between Norwegian’s house and breeder’s farm.

But enough of that – let’s back to the duel. While we were recalling recent history, both warriors were still waiting to make their move. Still surrounding themselves, just carefully looking on each other’s. Berenice made a first attack – she jumped with short jump, too near to endanger enemy, however she surprised him and made him to shun. When shepherd dodged aside, she pounced once again that time directly on adversary. She hit him and both dogs fell on the ground. They rolled aside, snapping theirs jaws in search for enemy’s throat. It was done with unbelievable speed so cheerers were calling and shouting actually not seeing the whole action. Canines got to the wooden wall of ring, however Garry was more fortunate – Berenice his the boards with her head what cost her a moment of distraction. Shepherd grabbed her neck and pulled hard, so just standing up malamute fell again, this time under Garry. Seeing she is in grave danger, Berenice cowed her paws and in sudden move she pushed enemy with legs. Dog was threw away about two metres, barking with both anger and admire.

“That was close.” Thought she-malamute. “Thank God he was too slow. I have to win that one. For Steele.”

Funny, but she was repeating that on every fight since almost three years. And she almost every time won. Of course, each time she was sure that fight was crucial, special and the one and Steele was looking on her, expecting her triumph. She was right because Steele was actually watching every her fight for past two years, however malamute in fact didn’t care if she win or loose. Instead he was all the time praying that no accident happen.

Dog was watching his mate standing up and jumping aside with narrowed eyes. His lips were shut and clenched with emotion, he was watching on every move of Berenice. When she attacked once again and hit shepherd hard, however failed to overturn him, he sighed with fear. She-malamute’s front-left paw was grabbed and Barry pulled. She jumped up not to fell and surprisingly bounced from ground and landed on shepherd back. Dog pulled her paw once again to threw her down. Berenice actually fell, but going down she hit with paws the head of enemy. Confused shepherd let his grab loose and she rolled aside, freed. Then she-malamute stood up and not waiting for adversary to regain his orientation, pounced once again. She hit him with all his mass and pushed on wall, of ring. Already confused dog hit with head in boards again. He didn’t lose his awareness, but a moment of half-stun was plenty time for malamute. She pressed him to wall, grabbed his neck and overturned to the ground. Barry barked with weak voice, to announce his surrender.

Auditory burst with applause. Those shouts wasn’t very loud, due to small number of watchers, but almost had stunned she-malamute. She loved that moment after the fight, when all gathered humans were confirming her victory. She was listening also to Steele’s call. Dog howled, but in that sound was more of relief than triumph. But that was the moment. Berenice felt a bolt of delight.

But just after few seconds that wave ceased. She-malamute ran to lying shepherd and bended down to him.

“Are you all right?” she asked with genuine concern.

“Yes…” panted shepherd. “Do not make a scene…” He tried to stand up, but he hobbled and sit down again.

“Let me help you…” she whispered and grabbed with teethes his neck. Dog growled, probably ashamed by acting of female. But when she lifted him up, he ceased his angry barking. When adrenaline dropped, he understood that she was really trying to help him.

They both stared to auditory, directly to Steele. Humans cheerers were calling with delight.

Steele steeped to his mate and hugged her in impulse of need. It was always like that, when after every fight malamute didn’t believed his eyes and had to check with other senses if Berenice was intact.

“God!” gasped malamute. “Again, you did it.” Most likely he wasn’t thinking about her victory but just that she was uninjured.

“I guess I won’t have a kiss, so I’m going to the kennel.” Snorted still confused Garry.

“No, wait! Please.” Asked Berenice and turned to shepherd. “I’m so sorry…”

“In ring you didn’t seem to…” murmured dog, but then he burst with laughter. “I know, I know… I had to be that way. I’m not huffed.” Then he added with whisper to her ear. “But it was a badluck. I should have knock you down then.” She well knew that moment he was mentioning about, when she