found out, it was Jimmy who asked Maya to do that.” Said Steele. “He can’t forgive himself that they left me.”

“So why don’t you stopped him?”
”He didn’t say me!” yelled malamute. “When I came there, the case was already on run.”

“So… there is Balto and most of dog community there?” asked Victor with concern.

“Not now, speedy!” replied Steele. “Let’s think for a while…”

“That’s my chance.” Called Victor. “I all want you to let me closer to Balto.”

Malamute looked on his mate with question in his eyes. Berenice was thinking a while, but then slowly nodded her head. However on her face was seen an expression of sorrow. She really hoped that Victor would let it go.

“As I said, I will.” Replied Steele. “I just strongly advise you to wait.”

“I can’t wait.”

“So, let’s go.” Murmured malamute. “Prepare yourself, I will call for babysitter.” He left the shed.

“Babysitter?” amazed Victor.

“Probably master Gunnar.” Replied Berenice. Then she stood up and hugged to yellow furred. “Don’t die. We will help you as we could, but it’s up to you, how it would end.”

“I will try, I promise.”

“As I said, you have to survive. If you don’t, Steele is ready to avenge you… and that vicious circle will never stop.” Then door opened and to shed entered Gunnar Kaasen, pulled by trouser-leg.

“All right, all right… I’m coming… What happened?” asked Norwegian, looking on pups. “They look fine, I guess.”

“Come on!” called Steele. He let his owner loose and ran out with mate and friend.

“Wait!” called trapped. “What the heck means that? Steele? Steele!”

*

The gathering was made in front of boiler building. It was a semicircle around few dogs inside. Between auditory and wall were waiting Kodi, Maya and Jimmy. Other dogs were looking on that with surprise.

“Kodi, what that means?” asked confused Balto, who just had come from his boat.

“I’m sorry, father, but it must be explained.” Replied husky with breaking voice. “I want to know if I’m still worthy to be a sled dog.”

“Kodi, stop that.” Whispered Jenna who entered semicircle. “No one blames you for…”

“Death of two my friends.” Interrupted her son. “That is not just a mistake. There are casualties.”

“Let us go, ma’am.” Said Jimmy with grave voice. “We are doing that we should to.”

“Balto, do something!” called Jenna, running to her mate.

“But what?” They were silent for a while, thinking heavily. Finally red furred said.

“Start with easier task, that means that stupid case of Jimmy. Bring here Steele and ask him to say that it was an accident and he blames no one. Then we will think about Kodi.”

Balto shivered, hearing that. And in the same moment came Steele and Berenice. They just entered the ring of dogs and came to Jenna and wolfdog. Malamute just asked.

“What is that mess? You did it?”

“Steele, please, tell them what happened on Eagle Pass.” Pleaded red furred. Malamute smiled.

“I bet you don’t want this.” Said and looked on Balto. Then he added louder. “But in fact this all is useless.” He looked discreetly on side, where Victor was slowly sneaking in darkness, closer to gathered dogs. Malamute sighed silently. He didn’t like was he was doing – not that he had any scruples in helping to kill Balto, but that he wasn’t sure if his fried would succeeded. “I’m alive and I think that recalling what happened on Eagle Pass is pointless.” He turned to Maya, Kodi and Jimmy. “Listen, my friends. I know that was a tragedy, but we must go on. Fitch and Bart were sled dogs and they knew the risk. It could had been anyone of you… But it happened to them. Sad, but we can’t resurrect them by crying aloud.” Suddenly he noticed that Victor climbed on roof of boiler building. He heard his steps upthere and looked on Berenice. She returned that stare with surprise. They both had no idea what mongrel was doing. Malamute felt that he had to play on time, however he had a nasty premonition. “So I propose to just let it go and…”

“I won’t let it go.” Called Kodi.

“And I won’t!” called some voice from roof. All dogs turned to yellow furred silhouette over them.

“Dammit!” gasped Steele. “Don’t do that!”

“And even Steele don’t want to let it go.” Said Victor. “He had own debts to pay. However… he eventually could forgive. I can’t.”

“Who’s the hell is that?” asked Jimmy amazed.

“Balto!” cried Victor. “Are you the son of Black and Aniu?”

“Yes, but who…” asked wolfdog.

“Victor, get down!” ordered Berenice, but mongrel didn’t listen to her. “Please…” she whispered, but that lost in noise of excited dogs.

“Your parents killed my mate.” Said yellow furred without any further introductions. “However I failed to punish them. I came for you.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about…” said Balto with sudden relief. So the case of Steele unexpectedly was cast out to the background. But not exactly…

“And you tried to kill Steele. Most likely you would had succeeded if not my intervention.”

“He is mad.” Murmured Jenna. She looked on Balto and shivered, seeing that her mate was gazing on Victor with jaw dropped.

“Steele stood him in a way to Berenice.” Added Victor. “Or at least Balto thought that. In fact she would have never mate with that backstabber, but he tried anyway. He wounded Steele and buried him in the snow.” Then all eyes turned on Steele.

“Well, it true, however I said nothing, because I have no witness for that.” Said malamute carefully.

“Boss, why haven’t you tell us?” yelled Star, who came closer to the centre.

“And who would you believe? Me or him?” smiled malamute. “And additionally I thought he was just… making his turn. You know what I mean?”

“Balto, what he is talking about?” asked Jenna, looking on his mate.

“Sorry, girl.” Said Steele to red furred. “I said nothing also because of you.”

“So this is true?” she sobbed.

“Mom, we can’t believe that liar!” gasped Kodi, turning to Steele. But then his face froze, probably when dog recalled why he was still alive. “That mean, I…”

“That’s a lie.” Said Balto, however his voice was shivering.

“All right, I believe you.” Interrupted Steele, instinctively scratching his wounded paw. “You could you repeat that to Berenice? That you are faithful mate of Jenna and such a stuff? Just to be sure… that my imaginations were just imaginations.”

Balto looked uncertainly on Jenna, then on Steele and finally turned to Berenice. He stepped few step closer and in the same time Victor crouched to the pounce. “NO!” called malamute and his mate, but it was too late. Yellow furred rushed from roof and flew down to the hybrid. However Jimmy somehow managed to intercept him.

“Get away!” growled mongrel and with almost superdog speed he grabbed husky’s paw and threw him on the wet snow. Then jumped Kodi, aiming on back of newcomer. Victor perfectly sensed the coming danger and shunned in last moment. Balto’s son hit the ground, splashing a melting snow around then turned to enemy. But yellow furred was ready for that and attacked in the same moment.

Actually no one saw exactly what happened. Just in one second both dogs were pouncing on each other, and a heartbeat later Kodi was lying, thrown in muddy snow with Victor standing on his back. Dog there gasped seeing impossible scene, when small mutt beat up twice a big husky.

“Stop it!” cried Berenice.

Everybody froze, only Victor stepped down from Kodi’s back and turned to Balto with hateful stare. Dusty ran to knocked now beloved and yellow furred ignored it. Other lookers stopped their breathing in confusion. A sudden silence fell, only Kodi hit his paw in the snow, making a slashing sound.

“Step aside!” growled Victor, looking on Jimmy. “I have nothing against you. I just need to get Balto.”

“Easy…” murmured shocked husky. “Just calm yourself and…” another noise of splashing snow sounded, again Kodi his the ground at random. “Just stay where you are and…”

Then the air was filled with desperate cry of Dusty. This howl was so loud and shocking that everyone (maybe apart of yellow furred) turned his or her stare in that direction. They saw Dusty, standing over shivering body of Kodi. But what was taken as knock out was something different. On the wet snow around lying dog was gathering a giant pool of blood. From throat of young husky was flowing a red stream of fresh, arterial blood. Dog was drowning in own bloodlet, coughing and hitting with paw in helpless try to stand up. His trachea was squashed.

“God!” gasped Steele and looked on Berenice. They knew what it meant.

In one second crowd of dog exploded. Mass of canines rushed on lone mongrel, still standing in place and looking on Jimmy. Wave of angry creatures overturned stranger and pinned him to the ground. Whole scene drowned in overwhelming noise.

“Stop it!” cried Berenice, then she rushed after Steele in fight direction.

It wasn’t even a fight, but an execution. Mob pressed Victor into the snow and was hitting at random. But from blows of over twenty dogs many hit. It didn’t matter how fast and agile was yellow furred. In point blank range he had no chance to use his skills. He was writhing on the ground, shunning some attacks, but on every one dodged blow, came three others. He grabbed some paw, clenched his jaws and broke it. Then he grabbed someone’s side and pulled, but another attack made him to let it loose.

Berenice and Steele jumped on that mass and with bared fangs and started to pierce to the centre. But malamute was just old, lamed dog. Berenice was master in martial arts, but she was helpless against so numerous lot. It took them over minute to get to Victor. She shielded him with own body and Steele stopped over that, growling and pushing back attackers. However it was much too late.

Victor was almost tore apart. One of his paws were nearly ripped out from skin and muscles and a bone was clearly seen. His side was one giant wound, bleeding fast, spotting fur of