Victor. “So, what do you propose?”

“Just get to Nome, get rest, get know Balto. You will stay with Berenice and me. When you decide the time is right, you will just make and ambush for him and finish him quickly.”

“No!” disagreed mongrel. “I need him to suffer. I want to kill him in public, for all to see and laugh on him.”

“You said you are good in martials.” Yawned Steele. “However I just can’t believe you are so good.”

“Just help me get know where he lives, what is his daily routine and I will do the rest. How about that?”

“I’m for.” Nodded Steele. “But if you are really want to do it in public, we must think about your escape…”

“I’ve never escaped in my life.” Growled Victor. “And I never will.” He looked on night outside the den. “But you got your score. We will set off tomorrow.”

*

It was a calm evening on third April. Berenice was laying on floor of Kaasen’s shed, with five pups on her side. She just had a dream, that Steele was alive and was back with her. So where she woke up, tears appeared in her eyes. It was not fair! She wanted to cry out on shoulder of someone who would understand her. Alternatively she wanted to have a real fight with hard opponent. But that want was difficult to fulfil, because she needed to watch over pups. And if she got hurt on ring… She recalled Steele’s rebukes just before he had left. Then she sobbed once again, seeing mate in her mind’s eye.

But suddenly some noise sounded outside. Berenice carefully put pups on bedding, then soundlessly stood up and sneaked to door. Those noise was made by art least two dogs who didn’t want to be heard. She-malamute understood that she could get her fight anyway.

The door-hatch moved and in hole appeared muzzle of yellow furred mongrel. He took a look around on room, noticed Berenice, standing over him, and called to his companion.

“It’s clear…”

“… that you have troubles.” Finished bitch and pulled dog inside.

Her attack was improvised put perfectly applied – she dragged enemy, kept by his neck and threw him on the opposite wall. Because dog was light, she expected that he hit the wall and fall down unconsciousness. But she almost fainted from amaze, when attacked with unbelievable speed turned in the air, bounced with his paws on wall and pounced back on her. She shunned aside and when she tried to jumped up again, she grabbed his paw, made a attempt and released him, again sending against wall. Dog again amortised the hit and fell on floor. Then he turned to host… who was already pouncing. With skilful dodge, Victor jumped aside and grabbed Berenice’s neck. She instantly bounced and stood on two rear paws, then pressed attached enemy to the floor.

“NO! Stop!” yelled Steele, entering to room.

“Steele?” whispered Berenice, in the same time pressing Victor to he floor with all her might.

“Get her away!” panted yellow furred, escaping painful grab.

“It’s… impossible.” Murmured Berenice, standing up and stepping to malamute. In one moment she just left a bit beaten Victor alone.

“I’m home, honey.” Said leader, feeling that was rather a stupid remark. “As you probably already have noticed…” She just ran to him and hugged him tight. “It’s all right, I’m alive.”

“Steele, I thought… I though…”

“I thought I’m down too.” Said malamute, licking her cheek. “But I’ve made it. I’ve made it thanks to Victor.”

“Applause is not necessary.” Murmured mongrel, licking a long scratch on his side.

“I’m so happy!” sobbed bitch, crying from nervous relief. “Steele, can you see it? You are father.”

He almost broke out from her hug and ran to bedding where five small furballs were sleeping, unaware of drama around them. Steele looked on them, then he looked on Berenice. When she nodded her head, he bended down and carefully sniffed around all five. Then slowly, aware not to wake them up, started to lick his pups.

“That’s impossible.” He finally said. “I haven’t deserved it.” Smiled to his children.

“That’s true.” Replied Berenice, and went closer to her mate. But she stopped in the middle of way, looked on Victor. “But who the heck is he?”

“Ow, and I though she would never ask.” Murmured yellow furred, looking on Steele.

“That is Victor of Selawik. Dog who saved me from avalanche.” Explained Steele. “It useless to say more, because you won’t believe me anyway.”

“You…” whispered she-dog and rushed on mongrel. Victor, thinking that was another strike, just shielded with paws, ready to counterattack, but after few seconds instead of hit, he felt licks on his forehead.

“Yes, I confess…” murmured yellow furred and surrender to that strange caress. Stele even didn’t react for that, because he was still staring on pup like hypnotised.

“I’m terribly sorry.” Said Berenice, helping Victor to stand up. “I just...”

“I know, Steele is back. I understand you have a hard day.” Said mongrel and them malamute looked on them and burst in laughter.

“That is Victor himself.” Said with giggling voice. “My love, don’t you mind if he stays with us few days?”

“Of course not… But wait, tell me what happened there? Dogs said you lost in blizzard!”

“It wasn’t a lie, however it was far from the truth.” Said Steele. “But first give out guest something to eat… and maybe give to me it too. Then sit down and calm down, because my story… is a bit tangled.”

*

They barely stopped Berenice from running to Balto and killing him. To finish whole story Steele had to came to his mate and laid next to her, carefully holding impulsive warrioress. When he finally finished and Victor added own tale, she was silent for a while, then she said with hollow voice.

“Victor… could you leave us just for moment? I have to say something to Steele.” Mongrel nodded his head, stood up and exited into night.

“I can’t wait for that too.” Smiled malamute coming to his mate. “But we just can’t let him outside so long, until we finish…” Then she noticed that her eyes are deluged with tears.

“Steele!” she sobbed. “I…”

“I know, Balto harassed you.” Interrupted her malamute. “And you thought I was dead. I understand that you acted a bit different…”

“No I just… I let him in.”

“If you don’t want to say about it, don’t say.” Said Steele with soft voice. “I don’t care about it.”

“I was constant to you, my love. I swear.”

“Of course, I believe!” quickly replied malamute. “I didn’t want to suggest anything else.”

“But he seemed to be so caring… I was talking with him, letting his see out pups… But I promise that was all! I just couldn’t imagine other dog with me in your place.”

“I’m flattered, but you should.” Said Steele seriously. “I authorize you to find someone else if I die again!” added with grave voice, then burst in laughter, hearing that absurd. “Do not cry… Now I’m here again.”

“Balto must be punished.” Sobbed Berenice.

“He must.” Agreed malamute. “But not for what he did to me, but what he did to you. Also for what he did… I call Victor back, all right?”

*

Few hours later they all were sleeping. In Kaasen shed were heard regular breathing of five pups and three mature dogs. Only Victor was half-awake in his strange no-sleep, thinking about what he had experienced in past day. Coming to Nome he thought he would see just his vengeance, but he discovered something else. He actually had never seen a love different that his and Agatha’s. He never seen a happy return of father to his pups, had never seen that stare of father, watching his children. So for the first time since a long time he sensed the missed something important. And however he didn’t admitted that, he was actually envying Steele.

He saw as one of pups woke up in night, sniff with confusion and fear, then nestling closer to mother’s and father’s sides. And then fell asleep. Suddenly Victor felt like that tiny pup.

*

On the next morning they were sitting around bowls of food, brought by Gunnar Kaasen. When Norwegian noticed additional guest in his shed, he just got back to house and prepared another portion. That was indeed Gunnar Kaasen – he was keeping the open house for both humans and caninees. So on the breakfast three dogs were talking about Victor’s plans, when pups were checking if their teethes are already sharp. Fortunately they still didn’t.

“We thought it over with Victor and we decided that making a public charge against Balto is useless.”

“They all should know what he did!” murmured Berenice.

“My love, remember that once I wanted to kill him too.”

“That wasn’t direct strike.” Noticed she-malamute. “And you acted not breaking the Code.”

“However I wanted to kill him.”

“Now I want it too.” She replied. “And I don’t think it’s a crime.”

“Steele let me do that.” Said Victor. “I know that he has own reasons for revenge, but I must punish the last wolf responsible for Agatha’s death. You may call it cruel, because I punish son instead of mother. But Aniu is dead and I still can’t let it go.”

“I don’t understand your motives.” Confessed Berenice. “However you are going to hurt my enemy. Be sure I’ll help you as I can.”

“Will help you, as long it won’t collide with promise I stupidly made once.” Added Steele.

“Thank you… friends.” Said Victor, although he wasn’t sure if he actually know the meaning of that world. “So we should act carefully, not to… au!” yelled, when Steele junior grabbed his ear. “He has a teeth!”

IV.II. Surprise!

Dogs we gravely silent, when Steele was hobbling on main street of town. Malamute didn’t said a word, just walked slowly on his wounded leg in post office direction. Some of Nomers were trying to came closer and look in dog’s eyes, just to check if that creature was really Steele (of the holy memory). And just like two years earlier, the rumour spread with light speed. It alarmed Balto who was visiting Peter Kinrs’s kennels. Initially he thought that was a joke, but when another dog barked about malamute’s resurrection,