certainness about me.

“We have to sleep anyway.” I said carefully. “To dawn there is more than two hours.”

“I know.” She replied. “Just… wake me, if you manage…”

But to morning we stayed with no dreams.

IV.

We were awoken by the opening of gate, to see kennels overseer, the same that master Lucas had spoken day before. It was very strange that none of us was alerted by sounds of the other dogs, who apparently had woken even earlier. In light of day I could examine rest of your hosts and that view didn’t improved my mood.

All dogs of Nome kennels were weird. I saw many strange breeds and even I used to think about few wolf hybrids as good acquaintances, but muzzles I saw in boiler room filled me with unspeakable disgust and anxiety. I saw members of many breeds, but one of them looked as I expected pure breeds to look like. It wasn’t a matter of blood I guess – just features of our hosts seemed to looked as odd as strange surrounding of that town.

Additionally every dog, doesn’t matter of what breed, had something wolfish in his look. Maybe it was a way of moving, maybe wild and hungry stare, but each local I looked on, resembles me most savage predators from deeps forests. I guess that all my team took a similar impression, because involuntary we formed a tight pack, almost pressing the wall of building. But fortunately, just after local keeper came master Lucas.

“Ow, I see you are fine.” He murmured, looking on us. I almost barked with fear, because my owner didn’t look good. He seemed not to sleep during last night and looking with anxiety behind his back almost all the time. Moreover he was wearing a belt with holsters, as if he felt that his colts could be needed any moment. “You will stay here for…”

“No.” said local. “They won’t.” A bit confused mr. Marshal looked on him, then boy added. “All dogs are out when we are warming water tanks. You must tie them outside.”

Master Lucal wanted to argue, but seeing keeper opening other boxes and leading all local dogs out, he just sighed and took us away. He tied us in front of kennels, just next to main street of town.

“I’m sorry, crew.” He murmured, before he went away. “I have a work to do, I can’t keep an eye on you all the time.”

And then he went in local hospital direction. Then we have another chance to watch Nome architecture, yet in daylight. Well, saying <daylight> I might exaggerated a bit – it was daytime, but milky grey of half-asleep light that was soaking from through heavy clouds was barely pretending to that name. However I saw the main street of Nome to notice how empty it was.

As houses – standing in uneven row – were just a walls of lifeless canyon. The main artery of town was covered with snow and from that layer I could learn that very small number of creature walked it that day. Even if someone was going, he was sneaking close to line of buildings, as if he was scared to march in centre of street. I initially thought that they could had that habit due to cars, but I saw no automobile in sight.

But focusing on those few humans I spotted I got anxious feeling they are loathing even that little portion of light that served winter day. Vast majority of them had caps deep placed on heads, covering most of faces. Master Lucas tired to speak with few, but they replied him mostly with gestures that words, guiding to hospital. When I saw my owner disappearing in that building I turned my stare aside, to even more shocking view.

On main street was walking wolf. Just like that – wild creature, seemingly taken just out from forest, was marching like most respected citizen of town. Even humans present nearby seemed to paid no attention on him, while other dogs apparently were too scared – maybe too shy – to talk with brownish furred canine. He came in our direction, then stopped about twenty feet before wall of Boiler Building. He called to Gribth, totally indifferent that we could hear that.

“Hey, boy. Are those strangers I was told about?”

“Yes, sir.” Replied hybrid. “But they seem to cause no trouble.”

“Just keep an eye on them.” Added wolf and moved along the street.

“Excuse me.” I said to Gribth. “Who was that wolf?”

“He is half-husky, the same as I.” Replied young wolfdog, with a bit surprised voice. “Don’t you know Balto?”

“Balto?” I repeated with even more surprised tone. “That was Nome sled leader?”

“For now he doesn’t run with sleds anymore.” Said Gribth. “He left that, after his son Kodi took all his duties. But still you should be careful not to upset him.”
”That’s freaks town.” Snorted Fitch to my ear. “I hope that master will be back soon and we leave this place as soon as possible.”

Soon after that kennels keeper came to us again, holding a bucket of frozen fishes. At least they came to conclusion we could use some feeding – he starter to ration food. Iced mackerels maybe wasn’t the thing I would savour with, but I was really hungry. That’s why I was really angry, when keeper just gave us two fishes per muzzle, put the bucket on the snow and with no word went away.

“There are still some fishes inside.” Noticed Cyrus.

“Mark, could you reach it?” asked Nebuchadrezzar. As a leading dog I was usually leached as last in row, so I was actually the closest to bucket. I tried to get there, however our leach was too short. “There is no use.” Added Nebuchadrezzar. “But maybe you will cut it? We would help you.”

In normal conditions I would never thought about it, but as I said, we were hungry. And even thickest leash was after all a piece of leather. If three dogs cooperated – two were stretching rope while the third bit it – freeing wasn’t hard. We did that way.

After being released, I dragged bucked to my companions and additional meal started. I ate two more mackerels, but then came to conclusion that my “escape” would be fortunate also due to other reasons.

“How about a little recon?” I asked. “I will go for a short walk and sniff what is going on in this strange den. Just stay here and howl if master is back.”

“We shouldn’t separate.” Said Emma.

“You still stay in pack.” I notice. “And besides I’ll be fine.”

I just grabbed few fished from bucket and walked in random direction, hope to meet some local, any other than strange dogs in kennels. But before I got anywhere, I was attracted by discrete hissing from between houses. I came there to see old malamute of black and white coat and blue, a bit crazy eyes.

“Get away from the street!” gasped old spitz. “They can’t see you!”

I wished to ask him about that sudden anxiety, but I had three mackerels in mouth, so I just followed him without any remark. He led me in backyard of inhabited house, then entered that dark building. Finally we got to place that was apparently his bedding. I put my fishes on the ground and asked.

“Why don’t you live with humans? You seem to be purebred. I don’t believe that no one wanted you.”

“I don’t want to live with those humans.” Replied malamute. “They are almost as infected as dogs.”

“What?” I asked, seriously confused. “What you are talking about.”

“Shh! Not so loud!” hissed dog. “They all are in league with Balto and his disgusting offspring.”

“Excuse me, but I think…” I wanted to calm down scared interlocutor, but I was interrupted.

“Huh? You don’t want to listen! No one wants to listen to old Steele. When Balto brought that disease from the forest, I was warning all of them, but no one listened. Now all they are lost. I’m the last one who is clean… I guess.” Steele nervously looked on his paws, then licked his lips. “But only because I stayed away from Balto and humans whom he affected.”

“Wait a second.” I said. “What disease you mean? I heard that Balto brought here an antitoxin for diphtheria.”

Steele wagged his tail with impatience. “Yes, he did. But the pest he brought with him is ten times worse!”

“My master wants to examine local humans…”

“He’d better not!” snorted Steele. “Just get away to your companions and stay there until out owner is back.”

“Not so fast.” I protested. “Tell me about that <plague>.” When he looked hungrily on my fishes, I put one closer to him and nodded my head. Steele looked as if he hadn’t any solid meal since long time. “So, tell me more. Mackerels are waiting.”

But instead of tale I heard just a sound chewing – dog started to eat his trophy instantly. It took not more than minute for him to swallow fish; then he spat on the snow, looked around, as of he was searching for eavesdroppers, then said to me with lower and quieter voice.

“Well… let it be. I’ll tell ya!” he smiled to himself with half-mad smile. “You say you know about the epidemic… Hell, no one really knows what happened there. It was just after January Race, where I won, as usual. You know… I was sled leader in those days, before that mutt brought his filth and ruined my life!” Steele snorted with freezing scorn. “But anyway, that was on January, four years ago. Nome wasn’t a big town, in fact it was a den of some kind. However quite nice den, where you could live easily. But humans were unprepared for diphtheria… or what they call that sickness. They sent a team to Nenana for serums. And I – of course – was a leader or that sorry lot. Even when we set off, I already smelled something was wrong. There was a blizzard that covered track with six feet of fresh snow. But it didn’t mater – I’ve seen worse blizzards. But that fog, chocking us with every step…”

“Fog?” I involuntary interrupted him.

“Yeah, boy, a God-damned fog. So fifthly and sticky that even today I have a creeps thinking about it. But anyway – are you listening, or not?” I just nodded my head. “So, let’s back. In town was living that mutt, Balto. He was a stray that had come from the forest and stayed on outskirts, where no one paid any attention on him. But we should have killed him, or at least sent him back to his