strange mercenary commander who volunteered to support clan’s cause. He had no personal issues to settle with Steele, so he was unable to understand first unit’s haze.

Meanwhile wolves commanded by Dash – almost whole Second Division of the clan – entered narrow pass in valley, where especially many track of runners were seen. Almost every reasonable soldier would notice something was wrong. But two avengers on front – orphaned son and his carer – paid no attention on clear signs of trap. And if any attention were present in their run, they lost it, seeing Steele and few of his wolves in narrowing of pass.

“You’re done, Steele!” growled Dash, running to his old enemy. Tan was following his steps just after.

“Most likely.” Nodded Steele. “I’m tired of this all.” Confused lieutenant stopped, but bended down, ready to pounce on hated dog. “We will finish at least our old matters.”

“So, you finally feel some pangs of conscience?”

“Yeah.” Smiled Steele and looked on Tan. “If I killed this lad, he would never become a soldier. By letting him go, I’m responsible for few more deaths.”

“You will pay for killing my mother!” growled young Talbourne.

“You will pay for breaking your oaths.” Replied Steele with poisonous voice. “If I recall properly, you swore to never fight against me.”

“Oaths given to criminals are just words.” Snorted Tan.

“I though it was opposite – oaths given by criminals…” started Steele but in the same moment he noticed a discreet signal, given by Velka, who already took her position with main forces. Also his joint in front left paw called with rheumatic wave of pain. “Hold on!” ordered dog his body. “Just one more effort and its all be painless.” Then added aloud. “Never mind. Shall we start?”

“You’re dead!” Growled Dash and pounced ahead.

“That’s only thing we have in common.” Smiled Steele and jumped ahead also, to greet enemy in the air.

They clashed in half of distance, to fell down just after. That was a signal for rest of Dash’s soldiers for attack. When dog and wolfdog were wresting in the snow, around then and over them few dozens of soldiers rushed to charge. Only Tan stayed in place, waiting for result of the duel.

When wave of Talbourne ran over Steele and Dash, showy dust went down, Tan noticed as Steele held Talbourne’s neck in iron grasp. With instinctive impulse, orangefurred jumped to assist his carer. He slammed into side of malamute, sending him aside. Dash stood up and called.

“Step back, that’s my turn!”

“Uncle, let me kill him!” called Tan, striking on side of dog.

In spite of all appearances, Steele wasn’t confused, tired nor bruised by blows of Dash. And surely dog wasn’t surprised. As if he expected exactly that move, he intercepted flying Tan, grabbing his motionless leg and pulling hard aside. Wolf made and arc and pushed by centrifugal force, he hit the rock wall of gorge. With fading senses he noticed Dash, calling to him and devilish smile of Steele.

“Tan, no!” yelled Dash and again pounced with fury on enemy.

Dog waited for such a erratic and improvised charge. He easily jumped to meet wolfdog in the air, grab his throat and clench his jaws. But in the same time Dash kicked his hind paws into body of Steele and then they both clashed the snow on ground. It took for both several seconds to stand up.

“Leave him to me!” called Dash, seeing as about dozen of his soldiers looked on him with question in their eyes. Talbourne and malamute were standing against each other in distance of jump. Dash felt a bit strange, noticing that stares of his subordinates were pointed at him, not on enemy. “I said, I will…”

And then he sensed something odd – a gentle touch of warmth on his front paws. With curiosity he turned his muzzle down to see red pool, around his limbs. He couldn’t focus his sight on that strange phenomenon, but after few seconds of observation, he finally found the source of that red liquid. It was his throat.

With remnants of his strengths, he raised his muzzle again to see Steele laughing with hysterical laughter. But he didn’t sound like lost maddog – in that laughter called a triumph, against all odds. Dash wanted to curse him one time more, but his paws disobeyed to support Talbourne and lieutenant fell to the dark well without bottom.

Seeing fall of their leader, Talbourne soldiers rushed on mass on lone malamute. But Steele, even overran by few dozens of enemies, didn’t stop his laughing cry. It’s muffled even silent attack of Velka’s group and yells of surprised Taulborne, being slaughtered from behind.

But nothing of this Earth lasts forever – as dominating number of Talbourne managed to pin down back attack of alpha-beta, also Dash’s guards managed finally to overturn and bite to death furious Steele. Malamute was still laughing when countless jaws tore his flesh into pieces. Even when he finally felt silent, the walls of gorge echoed that sound. Then all appeased. For all Packers, and over half of Dash’s unit.

Tan opened his eyes to find with surprise he was alive. No bone was broken, no serious wound inflicted to his body. He opened his muzzle in smile but in the next moment that smile died. He took a look around to see monstrous casualties. And few seconds after he howled with painful howl, seeing lifeless body of Dash.

“Uncle!” he yelled, running to fallen lieutenant.

*

Tenu ordered to howl in alert, but not to speed up. It was highly rational, because some other ambush would be near. But the truth was also that if on lead of Third Division was some of Talbourne, he would order to run with relief for fighting companions. However Tenu was acting according to cold calculation, not to emotions.

“Wait!” he gasped to one of Talbourne sergeants. “It’s all over.”

“We came too late!” yelled sergeant Fitch.

“No. They marched too fast.” Replied small, hoaryfurred wolf with cold voice. “That is their fault they entered an ambush. Lieutenant Dash acted irresponsible, endangering his wolves and breaking general HQ’s orders, to cause all that…” he paused, looking on battlefield in gorge. “…mess! God! What a massacre!”

“Sir!” reported one of Dash’s soldiers, who just ran to relief. “All enemies are neutralised.”

“I see than not only enemies.” Snorted Tenu. “But where is Dash?”

“He’s dead, sir!” reported Talbourne.

“WHAT!?” gasped lieutenant. “He was killed? How could he engaged enemy in person!” Then he added with quieter voice. “Well, lack of command explains those extreme high losses.” Then he came to Tan, crying over Dash’s body. “Corporal!” he addressed young Talbourne, but orangefurred ignored it. Tenu sighed. “Is that an army?” Then Turned to nearest soldier. “Take him away and let him rest. Give his something to eat. Tell all members of Third Division that I’m taking a command.”

“Shall we pursue?” asked one of Dash’s soldiers. He was severely wounded, barely standing on paws. But death of commander deluged him with adrenaline and crave for revenge. “The other group, about thirty wolves got away…”

“Of course not!” growled Tenu. “Thanks to your commander’s swansong we have no strength to enter enemy’s territory. Form your soldiers and get rest. Tomorrow we will return to Home Cave.”

Soldier wanted to disobey, but his body was close to disobey him. His wounds were aching and heavy eyelids called to a sleep. So he replied unwillingly.

“Yes, sir!”

“So get away!” called Tenu. “To all: get away from the gorge. I must examine the bodies myself.”

Lieutenant waited until all soldiers – his and former Dash’s wolves – left the valley to search for some shelter in forest. Then he came close to bodies and stopped before Steele. He smiled, seeing enemy commander lifeless, but then he realised that it’s only reason he was glad. He came to Dash’s body and bended down to wolfdog.

“Your stupidity could be the banner of Talbourne Clan. Onward! Bury your dead and onward again. No thinking about your actions…” His eyed narrowed and lips curved in even more satisfied smile. “You would never think that your clan is merely a tool of someone’s actions… Mine, in particular.”

He left Dash’s body, to see other casualties, but he couldn’t hide his smile. He was watching on dozens of dead wolves and silently screaming from joy. Not that was glad about so many deaths – he could enjoy the fall of proud ones, but that wasn’t not a point.

“Dash!” he whispered to snowed dusk. “You helped me a lot! I can’t believe it’s going so easily. At this rate, soon Saba would have no other choice than give whole command to me… And then, I will show you all my dream!” He pressed his muzzle into the snow to stop mad laughter. But soon after raised his stare again and said to motionless body of lieutenant. “You are nothing like me or my friends. You could play in your little vendettas and feel happy about it. But we are beyond this. We are far beyond this!”

*

Steele was falling to some bottomless den for long time, until he noticed he actually was flying up. Then – without any sign of fear – he just focused his stare ahead. After his long and eventful life, after he killed much more creatures he could count, he wasn’t able to feel the fear of death. And additionally he was somehow sure that was merely beginning.

The end of his journey was sudden. He just sensed as he is still, standing in some dark chamber of space he couldn’t describe. In spite of darkness, his eyes could see some details of surrounding. For example – silhouette of blackfurred wolf.

“Shade, cut it off!” snorted malamute. “I’m not in mood to watch your sick aesthetics habits. I’ve just died. Give some more light!”

“Yes, indeed. You died.” Murmured silhouette from darkness.

But then chamber was lighted by white rays of unknown origin. Those were similar to sunrays, however evoked inside. Then Steele was able to see clearly the wolf of

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