tell anything.” He turned to Teele’s guards. “May we wait outside?”

“Sir, lady Teele could be furious about that deal.” Noticed Missi, one of scouts.

“She doesn’t have to know.” Said Cayce, leaving the room.

Flame stayed alone with her son. Ian was still heavily sleepy after his injure, but yet aware of all around him. He was looking on exiting soldiers with surprise, then turned the same amazed stare on mother. He said slowly.

“I’m terribly sorry, to behave like that. I beg you to understand that now I have my duties to the Pack.”

“Son, you are home now.” Said Flame. “You can drop it.” He shook his head, so she changed the topic. “How it happened? How you survived.”

“I was rescued by sir Steele.” Flame gasped, hearing name of Talbourne arch-enemy. Even dead, malamute was invoking emotions. “I fell from ledge, while we were passing. Sir Steele was on recon nearby, so when our qualifications teams went away, he took me east.”

“No one helped you?” asked shocked Flame.

“No… mother… you know how it works. To eliminate the weak ones. I was… eliminated.” Said Ian. She just touched his muzzle with paw, stroking gently. “You should remember that you are speaking with death one.”

“You are still my son.”

“Ask dad and Viin… what they think about Pack prisoner.” Said scout. Flame narrowed her eyes and he continued. “As far as I know, they are in front unit. And my sister I never know is already in intelligence. Oh, sorry.” He smiled. “I know I’m asking many questions. But it’s a habit of serving in recon. By the way… I heard about my two brothers too, Boran and Sean. I never knew them too… but I’m sorry mother.”

“Ian, please… return to us…” whispered Flame.

“That’s not so easy, mother.” Said carefully prisoner. “First of all I’m capture and I guess that vast majority of clan treats me as the enemy. The second think is I don’t want to… I was living with the Pack… I’ve made friends… no, more than friends. Sir Steele died soon, but lady Ea… aunt Ea raised me along his her son, January. I love the Pack, I love my friends – Kaata, Tulo… in fact there is even one girl…” he smiled to himself. “Her name is Toima… God!” he gasped. “I guess all they survived, but them must be scared to death about me!”

“Son… you said you are from the Pack… you have a family there…” started Flame quietly. “And you love them.” He nodded his head. “But does it mean you… don’t want to have anything to do with us?”

“I don’t want to have anything to do with Talbourne, that’s sure.” Said Ian. But then he noticed as Flame was crying. “But mom… you are… mom… I love you. I always loved you…” Said and gently licked her forehead.

Cayce gave his word. However Teele did not. She was waiting in next chamber with four guards and Istana, listening to what scoutess said, repeating eavesdropped talk. She wanted to get know everything about strange prisoner and keep it for her exclusively. However that was impossible, because what old agent didn’t know was that one of her soldiers was Rose’s cousin, the second was supporting Tram and third one was subordinate of general Tenu, sent to spy on Teele. Fourth scout was loyal and trusted, but in fact it was moderate consolation after high probability that Teele’s secret was about to become everyone’s secret.

“What? What he said?” asked old agent with inquiring voice.

“Ma’am…” sobbed shocked Istana. “It’s my brother and…”

“Does that affinity makes any problem for you to understand him?” asked Lighting’s pupil.

“No, ma’am, but…”

“We must know what’s going on here.”

She was very wise wolfess. She knew that as an adversary she had a mastermind of Varjo and is on war happened something odd, most likely the answer was simple, yet covered by RAIA’s commander. She sniffed a trap there – it was so unlike that Ian was captured by accident. Sharp mind of brownfurred commander was building countless hypothesis “what if” scout of Pack let to capture him willingly.

*

On the next dawn her suspicions were fuelled by the new fuel.

On Reindeer Creek just another silent day of two hours before midday lone wolf from Pack’s side entered the ice and howled.

“Shut up!” called some voice from Talbourne bank.

“Hey, you!” shouted Apu. “Bring here your commander!” For a while the second side was silent, then the same voice answered.

“Are you nuts?” asked private Hilik from Third Unit. “What for? Are going to defect?”

“No, but we are going to kill you, if you don’t bring someone important here.” Replied Packer. “We have an offer for your HQ.”

Hilik wanted to return taunt, but what he heard really puzzled him. He looked on two guards keeping sentry with him, then he set off to find lieutenant Taivot, in charge on that outpost. The first thread of contact was plaited.

 

V. Princess of Alaska

 

In week after Shadow’s death the situation became a bit clearer. Of course – not easier, but at least almost everyone knew on what swamp the clan was stomping on. Divisions among wolves were already set. About one fourth of Talbournes wanted Sheik as the new alpha. About that, maybe a little less, preferred Maya to lead the clan. Tram had shorter base of followers, not more than sixth part of clanners, but if that group was joined to Maya’s supporters… Rose shook her head, trying to rid off the mournful thoughts. The point was that over one third of Talbourne was waiting, without showing any affiliation. Those could be eventual upholders of Sheik, however the case had to be played wisely.

Rose left her pups with mate as soon as she heard about Pack’s ultimatum. Enemy took five prisoners and – instead of killing them, as they used to – they simply offered exchange for Pack’s scout called Ian. Redfurred sensed something wrong with that idea, however she couldn’t sniff for plots among enemies, because she already found several among allies. January, son of Steele, demanded a meeting with alpha or temporally wolf-in-charge of clan. And Rose got late for few minutes. Tenu already proposed Maya, as “compromise candidate”. He argued that daughter of Dash would go not as future alpha, but the “lady of trust”. Initially Rose was furious about that, because whatever Tenu was saying, Maya’s service in clan’s diplomacy was meaningful anyway, but then she was enlightened. Maya will go on mission. And Maya will not return.

Redfurred came to Second Unit’s quarters, but she met Lake already on path. Wolf and wolfess weren’t related, although they look similar. Lake’s fur was lighter, yet tone of red was painting it in akin way. And judging of behaviour, soldier was acting like younger brother of Rose. Seeing her wagged his tail with joy, ran to her, bowed his head, but then backed to serious expression of muzzle and said quickly.

“Did you hear the news?”

“Maya and prisoners?” asked Rose and instantly nodded.

“So… is that it?” whispered soldier. Wolfess understood that her packmate already learned of her intentions.

“Could you do it?” she inquired. “But in way that all will take it as the Pack’s work.”

“If something happens on the front it is the Pack’s work.” Replied Lake. “Just… trust us. Soon Sheik will be the sole claimant.”

“Right… sure…” said Rose. “Lake… I’m… I’m go grateful for what you are doing…”

“I bet.” Smiled wolf. “We are pack, after all. Soon the banner of Stardust will fly again!”

“You bet, bro!” laughed Rose. She came closer to soldier and licked his forehead. “But… you know… be careful. You know, no one must know…”

“I know the drill.” Replied Lake. “If something goes wrong, we won’t say a word about you nor Sheik.”

“What?” she gasped. ”Don’t even say like that. It’s easy job, but just… be careful.” Then she added with quiet voice. “But if something goes wrong, be sure I won’t leave you. We are pack, after all. Raise together or fall… But it won’t happened.”

Lake wagged his tail and turned back to run to quarters. Rose stayed a while on path, calculating all circumstances. She really was uneasy about her packmates on assassination mission, however that was a risk she couldn’t avoid. She always was thinking two steps ahead, so she even had a emergency way of getting her friends out of trouble. Tenu was the most dangerous adversary in run for power, but in some way he was the one easiest to eliminate. He was the alien, outcast, mercenary after all. Rose knew the way to turn clan’s anger against general, however it was just a last resort. She needed the genius commander later, when Sheik took his power. In spite of everything, there was a war to win and Rose – aware of her talents in many fields – admitted that military strategy was not her sharpest fang.

*

Tenu was excited and happy. He was unable to express it on his muzzle, so he must show those feeling with whole body. His face seemed to be carved in granite, always sharp, suspicious and bright, deadly focused. Even when he was smiling, simple barring his teeth could be took rather as threat than sign of contentment.

So he was pacing in front of Maya, coming three metres ahead and going back. In the same time Fida and Ama had to walk twice the distance, to constantly be at sides of general, slightly before him in best bodyguarding position. Maya was looking on it with amazement.

“Must you going with him that way?” she asked, but was ignored.

“I didn’t ordered them. It’s just a habit.” Said Tanu.

“Sir, I’m asking Fida and Ama.” Noticed Talbourne princess.

“Good luck!” smiled Tenu, however – as we already noticed – his smile was hard to describe as a friendly one. When for another minute wolvesses didn’t answered, brownfurred sighed and said.

“All right, general. So you tell me: why they are walking with you that way?”

“As I explained. That’s a habit. But don’t worry, in case of emergency Ama’s priority is to protect you.”

“Could you… sent them aside for a while?” asked Maya. Two guardians

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