Smiled Tenu. Then Fida and Ama appeared. Flame bared her teeth. “But for what all those nerves… I won’t spoil you that family trip.”

“What!?” gasped wolfess amazed.

“I said that my soldiers won’t move even an inch to pursue your son. Because Ian and I aren’t enemies… We just happen to temporally play in different teams. Yet still…” He came to lame scout. “…we are both playing for the draw. Aren’t we?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about…” said confused Flame.

“But he knows.” Smiled Tenu, looking on Ian. “You mother is not aware of the plan?” asked. When scout gave no reply, added. “I don’t want to interrogate you. Just tell me <yes> or <no>. Was that all to join Maya and January?”

“And if that’s true?” asked Ian with tensed voice.

“If that is true, I will let you go and ask to forward message to Varjo. That I think he is a disgusting bastard, but I like him anyway. I’m for the project. And ask him, why he hasn’t asked me for help?”

“I will tell him that.” Nodded Ian. “Are we done?”

“Yes, you could go.” Said mercenary. “Have a nice trip.” And he simply walked away.

“Ian... what was that?” asked Flame. “Why he didn’t arrested us?”

“I will explain you later, mom.” Said scout with tensed voice. They moved on.

*

Trap was a simple one. Just to wait as Talbourne retinue enter the gorge and start the avalanche. And then check – if white deluge did it’s job, come down and finish off the rest. If not – to escape and choose another place for setup. The technique was obvious. But it’s context not.

On Talbourne wolves were waiting another Talbourne wolves. Stardusters to be exact, but due to Aleu policy there were no packs minorities in clan. Everyone who entered Talbourne became Talbourne and even talking about family pack was unwelcome. However old bound among some claners were fact and no edict could fix that. So Stardust Pack was striking Talbourne clan.

It was evening, almost time to stop for night. But Alam wanted to pick some solid shelter for rest and that killed him. Black ordered to induce avalanche as soon as avant-garde passed. He knew that Tenu’s soldiers were tough ones and focused on riding them out. Targets could wait.

A while.

White wave slid from the slope of valley. Three wolves coming on the lead avoided it, but main group was all hit. Maya and January were right in the middle, under strict supervision of Tan, walking nearby. Fortunately malawolf was walking on left side of his companion, so Maya was partially shielded. Body of wolfdog hit her, as mass of whiteness covered the road. January took a main impetus of avalanche and additionally managed to grab Maya in his paws. He rolled round her head, blocking further injuries. Then already he felt pain of hit side. He screamed, but didn’t hear own voice. He found out that he was already under the snow.

Silence came. Maya even wasn’t sure what happened, because in one second she was walking next to malawolf and in other someone turned the world off. There was dark and in the same time white, so wolfess learned that she was buried under the snow. January was at her side, moaning painfully.

“Jan!” she called.

“Alive, alive…” gasped wolfdog. “Unfortunately…” added. “My side hurts as hell. But don’t panic, that just an avalanche. We will…”

“Tan!” called Maya even louder.

“Easy!” ordered hybrid. “I’m sure he is all right. He was more on right side, so he perhaps is already on the surface. Let’s try to dig ourselves away.” In few moves he threw some snow from above and they saw moving hind paws of some Alam’s soldier. “You see? Everybody is okay!”

But then leg of soldier kicked in desperate attempt and snow above Maya’s and January’s head turned to red. Drop of moisture fell down on hybrid, who licked it just to be sure. It was blood.

“Well… that’s means… Black!” exclaimed malawolf, understanding what happened. Then he added with whisper. “Be quiet.”

He was right – when avalanche fell, all thought it was accident. Vanguards quickly turned back and ran to dig friends away. Stardusters used that moment, when surprised enemies were busy with help for others. They struck from back, taking excellent soldiers from surprise, not letting them to show their skills. Three of vanguards were down in minute, then Black ordered to finish the job. Stardusters started to dig for survivors. But instead of taking them away, they bit their throats, as victims had no place to shun, still covered with snow. That wasn’t a battle, but a massacre.

January suspected what would happened on the surface. That’s why he held Maya in place, thinking how to break the vicious circle. Try of escape would attract enemies. Staying on place would gave them more time to kill whole unit.

Finally malawolf said to brownfurred.

“Be careful! You promised me to obey me, next time I’m saving you, right? If something goes wrong, you’ll do exactly what I tell you. I’ll try to make a way to surface. If I call for you, you go, as fast as possible. If I’m dead, you wait here until the end of world. Maybe someone would find us, before they find you…”

“Jan…” she whispered. “That’s absurd. You can’t die now… Not after I know you love me…”

“I guess that dying in ignorance isn’t so different.” And he pushed himself up.

He quickly reached the surface and quickly reached the enemy. He met Merik, who was just finishing soldier nearby. January was still half-buried and young Starduster was free. That duel was handicapped from the very start.

Merik grabbed malwolf’s nape and in that position was killed by Ama. Again, the rescue had perfect, yet extremely dramatic timing.

Tenu guided his unit in last moment. Black and his wolves managed to took six soldiers already and Merik was on best way to kill January also. But when darkfurred avenger noticed than new division came and he had no idea what was the strength of rescue team, he ordered retreat.

Merik was dead, but all remaining six Stardusters left gorge before Tenu ordered to pursue. And general was focused more on searching survivors than killing assassins. Ama spat Merik’s blood and started to uncover January.

“No…” whispered Black, seeing lifeless body of friend. “Again…”

“Black…” said wolf of milky coat, called Ram. “That’s it. We must return to Rose and tell her.”

“No!” gasped darkfurred, but then he burst in tears. “We… failed! I failed. Our pack was hurt so deeply!”

“There is no time, Black!” called another Starduster. “Let’s get out of here!”

*

Maya was found soon after, scared almost to death, but alive. She fainted due to terror, taking Fida as one of Stardusters, so Tenu ordered to put her next to January and leave until morning. He walked with malawolf to brushy bedding where Packer laid down and Talbourne princess was brought. Hoaryfurred looked on young hybrid with esteem.

“We will talk tomorrow, now sleep.” He said. “Thanks for saving her and not dying in process. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

“Screw you!” whispered wolfdog and fainted down.

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