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Just kidding, it's not the end.
Tomorrow there will be an epilogue

Very impressive! So is Steele going to die? Berenice loves him and is told of what he did in the past by no one other than Jenna herself... hmm, shocker! Inspite of that she presses her jaws on the Mackinzie dog and leaves the fight to help him? Talk about bravery and neverminding a past story. Good chapters! I can't wait for the epilogue!

Hm… however I’m trying to be objective as narrator should be, I doubt if I ever would be able to kill Steele. So there we have some rescue for him.

Wow, I’m glad You like it. So here comes the epilogue of first part of trilogy. In the next story of that series we will know another hero and leave Steele for some time. But do not leave the tale – Steele will be back soon.

Epilogue: A season for…

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3;1

Berenice was speeding like a demon. On empty streets of Nome, dark and snowed, she was running almost like a race dog on its route. However she was faster. Then she was cursing herself for waiting so long. What had made her to finish her fight? For that error, fatal mistake Steele would had paid a deadly price. She was crying. Crying and running with bared fangs.
She didn’t know the town, but she came to that lane perfectly.
There was no time to hesitate nor to think, so she didn’t hesitated, nor thought. She just pounced into the mob of dogs, doing what she was doing the best. She grabbed paw of random dog, based on back of other and pulled with unbelievable might. Bone cracked, dog yelled and she let him loose and picked another target.
Amazed attackers stopped their charge on lying Steele after third yell of their companion. Berenice was like an angel of death – silent and fast. She made no sounds, only her victims were screaming. The second dog rolled aside with broken paw, and the third with deep cut on his side. She-malamute didn’t stopped on that and grabbed Star – the last dog on Steele’s back.
They were almost of the same constitution, however female just grabbed male’s neck and threw him away as if he was a dried bone. Amazed Star flew few feet and hit Mikel, yelling dog with squashed paw. Meanwhile Berenice got to the Steele.
“Stand up!” she cried. “We are withdrawing to the wall.”
Malamute was too shocked to obey and even if he was fully aware of that it was hard to stand up quick on three paws. So bitch had to lift him up and put on legs. Then came another wave of dogs. “To the wall!” screamed Berenice and grabbed Nikki’s throat. Dog was so confused by sudden action of fragile looking female that he allowed her to overturn him. She lost her participation in many league matches, however she had even more fight than she expected to.
“Stop it!” finally called Jenna, but no one listened to her.
Berenice pushed Steele back and shielded him with own body. Attack of Star (this guy was amazing that night – he stood up in seconds after his knock-out!) she received on front, grabbing his paw and – just like he was sport throwing-hammer – threw him away again.
Steele regained a bit of his awareness and gasped.
“What the hell you are doing! Get away or they kill you!”
“It’s finally my turn.” She smiled. “Let me save you this time.” They backed to the dead end of lane – a low tool shed.
“We must flee.” Said quickly Steele. “Get on my back and jump to that roof.”
“And you?” she asked rhetorically, seeing his wounded paw. “No, we stay here and…”
“You!” called Balto from second rank of dogs. “Go away. That is not your business.”
“It’s mine from now on.” She replied. “I’m an enterprising girl.”
“He is a criminal.” Said hybrid. “We wished to go easy with him and just banish him again… but he attacked us.”
“I did it too.” Smiled Berenice.
“No!” gasped Steele. “Run!”
“I won’t.” replied she-malamute with whisper. “I will stay where you are.”
“Don’t you know who I am?” he murmured. “Haven’t they told you.”
“I know everything.” She replied. “And somehow I’m happy that you need me so much. Because I need you even more.”
“What!?”
“My name is <bearer of victory>, remember?” She smiled, still looking on closing Balto. “And I will get what I want. I want you, because I love you. Now more than ever. So tell me Steele, will I die as a victor? Did I won you?”
“Christ’s sake!” gasped malamute. “You are mad!” then he added a little quieter. “And I think I love you because of that. Point for you.”
“Stay back, stranger!” called Balto to Berenice. “We must punish him.”
“That means: kill him?” asked she-malamute.
“I don’t want to, but he is a threat for us. We must deal with that threat.”
“That will cost you dearly.” She barked. “You won’t get him. Eventually, you get him after stopping over my dead body. But it might be a bit hard walk!”
“Why do you stand for that dog?” asked confused Balto. “He is a rascal and a coward.”
“And that why you are going to kill him in that mob? Twenty to one? That’s a bravery!” she smiled and Steele felt something strange in his heart. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling towards Berenice, but certainly her sense of humour appealed to him.
“Stay back, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Unfortunate, I want to hurt you. But our quests still aren’t at variance.” She looked deep in wolfdog’s eyes. “I love him and if you hurt him, you will get know how much. You will learn it on your throat.”
“Balto, wait!” called Jenna. Nome’s hero and mob of dogs finally felt silent. “Let me solve that.” She came to the first line and said, looking on Steele. “We will let you live, if you promise that you will never hurt Balto.”
Berenice turn a look on surrounding dogs. Although she was great warrior, or maybe: because she was a great warrior, she knew her limits. It was useless to resist to such a mass. She felt also that mob was enraged and ready to kill. There was no way back, if Steele didn’t cease his vengeance.
“Whatever you say, I will stay with you.” She whispered. “I could die here with you… but, but… I would be so happy, if you decided to live. With me or without, but to live. You are my greatest prize, Steele. I just can’t lose you.”
“Go away.” He replied. “There is no way out for me.”
“That is the only order I will not obey, my love. Decide – we die together or live together.”
In Steele’s heart opened a long forgotten cave. He was basing on Berenice’s side and sensing her breathing and pulse through her fur and skin. She was ready to die for him. And he was ready to sacrifice her just to get his revenge. And die soon after. That was definitely not right. “Is there a way back?” asked Steele himself.
Then dog saw a blurred silhouette behind crowd of dog. It was giant malamute, strong and noble-looking. And he was staring on his son. That spectre was Sharp. “There is always way back, my son. And as a skilled sled leader you know it.”
“Are you serious?” inquired malamute.
“Are we staying?” asked Berenice. In her voice was sounding a sorrow, but definitely not a hesitation. She was about to fight for him.
“I’m going to regret that.” Smiled Steele. “But I’m comforting myself with thought that you will regret you decision too.” Then he looked on Jenna and said with decisive voice. “I won’t hurt Balto.”
“Swear! You will never raise you paw on him!” called red husky.
“I won’t.” added Steele.
And then it finished. One second the bloodthirsty mob turned to just a group of dogs, heavily amazed what they had been about to do. Wall of hatred crumpled down and then Nomers were looking on each other with shame.
“It’s went a bit weird.” Said Star. “I’m sorry boss.”
And Steele was still standing in place, on three healthy and one wounded paw and was thinking how weird it went indeed. He was wounded – serious injure of his paw most likely wouldn’t let him to ever pull again. But he was alive and at his side he had a girl who was loving him. It wasn’t a bad share after all.
In his heart was struggling two forces. The force of death who called to him to kill, don’t matter he would be killed. That was a voice of revenge and hatred. But there was a second voice of life who demanded to be heard and obeyed. He wanted Steele to live and love. In that second Steele discovered that he know what he was feeling towards Berenice. It was love indeed – an emotion new to him, however promising well. The voice of life won. He loved Berenice. He loved the life. He… was finally actually alive.
Father nodded his head and Steele thought, maybe just to excuse himself.
“I’m not leaving my vengeance…” he looked in deep, green Berenice’s eyes. “But I… will postpone it a little. There will be a time for that.” She smiled and licked his face.

We leave Steele in Nome at Berenice’s side and take a look on another hero. This is the short, but important interlude to further fate of Steele. Have nice reading, I hope you like this one. Today – a prologue to [Vengeance is mine (I will replay); Part II. - The Hero of their Time].

Vengeance is mine (I will replay)

Part II. - The Hero of their Time

0. Prologue

If we look in it carefully, we could see that Victor’s life was special from the very start. A curse of difference was cast on him the day he was born and was walking with him for all those years. In fact he was so special that he didn’t know what we would call a normal life. That why he considered himself as perfectly normal creature – what is typical for every kind of madness.
His mother – Aurora – died giving birth to him and four of his litter-siblings. The others pups died soon too, however father (called Max) try to do his best to secure the future of family. But living on the streets of Selawik wasn’t an easy task, especially for them.
Aurora, Max and – because of quite obvious reasons also theirs pups – were homeless dogs, strays and wanderers. They were mongrels, but that word doesn’t describe whole problem exactly. In Victor’s family the blood of many races was mixed. His ancestors were hybrids too and if dog could legitimate himself with noble descent, he had to search in ancient times. Really ancient times.
In Victor’s body there was a whole scale of dog breeds, as if someone took a about ten totally different genotypes, put it them into mixer and started the machine. The result looked as strange shaped creature of moderate size. Somehow in constitution Victor was reassembling the spitze (however he was smaller and lighter) but his muzzle had some chart’s features. His fur had a dirty-sand colour that sometimes reminded yellow, sometimes brown – depends on light and season. As a pup Victor was looking sweet, even so sweet that after death of Aurora Max hoped that his only son would be adopted by some human family. However that plan failed – who know, maybe pup was too dirty or he was looking too much as a stray. So Victor was raising on street of Selawik with his father. Of course unless his father died.
“World is a nasty place, my son.” He used to say. “Especially for us – weak ones. To survive we have to transgress limits of our nature and fight for every breath. We won’t be stronger or more pretty that purebreds, bigger dogs. However we could be better, because we raise over borders that our breed limits us.”
“Yeah, I know…” replied Victor. “But I’m hungry dad.” And he looked with empty stare on some husky in garden of nearest house. Dog was eating the solid portion of meat. Two mutts were starving for three days.
“Yes, I’m too.” Agreed Max. “But look on that pathetic dandy. He is getting the food every time he need. There in no fight in his life. We are struggling to live so we are stronger.”
“Dad, I think you are real strong, but he is twice big as you.”
“Of course, he is.” Murmured father. “As he would beat me up. But he is weaker anyway. All his advantages come from his genies and being fortunate to live with humans. We have to conquer what we want. He didn’t inherited a stuff.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” Nodded Victor. “But I’m still hungry.”
That day they failed to eat any meal. Starved almost to death they ate next morning, getting some food from trashes of Keber’s shop. It was July, warm summer of 1922. However grim it looked, Max and Victor managed to survive on streets of town. But father was thinking with fear about winter and was trying to teach his son everything he would need to make it on his own.
Max was wise dog, because he was prepared for the worst. And the worst happened – he died from some gastric infection on September that year, living five month old Victor all alone. But lessons he have to his pup worked – somehow, I’m not sure how – the young mongrel survived. Eating from trashes. Stealing from shops. Fighting with other dogs of scraps. Hunting on rats and cats. But he did it – he made it to the autumn.
The decision of leaving Selawik wasn’t the hard one. Victor had there nothing but a hard memories of death of his family. No friends, no protectors. So he decided to try to live in the wild. Quite a bold move for a such a creature, who was half big as wolf but had to live as wolf. However he repeated to himself that there, in forest, there are so many small animals and they live somehow. So with the firsts snow, when getting a food in town started to be extremely hard, young dog set off to the mountains.
It was a unusual luck he survived his first days. He just encounter wounded goose, who failed to fly to warmer areas, lost young racoon dog, family of foxes, some cat cubs on their own and he easily hunt down, killed and ate those preys. Instantly he gained some crucial experience about hunting and although he was starving the next few days, he manage to get to the valley next to the Eagle Pass. With his sixth sense he understood that place was good place to stay and hunt.
However not only he came to that conclusion. Wolves had sixth senses too.

Good way to end part one of this trilogy. At least Steele has promised to not hurt Balto but he must have his vengeance right? And Berenice is willing to stay with him because she loves him and vice versa.

The prologue to part two of this is really interesting. So does Victor play a good part in this? Sounds like it already. Given his history and everything but he seems pretty smart... especially if he's survived in the forest for so long.

Update soon my friend!

Claymore:
Yes, somehow it always comes a trilogy. But as Romans said: omne trinum perfectum
(as a master of arts I have to pretend I know the Latin;)

So the second branch of my story continues. It’s a bit different from original Steele’s tale, but important to get whole plot.

I.I Against the Circle

Behold, you are beautiful, my love.
Behold, you are beautiful.
Your eyes are doves behind your veil.
Your hair is as a flock of goats
That descend from Mount Gilead.
Song of Solomon 4:1

Agatha was too tired to yell or cry. She was just waiting for death in silence and that was somehow proper. What was to comment – what happened had happened and no one could change it. Wolfess was destined to die.
It not that pack rejected her. But hey had left her when she broke her leg. What would do the pack – feed the useless member for few weeks to let her recover? That was stupid and absurd. Maybe if the accident happened two month later – when wolf males are thinking yet about mating season and there is generally more food, because weaker predators die – group might save Agatha. But it happened in December so it turned out that she was <weaker predators destined to die>. Well, it just happens.
However Agatha was far from that philosophical (we could say: stoical) view, because the death was concerning her in person. She understood that it couldn’t had happened different, but she still was enraged on her former companions. But she could do nothing, then she was even too weak to cry.
Initially she took a moderate dog just for some big fox or wolverine. She instantly thought that if that was wolverine her anguish would be finished quickly by mercy-blow. But that <wolverine> turned out to be funny looking, yellowish furred member of unknown canine breed. She was looking on him with amaze and he was responding on that stare with amaze almost in the same degree. She as the first time saw mongrel, he as the first time saw wolf.
“I’m just passing by.” Said adolescent dog. “Do not bother yourself…” Then he noticed that paw of silverfurred wolf is broken. “Ow, never mind…”
“Yeah, nevermind.” Agatha nodded with tears in her eyes. “I even cannot reach you.” Dog was walking still, however he slowed down a bit, hearing that strange words. “How it is, town-one, to still being alive?” she called with sudden fury in her voice.
“I haven’t been dead yet, so I can’t see the difference.” Said yellow-furred and stopped. He turned to the wolf and walked few stops in her direction.
“But you are curious, how is to dying, aren’t you?” asked wolf.
“No, I saw too many deaths already.” He replied fast. “Including my parents.”
“Should I say that I’m sorry about that?”
“Maybe not.” Said dog carefully. “Because I’m not sure if I’m sorry about your state.”
Sudden spark of hope hit Agatha. She narrowed her eyes and said with breaking voice.
“Save me!”
“I beg your pardon?” Asked surprised mongrel.
“Save me!” repeated wolf. “Bring me some food.”
“But… but…” he was indeed confused but also amused by that request. “You are cripple. To save you I have to feed you for few weeks.”
“I’m for.” She said and smiled with innocent, pleading smile. It was desperate try but she wanted to use every opportunity to survive.
“I’m missing some important point here.” Said yellow-furred. “Why should I do it?”
“And why not?”
“Because I’m eight month old dog who isn’t sure even of my own existence.”
“But you still could try…”
Suddenly stranger burst with laughter. He fell to the ground and started to giggle in snow. Agatha was looking on it in silence.
“Need a helping paw?” he asked with amused voice. “How it is simple…. To ask. Why my mother didn’t asked when she was dying. Why my father and I didn’t do it, when we were starving… Or we did, but we were ignored.”
“If you don’t start, no one would.” Added wolf. “Just try…”
“I have no interest in that.” Called yellow furred with sudden anger. “You are stronger, bigger and more powerful. If I was in trouble, you would give no hack about me, dying here. Because you just can’t imagine how it is to be weak. The satisfied one would never understand hungry one. Until he starves.”
“I understand it!” yelled Agatha, sensing that she had a slight hope to do it. “From now on I will never judge anyone by his strength or side. I’m weak now, I’m on your side now.”
“But I’m no longer on <my side>.” Replied dog. “I’m healthy and could survive on my own. You are now where I was as a tiny pup.”
“So let be get to your side then.”
“And how I could be sure that you will return me that favour?” asked mongrel. “That when you are healthy you will still be <on my side> instead of, for instance, killing me?”
“I can promise you…” said Agatha. “But you can do not believe me. So you have to risk. To break the normal way of things… To break a circle of life.”
“Sounds catchy.” Smiled dog. “But…” suddenly he fell silent for few moments and was looking on her with follow voice. Then he replied. “Ow hell, I will try. Stay here, I look if I’m able to hunt for both of us.” She wanted to say something, but he added. “Do not thank me, before I get some meat.” And he ran to the forest.
*
The miracle happened and Victor killed a boar. In fact boar was wounded after fight with some wolves and he barely escaped the chase to become a pray for accidental killer. Because dog was hungry he just pounced on hobbling creature, luckily overturning it with his impetus. Wounded and almost bleed-out boar died quickly leaving yellow furred almost two hundred pounds of meat. That was a life assurance for a long time.
“I can’t believe it, Victor.” Said Agatha, seeing him carrying portion of boar’s meat.
“You will taste, you will believe it.” Murmured dog. “So, here you are…” He gave her a decent scrap of boar’s side. “But if you have any idea, how it transport it closer, that would be nice.”
“There is no use.” She murmured, quickly devouring the meal. “I guess that tomorrow you will see just pathetic scrapes of that. We have many scavengers here. You have to eat as much as you could and bring me as much as you could drag.”
“So I’ll be here soon.” Said Victor. “I’m going to carry the first part.”
In fact he managed to transport about thirty pounds of meat on distance of mile between Agatha and carcass. On the fourth route for food, dog sensed a presence of other animals and understood those were strong predator and he had no chance to fight with them. So he got back to wolfess at dusk.
“Some others guests found the smorgasbord.” Said yellow furred, tired of marching and sneaking away. “So I decided to leave the party.”
“It’s magnificent anyway, that you managed to get so many.” She comforted him.
“So, what we will do now?” asked dog.
“We have some supplies and in next few days I’ll try to teach you as many about hunting that it possible to say.” He nodded his head. “And who knows… I fell that I will be able to stand in three weeks. I hope.”
“Three weeks. Nice.” Murmured Victor and laid down next to her. Because wolfess was immobile, she had a serious problems with temperature. If muscles don’t work, the body just cant warm itself properly. That why Victor had to be her heater. She greeted that with sigh of gratitude. “I just wonder what would be then. When you are healthy.”
“I have to find some way to return you my debts.” She replied. “I have no idea how, but we will find something.”
“Have to?” surprised dog. “You are stronger, or at least you will be stronger then. You won’t <have to> anything.”
“As well as you didn’t have to helped me.” She said with pensive voice. “However you did it. I think that something inside you… natural goodness and sympathy made you to do it.”
“So there is no space for will?” smiled mongrel with bitter smile. “I had to? Maybe I did it, because you are wolf? Stronger, superior creature – so I’m obedient to your might anyway.”
“No, I didn’t mean that!” she gasped. “I meant that you are just… special and strong enough to throw those laws of nature away.”
“But just imagine that I broke my leg. Would you, as a healthy wolf, help me?”
“I hope that I would.” Said Agatha and licked with forehead with gratitude.
*
Frost were getting stronger, few times temperature dropped to less than minus fifty degrees. They had to move. Agatha was walking carefully on three legs, with constant support of Victor. It extremely important not to move the bone that was knitting. But because also second paw of wolfess was cut, she was hobbling very carefully. She certainly wouldn’t made it without dog. So they cave to cave in slope of Yukon Range. That was small cavern, in fact just a big crack in stone wall but it fit perfectly for them. It was easy to defend, covered from wind and hidden well. So Victor could left Agatha for long time without fear.
The new routine was created – he was going on hunt just when winter sun raised and was returning few hours after dusk. Meanwhile Agatha was trying to stood up, walk and hobbling in cave, to keep her muscles working and help her stay warm. When dog returned, he laid himself next to her and was warming her with his body. In that condition they were resting to the next dawn.
Agatha managed to get know Victor’s story. In return she told about her living in pack, however her life, although longer (she was three) was nothing special comparing to drama that dog had survived. It seemed strange, but adult mongrel, also still a pup seemed to be mature much over his age. He was just year, but he was thinking with logic of someone older.
“Victor!” she greeted him on some evening with smile on her face. “I’ve walked over twenty yards!” and she licked his forehead with puppyish joy.
“Wow!” called dog with genuine surprise. “In that rate you will be running in month!”
“I hope so.” She said and laid down in branchy bedding. He laid down next to her. “Finally I would help you in huntings… But I see that isn’t necessary – you manage to get everything what you want.” It wasn’t exact on that evening, because dog got just small fox, but usually it was correct – somehow small dog became a lethal predator.
“Ow, when you recover, there is no reason for us to hunt together.” Said Victori with a both tensed voice. “Then you could get back to your pack… or some other pack, maybe that would be better.” She was silent for the while then she said.
“But I don’t want to. It sounds strange, but what do you think I stay with you?”
“Huh?” asked dog a bit confused.
“Now we are something like family, whatever strange it looks.” She explained. “You are hunting for me as if I was your mate. But when I recover I would make that deal… a bit more honest.”
“By broking my leg?” asked Victor and they both burst in laughter. They laughed for a while, but then dog asked a bit shyly. “But do you want get back to some pack to… you now… to get a mate?”
“No, I don’t want to.” She replied with hard tone. “I could imagine males of my pack who left me to die and now, when I’m healthy and mating season is coming, they just grovel under my paws. It’s disgusting, showing how instinct – not feelings – drives us.” Victor nodded his head and she continued. “May I ask you a bit personal question?”
“I’m not sure what you consider as <personal>, but I will try to answer.” Said dog.
“What do you think about me?” she asked in bit awkward way. “I mean… if you like me as a female.”
“That is not personal, but <rhetorical> I guess.” Smiled dog. “I think you’re beautiful and somehow I envy the wolf who would convince you to drop your huffs.”
“Envy?” she asked looking on his carefully. “So maybe… I know it sound quite stupid… but we are good in stupid ideas, aren’t we? So maybe… when you grow enough – for next year, for instant – you… become my mate.”
Victor shook his head heavily thinking if that wasn’t a joke.
“Are you serious?” asked with amaze, but there was some tone – tone of delight in that.
“I you want to…”
“You happed to tell what I haven’t dared to think about.” He whispered. “That would be… wonderful.” She bended down to his muzzle and licked his cheek. Suddenly Victor froze and asked with confused voice. “But wait! Whatever I feel now… it anyway useless. I’m not wolf. I’m just mongrel… I would be happy to be with you… I think that nature… a bit limited a way we could be together.”
“Don’t you accept that I’m wolf?” she asked with breaking voice.
“No… but it isn’t natural… I know it sounds stupid, because we threw away our natural acting. But just imagine we have pups. They are hybrids and even not noble spitz hybrids, but… mutts.”
She cuddled to his side and started to talks with slow and decisive voice.
“I don’t care about it. You are the creature with whom I wish to stay. And you wish it too, we will mange somehow.”
“That is even crazier than what we did recently.” He replied, but he can’t resist the smile on his muzzle. “That mean I love you?”
”I think you should.”
“That’s good.” Said dog. “I was feeling something I couldn’t name. Now I know everything.” She kissed him. Then both canines burst in puppyish laughter.
*
In end of January, Agatha was walking easily. Bone knitted perfectly and wolfess was able to walk in snow and run. Victor was still hunting (it’s impossible, but he managed to secure enough food for two. It was both extreme goodluck and proof of Victor’s hunting talent) because he didn’t want to risk. Bad jump or fall could again broke Agatha’s bone. So routine that we got knew was sustained with just slight difference. Then both creatures were lying side to side not just to maintain warmth.
“Vic?” asked wolfess some evening. “What’s the problem. You seem to be sad.”
“Not sad.” He said. “Just curious.” She encouraged him to say more. “Are you sure that nothing gas changed?”
“In what?”
“In us. Are still could honestly say that you love me?” she looked on him with confusion. “Do not be angry… I just understood that you are almost healthy now, you could leave me and mate with some wolf. Nothing is keeping you here and… it’s hard to say, but I would be better left alone than to be reason you chose bad.”
“Don’t you love me?” she whispered.
“I love you, of course… But I understand if you change your mind. I just want to see you happy.”
“I am happy right now.” She licked his cheek. “Just don’t say more about it. I love you because of your heart, not breed.”
“You are mad.” Laughed Victor. “How fortunate for me!”
*
Ravens Pack was dying. Black knew that few more days of hunger would surely kill Aniu’s pups. And that would kill Aniu. And that would kill him. And that would be the death of whole pack. How fortunate that it wouldn’t be his problem anymore.
Dog became an actual alpha of pack. It was odd, but authority of Aniu was unquestionable and somehow it was projected on Black. So husky decided to act like an alpha and make the pack for accepting him. He was doing his best to provide the food.
But there wasn’t too much to provide. They were tracking that moose since five days and suddenly they sensed a presence of some rivals. Just two predator, however those were rivals anyway. Black just couldn’t let some other wolves to feast on his territory. So he left Aniu with pups on Eagle Pass and with rest of group he set off on <sweeping mission.> as Okto called it. Although enemies weren’t numerous, Black decided to wait as they split and attack one of them in lair.
Agatha was just laying in cave, waiting for Victor to return. Since over week she was helping him in hunting, but this time he made her to stay, because she got a little scratch non rear paw. It was nothing, but young dog was still so protective as if she was still severely wounded. She agreed, but hade him to promise that next time she would do the job. Of course she assumed that there would be the next time.
Ravens Pack attack from run. They were swayed by stock of meat that Agatha and Victor were keeping in cave. Without any warning eleven wolves entered the cave and pinned surprised female to the ground. That wasn’t even fight, but execution. Okto and Elekm held Agatha and Black inflicted a one bite in the throat. Then whole three let dying wolf loose to get a meat.
And then she attacked.
She was fatally hurt, however still alive. In impulse of anger she forced her burning body to make a final attempt. She grabbed neck of Elekm and pulled with all her might. Wolf overturned and fell down. In next move Agatha bite at random his muzzle. One of her fangs plunged into left eye of predator – he filled the small cave with scream.
Victor heard that and understood that he failed. He was perfect killer but no one had taught him to track other creatures. That why he ignored signs of wolves presence. If that day Agatha was on hunt, she most likely noticed the warning and convince Victor to escape. But it happened in different way.
When dog came near cave he saw freezing scene in doorstep. Wolves were leaving with meat in theirs mouths and only creature without spoil was Elekm. He had Agatha. Wolfess was gripping his throat with desperate might and he was yelling and screaming do to wounds. They both were bleeding heavily. Rest of pack was looking on that with amaze, but suddenly Black gave a signal to draw back. All wolves, except Elekm – still joined in deadly hug with Agatha – ran to the forest, carrying theirs prizes. Seeing that Elekm yelled, got loose his grab on wolfess’s neck. Then she dropped him on the snow and fell down next to, fainting from bloodlet.
Victor run to his beloved and bended down to her blooded head. She was dying and it was obvious. Her artery was cut and there was no power on the earth to mend that. So Victor was able to just to see how her eyes opened and her stare pointed on him.
“O, my God…” she panted. “I’m so sorry, we won’t make it together. I don’t want to leave you…” she inhaled deeply and added with her last breath. “Just believe me, I love you for how you are inside.” Then she froze in death.
Victor was lying next to her body for about hour, then yells of Elekm made him to stand up, hit him in muzzle and spit on wounded wolf. Forest predator wasn’t fully aware what had happened, because one of his eyes was ripped out by Agatha and the second was deluged with blood.
“You!” panted Victor. “Who are you?” wolf understood that he was in grave danger, ad moreover he understood that he no chance defend himself. He was blind and helpless, also bleeding from some cuts.
“Wait…” yelled. “We have to… We were hungry.”
”Where is your pack? Where they fled?” asked dog, as if he wanted to pursue enemies and alone avenge death of his beloved. Because Elekm was blind he didn’t notice that avenger was a small mutt, weighting half wolf’s weight.
“I don’t know!”
“Tell me everything, and I will finish you off.” Said Victor. “If not, we could play for a while.” But Elekh said nothing before Victor plunged his claws in his second eye then bite off his ear. Then wolf started to cry with puppyish yelling and told few important things. For example – they had to hunt for Aniu’s pups.
“I think I will eat them alive.” Smiled Victor.

I.II. Seed of Mayhem

Two weeks later a lone silhouette appeared on outskirts of Selawik. No one recognised a pup who left that town four months earlier. It was just impossible that any creature changed so much. Even not in body, but in whole it’s being. Victor grew a bit, now was weighting about forty pounds and reached size of most likely limit of his body design. He was slim, but he was always slim. He was hungry, but he was always hungry. Just then he was completely ignoring voice of his body. The main difference were eyes.
It was seen in whole his silhouette but his eyes were sparking with that. A will to kill and inflict pain. Dogs, even those bigger that he were stepping aside his way, somehow sensing that inside of that dog was living devil. Yellow furred got to the centre of town harassed by no one and then he met Rupert. Rupert was giant chow-chow ruling on streets of Selawik. Victor remembered him just a coming star, because on autumn the rouge leader there had been still Doberman Mikael. But Rupert had killed Mikael and become a first dog there. That why he just couldn’t step aside from Victor’s way.
“What do you think, you mutt!?” growled chow-chow and jumped on newcomer. Mongrel was wresting with giant adversary, but quickly he was pinned to the ground, lifted up, then threw away few metres in snow. “What a scum!” murmured Rupert and wanted to walk away.
But Victor stood up and – in spite of cut on his side and bump on his forehead – came to leader and growled with perfect calmness.
“That was good. One more time.”
Chow-chow was so amazed that he hesitated over three seconds. Then he again jumped on stranger, again threw him to the ground, lift him and threw away. And once again Victor stood up – then with another cut on his skin, already a bit blooded on fur – and with faltering steps walked to Rupert.
“One more time.” He panted and looked in chow-chow’s eyes. Rupert though he didn’t fear anything on the world, however the stare of newcomer almost incinerated him. In those blue eyes were so much hatred that leader never experienced in his life. “One more time.” Repeated Victor. “I need few lessons.”

Unexpected! So Victor has a thirst for revenge against Black too. He has a good reason just as Steele. Where the husky ordered the death of the malamute's father, he and a few others stole meat and killed the yellow furred's love. Lives once again intersect... I like it! Keep up the good work my friend!

The story of Victor continues. Don’t worry, we will see Steele soon, but now more about life of Victor.

II.I The Magnificent One

There shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit.
The Spirit of Yahweh shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh.
Isaiah 11:1-2

While living in Selawik Victor tuned off few features of his mind. He was feeling exactly what he had to feel and thinking what had to, nothing more. It was easy because of life he was living – it was just sum of fighting and eating. Stray dog even didn’t think about looking for human family. He was just wandering on streets of town and waiting for other strays to start a fight. Because he was rather small and many homeless dogs were spitze mutts of mixes of big dogs, he often got what he wanted to. A day without combat was a lost day, so Victor always tried to look as dirty, little and weak stray, asking for a lesson of some real dog.
Of course, he wasn’t always a winner. Saying straight – in early days, in spring and summer of 1922 he was regular beaten up by many stronger opponents. Then, when he gained some of experience, it turned up that dog community as a whole gained some experience too and then Victor was challenged only by real good warriors. So about October of that year fights of Victor became a legendary and started to be a local attraction for town – both for good dogs from humans families and strays. That was really concerning Rupert. He just woke some day up and understood that he wasn’t the most popular dog in town.
Selawik was a special city – it had own sleds, three full teams, however once – in times of the Second Gold Rush, there were thirty sled teams. Than town was just a shadow of old “Goldopolis” as old humans called it. So after the golden age (sic!) remained big remote districts and improvised architecture of cheap one-family-houses. And dogs, mutts in particular. About fifteen years earlier golden rush finished instantly, leaving Selawik on the edge of doom. Humans – once rich and prosperous, stopped in front of poverty. They had to rid off beloved dogs, sled spitze, unable to feed them. So about hundred noble-born canines found themselves on streets of town. Some stronger and braver moved to wild, but some stayed. Mating between breeds, community of outsiders just in few generations degenerated – I know it sounds cruel, but according to human breeding standards it was true – to state Victor saw. There was few pure-breeds in houses of humans and a legion of mutts on streets. Because the nature hates vacuum, quick after “Goldopolis’s fall” some witty and ruthless thug, namely Mackenzie Jupiter, become a <chief> of town. Chief was just a thug leader, ruling street gangs and threading street population. Of curse such a tyrannies, had nothing to do with classic pack or team community, last shortly. Jupiter had been driven away (and soon after died in wild) by hybrid doberman Mikael and Mikael was killed by chow-chow (he claimed that breed. In fact he was chow-chow and wolfdog hybrid) Rupert. Victor came to town in Ruperts era, however he gave no heck about dirty games in local underground. He was concerned only about fighting.
But Rupert was heavily concerned about stranger. That early winter day, when light snow was falling on town, chief gathered a group of his sidekicks and went to the remote slaughterhouse, the building where Victor was by the most time. However they failed to find him. Rupert was standing before ruined factory and thinking where his rival could be. Even if chief was smarter, he wouldn’t had a chance to answer that question. Victor was gone.
Just like that – one evening he was seen on streets, trying to provoke some Rupert’s soldiers, the morning after he disappeared. Rupert ordered to find stranger’s body, but no one got it. So thug leader just accepted that Victor is gone. Dead or alive but not there.
*
Victor was alive, however he was going to kill. He set off in mountains, thinking that a year of preparation would be enough. Soon he found out he was wrong. Because of hatred that still was constantly running his veins, he thought he was invincible, he was an angel of death, delivering just revenge on sinners. But just in the first fight he felt a serious lack of divine justice support.
He was fighting with some wolf over the carcass of deer. The enemy was slim and weak, probably some omega who had fled from pack, unable to stand the harassment of companions. So it was a weakest member of kind that Victor was about to struggle with. But that battle wasn’t easy – it was a desperate struggle for life.
Victor was devouring carcass, after three days of fast. Wolf jumped on him, appearing from nowhere. Even the worst scout was a deadly threat to mongrel – he didn’t hear the adversary to the last second. Omega was starving, and comparing to Victor they had similar mass. Wolf was unskilled in martial arts, but his nature was leading him. Victor barely survived the first seconds of battle and luckily hit enemy’s paw. Bone cracked and wolf was crippled. But he was fighting still. Duel was finished about half an hour later where dog finally bit omega’s throat. Half an hour! So long was defending himself a crippled wolf! Mongrel understood that task he had to do was much too hard for him. Unfortunately he just couldn’t stop.
*
When spring came to Selawik, Victor came too. He was dirty, covered with scars and his left ear was almost in scraps. But his cold, blue stare was even more bloodthirsty. The rumour of returning stranger alarmed the community. On streets went half of canine population, mutts, pure breeds, domestic, homeless – almost everyone. It was looking really strange, when moderate dog of inconspicuous appearance was catching the attention of quite a big crowd.
Victor was perfectly indifferent towards such a interest and was feeling just annoying tickling of stares. He just walked through the dog, hearing some pants of admire. At the first time he wanted to turn back, but then he understood that they were looking just on him. Of course, before Rupert came.
When chief got to the street, announced by barks of his escort, most of crown turned scared stares to the leader. Pure breeds mostly just went away, sensing that that would be problem of mutts. Poor hybrids and mongrels in vast majority had no place to run, so they stayed when Rupert stopped on the route of Victor.
As the few months earlier chow-chow blocked stranger’s way and was measuring him with careful eyes. And the same Victor had no intention to walk aside. The distance was shortening fast and chief felt a bolt of fear in his heart. What if that mutt started fight? Of course, Rupert felt he would win with and kill the stranger, if not in person with help of his escort. But he suddenly sensed something strange around. The stares of dogs that stayed were waiting for a change. Maybe waiting for chance to attack Rupert. Chow-chow gang was strong, however that was just a part of dogs in town. In that moment leader felt an anxiety if his time wasn’t over somehow.
“Let me finish him, boss.” Murmured brown furred hybrid Fred, third in command.
“No wait!” gasped Rupert. He made few steps ahead and called with cordial voice. “Victor… welcome back, my friend.” Yellow furred was so confused that he stopped. A audience of street dogs sighted with emotion and slightly disappointment.
“Friend?” murmured Victor. “If that’s the way you treat friends I really don’t want to be your enemy.” Replied and added quieter. “However I will be, if you don’t let me pass.”
“What a nerve…” smiled leader. “It’s good that you are back.” And he added with whisper. “I’m really curious what you would do to me and my boys.”
“A curiosity is the first step to hell.”
“Finish him?” asked Fred.
“Try.” Murmured Victor. “I’ve killed dogs and wolves already, but killing a mix would be a new experience.” All gangsters looked in his cold, green eyes. They believed he killed a wolf.
“Take some sleep, my friend.” Said Rupert with uncertain voice. He stepped a little aside, letting him go.
“Don’t fool yourself.” Murmured god. “I have too light sleep for you.” And he went in slaughterhouse direction.
Crowd of dogs dispersed, however many silent stares went after yellow furred, hoping for better future.
*
Victor woke about the midnight, feeling he was observed. He didn’t move an inch, just prepared himself to defence. His home was poor keep, because old slaughterhouse was ruin and it was easy to enter it from few sides. But mongrel hoped not in walls, but in own fangs. He was waiting for attack, most likely of Rupert’s pawns. “So…” thought Victor. “My friend decided to shorten list of his acquaintances.” But in next two minutes no one came.
So dog stood up and exited carefully his keep. It was warm, summer night, lightened by full moon. Victor thought that she never would be a good scout – she just had no instinct of carefulness. Young dalmanian was lying in bushes of junipers, but that cluster was in the centre of square, enlighten by moonrays.
“You don’t look like Rupert’s assassin.” Called dog. “I guess that it’s hard to join them in age of one year.” She stop up, amazed he discovered her so quickly. “It’s time to bed.” Added Victor. “You look like you have not just a bed, but also home, humans caring over you and family that is probably anxious about you.”
“I’m sorry!” whispered dalmiatian. “I just… wanted to see you closer, sir.”
It was sounding strange, when purebred was talking with such admire to stray. Victor knew that he should be flattered, however he failed to feel that.
“All right.” He came closer to junipers, and when she exited the cluster he turn aside, showing his profile. “That’s me. You can go home now.”
“Thank you.” Said young bitch with breaking voice.
“Showing myself to you haven’t cost me too mush.” Smiled dog.
“Thank you for doing it with Rupert… finally someone showed him that he isn’t almighty.”
“I’m not planning any revolution.” Murmured Victor. “Those are yours problems. I just hate such a buffoons.”
“We all do, sir.” Said Dalmatian, slowly steeping back into the night. “But only you dared to say that.” Then she turned away and ran home. Victor snorted and returned to his keep.
*
There were two attempts of assassination, both prevented by light sleep of Victor. Two times dogs came from Rupert to kill yellow furred but two times they failed. First group was just two local mutts, very avid to show leader their value. Victor just scared them and sent away.
In the second try, Rupert sent three profs, two rottweilers brothers led by chart called Miko. Yellow furred killed Miko in half a minute then turned to twins with triumphal smile. They went away from his slaughterhouse and next day it turned out they went away from town. Since that time Rupert started to show even more fondness towards mongrel, what Victor interpreted as he was preparing the third team.
And dog was still fighting on the streets, mostly with Rupert’s soldiers. It was an unwritten rule that chief let his underlings to duel with yellow furred and he didn’t killed nor maimed them. And the local dogs had their show.
On every possible fight Daisy was present. She was that dalmatian, who sneaked to Victor’s house in night after he returned. She start to cheer every match of yellow furred, what was quite a sensation among others cheerers. Daisy was a purebred from good house and she was hanging in downtown just to see <Killer Mutt> as rumours called Victor.
“Is that so interesting?” asked mongrel, coming to Dalmatian, after knocking out two of Rupert’s henchdogs.
“In fact, not, because it always ends that way. You win.” She smiled with her beautiful smiled and rest of audience howled with joy.
“We must do something with him.” Murmured Fred to one of soldiers, Ben. “Chief let it slip out of control.”
“But this dude was goooood!” replied Ben wrapped up by cheering in fight. He also was looking on Victor with admire.
*
Again on November yellow furred went into mountains.
He was hoping to mend errors of last trip, however he lost his vanity and was thinking about it with realistic approach. Previous time he managed to kill just one member of Ravens Pack and he did it just because pack was scattered and its omega, Om, was accidentally walking on his path. Two more times Victor barely saved his life, fighting with other wolves for food. So he understood he was still too weak to fulfil his revenge. Even two years of training on town dogs just couldn’t make him a perfect killer. Dog have to transcend the limits of his nature.
“Is that what I should do? The most noble aim of life? Isn’t it, dad?” asked mongrel, but even memories of father were silent.
And quickly Victor was stopped by very nasty event – an epidemic of bubonic plague in forest of Yukon Valley. Hoping that Ravens Pack would flee from that he marched west to Buckland forest. There he heard about some other epidemic in Nome area and with clear resignation he returned to Selawik. He was back yet in March, what was greeted warmly by locals and caused some additional rage of Rupert.
“If you send another assassin, I will start to kill your dogs, one by one.” Murmured tired Victor who came to Rupert’s keep in old gold ore storage. “So I ask you to leave it be. Right?”
“Right.” Nodded chief, however some of his officers, especially Fred seemed quite amazed by that weakness of leader.
So Victor went back to his slaughterhouse, slept for almost two days, then started his fights.
*
It was a summer night, when he was fighting with Fred. Wolfdog was strong and agile, additionally skilled in such a fight. That duel was a real challenge. Yellow furred won – of course – but not untouched. His ear was bleeding - that ear once wounded by Om (of the holy memory…), side was scratched and overall god was exhausted. His enemy was beaten even worse, but the duel was observed by several others Rupert’s soldiers and if they wanted to finish mongrel then, they would had done it easily.
“Who’s next?” panted Victor. He had to ask about it, as he was asking every time. However he wasn’t ready to second duel that night.
Blooded Fred nodded and one of his soldiers steeped ahead, wanting to challenge enemy. Victor bared his teethes, sensing a real problem. But then came Daisy.
“That was great, sir!” she licked his cheek and in the same time she had to support him, as he was faltering. “May I lead you to kennel?”
Rupert’s paws stopped unsure what to do next. Fights were over and numerous audience was looking on gangsters with careful stares. Fred cursed, knowing it was too late. They missed a good opportunity. He wagged his tail to stop underling. So Daisy and Victor went away.
*
“Am I looking so bad, that you judge I have to be saved?” asked mongrel, when they reached slaughterhouse.
“No sir… I just thought you are a bit tired.”
“I’m a bit tired by all of that even after eight hours sleep.” He murmured and let her lay him down on bedding made of old rags.
“Just take a rest, sir. Tomorrow the world will look better.”
“I’m repeating it every evening… Hey, what are you doing?” he asked confused, when she started to lick his side.
“Those scratches had to be cleaned.” She repeated instantly. “I’ll try to do it carefully.”
“You should go home.” Said Victor. “It really nice that you are doing it, but I don’t need a babysitter.”
“I never suggested that.” She replied and started to caress his forehead. Dog froze in surprise, then recalled he had a cut there too.
“Thank you, but I’ll be all right.”
“Let me finish that, sir.” She said with breaking voice. So he stayed silent until she finished.
“Sir?” asked Daisy. “May I asked you about something?”
“You could always ask.” Replied yellow furred. “I’m just not sure if I reply you.”
“Why are doing it, sir?” she asked. “All this. Fights…”
“Long and sad story.” Replied dog. “Better say some other question.
“But answer on that is important. I’m not sure if I could ask any other.”
“You can. I just see if I could answer.”
She sat in front of his bedding and looked on him with shyly stare. Then she said with breaking voice.
“Do you feel lonely here, sir?”
“Hard to say. I’m not here for social matters.” He answered with indifferent voice.
“But… but…” suddenly some unexpected bolt of decision enflamed her face. “I love you sir.”
Victor pointed his stare on her and understood she was serious. It was quite shocking for him, however meant no other emotions.
“That wasn’t a question.” He noticed. “So I can’t answer on that.”
“I love you, sir.” She repeated and some tears appeared in her eyes.
“That’s very stupid idea.” Replied warrior. “Just leave it and… hey! I thought that you are about to mate with that dalmatian Eryk.”
“It’s just… no, sir.” She replied with a slight sobbing. “That’s what my owners and parents want. But I think you are ten times a dog than him.”
“However I’m not dalmatian.” Said Victor and smiled, as if he was recalling something.
“Sir!” she sobbed. “I don’t care about it. If you just let me, I wish stay with you…”
“Go back!” ordered Victor, trying to sound both polite and wilfully. “Your parents are worried.”
“Sir…”
But then they heard a sound of running outside. Victor stood up, ready to defend fro another team of killers. But that was just Eryk, dalmatian from Mitchels family.
“Daisy!” he called with relief in his voice.
“Do not follow me!” she called. “I asked you to leave me alone!”
“You parents…”
“I don’t care.”
“Daisy…” said Victor gentle. “Just go with Eryk. He will lead you home. It’s late.”
“Sir…” she looked on him with despair in her eyes.
“Leave her, sir.” Said Eryk with decisive voice, but careful listener would hear some fear in that. But yellow furred just nodded and answered.
“Take her home. She is very tired and talking strange things.”
“I was serious.” She cried.
“I’m serious too.” Said warrior. “Mostly because of the answer on your first question.” She lowered her head and went away after Eryk.
Victor quickly fell asleep and on next morning he felt nothing from recent injuries. Also Agatha came to him in sleep. He didn’t remembered what that dream was about but it was wonderful. Victor felt he wanted the wanted to be sooner, that he could set off on his quest.
*
It took a while but winter came and Victor went on route. That time he was sure he was ready to fight Ravens Pack. After over month of scouting he localised one of groups created on ashes of deceased pack.
He captured an omega to interrogate it. However wolf was weak and slim, but she was still bigger than dog. But dog, a mutt was holding her in his grab, pressing to the frozen ground.
“You lie!” called mongrel. “It’s impossible.”
“I swear! Okto is dead!” yelled wolfess.
“I was in Chuich Pack and prisoner said me that Beth of Ravens Pack is dead. The same goes about Alima, Kurt and few others. That is madness!”
“No. That is that malamuteeeee! Stop it!” yelled, when Victor was pressing her neck. “A giant malamute with blue eyes and golden collar. He killed Okto.”
“You are lucky I asked you as a last.” Murmured dog. “If I encountered you as a first, I would have killed you. You have to admit it’s hard to believe in story of ghost-malamute, killing every member of Ravens Pack.”
“Do you think my pack believes me, if I say about domestic dog doing the same?” sobbed wolfess.
“Right, I’m a bit strange too.” Agreed Victor. “But it changes nothing. It nearly impossible that malamute did what I wanted to do, just few months before me.” He was silent for a while, and omega tried to stood up. But dog instantly pressed her back. “No, wait…”
“You promised that you…”
“You will live!” hushed her Victor. “But I have to know what happened with husky called Black and wolfess called Aniu.”
“Those were alphas of Ravens Pack.”
“I know that!” growled dog. “I need know where they are now.”
“They lost.” Yelled omega. “Black is surely dead and no one seen Aniu for years.”
“And their pups?” she asked. He always wanted to know who was responsible for death of Agatha. Who drove Black to kill his beloved.
“That are dead too...” replied omega, and seeing that Victor wanted to hit her. “Wait! But maybe not all of them… One of pups was called Balto and he got lost in blizzard with Black.”
“And?”
“And there is possibility that is the same Balto who is serving humans in Nome.”
“But you don’t know that…” murmured yellow furred and wolfess shielded with paws, waiting for another blow. But it didn’t come. Victor just murmured. “Well… I have to check it out.”