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I’m not sure if anyone is following me, but just in case, I put here last chapters of HitM.

V.
When I hit the snow just in front of my companions, they sighed with fear. But a second after they again focused their stares on tight wall around us. Dogs of Nome were clearly keeping us imprisoned, without caring about pretence of hospitality. They didn’t growl nor bark on us but their bared teeth called about death. In the same time we formed a tight semicircle around our sled. We were in seven, while group of locals could count more than thirty. More and more Nomers appeared on street, coming to us with their odd, half-hobbling steps.
“It’s good to see you.” Said Emma, who was at my right side. Her voice was shivering and eventual joy could be barely heard. But most likely few moment earlier she was sure I was already dead.
“Let’s howl!” I gasped. “Local humans will notice and…”
“And?” asked Cyrus, pointing with muzzle on few human silhouettes on street.
Those men were passing us by, without any reaction. Their vacant stares stroked our trapped group but no one did anything to solve our problem. Just as if eventual slaughter of guest’s dogs was natural event in boring life of Nome. Seeing the same boredom on faces of our persecutors I came to conclusion it wasn’t impossible option.
“But master Lucas will hear.” I repeated and they all nodded their heads.
And then we saw a blood-freezing scene. On the other end of street, where light from houses barely were getting, we noticed two shadows, moving in twilight. One of them was surely Steele, who had run from me just few moments earlier. The second was someone I had no want to recall.
In general features she looked like wolf-bitch, but way of her moves told us she couldn’t be joined to any species known to science. Her paws were unnaturally long and each step resembles not a moving, but floating in the air. Her fur was brownish, just like Balto’s coat, but when I focused my eyes, I instantly regretted that. In short clarity of senses I saw as her silhouette was half transparent.
The other had to notice the same, because in that moment we started our howl. Our voices muffled yell of Steele, when misty wolfess pounced on dog. Malamute tried to attack and grab into his jaws paw of enemy, but his fangs hit only the air, or mist that was there. When my team and I reached the loudest point of our howling crescendo, mysterious being reached Steele’s neck and in one decisive press she broke his spine as if that was a thin stick. Then sounded shots.
In fact I had no idea if our call catalysed any events inside of hospital, but I think that master Lucas had to do it anyway. We saw flashes of light in one of dark windows of medical building then colts bangs exceeded even our howls. In next second mr. Marshal broke the glass of window and jumped on the street. Then turned back and shot eight times into dead window of hospital.
I never knew to what fired my owner, but according to terrorised expression locked on his face, when he was running back to us, horror he saw there was at least comparable to what we had witnessed. With no slowing down, master Lucas fire with two remaining rounds into crowd of dogs, without aiming. Burt because Nomers were standing so tightly, two bodies hit the snow.
With kicks and blows of revolvers butt-ends, he cleared his way to the sled. Then he reached for shotgun from under furs. Maybe because of surprise, our persecutors drew back in fear. Seeing my master raising his sawn-off shotgun with expression on face that suggested he was ready to shot even own mother, they retreated to the next corner. Seeing that mr. Marshal – still holding his gun – started to in-harness me.
Usually fear paralyses, but in some cases it gives us strength and decisiveness haven’t every day. Fortunately that time it worked in similar way. Musher instantly noticed that I was unharnessed and with few agile moves he fixed my belts. We also somehow acted like we had to – as soon I was in place, my companions started to pull. Without any guidance we set off to slide and turned north on main street. Meanwhile master Lucas was lying on sled, in panic-haze reloading his revolvers.
We speeded up to about ten miles per hour and pointed directly on edge of town. I yelled with fear, seeing kennels keeper, who crossed our path and raised his arms in gesture of stopping. But then my master let his revolvers loose – they were fortunately bound to his belt by leather straps – and grabbed shotgun he had reloaded in first place. Passing the local by, he fired from both guns, sending young local down to the street in rain of blood. I never thought I would be glad seeing unarmed human being killed, but seeing hateful stare on Nomer’s face I barked with triumph. It was necessary.
Meanwhile we were pulling still and master Lucas finished reloading his revolvers. He did it in good moment, because we heard behind us howls of dogs chase. I turned my muzzle back and even today I regret that. I saw perfectly formed unit of dogs, running after us. But what was even more shocking that few humans on main street seemed to completely ignore drama around them. Just moment earlier their folk was shot and they made no action to catch killer. Just as they left it to do for dogs…
…or dogs felt no urge to ask humans for help.
Mr. Marshal fired again two rounds of his shotgun. From that distance he had limited chance to do any serious harm, but he hoped that cloud of shot would stop bloodthirsty dogs from chase. But it didn’t work. I saw two dogs yelling from pain and falling down – maybe some projectiles reached their eyes or other sensitive places – but rest ran still. And the same wolfess of half-visible body was speeding, or maybe better to say – floating with them. Some shots had to his her, but I saw no reaction as if led globulins simply passed through her body. Then – fortunately! – I had to turn my head again in front of me, to see the way.
So I was looking on the road and dark forest, while master Lucas shot and shot back. Even in that state of mind, he had to hit multiple times. He always was excellent marksman and extreme situations couldn’t change it. So when I counted that he reload revolvers for the third time – that means he shot thirty times! – I understand that something was wrong. No chase, don’t matter how determined – wouldn’t last after killing maybe even half of its number. But Nome dogs were running still. And then I though – my already insane mind was ready for that – it wasn’t because master Lucas missed. Simply gunshots didn’t work.
Then master Lucas turned beck to front and grabbed reins. Then with right had reached the leach and hit the air above us. In spite we were running already in haze, speeded up. After silent minutes, when only snow cracking and our pants were audible, we entered the forest. I felt a serious relief, thinking I’m safe. How wrong I was!
Without any word, master was guiding us way north west, shorter but harder one. But we didn’t complained – we wanted to leave that ***** place as well. Especially that distant howls from Nome and responses from interiors could be easily heard. I understood that a trap had been preparing for us.
Deeper in night the mist appeared. It was sliding down from wall of valley, greedily crawling to us. But we speeded up the road, not letting that milky coat stay on us. We all – musher and we – felt that staying there and they meat doom. We didn’t know what mr. Marshal saw in hospital, he had no idea about disgusting and terrorizing suggestion that Steele had told to me. But we sensed already that only day could bring us some kind of sanctuary. So we rode still, not looking on difficult way nor on exhaustion. Master Lucas was holding in left hand reins and revolver in right. That way he held to dawn.
Without any stop we were running until sun appeared on horizon. But then nature disobeyed will. We slowed down and then finally stopped, unable to move more. With asking and threatening master made us to hobble to nearest clearing and then we had a break. I paid little attention on what happened after I was unhernessed. I just crawled few steps aside and felt into snow, in last impulse of instinct, digging deeper to keep my warmth. I even didn’t think it was rather useless, because we were sleeping at day. However soon after Emma joined me, just entering my den, unable to make her own. I didn’t protested, among many other reasons also because she was additional source of heat. In corner of my vision I noticed that master Lucas tried to light up the campfire, but I fell asleep before I learned if he succeeded.
He succeeded. Moreover we all made it. I awoke from slumber with – thanks God - no dreams and saw we all were alive and quite ready to continue our escape. Or I thought so. I stood up and without feeling my paws made few steps to my master, sleeping in his sit next to fire. The sun was already set and I knew it was last opportunity to set off. I wanted to wake my owner up but in next second I learned I was lying in snow. I just overturned due to effort. I even didn’t know how aching and stretched my paws were.
Fortunately in the same moment my master opened his eyes. I yelped in fear – in those eyes was nothing but madness. Mr. Mashal sprang on his feet, reached his guns and with expression of wounded animal, pointed gun in nearest source of sound, that meant: me. For short second I believe that my owner would kill me, but then he seemed to wake up totally – he shook his head and lowered his gun. After few loud pants, he added.
“Ow, pal! See in what hell we stomped in!” He came to me and ducked next to, examining my paws. “*****! Stretched and swollen. I bet that rest of you is no better. But we must go. Staying here at night means death… or worse.” If I were humans most likely I would ask him what he meant by <or worse>, but I could only yell with mix of agreement and pain. However he started to talk anyway. “Listen to me, pal…” He stood up and returned to sled. Then he reached for his medic kit. “No one would believe me, what I saw… I had right, and in the same time I hadn’t. It was diphtheria… initially. But imagine, what came after! Modern science doesn’t know bacteria like that… And I wouldn’t believe in existence such a marvellous and terrible being, before I saw it. It was…” He bended down to me and started to bandage my swollen mussels. “… it was something out of the world we know. Out of this place and time.” Seeing that rest of sled started to dig out from snow, he waved his hand in gesture of calling. They all crawled closer, waiting for their treatment.
For next several minutes we all were silent, waiting as mr. Marshal finish bandaging our paws and distribute food. When we were basically stitched and feed, he reached to his medic kit again and grabbed syringe and vial of brown liquid.
“I’m terribly sorry, crew, but I will do what I have to.” He said with soft voice. “But we can’t stop before we reach Buckland. I must boost you somehow.”
I was basically aware of my master’s medicines and thanks to acid smell of liquid I recognised it was morphine. I should howl with fear, seeing what my owner wanted to do – taking drug before such enormous effort always strengthen natural abilities, but risk of dehydration and deadly in-muscles lactic acid accumulation. But I focused only on saving might that medicine could give us. I gave no sound when needle of syringe plunged into my neck. Seeing my calmness, rest of team received that dose peacefully as well.
“It’s to give us strength.” I said. “Master wants us to pull as long we could.” My team responded with silent nods.
But then happened something what scared even me – after serving us, reloading all his guns and checking belts of harness, master Lucas applied a dose of morphine also to himself. I understood that he was really desperate. Shortly after his voice confirmed it.
“We must go.” Said he, fixing my harness. “They all were infected with some new disease. Non-human originated. I suspect that dogs of wolves were primary carriers, but I had no idea what it is. Until we are clear, we must warn outside cities and tell about it on Anchorage Academy. Maybe we already all have that plague inside, but it inactive before we you immune system is strong, but any other epidemic of serious illness here with trigger the bomb… He said me. Local doctor knew about it all. But I had to shot him! His blood… ow, God, it wasn’t human anymore!”
He didn’t cease his murmurs, but he just stood up and came to sled. Soon after we set off into cold night, accompanied only with our own panting and half-mad monologue of master Lucas. In spite of cold the fog seemed to arousing still. I started to feel first effects of drug, but I also heard helpless yelping of Emma.
“Mark, help me! They are calling us! They want me to join them.”
“Pull!” I replied with harsh voice. “Soon we all be in Buckland.”
“Mark, don’t leave me… it’s… so cold.”
“Cyrus!” I called. “What the heck is wrong with Emma?” While pulling I couldn’t see her, but Cyrus was harnessed to pair with her, so he was closer.
“No idea, boss…” he said. “But someone is really calling from forest. Do you hear wolves?”
I heard some howls in the mist, but all what I knew and felt was screaming to me those were not wolves. The siren call from woods was much more odd and distant to be a product of substantial throats and lips. It was coming from the air itself.
“Pull!” I ordered, ceasing the tripping talk.
Fortunately, my mind started to trip as well. With every step I heard and saw less, slowly drowning into narcotic dream. My body was working like smoothly going mechanism, but mind was half-absent. Emotions and fears shrank to small dot in my head while the rest of wandering thoughts were sleepy and blurred.
Thanks to that I completely ignored distant - however dreadful – signals of reality. We were running much faster than we should, via roads dangerous even in much better weather. Master Lucas gave numerous shots in the night, but my senses were too tired to follow any target. I just became one with my steps, going further and further.
But then a scream of Emma broke my narcotic peace. I turned my head aside to see her running just after with perfect calmness on her muzzle. But in the same time she was screaming. With unspeakable terror I understood that scream I heard I heard not thanks to my ears and my eyes saw a blurred silhouette, canine-shaped cloud being torn apart from Emma’s body by omnipresent mass of mist’s tentacles. One of it just penetrated Emma’s body and took away that cloud, that seem to scream and look at me with fire of madness in its unreal eyes. I shut my eyelids, but that vision didn’t end. I still was seeing moving body of husky but that flesh was completely dried of every motion I could call canine.
Then a shot came. I opened eyes to see my master with smoking gun and body of Emma falling to the snow. Then mr. Marshal turned to Cyrus and give another round. Dog was send down, but seeing how unspeakably indifferent was his muzzle in the moment of pain I thought with freezing certainty that wasn’t really Cyrus. Two lifeless bodies disrupted our ran and soon after sled overturned.
Shaking on whole body I woke few moments later, hearing shots of colts. My master was shooting to someone, something in forest, while we were still lying in snow, too scared to move. Finally bangs ceased and I dared to look up.
With decisiveness that only ones on the edge of death could have, mr. Marshal was putting the sled on skids. Then he came to dead bodies of Emma and Cyrus and he simply put them away from harness. For a moment I thought that in wave of madness my master would kill us too, but he just took a blanket from the sled and with knife tore it to several, long pieces. Then he put on of them on head as a blindfold.
“You would better not see what I took down.” He murmured and then I felt another pin of syringe. The second – that time much bigger – dose of morphine entered my veins. “You must take us back. Just pull ahead.” Murmured my master. I sensed that drug and emotional disorder made him believe I actually comprehended him.
I heard as he blindfolded rest of team – all raining four, after Emma’s and Cyrus’s death. For those minutes I was desperately trying not to think what had happened. When master Lucas finally called <Mush!> I took is as a sign of salvation. I saw no road before us, but I trusted my owner he was guiding us right. Besides the additional dose of drug had already started to work and all my fears slowly dispersed away. I feel only pleasant warmth in whole my body and sled seemed to be light and easy going. I had to tripped away.
At least I hope that, because what I saw then I could explain only by morphine intoxication and vision of chemically distorted mind. In my run I felt no time nor space, I was just pulling and pulling ahead. Blindfold and wall of morphine drunkenness kept me away from the reality, however I remember as small portions of outside world was dripping into my senses. I heard more shots, cries and howls than no canine throat could give and my paws few times stomped on something furry and still warm, as if those were just fallen bodies. But I was just laughing on that horror around, extremely happy I don’t have to witness it. And then some juniper branch took my blindfold away.
In one second I was confronted with whole mass of unspeakable abomination around me. I was running on Buckland Route, already road down, after making over half of distance to town. But mist was running with us. White waves of fog floated down with our sled, gently stroking us with tentacles freezing blows. I had to be dreaming, because what I saw was my dream from few days earlier. And I felt as that fog was calling to me, inviting in, to leave sled and become one with them. To become the same as dogs of Nome and their dreadful allies from interior forests. In spite if morphine dose, for one short moment my senses became sharp.
And I saw Emma. She was running next to me, in vapours of milky fog. But she was the fog herself – her body was even less solid than silhouette of mysterious wolfess I had seen in Nome. I clearly could observe shapes of road and trees though her, but in the same time I witnessed as her paws made trails in snow. She was smiling, as if she was enjoying that run.
“Mark?” she asked with her deep and temping voice. When she turned her stare on me, I wished to close my eyes. But eyelids disobeyed. “Mark, there is no reason to fear.” She whispered and I was silently praying that vision was just a product of drug induced mind. “We were so stupid and blind. It’s wonderful! Come to us… You will see for feeble was the life you had been living for all those years… Let’s unite! Come to my, my dear!”
And then her head exploded, after being hit with .44 colt round. Her misty flesh burst, slashing around. I felt that on my muzzle fell small quantity of that substance. I gave the most piercing howl that I was capable to give and lost my consciousness.
…
At least my mind went away. My body, taught by countless hours of service and boosted with morphine seemed to do it’s job still and still, for many hours and many miles. They said that our sled came to Buckand on morning of twelfth January, but somehow it was empty.
Master Lucas was dead, lying on sled with reins in one and colt in other hand. He had no injuries except of signs of dehydration and hypothermia. They said he overdosed morphine and that why he died. But no one, neither Buckland sheriff nor local doctor explained why mr. Marshall’s ammo belt was empty and revolvers guns were smoked as they had been fired multiple times in short period. No one explained also why our sled was almost broken due to unknown damages. Wood of cart was frozen to ice in multiple places and every such a place resembled shape of wolf’s jaws. Most likely no one wanted to answer that.
My companions didn’t make it too. Bucklanders found them in harness, still pulling, but there was no response on any impulse given to creatures. They didn’t drink nor eat, even seemed to ignore touches of humans hands. Just as they minds were sleeping, while bodies still working on. On several hours – due to dehydration and general exhaustion - all they died. Except of me.
I “woke” in Buckland kennels and in first impulse started to drink the water from bowl left to me by humans. I received over three litres of water before local vet came there and took away from bowl, maybe a moment before my stomach would explode. I was somehow rescued from all body damages and except of my shattered mind soon after I was healthy.
Doctor Tazaku, whose daughter was living there, incidentally came few days later to visit his old town and heard about whole case. He examined master Marshall’s body to find nothing apart of means of death that local medic noticed. But scholar also examined me and decided he would take me to Anchorage for further tests. I blurry remembered those days, because my mind was very slowly regaining its awareness. But few weeks after I found myself in Anchorage Animal Shelter, sent there by doctor Tazaku, who came to conclusion there is nothing he could do for me. In that easy asylum I was sentenced to repeat all experienced horror all over again. Every night I was dreaming about the fog and Emma to wake up with scream. Until I found the mushrooms in basement. Since I discovered that drug, my dreams became silent and luxuriously blank.

VI.
It’s December night, so similar to that winter night eleven months ago. If not that chemistry in my mind I would hear her calls from outside. Each time fog comes, Emma is here too, whispering to my ears, tempting me to go outside and dispel in whiteness. But she was right about one thing – I have no reason to fear. I’m safe, shielded by thick walls of shelter and barrier of drugs in my mind. My strength is my blindness. Let it be. My vision is blurring, my mind is tripping, I’m free.
…
NO!
What did I say? Right, there is no reason to fear. But not because I’m safe from fog, but because I still could go there. Emma has right – I was blind, so terribly blind refusing to participate in their glory year ago. But fog is already here, I could join Emma and all our sisters and brothers.
I’m standing up and coming to door. I hope it isn’t locked. But if it, I will exit anyway. By window, for example. Few scars made by glass is nothing, especially soon I won’t need of my current body. My new form will be imperishable. Bullets could only dispel it for a moment, but then it will form again. Like mist. It is mist. In Nome and everywhere else.
In Anchorage? Is that glorious plague of liberty came so far. What a wonderful news to know that all creatures here – dogs and humans – are on the edge of leaving their pathetic mortal coils and join the eternal glory of the Old Ones. We all are marked and chosen, but I will be the one who guide you. Follow my and let’s enter the land of infinite delight.
Emma, I’m coning to you!

Taka_PL
Novemeber 2007

Reply -

Chapter 4: It intrigued me, if that's the right word for it... Steele feels his never ending for Balto and everything he stands for... makes sense but at least Mark was able to listen without feeling weird or odd over the situation of explanation. It seems he now feels out of place in Nome, knowing that the town is not the same as it used be, even though he's never been there before in his life. But it looks like a line of dogs feel threatened by the newcomers and he must protect them.

Chapter 5: A shock. The master was slowly loosing his mind all due to something he thought he saw in the hospital of Nome. Maybe he did see something, something that would cause him to slowly go insane and kill a human. At least the signs didn’t show towards his dogs until they were on their way to Buckland. Too bad Emma became a victim of her master’s insanity… then Cyrus. Giving morphine would certainly give off harm but the human didn’t know what he was doing obviously. The whole team and master gone… Mark is left but he doesn’t have much time either. Now he’s in Anchorage, waiting for his end to come.

Chapter 6: Short yet very entertaining. Mark has finally seen the light and realizes that the mist comes to take those, dog and human alike, home. He is home. He is with his pack mates and with Emma again. Others will follow.

Story in general: I found nothing wrong with this story, hardly any spelling or grammar errors. It was a good and creepy read but in a good way. I really enjoyed it. It was something new and different but I felt it was really an amazing read.

Keep it up Taka

Thanks!
And soon there will be more of my goodies, because RTW gave me permission on publishing “Year of the Wolf” – sequel for BB. After some corrections, I will start display chapter on the forum.

Welcome back, after short period of autumn-depression and writer’s block <lol2>
*
Here is the promised BB’s sequel I wrote about. Story still has Tony’s permission and still (barely, yet still) is compatible with his story-line (except of use of Steele).
Before You read, be warned: it required knowledge about RTW’s saga and reading of BB. Steele You will see here is not the same Steele from my original fanfics, but character developed according to Tony’s plots. However there is a significant difference – in my version Steele had no adventures with any supernatural forces (neither with Shade nor Aniu) and most likely because of that he’s still alive;)
*
This is a war story with all consequences of that. It’s bloody, containing much of violence and disturbing emotions and characters die as it happens on war. This story should be rated PG13 or even more, if there would be any harder rating.
*
Action is set two months after epilogue of BB, that means late winter of 1929, if I counted correctly. I will probably make some map of area of action, but after the story (due to eventual spoilers).
*
As in BB names of Beech Pack was all Norwegian/Swedish originated, all names of Uniea wolves are rooted in Finnish. Uni is Finnish root, meaning “a dream” or “to dream”.

So this is the prologue…

Year of the Wolf

Prologue – For Those Who Died

Kostan for long time hadn’t enough time to understand that battle was lost. He was running between valley and path to Icy Bluff and trying to control chaos of fierce combat. He never hoped for victory, but he really believed that refuges could be evacuated. So after lieutenant Kuono died, he decided to took over the command in gorge and ordered all remaining soldiers to block path for every cost. Before that the defense of refuges was under charge of most trusted of his wolves – his son.
Kostan had been second pawmaster of Uniea Clan, and after death of Vian – who was killed by Talkeet in fit of fury – should had become first tutor of clan martial arts. But when Talkeet took over the Uniea, Kostan fled to forest, sensing what disaster would bring death of Daie and Vian. He took son and daughter in law with him and most likely that why they all avoided slaughter in final battle with Aleu’s forces. But when in spite that his clan was defeated, Kostan was fighting still. Although his rank was more official one, not a military charge, he acted like a field commander. He gathered all what left from First Fang under leadership of lieutenant Kuono and he persuaded officer to breach back to old Uniea territory.
But that quest turned out to be much harder than they both expected. With every step to Home Cave they met more and more refuges, civilians and wounded soldiers – of Uniea and its allies. Kouno and Kostan had no other choice than take them all. That why they were so slow and Shadow’s First Team caught them so quickly.
Second pawmaster chose the field of battle wisely – he ordered refugees to cross Yu Range via Eagle Pass and hide in one of numerous valleys of eastern side. He, leading about forty wounded and tired soldiers, made an ambush on Ice Fields just after Eagle Pass. All what for they could hope was to slow down about eighty enemies.
Advantage of Talbourne wasn’t crushing – not much more than two to one. For defenders, aware of terrain where they stood, it shouldn’t be something impossible. But First Fang was just a shadow of that unit from few months before – most of wolves were wounded, all were tired, also army was half-starved. Meanwhile Shadow’s wolves are well prepared and fresh to the fight. It was an achievement that Uniea lasted over four hours, taking about thirty of enemies with them.
Path down to valley was a last stand, where Kostan left wounded Kouno. Lieutenant was living dead, with serious internal bleeding and rest of his group – in fact those were six survivors – were also unable to move further. Second pawmaster decided he wouldn’t help them in dying in more efficient way.
“Right, go!” panted dying Kouno. “Make sure that refugees made their way home. We will stop them… for a time being.” So Kostan ran east with all his might.
In column of refugees there was almost no military personnel. Just few wolves too wounded to fight in mountains, stayed there. One of them was Taisten, Kostan’s son. Running through dense forest to deeps of gorge, pawmaster had a clear premonition that his son was already dead. That feeling turned out to be right.
Just when sun hid behind the horizon, old wolf entered the clear space on bottom of valley. Bodies of wolves covered most of area, stopping white snow with few dozens of grey-red points. It was all what left from Uniea survivors. Kostan recognize friends and charges, counted that eventually no one got out from there. And if no one did, Taisten was surely dead. Proud sergeant of Uniea would have never left his clan.
But then his heart stopped for few long seconds. There was someone alive! Some silhouette was standing above one of bodies, bended down to dead. Kostan gulped – he recognized the survivor, as his daughter in law – Muista. He also recognized the dead one, as his son – Taisten.
Wolf came closer to that silent scene. Dead wolf looked as mirror reflection of father. They both were well-built canines of grey fur and sharp-carved muzzle features. Only difference was that old – over nine year old – commander had thinner coat with some hoary fur, while young soldier looked like avatar of young and health. Of course except those several parallel wounds on belly. And except of simple fact he was dead. His father noticed that on muzzle of wolf locked an expression of concentration and determination. Most likely greyfurred bled to death barely noticing it, fighting until last moment.
Wolfess standing over him was beautiful and silverfurred bitch of blue eyes and gentle muzzle, then twisted by waves of cry. She was spotted with blood, but Kostan with ease concluded it wasn’t he blood. She was fighting too, in spite of her state and health, but it was too small to change the outcome of battle.
“Muista…” whispered Kostan. She raised he head, looked on him and burst with another cry.
“You too… But I was here for the end… I tried, but there was so many of…”
“Hush.” Whispered former pawmaster. He came closer and nestled to shivering wolfess. “We must go ahead.”
“Go ahead?” sobbed she. “What for? He is dead.”
“For time being we are not.” Replied wolf. He kneeled down and with decisive move took her on his back. In spite of age, Uniean was still a strong canine. Carrying his daughter in law maybe wasn’t the easiest thing to do, however he was able to transport her for a while.
Muista was weak even before battle. She always was a strong wolfess, but event after defeat of clan broke her. She was pregnant with Taisten, but sudden retreat from winter lair cause the miscarriage and loss of whole litter of five. But mother had no time to mourn her children, because she had to run farther. In incoming few weeks she lost most of her friends, almost died from hunger and complication after miscarriage, finally she saw death of her mate. Kostan was the last creature binding Muista with world.
“I’m sure he would wanted us to run… and survive.” Panted old wolf to wolfess on his back. In fact he knew it was a lie – if not presence of Muista Kostan would have just waited for persecutors and attack them from ambush. Just to take at least few of them and avenge dearth of his last child.
“There is no place to run, dad.” Sobbed Muista. Uniean was silent for a while, then replied.
“Taisten is not with us anymore. Don’t call me <dad>. Now I’m just <Kostan>.”
“All right… Kostan.” Replied wolfess. Then her cries stopped and she added with stronger voice. “You’re right, as always, you’re right. Please, stop.” Wolf stopped and she got down on her won paws. “Yes, we have to survive. But now I can go by my own.”
“You’re still…”
“I’ll be fine.” She snorted. “At least as fine as I could be… Let’s go to find some shelter. We must rest and…”
“…and?” asked Kostan, sensing some new, dreadful tone in her voice.
“We will avenge Taisten. Whatever it cost… Are you with me, dad… Are you with me, Kostan?”
I heart of old wolf something return on its place. He was no longer burdened with guilt, because he had a chance to repent. He survived death of all of his children – he felt as if that was a crime. But then he saw a way to make it up.
“Of curse I am!” he growled. “Death to Aleu!”
*
Shadow was gathering his soldiers and still waiting for Remer squad. Finally he noticed giant brownfurred wolf, exiting the forest. After him were coming twenty of his guardians. Talbourne marshal sighed with relief, however instantly he asked himself silently what cause that disobedience of his best soldier.
“I guess the same what always.” He replied himself a second after. “Revenge.” Then he called aloud. “Remer!”
“I’m here, sir!” replied brownfurred.
“Where have you been? We must form the unit and pursue remnants of…”
“No, sir!” interrupted him guardian. Shadow gasped with amaze. “A mutiny?” he thought, but he was wrong. His subordinate was not disobedient, but too enterprising. “There is no one left to pursue. There are no survivors.”
Marshal gasped again, looking on blood-red mouth of senior guardian. “O my God!” he thought. “He killed those refugees! All of them! Since death of his brother…” He recalled death of Wemer two months earlier. “…he is pushing Unieas mercilessly. We have to somehow hide that incident from Aleu. She won’t stroke us for that!” But in the same moment he understood that all errors and mistakes of Pursuing Company couldn’t be hidden forever. Lightning’s scouts will soon report it to Aleu, even if master scout promise to keep it in secret. “***** it! I’m fighting Unieas and now I’m fighting to keep my wolves in order… and additionally I’m fighting Lightning, not letting him to blame me of all this mess… This war sucks! I’m sick of it!”
“Sir!” called Iamack. She was one of scouts assigned to Security Team from Lighting’s recon. Most likely she would report her commander about Remer’s… performance, as soon as they reach the Home Cave. But then she was still under marshal’s command and tried to act like his soldier. For a while… “Sir, I see the trail. We have at least one survivor. Shall we track him?” Remer narrowed his eyes, as if he cursed himself that he let a single creature to run alive.
“No!” replied Shadow with angry voice. “Regroup and head back. They await us in home.”
*
Cold evening turned to icy night and blizzard came. Kostan blessed that weather, because it prevent Talbournes from any further pursuit. He and Muista fond some shallow lair under roots of fallen tree and hid there, covering themselves with fresh snow.
Wolfess wasn’t crying anymore, just burning inside with her new fever. All weakness caused by wounds and earlier injuries passed, then leaving just efficient mechanism, ready to fight. Kostan slowly started to reconcile with simple thought.
“We aren’t meant to survive, just to die in vengeance. Maybe that’s right – we have no home to return, no future to plan… I’m old, I’m going to die soon anyway. But she… It’s bad that she is doomed also. But we can’t let Taisten’s murderers to walk free.”
It was cold, so he nestled closer to sleeping wolfess. She moaned in her sleep, most likely taking old wolf as his son. “Let it be.” Thought former pawmaster. “Let at least in dreams she has some comfort, forbidden her in this cruel world.”
Blizzard raged on.

Awesome new fanfics Taka ^^

Nice beginning! Writer's block? Well, it happens but the wait was sooo worth it. It seems now the remains of Uniea's survivors want more revenge for the death of the second pawmaster's son's death and those who fell with him.

I look forward to the next chapter. Nicely done Taka!

Well, so this is actual beginning of the story. I know, I’m bad and unoriginal, enlisting Steele in each of my Balto-ffics. But here he plays a bit different role. You want to see Steele as maniac killer? Here he is;)

I. Strange Alliance

Corporal Buck was very proud to be corporal. He was already five day after his promotion.
He was assigned to little scouting team, consisting only two more wolves apart of him. But corporal repeated to himself that was an important mission. In Eagle Pass region, two months after official end of war something bad started to happen. More and more Talbourne liaisons and couriers missed. Just like that – were sent from Eagle Campsite to Shadow’s Team position further to Yukon Valley, but never reached that destination. So marshal sent searching team to investigate it. One of those teams was led by Buck.
His subordinates – just few weeks earlier his companions from security unit – that meant: Riik and Gin, were as young as he was and as avid to gain battle glory as he was. But Buck was the leader and hoped for the most. He really believe that he would find the cause of all losses. It was clear and sunny day – very warm as half of March – so tracking in that weather was easy. To kill the silence of marching, he started a talk with his companions. Again on the same subject.
“Those are bloody Uniea partisans. They still can’t believe we beat them.”
“Yeah, you beat them all, Your Corporaless.” Smirked Riik, but he made it quiet enough for commander not to hear him.
“Even you don’t believe it.” Replied Gin with emotional voice. He was maybe even more excited than Buck. “Sir Shadow drove away all remnants of Uniea far to east. They can’t operate in this region.”
“Some desolated group.” Replied corporal. “But we will beat them as we did in battle of Home Cave.”
To say that was overstatement was very kind for Buck. In day of battle of Home Cave he was just freshly allowed to combat private, guarding sidelines and was almost wiped out with his unit, but in last moment to attacking wolves of First Uniea Fang came news that Talkeet was dead and strike broke down. That why Buck survived battle and that why he became a corporal.
“But how we could find them? That is so large area…”
“We are to search for trails…” replied Buck.
“Sir…” murmured Riik, stressing irony in his voice. “Maybe we drop those songs about future victories and look ahead? I guess to find anything we should be sharp and ready.”
“I am sharp and…” In that second they entered clearing between two masses of taiga forest. They all in the same moment noticed solitary silhouette of canine in the centre of glade. “…ready.” Finished corporal, ashamed he let that came so sudden.
He took a quick look around, searching for ambush, but after a while he came to conclusion that single creature on clearing was actually single. It was dog, black and white spitz – malamute most likely. He was hobbling into wolves direction, showing weariness and indecisiveness. However he was still coming closer to Talbournes.
Because dog was half-bended, they missed he was powerfully built and muscular. They noticed only he was rather old and lean. That’s why Buck and Gin jumped down from slope of hummock, two metres down on glade. Riik wanted to follow them, but he stopped in last second.
“Buck, maybe we should be careful…”
“Stay here, coward and cover us.” Snorted corporal and walked ahead. Gin went after him without hesitation. Meanwhile Riik came to conclusion that something was very, very wrong. He turned back and…
Two wolves came to dog. Malamute stopped and raised his head, watching on soldiers with surprise, as if he noticed them just then. Buck stepped forward and giving his voice tone of additional decisiveness, asked.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?”
“I’m just… passing by.” Replied dog, sounding of fear. “I did nothing wrong!”
“Perhaps.” Nodded Buck. “But if you were hanging here for some time, you might tell us about some of our friends that got lost here.”
“Here…” murmured dog, still with shivering voice. “That is very bad area. Many strange things happen here.” He came closer to wolf.
“Like what?” asked confused corporal. “Do you know something about Talbourne soldiers lost here?”
“Depends on which soldier you mean?” answered malamute with question. Buck felt a wave of premonitions, but he asked involuntary.
“For example Mitchell. He was a liaison.” Buck knew Mitchell since trials of recruitment.
“No.” Dog shook his head. “I don’t recall him.”
“And Betty of scouts?” asked Gin from behind. He also didn’t want to do it, but curiosity prevailed. To surprise of wolves, dog seemed to think for a while, then replied.
“Yeah… You mean greyfurred bitch, about three years old?” Gin nodded. “I remember her. She was going here about week ago.”
“And what?” asked Buck.
“Well…” said malamute with quiet voice. He came closer and stopped just next to Buck. Corporal bended his ear to lips of dog. “I remember her well.” Said black and white. “I ate her.” And in next seconds he killed Buck.
Gin saw only as strange, old and tired dog in moment transformed to muscular-built creature who jumped ahead and bite corporal’s throat. In the same move he dragged yelling wolf down to snow and let him loose, throwing with blooded neck. Gin didn’t wait for any explanation and turned back to run.
He noticed that on clearing entered several wolves, but surely none on them were Talbournes. So private sprang ahead, passing group from left and right. He turned to slope of hummock, where he left Riik on guard. He hoped that enemy didn’t block the hardest was to get out. He was wrong.
While he was climbing on that wall he noticed that snow on brink of forest was spotted red and motionless body of Riik laid nearby. Two bitches – one of smooth silverish coat and deep blue eyes, second of grey fur, spotted with few wide scars on head. They both smiled with malicious smile and in the same moment bended down to climbing wolf. Gin had no chance to dodge. Two bitches bit his front paws in knees, then quickly let his loose. Wolf, yelling due to pain, fell back on clearing.
“Twenty heart beats.” Called old, sandy furred wolf, exiting from forest. “You beat the record of last time.”
“Practise makes perfect.” Laughed malamute, coming closer to wounded Gin. Dog was no longer hobbling and his energetic moves seemed to be an example of health and perkiness. “I guess that one won’t alarm anyone. Who’s turn to finish?” asked and bared his fangs.
“No, stop!” called silvefurred wolfess. “We must interrogate him!”
“Darling…” murmured spitz. He came closer to bitch and rubbed to her side. “That is just low ranked pawn. He won’t tell you…”
“We can’t kill him!” she replied. “I will interrogate him.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I will traaaauuuuuu!” screamed Gin when wolfess stepped on his wounded knee, pressing damaged joint.
“Ow, I see.” Murmured one of wolves from ambush. “She wants have some fun. Right, Avengers, let’s look for some dinner.” He turned back and set off to forest. Rest of pack followed him, leaving on glade only malamute, silverfurred and – of course – Gin. Talbourne couldn’t move an inch – his paw was scorching with terrible pain.
“So my dear…” murmured wolfess and again pressed enemy’s knee. When prisoner ceased to scream, she continued. “It would be nice, if you tell us routine of Home Cave patrols and location of guard units around Central Talbourne Forest.”
Gin wanted to spit on face of persecutor and call that he won’t tell her. But his lips disobeyed and he just panted. “I don’t know.” It was true – no one equipped him with so important knowledge.
“Let’s refresh your memory.” Said bitch called <darling> by malamute. Then she pressed again, breaking the knee-joint capsule. But after several seconds she stopped, seeing that prisoner started to lose his consciousness. “Is now better?”
“I don’t… I don’t…” sobbed wolf.
“Tro!” called malamute with sharp voice.
“What?” asked wolfess. “We’re going in right direction.” Then she bit another knee, purposely piercing second joint capsule. That operation done by fangs caused a little less pain than doing it with press of paw. A little.
“I don’t know!” Gin burst with tears.
“He doesn’t know!” said dog. “Just kill him and let’s go hunt.” Hearing that malamute wanted to kill him without any further variations, he thought that black and while persecutor was the most merciful creature on Earth.
“One moment.” Replied female called Tro. “Maybe he is son of someone important.”
“Keeping hostage alive would be very helpful in eventual trade.” Murmured dog with irony, but his words were muffled by piercing scream of Gin. Tro discovered that wolf had two more legs. “Should we talk about it?” asked a bit irritated malamute. “If you are not satisfied with my nightly performance, you could just tell me, not expressing your emotional and biological needs by playing surgeon.” Tro stopped, with jaws put to last unhurt leg of Gin. She slowly raised her head, looking with fear on crying wolf. Finally she said with breaking voice.
“I know… I’m stopping… I don’t know what possessed me.”
“So finish job properly and let’s go to rest.”
“I’m sorry, soldier.” Whispered Tro to ear of Gin. But wolf didn’t hear her. All his senses were filled with pain. “You were brave, you don’t deserved such a punishment. Only your leaders have.” She quickly bit his throat and stood up, not waiting for prisoner to die. She instantly followed dog. “Steele, wait for me.”
“I you want a kiss, I suggest you to clear you muzzle from this mess.” Malamute turned back, showing blood, dripping from Tro’s fur. “Why the hell you did that? You know that so low ranked soldiers know nothing.” She nodded her head. “So why did you…”
“I like it!” she replied honestly. “As you said once: I learned to enjoy it.”
Steele gasped silently. It was a curse for a tutor to have resistant students. But having ones surpassing teacher was even worse. Especially if the subject of teaching was a revenge.
“Is that better?” asked Tro, after rubbing her muzzle on the snow.
“Yes, much better.” Nodded Steele. She came closer and he licked her face. “Now we can look for others.” They set off to run into forest, following fresh trail of Avengers Pack. Meanwhile, on clearing behind them, private Gin was finally passing away from the world he failed to understand.
*
While more and more times passed, Steele become angry. Since two months they were operating near Eagle Pass, on only communication route between Talbourne Territory and conquered land, but still without achieving on what he hoped. Avengers managed to wipe out few patrols of Talbourne and kill several liaisons. But those were just giggles to the side of monstrous body of last and only Clan of Seward Peninsula. Those “retail” damages done to enemies were far from expectations of pack. But Steele still stopped his new companions from suicidal expedition into heart of foe’s territory. Not that he was scared and surely not because he didn’t hoped for vengeance too. But he was lacking of vital information. Before leap in unknown he wanted to know strength of forces usually left in Home Cave, know something about leaders of enemy units – to sum it: he wanted typical intelligence data that single pack was unable to gather at its own. Meanwhile hot-headed Avengers insisted. Especially Tro.
Steele awoke after night of not so optimistic dreams. He found himself lying in snowy lair, next to silverfurred bitch. He couldn’t say he and Tro were mates. To be exact – they were pair in most vulgar, biological sense, but malamute didn’t expected (and wasn’t disappointed, finding out he had right) any emotional bond with former alpha. They share their bedding and plans of vengeance, occasionally few words daily. Nothing more than that.
Steele liked that way to be, because it gave him much joy (sometimes he judged that a bit too much, considering his age. After all he wasn’t a juvenile any more.) and small doze of responsibility, exactly what he enjoyed. He didn’t love Tro, however she fascinated him as curious phenomena – her hatred towards Talbourne was shocking and odd even for cold-blooded malamute. However Tro had also a dark side (or better to say – even darker side) – she wanted to achieve her goal instantly. Steele had to restrain her hurry.
“Right, sweetheart.” He nudged her in side. “It’s time to wake up.”
“Will we set off today?” asked wolfess with first words that day.
“No, only for hunt.” Replied Steele and exited lair to snowed outside. “We still have to gather some data about Talbournes.”
“You repeat it since two months.”
“I will stop, if you also stop you silly requests.” Snorted Steele and started to wake up rest of pack.
They wasn’t a pack anymore. Just a military unit. Nine wolves: Tro, Elske, Annen, Blad, Hviske, Brann, Regne, Venn and Sno, plus one malamute: Steele. Once Beech Pack, after death of Glemt, Fort and shamaness Vis and joining of spitz became a group walking together in one, particular aim – to kill Aleu. Steele was a leader, but not in typical sense of that word. He was a god and master in every military situation. But for the rest of time he was just one of ten, listening to Tro and Elske, who ran pack before and then. Even former omega was no longer omega. Sno became the same member of that strange congregation as once alpha – Tro. They were learning to be soldiers. For some of Avengers that process was too slow.
“We should go today.” Said Elske, coming out from snow. She used to urge Steele as well as Tro. She also was avenging mate and brother.
“The same, old song.” Snorted malamute. “We won’t go, until…” then he froze, turning his sight aside. “Crew, ready to kill?”
Pack took a defensive position, looking for danger that dog noticed. Soon they found two silhouettes, standing on top of pan, above them. Male and female wolf were looking down on waking up camp. Finally Steele called.
“Do you think you can kill us with those stares? I suggest you some physical contact…” and he waved his tail with irritation.
“If we wanted to fight, we have already started it.” Replied male. “Now I want to talk. Are you Talbournes?”
“Guess, old mutt.” Replied Steele. “Do you think that anyone here and now would deny he belongs to winning side of just ended war?”
“So you are Talbournes?” asked greyfurred again.
“I asked you: do you think that?” repeated Steele.
“Right, no one would say he is not of Talborne.” Nodded old wolf.
“Wrong, pal! We’re not!” laughed dog. “We are as far from those ******* as we could be on limited area of Alaska.”
“Kostan, something is wrong.” Whispered Muista.
“I know.” Replied wolf quietly. “When dog waved his tail, he ordered three of his wolves to sneak to us from behind. They are coming right now, while he is playing on time.” In the next moment he kneeled down with warning bark, so silverfurred did the same. Annen, Venn and Blad attacked in the same moment. Dodge of victims confused them, but they jumped again.
“Ahead!” called Kostan and sprang down to the pan.
He bounced on slope and flew to Steele. Old malamute was a bit surprised, but acted properly – he welcomed enemy with open mouth and ready paws. Tro – standing just next to – never saw anything like that. Wolf hit malamute, but dog already turned back and with unbelievable speed grabbed attacker’s paw. He pulled it, trying to throw wolf away, but strange warrior managed to pull himself to enemy and grab his neck. So both combatants fell on the snow, wrestling and exchanging fast blows.
Meanwhile Muista jumped down and found herself surrounded by six of pack. She took a defensive pose and looked on fighting too, uncertain what to do. She was also amazed. She never saw anyone who could match to Pawmaster of Uniea Clan. Kostan was old, but his technique was legendary. If he was fighting against a single opponent there was no possibility he could fail his attack. But it happened.
Both canines started to dance a deadly dance around each other. But how different from normal duel what combat was! Both enemies were old creatures, careful not to tire themselves too fast, measuring every move. So after long moments of estimating the other’s movements, it came a quick wave of exchanging blows, much to fast for audience to observe those. Just two elder predators were moving around each other, like flames in fire – with the same speed and deadliness. Finally Steele jumped back and called with decisive voice.
“Right! You’re in.”
“I still haven’t my jaws inside of your belly.” Snorted Kostan, ready to next attack.
“And you won’t have, if you wish to go with us.”
“Kostan, what…” started Muista.
“Calm down, sweety.” Replied her Steele. “We accept your offer in our fight against Talbourne.”
“Shouldn’t we introduce each other first?” asked Venn with mixture of confusion and irony.
“Do you know, what we plan?” asked Steele, looking on grey wolf.
“Yes, we followed you since four days.” Replied pawmaster.
“Three days.” Corrected him dog. “Initially you were following that Talbourne unit we killed. That was an accident you encountered us.”
“You claim you knew we followed you?”
“That was I who almost reached your lair.” Replied malamute, recalling two nights earlier.
“I saw you and knew…”
“Wait a sec…” interrupted Muista. “What is going on?”
“Yeah!” supported her Venn. “Won’t we kill them?”
“I discourage to start from that mutt.” Said Steele. “He was Uniea martial arts tutor. They used to call them <pawmasters>.”
“And you are…” asked Kostan.
“So we’re cool?” asked Venn, looking on Muista.
“I guess…” nodded wolfess.
“Sorry.” Said wolf. “I didn’t meant… Or wait, I meant to beat you down, but I hope you won’t take any offence.”
A laughter sounded in forest. Not too loud – during war loud laughers are not welcome – but honest enough to calm down stressed situation. Annen and Blad went down from cliff, and stopped next to newcomers.
“We could exchange our touching stories later.” Said Steele. “But now – if we want to go together – we must establish some hierarchy and explain few things. That mutt” he pointed on Kostan “is my second in command.” Wolf growled, hearing that insult.
“You are dreaming!”
“Again, pawmaster?” asked Steele, showing his fangs. “Relax, pal. I have to be a leader. I bring five times more firepower to this deal.”
“You bring?” gasped Annen with irritation. “We are not your…”
“You see – my bellowed subjects.” Smiled Steele. “We are like one, big family.”
“I won’t let myself and Muista under your command, unless you prove…” started Kostan. Steele interrupted him.
“…that I will give you vengeance you seek. I know. I went through it few weeks ago.”
“You still haven’t led us to Aleu!” called Annen with angry voice.
“Hear declarations of my loyal soldiers.” Said malamute to greywolf. “I’m trying to guide them to land of Talbournes, but I need more intelligence data. I guess that you, as former Uniea soldiers, could help us in that.”
“Perhaps.” Nodded Kostan. “But still I won’t let you to lead.”
“Ow, November, don’t spoil our newfound beautiful friendship…” replied Steele to confusion of all wolves there.”
“This guy has very irritating custom to instant-making new friendships.” Whispered Venn to Muista’s ear. “By the way, my name is Venn.”
A fresh snow started to fall on confused wolves. All excitation of fight ceased and they seemed to accept they all were one team. Steele knew that most of alliances are extremely hard to start. So he didn’t started that one – he just passed over it, as it that was already done.
“It’s cold here.” He said, although it wasn’t so bad. It was just him, who was a bit hot after fight with Uniea. “Let’s go to some better place. Denser forest, or some…”
“With them?” asked old Annen, looking suspiciously on two new wolves.
“Of course, August.” Replied dog. “Those there last two months we were waiting for.”
“Is that normal for him?” asked Kostan, looking on Steele.
“Good question.” Replied Elske. “We know him just two months.”
“And you survived…” sighed Muista with tone of admire.
“Are you going?” asked Steele, turning back to wolves. They set off in forest direction.
Malamute was thinking hard and coming to more and more optimistic conclusions. He did it – he had a party capable of performing his plan. He had a Uniea pawmaster under his command and all his knowledge. What seemed to be impossible just two moths earlier, then became just very hard. Steele smiled and licked his lips.
“Balto…” he thought. “The vengeance after those years will taste even better. I wish to see your face, when you learn that you daughter is dead!”

Good beginning! I kinda like it when Steele plays a killing maniac. Now that he's with the remains of the Beech Pack, now re-named the Avengers Pack, they're bound to gain revenge on Aleu and the Talbourne but the survivors of the Uniea, Kostan and his daughter-in-law have joined the party. Those alliances spell trouble for the Talbourne. Not good. Very nice chapter!

So Steele’s quest began. Of course nothing should go without problems, so today We will see that Talboure aren’t asleep yet…

II. All the Year Around

They insisted few hours, before Steele explained them his new manner. He just started to call his pack with names of months. Initially that wasn’t a problem for wolves – accustomed to half-crazy attitude of dog-guide – but became a problem when Steele, ow pardon, December ordered them all to use those nick among themselves.
“I told you, you are not pack anymore. We are just a military unit, twelve-pieces army with single purpose of inflict some damage to Aleu’s lot. We have to start act like soldiers.” Said Steele, when they were resting after their first collective hunt with new-joined Unieas.
“Act like soldiers, huh?” murmured Venn with sarcasm. “Should we learn how to salute?”
“If I say so, you should, February.” Replied commander.
“Is that some ranks system?” asked Kostan, who was addressed as November since that morning.
“Close. Hit but not sunk.” Replied Steele/December. “If something changes, it must change in every aspect. I want you to forget about pack, past and all what joined you when your dead ones were alive. It’s only disrupts us. Now we are Avengers. We drop our names and sworn vengeance above all else. It’s extremely important.”
“Sounds extremely cliché.” Noticed Annen. But he didn’t protested – he understood what Steele – or December – was up to.
“So, I want you to accustom to your new names, because you will use those until we bite Aleu to dead or die in the process. I don’t mind you return to born-given names in afterworld.” Said Steele.
“What a liberal approach!” sighed Venn and smirked.
“Remember, my name is now December. I’m the commander of our pity lot.” Continued Steele. He pointed on Kostan. “Call him November and obey him as the second in command. If I’m out or dead, he takes a lead. You are October.” Added, turning to Tro. “Third in command. You…” looked on Elske “September. Annen is called August, you… sorry baby, I forget what was your name.”
“Muista.” Said wolfess.
“So once Muista now is July. Blad is June, Hviske is May, Brann is Aprill, Regne is March, Venn is called February. And not surprisingly, Sno will be January from now on.”
“That’s more like a boy’s name.” Protested Sno. Steele laughed quietly and replied.
“I expect you to be tough as a male should.” Replied leader. Then he took a look on whole pack. “So please, forget your previous names. You have to call yourself that way in combat, in rest, while chatting, arguing and declaring love each other. Period.”
“What a crap…” snorted Kostan, but seeing calming stare of Muista, added. “But I could accept that stupidity for some time. After all soon we will win or die.”
“So we are setting off?” asked excited Elske.
“Yeah. Hit the bells. We are coming on the party.” Said malamute and stood up. “Because we know that main Shadow’s forces are deep in eastern side of Yu Range, I hope to find area of Home Cave almost unguarded.”
He started to carver in snow. He made lines in whiteness and after few minutes in centre of wolves ring appeared improvised map of Seward Peninsula. Steele lived with humans long enough to learn many useful things. Some of that knowledge helped him in past and saved his neck while he was in troubles. Some of it he just started to use. For example – idea of map. It was too hard for canine to draw an exact plan, but schematic map with basic scaling was within range of agile dog. Of course Steele even didn’t try to draw isolines, but he recompensed that by making a snow drifts to symbolise mountains and hill. His map became almost tree dimensional model.
“What the hell is that?” gasped confused Muista.
“One of means of our victory.” Replied Steele, smiling. “November, go ahead. Show us the location of posts and guards.”
“Is this…”
“Imagine that picture is seen by birds if they fly high enough. Just as if you could look from hill… anyplace you like.” Explained malamute.
“Smart.” Nodded Uniean. “I will try to show what I know.”
And he started to point important location of Steele’s scheme. With piece of bark he indicated Talbourne Home Cave (malamute added deep line, crossing that point, to show Talbourne Creek), cones became places where enemy units used to stay. After about half an hour of work, whole model was ready.
“Please, try to remember it.” Said Steele. “We can’t draw it every time we want to plan something. Also we could not have enough time and strengths to do it during our expedition. So look carefully and carve it into your minds.” He quickly drew also a line between mountains and leading to bark of Home Cave. “Here we will try to go.”
“That’s Eagle Pass.” Noticed Annen.
“Good, you start to recognise map-system.” Praised him Steele.
“I mean that in March it’s not the safest route.” Explained old wolf.
“We crossed it with hundred creatures.” Threw Kostan in.
“Sorry, I missed the remaining ninety eight.” Snorted former beta.
With no warning pawmaster pounced on Annen, overturning him and reaching his throat. They rolled aside, wiping large part of map with their bodies. Steele reacted instantly, seeing as Kostan’s teethes pressed trachea of old beta. He jumped too and bit Kostan’s neck, hard enough to make bitten muscles to stop. They wrestled for several second – Uniean tried to bite Annen in spite of grab on his nape, Steele pressed and pressed, finally making pawmaster to let his hold loose. Just after that malamute threw Kostan on snow, but being careful not to break more of model.
“November, August, stop it!” he gasped. He put panting Annen on paws and added with anger. “That’s all in topic of maps.”
“Don’t you dare to…” growled Kostan.
“November!” called Steele. “August asked a very important question. He surely didn’t mean to offend your dead ones.”
“They died in fight!” gasped Muista.
“Why?” asked Annen, regaining his breath. “Why they allow Talbourne to catch them so quickly?”
“We were wounded, tired and…” cried Muista. Kostan was still growling. Most likely if not Steele he would pounce on Annen once again.
“You went the narrowest path of all possible ones.” Said old beta indifferently. Although he was bleeding a little from neck, he seemed to be cool. “It’s not surprisingly they tracked you. But if you go via Buckland Pass…”
“It was impossible!” cried Muista. “We were almost hundred! They would easily detect us there.”
“Maybe.” Replied Annen. “But we are twelve. Steele…” he turned to commander. “Why are we going the shortest and most predictable – and dangerous - way, instead of sneaking where they wouldn’t expect us?”
Muista came to Kostan and rubbed to his side, calming Uniean down. Pawmaster was still looking on Annen with rage in his stare, but he understood what beta had on mind.
“And you was in such a hurry few days ago.” Smirked Steele. “But I will explain you. They won’t expect us to cross Eagle Pass, because they think it’s too dangerous. And it is too dangerous for pack, unit or sled. But not for us. We aren’t numerous, we are determined and we don’t fear of losses. We will cut that way easily, if I lead you. I went that pass many times, having sled to guide. Are satisfied with that, August?” Annen nodded his head. “So now apologise to November and July. That remark was not too smart.”
Old beta carefully came to Unieas, not sure if he wouldn’t be attacked again. But Kostan and Muista stayed calm, so he just nodded before them, lowering his ears in gesture of apology. After that Steele just set off due west.
“All right, we ate, we argued, we reconciled. So we could go. November, on my side. Show that you are commander here.”
So that way they start their expedition, leaving all behind. It wasn’t too hard, because there was not too much to left.
*
Shadow finally gathered his units. After failed search of Uniea partisans, loosing two more patrols and serious uneasiness in own army, marshal was in bad mood. He decided to return home. He needed a break and a moment of consideration. He hoped that Aleu would give him straight orders, not just general wish to appease the war. Inspecting his units, he sighed with relief, seeing well known silhouette on lead of scouting team.
“Dash!” called wolf with joy.
“Yeah, that’s me.” Replied his brother in law.
Dash returned to duty. No one asked him to do that, but since time of Talkeet’s deflection, his father decided to fight as ordinary soldier. And that didn’t changed even after death of Telkeet. So alpha’s brother became just ordinary field commander, in rank of sergeant. Shadow always thought that was a stupidity that Dash tried to repent for crimes that he hadn’t committed. But then he was really glad to have trusted kinswolf at his side. First that was just another trusted person. Second, he was technically Lightning’s scout-wolf, so Shadow wanted to ask him for few favours.
“It’s good to see you!” said with genuine joy. “Are you hungry? I have…”
“There is no time!” replied dog. “We have a serious problem!” he said quickly, taking kinswolf aside.
“What’s the problem?” asked surprised marshal. In exhausted and scared stare of Dash he sensed troubles. Real ones.
“You must see this.” Said scout, leading him into night and denser forest. They entered a small glade, where in light of moon Shadow noticed trails of camping. About ten wolves had been there some time before.
“What? Those are our mysterious assassins?” asked surprised marshal. In fact he was angry that his wide-scaled searching failed, while his brother in law managed to find wanted ones just by a chance, so near to their camp.
“Look on this.” Said Dash, coming to strange marks on the snow.
Shadow tried to comprehend what he saw, but failed. Those were just trails of some carving, then marks of some fight and additionally some purposely put there bark pieces and cones. maybe it looked a bit mysterious, but surely not dreadful.
“No idea what that is.”
“A map.” Said Dash. “You know what the map is?”
“I still have no idea.” Replied Shadow honestly. “You are the smart-head, born among humans to tell me that.”
“Exactly, humans.” Said sergeant. Shadow shook his head with confusion. “I mean: this map was done by canine, but that one was a really smart or he was raised among humans, because he know what map is. We have tougher enemies that we thought, Shadow.”
“I still see no real…”
“Look!” ordered Dash. “Stand here…” he took marshal few steps ahead. “And watch those shapes.” Shadow nodded, but it was clear he still wasn’t comprehending brother in law’s thinking. “Imagine you are a bird and you are watching landscape below.”
“Ow, I see!” smiled commander. “That someone drew what he remembered about air view of Alaska… Home Cave in particular!” he added, recognising only visible and clear part of map. “Werk!” he cursed.
“Yeah, I meant exactly that.” Said Dash. “Whoever was here, wants to get to Home Cave. He knows much about us and our army.” He points on cones, placed in lairs of guarding teams of Talbourne. “And he plans no good to us. Aleu is in danger.”
“Wait…” gasped Shadow. “He knows it! Part of our forces are here, away from home. In Cave no one knows about any danger, units are scattered for easier hunts…”
“Let me form small liaison team with wolves of my choice and let us run home.” Said Dash. “Now Lightning is in command of eventual defence. He is good in intelligence stuff… but that human-raised canine could surprise him. I want get beck home as soon as it’s possible.” Shadow nodded his head. “We must…”
“No!” opposed Dash. “You have an army to lead back. I will manage this. I promise!”
Marshal sighed, but silently admitted that his friends was right. He was needed there with army. And he couldn’t ordered whole army to rally home, because so huge group would move very slow. An idea of Dash was an optimal one.
“How long ago they went away?” asked Shadow.
“Six, maybe eight hours. They have serious advantage, especially they move quickly. Group is small.” Replied scout.
“But… that <map>, as you said, is incomplete.” Noticed Shadow. “Only part with Home Cave is visible. How do you know the route of assassins?”
“I don’t know.” Confessed Dash. “So we must go the shortest way and pray we pick some trail in progress. If not, we just go home and alarm them all. By the way… They wanted to wipe this map out. Thanks God they missed that fragment, that we know what is going on.”
“Right, take whom you want.” Agreed Shadow. “If I may advise you, take the best trained in combat. All of my wolves could climb mountains, but some of them are better in fight.”
“May I take Remer’s unit?” asked Dash.
“If you wish…” replied marshal, with double relief. First – he gave his brother in law the most deadly warriors he had. Second – he also gave him most troubling part of his army. “Good luck, Dash!”
*
“Crap!” Yelled Steele, running in deep snow of mountain slope. “Why haven’t you told me, they are so close!?”
“I did!” replied Kostan with snort. “You just wasn’t listening.”
“Ow, never mind.” Steele turned back to rest of unit. “Are you still with me?”
“We are, Ste… December.” Replied Venn from back.
“How January is going?”
“I’m fine sir!” replied young wolfess with irritation. “I’m not slowing you down.”
Steele decided to check himself. He slowed down and let Venn and Sno catch him. He started to run just behind them, watching steps of the youngest members of team. It always is easy to judge if one is running easily or by last of his strength. Steele took a look on two of his soldiers and estimated they could run. Maybe not all the way to the other side, but… But about it he was going to be worry later.
“You’re doing great!” called commander to former omega’s ear. “If I ever have a son, I will name him after you?”
“January, or Sno?” asked bitch and smiled in darkness of March night. By that jest she wanted to cover exhaustion that slowly claimed her.
*
Maybe it sound improbable, but they managed to made their way via Eagle Pass. They reached Ice Fields few hours before dawn and came to summit of was about midday. Group – all, including Steele and Kostan – was dying from exhaustion, but they made also way down to stopped at bring of Seward Forests on next day dusk. Steele commended a break and few seconds after he fell into fresh drift of snow.
Rest of pack laid down too, almost instantly falling asleep. It took even more then five minutes for Steele, Kostan and Annen to prevail overwhelming sleepiness. They all stood up (looking each other, a bit surprised that others managed to came to the same conclusion) and started to wake half-slumbered companions.
“Wake up, fools!” panted Steele. “You will freeze to death.”
“Dig in snow, or you’ll be cold.” Supported him Annen, nudging Sno. Sno made an extraordinary effort, especially if we remind her fragile constitution. However she was also the most tired one. She even didn’t awoke. Old beta sighed and started to dig hole for her.
“They are right.” Kostan whispered to Muista’s ear. “Stand up for a while and I will dig bedding for you.”
“She should be able to do it herself.” Snorted Steele, just passing them by with hobbling. He was so exhausted that he was tottering. He looked a bit as drunken human.
“Let it be our problem.” Snorted former pawmaster. Steele came closer to them, wanting to scold them, but old wolf added. “She got wounded in the battle. Month ago she almost died after miscarriage.”
“Ow.” Murmured malamute. If cold hearted dog was able to feel any sympathy at that moment was quite close to that state. “Why haven’t you told me, before we started?”
“If I did, would you changed your plans?” asked Kostan rhetorically. Steele shook his head.
“Cease it!” panted Muista. “I’ll be fine. There is no need to treat me as a cripple.” Then she fell to hole dug by pawmaster.
“Any guards?” asked Kostan.
“Useless.” Replied Steele. “Even warned we would be unable to defend ourselves. Besides, they rather aren’t looking for us… here.”
“I hoped you say that.” Replied Uniean and entered lair. The same where Muista was – he had no strength to dig another one. Wolfess smiled through her sleep, feeling warm body of Kostan at her side.
Steele was looking on that scene and on others efforts of Avengers to take cover. In his heart he felt something strange, and somehow alarming. Malamute was watching his subordinates with concern. He shook his head to dispel that impression, but it didn’t worked – he still was worried about their conditions (that was still acceptable) and comfort (that sounded scary) and wished they all have good places. Not because he feared they would get cold and be less efficient in future combat. Because he wanted them not to feel any pain.
“Great!” he snorted in mind. “I chose time and object to show emotional attachment perfectly! I’m looking on living deads! They will all die in just few days… and I most likely will die too. So any sympathy towards them is irrational… and dangerous. I can’t be spoiled by tenderness in such crucial moment.”
“Steele, are you coming?” asked Tro from her den. Malamute with amaze noticed that she dug bigger burrow, enough for two. For him – she put additional effort for him. He entered that den and cuddled to female.
Some absurd thought sparked in his mind. He didn’t love Tro. Apart of short time in Nome, when he believed that he loved Jenna, Steele never attached to anyone. And even if Tro’s heart was still filled with her love to Fort. Fort was dead, but it didn’t matter. So relationship between wolfess and malamute was something different… yet still was something strong. A bit too strong for Steele to stick with it easily.
“At least I will let her warm up.” Thought dog. But it wasn’t the point. He felt that he needed her closeness badly. He covered entrance to burrowing with fresh snow and soon after drifted way to black plane without dreams.
*
Dash set off on morning. He wanted to go at night, but he understood that forming proper unit was even more important that few hours of way. He needed at least fifteen jaws to confront mysterious enemy and he decide to take almost all Remer’s soldiers. But they had to rest at least for few hours. Dash allowed on that, hoping those hours weren’t crucial. He needed strong pack of warriors – after all he was chasing dangerous enemy and it would be extremely stupid to die on fangs of own game. However he sighed with relief, when about dawn Remer awoke him up and reported they are ready.
“Fourteen jaws, excluding me.” Said senior guardian. “I had to left four of mine soldiers have to stay here, due to minor wounds. But we will kill them anyway.” He saw trails of enemies and was burning with want of battle.
“Good…” nodded Dash. “Remer… I must ask you for something.” Wolf looked in eyes of his dog companion with curiosity. “I mean it: obey me! I know that formally I’m just sergeant, or senior scout if you prefer old title, additionally not of your unit. But I’m also Aleu’s brother and her life is the stake. Shadow chose me as leader of that hunt and I hope you will respect it.”
“Sir!” replied surprised wolf. The idea of disobeying Balto’s son sounded strange to him. “I never meant to…”
“I mean your… overzeal about your duties.” Explained Dash. “I don’t want to see you freaking out, just after see those wolves. We have a mission and Shadow’s orders.” He turned away from warrior and went to order march to his new unit.
“With all due respect, sir.” Whispered Remer, when dog went away far enough not to hear him. “Neither you nor Shadow have nothing to do with my mission. I will kill ones who murdered my brother.” And he smiled with half-mad smile.
Then he joined to column of his unit. Dash was on the lead, because he – as most skilled in scouting stuff – was not only a leader, but also a guide. Remer took his position on the end of group, next to Grace. That was his little… their little secret. Grace once was a mate of Mark, killed in Nome two months earlier. Remer took to his unit wolves who mourned death of someone who was close. That was one of his unofficial condition of joining to team. So all of his fourteen guardians were sworn avengers, burning with bloodlust. He also had something like own intelligence. Thanks to Mary, once mate of his brother and then new mate of intelligence officer – Gilbert, he found that mysterious pack who killed Wemer was most likely the same pack that was responsible to kills in Yu Range. It wasn’t a coincidence he volunteered to Shadow’s expedition. He – as well as his companions – were fighting no longer for the greater glory of Talborne, but to greater glory of its dead ones.

It's good to know that Steele can come up with different names for his 'military unit'... using the months... impressive. No, really, impressive. Now he can begin his revenge seeking as will the Uniean members. But the Talbourne are not unaware of the coming threat... at least Dash remembers some of his knowledge in the human world... the maps, he's smart, why else would Shadow ask him to do some scouting. It seems that Remer is planning a little payback on the coming threat as well... this should be interesting.

Good chapter. Update soon!

So their pocket-war is started.
Please, all Talbourne-fans of Tony’s readers: feel to be warned. I’m going to show completely different face of Uniea War that is described in “Talkeet Trilogy”…
No so glorious in outcome.