Белый клык
The Battle of the Fangs
Theshe-wolfhadbynowdevelopedaferocioustemper. Herthreesuitorsallborethemarksofherteeth. Yettheyneverrepliedinkind,neverdefendedthemselvesagainsther. Theyturnedtheirshoulderstohermostsavageslashes,andwithwaggingtailsandmincingstepsstrovetoplacateherwrath. Butiftheywereallmildnesstowardher,theywereallfiercenesstowardoneanother. Thethree-year-oldgrewtooambitiousinhisfierceness. Hecaughttheone-eyedelderonhisblindsideandrippedhisearintoribbons. Thoughthegrizzledoldfellowcouldseeonlyononeside,againsttheyouthandvigouroftheotherhebroughtintoplaythewisdomoflongyearsofexperience. Hislosteyeandhisscarredmuzzleboreevidencetothenatureofhisexperience. Hehadsurvivedtoomanybattlestobeindoubtforamomentaboutwhattodo.
Thebattlebeganfairly,butitdidnotendfairly. Therewasnotellingwhattheoutcomewouldhavebeen,forthethirdwolfjoinedtheelder, andtogether,oldleaderandyoungleader,theyattackedtheambitiousthree-year-oldandproceededtodestroyhim. Hewasbesetoneithersidebythemercilessfangsofhiserstwhilecomrades. Forgottenwerethedaystheyhadhuntedtogether,thegametheyhadpulleddown,thefaminetheyhadsuffered. Thatbusinesswasathingofthepast. Thebusinessoflovewasathand—everasternerandcruellerbusinessthanthatoffood-getting.
Andinthemeanwhile,theshe-wolf,thecauseofitall,satdowncontentedlyonherhaunchesandwatched. Shewasevenpleased. Thiswasherday—anditcamenotoften—whenmanesbristled, andfangsmotefangorrippedandtoretheyieldingflesh,allforthepossessionofher.
Andinthebusinessoflovethethree-year-old,whohadmadethishisfirstadventureuponit,yieldeduphislife. Oneithersideofhisbodystoodhistworivals.
