Белый клык
The Battle of the Fangs
Onemoonlightnight,runningthroughthequietforest,OneEyesuddenlyhalted. Hismuzzlewentup,histailstiffened,andhisnostrilsdilatedashescentedtheair. Onefootalsoheheldup,afterthemannerofadog. Hewasnotsatisfied,andhecontinuedtosmelltheair,strivingtounderstandthemessageborneuponittohim. Onecarelesssniffhadsatisfiedhismate,andshetrottedontoreassurehim. Thoughhefollowedher,hewasstilldubious, andhecouldnotforbearanoccasionalhaltinordermorecarefullytostudythewarning.
Shecreptoutcautiouslyontheedgeofalargeopenspaceinthemidstofthetrees. Forsometimeshestoodalone. ThenOneEye,creepingandcrawling,everysenseonthealert,everyhairradiatinginfinitesuspicion,joinedher. Theystoodsidebyside,watchingandlisteningandsmelling.
Totheirearscamethesoundsofdogswranglingandscuffling,thegutturalcriesofmen, thesharpervoicesofscoldingwomen,andoncetheshrillandplaintivecryofachild. Withtheexceptionofthehugebulksoftheskin-lodges, littlecouldbeseensavetheflamesofthefire,brokenbythemovementsofinterveningbodies,andthesmokerisingslowlyonthequietair. ButtotheirnostrilscamethemyriadsmellsofanIndiancamp,carryingastorythatwaslargelyincomprehensibletoOneEye, buteverydetailofwhichtheshe-wolfknew.
Shewasstrangelystirred,andsniffedandsniffedwithanincreasingdelight. ButoldOneEyewasdoubtful. Hebetrayedhisapprehension,andstartedtentativelytogo. Sheturnedandtouchedhisneckwithhermuzzleinareassuringway,thenregardedthecampagain. Anewwistfulnesswasinherface,butitwasnotthewistfulnessofhunger.
