Белый клык

           Kicheturnedandslowlytrottedbacktowardcamp. Strongerthanthephysicalrestraintofthestickwastheclutchofthecampuponher. Unseenandoccultly,thegodsstillgrippedwiththeirpowerandwouldnotlethergo. WhiteFangsatdownintheshadowofabirchandwhimperedsoftly. Therewasastrongsmellofpine,andsubtlewoodfragrancesfilledtheair,remindinghimofhisoldlifeoffreedombeforethedaysofhisbondage. Buthewasstillonlyapart-grownpuppy,andstrongerthanthecalleitherofmanoroftheWildwasthecallofhismother. Allthehoursofhisshortlifehehaddependeduponher. Thetimewasyettocomeforindependence. Sohearoseandtrottedforlornlybacktocamp,pausingonce,andtwice,tositdownandwhimperandtolistentothecallthatstillsoundedinthedepthsoftheforest. 

           IntheWildthetimeofamotherwithheryoungisshort;butunderthedominionofmanitissometimesevenshorter. ThusitwaswithWhiteFang. GreyBeaverwasinthedebtofThreeEagles. ThreeEagleswasgoingawayonatripuptheMackenzietotheGreatSlaveLake. Astripofscarletcloth,abearskin,twentycartridges,andKiche,wenttopaythedebt. WhiteFangsawhismothertakenaboardThreeEagles’canoe,andtriedtofollowher. AblowfromThreeEaglesknockedhimbackwardtotheland. Thecanoeshovedoff. Hesprangintothewaterandswamafterit,deaftothesharpcriesofGreyBeavertoreturn. Evenaman-animal,agod,WhiteFangignored,suchwastheterrorhewasinoflosinghismother. 

           Butgodsareaccustomedtobeingobeyed,andGreyBeaverwrathfullylaunchedacanoeinpursuit.WhenheovertookWhiteFang,hereacheddownandbythenapeoftheneckliftedhimclearofthewater. Hedidnotdeposithimatonceinthebottomofthecanoe.Holdinghimsuspendedwithonehand,withtheotherhandheproceededtogivehimabeating.