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The Dominant Primordial Beast
TheyhadcreptinwhileBuckandSpitzwerefighting,andwhenthetwomensprangamongthemwithstoutclubstheyshowedtheirteethandfoughtback. Theywerecrazedbythesmellofthefood. Perraultfoundonewithheadburiedinthegrub-box. Hisclublandedheavilyonthegauntribs,andthegrub-boxwascapsizedontheground. Ontheinstantascoreofthefamishedbruteswerescramblingforthebreadandbacon. Theclubsfelluponthemunheeded. Theyyelpedandhowledundertherainofblows,butstrugglednonethelessmadlytillthelastcrumbhadbeendevoured.
Inthemeantimetheastonishedteam-dogshadburstoutoftheirnestsonlytobesetuponbythefierceinvaders. NeverhadBuckseensuchdogs. Itseemedasthoughtheirboneswouldburstthroughtheirskins. Theyweremereskeletons,drapedlooselyindraggledhides,withblazingeyesandslaveredfangs. Butthehunger-madnessmadethemterrifying,irresistible.Therewasnoopposingthem. Theteam-dogsweresweptbackagainstthecliffatthefirstonset. Buckwasbesetbythreehuskies,andinatricehisheadandshoulderswererippedandslashed. Thedinwasfrightful. Billeewascryingasusual. DaveandSol-leks,drippingbloodfromascoreofwounds,werefightingbravelysidebyside. Joewassnappinglikeademon. Once,histeethclosedontheforelegofahusky,andhecruncheddownthroughthebone.