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The Dominant Primordial Beast
Itwasinevitablethattheclashforleadershipshouldcome. Buckwantedit. Hewanteditbecauseitwashisnature,becausehehadbeengrippedtightbythatnameless,incomprehensibleprideofthetrailandtrace—thatpridewhichholdsdogsinthetoiltothelastgasp,whichluresthemtodiejoyfullyintheharness,andbreakstheirheartsiftheyarecutoutoftheharness. ThiswastheprideofDaveaswheel-dog,ofSol-leksashepulledwithallhisstrength; thepridethatlaidholdofthematbreakofcamp,transformingthemfromsourandsullenbrutesintostraining,eager,ambitiouscreatures;thepridethatspurredthemonalldayanddroppedthematpitchofcampatnight,lettingthemfallbackintogloomyunrestanduncontent. ThiswasthepridethatboreupSpitzandmadehimthrashthesled-dogswhoblunderedandshirkedinthetracesorhidawayatharness-uptimeinthemorning. LikewiseitwasthispridethatmadehimfearBuckasapossiblelead-dog. AndthiswasBuck’spride,too.
Heopenlythreatenedtheother’sleadership. Hecamebetweenhimandtheshirksheshouldhavepunished. Andhediditdeliberately. Onenighttherewasaheavysnowfall,andinthemorningPike,themalingerer,didnotappear. Hewassecurelyhiddeninhisnestunderafootofsnow. Francoiscalledhimandsoughthiminvain. Spitzwaswildwithwrath. Heragedthroughthecamp,smellinganddiggingineverylikelyplace,snarlingsofrightfullythatPikeheardandshiveredinhishiding-place.
