Білий ікол

           Themanattemptedtostepoutofhiscircleofflame,butthewolvessurgedtomeethim. Burningbrandsmadethemspringaside,buttheynolongersprangback. Invainhestrovetodrivethemback. Ashegaveupandstumbledinsidehiscircle,awolfleapedforhim,missed,andlandedwithallfourfeetinthecoals. Itcriedoutwithterror,atthesametimesnarling,andscrambledbacktocoolitspawsinthesnow. 

           Themansatdownonhisblanketsinacrouchingposition. Hisbodyleanedforwardfromthehips.Hisshoulders,relaxedanddrooping,andhisheadonhiskneesadvertisedthathehadgivenupthestruggle. Nowandagainheraisedhisheadtonotethedyingdownofthefire. Thecircleofflameandcoalswasbreakingintosegmentswithopeningsinbetween. Theseopeningsgrewinsize,thesegmentsdiminished. 

           "Iguessyoucancomean’getmeanytime,"hemumbled. "Anyway,I’mgoin’tosleep." 

           Onceheawakened,andinanopeninginthecircle,directlyinfrontofhim,hesawtheshe-wolfgazingathim. 

           Againheawakened,alittlelater,thoughitseemedhourstohim. Amysteriouschangehadtakenplace—somysteriousachangethathewasshockedwiderawake. Somethinghadhappened. Hecouldnotunderstandatfirst.Thenhediscoveredit. Thewolvesweregone. Remainedonlythetrampledsnowtoshowhowcloselytheyhadpressedhim. Sleepwaswellingupandgrippinghimagain,hisheadwassinkingdownuponhisknees,whenherousedwithasuddenstart. 

           Therewerecriesofmen,andchurnofsleds,thecreakingofharnesses,andtheeagerwhimperingofstrainingdogs. Foursledspulledinfromtheriverbedtothecampamongthetrees.