Білий ікол

           Therewasanewnoteinhismate’swarningsnarl. Itwasajealousnote,andhewasverycarefulinkeepingarespectfuldistance. Nevertheless,hemadeout,shelteringbetweenherlegsagainstthelengthofherbody,fivestrangelittlebundlesoflife, veryfeeble,veryhelpless,makingtinywhimperingnoises,witheyesthatdidnotopentothelight. Hewassurprised. Itwasnotthefirsttimeinhislongandsuccessfullifethatthisthinghadhappened. Ithadhappenedmanytimes,yeteachtimeitwasasfreshasurpriseasevertohim. 

           Hismatelookedathimanxiously. Everylittlewhilesheemittedalowgrowl,andattimes,whenitseemedtoherheapproachedtoonear,thegrowlshotupinherthroattoasharpsnarl. Ofherownexperienceshehadnomemoryofthethinghappening;butinherinstinct,whichwastheexperienceofallthemothersofwolves, therelurkedamemoryoffathersthathadeatentheirnew-bornandhelplessprogeny. Itmanifesteditselfasafearstrongwithinher,thatmadeherpreventOneEyefrommorecloselyinspectingthecubshehadfathered. 

           Buttherewasnodanger. OldOneEyewasfeelingtheurgeofanimpulse,thatwas,inturn,aninstinctthathadcomedowntohimfromallthefathersofwolves. Hedidnotquestionit,norpuzzleoverit. Itwasthere,inthefibreofhisbeing;anditwasthemostnaturalthing intheworldthatheshouldobeyitbyturninghisbackonhisnew-bornfamilyandbytrottingoutandawayonthemeat-trailwherebyhelived. 

           Fiveorsixmilesfromthelair,thestreamdivided,itsforksgoingoffamongthemountainsatarightangle. Here,leadinguptheleftfork,hecameuponafreshtrack. Hesmelleditandfounditsorecentthathecrouchedswiftly,andlookedinthedirectioninwhichitdisappeared.