Белый клык
The Famine
Withdrawnfromtheimmediatescrambleoftheotherdogs—infactoutofsightbehindathicket—hewasdevouringhisprize,whenBaseekrushedinuponhim. Beforeheknewwhathewasdoing,hehadslashedtheintrudertwiceandsprungclear. Baseekwassurprisedbytheother’stemerityandswiftnessofattack. Hestood,gazingstupidlyacrossatWhiteFang,theraw,redshin-bonebetweenthem.
Baseekwasold,andalreadyhehadcometoknowtheincreasingvalourofthedogsithadbeenhiswonttobully. Bitterexperiencesthese,which,perforce,heswallowed,callinguponallhiswisdomtocopewiththem. IntheolddayshewouldhavesprunguponWhiteFanginafuryofrighteouswrath. Butnowhiswaningpowerswouldnotpermitsuchacourse. Hebristledfiercelyandlookedominouslyacrosstheshin-boneatWhiteFang. AndWhiteFang,resurrectingquiteadealoftheoldawe,seemedtowiltandtoshrinkinuponhimselfandgrowsmall,ashecastaboutinhismindforawaytobeataretreatnottooinglorious.
AndrighthereBaseekerred. Hadhecontentedhimselfwithlookingfierceandominous,allwouldhavebeenwell. WhiteFang,onthevergeofretreat,wouldhaveretreated,leavingthemeattohim. ButBaseekdidnotwait. Heconsideredthevictoryalreadyhisandsteppedforwardtothemeat. Ashebenthisheadcarelesslytosmellit,WhiteFangbristledslightly. EventhenitwasnottoolateforBaseektoretrievethesituation. Hadhemerelystoodoverthemeat,headupandglowering,WhiteFangwouldultimatelyhaveslunkaway. ButthefreshmeatwasstronginBaseek’snostrils,andgreedurgedhimtotakeabiteofit.
ThiswastoomuchforWhiteFang. Freshuponhismonthsofmasteryoverhisownteam-mates,itwasbeyondhisself-controltostandidlybywhileanotherdevouredthemeatthatbelongedtohim.
