Белый клык
The Famine
WhiteFangcameuponhimunexpectedly. Trottinginoppositedirectionsalongthebaseofahighbluff,theyroundedacornerofrockandfoundthemselvesfacetoface. Theypausedwithinstantalarm,andlookedateachothersuspiciously.
WhiteFangwasinsplendidcondition. Hishuntinghadbeengood,andforaweekhehadeatenhisfill. Hewasevengorgedfromhislatestkill. ButinthemomenthelookedatLip-liphishairroseonendallalonghisback. Itwasaninvoluntarybristlingonhispart,thephysicalstatethatinthepasthadalwaysaccompaniedthementalstateproducedinhimbyLip-lip’sbullyingandpersecution. AsinthepasthehadbristledandsnarledatsightofLip-lip,sonow,andautomatically,hebristledandsnarled. Hedidnotwasteanytime. Thethingwasdonethoroughlyandwithdespatch. Lip-lipessayedtobackaway,butWhiteFangstruckhimhard,shouldertoshoulder. Lip-lipwasoverthrownandrolleduponhisback. WhiteFang’steethdroveintothescrawnythroat. Therewasadeath-struggle,duringwhichWhiteFangwalkedaround,stiff-leggedandobservant. Thenheresumedhiscourseandtrottedonalongthebaseofthebluff.
Oneday,notlongafter,hecametotheedgeoftheforest,whereanarrowstretchofopenlandslopeddowntotheMackenzie. Hehadbeenoverthisgroundbefore,whenitwasbare,butnowavillageoccupiedit. Stillhiddenamongstthetrees,hepausedtostudythesituation. Sightsandsoundsandscentswerefamiliartohim. Itwastheoldvillagechangedtoanewplace.Butsightsandsoundsandsmellsweredifferentfromthosehehadlasthadwhenhefledawayfromit. Therewasnowhimperingnorwailing. Contentedsoundssalutedhisear,andwhenheheardtheangryvoiceofawomanheknewittobetheangerthatproceedsfromafullstomach. Andtherewasasmellintheairoffish.Therewasfood. Thefaminewasgone.
