Белый клык
The Battle of the Fangs
Thewolvesbehindcollidedwiththeyoungwolfandexpressedtheirdispleasurebyadministeringsharpnipsonhishind-legsandflanks. Hewaslayinguptroubleforhimself,forlackoffoodandshorttemperswenttogether; butwiththeboundlessfaithofyouthhepersistedinrepeatingthemanoeuvreeverylittlewhile, thoughitneversucceededingaininganythingforhimbutdiscomfiture.
Hadtherebeenfood,love-makingandfightingwouldhavegoneonapace,andthepack-formationwouldhavebeenbrokenup. Butthesituationofthepackwasdesperate. Itwasleanwithlong-standinghunger. Itranbelowitsordinaryspeed. Attherearlimpedtheweakmembers,theveryyoungandtheveryold. Atthefrontwerethestrongest. Yetallweremorelikeskeletonsthanfull-bodiedwolves. Nevertheless,withtheexceptionoftheonesthatlimped,themovementsoftheanimalswereeffortlessandtireless. Theirstringymusclesseemedfountsofinexhaustibleenergy. Behindeverysteel-likecontractionofamuscle,layanothersteel-likecontraction,andanother,andanother,apparentlywithoutend.
Theyranmanymilesthatday. Theyranthroughthenight. Andthenextdayfoundthemstillrunning. Theywererunningoverthesurfaceofaworldfrozenanddead. Nolifestirred. Theyalonemovedthroughthevastinertness. Theyalonewerealive,andtheysoughtforotherthingsthatwerealiveinorderthattheymightdevourthemandcontinuetolive.
Theycrossedlowdividesandrangedadozensmallstreamsinalower-lyingcountrybeforetheirquestwasrewarded. Thentheycameuponmoose. Itwasabigbulltheyfirstfound. Herewasmeatandlife,anditwasguardedbynomysteriousfiresnorflyingmissilesofflame. Splayhoofsandpalmatedantlerstheyknew,andtheyflungtheircustomarypatienceandcautiontothewind.
