Белый клык
The Battle of the Fangs
Ashesankbackwithitbetweenhisteeth,hekepthiseyeonthesapling. Asbefore,itfollowedhimbacktoearth. Hecroucheddownundertheimpendingblow,hishairbristling,buthisteethstillkeepingtightholdoftherabbit. Buttheblowdidnotfall. Thesaplingremainedbentabovehim. Whenhemoveditmoved,andhegrowledatitthroughhisclenchedjaws; whenheremainedstill,itremainedstill,andheconcludeditwassafertocontinueremainingstill. Yetthewarmbloodoftherabbittastedgoodinhismouth.
Itwashismatewhorelievedhimfromthequandaryinwhichhefoundhimself. Shetooktherabbitfromhim,andwhilethesaplingswayedandteeteredthreateninglyabovehershecalmlygnawedofftherabbit’shead. Atoncethesaplingshotup,andafterthatgavenomoretrouble, remaininginthedecorousandperpendicularpositioninwhichnaturehadintendedittogrow. Then,betweenthem,theshe-wolfandOneEyedevouredthegamewhichthemysterioussaplinghadcaughtforthem.
Therewereotherrun-waysandalleyswhererabbitswerehangingintheair,andthewolf-pairprospectedthemall, theshe-wolfleadingtheway,oldOneEyefollowingandobservant,learningthemethodofrobbingsnares —aknowledgedestinedtostandhimingoodsteadinthedaystocome.
