Белый клык
The Grey Cub
Theshe-wolfknewwhyOneEyenevercameback,buttherewasnowaybywhichshecouldtellwhatshehadseentothegreycub. Huntingherselfformeat,uptheleftforkofthestreamwherelivedthelynx,shehadfollowedaday-oldtrailofOneEye. Andshehadfoundhim,orwhatremainedofhim,attheendofthetrail. Thereweremanysignsofthebattlethathadbeenfought,andofthelynx’swithdrawaltoherlairafterhavingwonthevictory. Beforeshewentaway,theshe-wolfhadfoundthislair,butthesignstoldherthatthelynxwasinside,andshehadnotdaredtoventurein.
Afterthat,theshe-wolfinherhuntingavoidedtheleftfork. Forsheknewthatinthelynx’slairwasalitterofkittens,andsheknewthelynxforafierce,bad-temperedcreatureandaterriblefighter. Itwasallverywellforhalfadozenwolvestodrivealynx,spittingandbristling,upatree; butitwasquiteadifferentmatterforalonewolftoencounteralynx—especiallywhenthelynxwasknowntohavealitterofhungrykittensatherback.
ButtheWildistheWild,andmotherhoodismotherhood, atalltimesfiercelyprotectivewhetherintheWildoroutofit; andthetimewastocomewhentheshe-wolf,forhergreycub’ssake,wouldventuretheleftfork,andthelairintherocks, andthelynx’swrath.
