The Lone Wolf

Chapter 3: Law of Fang and Claw At the river bend, crouched over the red stain in the snow, fed two rival wolves from the Peel River pack. They were lean, gaunt with the famine of the deep winter, their ribs showing like barrel staves beneath mangy hides. At Kazan's approach, they sprang back, baring yellow fangs that clicked like castanets. There was no parley in the wild. Kazan struck without hesitation. He did not waste breath in barking or snarling; he struck low and hard, his seventy pounds of bone and muscle driving shoulder-first into the larger dog-wolf, bowling him into the drift. In an instant, his shearing jaws flashed, tearing the jugular before the fallen brute could regain his footing. The second wolf tucked tail and fled howling into the timber.