A Wolf Story by James Byron Huggins Page B

have defeated you. The Dark Lord is greater."
    Saul seemed to look with quiet separation at the great black beast. Already, Aramus thought, his mind and spirit are in another place, somehow unreachable by the monster that loomed over him. But there was no time left to think. Aramus twisted violently and felt a limb break across his back. Several quick, tearing motions began to shake him free.
    And strangely, above it all, he heard Saul's quiet response.
    "And tell me, Death, where is your power ... to hold me in the grave?"
    Baalkor's breath vanished in the night air, and its face seemed to blacken with the thought. For a long moment it was frozen in the faint light of the approach* ing dawn, the dark forehead reflecting the madness that raced across its mind. An abomination thickened about it, as if an ancient and hideous hate settled on its brow. Even the night seemed to retreat from its anger, while Saul remained unbent, and unafraid. Then with all his strength Aramus tore free, leaping forward.
    Baalkor also moved, with a roar of madness and rage. It launched itself into the air toward Saul, dark flames sailing before it, with the great black form itself deeper than the night.
    They met in the air over the hare, two titanic shapes reared against the stars, fangs flashing in the growing light, who struck together and crashed like thunder to the earth.
    They descended in a deadly embrace, roaring and striking in a blinding exchange of fang and claw. And as they smashed into the ice, they revolved across the frozen glade, swirling in a thunderstorm of blows, leaving scarlet ribbons in the snow.
    With unbelievable strength Baalkor grasped Aramus's silver mane between knifelike canines and shook with all his weight. Aramus wrestled backwards against the assault, falling beneath the great crushing force and killing grip. Then, in a swift movement, he twisted to the side, in agony tearing his neck free from the fangs. But there was no retreat. Roaring, the young wolf hurled himself forward again, colliding against the beast's chest with all his massive strength.
    For one fleeting instant Baalkor reeled back off-balance. And seizing the opening, Aramus leaped and closed upon a long foreleg. With desperate shakes he threw himself back. Beneath his fangs he felt the bone crack and the dark wolf howled, slashing his face to break his grip.
    Baalkor screamed and shook, hideous, scattering blood from a dozen wounds. Then in hellish rage it charged again, shattering crusted snow with a demonic roar. Aramus also charged, roaring in rage, and they collided like lions in the glade.
    For a long moment they stood suspended on hind legs, two servants of two masters, resisting the other to the death. In a whirlwind of motion the dark wolf threw Aramus to the ground. Its flashing red maw descended, but slower, and fatigued. And as the dark head fell, Aramus caught it between powerful forelegs and his own jaws found its neck. Then he twisted, throwing the beast onto its back. The glade trembled as Baalkor crashed to the earth, and the silver wolfs fangs fell like lightning.
    Howling, shaking blood from a great wound, Baalkor broke violently away, retreating with shaken snarls. Aramus started after it, as if to press the attack, then stopped. His silver mane was torn and streaked with crimson, but he felt no pain. He knew he had the strength to fight forever.
    The dark wolf stood a distance apart, panting and livid, its face void of pride or glory. Fear behind pain gave a shallow depth to its eyes.
    For a long moment they faced each other, breathing heavily, blood staining the ice beneath their feet. And then slowly, painfully, the shadow of defeat fell across Baalkor's scarred head, and Aramus heard its rasping voice for the final time.
    "I will return."
    Aramus did not move.
    "I will be waiting," he said. "Always I stand between you and the world."
    As the glade turned a deeper gold, and the sun's slanting rays threw the first thin shadows from