Chapter 3

Sakari wasn't much of a sled puller. Granted her breed was known for doing so, but she only ever had to pull Cayle around. When returning home from the town, Sakari would run alongside Conn's sled, far from Donovan as possible. Partly to get away from him, and partly to keep an eye on the books she valued for her young human. As long as Conn didn't get a hold of them right away, he wouldn't turn back to return them. Sakari had been doing this practice for a few years, sneaking books the girls father wouldn't approve of normally into the house, and she considered herself good at it. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as the cabin came into view.

It was nightfall by the time they arrived so Sakari knew Cayle would be inside possibly playing with the other dogs. Conn stopped his team right in front of the cabin and started detaching his dogs from the sled as they barked excitedly, happy to be home at long last. As Conn worked on getting the team detached and fed, Sakari took her bag of books inside. There Cayle was, surrounded by her two other companions. Samantha was a borzoi-husky mix, a little taller than the average husky with a slightly thicker coat. Her right eye was brown while the other was a pale blue. The other companion was a Norwegian forest cat named Charlie. He went from indoor to outdoor cat depending on the season and the weather. Technically he could've survived out there but he very much preferred living inside for the winter.

"Kari!" the little girl clapped her hands excitedly at the sight of her beloved dog. Sakari's tail wagged as she got closer and hugged around her neck.

Sam went outside to check on the others dogs while Charlie kept his spot by the fireplace, curling up for the evening. Sakari followed Cayle to her room so they could look the books she had brought. The evening was spent looking through them as Cayle tried to read them while her sammy-husky kept her head in her human's lap until dinner was ready.

When it was time for bed finally, Sakari followed Cayle to her room once again. She laid on the girls rug on her floor and waited for her to change and give her permission to come up to the bed. Sakari did so gladly. Normally she wasn't allowed on the furniture but she was always welcome in her girl's bed. Sakari waited until Cayle was asleep and gave her cheek a lick and a soft loving whine. To her, Cayle was more than a master, more than an owner. Honestly, Sakari saw herself as the girl's mother.

She hadn't thought of that kind woman in a long time. Mikayla was her name and she had been the one to keep the family together. But after her violent death at the hands of a drunk robber, everything changed. Conn left Nome to start a new, more isolated life, far from the place that caused him so much pain but not too far out of reach where they couldn't get what they needed. Cayle was still really young, only three years old, when that happened. Sakari looked out the window to the moon and couldn't help but wonder if Mikayla Levin was still somehow with them…

Tempest stood once again on his hill watching the lodge's lights go out. He growled as he bade the sight a terrible good night before returning to his pack. Everyone was settling in the cave for the evening but there was some excitement. Tomorrow would be the day.

Soon Yura would be avenged.