The other dogs began to protest. "Have you lost your mind?"

"We can't give up!"

"Did you hit your head too?"

Toby shook his head. "it's hopeless. Without the chief, we're lost." He sank to the ground, letting doubt take over. "I've failed. I've failed you, I've failed the chief, I've failed my father, and I've failed our mission. I've failed us all."

He was so busy dwelling on his misery that he didn't hear the crunch of snow as footsteps approached. He wasn't aware that anyone was coming until a voice behind him said, "Giving up? That's not the Toby I know."

Toby jumped up in surprise and whipped around. There, standing in the snow, was a familiar dog looking just a little disappointed and a whole lot smug. "Luna!" exclaimed Toby, too stunned at the moment to be angry.

"Miss me?"

"What are you doing out here?"

"To get you out of the hole you've dug yourself into," she answered.

Toby's ears slid back. "I told you not to follow us."

"And I told you I was coming with you. Period."

"Luna, go back to Nome."

"Why?" she asked. "I thought you said you wouldn't put me in danger." She tilted her head to indicate everything behind her. "I set out when Aleu showed up on the outskirts of town with her pack. Most wolves are breeding this time of year and don't tend to trust outsiders. So, I knew that you wouldn't get very far beyond her pack's territory without my help." She shrugged. "Since then, I've had to get past two grizzlies and a spot some maniac covered with traps. Now are you going to ask me to go back through that, or are you going to let me stay with a larger group where I'll be safe?"

Toby shook his head. "It'll be safer than freezing to death out here. I can't justify letting you stay with us. Those who want to keep going can come with me, and we'll stop Lawrence or die trying. The rest will escort you back to Nome."

"There is a way you can get out of this alive and save the chief," said Luna. "But you can't do it without me."

The rest of the team began talking among themselves. "I don't know about you guys," one dog commented, "but I'm up for anything that'll get us out of here alive." The other dogs were quick to voice their support.

Exile stepped forward. "Come on, Toby," he said. "Let's at least hear what she has to say."

Toby sighed. "All right, Luna. Let's hear it."

She smiled. "I thought you'd see it my way." She cleared her throat and addressed the whole team. "Now listen carefully. I am, shall we say, on good terms with most wolves. I know their laws and most of their customs. So I'll ask the nearest pack to help us, and then we can go and stop Lawrence together."

There was a lot of surprised murmuring among the dogs. "Since when do wolves have laws?" asked one.

"And how would you know them?" added another.

Luna smiled secretively. "Let's just say I have friends in the right places." She looked around at the group. "So, what do you say?"

"What if your plan fails?" asked Toby.

"Then we'll be no worse off than we are now, and at least we'll know that your plan is the only way of avoiding a complete failure."

Toby was forced to admit that she was right, and grudgingly agreed. "Let's get everyone out of their harnesses first."

Finding wolves wasn't very difficult. The crashed dogsled had attracted several of the younger, more curious members of the nearest pack. Luna strode up to them, somehow managing to project an air of humility and confidence at the same time. "Noble wolves," she began. "I am Luna, daughter of Copper and Taya." She gestured to Toby. "This is my friend Toby, son of Rex and Terry. We are in need of your help."

The wolves eyed them suspiciously. "What brings you dogs into the land of the White Wolf pack?"

Luna bowed respectfully. "We are passing through. We have had an accident, and our master is injured. Our lives are in your paws."

A brown wolf, clearly older than the rest, stepped forward. "I am Wildfire, son of Denahi and Lunau. What aid do you seek?"

"Only some shelter from the cold and an audience with your alphas, if it pleases you."

Wildfire shook his head. "It will have more to do with how it pleases them. Such meetings are not to be offered to every dog who passes by."

"We shall gladly return the favor by providing information that may be of great use to your pack."

This seemed to catch Wildfire's interest. "What information could you have that would be of use to us?"

"It concerns a mutual enemy of ours."

Wildfire considered. "If that is the case, you may come with us." He turned to lead them away.

"I beg your pardon, sir, but might I ask that my companions come as well? We are cold and very tired."

Wildfire considered, then turned to the other wolves. "Dig a shelter in the snow to keep them warm until we return." Then he turned to Luna. "You and Toby. Come."

As they followed him, Luna whispered to Toby, "Now do exactly as I do and try not to talk too much."

Wildfire led them away from their group and through the woods until they reached a large cave, full of wolves. "Black Feather. Strangers seeking counsel with Denahi and Lunau," he announced to a black wolf at the entrance.

Black Feather nodded and disappeared into the cave, returning a few moments later. "Come in," he commanded.

Wildfire led them into the cave, which contained about two dozen wolves in all. The members of the White Wolf pack lifted their heads to stare at the strangers. In the middle of the cave was a sort of raised area where two wolves sat, their color impossible to make out in the dim light. "What do you want?" asked one of them. Toby guessed by the voice that it was Denahi, clearly the alpha male of the pack.

Luna bowed. "We're travelers in need of assistance. We and our companions have suffered an accident. There were no fatalities, but our master is injured and in need of a warm place."

"You are dogs, and surely your master is a human. Why should we help you?"

"Because we have information that could very well be the life or death of your pack."

The wolves were silent at this for a long moment. "Who are you, and what is this information you claim to possess?" asked Lunau.

"I am Luna, daughter of Copper and Taya. This is Toby, son of Rex and Terry. We and the rest of our team have been in pursuit of a man who has sworn to kill every wolf in Alaska, because he lost a friend to a wolf. He was last seen in these parts, and may be searching for signs of your pack."

"What is your interest in this matter?" asked Lunau. "You are clearly not wolves, so what concern is it of yours if someone wants to kill us?"

"You are wise to ask such a question, Lunau. Our concern is this: First, that the man we seek is not only a hunter of wolves, but he has killed one of his fellow men. Toby is the leader―the alpha, if you will―of a pack of dogs dedicated to upholding justice under the laws of men. Secondly, we seek him because he shot Toby's father."

Some of the wolves seemed to sympathize with Toby for this. "Why do you not speak, Toby?" asked Denahi.

Luna answered, "If you please, sir, my friend is rather impetuous and not versed in the ways and customs of your kind. I have some knowledge of the Code of the Wolf, and therefore I speak on behalf of him and the rest of our group, so as to avoid any offense."

Toby's face turned sour at being called impetuous. But Luna's answer seemed to interest the two alpha wolves more than the matter of Toby's silence. "Then tell me, Luna," asked Denahi, sounding curious. "How it is that you know of our laws?"

"I am part-wolf myself," answered Luna. "My great-grandmother was a wolf named Aniu."

Denahi and Lunau jerked back their heads in surprise. "Aniu?" asked Lunau.

Luna was surprised they were surprised. "You know her?"

"Well, yes," said Denahi. "In a way." Gesturing to Lunau and himself, he explained, "Once when we were lost in a blizzard, before we had established this pack, a white wolf named Aniu found us and led us to safety. She disappeared shortly thereafter, and we've not seen or heard anything of her since. But she is the reason we call ourselves the White Wolf pack. If she's truly your relative, then under the Code of the Wolf you're regarded as our sister."

Luna cast Toby a smug look, then returned her focus to Denahi and Lunau. "Does that mean you'll help us?" she asked.

"Possibly. First, we require proof that you are who you say you are."

"We can offer no proof of our ancestry beyond our word and what your eyes tell you. But you need look no further than our eyes to see that we are honest and truthful."

Denahi jumped down and walked forward, his eyes locked with Luna's. Luna assumed a stance as nonthreatening as possible. Denahi stared her in the face, and unblinking she stared back. After a long time, he turned from her to focus on Toby in the same way. At last, he said, "I believe you." He returned to the raised rock. "Very well. Since you are who you say you are, we will help you. What do you need?"

"Only shelter for our weary members and a safe place for our chief," she answered. "We have our own food at the sled, so we won't be a burden to your hunting parties."

Denahi considered. "Housing your team is a simple matter. But it may not be so simple keeping a human here. We wolves, as you certainly know, do not get along well with humans."

"He is unconscious; even if he weren't, what chance would one man have against a pack as strong as yours? I daresay that even the weakest among you would be an easy match for him in his current state. And we will gladly help you remove his weapons, if it would make you feel better."

"Also," added Toby, deciding this might help, "our chief is an honorable man who has committed his life to justice. If you help him now, I can assure you he will not fail to give a good report of wolves in the future."

Luna gave Toby a dirty look for thinking of something she had forgotten, but Denahi laughed. "So, your mute friend finds his tongue at last." As the other wolves joined in the laughter, Denahi nodded. "Very well. You and your team may stay here until you are ready to continue, and your master shall be allowed to remain with us until it is time for all of you to depart." He sent six wolves to help Toby and Luna retrieve the sled, their team, and the chief. Soon all were in the cave.

The team was a bit uneasy about accepting help from wolves, but Toby assured them that it would be fine. "Just remember," he said with a nod to Luna, "that if any of you need to talk to the alphas, you'd better let Luna do your talking for you."