Chapter 8 A New Way of Life White Fang had a new challenge before him.
Other dogs.
Wolves and dogs were cousins, but they were very different.
Dogs had lived with humans for so long that most of their wild heritage was lost.
Wolves, on the other hand, did not understand the feeling of belonging to anyone.
They were used to moving at their own pace and going wherever they liked.
White Fang had a lot to learn about the rules of dogs.
As soon as the dogs saw White Fang and Kiche, they attacked.
The cub met them with bared teeth and snarls, but he was no match.
They piled on White Fang.
There was a mass of growling, angry dogs with teeth gnashing against fur.
Kiche strained against her leash, trying to reach the fight.
White Fang bit at the oncoming legs and bellies.
They knew that the wolf cub was different, that he was not all dog.
They knew he was from the wild and an outsider.
They wanted him to know who was boss in the camp.
The men stepped in, yelling and pulling the dogs apart.
In a few seconds, White Fang was back on his feet.
He shook himself off and went to stand by his mother.
He was not badly hurt.
He only had a few scrapes, but he was shaken up.
Why had these dogs tried to hurt him?
Why did his mother not try to help him?
He watched as the men pushed the dogs back with clubs.
Although he did not know the word justice, he was beginning to understand its meaning.
His respect for man and his mistrust of dogs was growing.
Gray Beaver took Kiche and White Fang to his tent.
White Fang looked inside his new master's home.
This tent looked very much like the cave.
It was dark and dry and quite warm.
It smelled very different, though.
White Fang was not used to the smell of cooked meat or dried animal hides or humans.
These strange new animals did not smell like anything in the wild.
The cub stepped back, afraid and confused.
He belonged outside and would stay there.
Gray Beaver's wife, Klukuch, and son, Mitsa, were settling in.
They secured the tent and set up their beds and family goods inside.
They worked without talking.
They had pulled down and put up the tent so many times that it was second nature to them.
They moved with the seasons, following game and avoiding the worst of the weather.
Klukuch gave a fish to each of the dogs while Gray Beaver built a fire.
White Fang watched his new master with great interest.
What was he doing?
A strange light came from his hands.
White Fang moved in closer.
This light was also warm.
It twisted and flickered around the sticks and moss.
White Fang knew nothing about fire.
It drew him as the light in the mouth of the cave had drawn him when he had been a young puppy.
He crawled the several steps toward the flame.
He heard Gray Beaver chuckle above him.
White Fang stuck out his tongue to taste the strange light.
The flames flickered against his nose and tongue.
He stumbled backward.
He burst into yelps and cries as he rolled on the ground.
Kiche barked and pulled on her leash, angry that she could not come to his aid.
Gray Beaver, however, laughed loudly and slapped his thighs.
He told everyone in the camp the story of White Fang trying to lick the flames.
Soon everyone was laughing at the Gray Cub.
The more he yelped and cried, the more they laughed.
White Fang was embarrassed.
He did not like people laughing at him.
How could his yelps be so funny?
White Fang learned to hate the sound of laughter.
It was one more reason not to trust others.
Kecha had lived with man before, so she tried to teach her puppy about these new creatures.
Just as she had led him through life in the wild, she would now lead him through life with man.
He learned to read body language and listen to tone of voice.
He could also sense a great deal through smell.
A dog could sense if someone was scared or angry or threatening.
It was a special gift that only dogs shared and some wolves.
Watching his mother also taught him to follow his master's command.
The red dog, who was so brave and strong in the wild, was now content at the Indian camp.
She wagged her tail whenever Gray Beaver came near.
She barked happily when Klukuch brought her dinner.
White Fang was confused by the change in his mother, but he did not question it.
He went to sleep that night under a tree.
He curled up near Kiche, who was still tied up.
The sound of the Indian camp slowly faded away.
White Fang was full from dinner and warm from the fire.
It had been a very tiring day.
First he met the men, then had a fight with a group of dogs, then burned his tongue on the flames.
He was exhausted.
He fell asleep to the sounds of his mother breathing and campfires crackling nearby.
White Fang did not know that his life had changed forever.
He would never live in the cave and hunt with his mother again.
He went to sleep wondering, what will the new day bring?
