CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The Best Wolf

Time passed. There was a lot of food and no work to do at Sierra Vista. Therefore, White Fang was becoming fat. All of the people around him were very kind to him. It was the happiest time in White Fang's life.

However, one thing still troubled White Fang. He was different from the other dogs. He was a wolf. Therefore, he still could not forget his life in the forest, the Indians, or his work pulling sleds. He missed the snow very much. Also, because he was never friends with the other dogs, he was a little lonely. However, he was used to this life.

White Fang learned to "play fight," or wrestle, with Weeden Scott. Often, master and dog would play like this and pretend to fight with each other. Every time that fight was over, however, Weeden would hug White Fang for several moments and White Fang would be extremely happy. Of course, White Fang would let no other person play with him this way.

Sometimes, Weeden Scott would ride a horse in the fields next to Sierra Vista. White Fang would always go with him on these rides. All day, he would run next to his master's horse. He never became tired. One day, Weeden Scott was riding his horse and White Fang was walking nearby. Suddenly, a rabbit ran under the horse. The rabbit scared the horse so much that the horse jumped. When the horse jumped, Weeden Scott fell off of the horse. He fell on his leg and broke his leg. He told White Fang to go and get help. "Go home! Go home!" he said.

Luckily, White Fang knew what the word home meant. However, he did not want to leave his master, who he was always with. Weeden Scott kept telling White Fang to go and get help. He used his hand to point to the house. Finally, White Fang understood. He ran to the house. The family was sitting outside of the house. Judge Scott was reading a newspaper and the others were talking to each other. When White Fang arrived, he was breathing heavily and his fur was very dirty and sweaty. "Weeden is coming back," said Judge Scott.

The children were very happy and ran to greet White Fang. However, White Fang growled at the children and walked straight to Judge Scott and his wife. "I am afraid he will hurt the children," said Judge Scott's wife.

During this time, White Fang growled very loudly. He did not know how to tell the family about his master. The family did not understand. Judge Scott replied to his wife, "Yes, I really do not trust wolves." White Fang was fiercely growling. "Go away!" Judge Scott shouted.

Judge Scott did not understand, so White Fang walked to Weeden Scott's wife. He bit her dress and began to pull it. He ripped it. She screamed. Everyone was looking at him. He stopped growling and looked at all of the people's faces. His body made many strange small movements. He was nervous. He did not know how to tell them.

"I hope he is not going crazy," said Weeden's mother. "I heard that if an animal moves from a cold climate to a hot climate, he will become crazy."

Weeden Scott's sister said, "I think he's trying to talk to us."

After a few moments of thinking, Weeden Scott's wife said, "Something has happened to Weeden. He is in trouble."

They all stood up and walked to White Fang. He ran, then he stopped and looked at them to see if they were following. They were following him. He led them to his master.

After this event, everyone at Sierra Vista knew he was a smart, special wolf. They loved him. Only Judge Scott was still not sure about White Fang. He still did not trust him.

More time passed. Winter was coming to Sierra Vista. The days were getting shorter. Something strange happened. Collie suddenly became very friendly with White Fang. She often wanted to play with White Fang and be friends. Whenever she was around White Fang, she forgot about how terrible he had made her life when he first arrived at Sierra Vista.

One day, Collie and White Fang ran together in the fields and forest next to Sierra Vista. Collie ran first and then White Fang followed her. It was delightful. On that day, Weeden Scott went riding. It was the first time that White Fang did not go with him. White Fang enjoyed his time with Collie. For the entire afternoon, Collie and White Fang ran together. They ran the same way that White Fang's mother, Kiche, ran with White Fang's father before White Fang was born.

(end of section)