1906 white fang jack london - pinkmonke - Pink Monkey

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from the pack had made the pack less to him in the scheme of
things, and man more. He had not learned to be dependent on his
kind for companionship. Besides, Kiche was well-nigh forgotten;
and the chief outlet of expression that remained to him was in the
allegiance he tendered the gods he had accepted as masters. So he
worked hard, learned discipline, and was obedient. Faithfulness
and willingness characterized his toil. These are essential traits of
the wolf and the wild-dog when they have become domesticated,
and these traits White Fang possessed in unusual measure.
A companionship did exist between White Fang and the other
dogs, but it was one of warfare and enmity. He had never learned
to play with them. He knew only how to fight, and fight with them
he did, returning to them a hundred-fold the snaps and slashes
they had given him in the days when Lip-lip was leader of the
pack. But Lip-lip was no longer leader- except when he fled away
before his mates at the end of his rope, the sled bounding along
behind. In camp he kept close to Mit-sah or Gray Beaver or Klookooch.
He did not venture away from the gods, for now the fangs
of all dogs were against him, and he tasted to the dregs the
persecution that had been White Fang’s.
With the overthrow of Lip-lip, White Fang could have become
leader of the pack. But he was too morose and solitary for that. He
merely thrashed his teammates. Otherwise he ignored them. They
got out of his way when he came along; nor did the boldest of them
ever dare to rob him of his meat. On the contrary, they devoured
their own meat hurriedly, for fear that he would take it away from
them. White Fang knew the law well: to oppress the weak and
obey the strong.
He ate his share of meat as rapidly as he could. And then woe the
dog that had not yet finished! A snarl and a flash of fangs, and that
dog would wail his indignation to the uncomforting stars while
White Fang finished his portion for him.
Every little while, however, one dog or another would flame up in
revolt and be promptly subdued. Thus White Fang was kept in
training. He was jealous of the isolation in which he kept himself in
the midst of the pack, and he fought often to maintain it. But such
fights were of brief duration. He was too quick for the others. They
were slashed open and bleeding before they knew what had
happened, were whipped almost before they had begun to fight.
As rigid as the sled-discipline of the gods, was the discipline
maintained by White Fang amongst his fellows. He never allowed
them any latitude. He compelled them to an unremitting respect
for him. They might do as they please amongst themselves. That
was no concern of his. But it was his concern that they leave him