Chapter 3 The Dominant Primordial Beast
The "dominant primordial beast" grows stronger in Buck as conditions on the trail become rougher, and his rivalry with Spitz
more perilous. Buck is careful not to pick any rash fights, but Spitz
never misses an opportunity to show his teeth. One night, while the team
makes camp off Lake Le Barge, Buck nestles beneath a rock. Buck leaves
his spot to eat his ration, but returns to find a growling Spitz
occupying his "nest." They prepare to fight, but their tussle is
interrupted when hundreds of "starving huskies" attack the camp.
The camp is in a frenzy. Perrault clubs the skeletal huskies, while the sled dogs fight against the mad canines. Three huskies attack Buck. Slashed and ripped, Buck retaliates, biting into a husky's jugular. The taste of the warm, frothy blood rouses his fighting instincts, but before he can make another move, Spitz attacks him from the side. Spitz attempts to throw Buck off his feet, but Buck steadies himself, retreating with the other dogs.
When the team reemerges from the woods the next morning, the battle is over, but the huskies have laid waste to the camp, having eaten practically everything in sight and injured almost every single sled dog. With supplies depleted and the dogs riddled with bites, Franois worries that his dogs have been infected with madness, (rabies), and is uncertain that they will survive the next four hundred miles to Dawson.
Perrault dauntlessly leads the team across Thirty Mile River's thin ice. Buck almost falls through the ice twice, but is rescued both times before he freezes or drowns. One morning at Pelly, Dolly suddenly goes mad and begins chasing Buck. Franois kills Dolly with an ax, but Buck is exhausted from the chase. Spitz, seeing an "opportunity," springs upon Buck, but Franois whips him before battle can ensue.
Buck's growing pride in his work and confidence in his inborn ability to lead drives him to subvert Spitz's dominance. Buck incites a subtle insurrection when he defends Pike against Spitz's authority. Franois's whip keeps order, but a showdown between Buck and Spitz is imminent as the team arrives in Dawson.
After a week's rest in Dawson, the team pushes onward to Skaguay. But there is unrest in the traces as Buck's insurrection continues. One night, Buck leads the pack in a rabbit hunt. Caught up in the chase, Buck fails to notice Spitz leaving the pack and is surprised when Spitz leaps out to snatch the rabbit. Buck barrels into him, knocking them both into the snow.
The time has come for Spitz and Buck to face off. A silence falls upon the pack as they circle around the rivals. Buck attacks Spitz with fervor from every angle, but Spitz, an experienced fighter, fends off every assault, leaving Buck bloodied and himself untouched. Buck rushes at Spitz again, but this time clamps down on Spitz's leg, breaking it. The ravenous pack descends upon the crippled Spitz, while Buck looks on the carnage with satisfaction.
The camp is in a frenzy. Perrault clubs the skeletal huskies, while the sled dogs fight against the mad canines. Three huskies attack Buck. Slashed and ripped, Buck retaliates, biting into a husky's jugular. The taste of the warm, frothy blood rouses his fighting instincts, but before he can make another move, Spitz attacks him from the side. Spitz attempts to throw Buck off his feet, but Buck steadies himself, retreating with the other dogs.
When the team reemerges from the woods the next morning, the battle is over, but the huskies have laid waste to the camp, having eaten practically everything in sight and injured almost every single sled dog. With supplies depleted and the dogs riddled with bites, Franois worries that his dogs have been infected with madness, (rabies), and is uncertain that they will survive the next four hundred miles to Dawson.
Perrault dauntlessly leads the team across Thirty Mile River's thin ice. Buck almost falls through the ice twice, but is rescued both times before he freezes or drowns. One morning at Pelly, Dolly suddenly goes mad and begins chasing Buck. Franois kills Dolly with an ax, but Buck is exhausted from the chase. Spitz, seeing an "opportunity," springs upon Buck, but Franois whips him before battle can ensue.
Buck's growing pride in his work and confidence in his inborn ability to lead drives him to subvert Spitz's dominance. Buck incites a subtle insurrection when he defends Pike against Spitz's authority. Franois's whip keeps order, but a showdown between Buck and Spitz is imminent as the team arrives in Dawson.
After a week's rest in Dawson, the team pushes onward to Skaguay. But there is unrest in the traces as Buck's insurrection continues. One night, Buck leads the pack in a rabbit hunt. Caught up in the chase, Buck fails to notice Spitz leaving the pack and is surprised when Spitz leaps out to snatch the rabbit. Buck barrels into him, knocking them both into the snow.
The time has come for Spitz and Buck to face off. A silence falls upon the pack as they circle around the rivals. Buck attacks Spitz with fervor from every angle, but Spitz, an experienced fighter, fends off every assault, leaving Buck bloodied and himself untouched. Buck rushes at Spitz again, but this time clamps down on Spitz's leg, breaking it. The ravenous pack descends upon the crippled Spitz, while Buck looks on the carnage with satisfaction.