White Fang Part 3, Chapter 4: The Trail of the Gods

The fall comes, and White Fang gets his chance to escape from his bondage. The camp is being dismantled to leave for fall hunting. White Fang is going to stay behind. He slips out of the camp to the woods, and soon he can hear Gray Beaver, his Gray Beaver's son, Mit-sah, and Gray Beaver's squaw, Kloo-kooch, searching for him. After a while, they leave, and White Fang is alone. It is cold, and he is hungry. "His bondage had softened him. Irresponsibility had weakened him. He had forgotten how to shift for himself. The night yawned about him." Part 3, Chapter 4, pg. 91

Topic Tracking: Environment 8

The silence around him and the unexpected noises put him into a panic. He makes it back to the village, but there is no one there. They have moved away. He walks through the deserted camp to where Gray Beaver's teepee had been, and stays there for the night.

As the day comes, he realizes his loneliness, and begins his journey to find the camp. He runs, and after thirty hours is bruised and incredibly tired. Finally he comes upon the Indians camping as they wait to cross the river. White Fang expects a beating, but slowly walks forward into the camp and towards Gray Beaver. He reluctantly approaches and lies down, waiting for the beating. Instead, Gray Beaver offers White Fang some food, and yells for meat to be brought. White Fang falls asleep next to Gray Beaver, content in his protection.