Dogsong

Russel sleeps for most of the next day and night, riding out the storm in his secure shelter with the dogs. Hunger eventually gets him up, and he eats his fill of fat and meat, using the lamp to warm up the food. He quicky breaks down the camp and wakes the reluctant dogs, still tired from their last run. He knows it is time to leave, “time to head north again to see the father of ice” (118). The team runs all day, leaving the hills behind for flatter land. Russel thinks they should eventually reach mountains after crossing sea ice, but he is not concerned with the details; he is embracing the journey, following Oogruk’s advice. Russel starts to feel the effects of snow blindness, wishing he had goggles or even some wood to make some. He does not let his irritated eyes slow him down. The dogs also don’t want to stop, so Russel lets them run through the night. He is now completely connected with the dogs; they obey him instantly and feel what he wants instinctively. In the first light of morning, Russel sees snowmachine tracks, heading north.