His name was Nikki,
and he was a Malamute.
One-eighth wolf,
the rest Mackenzie husky.
He was three months old.
The man was a fur trader,
andre Dupas,
A kind man,
and a good master.
And for his friendship,
Nikki returned
a steadfast devotion.
Hey, Nikki.
Have you heard
Les Raftsmen?
Good.
Then I'm sure
you will like this one.
The man
was on a long journey
to fur company headquarters
To order supplies
for his trading post.
Here, at Little Thunder Falls,
he would make
a short portage and rest.
Don't get lost, Nikki.
Down below,
we make camp
for the night.
At every
stopping place, Nikki found
some new adventure.
But here, at Little Thunder,
he was soon to begin
the greatest adventure of all.
It wasn't far downstream
that a she-bear
had her hibernating den.
Her name was Noozak,
and she was very old.
Her cub, Neewa,
born in hibernation,
would be her last.
This was Neewa's first time
out of the den.
From now on,
whenever the cub
was in the open,
noozak would
stand guard nearby.
Other than that,
Neewa was on his own.
And he found out right away
what a river was.
It was cold and wet,
that's what it was.
Then he learned
about Canada geese.
They're a combination
of bravery
and a bad disposition.
And the smaller they are,
the shorter their tempers.
This was their beach.
No trespassers allowed.
Hey, what did
you find, Nikki?
Well, pretty
fresh tracks, hmm?
A bear and her cub.
Nikki!
Nikki!
Nikki, there is something
you should learn about bears.
They will leave you alone,
if you leave them alone.
You promise?
Well, maybe we
better make sure.
Tomorrow we run
Big Thunder rapids, Nikki.
Now, we take
a good, long rest.
Just a few hundred yards
above the beach,
noozak had settled down
for a rest, too.
She spent most of her time
napping, these days.
But if her life
was nearing its close,
neewa's was just beginning.
A whole forest world
lay waiting to be explored.
It was to be a world
filled with surprises.
The cub just wanted company.
The marmot
had no use for bears,
and said so.
But Neewa took it
as an invitation to play.
It was a mistake
that led to his
first downfall.
For Neewa,
the big adventure was over.
All he wanted now
was Mother.
But, somehow,
she'd managed
to get herself lost.
Well, whenever
you're in trouble,
climb a tree.
It's a standard rule
for bear cubs.
But, this didn't seem
to accomplish very much.
A fine view of the forest,
but where was Mother?
That big rock
looked familiar.
Of course! There she was.
Although it looked
like the right place,
It was certainly
the wrong paw.
This was Makoos.
Old, mean,
And mad with the instinct
of the adult male to k*ll all cubs.
Noozak.
The mother bear
would give her life
to save her cub.
Hey!
Nikki!
Nikki! Nikki!
Oh! Why you...
So, you have treed
the ferocious bear.
Let me tell you,
the mother
will not like this.
Come on, Nikki.
You've made enough trouble.
Oh!
This is bad.
He cannot live
without his mother.
What can we do?
No, no, no, no, Nikki.
We cannot take him with us.
All right.
But remember,
it is your decision.
I will not hurt you.
Nikki, this was not
a very good idea.
Now...
Now, at least, I can tie
my troubles into one package.
There, Nikki,
you asked for him.
Now I hope you will be
very happy together.
By the next morning,
It was plain that Nikki and Neewa
were far from happy together.
And from the looks of things,
they never would be.
Nikki!
Nikki!
Stop it, you two. Stop it!
Nikki!
Nikki!
Nikki!
Nikki!
It was about half a mile
below Big Thunder Falls
that they found slack water,
and the first chance to try for shore.
Nikki supplied the power,
Neewa set the course.
Nikki!
Nikki!
Nikki!
Nikki felt
a keen sense of loss.
He understood
that the man
was leaving him,
But he couldn't know why.
Discouraged, confused,
For the moment he gave up,
and let Neewa have his way.
But, as the day passed,
Nikki began to realize
he would never find the man,
unless he broke free.
Of course, Neewa
was just as determined
to find his mother.
By nightfall,
they were both worn out,
And too tired to fight anymore.
But the truce didn't last.
Now, a difference
in sleeping habits
led to all-out w*r.
There was
no solution to this.
Only compromise.
It wasn't exactly a restful night.
And when morning came,
Nikki was so hungry
he could eat a...
...Rabbit?
Nikki went hungry that day,
and for the next
two days after.
He knew by instinct
that he must learn to hunt
to survive.
But Neewa just
wouldn't cooperate.
His food was right under foot.
Grass, roots and grubs.
Now, he found
something even better,
a patch of summer berries.
By now, Nikki was ready
to try anything.
But these
were called sour berries,
and Nikki found out why.
A wood rat!
Now, this was
more to his taste.
It was just no use.
Whenever Nikki tried
to move in on a meal,
Neewa moved out.
And so, the pup
wisely decided that
If he had to live with a bear,
he'd better learn to eat like one.
During the second week,
nikki's diet
included one field mouse,
a dozen grasshoppers,
and several pounds of roots and grass.
And so, there was something to be said
about going along peaceably, after all.
And then, one day,
an ominous sound filled the air.
And for Nikki,
there was peace no more.
Neewa had never
seen a bee-tree before.
But his nose told him
that here was a real treat.
About the same time,
something told Nikki
It was a treat
reserved for bears only.
The more Neewa
warmed to his work,
The hotter things
got for Nikki.
This time, Nikki took charge.
And no bear
could hold him now.
It was late afternoon
at the end of their
third week together,
That a turning point came
in the lives of Nikki and Neewa.
At the river's edge,
Nikki caught the man scent.
It revived a surge
of hope and joy.
Of course, on Neewa,
it had just
the opposite effect.
Neewa fled from
the hated man scent,
back to the forest.
But Nikki was drawn by it.
It was a long trail,
but soon after dark,
he came to trail's end.
Here, he would learn
for the first time,
That all men are not alike.
He could see this man was not his master,
and caution made him wait.
Makoki.
Makoki!
Uh...
Make some food.
Get more wood.
It will be cold tonight.
Le Beau.
Long time now,
makoki cook,
Make camp, break trail.
Le Beau do nothing.
Why this?
Why?
Because you are an Indian.
Maybe Indian not partner,
like you say.
Maybe just for work.
Soon we come my country.
I show you
good trapline.
What then?
What do you mean,
what then?
We trap. You crazy?
Share furs?
You'll get share.
Even share?
Now, look.
My traps.
Without these,
you catch nothing.
Without Makoki,
you do not find trapline.
All right, all right.
Even share.
Wolf.
For Nikki,
an image of kindness
had been shattered.
By a harsh voice,
and a whining b*llet.
All he wanted
was a place to hide.
Rejected by man,
he belonged
to the wilderness now.
But nature was
ready and willing
to continue his education.
Timber wolves.
Masters of the hunt.
The pack was on the scent
of a lone bull elk.
For Nikki, it was
an object lesson
in survival.
And yet, the pup
was much too miserable
to profit by it.
All he really wanted
was a friend.
Well, that could be
provided, too.
Yes, it was Neewa.
He'd been searching
for Nikki all night.
For he was just as lost
and lonely as the pup.
And so past differences
were forgotten,
And they would
find in friendship,
A tie far stronger
than a leather thong.
It was late morning
when Nikki and Neewa awoke
To begin their
new life together.
But, there would be
a small delay,
While Neewa disposed
of one last link with the past.
Now, they were really free.
For Nikki, freedom meant
learning to be a dog again.
A diet of roots and grubs
was fine for Neewa,
But nature had decreed that a
growing dog must have meat.
And for this, she had given him
the hunting instinct.
Although it was Neewa
that gave him
the first chance to use it.
Neewa was much impressed.
But the hunting rights here
had already
been claimed by others.
The lynx had made his k*ll,
and was inclined
to overlook the matter.
But the wolverine
never overlooked anything.
It was over in seconds,
And Nikki was lucky,
he was only nipped on the foreleg.
It was no disgrace either,
losing a battle
to the deadliest fighter in the forest.
This is nature's way
for the wolverine.
Feared by all,
born to the wild,
he is himself fearless,
and an insatiable glutton.
If the lynx
had a bigger prize,
then he would take it.
The k*ller was
at a safe distance now.
And Neewa,
released from fear, moved out
to claim the leftovers.
This was an old habit
with the cub.
Finding food
and sharing it with Nikki.
But the dog
had learned much today.
From now on,
he would be well able
to provide for himself.
With the coming
of late summer,
Nikki reached
the fullness
of his strength.
A Malamute
is a king of dogs,
but the wilderness life
had shaped Nikki
into a dog such as the North
had never seen before.
He weighed 125 pounds,
a giant of his breed.
Neewa was less
than half-grown,
but already brute strong.
And yet,
these two born enemies,
even in the roughest play,
would never hurt each other.
It was on one of
these carefree days,
that a heedless moment led
to a strange consequence.
And for Neewa, the renewal of
an old acquaintance.
Makoos.
And time had not
improved his temper.
For the moment,
Neewa was safe.
Makoos wasn't
much of a tree climber.
But Nikki didn't know that.
He had to rescue his friend.
It was risky,
but it worked.
Lure Makoos
away from the tree.
Give Neewa
a chance to get away.
For the perfect ending,
one finishing touch.
He had to take it out
on something.
Until now, Nikki and Neewa
had hardly noticed
the change of seasons.
But winter came
as a wonderful surprise,
and put a new zest in their
rough-and-tumble games.
For several weeks now,
Neewa had felt
a deep inner need,
common to all bears.
It was time to hibernate.
And so, it was not by accident
that one day
the dog and the cub found their
way back to a familiar place.
Neewa had been
drawn here by instinct,
but now he knew where he
must go and what he must do.
Generations of bears
had hibernated here,
and here, Neewa, too,
would slumber out the winter weeks,
His body nourished by his own fat.
To Nikki,
it was still early.
They should be out hunting.
This was certainly
no time to go to sleep.
Although nature
had released the bear
From all the problems of survival,
For the dog, she had decreed
a time of hunger and hardship.
For weeks,
she had been blotting out
every scent and sign of game
With biting cold and heavy snow.
But Nikki was quick
to adapt himself and learn
new hunting methods.
And now, he was about
to get a lesson on
How to catch a muskrat.
The muskrat is a fierce
little fighter.
Unless the blue fox
used perfect timing,
He might lose the rat...
And a piece of his nose, too.
But this fox
knew his business.
Nikki could see that.
Of course, the easy way
was to steal his dinner.
But apparently,
the fox wasn't going
to stand still for that.
No matter. He'd seen
how it was done.
He'd catch his own rat.
This wasn't as easy
as it looked.
Maybe there was
another one down there,
Not so full of fight.
Well, all he got out of that
was a new respect
for muskrats.
And so, he tried his luck
down by the river.
He found the signs
of an old rabbit run,
But he didn't find any rabbits.
By late afternoon,
nikki's search for game
Had taken him far from the den,
deep into strange territory.
And by now,
he was so hungry
he could eat...
An elk?
In all his life,
he'd never brought down
anything bigger than a rabbit.
Well, nothing ventured...
At least his wolf blood
told him how to begin,
Cut one off and run it down.
But if Nikki
had been more wolf,
and less dog,
He'd have known that wolves
always hunt in packs,
And have the strength of numbers.
So far, though,
everything was going fine.
The elk was tiring,
and Nikki sensed it.
He was confident.
Then, the elk turned at bay,
And now that Nikki had him,
he didn't know what to do with him.
Well, when in doubt, bark.
Oops!
Well, now he had
a new respect for elk.
So, back to the search.
And this time,
he'd look for smaller game.
Now, there was something.
A little smaller
than he had in mind, but
better than nothing at all.
Baffled by muskrats,
battered by a bull elk,
and now,
mocked by a mouse.
For Nikki, it was
a very humiliating day.
But the days and nights
that followed were
to be worse, much worse.
He had lived
with hunger before,
but never anything like this.
And then, one night,
he caught a distant sound.
It stirred the dog.
Awakened a deep
and dormant instinct.
The wolves had been
on the trail
of a winter starved deer.
And now, they found
the half-frozen carcass.
The biggest and strongest
claimed first share.
It was natural
for the wolf in Nikki
to answer the call
of the pack.
Beyond his need for food,
he had a deeper need
for companionship.
And he was sure
he would find it here
with the brothers
of his blood.
He came in friendship
and was met with fury.
When the wolves
turned on each other,
Nikki saw his chance
and got away.
Nikki didn't rest at all
that night.
And the next morning,
lonelier than ever
and aching with hunger,
he came quite suddenly
upon the man scent again.
The trail was new,
but the memories it aroused
were very old.
Almost forgotten.
And so, it was not
the scent of man
that Nikki followed.
It was something else.
Compelling, unmistakable,
the smell of fresh meat.
To the hungry dog,
it was only a mouthful.
The trail had
brought food once,
maybe it would again.
This time,
he'd be more careful.
There was something in there
guarding the meat.
He would cover it up.
It didn't work
quite that way.
Instead, he learned
that the snap of steel
meant it was safe
to take the bait.
By the time he'd robbed
half a dozen traps,
he was full.
But, when food is plentiful,
it must not be wasted.
He would store this away
for the future.
Not far up stream,
he found an ideal place
beside a windfall
which he could use
for shelter.
Now, as far as
Nikki was concerned,
all his troubles were over.
He couldn't know
that with his invasion
of man's domain,
a chapter in his life
had come to a close,
and a new chapter
had already begun.
It was an ominous beginning.
Diable Another one.
Ah.
Now I see how he does it.
Of course. The snow.
He throws it on the trap.
With a trick like this,
pretty soon he will rob
every set on the line.
Give me the moose fat.
I am going to prepare
something very special
for this wolf.
Not wolf. Dog.
Huh? Ah, you crazy.
Poison.
Wolf smell man,
circle trap many times.
Dog smell man,
go straight trap.
This dog.
Ah, dog, wolf, no matter.
One little taste of this,
he will die just the same.
Early next morning,
Nikki headed straight
for the trap line and food.
He did not eat enough.
Maybe enough.
Dog make crazy track.
Huh?
One little taste.
Of course. I told you.
Do not lose the trail.
Nikki had suffered
a slight paralysis,
but he had taken
so very little poison,
it soon began to wear off.
It was his instinct now
to find his windfall.
Dog sick here.
But where is he now?
Left good trail.
I find him.
Give me that.
Now you come out.
You stupid Indian.
What you do?
Catch for eat.
Eat? We lost him.
Dog live here.
Come back, sure.
Yeah. Come back, sure.
Give me rabbit.
The traps.
All the big ones,
spread them here.
When Nikki was sure
the men had gone,
he did come back.
But it was plain
he'd have to find
another place to live.
It was a rabbit,
but why didn't it run?
Something was wrong.
Dog not die this way.
Indian.
What could you do
with a dog
of such strength?
Make good sled dog.
Put in harness.
Harness.
That dog belongs
in a fighting pit.
At the trading post,
he will win more furs for me
than a man could ever trap.
Ah, but he has a weakness.
The club.
Club?
The club.
Dog friend.
See?
No, no, no, no!
Just what I don't want.
A fighting dog must hate.
When I get through
with this dog,
he will hate
even his own shadow.
What is going on here?
Why has not
the dog fighting begun?
There will be
no dog fighting.
What?
See for yourself.
The new factor
has made a rule.
What does this mean?
Just what it says.
No more dog fighting.
But why?
I'll tell him,
i'll tell him.
Taisez-vous.
You won't believe this,
Le Beau,
but this little sport we make,
this fighting of dogs, yes.
It is cruel, savage,
uh, not human,
blood-thirsty.
The new factor,
he said so himself,
not 10 minutes ago.
We all heard him.
What?
The man is crazy.
Still,
he made the law.
And I break it!
I say
there will be fighting.
Hi, Durand.
How much?
Your wolf dog
against my Malamute.
But what about the factor?
Forget about the factor.
I will take care of him.
Come on, come on,
come on. How much?
What do you say?
I say 20 beaver
on my wolf dog.
Done.
All right.
Who else likes
the wolf dog?
All set over there?
Are you ready, Durand?
Ready.
Are you ready, Le Beau?
A minute. A minute!
Now.
All right.
Malamute!
Turn, Malamute! Turn!
Turn!
All right, Le Beau.
You win. Call him off.
Call him off!
Call him off, you win!
Call him off!
Hiya, Malamute. Hiya!
Hey, Durand,
if you want your dog alive,
get him out of there.
Bring him here.
Look out, Durand!
Hey, hey.
Now we fight two dogs.
Who's next?
There won't be any next.
Let me through.
I told you no dog fighting
while I am factor,
and I meant it.
So, you men...
all of you and your dogs,
i want you to be out of here
by daybreak.
Who owns that Malamute?
Me.
Jacques Le Beau.
I own him.
What of it?
Well, take care of him.
Don't you see
the dog is hurt?
I have a better idea,
monsieur l'agent.
I will let the dog
take care of you.
Steady now.
Easy, boy.
Don't move now.
Easy, now.
No, no, no.
There, boy,
that is better now.
For a minute,
i thought you were going
to bite my leg off.
What made you
change your mind?
You thought
you knew me, huh?
No, i don't know you.
You could not be...
Nikki?
Nikki?
All right, all right,
i believe you.
Hey, Le Beau,
is this your k*ller?
He looks more like
a lap dog.
No wonder
I did not recognize you.
When I left you,
you were a little pup.
Oh, let's wash off
some of that blood, huh?
Le Beau!
Fight him with your feet.
Come on, Le Beau,
come on. Come on,
Le Beau, come on.
Five beaver
on the factor.
Done.
Look out, andy!
Nikki!
No, Nikki, no.
Nikki!
Steady, steady.
Somebody help him,
he's hurt.
He's dead.
Dead?
That dog's the k*ller.
The Malamute k*lled him.
sh**t that dog.
Durand, here.
Factor, stand aside.
Now wait a minute,
you cannot do that.
Factor, you don't
give orders now.
The dog has k*lled a man.
You know the rule.
Go ahead, Durand.
Wait.
Dog not k*ll.
Le Beau try k*ll factor.
Fall on own knife.
The Indian is right.
He k*lled himself.
Somebody give me
a hand down here.
Another spring,
and another trip downriver
for supplies.
Makoki had found
not only a friend in Andre,
but a permanent place
at the trading post.
And, of course,
Nikki had arranged it all.
He knows the place.
It was just below
I lost him.
Oh, it was Neewa, all right.
Just a lot more of him.
He was almost
full grown now.
But Nikki didn't notice
the change.
He was much
too excited and happy.
Of course, the next thing
was to bring his old friend
and the man together.
But something was wrong.
Neewa didn't seem
to understand.
It was really Nikki
that didn't understand.
The bear's memory
was not as keen as his,
and the dog was heavy
with the scent of man.
And yet, it seemed
for a moment
that the old friendship
might be renewed.
But, the moment passed.
Now, Nikki faced
a great decision.
Nikki. Nikki.
Still, it was not
too hard to make.
The call of the wilderness
was fainter now.
The call of the man
was loud and clear.
Hey, Nikki!
Ah, there you are.
Maybe you look
for another bear cub, huh?
Allez, vite, vite.
Get in.
Maybe you did not learn
your lesson about bears.
But, i did.
When I see the way
you two fight,
i know these are two
that can never be friends.
A bear and a dog.
Is it not so, makoki?
Is so.
Of course,
only Nikki knew
what was really so.
And though he would live
in the world of man,
He would long remember Neewa
and the time
of great adventure
in the wilderness.
Welcome to our World! Where we serve you cookies to ensure you get the best viewing experience on our site.
Did you know that you can remove censorship board-wide, use our advanced search functions, be notified when new content is posted, join our memberships, set episodes to show in any order you want & more if you are logged into your account?
Register or sign in here: ucp.php?mode=register
Did you know that you can remove censorship board-wide, use our advanced search functions, be notified when new content is posted, join our memberships, set episodes to show in any order you want & more if you are logged into your account?
Register or sign in here: ucp.php?mode=register