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whether this was due to the events of last night or to his damaged gun arm； Steele could not say。
He was starting to wonder if they had made the wrong choice。
His men had all been brought up on Valhalla； these surroundings looked almost familiar to them。
They thought they knew all the perils that the snow and the ice could bring； were alert for the
warning signs — and if the worst should happen； as it had on the frozen lake； then they thought they
knew how to minimise the consequences。 A squad from any other world would have been dead by
now； for the Ice Warriors of Valhalla； this was just a morning stroll。
But as Gavotski had pointed out inside the glacier； the water on this world had been infected too。
And the snow and the ice didn’t always behave as it should。
The second avalanche was bigger。 Much bigger。
Steele couldn’t blame anyone in his squad for setting it off。 It started high above them； and came
crashing down at them like a tidal wave。 It might have been a natural consequence of recent
snowfall upon hard…packed ice — but the timing of it； at least； was suspicious。
The Ice Warriors； minus Palinev； were spread out across a hillside； keeping a short distance
between each of them in case of just such an occurrence — but the avalanche was in the perfect
spot； and exactly wide enough； to threaten all eight of them。
Barreski and Grayle were at the greatest risk。 They were closest to the centre of the flow； the
point at which the snow would be moving its fastest。 They knew they couldn’t outrun it — an
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avalanche of this size could reach a speed of two hundred kilometres per hour — but they used the
few seconds they had before it hit to make a sprint for its edge； as did their comrades。
Gavotski and Steele； who had been respectively leading the procession and following at its rear；
had the least far to go。 Steele ran for all he was worth； but still it wasn’t enough。 It could never have
been enough。 He turned his back to the avalanche as it reached him； and prepared for the impact。
It felt as if a rug had been pulled out from under him。 He maintained his balance for as long as
he could； but he was soon swept away。 He pedalled with his arms and legs； as if swimming；
knowing that to resist the tide would be futile； attempting to ride it instead。 The landscape flashed by
to each side of him； and Steele could only hope that he wouldn’t be dashed against something solid。
He was aware of Blonsky being carried alongside him — and of Anakora； who had managed to
grab a sturdy tree before the snow hit and was clinging to it for dear life； being left behind。 He did
the best he could to keep track of them both； as he knew they would be doing for the comrades to
each side of them。
Steele went under several times； and his mind flashed back to the frozen lake。 He was
determined not to be buried； not to lose consciousness again — and so； each time he was engulfed；
he kicked and he thrashed； and he put all the strength he had into his swimming stroke； and he
resurfaced。
After what seemed like an age； it was over。 Steele was half…buried； breathless； but still able to
dig himself free and climb to his feet。 He had only been carried a short distance； but his
surroundings looked very different to him now。 The shifting snow had formed new contours； and
covered old landmarks。 Closing his one good eye； the colonel reoriented himself by his internal
compass。
He found Anakora first； three hundred metres up the slope behind him； still holding onto her
tree； although she had been buried up to the chest。 She was stronger than she looked； he thought。
She was also safe。
He couldn’t say the same for Blonsky。 There was no sign of him。 He had to have gone under。
Steele hurried to the spot at which he had last seen him； and soon found a single gloved hand
protruding from the snow； its fingers waggling in a feeble attempt to summon help。 Fortunately； the
snow hadn’t set too hard yet； and Steele was able to scoop handfuls of it away； to reveal Blonsky’s
head。 A minute later； he had freed an arm too； and he knew his trooper could do the rest for himself。
“G…Grayle；” gasped Blonsky； raising a hand to point — and； joined by Anakora； who had
managed to free herself； Steele repeated the whole process again； until a fourth Ice Warrior was
dragged spluttering to the surface。 Fortunately； Grayle had been able to make an air hole for himself
as the snow had settled around him； otherwise he would have suffocated。
When the avalanche had started； Pozhar had been a few metres behind Sergeant Gavotski。 However；
he was young and he was fast； and he had easily overtaken the older man。 Relatively safe on the
edge of the flow； he had surfed the snow with consummate skill and exulted in the head rush it gave
him。 In so doing — he had realised too late — he had quite lost track of his sergeant。
He had clambered over the freshly turned snow； yelling for Gavotski； his stomach churning with
the thought that he had failed this man of all men； his mentor； his sponsor。 His hand had started to
itch again； beneath his glove； and Pozhar would have sworn that at that moment he could feel the
grey fur spreading across it。
He had located Gavotski at last； worried that he might have left him buried too long。 He had
tried to dig down to him； but his bad arm had slowed him too much。 Fortunately； Palinev had seen
the avalanche from ahead； and returned to assist him。
Gavotski had not questioned the delay in his rescue； doubtless assuming that Pozhar had had his
own problems。 He had led the way to the next Ice Warrior instead； and now he and Palinev were
digging for Mikhaelev。 Pozhar hung back for fear of getting in their way。 He felt useless。 Useless
and ashamed。 And for the first time； he wondered if he might deserve what was happening to him
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after all； if the fur on his hand was a warning that he could do better； that he wasn’t serving the
Emperor to the fullest of his ability。 That he could have saved Borscz。
He vowed that； from this moment on； he would try even harder； become even more fierce in the
execution of his duty。 He would cleanse Iota Hive of the Chaos filth single…handedly if he had to； or
die in the attempt。
Then Pozhar heard a sound behind him — the soft crunch of a footstep in the snow — and he
whirled around； and caught a glimpse of a grey…furred mutant as it ducked out of sight。 He grinned
and offered up a grateful prayer to the Emperor for giving him this chance to prove himself so soon。
His comrades were still occupied； hadn’t seen anything — and something stopped Pozhar from
calling to them。 This was his test； not theirs。 He crept away from them； and only built up speed once
he knew they could no longer see him； as he rounded the side of the hill down which the avalanche
had come。
This was probably the same mutant that had stalked the Ice Warriors outside the Aquila； and
before that in the ice forest。 Barreski and Grayle had already failed to kill it； as had Steele himself。
Pozhar would not fail。
His enemy had made a mistake。 Post…avalanche； the snow was deep and smooth and
undisturbed； like a virgin fall。 The mutant was trying to hide from him； but it had left a clear trail。 It
would not escape this time。
All but one of the Ice Warriors had been found。
They converged on the spot where Mikhaelev and Grayle had last seen Barreski。 He could have
ended up anywhere within a hundred metre radius； but a quick search turned up no sign of him。 That
was bad； thought Steele。 It meant that the trooper had been completely buried； and would be running
out of air。
“Start digging；” he instructed。 “Centre on this spot here。 Take a five…metre square each to begin
with。” His augmetics had already analysed the speed of the avalanche’s flow as he had experienced
it； extrapolated its likely speed this much closer to its centre； and correlated Barreski’s reported
trajectory and last known distance from his starting point — to conclude that they couldn’t narrow
the search area much more than his comrades’ instincts already had。
Then Steele picked up a sound from beneath his feet； a sound that he identified a moment later
as the muffled cough of a misfiring flamer。
He grabbed Anakora by her greatcoat collar and yanked her backwards as a boiling geyser
erupted from the ground where she had been standing。 The Ice Warriors were showered with
cooling water。 When the deluge had ended； they crowded forward to find a large； round hole in the
snow — and； at its bottom； the top half of a red…faced； spluttering Barreski。
“S…sorry； sir；” he addressed Steele breathlessly。 “Couldn’t breathe down there； couldn’t wait any
longer。 I knew it was risky； but…”
He was cradling his flamer across his chest。
That was when they all heard las…fire； coming from behind the hill — and Steele realised； in that
selfsame moment； that one of his troopers was missing。
Pozhar ran at the mutant； firing。 It had been fleeing from him — but as fast as it was； he was faster。
As his first las…beam hit； the mutant gave a roar of pain and spun around to face him； throwing up its
arms。 It looked as if it was trying to surrender — although Pozhar doubted this； and it would have
made no difference t