The Wolf and His Boy
Teaser: AU. A wolf defies the Witch and frees Edmund. As the two travel through Narnia, Edmund discovers humans are not the only denizens of Earth to find Narnia. Narnia/Balto crossover
A/N: Balto as portrayed by Universal. Since that movie has little to no resemblance to the true story of Balto, welcome to the world of Balto the wolf-dog. (The real Balto was all dog, sorry Balto movie fans. I liked the movie too, but it is not the true story of Balto.)
Prologue
Balto forged on through the cutting snow. He, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star had been forced off the trail by Steele and his new gang of dogs. With Steele watching the trail, their only choice was to circle around Nome and come in past Balto's old home. The half-wolf was in front as they moved in sled dog formation, breaking the trail for the lighter dogs. None of them saw the glowing portal until it was too late. Balto yelped as they all plunged through. The last thing he heard as darkness took him was a lion's roar.
Chapter One: Secret Police
Balto woke up in the snow, alone. He rose and looked around, sniffing for his friends. "Nikki! Kaltag! Star!" His voice rang off the trees but there was no one around. Confused, Balto set out, scanning the trees for any sign of his team mates. The storm was gone and the woods looked quite pretty. Balto looked around, wondering that he'd never seen this part of the forest. He knew the area around Nome very well. A light caught his attention and he forged toward it. To the wolf-dog's utter shock he found a lamp post. Something's wrong. There are no lamp posts in Nome, let alone in the woods. A sound brought Balto snapping around. He pinned his ears back and growled, on the defensive.
"Quit that, soldier," a wolf ordered as he strode into view. "We must return to Her Majesty's castle at once."
Balto frowned. "Who…"
"Come," the other barked, so fiercely that Balto didn't dare to disobey. He followed the wolf to the ice palace of Jadis, Queen of Narnia. There Balto found himself among wolves. After the first wolf left, the other wolves swarmed around Balto, asking him where he was from.
"I'm from the North country," Balto told them, cautious of the palace and its surroundings.
"Quiet!" The first wolf was back. "Line up! Her Majesty Queen Jadis approaches."
Balto followed the example of the wolves, wishing with all of his heart that he was home with his team and his family. Jenna. He bowed his head as a pale woman swept past. She wore white clothing and fur and carried a long crystal scepter, though Balto decided it looked more like a wand than a scepter. Both ends were tipped with crystal, though one end was much longer than the other. She passed the wolves with hardly a look. Balto watched her move away with a shiver. He had never before felt such a dark presence.
After she was gone, the lead wolf turned to them. "Her Majesty wants us on Patrol. You know what to do. Scout for troublemakers and bring any new rumors to me. Get going."
One wolf trotted forward. The lead wolf sighed. "Yes Lieutenant Ulf?"
"Captain Maugrim, three of our number displeased Her Majesty yesterday. Permission to check on the new recruits today?"
"Granted." Maugrim's gaze fell on Balto. "Take this soldier with you. I found him skiving off near the lamp post. Remind him of the penalty for angering Her Majesty."
Balto dipped his head and trotted to the lieutenant. The lieutenant surveyed him but didn't say a word. The other wolves jeered as they departed.
"Head up lad, let me get a look at ya." Balto looked up and was surprised. Lieutenant Ulf was older than Maugrim.
"Let me guess, you aren't from around here."
Balto stayed quiet. Ulf chuckled. "It ain't a trick question lad, I can tell. You don't look quite like a wolf. So what are ye?"
"I'm Balto. Balto the wolf-dog."
Ulf's eyes widened. "Well, lad, our first stop will be your new quarters. I don't rightly know what ye're wearin' but it won't do any good for Maugrim to see it."
Ulf led the way and began lecturing Balto. "Don't make any mention of dogs, ye hear lad. It'll just stir up trouble and ye don't need it, not wi' this Lantern Waste thing already hangin' over your head. I'll help ye out but ye must keep your head down. Do as you're told and act enthusiastic when ye must go out. Scoutin's not so bad. Ye don't need to even talk t' anyone. I'll get ye assigned to that."
Ulf was true to his word and Balto learned quickly. He trusted the old wolf and told him about Nikki, Kaltag, and Star. Ulf warned him to not search for the sled dogs but Balto didn't understand. A week after his arrival, he found out why his mentor had been so worried.
"Lieutenant Ulf, why are three of my wolves shadowing the others?"
Balto came in from a solid day of scouting to see his mentor in front of Jadis's throne. The older wolf trembled but did not move. "Your Majesty, they are new recruits. Shadowing is the best way for them to learn. Your Secret Police relies on these training methods."
The Queen leaned forward, eyes ablaze. "These three have been shadowing much longer than necessary."
"Your Majesty, we were unprepared for the three substandard pack members…"
The queen struck the wolf, knocking Lieutenant Ulf down the steps. "Enough of your excuses. Guards, take him to the courtyard."
Ulf began to beg, pleading and reminding the Queen of his service. Balto watched, horrified as the old wolf was dragged outside and the Queen followed with a look of hideous glee. She doesn't care. He served her for all these years and it doesn't matter. All that matters is what she wants right now. Balto felt sick. I can't find Nikki, Kaltag, and Star. She'll hurt them. But I don't have to help her either.
Balto spent the rest of the night thinking. He'd planned on reporting the rhyme he'd heard that day but now he was reconsidering. Everything had gone downhill. He had been able to help Ulf, couldn't search for his friends, and he had no way home. The only thing that gave the wolf-dog hope was the old Narnian prophecy about Cair Paravel that he'd heard outside a beaver's dam.
He heard it whispered by the animals of Narnia:
When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone
Sits at Cair Paravel in throne,
The evil time will be over and done.
Balto had also heard that Cair Paravel had four thrones, meant for two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve but the wolf-dog didn't know when humans would be coming to Narnia, though now he hoped it would be soon. In the meantime, he was feared by the denizens of Narnia like the other wolves were and Balto hated that. He hadn't asked to be found by Maugrim and pressed into the Witch's service. So Balto began to defy his 'superiors'.
If he saw Narnians meeting, he went the other way. If he was on a hunt with his fellows, he would do his best to lead the others astray. Sometimes he had to keep his head down and couldn't do a thing to help the Narnians, but he tried. On his free time, he would eavesdrop on the Narnians, hoping to hear of his team mates but to no avail. It was as if he was the only one to have fallen into Narnia.
Two weeks after the scene in the Queen's (though Balto had secretly adopted the Narnian name for her) throne room, Balto and five other wolves were called forward by Captain Maugrim during the briefing.
"You lot aren't going on patrol today. We're off to arrest a faun named Tumnus."
Balto lifted a paw.
"Yes?"
"Isn't Tumnus a spy for us Captain?"
Maugrim nodded, looking pleased. "Yes, that's right soldier. However Tumnus has betrayed Her Majesty, comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans."
Balto blinked at the cries of astonishment from the other wolves. Being with humans is a crime? That's odd.
"Move out!" Maugrim ordered.
Balto kept to the back of the pack, head down. He wouldn't be able to help Tumnus now. Two on six were not good odds. Balto sighed internally. If humans are in Narnia, I can't turn my back on them. I'll help them even if it's the last thing I do.
Soon the pack had reached Tumnus's humble dwelling. The foremost wolves leapt at the door, breaking it down. The pack swarmed inside, snarling. Two wolves cornered the faun, growling at him. The rest, Balto reluctantly among them, set to destroying the place. When they were done, Maugrim forced Tumnus to hang a notice and the faun was marched back to the White Witch's castle.
The wolf-dog was wandering in the courtyard soon after the capture. Shortly he found a new statue. A statue of a wolf. Balto tensed as he recognized Lieutenant Ulf. So this was his punishment. Brutal. Balto paced back and forth. The other wolves say that the Witch met a human in the woods. She'll lure him here. I have to help him.
Balto looked up as Maugrim approached. "Yes Captain?"
"A Son of Adam has come to the castle, Balto. You will stay and guard him."
"Yes sir!"
As Maugrim loped away Balto smiled. So, the rumors were true. Time to make my move.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Where are Nikki, Kaltag, and Star? Never fear, they shall appear. Next chapter: What's a Sled Dog?