The snow just kept falling and falling outside, like a never-ending spray of white in the cold wind. Winter had hit Nenana again. Inside the woodcutter's warehouse, most of the town dogs sat around chatting and joking with another. Now, if truth were told, dogs didn't have bars. But if they did then the warehouse known locally as "The Woodcutters", in Nenana would have been the closest thing.
Dogs from all over Alaska gathered there, as it was one of the key locations in middle Alaska. It was where the trains ended, and was a mid point between Anchorage, Fairbanks and, of course, little Nome. Most of the dogs in The Woodcutters were huskies and malamutes, but some of the other dogs in the town came down too to meet everyone and exchange stories with the visitors.
Over in the corner, by the fire, with a bone in his mouth and two local floozies all over him sat Steele. Almost two years had passed since he had got the relief sled for the Nome epidemic lost in the blizzard and broke down from the pressure, but he was still Steele, arrogant and brash.
'Then what happened?' asked one of the floozies, a brown and white spaniel, as she nuzzled the black and white husky.
'Well,' Steel replied in his low voice, 'I grabbed the mutt by the scruff and took him down. He was big, too, but I beat him all the same.'
'You sure are brave Steele,' the other floozy said.
'Well, he shouldn't have talked to a lady in that way.'
The two girls giggled and began to praise him for being so brave.
On the other side of the warehouse, two other dogs sat and watched.
'Same old Steele,' Nikki said.
'How's he get away with it? That's what I'd like to know. I mean, he nearly killed my dad and he put the entire town in danger because of his ego. Still the girls drape themselves over him.'
Nikki chuckled. 'Kodi, you gotta realise that some dogs are just plain dumb. Especially when it comes to a pretty face.'
Three other dogs walked up to where Kodi and Nikki were sitting. The smallest one was ranting about something. One of the others turned to the small husky.
'You have to be the most annoying, the most stupid, the most dumb dog in the entire world! For the love of god, be quiet!' Kaltag shouted at one of his companions.
'I was just saying!' begged Star.
'Yeah, well don't!'
Kodi and Nikki chuckled.
'Hey guys,' said Kodi, 'How's the weather out there?'
'Cold,' replied the larger dog, Ralph. 'I think I'm getting the flu or something.'
Kaltag cut in. 'You know what this stupid mutt thinks?' he asked the others, pointing at Star, who just looked blankly at the others. Ralph rolled his eyes; he'd heard the two of them arguing the entire way from the station to the Warehouse and refused to get involved. He sat down next to Kodi and prepared himself to hear the argument for the third time in however many minutes.
Kaltag continued. 'He thinks that we were being followed on the way from Nome.'
On the other side of the warehouse, three other dogs were discussing how wolves were different from dogs, and were getting quite confrontational about it.
'All I'm saying is that the difference between us and them, is that we're not savages,' said one, a large Labrador. The other two, a young boxer and a female husky sat and listened, drinking occasionally from their water bowls.
'How can you say that?' asked the husky. 'Sure, they live in the wild, but we came from them. Maybe you could argue that in our domestication we've lost something of who we are.'
'You could,' replied the boxer, 'but you could also say that what we lost wasn't worth keeping, case in point, howling? I mean, prim-a-tiveā¦'
'It doesn't matter,' said the Labrador. 'All I know is that the humans shot seven of them last week, and I'm glad I was one of those that helped track them.'
'Raise a toast!' said the boxer. The Labrador smiled.
'You know, I think I might.'
Dusty walked away from the two dogs in disgust and sat down next to the others, just as the Labrador climbed up onto a woodcutting table.
'Attention please!' he shouted. The dogs in the warehouse all began to quiet down and when he was happy that everyone was paying attention to him, the Labrador went on.
'It's a happy day for Nenana! Seven more of those mangy primitives were shot last week for getting too close to the town. Let that be a lesson to all wolves, you come near us, and we'll kill you. A toast!'
Kodi couldn't believe what he was hearing, or seeing. None of the Nome dogs could. Most of the entire congregation began cheering at the Labrador.
'That is the most disgusting, the most degrading, the most nastiest thing I ever heard!' said Kaltag.
'What an butt-fink,' added Nikki.
'Yeah, that's bad!' said Star. Kaltag looked at the small grey husky before smacking him over the head.
Kodi was fuming. No one put down his heritage like that. Maybe his dad would have let it wash over him, but Kodi wasn't Balto. The rust coloured husky got up and began walking towards the Labrador and the Boxer. They were both laughing and doing degrading wolf impressions, which only made Kodi angrier.
'Kodi, don't! They're not worth it,' Dusty said. Kodi ignored her and kept walking
