Hi guys! So this was requested by XxWolfMan95xX (obviously), and, after a few discussions, we decided to make it into its own fic! Well, he gave me permission to do it.
In any case, enjoy!
A Love Frozen in Time: Chapter One
Requested By: XxWolfMan95xX
Movie: Balto, the Movie
Reader:
Yuna
Female
20 (in dog years)
A white husky, few inches shorter than Balto, wears a blue handkerchief around neck, blue eyes
Younger sister to Jenna, dear friend of Balto's
Character:
Balto
Male
25 (in dog years)
Half-wolf/half-dog, dark grey and white fur, golden-brown eyes
Family to Boris the goose and the polar bears, dear friend to Yuna and Jenna
Yuna groaned to herself as she rounded another corner. "Come on guys!" She shouted, jumping off the curb, trotting across the street. She was looking for Jenna, her sister, and her owner, Rosie. Shaking her white-furred head, Yuna turned to her left… and promptly ran into a broad chest. Snorting in surprise, she landed on her rump, shaking her head. Looking up, she growled to herself.
"Oh I'm sorry, darling. Are you alright?" Steele, the leader of the top dogsled team in the town, slowly walked over to Yuna, gently nudging her up. It wasn't necessary, and Yuna made it known by swiftly standing.
"Thank you, Steele, but I'm quite fine." Yuna shook off her coat, getting rid of the brown dust. Jaws latched onto her handkerchief. Yelping in surprise, her head whipped around to see Steele adjusting her scarf.
"Sorry I startled you doll, but I noticed your scarf had gotten out of place." He mumbled around the fabric. Still holding it in his teeth, he brought it down so the point rested on her chest. Releasing the fabric, Steele purposely dragged his nose through her fur. Yuna took a few steps back, her eyes narrowing. "Ah come on sweetheart. Shouldn't I at least get a kiss as payment for you bumping into me?"
Yuna scowled at the sled dog. Ever since she could remember, Steele had been hitting on her. Others had as well, but he chased all of them away. Of course, to anyone watching, it was easy to see why. With her pure white coat, sky blue eyes and handkerchief, daintily pointed ears, slender head and jaw, with a black button nose rounding out her snout, Yuna was very attractive for a husky. And Steele wasn't one to take no for an answer.
"Steele, please step out of the way. I'm in a bit of a hurry." Steele tilted his head to the side, a slightly mocking smile on his face.
"Well, how 'bout I help you? It'll go faster with two, wouldn't it?' He stepped forward and to the side. "What do you need help with, sweetheart?"
"I'm not your sweetheart, and it's none of your concern." Normally a very patient husky, Yuna's tolerance was getting worn down by the overzealous suitor wannabe. "Now please… step, aside." Steele hummed, stepping closer to the female.
"No… I don't think I will."
"Hey! Fleabag!" Both looked up to see a goose standing on one of the railings. Steele quirked an eyebrow, before bursting out laughing.
"You should remember your place, wind rider!" He had just turned around, snarling, when a wolf jumped up next to the goose. His golden-brown eyes sparked in anger as he jumped down, the fur on his neck bristling.
"I believe the lady asked you to leave her alone." The goose flew off the railing, landing next to Yuna. Steele was still facing off with the newcomer. He snarled, the wolf snarling right back.
"What are you doing here, riffraff?"
"What?" The wolf pretended to be surprised. "I'm not allowed to walk around?"
"Not here you're not." The newcomer chuckled, his head lowering as his hackles rose.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't aware you were in charge here."
"He's not." Yuna stepped between the two bristling males. The goose held back the wolf, while she stared at Steele. "Don't you have a race to be practicing for?" Steele snorted, turning around. His tail flicked under Yuna's chin, causing her to shiver in disgust. Too bad he thought it was something else.
"That piece of trash is lucky I do. I'll see you around darling." The newcomer snarled at Steele as he trotted down the lane.
"Coward."
"Thank you." He blinked, looking at Yuna. She was smiling gently at him. "That could have gone badly had you not arrived when you did." She turned fully, sitting down, tucking her paws underneath her. Her tail wrapped around them. "My name is Yuna."
"Balto. Nice to meet you." Yuna smiled. "This is Boris." Balto motioned with his head at the goose. He bowed, picking up one of Yuna's paws to peck it with his beak. She giggled, covering her mouth with her other paw.
"Hello, beautiful mademoiselle." Yuna blushed softly, turning her head away. Balto rolled his eyes, nudging Boris away from Yuna. "What?"
"Stop embarrassing her, Boris." Yuna smiled, standing.
"You're new around here, aren't you?" Balto hesitated before nodding. "Well… since my sister seems to have abandoned me, how about I show you around till we find her, okay?" Balto stared at her in shock. She tilted her head, a concerned glint in her bright blue eyes. "What is it?"
"Won't your mate get jealous?"
"My… what?" Yuna's eyes widened. "Oh you don't mean Steele do you?" She gagged. "He wishes he was my mate." Balto sighed in relief. "Why? Were you jealous?"
"No." He stepped up next to her, smiling. "I would just hate for someone as beautiful as you taken by someone as rude as him." Yuna blushed again. Balto laughed, nudging her hips with his. "Come on. Let's get this tour started."
That was how it all started. It had been five months since that day, and the town was blanketed in white. Balto had met Jenna, Yuna's sister, and their friends. He didn't care to remember their names.
Over the five months they had gotten to know each other, both Balto and Yuna had found themselves feeling something more romantic towards the other. However, neither acted upon those feelings. Jenna, who saw each side clearly, couldn't believe the idiocy of it, and gave her sister a hard time about it all the time.
Now, the time of the annual dog race had come around again.
雪狼
"Come on Jenna! Come on Yuna! Mush!" Yuna and Jenna chuckled, picking up their pace slightly. Rosie had gotten a sled and a musher's hat for her birthday, and Jenna and Yuna were pulling the sled down the street. Jenna was lead dog, but Yuna didn't mind. With her white fur, the only thing that would distinguish her from the ground was the harness and her blue scarf.
They pushed through the crowd, stopping at the edge of the race track. Jenna and Yuna sat side by side, watching the humans jumping up and down and cheering for the racers. Rosie, their girl, was laughing too, running around her dogs. At least, until her hat blew off.
Yuna gasped, standing. Jenna stopped her with a paw. "You'll never make it, Yuna! The racers are coming!" Yuna cast a pained look at her girl, before turning her eyes towards the hat. She gasped again when she saw a familiar wolf running alongside the sled. Jenna saw him too.
Balto cut in front of Steele, grabbing the hat. Yuna giggled when she heard Boris yelling out to him, moments before getting a body full of snow. Balto trotted over to them, dropping the hat in Rosie's hand. She giggled, putting it back on her head.
"What a crazy thing to do." She hugged her arms to her, wiggling her eyebrows. "Just to show off for a pretty girl." She nudged Yuna, who ducked her head in embarrassment when Balto smiled at her. The girl smiled, looping the rope harness over Balto's shoulders. "I'm sure Yuna would love to have you on our sled team." The moment was ruined when Rosie's father came running over.
"Rosie! Stay away from him!" Yuna's ears flattened when Rosie's father began kicking snow at Balto. "He might bite ya' honey. He's part wolf!" Yuna curled up slightly when she saw Balto's expression. She stood, opening her mouth, but nothing came out.
Yuna sighed, ducking her head as she turned around. Jenna nudged her cheek, earning a small keen of thanks from her younger sister. "He's a human, Yuna. He doesn't know better." Yuna sighed, picking her head up.
"Thanks Jenny. I guess you're right." The red husky chuckled, nudging her sister again.
"Of course I'm right. I'm older."
"Only by a few minutes!" Jenna laughed, bounding ahead. Yuna growled playfully, catching up with her sister. Another body wedged itself between the females.
"Hi there, Yuna." Yuna internally snarled, but kept up face. "Enjoy the race?" She smiled sweetly.
"Yeah." She turned to her sister. "Almost as much as you did," she muttered under her breath. Jenna snorted, covering it up by batting her nose with her paw.
"Thanks." Yuna glanced over her shoulder at Balto. "Yuna, let's go celebrate." Steele slid right up next to Yuna, brushing her shoulder with his. She resisted the urge to see if his blood was as black as his heart. "I know where all the bones are buried."
"I don't know, Steele." She took two large steps forward, separating herself from him. "Suddenly I've lost my appetite."
"Oh!" Yuna winced at the sound of him cracking his shoulders. "Well maybe your taste runs more towards… wolf?" She paused halfway through stepping down, using the momentum to whirl at the male.
'Why that insubordinate son of a-'
"Yuna! Come on girl! We're going back home!" Yuna sighed, thanking the stars for Rosie.
"Sorry, Steele. My girl is calling." Turning back around, she ran over to join up with her family. Jenna noticed the telltale twitching of Yuna's left eye.
"Steele flirting again?"
"What gave it away? The fact my eye is twitching or the fact that he shoved you out of the way?" Jenna giggled, rubbing her muzzle on her sister's neck.
"Both." Yuna rolled her eyes, nipping at her elder sister. Jenna snorted, pouncing on her sister. Their roughhousing was stopped by Rosie's father calling them. A familiar scent wafted into Yuna's nose. Gasping in hope, she ran over towards the fence… just as Balto burst through…
Resulting in their noses crashing together.
Both were frozen for a few moments, before Yuna scrambled back, blushing up a storm. Balto looked away too, blushing as well. Both had a goofy smile on their face. Jenna, who had looked back seeing her sister absent from her side, smiled as well, having seen the whole thing.
Rosie called to Yuna, who looked at her owner. When she looked back, Balto was gone. Her ears drooped in disappointment. Standing, she walked over to the gap in the boards, sniffing the ground. She looked up, making eye contact briefly with Balto, before running back to Rosie when she called again.
Balto, who was hiding under an abandoned car, sighed as Yuna walked away. Boris waddled alongside him. He was trying to comfort the wolf, when another scent hit Balto's nose. It took all of his self-control to not bristle and snarl.
"Didn't make the team, Bingo?" Balto gritted his teeth, turning slightly.
"My name's Balto." Steele smirked, walking forward.
"I'm sorry. Balto. Balto the half-breed." Steele's lackeys came around the corner, 'ooh'ing in mockery.
"You. Goose. You a half-breed too? Half turkey?" The lackeys began laughing, complementing Steele. No one noticed the white figure standing at the edge of the alleyway.
"Steele!" Balto ran in between the two. "Just leave him out of this."
"Oh Balto." Steele whacked Balto a couple times with his tail. "I've got a message for your mother." Steele began howling, his flunkies joining in. It was cut short when something shoved Steele into the snow. "What the!" He got up, snarling.
He stopped when he saw Yuna sitting there, looking perfectly innocent. Balto was staring in shock at the normally mild-mannered husky. Steele's buddies had backed up, shutting up for once. Boris hid behind Balto.
"Yuna? What are you doing?" She shrugged, lifting a paw to delicately lick it. The three huddled against the house swooned, falling over.
"You know something Steele?" She pretended to study her paw before gently setting it on the ground. "I think you're jealous of Balto." Steele gaped.
"What?!"
"Well, being part wolf…" Yuna stood, shaking her pelt free on nonexistent snow. She added a little head toss, smiling. "He can outrun even a caribou, who are renowned for their delicious meat." She sighed dramatically, turning around to practically float down the alley. "If only you could do that in your races. Perhaps then people wouldn't gossip about you losing your edge so much." She stopped in front of Balto.
"Would you care to walk me home?" Balto smiled, sidling right up next to her. He purposely rubbed shoulders with her, flashing a triumphant smirk at Steele.
"Of course… darling. Shall we?" Balto purposely used one of Steele's favorite nicknames for Yuna. She grinned, trotting out of the alleyway, Balto and Boris right behind, leaving Steele in the dust. It was only once they were several blocks away did she speak.
"Balto… I…" He sighed, nudging his hips with hers.
"You don't have to say anything, Yuna. Steele's… Steele."
"Not about him." Yuna paused for a moment. "Well, not just him. I wanted to apologize for my girl's father too." Balto smiled gently, pressing his forehead to Yuna's shoulder.
"Don't sweat it. I'm used to it." Yuna groaned, springing out in front of him.
"That's exactly my point!" she barked. Balto blinked in surprise. "You shouldn't have to be used to it!" She huffed, sitting down harshly. "So what if you're part wolf? I think it's cool you're not like everyone else."
"R-really? You do?" She chuckled.
"Trust me. Being purebred isn't all that it's cracked up to be." Balto huffed, walking forward again. Yuna stood, catching up with him.
"How so?"
"Well… for one… some just don't know when to give you space." Balto snorted, his ears flattening.
"Yeah well, some just give me too much." Yuna frowned, before rubbing her forehead on his shoulder.
"Well… at least you've got me and Jenna, right?" Balto smiled, turning his head to nuzzle Yuna's neck.
"Yeah. At least." Yuna smiled, taking a few steps back.
"Who knows? Maybe you'll have a family of your own one day." Balto watched as she bounded down the road, rejoining her family.
"Maybe."
The kanji means 'snow wolf'. Hope you like it, XxWolfMan95xX!
