Through the strong wind and snow, Una shook the white off her black fur and flicked her tail, folding her ears down to stop the whistling... She let out a growl and then lifted her head to howl... It carried on until she put her head back down... Nothing. The tracks were gone. The scent was absent. She was walking in circles...

And just then, she smelled something. She took in the strong scent and then ran towards it. Her feet left prints behind her as her claws scratched the dirt below and she skidded to a halt, looking down at the figure. She pushed on the snow covered animal with her muzzle... It was a Husky... Around it's neck, a gold collar. "Well, look what we have here... Pedigree's a long way from home." She smirked. He seemed helpless. Una wasn't about to let him die either. She let out one last howl to see if anyone was nearby... Nothing, still. She didn't have a choice. Una pushed him over on his stomach and then grabbed his collar with her teeth.

She lifted him in her back and then started walking. He was heavy. Clearly a sled dog. Probably the leader. Looks obnoxious enough... The wind and snow was picking up. She'd have to ind shelter. And soon. Or they'd both freeze to death. She ran faster with every step, gaining speed, even though the wind fought against her. And then she spotted the cave. She's been in this cave before. It's saved her life when she almost froze to death. She let out a sigh and then walked forward... The deer skin she used to use as a blanket was still here. And there wasn't a hint of snow or ice. She put the husky down on the blanket and then scratched her claws across the rocks. It didn't hurt her at all. She did it over and over until she saw sparks.

And then it started a fire in the middle of a cave where a pile of wood lay. She pushed the logs on top of it and then went to the other side of the cave, putting her head down...

XXXX

The howls were haunting. It's just a reminder that the wolf was the hero and he's a nobody... It's in his dreams. Jenna isn't his. Never was. He's nothing. A joke. A fake...

XXXX

He shot up straight and then a chill ran down his spine... He was in a cave. There was a fire cracking. He was on a blanket... Did a musher save his life? Wrong. When he looked up, he saw black... A wolf. With a growl, he stood up but then fell down on the blanket, whimpering at his leg. The wolf from across the cave lifted it's head. He looked closer... It was a female.

Her eyes... They were a vibrant purple. Corresponding with her soft and shiny black fur. She yawned and a small howl came from her mouth as she stood up. "Welcome back, Pedigree." She smirked. He growled at her. She crossed the cave. "Let me guess... You left the city because it wasn't doing you justice... Is that it?" This wolf is gonna get an attitude with him? He growled at her. "My business is my own." He said.

She rolled her eyes. "And yet, he will tell me nothing..." She laughed and sat down in front of him, curling her tail around her paws... "Who are you, Pedigree?" She said. "I'm a Sled Dog... Third time winner, perhaps you've heard of me? Steele?" He grinned. She tossed her head back. "Can't say I have, Pedigree. My name's Una... I'm no sled dog, I'm no winner... Just a wolf, lost, trying to get home." She said, standing up.

"Alright, I'll give you that... But what am I doing here?" He asked. She laughed. "Your telling me you don't remember how you got out here?" She said. He shook his head. "Well, I don't know how you got out here, but it must've been a damn good reason. No one is out here by choice." She said.

"I can see why." He was in disgust at the cave. She growled. "This, however, is a nice little escape... You clearly can't see why." She snarled. "No... Ugh, whats so special about it? It's just a dark cave." He said. She smirked...

Una pranced to the fire and picked up a flaming log. "Whoa, what're doing with that thing?!" He said. She growled with the wood in her teeth and then walked next to the wall behind him. She kneeled down and put the flames near the walls. "This is why." The writings and paintings on the wall was astonishing. She lifted her paw and put it down on the wolf painting... "It goes all the way back to my ancestors... Back to when Wolves were worshiped... And treated with respect. And now, they are nothing but filth below the common purebred husky." She looked down at Steele and growled.

"Well... What do you want me to do about that?" He tried to stand up. "You can start by changing yourself. And letting me help you." She did circles around him. He growled, bearing his teeth. "What makes you think I need your help?" He tried to walk but fell. She laughed. "You can't walk. Your injured. Your not going anywhere. Besides... We've still got a while before the blizzard clears. And once your healed, you can go back to town, city boy." The extra fur on her head made it look like she had human bangs. She tossed her head to the left, knocking them from her eyes.

"I can- ugh- get home on my own." He said, growling. She growled back. "Listen, I wanna help. But how am I supposed to when you won't listen? You left town for a reason. Believe me. I have a feeling that you didn't wanna leave... Maybe someone beat you... you just came up with the short end of the stick." She rolled her eyes. He wasn't buying her kind act. "You... You wanna help me? Yeah, right." He laughed.

"I'm serious... No dog should have to die frozen to death. You at least need an honorable death." Una stepped forward, her claws digging into the ice. And then, she felt the air get thicker... "The storm's clearing up." She ran to the opening of the cave but slipped on the ice and landed face first in the snow. With a groan, Una clawed at the ice and pulled her head free. "I hate ice." She shook the snow from her face. "Smooth." Steele mocked.

"Shut up." She shook the rest of the snow off and looked around. "The pass is clearing..." She raised her head and a mighty howl came out of her. He stared as her back arched in a slanted line and she put her whole soul in the howl... But there was still no response. "Where are they?" She sat down and let her head drop.

"So, how are you gonna help me when your last yourself?" He grinned, hoping she would let him go. But no, it just pissed her off. She rose and approached him. Her eyes flashed a hint of red. He shrank under her stare. "Listen here, Pedigree... I could've left your worthless ass in the snow! You could've been dead by now... Who saved who's life?" She growled. "Hey, stop calling me that!" He said, standing up, ignoring the pain and growling... Her growl got louder and her teeth parted. Drool dripped from her teeth as if she was in the presence of prey.

He wasn't sure at that moment if she was trying get her point across, or he was gonna be another skin on this floor. He then lowered his head. He was, in fact, in the presence of a purebred wolf. Nothing mixed, but completely wolf. It scared him a little. "Exactly. You act tough... But inside, when the teeth come out, your a wimp." She turned around and smacked him in the face with her tail. "Now look, I don't wanna hurt you, but I will if you don't listen." She kicked the smoldering log across the ice. He looked down at her paws. Didn't that hurt?

"We're both lost. But we're not dead. Isn't that the important thing?" She said. "Wrong. The important thing is for me to get home." He growled. She sighed. "You'll never get home before the pass closes up with snow... Which should be... Tomorrow." She smirked. He growled. "So, you can listen to me and stay here where it's warm... Or you can get lost in a blizzard. Your choice." Several seconds passed. "Fine. I'll stay." He growled and put his head down. She smirked. "Good boy."

He growled at her and she rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Drop the attitude. You'll get yourself killed with it. And I don't mean by me." She put her head down on the ice and yawned. "Shut up." He snapped and then fell back asleep on the blanket.