Foreword
Much like the story that follows, this introduction will be brief. In the time between writing "Protecting Their Own" and the upcoming follow-up story, I decided to take a step sideways and work on a couple of smaller projects. This is one of those side projects, and it ties in with my second story "A Second Chance". The end of that story had Steele forced onto a new sled team, no longer the champion lead dog. Now, he runs under a wolfdog named Sonya, and while they agreed to a sort of truce, there is still going to be some tension between them, because Steele is not one to change easily. This story acts as a small peek in what has happened since, to see how they fare with each other on a typical day (hence the title).
I'd like to make a quick note to thank Silwer-Paw for beta reading this story. Even though it's a short one, I still want to ensure the quality of it. Oh, one more thing. I'd recommend that you read "A Second Chance" beforehand, just so you know the story behind the characters and why Steele is in this predicament in the first place. That's all I have to say, and I hope this tidbit tides you over until my next big story.
An Average Day
Two months - that was how long it had been since his life was turned around. For two months, she and he were forced to live and work together. For two months, they buried their past and put away what they thought of each other in the interest of keeping the peace. For two months, he lived and worked like an average sled dog, instead of living like a champion. 'Two months and counting… you'd better get used to it Steele. Your blaze of glory has burnt out,' the husky thought as he rolled over in his doze. Two months ago, Steele had been on top of the world as the lead dog of a championship team, having won the Trans-Alaskan Derby - four times in a row. He had friends, status and power; everything he wanted. 'Well, maybe not everything.' Despite his fame, there was one thing that always eluded him - the affection of a female husky named Jenna, whom he tried to court for a year and a half. At first he thought she was simply shy, or playing hard to get, but in the past two months, he realized that it was because she never liked him. She was interested in someone else…
"Balto… " he growled softly. Balto was the name of a stray wolfdog that he knew from his glory days in Nome. Wolves were one of the things that Steele despised, and he loved making the half-breed squirm. After all, he was a champ, while Balto was a chump. He wanted Balto to know his place in the order of things, and picking on him served as a little fun too. Everything was going so well right up to his last big run. He was picked to lead the team that would deliver medicine to children that had fallen ill in Nome, which would serve as a great follow up to his latest win in The Derby. Unfortunately, a severe storm blew in on the return journey, worse than anything he had ever gone through before, but he thought he could handle it if he kept on moving forward. That meant charging ahead into the storm – and right off the trail he was to follow, getting himself and his team lost in a mountain pass. Even when he started to question his direction, he pushed them forward and right off a cliff. They crashed onto a ledge below, and their musher was flung out of the sled and knocked unconscious.
To someone whom victory always came easily, this was a devastating blow. Never had Steele been so hopelessly lost, and for the first time in his life he didn't know what to do. Hours passed, but out of the blue, he appeared, but he was the last creature he wanted to see. Balto came to them and offered to lead the way home, but he wasn't about to let a mutt like him take his team. He attacked Balto, and on one of his lunges he caught the bandanna he was wearing and tried to pull Balto down. However, the knot came undone and Steele stumbled back, falling right off the ledge. He was bruised from slamming into rocks, but that was nothing compared to the blow he felt when he saw his own team let Balto take charge and run the race. He wasn't going to let any wolfdog take his glory, so he sabotaged the marks Balto left, adding false pathways. While the team got lost again, he followed the true path home with a compelling story already cooked up. He made it seem like the team had all died horribly and gained instant sympathy when he returned alone. To him, victory meant attention, so the reception he got on his return was his victory, even though the medicine had not been delivered. He was sure that he'd finally gotten rid of that pesky wolfdog, but then a sound that would haunt his dreams rang out in the night. It was a wolf's howl; none other than Balto's. His foe managed to find a way home, delivering the medicine and sealing Steele's fate as public enemy number one.
Once the town learned the truth, they turned on him. His friends, his fans, even Jenna were against him, siding with Balto. He suspected that Jenna had a soft spot for Balto, as she always told him off when he picked on him, but he never expected his closest friends to turn against him. He was sent away disgraced, with his trophy collar stripped off his neck. He wandered the wilderness for days before finally stumbling into White Mountain. He had lost everything, all because of one half-breed. "Balto… you took everything from me… you wolf…"
"You're doing it again Steele… some would see it as a little unhealthy," a nagging voice said, cutting through his half-sleeping state.
He groaned when he heard the voice. "Why do you care Sonya?" he grumbled.
"Even I sometimes ask myself that," she replied. "It's probably because you're on my team and I have to. C'mon, it's time to get up." Steele opened one eye and saw the one who had pulled him out of his doze. Sonya's grey and white coat made her look like any other sled dog on the block, but when he looked at her face, he had to stifle a growl. Her amber eyes were that of a wolf, and every time he saw them he was bitterly reminded of what had happened with Balto. He shut his eye and rolled away, but she persisted. "How could you have been Alaska's champion if you weren't a morning dog? Didn't you have to get up early to run your races?" she asked as she went over to rouse the other members of the team. They slept in a small barn that had been set aside by their owner for everyone except Sonya. She had the privilege of sleeping in the house with her owners because of her status as lead dog of the team. That was a privilege Steele had enjoyed with his owner as well, until the aftermath of the serum run. After failing to return, along with other mistakes that his owner interpreted as weakness on his part, Steele was sold to one of the men he knew in White Mountain. No longer was he lead dog of a champion team; now he was just another sled dog in the north.
While at first he hated the idea of being sold to someone else, he'd found some small sliver lining. Free from his duties as the lead dog of a champion team, he could sleep in on most days. Unfortunately, Sonya seemed intent on ruining his sleep-in today. "Could you give it a rest? I don't think we're going out today," he grumbled.
"Actually, we might be. Marcus is getting his cast off today," she replied. Marcus was the name of one of Sonya's owners. He may have been seventeen, but she still sometimes referred to him as 'her kid' due to her being adopted when Marcus was a younger boy. Steele's ears perked up at the mention of his cast, mostly because of his part in giving it to the young man. Shortly after he had been sold, Steele was sent to lead Marcus on his first solo trip to Koyuk and back. Looking back, that run seemed downright spooky because of how eerily similar it was to the incident with Balto. He got lost on the return trip and Marcus was injured in a crash, breaking his leg. However, the similarities would end soon after Sonya arrived. After a brief scuffle, they finally decided to put their differences aside simply to get Marcus home. Soon after, Sonya decided to cut a deal with him. To avoid her wrath earlier, Steele lied about the circumstance that brought him to White Mountain, but she found out his secret when his owner came to sell him to Jonathan. 'Gee, thanks a lot Kaltag you blabbermouth.' They agreed that she wouldn't kick him out of town for lying to her about what he did. In return, he would be a lot more civil towards her. That trip had been the climax of a long-running feud between them that had arisen for many of the same reasons that he had his confrontations with Balto. For years, he had thought himself to be above her, because like Balto, Sonya was half-wolf as well. He thought he'd never see her again after he moved from White Mountain to Nome, but fate had pushed them together again. Former enemies became teammates thanks to that deal.
"Don't be like this, I need everyone up. C'mon," she said, coming back to him and pulling on the scruff of his neck with her teeth. Steele didn't have to do much to resist, as his hefty bulk made him too heavy for her to pick up herself. Since their deal prevented him from being outright hostile towards her, he found other ways to get under her skin. Passive resistance had become his favored method over the past two months. He wasn't the top dog anymore, so he didn't have the luxury of power or friends to aid him in his pursuits. So, he resorted to more subtle civil disobedience and small pranks to cause trouble. She grunted in annoyance and he smiled lightly. He knew he was annoying her and that alone allowed him to enjoy the situation. After a few moments, he finally relented and stood up. He'd had his fun for the morning, but he coudln't push her too far or else he wouldn't be able to get away with it. "Ugh, the more I try to change things with you, the more you stay the same troublesome dog," she said.
"Oh, but I would never try to cause trouble for you Sonya," Steele said, putting on his best faux innocence voice. "See, I got up; I'm a good doggie."
Some of the teammates that observed this exchange started to snicker at this, but she quickly turned to them, muttering, "Don't encourage him, he thrives on it."
"That's right, I thrive on it. I may have lost my friends and status, but I'll never loose my spirit," he thought. "Alright, I'm up, but I don't see why I have to be. Marcus may be getting his cast off today, but what makes you so sure that he'll jump on a sled so quickly?" he asked.
"I'm sure because I know that he hates sitting idle. He started sledding when he was younger because he didn't want to sit idle. He went out with you on his own because he didn't want to sit idle and he won't stay idle the second he gets that cast off," she replied. "I just hope that this time nothing goes wrong."
"It won't, not with me on duty today," he boasted, holding his head high. "I'll get your kid to where he's going before you can even say goodbye."
"Correction, we'll get him there and back," she put in. "We're on the same team this time, and don't forget that I'm still the lead dog."
"What ever you say wol - I mean, Sonya," he replied, catching himself before he said the 'w' word that would get him in much trouble with her. As much as he didn't enjoy being under the command of a half-wolf, it was much better than being sent back out into the cold, and his resistance allowed him to make up for any distaste he had about the situation.
She may have gotten him to back off about her being part wolf, but she hadn't been able to do anything about his large ego. In many ways, he was still the same self-loving husky, but partial control was better than none. 'He may still be full of hot air and he's grown into more of a prankster, but at least I can get him to cooperate,' she thought as she left the barn with Steele following. By the time they reached the front porch of their owner's home, they saw a taller kid coming down the road along with his father and little sister.
"Marcus, are you sure you want to go out so quickly? Don't you think you should rest your leg a little more?" his father asked.
"I've been resting my leg for two months dad and it's a wonder I haven't gone stir crazy already," Marcus replied. "I'm going out; there are those who need me to do my job."
"I can cover your deliveries for you-"
"Please dad, I've never had any accidents going there and it isn't too far," Marcus said, before seeing Sonya waiting for him. "I think Sonya's getting anxious too. Sonya, come here girl," he called and she bolted towards him. He crouched down and let her come up to lick his face and nuzzle him. "Hey there girl, are you ready to go out for a run?" he asked as he rubbed her ears. She barked back, wagging her tail and he took that as a yes. His younger sister Maddie gave Sonya few pats before going over to Steele to give him a big hug – a hug that was a little too tight for the his liking. He whined in protest and tried to pull away from her.
"Maddie, let the poor dog go, I don't think he enjoys it," her father urged, and she let go, allowing him to come up and get an ear rub from Marcus. Despite the attention, Steele could tell that Marcus still favored Sonya, but at least he was a lot gentler with him.
"Don't look so grumpy about it; at least she likes you," Sonya said.
"Yeah, but she always squeezes too hard, just like all little kids. That's why I don't like them much," Steele grumbled.
"You don't like kids do you… well that certainly explains something about you," she replied.
"Just what do you mean by that?" he muttered, but she didn't reply. Steele was not the only one who could get under the other's skin.
"Are you sure there's no way I can talk you out of this?" Marcus's father asked.
"Positive. Besides, I'll have these two to look after me," he replied, holding the two dogs close to him.
Finally, his father let out a sigh and relented. "Fine, but it will be there and back, no other adventures. I don't want you to get hurt again."
"I know, and I'll be careful," Marcus said. "Besides, it's a perfect day for sledding."
"It may seem nice now, but it might not be that way when you get out on the trail," his father cautioned. "It's April now and it's starting to warm up. There isn't much left of this year's sledding season."
"All the more reason for me to get out while I still can," Marcus put in.
"I know, but you need to know that there's already snow that's starting to turn to slush, which will make traveling tougher. Also, the rivers are starting to thaw and nothing's more dangerous to a sled team than a rushing river filled with icy meltwater." his father continued.
"I know and I'll be fine. Remember, I've been learning from the best," Marcus replied.
"Well, I may not be the absolute best… just be careful when you're out there okay?" his father replied, and Marcus nodded. Jonathan may have tried his hand at sled-dog racing a few times, but he'd never managed to pull off a win. He hadn't tried in the past few years, mostly due to the disappearance of his favorite lead dog Amak three years ago. 'However, now I've got Steele on my side. With his speed and Sonya's wits, then maybe… just maybe…' he thought, his mind starting to drift towards fantasies of grandeur.
With that, Marcus went to get the sled together, finding the dogs already up and willing to go thanks to Sonya rousing them. Being able to walk around easily was wonderful for him, as he'd spent the last two months restricted with crutches to get around. He was a kid that grew up with sledding, watching his dad go off on trips all around the Alaskan bush, and always wanting to be in motion. He wanted to go out and explore on his own, be it for fun or for his work. During the past couple of years, Marcus earned some money by traveling to a nearby Inuit settlement to trade surplus meat for the local butcher. He'd developed a friendship with the Inuit there, and was itching to go out and see them again. Putting together Sonya, Steele, Jake, Bruno and Misha, he was soon ready to go.
"Alright, everyone's here and ready to go?" Sonya asked. She got answers like 'here' or 'ready' from everyone except…
"Oops, I'm not here," Steele said, even though he was directly behind Sonya. She looked back, and he only gave her a cheeky grin. Shaking her head, she ignored him and waited for Marcus to get on.
"Alright guys, hike!" he called out, and they went off, with Sonya leading the way out of town. As Jonathan had warned, there was extra resistance from the slush on the ground, but the team was able to compensate, each pulling an extra bit harder to get them moving. This was where Steele's raw power would come in handy.
'He may still have his attitude, but at least he's helpful during sled runs,' Sonya thought. 'And while he still enjoys pushing my buttons, at least he's toned it down to the point where it's not that bad. Besides, it's not like I can't prank him back too.'
The settlement that they were looking for was about a dozen miles away from town, meaning they could get there and back in the space of a few hours. Loaded in the sled were some blankets, trapping snares, and a few other odds and ends that Marcus would trade to the Inuit for the surplus meat they wished to give. The load wasn't heavy and they skimmed easily over the snow cover. However, as Marcus had said earlier, it wouldn't be that way for much longer. There had already been a few days where the temperature poked a degree or two above freezing, turning the top-most layer of snow into slush. The slush hampered their progress a little, but not enough to cause a major problem as there was much more snow underneath. Overall, it was a very good day for sledding, and all involved were thoroughly enjoying it.
"Isn't this great? And to think that you wanted to sleep in Steele," Sonya said.
"Yeah, but I probably wouldn't have missed much anyways. This is going to be a short delivery," he replied. "Just another day at the office."
"That 'office' happens to be some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world," she put in. "Take a look around you, what do you see?"
"Snow, trees… snow on trees," he said flatly.
"Aw c'mon Steele, why the grumpy mood?" Jake asked.
"I don't know… I guess it's just not as exciting without another team to race," Steele replied. "It doesn't have the thrill I'm used to, the competition."
"Well if you're bored, then why don't we sing a song?" Jake suggested. "I know a good one, it's-"
"Ugh, not 'The song that never ends again'," Sonya cried. "I'm getting really sick of it."
"Oh really?" Steele said mischievously. "I'm sorry you feel that way, because I really like it. Her-hem… This is the song that never ends… it just goes on and on my friend…" The rest of the team barked out laughing while Sonya gritted her teeth and tried to filter out hiss singing. It was bad enough that he was singing a song she'd grown sick of… but he was doing it terribly off key as well. She returned her focus on the road ahead, trying to use it to distract her from Steele's voice. She'd remembered Jonathan warning of thawing rivers, and tried to listen for anything off, an effort that was hampered somewhat by Steele's song. "-Singing it forever just because, this is the song that never ends-"
"Woah, everyone stop!" she barked, coming to a dead stop near a riverbed, while those behind her tripped over each other due to the sudden halt. Fortunately, they stopped before they hit what she had heard, and it ended Steele's stupid song.
"Hey, what's the hold up?" Jake asked.
"Guys, listen," she said, and they stayed silent for a moment until they could all hear the distinct sound of running water coming from the riverbed in front of them. "You hear that? Luckily I heard it while the rest of you were having your little sing-along."
"Oh I heard it too, I heard it first," Steele said quickly.
"Really? If you did, then why didn't you say anything?" Sonya asked skeptically.
"Because you said that you're the lead dog today. I didn't want you to get snippy with me again," Steele replied, using her earlier words against him. Sonya grumbled for what must have been the tenth time today as Marcus got off the sled to see what caused his dogs to stop.
"What is it girl?" he asked, and she whined while looking at the ice and trying to back away to communicate what the problem was. He looked at the ice, and could faintly hear the running water as well. He knew that dogs were trained to stop if they found something hazardous, and knew he would have to be careful. To test it, he slowly eased himself onto the ice, but it creaked and cracked under his weight. Stepping back onto solid ground, he looked for a way over it. The span was no more than ten feet across and probably only a couple of feet deep, but if they broke through, the icy water would cling to them. Nothing is more dangerous than being wet in wintertime.
"If the ice can't hold him for long, then it definitely won't be able to hold the entire sled if we tried to cross," Sonya said. "If only we had some sort of bridge."
"Or maybe we should take a head start and try to get over quickly?" Steele suggested. "We might get across before the ice has a chance to break."
"I don't know; the movement from hitting it at full speed might make it break quicker," she replied. "It's a shame though, as the ice still has most of its thickness."
"Yeah, it could probably hold one of us no problem. We're lighter than humans," Steele said, and at that, Sonya started to smile at him. "What, what is it?" he said.
"It might not hold Marcus, but it you might be right about it holding one of us," Sonya said. "If the sled can't cross as a whole, then why not just take it apart and sent it over bit by bit? And you can be the one to test it."
"Me? Why me?" he asked.
"You're the one that said that it could hold one of us with no problem, and I know how much you love to be the one who saves the day," she replied slyly. "I'd hate to take credit for your idea and have you get… snippy as well."
Steele frowned. "You're just doing this to get back at me," he said.
"Maybe a little… that song really is annoying you know," she replied. "We do need a way to test it and you're the best to do it. You're the heaviest of us, so if it can hold you, it can hold any of us."
"So now you're making fun of my weight, eh?" Steele said sarcastically, but she simply nipped at him to get him moving. He wiggled his way out of the harness and before Marcus could grab him to stop him, he dashed towards the ice. There were a few creaks when he stepped on it, but it held. Marcus tried calling him back, but Steele persisted, reaching the opposite side safely. He turned around and barked back, while the rest of the team pulled at their harnesses and barked as well. It took a moment, but Marcus finally started to understand what was happening.
'I guess the dogs are smarter than I thought,' he thought as he caught on and started to release the dogs. They each trotted across the ice, joining Steele on the opposite bank. Soon all that was left was the sled with empty harnesses and Marcus. He started to walk the sled across, but the second it was on the ice, it started to give way. The front broke through before he yanked it back. 'It's still too heavy; the ice can't handle anything heavier than the dogs. Each one went across with no problem… so maybe the separate parts will too,' he thought. Looking back at the river, he knew that the distance was short - short enough for him to throw something and have it clear the ice.
Taking the supplies out of the cargo bed, he grabbed the snares and traps first and tossed them over the river. The dogs got out of the way as the metal traps landed in the snow with a soft thud. The other odds and ends were wrapped in the blankets to protect them before being tossed over as well. The sled harness was coiled up before joining the dogs on the other side, and the now empty sled was light enough that Marcus could slide it across easily. That solved the problem for the dogs and the supplies, but he still needed a way across for himself, and there wasn't any way to make himself lighter. 'There's no other way to get across… except making a run for it,' he thought. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he hopped onto the ice, moving his feet quickly to avoid breaking through. He could hear the ice crack and pop under his feet, but he needed only a few steps to get across before making a final jump to the opposite shore. He tripped on the landing, but he landed safely on the snow. The team came over to check on him, but he quickly got up and brushed himself off. "Well, I guess it wouldn't be a good sled run without some excitement. It'd be too easy, wouldn't it?" he said out loud. It took a few minutes to get the sled put together, and it wasn't long before the team was back on the road.
About half an hour later, Sonya could smell the smoke from a campfire, along with the scent of people and dogs. Altering their course slightly, she took them towards a small hill. Once it was cleared, she could see their destination. Down the hill was a group of circular, low-lying huts with some campfires nearby. There were a few people in thick coats walking around, along with several dogs, some hooked up to sleds of their own. The team went down the hill, and Sonya howled out, catching the attention of everyone there. They turned, and when they saw who was coming, they walked over to greet them.
Marcus had been trading with this group of Inuit for a couple of years now, so he and his dogs were familiar faces to them. As they approached, an older woman came out of one of the huts, alerted by the cries of her friends and family. Marcus and his team stopped right in front of her, and she smiled when she saw him. "Marcus, it's been a while; I thought you'd fallen off the earth itself."
"Nope, just off a cliff," he replied. "It's nice to see you too Nuti." Nuti was one of the few Inuit present that knew how to speak English, so she was often the one who would meet with Marcus for trading and bartering. The others in her group trusted her judgment, and that trust had been rewarded as neither Marcus nor Nuti had led them astray yet. "I'm sorry for not being able to come out, but I broke my leg after a wrong turn on a trip and had to wait two months for it to heal."
"Ah, well I'm glad to hear that you're safe and well," she replied. "Your Sonya is the only one that howls the way she does when she comes, and I've missed hearing it."
"Ah, she's always been a one of a kind dog; that's why I love having her so much. Isn't that right girl?" he said, rubbing her ears and she barked happily in reply. It wasn't long before the rest of the Inuit came to say hello as well. Each of them came up to greet him, with some shaking his hand or pulling him into a quick hug. They spoke kind words to him, but many of them were speaking Inupiaq, the language of the Alaskan Inuit. Marcus could only understand a few words himself, but it was enough to know they were happy to see him safe and healthy.
As Marcus said his hellos, Nuti came over to Sonya to pet her. "He's right, you are one of a kind, but it's not for the reason he thinks," she said to her. "It's too bad that he can't see what I do, as I can see who you really are. I can see the wolf in you, and how it has given you both great strength… and great sorrow." Sonya knew that Nuti had a deep understanding of the wild, but it still surprised her that she could glean so much about her just by looking at her, especially how her wolf side had brought her hard times. She wondered why Nuti had never told Marcus about what she knew, only hinting at it, but in a way, she was grateful for it. Her owners have never figured out that she was part wolf, but she wasn't sure how they would react if they knew. "Ah, I see you have a new friend," Nuti said, shifting her attention to Steele. He immediately struck a very playful pose, wagging his tail and jumping around. However, he was still tied, so his actions pulled on his teammates as well, causing them much annoyance. Finally, Nuti rubbed his ears and gave him the attention he so desired. "Oh you're an excitable one; you must be a handful for Sonya and your friends."
'You have no idea,' Sonya thought, before Marcus managed to break off from the group to return to the sled.
"Well, now that we've gotten our greetings out of the way, I suppose it's time to get down to business," Nuti said. "We've got some caribou meat, along with some fish and even some from a polar bear. I can show you and we can settle on what will be traded for what."
"Sounds good. It's okay if I just let the dogs roam around right?" Marcus replied.
"Of course, they'll have good company as always," she said, and he let each of the dogs free before leaving with Nuti to collect the meat he would take back to town. Once they were free, Sonya dashed off with her team following. Steele wasn't sure where they were going, so he lagged back for a moment before following as well.
Soon, Sonya found who she was looking for in a small group of dogs. "Kavik! Head's up!" she called out before play-tackling one of the dogs. The dog she jumped on knew who it was and didn't feel the need to get up.
"Sonya… Oh I almost started to miss you jumping on me," Kavik said, before being greeted by the rest of the team. Being closer allowed Steele to see that the dogs the Inuit used greatly resembled huskies, but their fur was longer and puffed out more, making them resemble malamutes more. "It's been a while, where have you been?" he asked.
"It's a bit of a story, and it starts with our new guy back there," she replied, motioning towards Steele. "Kavik, Steele is a new addition to the team."
"Steele… you don't mean the same Steele that-"
"Yes, it is, but I've gotten him to be a little more cooperative," she replied, while Kavik gave Steele a suspicious stare. It was obvious that Sonya had already told him about him, and it was probably her own version, making him look as bad as possible.
"Really… how did you manage that?" he asked.
"Well, it started when he stumbled into town after… getting lost on a run," she explained, and Steele breathed a sigh of relief. So far, she was the only one on the team who knew the full story of how he turned against his former team, and she promised to keep his secret if he was a little more civil towards her. Sonya told the story of how he had been sold to her owner, along with the fiasco that was Steele's first run with Marcus, finishing with the deal that they cut. "So I finally got Sir Lancelot here to co-operate, and things have been going well for the most part… in spite of his antics," she finished, her annoyance showing in her voice.
"Well, that's definitely a story to keep for the years," Kavik said. "At least you two aren't at each others throats all the time."
"Oh, there were a few close moments," she replied.
'That's putting it lightly,' Steele thought as the group began to move off. He followed them out of the camp and into the woods. "Hey, where are we going?" he asked.
"Off to play a game, want to join?" Kavik asked.
"It depends on the game," Steele replied.
"I think you'll love this one… it involves lots of running and not much else," Sonya continued. "It's good for someone with such a one-track mind." Steele gave a low, sharp growl on being insulted again. Despite what she said, he thought he was smart enough to not deserve cheap shots like that. "It's simple: Kavik and I give you a head start to let you run away. After that, we try to find you and chase you down. You lose if we catch you, and win if you haven't been caught by the time Marcus calls us."
"It's fun and it keeps your body sharp for a real hunt," Kavik put in. "At least, that's how it is for us. I don't know how often you have to do something like that."
"So, we're playing a hunting game eh?" Steele chuckled and turned to her. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised… someone like you would really like something like that," he said snidely.
"Just what do you mean by that?" she asked sharply.
"Nothing, nothing…" Steele said innocently, while Sonya shot him another nasty look.
Kavik could see the tension building, but also saw an opportunity to diffuse it. "Actually, why don't we let the new guy stick with me to give him a chance," he suggested.
She looked at him and then back at Steele, before replying, "Alright; either way it'll get him away from me for a bit." She trotted off into the woods with her team and a few other Inuit dogs following, leaving Steele and Kavik alone.
"I see you're still an interesting character," Kavik said flatly. "The way Sonya told it, it sounded like you had actually changed for the better, but I can see that there are some habits of yours that still stick."
"Oh, but I have changed. I was visited by three ghosts in the night and they taught me error of my ways… and the true meaning of Christmas," Steele replied sarcastically. "You don't know me well enough to know anything. However, you and Sonya seem to get along fine. How do you two know each other anyways?"
"We met a couple of years ago when Marcus started coming out to trade here," Kavik replied. "It was her first season as lead dog… after what happened to her friend." Steele knew this part of the story well. He used to know a dog named Amak who had taken Sonya under his wing. She looked up to him, but he had gone off and found a she-wolf to cozy up with. In Steele's eyes, that was a despicable act, and he had him banished, not wanting to deal with any more wolves in the town. Sonya had been devastated after that, and it was part of the reason she hated him so much before their current deal. "She seemed a little unsure of being in that position, so I talked with her and got to know her better. She opened up, and I helped her out. She never thought that she'd be good enough for it, so I encouraged her, and listened to her. I helped her out of that rough time and we've been friends ever since," he explained. "You two however seem to be just passing with restrained hostility."
"Eh, I'm fine with that. As long as I don't go too far and follow her directions on the team I'm fine," Steele replied. "She may have helped me out, but that doesn't mean I'm going to instantly roll over and be all buddy-buddy with her."
"What's wrong with being friends with your own lead dog?" Kavik asked.
"She may be the lead dog and she may have the team wrapped around her little toe, but she's still a… wolf," Steele replied, growling the last word out. "Yes, she did help me out there, but that doesn't mean I instantly like all wolves."
"No, of course not. It's obvious that you don't," Kavik said. "But why? Why haven't you liked wolves almost all your life?"
"Why? Why not?" Steele replied. "It's because they're there in the first place. They're nothing but vicious predators that attack innocent dogs. If you aren't careful, then wham! They get you and you're dead. You have to hit 'em and beat 'em before they get you."
"Hm, interesting. You think that you have to be the one who has to beat them… you have to be the one to win," Kavik said.
"Yeah, who knows what they'll do to me if I don't," Steele replied.
"Of course you wouldn't know, you don't know what's going on in their heads," Kavik continued. "As great as you are, you can't read minds. You don't know if they want to bite you, or if they just want a closer look."
"Believe me, of the wolves I've met, they've all wanted to take a chunk out of me at one point," Steele replied. "Scratch that, they were just half-wolves, but they had enough wolf in them. That's the thing when you get something that's half and half; you don't what it could be. It could go one way of the other."
"A tame dog or a wild wolf," Kavik put in.
"Yeah, I don't know what they're going to be, but I can't take the chance, or they'll just take advantage of me," Steele said.
"In other words, you don't trust them," Kavik said.
"Not at all and I don't think I ever will," Steele replied. "End of story."
"Alright, if that's the way you want it," Kavik said. Steele thought they were just talking, but he didn't know that Kavik was using this to get a peek into his psyche. Already he learned that Steele was fiercely competitive, along with being reluctant to trust others. This also fit with the story of the incident with Amak that he'd heard earlier. He would turn against anyone who he saw as a traitor to ensure his dominance in the situation. The reason for choosing wolves as the scapegoat was still unclear, but it could have been for the same reason that he had explained. They were there, and they could be used as an easy punching bag. "Though, I'm still curious as to why you're so reluctant to trust in the first place. One would think you wouldn't have that problem with your popularity," Kavik added, hoping to go deeper.
"I have my reasons, and they're none of your concern," Steele grumbled. 'Although, I wasn't always this popular… No, that was a different time! That's behind you, so leave it alone. Don't let this guy drag it back up. I became something big and I didn't let anyone get in my way.' Just as he didn't trust wolves, Steele had little trust for Kavik. In part, it was because he was a stranger, and in part because he was with Sonya. He saw him on her side, never able to be on his. "Wait a minute, I thought we were playing this game of yours, but we've just chatted here, wasting my time."
"Well, we can still play for a little bit," Kavik suggested.
"No thanks… you'd probably just talk my ear off," Steele replied, not wanting Kavik to know anything more about him. He walked away and Kavik let him go, knowing that it was best not to push it. If Steele had the trust issues he thought he did, then he would have to earn the husky's trust in order to make any progress.
"So, did you get anything out of him?" a voice asked, and he looked over to see Sonya peeking over a nearby bush.
"Sort of; I figure that something happened with him, but it'll take a while to get it out of him," he replied. "I'll try again at a later visit, but until then… you're still being chased in our game," he said slyly, and she realized her mistake in time to dodge his lunge towards her. Bolting away, she could hear him cry, "I'm gonna get you Sonya! The wolf is gonna get you! Nom, nom, nom!" She laughed as she managed to stay ahead; Steele may have dampened some of the time with her team, but there was always the fun she would have with Kavik and his crew. That more than made up for it… just as it did when she first met them. Kavik listened to her, and just as he did with Steele, he had figured out what made her tick. He realized that all she wanted was to be given a fair chance to be trusted, something that her team held back on doing for years. He instantly gave a chance to have fun with him and his friends, and that was all she needed to feel secure.
After a few minutes, Steele found himself back at the sled, wanting to push the thoughts that Kavik had dredged up away. Never before had someone so quickly found out what was going on in his head; he usually kept those things locked up to maintain his heroic image. To focus on something else, he watched as Marcus, Nuti, and another Inuit girl loaded the meat onto the sled to be taken back to White Mountain. "There, that's the last of it," he said. "It's been fun seeing you again."
"Yes, it has. You take care on the way home, okay?" Nuti replied.
"Yes… be careful… to home," the younger girl said. She seemed a little unsure of her words, which was probably due to English not being her first language.
"Thank you… though I'm not sure I know your name," he said.
"She's my granddaughter Sakari," Nuti answered. "I've been teaching her English because… well… I'm getting old and my time will be up at some point."
"Oh, but you're not that old," Marcus teased. "I'm sure you still have several years to kick around."
"Maybe… but it's still knowledge that I should pass down to someone while I still can," the elder replied.
"I learn… words… speak… to Marcus," Sakari said, pausing every now and then to find the right words.
"Well you're in good hands, because Nuti is a great teacher and you seem like a very smart girl," Marcus said to her. Much like how Marcus could pick out a few of the Inuit's words when they talked, Sakari was able to pick out the words she knew and get the general point of what he was saying. "However, I am curious why I haven't seen much of you in the time I've been coming here," he mused.
Sakari looked from side to side and shuffled her feet uncomfortably, so Nuti decided to step in. "She did want to meet you, but she has a bit a shy side."
"Oh, but I don't bite," Marcus teased, and Sakari looked at him quizzically. Nuti translated for her, and it was then that she got his joke and smiled in return. Nuti said something else, as if urging her, before the younger girl reached into her pocket.
"I have… give something… for you," Sakari said as she pulled out a wood carving with a looped string attached from her pocket and offered it to him.
"What's this?" he asked, taking the item and holding it by the string in front of his face.
"It's a carving of a raven," Nuti explained. "Ravens are said to act as guides and show you the path to where you belong in this world. It could come in handy… we wouldn't want you to get lost on us again," she finished jokingly.
Noticing that Steele was waiting at his feet, Marcus turned to him and said, "Hear that boy? With this, we won't get lost and break anything," he said, holding it above Steele's nose. However Steele just titled his head in confusion. He wasn't a big believer in ghost stories, so the idea that a little piece of wood would help like that seemed strange to him.
Placing the rope over his head, Marcus looked at the necklace once more. Carved into the wood was the unmistakable shape of a bird, and he could see the fine detailing in the feathers. "Wow, this is really well done. There's a lot of detail in it too. I like it… I like it a lot. Thank you," he said smiling. Sakari may not have been able to understand all of his compliments, but smiles were universal, and she could tell that he appreciated it. "Well, if that's it, then I should be off. You two take care, and I'll see you soon again," he said, before whistling for the dogs. One by one the team came bounding towards him, and he hooked them up and pointed them towards home.
Sonya was in front, and Steele waited until she and Kavik were finished saying their goodbyes before putting in his two cents about him. "So, is your boyfriend some sort of shrink, because he sure seems to enjoy getting into dog's heads," he asked.
"Kavik is not my boyfriend!" she replied sharply. "As for him being a shrink, I wouldn't go that far. He's good at reading others, but he's no doctor. He's really a great guy when you get to know him. He's someone you can… trust," she finished, putting an emphasis on the last word that made Steele a little uncomfortable.
'Great, so she knows what the chief of shrinks knows as well,' he thought as the order for them to run was given. He dashed through the woods, pulling their cargo home. While this would be another thing that she might bother him about, he started to think of another thing to bug her with in return. 'Hm, she sure seemed defensive when I referred to him as her boyfriend. Hehe, true or not, I'm still going to have some fun with this.'
Sonya, Marcus, Jonathan, Maddie, Jake, Bruno, Misha, Nuti, Sakari and Kavik all belong to iWolf 231 and may not be used in any way without my direct permission.
Steele and Balto belong to Universal Studios and Amblimation.