Early winter 1928, 3 months before Balto 3: Wings of Change...
The brutal winter weather in the US territory of Alaska was in full effect, as a fierce blizzard surrounded the landscape. A female red husky with a white underbelly found herself in a dangerous situation: she was caught in the middle of it all. Jenna, as this female husky is named, could barely see anything in front of her. All she could see was an almost blinding rage of snow all around her. She could barely see the trees either.
"Balto?... Balto?... Balto!" Jenna desperately yelled the name of her companion, her mate she loved and cared for dearly. Unfortunately for her, he was not in sight.
Jenna felt the freezing temperature slowly numbing her body. Fear for her life, as well as Balto's fate overwhelmed her. Jenna then fought against the blizzard with all her might, determined to reach safety before the blizzard would claim her.
Not too long later, in a remote town called Nome, a pair of red huskies were at the edge of town. All of a sudden, they heard something... or someone... fall to the snow-covered ground nearby. They turned and as they spotted the cause of the disturbance, their eyes widened, and their jaws dropped in shock.
"Mom?!" one of the huskies yelled in disbelief.
"Yukon! Dingo!" Jenna yelled in relief.
Yukon and Dingo both rushed to their mother's aid.
"Mom, are you alright?" the husky named Yukon asked.
"Boys, thank goodness you're both here." Jenna said as she nuzzled her sons.
"It's alright mom, you're back in Nome." Dingo added. Dingo glanced around behind Jenna, and looked at her in confusion. "Mom, where's dad? Weren't you with him earlier?"
Jenna looked down at the ground and sighed in sadness, and her son's glanced at each other in confusion and worry. Jenna then looked up at her son's with dread. "Yes Dingo. I was with your father earlier... He's still out there."
"What?" Dingo softly exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yes Dingo. I'm afraid your father is still out their in the blizzard." Jenna replied regretfully. "I tried to look for him, but we were somehow separated. Believe me, it's good that I found my way back home, but I would rather be out there, continuing to look for Balto."
Dingo froze in his place, overwhelmed with shock over the thought of the dangers his dad is still in. However, he was quickly snapped back into reality.
"Dingo! We have to get mom to shelter before this blizzard freezes us to death!" Yukon exclaimed. He followed by helping Jenna to her feet, allowing her to place one leg around him.
"Mom, Yukon and I will take you to your home" Dingo said.
"Dingo, I-I-I'm afraid there's no time!" Yukon cut in. "My home is closer." Yukon turned his head to face Jenna.
"Mom, how about we head to my house? After this weather clears, I'll bring you to your house. To Rosie."
Jenna started to shiver. "Th-th-thatttttsssss f-f-fine... Yukon." Jenna licked Yukon's cheek. Dingo approached the two to help, but was stopped.
"No, Dingo."
"Mom?"
"You go on ahead, Dingo. You seek shelter first. Quickly! Yukon will help me to his home. Dana is surely worried sick over you."
"Are you sure?" Dingo asked. Yukon then silently motioned to Dingo to go ahead. Dingo complied, and ran towards the direction of his home, as Yukon and Jenna sought shelter.
As they reached Yukon's home, the blizzard started to affect Yukon as well, but he gathered all his strength to resist the cold, and to continue aiding his mother at his side. they were almost there. As they approached the door, Yukon saw that two dog huskies: one silver, one grey, both having black markings covering half of their faces, were at the door. They ran over to Yukon and Jenna's aid.
"Yukon!" The female silver husky cried out
"Y-y-y-y-yin-n-n. Y-y-y-yang." Yukon said, starting to shiver as well. Yin went to Yukon's side, as Yang went to Jenna's, and the four huskies entered the warm house.
Yukon dropped to the floor, shivering deeply.
"Yukon I was so worried for you." Yin said as she settled next to her friend and leaned against Yukon's side, her cheek rubbing slightly against Yukon's. Yukon blushed in embarrassment, but smiled, and leaned back against her. She proceeded to lie down on top of Yukon, warming him up with the heat from her body.
Jenna looked across from her. Seeing this reminded her how she once warmed Balto up after he nearly drowned and froze to death during an encounter with a wild black grizzly bear. That was about 3 years ago.
Jenna shifted her head to see Yang place a blanket over her and pressed against her side. "Here Jenna. I hope this will help warm you up."
"Thank you, Yang. That's so kind and thoughtful of you" Jenna commented in appreciation.
"It's no trouble." Yang replied. The four huskies remained silent as the blizzard howled outside. After a while, Yukon and Jenna recovered from the cold weather. Yin got up and snuggled warmly against Yukon's side.
"Thanks, Yin." Yukon spoke.
"You're welcome, Yukon." Yin replied, smiling warmly at him. Yukon smiled back at his friend. Jenna then approached her son and deeply nuzzled his face. "Thank you for your help, my son." Jenna said lovingly with her soft, soothing, motherly voice.
"No problem, mom." Yukon replied. "I hope Dingo made it back to his house safely."
"I hope so too." Jenna softly replied. The four huskies sat up.
"Mom, what happened to dad? How were you two separated?" Yukon asked, worried for his father.
"What do you mean, Yukon?" Yin asked, caught off guard by this revelation. Yin and Yang exchanged glances, and turned their attention back to back to Yukon and Jenna.
Jenna took a deep breath. This is going to be hard to tell him. Jenna thought. "As you and Dingo know, your father and I were together earlier. We were having a date with just each other. We walked around town first, and then we decided to walk around the woods outside of town. That's when the blizzard started sometime later..." Yukon's face fell with apprehension as Jenna told her story. Yin glanced at Yukon with pity, and laid her head down on his shoulder to comfort him.
Miles away from Nome, a lone grey wolfdog was struggling for his life. His face blinded by the high winds and the snow falling rapidly around him. As he struggled to traverse his surroundings, he kept on falling to the ground.
"Where... am... I?" He spoke, with no reply but the howling of the wind.
"Jenna? "Jenna... Where... are... you?" The wolfdog's name? Balto.
Balto continued to battle the blizzard, not knowing where he was, what direction he was going, or how far he was from home.
"Gotta... find... shelter..."
"I can't believe this!" Yukon exclaimed. His head hanged towards the floor for a moment, then picked his head back up. "I can't believe this." We got to find Dad!"
Jenna gently but firmly placed her paw on her son's paw before he could get up and leave.
"Yukon, its too dangerous out there!" Jenna reprimanded her son. "Like I said," Jenna spoke gently this time, "I would rather be looking for your father right now, but it's too dangerous out there in that blizzard. If we go out there, we could get lost ourselves... and possibly freeze to death as well."
"But if we don't look for dad, he could freeze to death out there, and we won't know it!" Yukon countered.
"Listen, Yukon," Jenna replied, "It's too risky out there."
"But-"
"As you also said earlier, you'll take me back to my owners after the storm clears."
Yukon opened his muzzle to protest, but was cut off.
"You're mom's right, Yukon." Yin agreed. "I hope your dad will be alright, but if you, or all of us, go out there, we might end up like Balto."
Yukon glanced at Yin, but did not reply. He sighed, acknowledging her wisdom, and turned back to his mother. "We have to at least tell Kodi and the rest of the family."
"We can't do that either right now." Jenna added. Jenna walked up to Yukon, and looked him deep in the eye. "I'm sorry, Yukon. There's nothing we can do. We can only hope that Balto will be alright."
Yukon glanced down at the floor, closing his eyes, and nodding. He felt defeated, helpless, but he knew that Jenna was right. Yang walked over to Yin's side. "Hey," Yang called for Yukon's attention, "I, uh, promise, Yukon, that..." Yang looked down, trying to gather his thoughts. "That we'll look for your father when the time is right. Heck, I volunteer to help you and your mom find your father."
"I'll help as well." Yin joined in.
Yin and her brother offering their assistance brought some reassurance and hope to Yukon, but he still felt dread over his father's fate. He glanced at his mother, and Jenna remained silent, as there was nothing else to say to console her son. She took a couple of steps to Yukon, and they slowly embraced in a hug-like manner, wrapping their paws around each other and holding each other close. Yukon felt like he wanted to cry, as tears were starting to form in his eyes. He held back the tears as hard as he could. Yang and his sister glanced at each other, worried over their shared friend. Yin then gently rubbed her paw across Yukon's back to comfort him.
Unknown to the group, a mysterious female wolf with pure white fur watched them from outside a nearby window. She was silent, wearing a calm, yet determined look on her face. Do not falter, young Yukon and Jenna. The female wolf thought. Your father will be alright, Yukon. Your mate will be alright, Jenna. He will return home safely. I will personally see to that. The white wolf turned to the direction of the wilderness beyond, and faded in the wind. Through the wind, she traveled towards the one who they worry for. Her young wolfdog son.
Balto collapsed on to the snow, fatigued, and feeling that he may pass out at any moment. It did not help that the brutal winter weather was starting to get to him either. No, it can't end like this! Not while I have a family back home! Oh Jenna, I hope you made it back home alright. As Balto panted and scanned his surroundings, he barely spotted a cave in the distance. Yes, shelter! Just... gotta... get up. Get up! Summoning all his strength, Balto slowly rose to his paws and fought against the blizzard to reach the cave.
Almost there, Balto. Just... a little... little... farther.Balto collapsed to the ground another time, but caught himself halfway. He finally reached the cave, and collapsed one last time near the back of the cave. He turned to look back towards the entrance, staring at the raging blizzard outside. He shivered greatly, shivering as if he never did before in his life.
F-finally... shelter...Balto felt himself slowly lose consciousness, overpowered by fatigue and the freezing temperatures after hours trapped inside the blizzard. Hours that he did know how much passed. By this time, day had already gave way to night. Before he knew it, Balto finally passed out.
Almost instantly, the white wolf willed herself visible to the world. She silently walked over to Balto. She leaned down closer to him, and gently placed her paw on his head. Then she shifted her paw down under his muzzle, slightly lifting his head, checking his vital signs. Satisfied that the freezing weather will not claim her son's life, she removed her paw, laid down in front of him, and leaned forward to whisper in her son's ear.
"Rest, my son. I promise you, you will return home safely to your family. The journey back home will not be easy, nor will it happen immediately, It will be difficult, but you will not walk alone."
The white wolf got up and disappeared into the wind as she exited the cave.
I love you, Balto. I will always be with you, my son, continuing to watch over you... as well as your family, as I have done before.