Disclaimer: I own no Balto characters they are the owned by universal studios and amblimation.
-Zodiac a grey husky. Father of Balto.
The rain had just stopped and dissipated into a drizzle. The cruel evening breeze blew through the forest sending inexplicable chills to anything lingering down below. The wolves huddled together to keep their small litter of pups warm. The looks on their faces are priceless as they basked in the warmth and security of their pack.
The crunching sound of snow unnerved the mothers. Their ears perked up in worry. "Who goes there?" Called out a feminine voice from the pack.
"Easy now," A voice replied from the shadows. "I mean no harm." He replied with ease just meters away in the shadows.
"You're late," The she wolf sighed in desperation mixed with a hint of relief. She nuzzled his neck gently showing signs of affection. In seconds he returned the gesture. "Miss me much?" He questioned. In seconds she let out a small whine.
Small footsteps treaded from behind. Her white ears perked up in anticipation.
"Rawr," Called out a pup less than two months old. He pounced at her snow white tail. He nibbled on her tail with a smile upon his face. "how'd I do mama?"
"Very good Balto," The she-wolf spoke with enthusiasm. "Just try to be as silent as possible you don't want to alert your prey of your presence."
In seconds she turned her attention to the grey husky. "Son go play with your brothers." She called out in a huff. Instantly the young pup did as he was told.
He lowered his head knowing something was wrong in his mother's demeanor. In seconds he forgot about the dilemma once he had reached his fellow pups.
The grey husky flattened his ears knowing of what's to come. She paced herself around the husky. "Are you trying to get our sons killed?" She whispered almost inaudible.
"Hey he's just like any other husky." Replied the husky with a glimmer of hope radiant in his eyes.
The white she-wolf shook her head in defiance. "Zodiac," She started uneasy, "you know what he is." she trailed off uneasy as she turned to look back at her pup playing with the others.
"I know," Continued the husky, "I just want him to understand that humans are no threat."
The white wolf gasped taken aback. "They hunt us for a living Zac." The white wolf countered with tears in her eyes. "My kind hunts for a living yet humans like your owner hunt us down by the dozens like beasts."
He growled at the idea of his owner being called a merciless killer. "He hunts prey not predators Aniu." Zodiac trailed off in annoyance. "He saved me years ago half way across the world. I've seen what he does and a killer of wolves is what he is not."
"How long will it be before you believe that lie?" She retorted baring her teeth in a stance ready to pounce.
She locked eyes with him her blue ones intimidating his amber colored ones. His skin grew hot.
She furrowed a brow as she heard panting off in the distance. She narrowed her eyes at Zodiac. She sniffed the air only to smell what she was dreading. Humans! She thought.
She let off a vicious howl like no other. Zodiac never heard of this one before. Though he never understood howls this once emitted primal fear deep into his senses.
"Zodiac!" Shouted a deep english like voice. "Hunters are just over the slope." Barked an old Saint Bernard.
Barking can be heard off in the distance.
"You've lead them right to us!" Shouted a wolf from the pack. She picked up two pups by the scruff of their necks. "Hurry Aniu leave him be." She said in a hurry and she scurried off into the darkness.
Without warning the husky was pinned down by a rather large wolf. "What did you do?" He snarled with death in his eyes. "I told you to stay away you domesticated traitor." He yelped in pain followed by a gunshot.
In a blink of an eye he collapsed to the floor. The way his yellow eyes pleaded for help is utter torture. "Finish it." His slurred voice pleaded to his sister.
His crystal yellow eyes began to drown in a whirlpool of darkness. She lowered herself into a protective curl into the deceased. He turned to look at her in sorrow. "He's gone," He whispered, "we gotta get out of here."
The rapid sounds of footsteps echoed from behind. He made a mad dash towards the lone pup lost in the confusion.
"Come on Balto," He cried out, "I got you son." He said in a comforting tone as he nipped the back of his neck.
The alarming voice of Zodiac broke her from her trance. "Run you fool!" Called out the old Saint Bernard.
Without hesitation she made a mad dash toward the treeline where he and the others took.
"Don't look back." Zodiac called out as the pup closed his eyes in fear. Defying his own order he peered over his shoulder seeing a muzzle flash.
He pushed the mighty she wolf to the side hearing the gun go off. The splashes of approaching footsteps followed suit in a rhythm. His vision became blurred. Aniu got the sudden urge to look back but she denied it. Feeling his glare she felt uneasy. A sudden warm fuzzy feeling embraced her insides. Whatever you do, don't look back Aniu. Thought Zodiac as he neared a river.
"Take a deep breath Balto," His mother ordered as they hurriedly crossed a river.
"Keep your head above water." Ordered Doc the Saint Bernard.
Within seconds they made it across the river losing their scents along the way. She peered back seeing a pack of dogs laying waste to her fallen brother.
The way they bit and torn into his coat seemed unfathomable. "Wild beasts," She retorted under her breath.
"Annie I'm so sorry." He trailed off wholeheartedly.
"None of this would have happened if it weren't for you!" She snarled with rage evident in her demeanor.
"I never want to see you again." She barked in frustration. "Stay away from the pack and most importantly my sons."She announced full of hate.
He let out a low pitched whine. He nuzzled the young pup's coat as he blinked back tears. "I'll see ya around kiddo." He informed softly as he walked by Aniu. "Say goodbye to your brothers for me." He struggled to say.
She flicked his face with her tail in anger. He lowered his head defeatingly as he past them. Simple breathing became hard labored breaths
"Where's he going mama?" Questioned the young pup. He cocked his head awaiting an answer.
"Far away to look for food Balto." She cooed nuzzling the pup with tears in her eyes. "So you can grow big and strong." She replied with a half hearted smile.
"Does that mean I finally get to eat solids?" He questioned as he laid near a tree.
Zodiac's breathing became rampant as he whined looking toward the riverbed.
"Yes now go play with your brothers while I talk to your father." She responded with a weakened smile. He scampered off in the distance to the remaining pack members.
He closed his eyes as tightly as he could; almost as if they'd rip open at any moment. Their words becoming incoherent he panicked. Feeling to numb to speak he accepted defeat.
A hot burning sensation struck him in his chest. The final effects of adrenaline wore off. A wave of heat and cold overtook him whole. He let out a loud whimper.
"Zac!" Doc shouted in alarm as Zodiac fell into the river's shallow edges. Aniu's head spun at the sign of distress. She felt giddy as if she might faint.
He opened his eyes locking onto her blue ones. Slowly a dark haze began to cloud his vision. He blinked twice seeing their forms drifting away in this horrid sea of darkness. She saw him take his last breath closing his eyes for the final time.
She nudged him with her paw in a panic. Please wake up. She pleaded mentally. She let out a whine as she laid her head in the crook of his neck.
"He's gone," Doc muttered to himself as he choked down a sob.
She let out a howl like no other. The old Saint Bernard needed no translation for he knew what it meant. Heart break."I'm so sorry." She whispered in agonizing pain.
"Shot by his fellow man." Doc whispered as he shook off Zodiacs collar drenched in blood.
"Wake up," She ordered as she nuzzled him in a fools attempt to bring him back.
"Wake up." She demanded as she continued to nudge the body in vain. Her vision became a blur. Almost as if it were a dream more or less a nightmare.
Her eyes suddenly flew open. The blinding light laid a tax upon her vision. She groggily took in her surroundings slowly. "What the hell?" She questioned resentfully as she laid by a dakota fore hole.
"Morning to you to," The grey husky spat back playfully. He nuzzled her neck with utmost affection. "had that dream again?" He questioned with caution averting his eyes to his owner not far off in the distance.
The white wolf sighed in exasperation. She lowered her head in fear with her ears flattened. "Yeah," She trailed off with sorrow evident in her voice.
"Well nothing's set in stone." He called out trotting around his bearded owner in a playful manner.
"Easy boy," The owner cooed with a smile. "don't want to let your guard down around these neck of the woods."
He sat there listening silently to the howl of the wind. He motioned the husky back to the wolf. He grabbed his springfield rifle cautiously.
The very movement chilled her to her core. She bared her teeth at the site of the gun. She lowered her body ready to strike. The way her ears pulled back made her companion shiver.
"What are you doing?" He questioned with a whimper. She didn't care for his words. A false sense of security enveloped them both. The snap of a twig caused her to lose her cool.
Instantly he turned around with rifle in hand firing off a deafening round. A loud whimper rung through the air. She closed her eyes waiting for the pain to come but felt nothing.
The scarlet color stained the snow beneath them. She opened her eyes feeling Zodiacs snout sniff and nudge her awake.
She looked back seeing a black alaskan malamute struggling to breath. He collapsed to the ground with a thud. The dog nearly fell upon the white wolf as she inched herself away. "Cobalt?" Zodiac questioned with disgust.
He bared his teeth ready to put an end to a former friend. The malamute whimpered in pain. He blinked back tears accepting his fate.
"Damn dog," He muttered to himself as he cycled another round. "send anymore I'll start making them into pelts ya hear?" he shouted in rage. Zodiac broke out of his stance returning to the wolf of sizeable stature.
In a moments notice he disappeared into the forest. He let out a whistle signaling his departure.
"Let's get a move on," Zodiac spoke as he nudged her on all fours. "He'll never hurt us nor will his group." The husky reassured quickly.
"And how do you know that? She questioned curiously while letting her skepticism show.
"I survived the great war with him." He explained uneasy. Just the way he said it made his fur stand on end.
She cocked her head questionably as they strutted behind his owner. "It's like packs of wolves," he explained with caution as he himself were talking to one. "but with humans. Many packs fought in it but only a few emerged victorious. Hundreds of thousands dead in the aftermath.."
He broke away from her catching up to his owner. He let out a whimper as he brushed against his owners thigh.
"Don't worry boy," He cooed, you'll be with your pups sooner than ya think." he reassured as looked back to the straggling wolf. "Still don't trust me?" he questioned the shy she wolf.
She flattened her ears with her tail between her hind legs. She let out a whine looking at the ground dejectedly. Silence followed suit. It must have been hours till they stopped near a stream for a much needed break.
Zodiac stretched backward popping every bone in his body. The calming sound of natural water soothed their senses. "Ok son t-" A voice called out off in the distance. Only to be stopped by a horrible screech.
"Wheres the voice coming from?" The she wolf whispered as she peered up into the trees.
"Ok s-" Said the voice calmly as ever. "Awwwwkkkeeeeee," came the response. "Ok son today we're going t-" Said the voice as quickly as possible. "AWWKKKK." Came the reply more thoroughly annoying.
"Son you're gonna have t-" Said the adult voice. "AWWWKWKKKKKKK."
She narrowed her eyes seeing a farily large nest up above. There sat a bald eagle with his feathered hatchling. Although he didn"t seem hungry he stripped the flesh off a freshly caught salmon. His eyes were bulging from the headache as he sat there in silence.
Suddenly quiet the hatching tried the flesh on his own. "Oh thank bird jesus." Said the eagle basking in the silence. "Whatever that means."
Note: Any questions reguarding the fic please click my profile for additional information. Anonymous reviews are accepted leave one if you'd like too. Any suggestions review or PM directly. Aso idk if i wrote descriptive enough for you the readers to imagine it while reading. I left a toxic fandom that hated story filler. I'll more than likely rewrite it a bit in a days time.