It was beyond freezing in Nome, Alaska, 1921, and on the outskirts of town, lives Balto. His home is a shabby place, an old abandoned boat, with only an old tattered blanket to keep warm at night. It seems dreadful, but he has company. Balto awoke and slithered out from under his blanket with a loud yawn, in order to signal the arrival of another miserable day of rummaging through garbage to find a meal…..which was never a decent one. His company arrives, a bulbous snow goose by the name of Boris struggled to make a decent landing on the boat with his fat inconvenient body.
''Balto, why are you up so early?' Boris asks with his thick Russian accent.
''No reason Boris, just another tiresome day.'' He replied.
''Eh, the everyday cycle taking course once again, no?''
''Yeah''
''Well who knows maybe today you get more than few scraps.''
'No Boris, I'll be lucky if I can GET A FEW SCRAPS.''
No one liked Balto, they always just thought of him as a nuisance. Always tipping over garbage cans and feeding on everyone's disposable left overs like a raccoon or a bear. But of course that was all he was given credit for, just a filthy dangerous wild animal.
''Well shoo, shoo go into town get you some breakfast before you die like a dog.'' Boris commanded.
The two departed, Balto leapt off the boat onto the snowy beach with the town in sight. Before long he made it to town, it was still the peak of the morning so only a few people were walking the town's streets. Balto always got up as early as he could manage to get food with little disturbance. The town buildings were mainly houses, a couple stores here in there. That old bait shop, basically an old blue shack contrast to the larger buildings surrounding it, on the opposite side of the street is the barber shop. Then there is Nome's general hospital, an enormous building towards the left end of town. Balto soon backed in the alley escaping the peering eyes of the town's people. At the end of the hospital was the boiler room and the meat locker, it has lots of meat. But he avoided trouble best he could, he was always characterized as a thief, but if he did something like that it would be proven. The large tin cans in the alley, it wasn't convenient or sanitary, but it was the easiest way to get a meal, he tipped it over, an avalanche of garbage poured out. Nothing but wasted paper, a few old candy wrappers and a couple used napkins. He huffed, hearing his stomach growl. He was hungry, obviously. A peculiar smell filled his nostrils…food, yes. He looked down beside him a scrap of meat that didn't catch his eye. A scrap of meat….not enough to fill up a mouse, but ''beggars can't be choosers' 'he picked it up and gobbled it down. But his stomach wasn't satisfied. His nose soon met a boot and he cautiously looked up…..a human. A small human, a young female, snow boots and a dark green coat, distinctive brick red hair and a pair of large emerald green eyes. Little ones were simply harmless, annoyingly inquisitive; never think twice before doing something. But with a small child around a larger human can't be far away. He backed in a corner ears pressed against his head and tail tucked tightly between his legs. The girl was no threat, she tilted her head in curiosity and perhaps slight amusement at the rugged canine.
''What's a matter boy, I'm not going to hurt you.'' The girl assured. She reached her hand out to him, he didn't want to but he snapped at her fingertips, meant to be a simple warning, though one took a little too far. She jumped backwards in fear; he knew he'd be soon be regretting that move if a larger human was to find out. He couldn't apologize so he just simply cowered in the corner, ears drooped and eyes full of regret. The little girl kept a reasonable distance but a brief glance revealed a pair of ribs. He wasn't starving to death but she instinctively knew he was very hungry. She bent down with her hands on her knees, facing him, but she wasn't going to make the stupid mistake to try and pet him again.
''Aw, you poor thing.'' The girl said, full of sorrow.
''Rosy!'' A loud call interrupted the scene. The little girl was summoned by a large man on the opposite side of the street, most likely her father.
'' Bye, oh hey if you can remember come back here tomorrow, I'll have a surprise for you.'' The girl then left him. Her words were very promising and it almost seemed as if she trusted him.
''Rosy...what a beautiful name'' Balto thought to himself, finally a human that's given him a chance.
''Don't worry Rosy, I'll be here.'' He whispered to himself, the lingering fear suddenly washed away and he was looking forward to seeing her again.
He turned his attention back to the garbage, when a voice soon stabbed his ears. It was a female voice, high pitched and perhaps a little prissy.
''And then Steele looked at me…and….oh''
''Okay, okay…..we get it Dixie, would you stop talking about Steele.'' Then there was a second voice, it was a slow calm one, completely contrast of the original.
''What do you think of Steele, Jenna?''
''Oh, Steele, well…..he's uh I don't know, okay, I guess'' That was the third voice…a beautiful voice, it was music to his ears.
He quickly turned around to find the owners of the voices. Three dogs, all female. The first one was a small fluffy dog, stubby legs and a short face. The second one was a sleek stocky dog, incredibly long legs, and flappy ears, as well as a pointy nose. The third one…..oh, the third one, was beautiful. Her back side was as red as the reddest of strawberries, her underside was a silky white, as white as the whitest of snow, her eyes, and oh her eyes were like golden gems. He stood there mouth agape, trying his hardest not to drool, what was he thinking? She was WAY out of his league. As soon as she was to find out he's part wolf she would reject him, just like everyone else. There was only one thing to do, go to Boris!
