Title: Newcomer

Author: BaltoLuver63

Subject: Balto

Rating: PG-13 (for violence and brief language)

Genes: Action/Adventure/Romance/Humor

Summary: When rumors of an incoming train with 'interesting' passengers aboard spread throughout Nome, everyone turns out to greet them, including Balto and the gang. Among the passengers is a Priest with a white dog…a dog really too big to be just a dog at all… What strange tales does this new canine hold? And why does he smell so familiar?

Disclaimers: Don't own Balto or any other Balto peeps, as they're copyright of Universal Studios (or whoever the hell made the movie)

Triskey is © to Cyberwulfe

Draco, Jenner, Kalla and Band are © to J. Wolfman

Kavik, Angel, Father Maverick, Juji, Timber, Aries, Lakota, Axel, Marx, Roland are © to ME and are not to used without my permission!

Chapter 1
Rumors

It was cold.

I mean, REALLY cold outside. Ice and snow rained down in icy sheets, belting the windows and walls of the house and making the windowpanes shake slightly in their frames. The people inside, however, paid it only the slightest heed, their attention focused mainly on the spread of food on the table before them and on the rest of the family currently enjoying the delicious meal.

The dogs, on the other hand (or paw if you prefer), were focusing on something else, for once paying no mind to the food sending out mouth-watering whiffs coming from the next room. Their main attention was focused on the small litter of about half a dozen pups who were all currently snoozing in front of a roaring fire, elegant little paws twitching as they dreamt. The parents were lying close at hand, each watching their kin intently as they slept.

The father, a big gray-brown wolf/husky hybrid, angled his large black pointed ears to the adjoining room where his master and his guests were talking eagerly about something to do with a train. He was fairly large dog; almost wolf-like in appearance with a long bushy tail and abnormally large paws, along with large yellow-brown eyes and muscular build. His master – or, more accurately 'masters' – were talking excitedly of the train that was scheduled to arrive the next day.

"I'm telling you," said a big beefy man with a large mustache, "that train will never make it here on time. Not in this." He gestured vaguely to the raging snowstorm.

"I don't know Nick," replied a younger woman with long chestnut hair and chocolate brown eyes, "it's made of tougher stuff than sled dogs, you know…"

"I don't see what all the fuss is about, Marry" said Jack, the husband of the woman who had just spoken. "If the train makes it through, then the train makes it through. If not…" he shrugged. "What's the harm in one or two more day's wait?"

"But the train's got at least 20 passengers from what I heard." Nick replied. "Plus, they're s'posed to be carrying the new shipment of Penicillin along with most of the supplies we'll need to survive the worst part of winter…and something about the new Priest…"

"What'll happen if they get stuck?"

Jack opened him mouth to reply, but was beaten by the fourth and last member of the table. "Balto'd rescue em' that's what!"

"Is that so?" Marry asked, a smile spreading across her face. "What about the storm?"

"Balto'd rescue them even if there IS a blizzard any-who!" piped up the smallest of them, a little girl named Rosy who was no more than 8 or 9 years old. Jack just chuckled at his daughter's remark and pushed his chair back from the table. "We'll, I think we're all finished with the meal. Rosy, be a dear and help your mother with the dishes…"

The wolf-dog Balto tuned out the rest as the conversation ebbed away, turning his attention this time to regard his children again. Balto smiled. A little over 6 months ago, during a diathermia epidemic among the children of Nome, Balto had single-handedly rescued Steele and his team when they were lost and brought home the life-saving Antitoxin to save the little ones, Rosy included. In short, he was a hero.

Just because I did it once doesn't mean I could do it again, Rosy Balto thought, lips spreading into a smile. I've got those little monsters to deal with now… He gazed lovingly at his pups as he pondered over what he'd heard. A train? Coming here? This was news to him, if not news to the rest of the canine community. Where had it come from? They had never gotten one before…so what could this mean? Were the sled dogs going to become obsolete? He shuddered slightly at the thought.

He was dragged out of his thoughts as his mate suddenly shifted, opening her eyes and yawning widely. His smile widened slightly.

"Well hello, Sleeping Beauty." He chuckled softly as he bent and licked one of her furry cheeks.

"Hello…" she replied, yawning, and nuzzled him with her rust colored head. "Are the kids still asleep?"

"For now, yes."

"Thank heavens." She said, laying her head on her paws. "I never thought they'd have this much energy!"

Balto snorted laughter. It was true all right; the pups had been so rambunctious lately that he and Jenna were totally pooped by the end of the day, unable to do anything but lay by the fire and pretty much lose consciousness.

"I can't wait till they get past their ear-chewing stage." Balto muttered. "Mine are about to fall off!"

"Lemme help with that then," Jenna offered. She lifted her head and began to gently lick her lover's ears, making him thump his tail on the floor. In response, he turned and began to lick her face, and smirked when Jenna abandoned his ear to nuzzle her head under the shelf of his jaw. He began to growl, making a noise that could almost be classified as a purr. Fist low, then growing slightly louder.

"Balto, shhh! You'll wake the children!" Jenna whispered urgently.

Too late!

"EWWW! Mommy and Daddy are KISSING again!" squealed a high puppyish voice. That was Aleau, of course. Immediately the rest of her brethren and cistern awoke, their bright inquisitive eyes locking on the still cuddling Balto and Jenna. They burst into life, rushing toward their parents, tails wagging madly.

"Oh no!" Balto moaned in partial dismay as he was swamped by all six, one of them launching itself onto the top of his head. "When will it END?"

((()-()))

The storm blew itself out around 9:00 PM – unlike a certain wolf-dog's pups who didn't quit till 9:30 – and the next morning the town awoke to be buried in snow, drifts pilled onto buildings and across streets. This, of course, was no problem for the dogs of the town, which were bred to wade through snow much deeper than this, and soon after daybreak the whole town was buzzing with activity both canine and human.

Balto emerged, tired eyed and groggy, out the door and onto the front porch, yawning and twisting and stretching in the early morning light. His ears reported that there was already much activity in Nome, and he swung his head left and right to view the humans hustling and bustling off to wherever they went at this hour. His nose, however, reported that there were no dogs near here…except for…

A large gray wolf-dog rounded the corner and trotted up to him, her usually bright green eyes now looking dull and glazed.

"Hey Triksey! What's up?" Balto asked her, the day's first smile spreading on his face.

Triksey smiled weakly. "I'm…exhausted." She said simply, sentence interrupted by a long, shuddering yawn.

Balto's smiled widened a fraction. "The pups?"

Triksey nodded. "They're SO hyperactive! I mean, I know I got around when I was their age, but these guys are just…wow!" She sighed.
He nodded understandingly, his yellowed eyes flicking momentarily towards his home. "Yeah, I get ya! Mine were up till 9:30 last night playing 'Let's Torture our Parents by Climbing All Over Them!'"

Triksey giggled. "Kaltag's watching ours till I get back then he's going to the meeting."

"Meeting? What meeting?" Balto inquired, puzzled. If there was a meeting going to be held, he thought he would've been the first to know. First the train, now this, he mentally chided himself. You're getting old, and fast, Balto…

"Oh! That's right! I'm supposed to tell you about the meeting in the Old Mill at 7:00 this morning. Something about a train…"

The Hero of Nome sighed as his stomach rumbled loudly. Looks like I can postpone breakfast. He mentally grumbled. Better go wake Jenna and tell her where I'm going, little as I want to…God knows how much sleep we've been missing out on lately…

"Thanks Triksey. I'd better go wake up Jenna now or the pups will tear the place apart once I leave."

"You're welcome. Tell Jenna I said 'hello'!"

"Will do."

With that said, Triksey trotted off down the street, leaving Balto to mull all this new information over.

The wolf-dog sighed and walked back inside and padded quietly over to where Jenna was sleeping next to the pups. He gently prodded her nose with the tip of his own and she awoke suddenly, body going rigid, then the tension easing from he muscles as she saw who it was.

"Balto?"

"Kaltag calls. I've got to go to a meeting about some train pulling into town."

"I'll come-" she started, but Balto interrupted, shaggy head shaking from side to side slightly.

"Nah, stay with the kids. You know what happened the last time we left them alone in the house, especially in the morning…" Balto said gently, wincing as he remembered the way they had almost wrecked the house the last time.

Jenna smiled and licked his cheek. "Come back soon. I can't manage these little guys all by myself you know."

Balto returned the lick. "I know. I love you Jenna."

She nuzzled him. "I love you too Balto."

With these last goodbyes exchanged, Balto padded out of the room and out the door. "Time to see what all this train business is about." He muttered to himself as he broke into a fast trot, heading for the Old Mill.

((()-()))

Five minutes later, Balto walked through the door to the Old Mill amid cries of 'Hey Balto!' and 'How ya been?' and similar sentiments and took a seat next to Kaltag, a golden husky with a black spot over one eye. Kaltag grinned at him. "Hey Balto! How's it going?"

Balto grinned, " Man, you look horrible! What happened to you?"

"Pups, that's what happened. And have you looked in a mirror lately? You look worse than I do!"

"Nah! I'm just a little tired is all," Balto replied, yawning.

"So, how ya been?" Kaltag asked with his own yawn.

"Pretty good. I wish my pups were a little less energetic, if you know what I mean."

Triksey's mate chuckled. "Do I ever! They're like a bunch of pumped-up furballs who're always trying to bite you on the ear and trying to get you to play with em' when you're pooped out!"

The two of them laughed, attracting a few odd stares from the other 20 or so dogs gathered around.

"You know what this is about?" Kaltag asked a moment later after they had both calmed down some.

"Something about a train, from what I hear." Said a slightly cold voice behind Balto.

Upon turning, Balto was face to face with Steele, his former enemy, a large muscular black and white Malamute with cold blue eyes and an overall feeling of slight arrogance radiating from his person.

"Steele. How do you know?" Balto asked, a touch skeptical.

The malamute only smirked. It had been only a month since he'd been forgiven and allowed back into Nome after being exiled as a result of his rash actions during the Antitoxin incident and he was now – although he didn't normally come right out and show it – a changed dog who had gone from a cold-hearted bully to a mostly well-behaved member of their canine society. "I know, Balto" he said a touch offensively "Because EVERYONE here knows."

Balto scowled slightly and was about to make some sort of smart reply when a voice called "All right! All right! Let's quiet down here people!"

The speaker was a large and rather old St. Bernard named Doc. "Let's get down to business," he said in his deep voice as the hubbub quickly quieted. "First off, I'd like to thank you all for coming as I know you're aware how early it is."

"You bet! We're missing breakfast cause of this!" called a voice from the back of the crowd. There was a general murmur of consent.

"Yeah," said another voice "and we're all missing out on all the early morning 'action'!" A laugh swept through them and Lucas waited patiently for it to subside.

"Okay, okay! Then I'll try to make this a quick and painless as possible." The big dog cleared his throat. "At noon today the town's first train should be arriving. As most of you are aware, it'll be caring the new shipment of Penicillin along with the winter provisions, human passengers, new arrivals-"

"How about women?" Someone else called from the back again and this time there was a large and immediate roar of laughter from the all the dogs gathered. Even Balto was unable to hold back a short burst of mirth. The St Bernard waited, his left eyebrow beginning to twitch slightly. He hated early morning meetings…the youngsters had no respect…

When the worst of the mirth had faded, Doc continued, his voice taking on a slightly icy edge as he spoke to the assembled sled dogs. "Need I remind you that newcomers, male OR female, are to be treated with RESPECT. This is especially important when it comes to the HUMAN passengers. Don't go jumping and frolicking around them like a bunch of newborns." The room quieted, the last laughs seeming to die on the open air as Doc fixed them all with a stern glare.

"There is, however, one matter I must address to all of you. Through some of our other sources, we've learned that a dog of er…considerable size may be among the rest of the canine passengers. He may or may not be…part wolf…" A small whisper swept through the group like a small storm; a wolf-dog? This was something not entirely new – aside from Balto's well-known genetic makeup – and maybe not in the town's best interest. Some hybrids had reputations of being short fused with violent tempers...What if this new dog was one of the latter? What if – God in Heaven forbid – he turned out to be an even bigger and meaner version of Band?

Doc continued; "I hope I need not tell any of you to treat him fairly, no matter what breed he – or mayhap she – may be. It's also my hope that everyone will try to make all our new canine guests feel welcome, as I'm sure they've traveled much."

The old dog sighed suddenly, as if his duty to act as the leader among them had lost all meaning for him. "I hope to see all of you who are able to make it at the train's arrival. Meeting Adjourned." With these last words spoken, Lucas turned and walked out of the Mill at a brisk trot. The others soon followed, talk of the train's arrival murmured to one another. And, of course, there was talk of the new dog…

((()-()))

The news from the meeting spread like wildfire among the dog citizens of Nome, and within two hours of the meeting's end, the whole town was waiting with baited breath. One phrase was constantly flowing, traveling in an arc in which no one was left uninformed; A new wolf-dog…

Needless to say, by the time the clock struck 11:55 AM that day, everyone in Nome was packed into the small Train Station, humans and canines alike. The Station itself was brand new, having only been completed a few weeks ago, and this train was to be its first arrival. Everyone was anxious, the dogs panting and whining softly as the growls of the approaching steam engine moved closer. The whistle blew, a high tinny shriek that made all the dogs – and some of the human children – wince and clap their paws/hands to their ears.

Balto shifted uneasily between Star and Kaltag as the hulking black mass of iron and steel and brass moved closer, spewing acrid black smoke into the clear blue sky. He didn't much care for the sounds it made – they reminded him too much of a grizzly in some odd way – and the smell was a little bothersome: hot metal and burning sulfur. Yuck!

The train chugged to a stop, letting off one finally blast of the whistle loud enough to make Balto and most of the other dogs think they'd gone deaf. There was a great clunking and thumping issuing from inside the thing and the sounds of a great many voices along with the indignant cries of startled dogs. Somewhere, a baby was crying. Then there was the whooshing thump of the compartment doors sliding open and a moment later, the people and dogs began flooding out, pouring as blood pours from a wound. The smells were catastrophic; there were so many conflicting ones Balto felt as if his nose would melt off. The humans mingled together, friends and relatives exchanging hugs and kisses and cries of acknowledgement as their canine companions barked greetings to each other.

Kaltag turned to Balto, face working horribly. "How do they stand that smell?" he asked, snout wrinkling. "I mean, hole-ly crap!" he waved one paw in front of his face to try and dispel the stink.

Star nodded and tried to speak, but was prevented by several violently explosive sneezes. "Uh…My head feels funny…everything's spinnin' around…" he mumbled, and upon trying to stand, plopped down on his haunches again, eyes rolling slightly in their sockets.

Balto was about to speak to Kaltag – something about how maybe he had hit Star on the head one too many times – when he saw something through the crowd that made him gasp. He couldn't believe his eyes. No. Flipping. Way. He through.

A small gasp ran through the assembled citizens of Nome Alaska as they saw a giant of a man emerge from the train. Little children cowered slightly, clutching at their mother's dresses. The man was a giant, an ogre, a monster; he stood at least a foot taller than the rest, easily reaching 6' 8" in height. The flow of people had dispersed slightly and Balto and the others could see that the man was cloaked in black; everything he wore was black; trench coat, gloves, shirt, pants, boots…except for a small white square attached somehow to the collar of his shirt. His hair was snow white, in startling contrast to his wardrobe. Balto couldn't make out his facial features due to the distance, but his vision was good enough to tell him that the man was wearing a big gold cross, what some of the older dogs in Nome called a 'Jesus-Tree'.

"God…" Draco, a big golden Chinook and one of Balto's best friends breathed respectfully. "He's…huge."

"He's gotta be at least six feet tall…probably more like 6 and a half…" Sylvie, an Afghan hound said faintly from somewhere off to Balto's right.

Balto and the rest were speechless; never had they seen a human that big. The real shocker, however, came next.

"Hey guys! Check out his dog!" a large husky in the crowd called out. All heads immediately turned.

The humans had started to really get down to business as there were only about a two thirds of them left so they all got a nice good look at the 'dog' standing next to the tall newcomer.

If the man was big, his dog had to be his canine equivalent.

Balto had seen wolves before and knew they were naturally larger than most dogs. This dog, however, was the biggest dog Balto – or anyone else for that matter – had ever seen. He was even bigger than most wolves, and would have towered a good seven or eight inches over Balto's wolven brother Kemo. Standing at least three and a half feet tall from the shoulders to the concrete, with blinding white fur and scary looking blue bombardier's eyes, he looked to be approximately the size of a baby Grizzly, with the powerful build to match.

"That's no dog…" Kaltag said when he found his voice. "No way on earth that's a dog…"

"Dog…He's even bigger than a wolf…" Draco said, staring with unblinking eyes.

"…He's a freak of nature…" Star said, earning him a slight look from Balto. "I mean…no offence Balto…but look at him. He's even bigger than a Great Dane, and they're as big as they come! I've never seen a dog that big!"

"Me either…" Balto said. He was in awe. He had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams that a canine of any breed could grow to such a colossal stature. The little group continued to stare, slack-jawed at the canine.

As if sensing their gaze – and who was to say it wasn't possible? This dog naturally attracted stares, his sheer size seeming almost to demand attention – the white dog swung his head to face them, fixing them with his large blue eyes as he and his master passed through the crowd. Balto, expecting to see cold and desolate shards that would have put even Band's evil orbs to shame, was surprised to see soft, gentle eyes filled with the type of kindness and warmth that would've melted even the Polar Icecaps …yet…

Then, they were gone, the dog and his master passing them and walking toward the Sheriff's Office, disappearing into the crowd once more. After they were presumably out of earshot, Kaltag let out a long, low whistle. "Man, talk about huge!"

Star nodded nervously. "Must be that wolf-dog…I wonder if he's got a temper?" The small husky shivered slightly. "He's probably worse than Band!" he said and gulped nervously.

"With his size, I'd almost expect him to be a lean, mean, fightin' machine." Nikki, a brown Chow-Chow said walking up to join the rest of the dogs staring after the enormous newcomers. He turned to Balto. "What do youse think?"

"He's a big softie." Balto said, lips rising a bit at the corners.

"How do you know?" Kaltag asked, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"I saw it in his eyes." When the rest only stared at him blankly, he continued. "Trust me, he won't cause any trouble at all…"

((()-()))

Author's Note

There she is ladies and gents - Newcomer Chapter 1! Hope you all like it! Don't worry; we'll get to see a lot more of the mystery dog in the next chapter...but that'll only happen if I get a few reviews! Please, just give me an honest opinion here folks, (especially in the area of characterization goes, as I'm still trying to get a few of the attitudes of the major dogs/wolves in the story! Wishing you all well,

LoL

BaltoLuver63