Balto Origins

The year was 1919. It was a snowy night in the town of Nenana. Two dogs sat in an old barn near the outskirts.

"Shouldn't you be with your family?" One of the dogs asked.

"She's not expecting for another couple days. I can have some good times with my pal can't I?"

The other dog smiled. "Of course you can Champ. Just thought you'd be preparing to be a father."

Champ nodded. "I'm not sure I'm up to it. It's hard raising pups in a town like this. And wolf dog pups no less…" His voice trailed off. He had heard a loud distinct howl.

"That's the signal!" He said excitedly. "I'm gonna be a father tonight!"Champ got up and sprinted out the door.

He had a two mile run to his mate's cave but he was suddenly full of energy. He ran through the forest. Suddenly he tripped. He fell face first into the snow. His face had been cut and was bleeding. He struggled to his feet.

Suddenly his ears perked up. He sniffed the air. "Why did you follow me?"

A wolf came out of the shadows. He had a look of rage on his face.

"Going to see your mate?" He asked.

"Look Claude, any hard feelings between us, I just want to settle it right now."

"Do you really?" Claude sneered.

"Look, is this all because you think I stole you're girl? Aniu loves me more than you and it's driving you crazy!"

"You're a dog." Claude snarled. "You had no right to mate with a wolf!"

"What is there a law against it?" Champ demanded.

"This one." Claude snarled back. Before Champ could react the wolf had leapt on him, clawing and biting viciously.

"What's taking him so long?" A white wolf asked, as she stroked her four pups. "He should have been here ten minutes ago."

There was a dog in the room. He looked concerned too.

"This isn't like my brother. Something must have happened."

The white wolf shook her head. "Don't say that."

The dog smiled. "Don't worry Aniu. I'm sure he's fine."

"Could you just go find him?" Aniu asked.

The dog nodded. He hurried out the door. Aniu looked down at her pups.

They all seemed to look the same. They looked mostly like their father. But there was one that was out of place. He was dark brown with a light brown underbelly. He seemed to look more wolf than dog.

About an hour later Aniu began to worry. Suddenly he heard paws padding into the cave. She gasped.

The dog was carrying Champ, who was bleeding profusely.

"Champ! Oh my god!" Aniu exclaimed. The dog lay Champ on the cave floor. He tried to talk but kept spitting up blood.

"Get a vet!" Aniu ordered.

Champ shook his head. "No. Don't bring a human here. I'm not worth it."

"Of course you are!" Aniu said tearfully.

"I'm on my way out Aniu." Champ replied weakly. He noticed the pups for the first time. "They're…they're beautiful."

Champ noticed the one that looked different from his siblings.

"Can…can I name them?" Champ asked.

Aniu nodded tearfully. "Of course."

"What about…this one?" Champ asked, picking up the brown one.

Aniu shook her head. "I don't know."

"What…what was the…the name of that…scientist. The one…who saved your…your life?"

Aniu could see the life draining out of her mate. She tried to remember the name.

"Samuel…Bingo?" She offered.

Champ chuckled weakly. "That's…that's not it."

"Samuel Balto!" Aniu exclaimed, remembering

Champ nodded. "Yeah. Let's…name him…Balto."

Aniu smiled. Suddenly Champ began coughing violently. Then he went limp.