The Two Faces of the Half-Breed
There is no greater conflict than that of two opposing forces of nature crammed together into one body. The two continually fight for presence in the body and mind until it destroys the soul, or the vessel loses itself along the way. This is Kodiak's battle.
- The days were growing shorter as the presence of spring became more pronounced. The brutal cold and lasting snows of winter were slowly yielding to the warmer, more pleasant temperatures and first patches of luscious, green grass that came in quickly as the snow shrunk back into hiding. In a small heated shed worn down from its many years of withering storms and cold, lay a beautiful, creme, rust colored husky tucked into a ball in a large straw basket big enough for herself and her new born litter. The five of them had been born only hours ago and were probably the most beautiful things their proud mother had ever seen. She couldn't help but smile down at them and be filled with a great sense of joy.
The five pups, tucked in close to her, suckled on her belly as she licked them lovingly. This perfect moment lived for a few moments more, and then was cut short by the grinding of rust and iron from the old hinges of the shed door. The mother turned her attention from the new litter to a small grey Yorkie who stood with just his face and shoulders through the ajar door. The mother gave the Yorkie a soft smile.
"They came?" the Yorkie pipped loudly in a Scottish accent as he jumped happily about.
The mother shot him a slightly hardened look and shushed him. The Yorkie landed back down onto his paws and quietly padded around to the front of the basket so he could see inside. He placed his paws on the lip of the basket and gazed admiringly down at the pups snuggled into their mother's belly. Subconsciously he became entranced in this moment and wagged his stumpy tail involuntarily.
"Oh," the Yorkie cried in a loud whisper as he jerked his head up. "I've gotta tell Balto!"
The Yorkie pushed off of the basket and made his way outside. He disappeared through the door and shut it by tugging on a loose piece of board that was still tacked firmly to the foundation of the door. Once he was safely outside, he let all of his pent up excitement like water bursting through a dam. He jumped up into the air repeatedly in tight circles and yipped sharply. After his joy was under control, he turned off to the west where he could clearly see the top of the totem pole, a raven with its wings spread out wide as if at any given moment, it would come to life and fly off into the sunny skies, with many other animals carved artistically into the wood beneath it.
He knew from various conversations between Balto and Jenna that if he passed the totem pole and veered slightly to the east, there about a mile and a half away would be the old trawler that Balto called home. The Yorkie took off in a dead sprint, yipping as he went, in the direction of the totem pole with the town flashing past him in a mixture of blurred colors. The totem pole grew taller and taller with the more ground he covered. The Yorkie could now see the pole from the top all the way down to the bottom, and there just passing into town, was Balto accompanied by his father figure and best friend, Boris. The two were lost in a conversation as the Yorkie sped toward them, never letting up his excited barks. The pair of friends heard an all too familiar yip as they passed the first buildings of Nome and raised their heads to see the little Yorkie steadily closing in on them. When the runner was only a matter of feet away, he slid to a stop nearly covering Boris in a blanket of the now thinning snow. Barely able to control himself, he jumped and skipped in circles around the baffled friends.
"The stork has landed!" he managed to yell out between rolled barks, "I repeat, the stork has landed!"
- 'I'm going to be a father,' Balto thought joyously as he sped through the streets of Nome. He took a sharp turn around the post office and his feet slid out from under him. He only tripped up slightly landing back on his in an awkward side long way then continued on toward his mate and new pups. He rounded another corner and could see Jenna's house looming two hundred yards ahead. He covered the distance in no time at all and rounded the house to the shed in the back yard. He stepped up to the door and paused. Boris and the Yorkie were left in the snow, but caught up a few seconds later and found Balto sitting at the door of the shed with mixed emotion. As they approached they saw Balto rise to his feet and begin to nervously pace out in front of the shed with his head down. Boris sped up and caught Balto about twenty feet away from the door. Balto looked up to Boris with questioning eyes and sat.
"Being father is nothing to be afraid of," Boris began reassuringly.
"I'm not afraid of being a father," Balto said moving his eyes off into the distance.
He took in a long breath and brought them back to the front where Boris still stood.
"I'm just afraid for my pups that's all." He looked Boris dead in the eyes. "What if they can't control the wolf part of their nature and lose themselves to it?"
"Balto, they have wolf in them I know, but so do you. " He placed a wing on Balto's shoulder. "Remember, they are a part of you; and under your guidance and teaching they will never lose."
Balto smiled and rose to his feet why was he worried? The wolf never took him; it couldn't possibly take his pups. He padded over to the shed door and pushed it open with his shoulder.
"Hello Balto."