A/N: in this story you are reading NOW: Balto is a little younger than two years old so he would be 17 or 18 in human years, and this is about one year before the movie Balto. I assumed Balto was a little younger than three years old before the movie putting him around the human age of 23-24, that seemed about right.

Even though the night was by now half over he decided to start limping home, he could not help anyone else out tonight if the situation called for it, he decided in the past month now this was the first time he was needed he reasoned twice in one night seemed unrealistic and would end up being a waste of his time.

Tony sure can bit hard. Balto thought to himself as he continued limping on. "Stop following me" Balto said in a low hard voice, he had heard Heathers footsteps behind him; he really wasn't surprised she had followed him.

"You're hurt" Heather stated, really wanting to be helpful to her rescuer and for lack of better word crush.

"It's no big deal, I will be fine" Balto said through gritted teeth because of the massive pain on his shoulders were like fire.

"You got hurt really badly trying to save me, I'm only trying to help" she said softly and sincerely.

"Well just what do you plan on doing? Lick them? I need to get out of here" Balto said in the middle of the street.

Balto continued limping his way across the street and decided to take a short cut through the nearby alley, no sooner had Balto turned across the first corner Heather pounced on him, pinning his lean figure to the ground and started to lick his wounds clean.

"What are you doing?" Balto said, if he hadn't just been in a fight he could've shook her off but now he was finding it more difficult.

"Look Mr. noble hero, if someone doesn't clean these wounds soon they could get infected. I just don't want you to die now is that alright?" Heather said in a tone of voice that Balto found somewhat humbling, this was the first dog who wasn't a pup who was willing to HELP him.

"Alright but let's make it quick, if I don't get out of Nome before the sun rises I won't have to worry about infections." Balto said. He laid his head down and let her resume her work and she heard him mumble "damn girl". She rolled her eyes and mumbled in return "stubborn ass boy".

When she finished Balto got back up and said to her "thanks for your help but I can make it back home now, you should also head back home yourself." Heather was about to argue but there was something in his eyes that made her relent. They bade each other goodnight and went on their separate ways, though Heather had not gone more than ten feet when she decided she would check up on him the first chance she got.

Just as Balto reached the edge of Nome and the great field that separated Nome from his Nome the last house he passed lights turned on. Balto quickly darted into the darkest part of the alley and none too soon. The human let his dog out and shut the door.

Steele was ready to go, he knew there was little time left before the snow melted and this years sled dog mail run season would be over. Though Steele was not a lead dog yet it was only a matter of time, by next year he would be strong enough to take Brian the current lead dog down. He was about to take a leak before he got his breakfast then harnessed up and left when he saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes coming from the alley.

Steel chuckled evilly as he walked toward the wolfdog. Balto was hidden by the shadows of the alley and Steele couldn't tell he was bleeding. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite wolf BINGO". Balto stopped to hide his limp and said in a very low and dark voice, "Alright Steele what do you want?"

"Oh me? Well I was just wondering what a wolf would be doing in town, and in the middle of the night, getting into trouble are we?" Steele said in a mock voice. "We have been over this before; I am as much dog as wolf. I can belong here just as much as you".

"Nothing with wolf blood can belong anywhere but the woods or on a wall, and as a dog of Nome I have to kill you now or chase you out, which will it be?"

Balto just stared at him, Steele in the attack position was curious at first but then he felt a little hypnotized by the wolfdogs eyes. After a minute Baltos pupils disappeared and the wolfdogs whole eyes where a golden yellow and glowed brighter than Steele had ever seen before. The strange thing was Steele felt paralyzed, like he could move, he couldn't get away, he couldn't look away. Then Steele blinked and Balto wasn't there, being able to move again he turned his head and saw Balto's tracks leading out of Nome to his boat.

It had been just predawn when his owner had let him out what felt like only a minute ago but when he saw the sun was no longer even touching the horizon he realized he had been standing there for over an hour and his musher had already brought out the sled and started to harness dogs.

Balto had limped back onto the boat and was happy to see that Boris was sound asleep. After Balto's training Balto had noticed that Boris was becoming less active borderline lazy. Balto had lowered his head and with his teeth he picked up his rugged wool blanket that was in tatters and threw it over his throbbing shoulders and settled down for some rest.