A/N: Well, here's the second chapter at long last. I've decided it was high time I put this on Hiatus as I seem to take quite a while to write. I don't know what the problem is… Anyway, enjoy, read and review.

P.S: Just a heads up Mystery 99, I never said Benjamin would be Balto's father, though I'm not saying he won't be either. Just wait and see. :P

Chapter 2: Brothers

"Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had abandoned long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the care-taker, the avoider... it doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've travelled." - Jane Mersky Leder.

Benjamin's Point of View:

"That's going to bruise," I thought irritably as I flexed the leg Tanaraq had ravaged during our fight. It wasn't actually as bad as I thought but to me, it certainly felt like it was.

"This isn't over!" Tanaraq's last words rang in my ears as if he had uttered them but a second ago. What more could possibly happen? I wondered. Surely he wouldn't try anything now that our leaders had made the punishment for further disturbances so severe. This I thought with a total disregard for Tanaraq's uncanny ability to do the opposite of what he was told while still managing to get away with it.

I shook myself from my thoughts, not wanting to tempt the infamously fickle hand of Fate into bringing something to pass which might have dire repercussions. I, instead, turned my thoughts to my brother's whereabouts. When I had woken earlier he was nowhere to be found. Granted that this was not unusual, for this was by no means the first time it had happened. On several other occasions he had been missing during breakfast and had only turned up around noon. Whenever I asked him about where he had been, he would always give me a nervous chuckle, a shrug and the same answer over and over again: "I've been around town."

"Today's the day you spill the beans buddy." I thought assertively. With that, I rose to my paws to begin my quick journey home. Very shortly afterwards, I found myself sprawling to the ground and flat on my back with a guffawing, sandy-grey canine standing over me. I gave him an annoyed but good-natured smile.

"Hello Bolton."

Bolton's Point of View:

When I made no move to let him up, he shoved me off with his front paws saying: "Get off me you overgrown puppy."

I, still laughing hysterically, got up and sat on my haunches allowing the last remnants of mirth to escape my lungs, much to the annoyance of my brother. He looked at me, head turned and an affectionate smile on his muzzle.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm buddy," he said in mock-annoyance. "But please, a simple "Hello" will be fine next time."

I chuckled. "Sure Ben," I said smiling broadly. "Want to go home?"

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." He replied. We started towards home and swiftly arrived at our master's humble house.

"Please, ladies first." I said, gesturing towards the pet door with my paw. This earned me a clout form one on Benjamin's own paws and a brusque: "Idiot." before he disappeared inside, muttering. I smiled. I loved to annoy him and he didn't seem to mind it, such was our relationship. I followed my brother inside to find our owner at work in the kitchen, humming an unfamiliar tune. He noticed our entrance and turned to face us.

"Morning boys," He greeted cheerfully. "You guys want some breakfast before we get busy?" We both barked our confirmation.

"Give me ten minutes." He said and immediately set to work, continuing his none-too-melodious humming.

We relocated to the living room. It was a cozy little place. A small leather sofa facing a large fireplace separated by a caribou skin rug, on the walls were various odds and ends; an old clock and a few paintings as well as a stuffed caribou head which had once belonged to our rug at one point in the past.

A short while later, our master appeared from the kitchen wearing a toque and an apron, carrying a pair of identical bowls. He sat the bowls down on the floor in front on us.

"Zere you are boyz," He announced in a boisterous and horribly clichéd French accent. "Ze kibble with ze zucculent caribou meat." Noticing the odd looks we gave him, he chuckled nervously and returned to the kitchen, but not before saying: "Bon Appetite!" and chuckling obviously amused by his own antics.

"So, Bolton," Benjamin started. "Where did you go this morning? It just so happens that you missed a spectacular early-morning fight with Kapu's servants." He rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping off every word as if the taste of them offended his tongue.

"There was a fight?" I asked surprised. "What happened? Was anyone hurt?" All excellent questions as there were rarely a time when these fights concluded without some sort of casualty.

"No one was hurt," My brother stated matter-of-factly. "Escales and Prince turned up before it could get ugly, though Tanaraq did give me a reason to remember it." He finished with a gesture to his side, obviously hurt in one way or another.

Tanaraq, the Bane of both our existences. Benjamin may have opted for a pacifistic stance on his dealings with him, but I didn't. Why Benjamin didn't try to get his own back puzzled me to no end.

"Next time I see him, he's going to be the one who gets hurt!" I said bristling with anger.

Benjamin looked straight at me, eyes filled with the pacifistic wisdom he was known for.

"Don't," He said simply, shaking his head. "If anyone is caught fighting again, the penalty is banishment. Prince and Escales made that very clear." He turned back to his food, saying nothing more.

"Banishment." I whispered in disbelief. That was, in essence, a death-sentence for most dogs in White Mountain. The Alaskan wilderness was cruel and temperamental and on but a whim, could snuff out a lost animal's life immediately.

Benjamin spoke, dragging me from my morbid thoughts. I shivered. I wouldn't wish such a fate on anyone, friend and enemy alike.

"You still haven't answered my question yet, Dolton." He finished with emphasis on his final word and a small smirk. I regarded him with raised eyebrows and a smirk of my own. He hadn't called me that since we were pups. It was his nickname for me, particularly when he was annoyed with me or wanted my attention.

"I'm sorry. Which question was that?" This wasn't a farce. I really had forgotten, but Benjamin regarded me as if it was, and gave me an irritable sigh.

"Where did you go this morning?" He emphasized every word as if to make sure I understood.

"To see..." I paused. Should I tell him? How would he react? "... A friend." I chose my final word in an attempt to put down any further questions.

Benjamin's eyes met my own from beneath a furrowed brow as he walked away from an empty bowl and curled up not far away. "I see." He said simply. "Does this "friend" of yours have a velvet-brown coat, dazzling blue eyes and a laugh that makes you weak at the knees?" He chuckled heartily. He regained his composure and gave me a smug look typically found on those who knew they had won, but wanted to prolong the pleasure. I flushed, heat rushing to my cheeks and a sheepish grin tugging at my muzzle. "You're seeing Roxanne aren't you?"

I sighed in defeat. "I can't hide anything from you can I?"

Ben smiled broadly, shaking his head slowly. "Nope," He said, grinning. "So how long have you been seeing her?"

"I'm not actually seeing her per say," I admitted, casting my gaze to the window, a gentle snow fall beginning just beyond it. "I just go to visit her as a friend..." I trailed off, losing my train of thought.

Ben's eyes widened in understanding. "She doesn't return your feelings?" He asked cautiously.

I let my breath rush from my lungs, becoming an exasperated sigh as it left my mouth and nostrils. "No. Though I have not told her how I feel, I know she doesn't share my sentiment."

"Ever the optimist aren't you?" Benjamin asked smiling in sympathy. "I can't relate though I'm embarrassed to admit it. My little brother is more experienced in the affairs of love than me." He feigned a sob of distress and covered his eyes with his paws. I glared at him and moved to my own spot on the carpet.

A howling sound erupted from outside, I jerked my head to the window. Outside, the gentle snowfall from a few minutes earlier had erupted into a fully fledged snow storm. I gazed at the swirling flurry of snow as it assaulted the window pain, as if trying to break through in order to escape itself.

"It just goes to show." I thought solemnly. "Everything in this life: love, death, friendship, family, war, peace... is left up to Fate in the end. If she so much as flicks her wrist, the happiest couple could be split apart by nothing aside from an inexplicable hatred for one another, but by the same token... if she so wished, she could avert a long standing hatred and rekindle an old friendship. I smirked at the familiarity of my last thought. That would be nice.

"Looks like there won't be any sled runs today Ben," I said, trying to lighten the mood, and hopefully, change the subject.

Ben grunted his weary agreement. "Nothing left to do but sleep until the storm clears." He said dryly. "Might as well live it up." With that, he curled into a tight ball and closed his eyes.

"I guess so," I agreed, though I knew I was far more at peace with not going on a run than he was. I had never been one for pulling a sled, but Benjamin; he was another story all together. He couldn't get enough of it. It was as if he lived just to pull a sled. Every time a delivery needed to be made, or a race was going to happen, his eyes would light up with an almost juvenile enthusiasm. I smiled. He wasn't our lead dog for nothing. I couldn't imagine anything ever coming between him and his passion for sledding. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason he was still single.

I imitated my brother and curled into a tight ball, letting my eyelids find their own way down across my eyes. I suddenly felt the gaze of a pair of emerald green eyes on my head and opened my own to meet them. Benjamin seemed lost in thought as he stared at me, whispering to himself occasionally.

I regarded him skeptically. "What are you thinking about Ben?" I asked curiously.

He inhaled sharply and shook his head as if breaking form some sort of trance. "Just thinking," He said nonchalantly. "Maybe there's something I can do to help you with your romantic trouble."

"What?" I barked rather loudly. "The student gives the master advice?" I laughed sarcastically.

"Not advice," Benjamin said irritably. "Just ideas."

"Oh," I said, taken aback by his sudden irritation. "What do you suggest, my master?"

Ben rolled his eyes. "Cut the sarcasm Romeo." He said, a smile on his muzzle.

"Since Roxanne doesn't return your feelings, you should forget about her and look for someone who will." He stated simply, as if completely dropping an infatuation was the most simple thing in the world.

"It's not that easy Ben." I sighed. "I love Roxanne and I don't think I could just forget about her."

He laughed and shook his head, as if I was the one who had never had any sort of romantic relationship.

"As the humans say: "There are other fish in the sea."" He said smiling. "Give it enough time and I'm sure you'll find true love." He finished with a front-page smile and a bat of his eyelids, as if trying to tease me.

I chuckled and shook my head. "You're a strange one." I said smiling.

My brother just grinned at me. "As soon as the snow stops, we'll go out and walk around town. Who knows? We could even go for a walk in the forest."

I could swear I felt and heard my mind shatter as it processed what my brother had just suggested. "You mean near the wolf pack?" I asked, horrified.

"Yes." he said, nodding.

"And you're saying that I might...?"

Benjamin raised an eyebrow, a smile plastered from ear to ear and said: "Maybe."

"No way!" I exclaimed, crossing my paws and laying my head down on them. "Forget it. Let's try and get some sleep till the snow stops okay?"

Benjamin just laughed and did the same. "Fine."

I closed my eyes and started to waver into sleep, as I was about to succumb, I heard a very soft howl and a mocking chuckle escape my brother. I ignored him. "That'll be the day." I smirked.

End Chapter 2.

A/N: Well, there you have the second chapter. I apologize for the long wait. As a side note, would you believe that reviews would most probably speed up my posting? Don't believe me? Try it. Just click the button now. I know you see it. Right there, below this text. Look at it… Now click it. xD