Chapter Three

The Run

3,926

I slowly woke up, my eyes blinking open as I looked about myself. It took me a while to take in where I was. That's when my sluggish mind caught up to my body. My head shot up and I looked around shocked.

I was in a small room tables set up around the room with cupboards on the walls. All the tables had this weird pole like thing with a hoop at the top. I noticed my table was the same. Under my head was a worn pillow and there was a worn blanket covering the table making it quiet comfortable. My head shot to the side when I heard a snort and I winced when I felt a resistance on my neck.

Craning my head around my eyes widened. There was a leash leading down from the pole of my table. At the end of that leash was a strong looking leather collar. And wrapped securely in that collar, was my neck. No, this is not happening.

Another snort shocked me enough to look to my left at where it came from. What I saw shocked me even more than the noise. Curled up on one of the larger tables was Ryan only a shock of blond hair visible under his arms. Curled up beside him was Jess her head on her paws. "Now that's an odd sight," I mussed out loud.

Jess snorted loudly her head flying up as she looked around shocked. In the same movement Ryan was shocked enough to fall off the edge of the table. "What the?!" I snorted trying to hold in a laugh as Jess looked over the table a sheepish grin on her muzzle. "Wha' ha'ened?" Ryan asked voice groggy from just waking up, peeking over the table edge towards Jess.

He must have caught my tail wagging from the corner of his eye because he looked over and saw my eyes open. Scrambling to his feet he edged around the table that Jess still sat on. "You're up! Finally it's been a day!"

"What!" I barked jumping to my paws and feeling tightness on my shoulder. I looked at it seeing a bare line of skin with a black line running down the length of it.

"It's called stitches," Jess explained jumping down from her table and hoping up onto another of the tables closer to mine using a short bit of steps that were built into them. She must have seen my expression because she sighed and laid down letting out a large yawn that showed off her teeth.

"Stitches, hmm how to explain this?" She thought hard as I looked around. Ryan was bustling around the small room opening up cupboards and moving stuff around before taking out this odd package. "Well stitches are a way to close a wound for it to heal properly. It's well it's this thin rope that gets sowed into your skin,"

"What? I am not a shirt that some human wears!" No way, uh uh why me, I am not a shirt and I'm not going to be.

"Woo boy!" Ryan said rushing over and laying his hands along my back gently pushing me down on the table. "I guess Jess just explained what's happening. Relax; I will take them out in about two weeks, so relax." I calmed down. I doubt he knew I understood what he had said but I was relaxed anyways.

"Now come out back we need to wash off all the gunk in your fur." He told me unhooking my leash and pulling out a set of steps. "Take it easy for now don't strain that shoulder." He warned me when I went to just hop off the table. I was still going to but when I looked back down I saw Jess down there glaring at me.

I gulped and inched towards the steps slowly placing each paw down on the planks of wood before moving down to the ground, Jess staring at me the whole time. A chuckle attracted my attention and I looked up at Ryan as he looked at Jess and I. Cocking my head to the side I silently asked him what was funny.

He just waved it away letting out another chuckle before he opened up a back door and a fresh crisp breeze blew in. I breathed in deeply ignoring the bite of cold on the bare patch of skin around the stitches. Walking towards the door I took a large sniff of the fresh smell that was in the air. Early morning, my favorite time of the day. That's when the world just wakes up, the birds come alive with the sun, and the air is fresh and crisp with the new day. Best of all, the world is born a new.

I yelped in shock when I was suddenly nudged out of the way and Jess walked past. "Don't hog the air Wolfie."

I raised an eyebrow but I didn't comment on the new name. Following Jess and Ryan they led me to a small shed set off from the building with two small windows set high on the walls under the eaves of the roof so no wind, snow or rain leaked in.

Pulling a ring of keys from his pocket Ryan picked out an old iron one and fit it in the lock before forcing the door open and holding it open for Jess and I. "Ladies first." I said waving my paw towards the held open door.

Jess snorted but complied. Following her in I saw the whole room lined with different washing tools. Sponges, brushes and hoses lined the walls all with no ice on them or even frost for that matter. The floor sloped to the left slightly before angling into a ditch like shape where a drain lead outside. At the far end of the room was a bench that had a lock hanging off of the edge of it.

I looked around me as the door swung shut, the windows letting in enough light to see by. "Now let's get some water in here, so I can wash all of that blood off of you."

An hour later I was running out the open door and shaking off my wet fur. "I. Hate. Baths." I growled still trying to shake out every last drop of water from my fur. "Baths are unnatural; give me an ice cold river over that any day,"

"Oh it wasn't that bad," Jess laughed.

"Not that bad?" I exclaimed wheeling around to stare at her open mouthed. "That was horrible," I muttered shuddering softly and shaking out my fur once more. The hinges on the door creaked as it was forced open once more and Ryan walked out.

Water dripped from his hair and his clothes were damp in spots. I chuckled despite myself. My bad. "I am never giving you a bath, ever again." Ryan told me sending a death glare my way. I just gave a happy bark as a reply before sauntering over to the closed gate and sitting down. His frown deepened but he moved closer and inched up the latch on the gate before pushing it open.

I was just about to step out of the gate when he shut it centimeters from my nose. Taking my muzzle in his hand I was forced to stifle the growl that wanted to escape me, instead I settled for a glare. He kneeled down in front of me and looked me flat in the eyes. "Get this straight before you leave." He growled voice low. "Even though you're a wolf, if you need help come back here. Come back no matter what in two weeks for those stitches. Got it?"

I didn't answer instead I stood there stunned as Ryan stood back up and opened the gate. "Go." He ordered. I looked at him and then Jess before walking out of the small yard. With a clack the gate shut behind me and I was again in the alley ways of Nome. I took in a couple breaths of fresh air before I looked to the sky.

"I'm dead." I muttered. If Ryan was right than I was asleep for a full day and before that I had only left for the night. Balto must be worried sick. Deciding to test out my shoulder I put my full weight on my once bad leg. It was a miracle; I only felt a small twinge of pain, nothing like I used to feel from the wound.

I smiled and with a bark took off running down the alley. I felt alive again. My muscles flowed smoothly with each movement, my blood sung in my veins with the freedom. My ears caught every sound as my paws gently crushed the snow on the ground. This is it. This is what life should be like.

I turned out of the alley and onto the broad main road. Pushing myself even harder to the point where I reached almost the same speed that Balto did when he ran; I soared over the ground paws barely touching before leaving it with a soft crunch.

Barking followed me when I whizzed past Steele and his group but I know that he wouldn't catch me, so I wasn't worried about it. Leaving the town behind I ran over the open ground, the crushed snow turning into the thick wild untouched snow that made up the outer ring of Nome's land. A couple paw tracks dotted it here and there and I let out a short howl when familiar smells reached my sensitive nose.

Pressing on and pushing as fast as I could I leapt up the plank and onto the Trawler itself. "Now where are they?" I asked myself looking around. I sniffed the air again taking in the scents around me. Before I could really get a good whiff I heard a loud bang followed by barks and yelps.

"What the?" Spinning around on my hind paws I jumped down from the run down Trawler and ran towards town. As I ran the noises got closer and I dug in my paws skidding to a stop as a line of dogs ran past me. "What? Balto!"

I ran to catch up to my friend shouldering through the mob of dogs that circled him. Snapping at any that didn't move out of my way fast enough I finally got to him panting as shocks of pain hit my shoulder from the stitched line on the blade. "What's…Going on?" I panted when I shouldered to the spot beside him letting out a growl as I was yelled at by the dog I moved out of my way.

"Not now…Must win race." Balto panted eyes narrowed and glowing with energy as he picked up speed. I struggled to keep up and gasped for breath as my lungs tightened and my shoulder flared painfully. Jumping slightly I got a glimpse of a turn coming up. I know this turn this is on the south side of town by the piers that held the fishing boats for the winter.

"Balto turn!" I yelled. It was too late. He was just running up beside Nikki when I saw the slight shift in the large dog's weight. The second they both hit the turn Nikki kicked up his hind legs the large dogs' paws smashing into the underside of Balto's jaw. I winced as I slid to a stop at the turn and looked at Balto sprawled out on the ice of the lake.

That looked painful. Even as I stood there watching he struggled to his paws claws digging into the ice under him. Slipping forward he grabbed onto a tie off pole that stuck out of the ice and heaved up balancing on the top.

I sighed shaking my head as I watched Balto hop from pole to pole. Digging in my paws I turned sharply cutting between two houses as I faintly heard a familiar goose yell. "Who's eating who's snow now mutt!" I laughed and ducked between the houses peeking out at the white banner that made up the finish line. I could see one of the lead mushers standing there a ticking stop watch held in his hand as he watched the mob of dogs approach from around the bend.

I chuckled as I watched dogs approach and I could easily pick out the brownish-grey coat of Balto at the head of the pack. What I was shocked to see though was Jess in second. She looked exhausted but she powered on head low as she struggled to keep up with Balto, only a couple feet behind him with the rest of the group of dogs a couple feet behind her.

I didn't realize where I stood until Balto ran past me only a foot from my nose. I jumped back shocked when I saw I stood with the humans at the side of the track as they cheered on the dogs. With a happy bark I ran up to Balto as he stood triumphantly on the other side of the finish line head held low to the ground as he struggled to catch his breath.

His gaze travelled to my side and I followed it shocked to see Jenna not too far from me. My ears flattened and my fangs were bared before I could stop myself, luckily I caught myself before the growl slipped out. Backing up I slipped back through the crowd and slipped up beside Balto just as Steele approached.

"Nikki, Kaltag, Star. Move it we're strapping up." Steele ordered practically sauntering past Balto head held high and proud. God how I wished I could knock that glory hound down to size. I let a soft growl out just as Balto turned to look at Steele who was now sauntering past him and towards his sled team.

"Hey now, just a second here Steele. I was the fastest dog." That made the mutt freeze. He got a twitch in his neck, his head twisting to an almost odd angle as his eyes widened to an alarming degree.

"You were the fastest? What!?" Steele roared looking at Balto over his shoulder. I felt my hackles rise and hunched down eyes narrowed.

"Watch it Steele." I growled voice a forced rumble. "Don't give me anymore reason to snap at you than I already have." Steele just scuffed rolling his shoulders and holding his head higher looking down his muzzle at me.

"Look at you all hunched over in fear," Steele sneered letting a smirk cross his features. I growled again.

He only looked smugger and tried to puff out his chest. He's an idiot. If I was out in the woods and confronted a wolf or any animal like he is now I would dead in a minute. My neck would be broken, throat open wide before I would be able to react. This mutt was all talk; I doubt he's been in a real fight, hell none of these mutts have been in a real fight, not even Balto. They don't know what a real fight is, what it's like to draw blood and injure an animal with your own claws and teeth.

He turned to Balto, stalking up to him and ignoring me as he shoved me aside like I was nothing. That's it, next time I can he's mine! "Do you honestly think any musher would put you on his team?" He scuffed looking down at the smaller hybrid. "You're more mixed up than I thought,"

"Steele!" Jenna reprimanded jumping forward from god knows where. "It doesn't matter who's on the team," I watched as a weight seemed to be lifted from Balto. He straightened up ears perked forward like he didn't want to miss a thing she said. "As long as the medicine gets through. Stop being such a glory hound!" I couldn't help the snort that came from me. I've been calling him that for so long!

You tell 'em. I muttered in my head keeping up my glare towards Steele even though I was grinning at Jenna on the inside. "You…You're a hundred percent right Jenna." Steele sighed acting like he completely agreed with her. I could see it in his eyes though that he didn't give a damn about the kids, but only the glory that saving them would bring. Bastard.

"I…I wasn't thinking about those children. They, the important thing is to get the medicine through, and that's exactly what I'm going to do," Steele said raising his head to show his commitment. I could see the uncertainty in her eyes as she eyed the resident glory hound.

With a sudden mood swing he swung his head to Balto almost nose to nose with him as he spat out his next words. "And when I'm back I'm going to fold you five ways and leave you for a cat toy,"

"Good job Steele!" His musher praised, god what was his name? Ah yes Gunnar Kaasen. "Good boy," Gunnar laughed patting Steele on his head as he barked with a very high pitch. What is he a girl, I didn't even think a guy dog could bark that high; it was like he had a squeaky toy stuck in his mouth. "Now let's take a look at our winner here,"

Steele froze slowly turning to glare at Balto a rough growl echoing from his chest. "Let's take a look at our winner," Gunnar repeated slowly reaching forward and towards Balto.

I backed up, something was going to happen and unfortunately I wasn't able to help without making it worse for someone, and I don't think it would be Steele. I looked away when I heard the snap and short pained growl that erupted from Balto. "We can't trust this one, he's part wolf," Gunnar said pulling back and slowly turning to walk away. "He might turn on me,"

"Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Jess let's go!"

I looked at Balto quickly before my gaze shot to Jenna who stepped forward. Looking to the retreating forms of the sled dogs my eyes narrowed, something wasn't right. I looked back at Balto one last time before I turned back to the dogs. Shaking my head I slipped through the dispersing crowd, I still wasn't too sure what this was even about but from the feel of it, it was dangerous maybe not to us but to the ones that count. The kids.

I watched as the team was led into the mail house and into one of the back rooms where a large map was held on the wall, that was when the door was closed.

I growled as I circled around the building, ears cocked as I tried to catch any sound. Finally I found a back door where the faint echo of voices floated from the crack at the bottom. I got as close as I could to the crack lying down on my stomach and twisting my head so my ear was almost directly against it.

I ignored what the humans were saying about the route, it would be pointless to listen anyways, not all the landmarks were called the same and I only actually knew about a couple of the landmarks that these dogs know of.

They were talking about the route right now watching as the humans drew faintly on the map to. At least that's what I guess they were doing; I couldn't actually see what they were doing in there because the door was closed.

"That there's a tough route." Nikki muttered. "That's a long run and there's even a storm coming in,"

"Yeah you can just feel it," Jess muttered. A cold gust of wind hit me and I shook out my fur feeling as my hair stood on end before lying somewhat flat against my back. Instantly the chill that I got from the cold gust of wind was gone, replaced by comfortable warmth that even covered the bare spot on my shoulder.

"Guys," Star cut in.

"Look at all those hills we have to go over," Kaltag exclaimed cutting off the smaller dog.

"Guys,"

"That's not too bad we're used to hills like that," Jess put in.

"Yes but not on a run this long, I mean look at,"

"Guys!" Star yelled with a small bark.

"What!?" All the dogs yelled. I bit back a whine when my ears started to ring from the noise.

"The run, it, it runs through wolf territory." That was all I needed to hear.

With a growl I lunged to my feet and took off running through the town. I didn't bother taking the familiar back routes because the streets were empty. All the humans were either in the hospital with their sick kids or locked up in their houses mourning the ones already lost or getting ready just in case.

What little dogs I ran across were subdued. Their eyes were down, tails tucked low and sometimes even between their legs. Some looked up at me, eyes hollow and only faintly growled at me before looking to the hospital or the houses they stood guard over.

I left the dejected town feeling like I had just left a graveyard after a funeral. I shook out my fur when I walked up the plank to the Trawler feeling my raised scruff as it laid down flat again. The sun was starting to set, the thick clouds of the storm moving in to cover what little light might still come down.

I got to the top of the plank and heard the slapping of flippers on the boards as Boris tried to convince a pacing Balto of something. "…You couldn't do anything," He was saying to the dog. Balto just growled and pushed past the goose not sparing a glance to me.

"What I miss?"

Boris continued to look at the sulking hybrid before looking at me with a sigh. "He's scared," Boris told me simply.

I let out a soft growl this one filled with frustration for once and not anger. "Of course," I muttered. Shaking my head I stalked up to our resident hybrid that was on the prow of the ship staring at the cloudy sky. "What you looking at?"

"Have you ever wondered what you're supposed to do?" Wow talk about trying to dig deep.

I followed his gaze to an amazingly dark cloud just as it started to move around with the coming storm. "Always, remember when you first found me?" He gave a small sharp nod in answer not turning to look at me. "I was just a pup by your standards but for a wolf I was ready to go on by myself. Than you came finding me in that cave all alone and took me in." Memories flooded me but I just shook them off with a tired sigh.

"That day, that first day I was in turmoil. I was raised to hide from the humans, and here I was living on the edge of a town of them. My instincts screamed at me to run from here, go back to the mountains where I belonged, yet I didn't want to." I let a grin stretch my muzzle as I looked towards the town. "I was healed by a human, became friends with a dog. And now I'm even going to protect Steele's sled team on the run."

Well chapter 3 is all done and over with. It's at 3,926 words and at the beginning of eight pages longest chapter yet.