Chapter 4: Six Bundles of Joy

He was running and it didn't take him long to figure out why. He wasn't running a race or running to see his love – he was running with the raven again in his dreams. The landscape shook, crumbled and crashed of its own accord while he raced along to avoid the destruction. He evaded the crumbling ice, carried on an ice floe towards what his dreams always carried him towards - the wolves with the unearthly glowing eyes that called to him, leaving him torn. He wanted to be back with Jenna and his family, but the raven's call urged him forward, growing louder until it became a deafening roar.

"Balto! Wake up!"

He shut his eyes to block out the vision, right before a sudden cold shocked his entire body. He snapped his eyes open and found himself sopping wet on his boat, while Boris stood in front him, holding his water dish and wearing a very annoyed look on his face.

"What? What? What's the matter?" he asked.

"The matter is you are having dream again," Boris replied, poking Balto's head with his wing.

'Dream or not, there are so many better ways to wake me up,' he thought as he shook the water from his thick fur. "So what if I was – it's just a dream," he retorted, echoing the words he'd used so many times before.

"HA! This 'just a dream' is keeping you from a decent sleep, and if your eyes get any droopier, you'll have to keep zem open with toothpicks," Boris said, pulling one of his eyelids open for extra effect.

"Boris, they'll stop drooping if you just go away and let me get some rest."

"Wrong, you won't be getting rest with that dream hanging around like dark cloud."

"Ugh, I hate it when you get all dramatic," he grumbled, averting the questioning gaze from his friend.

"How else am I to reach you? I'm telling you boitshick-" he said, grabbing Balto's muzzle and bringing it closer to his face. "If you keep having the same dream again and again, it means something!"

Balto wrenched his muzzle free with a grunt and started to get up. "Boris, dreams don't mean anything. They're just… dreams," he replied as he let out a wide yawn. He trotted out of the wheelhouse and made his way over to the side of the boat. "Now, do you want to come with me? I have to go check on Jenna," he asked, before vaulting over the side and landing on the freshly thawed-out beach. The sand crunched underneath his paws as calm waves from the blue-green sea lapped at the shore, producing a calming rhythm that Balto had missed during the winter.

"Of course I come – I'm not finished nagging you yet!" Boris cried as he followed Balto towards town. Try as he might to filter out the old bird's pestering, Boris continued to try to convince him that his dreams had some sort of meaning or message.

'Oh give it a rest. Even if it was a message, I have no idea who'd want to give me one, much less how'd they'd do it in my dreams,' he thought as he walked along the tundra, passing by some sparse patches of snow that had yet to disappear.

"So, if dreams mean nothing, then why does it have a raven and a pack of wolves, eh? Why not pickled herring?" Boris asked, finishing a long speech that Balto had only been half listening to.

"Because herring would be in one of your dreams, not mine."

"Precisely - raven and wolves have meaning only to you – Balto, look!" he gasped, pointing to what stood in front of them. It was the totem pole that Balto used as a marker to Jenna's, and the carvings on it instantly grabbed Boris' attention. "On totem pole there is raven and wolf!" the old bird cried. While Boris saw the carved figures as some sort of omen, Balto thought differently. He'd passed by it countless times during his life, never giving the old pole of wood much thought. However, he was familiar enough with it to find a few holes in Boris' theory.

"Calm down Boris, there's also a fox and a wolverine-"

"Oi, such scary creatures. They should only live vell far away from me," Boris cut in.

"And a bear and a caribou," Balto continued, ignoring Boris' comment as he listed all of the shapes carved into the wood. "They're just wood carvings, Boris.

"Yes, I know, I know. Humans use them to tell stories; but of vhat, I don't know," Boris mused, while Balto decided to give a more thorough look at the totem pole. Despite passing by it so many times, he'd never taken the time to take a closer look. The carvings were arranged so that the animals were stacked one on top of the other, with the raven overseeing them all, its wooden wings stretched out as though it was ready to take flight.

"Balto, maybe seeing the raven and wolf on totem pole is making you dream something very important?" Boris suggested.

"Like what?"

"Like something you've forgotten… or maybe something you're supposed to know?" Boris explained in a whisper, as though it was some classified government secret.

"Look Boris, all I know is that the totem pole marks the shortcut to Jenna's and that's good enough for me," Balto replied, wanting to finally drop the subject. 'I don't think there'd be anything related to wolves or ravens that I'd be forgetting... or is there? Nah, it's more likely that the whole totem pole thing is just a coincidence. I shouldn't get myself caught up in what is probably a wild goose chase.'

"Ooh boy, stubborn," Boris grumbled, but Balto didn't continue it further. The dream that morning had given him enough wolves and ravens for one day. He was eager to move on and see how Jenna was doing.

'I hope she's doing okay today. She's so close to having our pups - maybe I should put my visits to Maska on hold until after they're born,' he thought as he entered the town. 'I'd hate to think about missing what could be the most important part of my-' His thought was cut off when he heard rapid barking closing in on him. The source was a small terrier charging towards him, obviously cheerful about something. So cheerful in fact that it slid to a stop and crashed right into Balto's front legs. Fortunately, his small weight wasn't enough to knock him over, and the terrier was quick to regain his senses.

"Aye! There you are laddies," the terrier greeted with a very thick accent that Balto hadn't heard before. The terrier wasn't a dog he knew personally, but he'd seen him a couple of times around the town. "I've been smellin' all over for ya," he exclaimed while jumping in the air. His antics made Balto wonder if this dog had truly great news, or if it simply had a little too much coffee to drink in the morning.

The terrier's constant bounding and barking was starting to become a great annoyance for Boris, who held his head to try to block the sound out. "Oi, would you stop with the bouncing and make with the talking?" he groaned. "I'm getting dizzy!"

The terrier got the last of its barking out of its system, before finally delivering its message. "The stork… has landed," he declared. "I repeat - the stork has landed!"

"Jenna?" It didn't take much for Balto to understand the meaning behind the terrier's message, and when he put two and two together, he bounded away, knocking the excited terrier over and leaving Boris behind in the alley.

'It must have happened during the night - ugh, and I'd been sleeping in my boat only a mile away when I should have been by her side. I've been looking forward to this for weeks and I miss it by a hiar. Oh, I hope she isn't mad at me for this,' he hoped as he dashed towards her house. There was no denying it - his pups had been born, and it wouldn't be long before he'd get to see them for himself. He wasn't sure what to expect, but that was part of the fun, like wondering what's underneath the wrapping of a birthday present.

The terrier was quick to follow him as he bounded to Jenna's house, stopping at the door to her shed while he went forward, nudging it open. This was it - the time where he'd get to see just how many bundles of joy they would be caring for.

He stopped at the threshold, taking a moment to look at her. She was lying on her side with her back turned to him, delaying the big reveal for a few seconds more. "Hello Balto," she greeted softly, as he readied himself for what was waiting with her. "Well come in, they don't bite… at least not yet," she said as he padded over to her to see the newborn pups.

It was a sight that would melt even the coldest of hearts. Snuggled up beside her were six pups - Jenna had been spot on with her prediction - nursing from her to receive their first meal of their lives. Five of them bore thin, reddish coats, varying from the brighter shade that Jenna wore to a darker shade that he assumed partially came from him. The sixth was the one that stood out the most, as it had a striking tan coat similar to his, just a shade lighter. All six of them moved awkwardly, still getting used to using their own limbs. Every now and then, one of them would let out a small puppy cry, not to vocalize anything, but simply to test out what would become their voices. As he watched their round bodies squirm and wiggle, he felt like he could float away on his joy.

"Oh Jenna, they're… they're so beautiful; just like you," he said, nuzzling her softly. A small whimper caught their ears, but it was just the little tan pup finding a better spot on her mother's belly.

"And you," she replied, before returning to their nuzzle.

While they took in the sight of their new pups, Boris poked his head in to see the two happy parents. Since he felt like Balto was a part of his own family, he was also very glad about the new arrivals. "Look at me - I'm an uncle," he said to himself. However, the moment was broken when the terrier decided to enter as well, barking his head off. By now, Boris had gotten sick of the yappy dog's intrusions, and decided to be rid of him once and for all. With strength that very few would think a goose would be capable of, he kicked the terrier backwards with enough force to send it flying over the fence behind them. With no more interruptions, they were now free to enjoy the sight of the adorable newborn pups.

After Boris got his own look at the pups, he left to let Balto and Jenna have some time to themselves. For the first little while they just watched the pups quietly, taking in the sight. So far there wasn't much - some of the pups were still nursing while others had settled down for a nap. One of them was bold enough to amble away from its mother to find out what else there was in this new world. However, its eyes were still shut, so it couldn't get very much from its excursion. Balto leaned down and let his nose tap the young pup's. It froze and squeaked a little at this new sensation. It couldn't see or hear what had tapped it, and whimpered in anxiety.

"Hey there little guy… I'm your daddy," he comforted. "Don't worry, your mother and I will take good care of you and your siblings."

Jenna giggled a little. "You do know that pups are born deaf right? They can't hear a word you're saying."

"So? Doesn't mean I can't try. They have to learn the sound of my voice at some point," he replied, before gently nudging the wayward pup back towards its mother, where it settled down to nap with its brothers and sisters.

"Would you look at that, I'm actually a father... but I missed it. Jenna, I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I-"

She shook her head to dismiss his apology. "It's fine Balto, there was no way you could have known. I wasn't expecting it to happen during the night either… then again no one knows how to expect the birth of their own children."

"But I was only a mile away and slept right through it," he countered. "I wanted so badly to see this, but now that I've missed it, it feels like I was asleep at the wheel."

"I know you wanted to be here, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not the most important thing. What's important is that you're here now, and that our pups are safe and healthy," she assured him.

"True… now all that's left is to name them all," he said. "Any ideas?"

"A few. I was thinking-" she was cut off when they heard the door creak open, and turned to see Rosy there, coming in to check on Jenna in the early morning.

"Balto? Watcha doing here boy?" she asked as he came over and let her scratch his ears. "I guess you wanted to check up on Jenna too, huh? Aw, you're such a good dog to look after her like that." He wagged his tail as he received the affection from her, before gently tugging her sleeve to bring her over. "What is it boy?" she asked, and when she saw the pups, she let out a loud squeal of delight.

"They're so cute! MOM! DAD! JENNA HAD HER PUPPIES! MOM DAD! JENNA HAD HER PUPPIES!" she shouted excidtedly as she ran out the door and bolted inside to deliver the news. They could hear her gleeful shouts from inside, following the path of her voice as she went up to her parent's room, roused them out of bed and came back down with her father in tow.

"Alright Rosy, calm down. We heard you the first dozen times," her father said as he ambled into the shed. It was obvious that he'd been woken abruptly, and Balto smirked a little when he saw his appearance.

'Wow, and I thought I had the bad hair days,' he thought as he saw the man. Dressed only in his robe, his hair stood in every direction from lying on a pillow, and even his normally neat moustache was askew that morning.

"Now, let's see what we've got and - hold it, what's he doing here?" he asked suspiciously, pointing at Balto. "He shouldn't be near the pups."

"But dad, they're his puppies too! See, some of them really look like him, especially this one," she explained, before picking the tan pup up and holding it for her father to see.

Rosy had failed to notice that pup had been enjoying her nap against her mother's warm belly. The jostling from being picked up, along with being unable to see of hear what was going on as it was being carried away frightened her. Balto noticed her squirming out of discomfort in Rosy's hands and knew from Maska's advice that pups shouldn't be separated from their mother much before they were able to wander off on their own. Doing so would cause them distress and keep them from the warmth their mother provided to their newborn bodies.

He padded over and gave the pup a few nuzzles and licks to try to calm her. Her squirms calmed a bit, but not completely. So, he very gingerly took the nape of her neck in her teeth and lifted her from Rosy's grasp, taking extra care to not jostle her. Much like what Maska and his mate did countless times with their cubs, he carefully carried his pup back to Jenna and set her down with her siblings, tapping her once with her nose to urge her to stay.

Both Rosy and her father observed his actions, and it was then that something finally gave in the older man. Seeing how tender Balto was with the pups reminded him of the day years ago when he first held his own daughter in his arms. He remembered wanting to be as gentle as possible with his newborn baby girl, and he saw that care being mirrored in Balto's actions. Now, that same little girl he could once cradle in one arm looked up at him, not wanting him to send her hero away. "See, he's being gentle with them. Please don't send him out - he should get a chance to see his puppies."

Everything he'd heard about wolves was telling him to say no, but he couldn't ignore that what he'd just seen ran contrary to his earlier preconceptions. Balto was being as much, if not more gentle with the pups than any other husky dog he'd seen. His concern over the pups no longer held any weight as Balto was there, being very gentle with them - as gentle as any good father would be with their children. The hybrid turned and looked at him, his expression calm, but expectant. He was waiting for the man to make the next move, with no signal of apprehension, anxiety or aggression. He was just waiting for what the man would say, and Rosy's father knew that the time had come now. He would have to give Balto the benefit of the doubt if they were ever to move forward.

"I… well… I'm not going to win this one, am I?" he sighed, pausing a moment before continuing, "Oh what the hey, why not?" he finally conceded. "Maybe having an extra pair of eyes looking after the pups won't hurt."

At this, all of their faces lit up in joy. "Really? Oh thank you, thank you!" Rosy exclaimed, and hugged him tightly. Her father chuckled on seeing her happy outburst, and was surprised when he was almost knocked over as an ecstatic wolfdog rushed in to lick him and show his gratitude as well.

"Easy there, down boy," he said, and Balto obliged, letting the man rub him behind his ears. "Now, I'm going to let him come by to see the pups and play with them, but that's it," he told Rosy. "I'm still wanting to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he'll behave within a home."

"But he will, why don't you just let him be part of the family?" Rosy protested. "You just think he's going to do something bad because he's a stray."

"It's not that simple. You remember a few weeks ago when your mother mentioned how Balto does like going off on his own quite a bit, right?" She nodded and he continued on, "Well, we talked about that a bit more, and we realized that it's probably because he's lived as a stray most of his life and is used to roaming around. You sometimes see some of the sled dogs in town do this too. They all like getting out on their own and stretching their legs. It's part of how they were bred, and that's something we can't change completely."

"Are you saying… that maybe Balto wouldn't like it as much in our home?" Rosy asked. "But how could you know for sure?"

"I don't, but if we let him come to see his pups, then maybe we can see if he's interested. If not, we can leave him be and still let him come by," he finished.

Rosy thought it over, turning to Balto to gauge his reaction. "What do you think, boy?"

Balto tilted his head a bit as he thought it over, before giving his tail a few wags and nuzzling her sleeve to communicate his approval. With that, Rosy nodded and accepted her father's compromise. They edged forward to see the pups, and Balto let them approach, just as long as they didn't try to remove any of them.

"What do you think Balto?" Jenna asked him.

"I'm just happy I'm going to be able to see my pups. That was what really mattered to me through this whole thing," he replied. "Come to think of it, he does have a point. While I love coming by to see you and Rosy - and now our pups too - there are actually parts of my 'off the leash' life that I would miss. Visiting Maska, exploring new places… I don't know if it's because of my wolf half, or just because it's the life I'm used to, but I feel happy about this."

She smiled, glad to see that he no longer felt like he was being pushed away unfairly. "Alright, just as long as you don't forget to remember your responsibilities too. The pups will need their poppa to help look after them… and their momma might need some company at the end of day too," she added, grinning at him.

"I know, and I won't forget. You need love and attention just as much as they do," he replied, nuzzling her softly. "Besides, how else are they going to learn how to run like their old dad?" he added, causing her to chuckle a little.

While they chatted about how best to schedule things between them, Rosy and her father were starting to think about names for all of the pups. "Well, it looks like there's three girls and three boys in that bunch," her father observed. "I was thinking that Saba would be a good name for one of the girls, while Kodiak would be good for one of the boys."

"Okay, how about for that one and that one?" Rosy suggested, pointing to the smaller male and smaller female of the group, both of whom had bright red coats. He nodded, and she started to think of names for the other four. "Um, this one could be Dingo," she pointed to one of the darker furred males. "And this one would be Kara," this time to the burgundy female, before going over to the last red male. "And this one would be… uh… let's go with Rex for that one."

"Okay, so it's Dingo, Kara and Rex, so that just leaves this one," her father recited, before reaching over pet the last tan pup. "You take quite a bit after your father, so what would be a good name for you, little one?" The pup squirmed a little under his touch before letting out a short, tiny puppy howl. It sounded more like a small 'aroo' sound, but it was enough to give Rosy an idea.

"Hey, it sounds like she's saying something like… Aleu. Let's name her Aleu," she suggested.

"Alright, Aleu it is," he replied, rounding out the set. Balto overheard them though all that, and he quickly learned the names they'd given the pups. After weeks of waiting it was now time for them to begin a new chapter in their lives. He didn't know what was in store for the pups down the road, but at the moment he wasn't worried. Kodi, Saba, Kara, Dingo, Rex and Aleu were all healthy and safe, and he would do everything in his power to ensure they stayed that way.