Chapter 4: Seeking Guidance

In just a few short minutes, Kaltag had gone from feeling like the top dog to feeling like the town fool. He hadn't meant to say anything hurtful to Balto, but he couldn't deny that what he said was not the most flattering about him. However, what bothered him the most was what Balto had said before leaving.

"You can take charge and make things right…. but I guess you're more comfortable with following the status quo than being a leader."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums me up right there," Kaltag thought, "I've never really been much of a leader, always a follower. This morning was a wake up call to how much I have to change in order to make things better between us." Kaltag knew that he would need help on this, and he knew just who to go to. He made his way to his owner's home, which was a quaint cabin with a large yard in behind it. The yard had several dog houses set up, as the dogs that Kaltag's owner used for his racing team weren't the only ones that he had in his possession. He also had several other dogs that he used as alternates, along with a few older dogs that had grown too old for sledding, and now lived a comfortable retirement in his care. Kaltag entered the yard and passed by each of the small shelters, looking for a particular one. As he walked, he passed by one with the name "Steele" printed into the wood. The house was empty, but there was still a food bowl with some kibble sitting in front of it, "Our human must still be expecting him to come home. Though, if he knew what had really happened, he would know that he's not coming back," Kaltag thought. Passing a few more, he found the one he was looking for, with the name "Cain" marked into the wood, "Hey, Cain," Kaltag called, "Cain, are you home? I really need to talk to you."

Soon, the head of a dark grey husky poked itself out of the house, "Kaltag? I wasn't expecting you to come around. It's certainly been a while," he said as he slowly got out of his doghouse. Cain was one of the older dogs whose time as a sled dog had come and gone, but their owner still loved him for companionship. While his age had limited his mobility, he could still sometimes be seen around town, trotting along at his own pace.

"I know, but I'm here because I need some help from you," Kaltag replied.

"Oh really? That's interesting, because the last time I checked, you didn't want any of my help; you already had what you needed," Cain said flatly. Kaltag knew precisely what the old dog meant. Cain had offered to help Kaltag in the past, but he had shot him down, mostly due to Steele's influence.

Two and a half years ago

It had been a few months since Nikki, Kaltag and Star had made their deal with Steele, and in that time, Kaltag had grown accustomed to following his lead dog's orders. After all, a team was supposed to follow the lead dog, and if you wanted to challenge him, you had to be ready to fight. Only the dominant dog would give orders on Steele's team, and he made it quite clear that only those that could beat him in a fight would take his authority from him. However, Kaltag had no reason to challenge him; Steele had turned out to be a great friend and so he trusted his judgment.

By now, Kaltag, Nikki and Star had grown past the point where they trained only with the other rookies, and were able to keep up with most of the older dogs. While he was still some time away from running his first actual race, he could still take part in lower intensity runs around town. They, along with the other young dogs, were starting to be seen less as rookies, and more as full members of the team. Kaltag couldn't have asked for better. No longer was he some weirdo rookie; he felt like he truly belonged, all thanks to his friendship with Steele. However, there was still one dog that Kaltag could never get along with: Zeke. The husky was still being antagonistic towards him, but Kaltag didn't feel as bad about it now. If Zeke gave him any trouble, he could simply call on Steele, Nikki and Star to chase him off. In fact, that had just happened today, when the group chased him around town until Zeke had holed himself up in one of the many abandoned buildings in Nome. As Kaltag and the group returned home, they would soon find out that not everyone thought that their actions were for the better.

"So, did you four have another fun day terrorizing a teammate?" a voice called out. The group turned and saw that it was Cain, the same dog that had led them on their training runs a few months ago.

"Why do you care?" Steele shot back.

"I care because we're all supposed to be on the same team here," Cain replied.

"Tell that to Zeke," Kaltag shot back, "He's the one who's always pushing us around and saying that we're not a part of the team, so we push back!"

"That's right Kal. Zeke isn't being a team player," Steele continued, "A true teammate knows to not cross the lead dog, or his friends."

"So, being a part of the team means that we should all roll over to your whims Steele? Well then, I guess I should do my part too," Cain said coyly before lying down on his back.

"Don't mock me Cain; you of all dogs should know not to cross me," Steele growled, "You may have had your time as lead dog, but now it's over."

"You got me there. I suppose I'm not as young as I used to be," Cain said as he got up, "Though, if it were up to me, you'd be the last choice for lead dog."

This only caused Steele to snarl, "Who do you think you are? You know full well that I'm the most talented for the job!" he growled.

"Yes, you do have talent, but you don't have much of anything else," Cain said coldly.

"Oh yeah... you see this?" Steele said, showing off his gold-studded collar, "I won this earlier this year because I was the best dog in the race. Did you ever win this during your time? No! I was the first."

"Are you sure?" Cain asked, "Forgive me for being so bold, but I've heard a few reports that you used… less than honest means to win this year's Derby."

"Whatever you heard back in White Mountain is nothing but the whining of a bunch of sore losers!" Steele growled, "I beat Amak's team and that's final! I am the champion sled dog of Alaska; fair and square."

"Alright, if that helps you sleep at night, then I won't question it. Though, the last time I checked, the title of champion goes to the whole team, not just the lead dog," Cain replied.

"What are you getting at?" Steele said, and Cain turned his attention towards Kaltag.

"Kaltag, let me ask you this. When you aren't out chasing Zeke around, does Steele ever pay much attention to you?" Cain asked, "What has he done for you?"

Kaltag thought for a moment, and found that Steele never really did pay much attention to them when they weren't out chasing Zeke. Normally, he was just telling stories about his various sledding adventures; stories in which he always ended up as the hero. As he thought about it, he realized that he and the other younger dogs rarely came up in conversation, "I… uh… well…" he stammered.

"What have I done for him?" Steele cut in, "I'll tell you what I've done; I've stopped him from being Zeke's punching bag." At this, most of Kaltag's doubts washed away as he remembered that his friendship with Steele had allowed him to rise above what he was before, and become much stronger, "I served as not only a friend, but a protector as well!"

"He's right Cain; Steele helped me deal with Zeke, and that's more than I can say about you," Kaltag continued, "You never did anything about Zeke; you just told him off, but it never worked. You did nothing for me, while Steele made me stronger."

"Look Kal, I know that what Zeke does can be frustrating, but trust me on this one. You don't have to stoop to Steele's level," he said, "C'mon, I can help you through this."

"I don't need your help!" Kaltag snapped, "I may have been the odd one out before, but not anymore. I'm someone now; I'm a part of the team. Steele did that for me, while you did nothing!"

Cain could see the anger burning in Kaltag's eyes, and as much as he hated to admit it, there would be no way to convince him otherwise. Kaltag's negative experiences had led him to take the easy way instead of toughing it out, "Alright, if you'd rather be somebody and follow your leader blindly, then I won't stop you. However, you may find that you're becoming no better than what you're trying to fight. You always have the choice to say no to him," he said, before walking away from them. Steele and the trio turned the other way and headed back towards their home. Even though he was still secure in his support for Steele, the exchange with Cain still left Kaltag with questions, "Why didn't he think that Steele wasn't up to being lead dog? What did he mean by 'becoming no better than what we're fighting'? Of course we're better than Zeke; he started it, and Steele said that he wasn't being a team player. It sure sounds like Cain and Steele have a bit of a history with each other," he thought, "Um, boss, can I ask you something?" Kaltag asked.

"Fire away," Steele said.

"Why doesn't Cain like the idea of you being the lead dog?" Kaltag asked, "What does he have against you?"

Steele rolled his eyes at this, "He's probably just upset about losing the position to me," he replied, "Cain used to be the lead dog of the team, but I replaced him last year. I think he's just sore about the whole thing; losing the perks and status that comes with being a lead dog."

"What about the other thing hes said?" Nikki asked, "The thing about your last race?"

"What about it?" Steele asked, slightly annoyed.

"Is it true?" Star asked, "Did you cheat?"

In a flash Steele, turned himself around and had pressed his face against Star's, "I did no such thing! I may have bent the rules, but no one caught me, so as far as I'm concerned, I won fair and square," he said, "I'm tired of hearing the accusations of sore losers, and if you or anyone else brings it up again, I swear I will shove you in a crate and send you to the Sahara! Understood!" The three of them nodded and the conversation ended with that outburst, as no one wanted to aggravate Steele any further. He was still their boss, and he had previously made it clear that stupid questions would not be tolerated, "Good. Now that that's cleared up, I think we should have a little more fun today," Steele said, "Maybe I'll give you guys a little treat."

"What is it; some new bones?" Kaltag asked.

"No, but that would be nice right about now," Steele replied, "I want you guys to help me deal with a certain mongrel that has crossed me a few too many times…"

Present Day

At the time, Kaltag had been so overcome by his frustration, that he he had joined Steele without a second thought. He saw Steele as a dog of action; someone who would do something about their problems. Cain on the other hand was seen as an aging has-been who didn't want to stick his neck out. However, that was then; that was before he learned just what kind of dog Steele truly was, and how blind action could come back to bite you on the rear, "Okay, I know we haven't been on the best terms in the past, but I want to make things right... for everyone," he said.

The old dog looked at him for a moment before breaking out into a grin, "Well, I did tell you that you always had a choice, and after what happened to Steele, I guess you made the right one. Plus, that choice got you into the position of lead dog as well," he said, "How are you feeling about that?"

"I'm feeling great about it. It was unexpected, but our owner thought I was up for the job, so here I am," he said.

"Well, let's just hope that you do a better job than our last lead," Cain said, "Steele may have had talent, but he was reckless. Worse, he even dragged a few good dogs down with him, using them to help weed out those who might oppose him," Kaltag knew that he was referring to the actions of himself, Nikki and Star, and it only served to increase the sick feeling in his stomach, "I might've been able to stop him too, but I didn't. To this day, I've wondered how things would've gone differently if I-"

"Had been less of a bystander?" Kaltag finished, and Cain nodded, "Yeah, I know how you feel right now; wishing to turn back time and do it over again."

"Hm, I guess being saved by someone you used to hate will do that to you," Cain said with a slight chuckle, "Though, I will admit that I was surprised when it was Balto leading the medicine home. That fact in itself will probably make most of the town rethink what it means to fit in."

"That's what I came here about," Kaltag said, "The thing is, I'm afraid that the town isn't changing, simply staying the same way it always has been."

"What? Surely the whole town would be swayed not just by Balto's great deed, but also by your trust in him." Cain said.

"That's the thing; I don't know if I am doing the right thing," Kaltag said, "Earlier today, I... kinda said some things that weren't very flattering about Balto while joking with a few dogs." At this Cain groaned, "And Balto heard me too… he wasn't the happiest camper when he heard it."

"Oh Kaltag, why did you do such a thing? You can't just go back on your promises," Cain said.

"I don't know why I did it. Spitz and I were just joking around, and I didn't want to be left out," Kaltag replied, "I wanted to have fun with them and be a part of their group."

"In other words, you did it simply because you wanted to fit in with the current crowd. After all, that's why you stuck with Steele all these years," Cain said.

"Balto was right, I am too comfortable with the status quo," Kaltag said, "But I don't want to be like that if it means pushing Balto away. What can I do?"

"First off, you must remember that you're the lead dog of the team, not Spitz," Cain said, "I told you that you always have the choice to say no to them, and my advice still stands."

"Are you sure it will work?" Kaltag asked, "Spitz seems pretty set in his ways."

"He's only set because it was how Steele ran things," Cain replied, "You're in charge now, and if you lead by example, I'm sure that eventually Spitz and the others will come around."

"I don't know… I'm one dog against many," Kaltag said.

"You're thinking the way Steele did," Cain retorted, "Steele always thought of himself as a one dog show. That was what got him into trouble on the serum run, and it will get you into trouble as well. You may be the lead dog, but you're the lead dog… of a team."

"A team? Oh, of course!" Kaltag said, hitting himself on the head, "I have Nikki and Star with me, along with all the others… and Balto too. He may not formally be a part of it, but I still consider him a part of the team!"

"Now you're getting the hang of it," Cain said, "You may be in charge, but that doesn't mean you're not allowed to ask your friends for help."

"You mean like how I just asked you for help?" Kaltag said, and Cain nodded, "Thanks; truth be told, I wasn't sure if you'd still be willing to help me after all this time."

"Hey, we may have had our rough patches, but we're still on the same team."

Balto continued trotting through the alleyways of Nome, the meeting with Rosy's family still ringing in his head. For a short time, he had actually believed that his place would be with Jenna in her home, but that hope had been for naught. The decision ultimately rested with Rosy's parents, and they had never intended to let him in their home, "Then again, I suppose it was a little unrealistic to expect them to let me in just like that. What was that Boris once said to me; something along the lines of 'Don't put all your eggs in one nest'? Well I guess it was lesson learned for me. Though, I would have loved to have been with Jenna." As he crept through the empty alleyways, he remembered how for many years, this was the safest way to travel for him, as going out into the open streets would usually result in dogs chasing him or one of the humans kicking snow or dirt at him. It was a lonely way to travel, as dogs rarely went into the alleys; unless they wanted to pick on him, that is. However, the alleys seemed unusually cramped this time, and he felt the urge to go onto the open street. "Okay, if Spitz is wrong, then I can go out onto the street and walk down it without any problems," he thought as he found a street and went out onto it, sticking to the side nearest the buildings that lined the street, "Okay, so far so good."

At first, it seemed like people barely knew that he was there, but soon he was spotted by a young boy, "Hey, Balto," he called, "Balto, come here boy." Balto was a little unsure of approaching the boy, but he didn't bolt away from him. After all, he had called him over, and he seemed friendly enough. Balto slowly came up to him and saw that he wasn't one of the kids from the hospital, "It's okay boy, I won't hurt you," he said reassuringly, "I heard about what you did for the kids that were sick. You're amazing boy. You saved a few of my friends too." Despite being a stranger to him, Balto decided to give this kid the benefit of the doubt. He came close enough to allow the boy to reach out and rub him behind the ears. Balto enjoyed the affection from him, and leaned in closer to sniff at him, "Hehe, that tickles Balto," he laughed, "Hey, I bet you want a treat don't you?" he asked, and Balto wagged his tail in response, "Well, follow me. I'm sure my dad would let you have something from his shop."

The boy walked along the street and Balto followed at his side. He may not have had the best of luck with Rosy's family, but maybe he would have better luck with this boy. Soon, they reached the butcher shop, and that was when Balto started to get a little apprehensive. He did not have the greatest relations with the local butcher, as the man thought that Balto was little more than a thief. The boy went down to a side door, and knocked on it, "Dad, it's me," he called out. Soon the door opened, and the boy's father opened the door, while Balto stayed to the side out of caution.

"Oh, it's you Samuel. How are you doing my boy?" he greeted, giving Samuel a hug.

"I'm fine dad," he replied, "I was wondering if I could ask you for something."

"What is it you need?" he asked.

"Well, it's actually not for me," Samuel said, "I was wondering if I could get something for Balto."

At the mention of Balto's name, the butcher poked his head out of the doorway and saw Balto waiting off the side from the door. Balto wagged his tail to show that he had friendly intentions, but despite this, the butcher's face turned very cross at his presence, "No Samuel, I'm not giving anything to that mongrel stray," he replied.

"What? Why not? He's the town hero," Samuel protested.

"He may have brought the medicine home, but it doesn't change what he is," the butcher replied, "He's still a thief; more than once, he's pilfered things from me."

"I thought you left scraps out for all the dogs to freely take," Samuel said.

"I do, but sometimes I swear he breaks into my meat locker to take the fresher meat," he said, "He even once swiped a good, live goose right from my cutting board!" Balto remembered that incident. Granted, the goose in question was actually Boris; he didn't want to see one of his best friends butchered, so he had plucked the old bird right off of the cutting board. Unfortunately, the butcher didn't know that; all he saw was a stray dog taking a perfectly good goose from him, "Go on, get ya wild mutt," the butcher said, kicking snow at Balto.

"But dad-"

"No buts! I'm not giving any handouts to that mongrel and that's final," he replied.

Balto didn't need to be told twice that he was not welcome, and he dashed away. He could hear Samuel's protests and calls for him to come back, but Balto didn't pay attention. For the second time that day, he had been pushed away by those who still saw him as a dangerous stray, instead of the selfless wolfdog he was. The opinions of those who did care about him didn't matter, as they weren't the ones in charge. Those who were in charge however, cared less about him; they still thought of him as a troublesome wolf. It was starting to seem more and more as though the town had not changed.