Chapter 5

Dawn broke over the sleepy town of Nome, but already, the Main Street was lined with townspeople waited to see the soldiers leave on the plane to go to War, while the Husky population of Nome waited with their owners, wanting to see the tracker dogs leave with the soldiers. The townspeople stood waiting for the soldiers to come out of their homes, carrying several bunches of flowers, along with the Post Office radio blurting out Star Spangled Banner via the radio. The townspeople didn't have to wait long, though: pleasantly, soldiers started to come out of their homes, all wearing standard Army uniform. The crowd cheered loudly as the soldiers walked towards the plane, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain that would be taking them to their destination. Meanwhile, bringing up the rear was Sgt. Hunt, and behind him, were all the tracker dogs, including Balto, Buddy, Tony and Bruto. "Were d'you think our gals are?" asked Tony, looking at the crowds of people, trying to locate Evelyn in the mass of dogs and humans. Looking around, Balto's keen wolf eyes spotted Jenna, along with Evelyn, Katie and Cali and he said, "Look, there they are; they're with the rest of the dogs."

Sighing, Buddy walked up to Cali and said, "Well, sweetheart; looks like this is it. I just want you to know, last night was the best night of my life." With tears starting to pour down her cheeks, Cali said, "Oh, Buddy," before she couldn't take it anymore and started to cry into his shoulder while Buddy stroked her back, trying his best to calm her down. "It's OK, gal; I'll be back before you even know it," reassured Buddy, performing short and gentle strokes on her back with one paw and wiping away her tears with the other. Meanwhile, Katie walked up to Bruto, but before Bruto could even make a start on saying his goodbyes to her, Katie flung herself at Bruto and kissed him, long and passionately. Pulling away, Katie, would had started to cry a little, whispered to him, "Go get 'em, tiger." As the other two said their goodbyes to their girlfriends, Tony walked up to Evelyn as she said, "Tony, please be safe." Smiling reassuringly, Tony said, "Don't worry, hon; if I can take on what Brooklyn can throw at me, I sure as Hell can take on this War." He then kissed her goodbye. Once he had reluctantly pulled away, he, Buddy and Bruto followed the last of the soldiers onto the Skytrain. Balto, however, was still on the ground with Jenna and Borris.

"Balto, I am very proud of you but please, be careful; if I lose you, I'll be stuck vith the two idiot bears," said Borris, talking about Muk and Luk. "Balto; please, reconsider," begged Jenna, but Balto just sighed and said, "Jenna, I can't, even if I wanted to. If I did, I'd get shot for desertion." Balto knew he shouldn't have been so graphic, but he had to convince Jenna that he couldn't stay. "I don't want you to go," cried Jenna, putting her head into her chest and sobbing softly. Balto sighed; he knew this was going to be tough on both of them; they both knew Balto was going somewhere worse than Hell and possibly dying in the process, so this could possibly be the last time they would be seeing each other. "Jenna, military dogs don't actually go into combat; we just sniff people who come into our camp to see if they're a Nazi spy or not," said Balto, knowing full-well that he would eventually go into combat sooner or later, but he couldn't tell Jenna that; she had to think he was going to be safe. "I promise that I'll come back to you, and then we can do whatever we want," Balto added, and it seemed to work, because Jenna look up from her chest and said, "Just be safe, Balto." Balto smiled and as he said, "I love you too, Jenna," Buddy called from the still open door of the plane, "Balto, come on! They're leaving soon!"

Giving Jenna a final kiss goodbye, Balto runs up to the plane and climbs the steps just seconds before the steps are pulled into the plane and the door was slammed shut. Balto then runs to the closest window and looks out of it, thinking that this might be the last time he sees Nome, and Jenna. All too soon, Balto felt the vibrations and the sound of the two propeller engines starting, and slowly, the plane started to pick up speed and eventually, took off into the sky, with the crowds of people and dogs cheering them on . Please be safe, Balto, thought Jenna as she, and the rest of the town, watched the plane carrying their heroes get smaller and smaller, until it was nothing more than a small dot on the sky.

For the next eighteen hours, Balto's Skytrain flew over the United States and the Atlantic Ocean, before arriving at what remained of London, along with hundreds of other planes carrying soldiers from other countries to help with the War. Balto, Buddy, Bruto and Tony were then put onto another plane, along with many other people from both their home and other countries, were put onto another plane that would take them to Africa, to help with the battle of El Alamein. But this plane only took them to France, where they took a battleship for the rest of the journey. Finally, after another four day trip, Balto, Buddy, Bruto and Tony arrived in Africa. As soon as they exited the ship, Buddy started with his analogies. "Sweet Mother of Mercy! It's hotter than one of Mama's Texan chilli with extra chilli!" Buddy exclaimed, causing Tony to growl threateningly and says, "Your next analogy is going where the sun doesn't shine!" Sighing, Balto, who was starting to get annoyed with the two constantly arguing, said, "Come on guys; knock it off!"

"Come on; let's go find our commander," said Bruto, and the four started trying to find their commander's tent. As they tried to find it, they passed the medical tent with the flaps open, and inside, they saw the horrors of War; the tent was filled with wounded soldiers and doctors and nurses. Some of the wounded soldiers had just a few large cuts covering their body, but others had entire limbs that looked like they had just been ripped from their body; they even saw a person with everything below their waist missing! "Man; I'm glad I don't have to go into combat," Balto muttered to himself as he saw the fate that possibly await him and his friends should they get called out. But Balto knew that he shouldn't be afraid; he had to be strong for his country...for Jenna.

Meanwhile, back in Nome, all the remaining dogs were gathered in the boiler room, listening to a husky called Brain as he listened to what Morse, the dog at the Telegraph Office, was telling him, which he then told the others. "OK; Morse says that...Balto and his boat has made it to Africa." Jenna let out a silent sigh of relief and she cried, "Thank heavens they're still alive!" Steele, who was against one of the walls, said, "Unfortunately," loud enough for the entire room to hear; he still wanted Balto to die. "Steele! I have had it with you!" shouted Jenna, still furious that Steele wanted Balto dead. Kaltag then shouted "So what if Balto dies? He's just a stupid half-breed!" Another dog then shouted, "Yeah, he doesn't belong here; he's better off anyway!" Jenna was disgusted; Balto was risking his life for them, and they were still treating them like dirt! A terrier then said, "Yeah, I bet his own guys will kill him, thinking he's a wolf!" A random dog that made a, "AWOOOOOOO!" sound, trying to make it like a wolf's howl, causing most of the dogs in the room to burst out in laughter. "You're all dirt! Balto's better than the lot of you!" shouted Jenna, as she stormed out of the boiler room and into the night sky.

"Please Balto; come back," Jenna whispered, looking up at the stars, hoping that Balto would be looking at the same one...