Chapter 6
True to my word, I have left just before sunrise. I don't need much rest now as my mind is working too much too fast. I only have some time before Sanctuary arrives here in Nome to investigate the source of the sample found by the police. It is...saddening to leave a friend behind, But I know it's for the best. I said it once and I will say it again until my last breath leaves: Innocent lives are not worth my own safety. They don't deserve to be punished for my trespasses. If they come and find nothing, Sanctuary will move on, possibly follow me. Perhaps it is my destiny to remain friendless, if only to protect people.
Isn't that what I was technically created to do? To protect the innocent and punish the enemy? A war dog goes fearlessly into battle with his handler, with each other's lives in their hands and paws. Isn't that how it normally works? But again, I have no handler and in the bitterness of my heart I curse Sanctuary all over again. My travels will be long and relentless but not unlike anything I've ever faced. I'm not afraid. I'm not even sure I know what fear is. I've inspired it sure, but I've never truly felt that rush of dread or the strike of a sudden terror. Never. Hm...but then again a man, or perhaps a dog, can only be courageous when one is afraid. So, did I not fear for the life of my friend? For the lives of the citizens of Nome? Is it not the fear for their lives that drives me in this endeavor?
Perhaps it's something more. Something not in my blood, as a result of my creation. I do what I do now simply for the fact that...it...is...right. Animals can indeed have morals...
"So what he just up and left?" Vulpecula asked the next morning when Balto came back to town.
"He did. Woke up this morning and there was no sign of him" the wolf dog sighed, "I just really wish there was some way we could help. I mean Pecula...for goodness sake he just wants a family".
"What?"
"I'm not kidding. You know what that's like, to want something that you can't have and yet you see it everywhere. It pains him. He's a dog and, well, dogs aren't meant to always be alone".
The silver fox paced. She knew her old friend was right, but what really could be done? Sure, they could go after him and try to help, but really what could they do? This wasn't a journey for them. It wasn't their fight in a sense. This was the struggle of that creature, and there was a lesson in it to be learned. And maybe not just for him, but also for whoever had the heart to take him in.
"I think he'll be alright" the fox stopped pacing and turned to look at her friend, "He's survived three years on his own. He'll make it somehow".
"You think so?"
"I'm certain of it. Someone out there will be lucky to have him, no matter how strange or off putting he looks. Someone will give him a chance, human or canine".
"But-"
"Balto, you did what you could for the time that you did. I know it was only a few days, but this is something the poor guy has to do on his own. Like what you had to do with Aleu, and even going to get the medicine all those years ago. Besides, at your age, I hate to say it but...I don't know if you'd get very far".
"Did you just call me old?"
Um yeah because you are. I hate to say it but yeah, you're not getting any younger. You're already a grandfather and even a great grandfather thanks to Tannis and Sirena. Possibly about to be one again depending on how Bryn and Vance are doing".
Balto, surprisingly, hadn't thought of his distant family in a while. They would soon be making their yearly pilgrimage back to Nome, in honor of Rusy Aubrey's human, Maddie, who had been one of the earliest victims of the illness that struck Nome years ago. Vance, his grandson in law, was training to take Aniu's place to be the next white wolf spirit, a guide to all canines. Balto wondered briefly if Vance could perhaps help his strange new friend.
"I'll be back. Keep an eye on things" Balto left with that thought in mind...
The station had a very important visitor that afternoon. They had traveled all over, coming from Sweden to Nome by various means. They claimed to be traveling scientists who knew a thing or two about the strange sample that was collected. The leader of this team was a woman, fair skinned, blue eyed, and with black hair cropped short. She looked strict, and nothing she wore looked remotely comfortable, no matter how warm it was. Everything about her was tight and in control. With her, of course, was a dog.
Erik of course was quick to notice of the new canine. She was female of course with fur as dark as her owner's hair. Her eyes were small and brown like chocolate, and she could've been adorable if he didn't know who her owner was. Her coat itself was a thick double coat with tints of brown that were barely noticeable. Her tail curled up to her back, indicating she was a spitz type. Her ears were erect ad perfectly triangular shaped, similar to Vulpecula's. She was a breed the young fox didn't know of, but Erik recognized her as a Swedish Lapphund.
While their owners and handlers met on their own business, she met with Erik and Jacques. Pavel had been there briefly but was dismissed from the meeting. He promised however to listen in on the conversation for Vulpecula, who was curious about this new dog.
"Welcome, miss, ta Nome, Alaska. Hope the ride was well" the canine police chief addressed her politely.
"It was well, tack. Now I'm sure you're all wondering why we're here" her voice was accented in a way that Pavel didn't recognize.
"We had an idea it was to do with that fur sample we found before, am I right?" Erik asked.
"Indeed. Your results came back an odd mix, correct?"
"It did. Our Forensics...they've never seen anythin' like it".
"To be truthful it was never meant to be see at all, mister..."
"Jacques. And this here is Erik, my inspector and second in command".
"I see. Anarinda, but friends call me Ana if it helps".
"Ana...right. Well, what can you tell us about this thing?"
"Unfortunately I can. It is an abomination, something that was never meant to exist. It is a mistake that my human partners and I wish to correct if it's even possible at this point".
"That doesn't answer us" Erik pointed out suspiciously.
"it isn't any canine you're aware of, Inspector. Far from it. What my humans have done is...unnatural. For almost twenty years Operation Sanctuary has set about creating the perfect war dog. Using...gene splicing methods".
"Gene splicin'?" Jacques looked confused.
Cloning and mixing of certain genes to make them stronger or weaker. We made some aspects stronger and others weaker in this thing. They called it a triumph of science...over nature" the Lapphund looked down, "Over God himself even".
The two other dogs were as shocked as could be. Who or what could possess a person to do such a thing? It wasn't natural...it wasn't...right.
I lay in the snow after traveling days without rest, cold and starving. Perhaps I should've eaten that hanging rabbit after all...huh...Could've. Would've. Should've...the three stooges of life I suppose, I think with a weak chuckle. I don't dwell on it though. I can't, not when my mind is set on so many different things. Even in my darkest hour, I find my brain going a mile a minute. Racing. Never stopping.
I think, therefore I am should be a personal motto. Another weak chuckle.
Life is...precious. All life is. Does that include mine? I'm not like everything else around me. I am...artificial. An anomaly in the grand scheme of things. A wild card in the hands of fate. But do those lives matter? The anomalies, the wildcards? Those outside the order of the norm.
I look up at the sky as it softly starts to snow again. Huh...even the small flakes of snow are all different from each other. As I watch them fall, a thought comes to me. My life, my destiny, has never truly been my own. I have always been a weapon, a tool for a person's use. Would it not be better if I just left myself to fate? Fate decided my hand before, it can do it again. Yes, I am only three years old, but at least I've experienced some form of happiness, no matter how fleeting it was. It ended badly but Min Gudinde was it good while it lasted. Yes...it's alright...let fate decide...what happens...from here...
It's...it's so cold...
So...dark...
And I...I am so...tired...everything is...blurry.
There's pain but I...
Author's note: Yep, go ahead and get it out of your system, I am a evil person! Is it the end of our unnamed precious hero? Well, you'll have to wait and see what happens! Thanks for all the new followers and reviews guys ^^ I appreciate you all soooooo much. See you all next update!
