Chapter 12: Buck.
3:00 A.M. Monday, February 2nd, 1925:
In the days that followed Balto's brawl with Devil, life in Nome went back to normal pretty quickly.
After her snowball fight with Balto was over, Jenna made it back to Nome in time to help Rosie unwrap her Christmas presents, and the little girl received her first toy train that day. Rosie made sure to thank Santa for all her gifts, while Thomas and Evelyn never even knew that Jenna was gone, completely unaware that their beloved dog had ever been kidnapped.
Joseph set out for his home in South Dakota the very next day, but on his way to the train station he was surprised to find that his three new ranch dogs were badly beaten, and some of them were even maimed. But instead of being angered or concerned by that, Joe was just amused to find that the three former champions had once again been thoroughly beaten by one wolf-dog, and decided to work the trio even harder when they got back to his ranch in the USA.
Back in Nome, just as Balto had predicted, Steele and his gang never made another move against Jenna. After Jared and his friends told Doc about how Steele had purposely attacked Balto in the Old Mill the night before, Doc was watching the sled dogs even closer than ever. Still, Steele might not have been able to make another move towards Jenna, but he still made sure Balto was miserable whenever the two rivals were alone.
After arriving back in Nome, Steele told the tale of how he had heroically saved Jenna from Devil and his gang (leaving a certain half-wolf out of the story, of course). After hearing about how Steele had bravely saved her best friend from Devil's clutches, any doubts Dixie had had about the malamute's integrity quickly disappeared, and her crush on him returned soon after. And unfortunately, she wasn't the only one. After hearing of Steele's daring rescue mission, Blaze was even more obsessed with Steele than ever.
Meanwhile, Balto and Jenna wanted nothing more than to tell Doc about Steele's attack on them, but they both knew they had no real proof of the malamute's wrongdoing so all they could do was try to avoid Steele whenever they could.
In the two years that followed, Jenna reluctantly obeyed Balto's wishes and kept away from the wolf-dog entirely. It was painful for both of them, especially since they had just begun to realize how much they cared about each other, but it was unfortunately essential. Deep down, Jenna knew that Balto was right, it was simply too dangerous for the husky to be around him, especially with Rosie and her family being innocent bystanders that dogs like Steele or Devil could use against them.
Leaving Balto had been one of the hardest things Jenna had ever done, and the heartbreak that followed hurt worse than anything she thought Devil could have done to her. Balto felt much the same, since he had spent nearly a month trying to confess his feelings to the dog he loved, only to have her cruelly torn away from him by the hands of fate. But over time, their hearts healed and they went on with their lives, with Balto living as an outcast and Jenna being an ordinary housedog. But still, Jenna knew that even though they couldn't be together as a couple, Balto was always watching over her. She knew that every time she felt like someone was watching her from afar, that it was Balto was keeping her safe from danger, just like how he had done all those years ago.
By the early winter of 1925, Balto and Jenna were now full-grown adults, and Balto had considered reconciling with Jenna on multiples occasions but he always decided against it. After two whole years, he wondered if Jenna had already moved on and fallen in love with someone else, or if he was even still her type anymore. But after the magical night they had spent underneath Nome's hospital, the wolf-dog had hope again.
After Jenna followed him all the way into the woods, saved him from a grizzly bear and gave him her bandanna for good luck, hoping to keep him safe, Balto knew for sure that the husky still had feelings for him, just as he did. And when he had been lying in the middle of that bottomless chasm, faced with his own death, along with the deaths of countless others, he had thought a lot about his relationship with Jenna: how it had blossomed when they were teens, died down over time, and how it was just rekindling again now.
Jenna had been the thing that had kept him going throughout the serum run and she was the very same reason he had worked up enough courage to propose that night. As he laid by her side, thinking about old times, he couldn't help but let his mind drift, wondering what would come next in their crazy, mixed-up lives.
"Balto, what time is it?", Jenna whispered to him.
Balto gazed up at the full moon, using its position in the night sky like a sundial. "It looks like it's around 3:00", the hybrid answered.
"Then we'd better be getting back, Rosie's parents have probably noticed I'm gone by now", Jenna decided, getting to her feet.
Balto sighed and stood up as well. The wolf-dog wished more than anything that he and Jenna could just lie there on top of the hill all night, undisturbed, but he knew that all good things had to come to an end eventually. He also knew that he couldn't put off going home forever and that staying would only be trying to delay the inevitable.
Balto yawned and followed Jenna as the couple began their long trek back to Nome. Perhaps, if they were lucky, they could get at least two or three hours' worth of sleep before the sun rose again.
During their entire walk home, Balto was silent, thinking about everything that had happened in the past and his uncertainty about the future. And after another thirty minutes, Balto's boat finally came into view, in the exact same place it had been since Balto and Jenna's youth.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye, for now anyway", Jenna broached, a tad reluctant.
"Jenna, before you go, there's something I want to give you first", Balto offered.
"What?", Jenna asked, surprised.
But instead of answering verbally, the hybrid leaned in close and captured his beautiful, brave mate in a passionate kiss, the third or fourth time he had done so that night. But unlike the previous examples, this kiss felt less hasty and inexperienced. Balto was clearly taking his time, savoring it, and truthfully Jenna was as well, smiling against the wolf-dog's lips.
"That was a good gift", she remarked when the hybrid pulled away from her, coaxing a small grin out of him. "And Balto?", she added.
"Hmm?", the wolf-dog replied.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll face it together, just like we always have", Jenna stated.
Balto could hardly argue with that and the scruff wolf-dog nodded his head, though Jenna wondered how much an effect her statement had actually had on the stray.
After a few more bittersweet goodbyes, Jenna left for town (the lyrics for "Rock Star" stuck in her head currently), and the wolf-dog watched her leave from the main deck of the trawler. Ironically, Balto realized that he had gone in a full circle: he had watched Jenna arrive in Nome from his boat, and now he was watching her leave for potentially the last time from his boat.
Balto didn't want to tell Jenna, because he was afraid of breaking her heart again, but he still believed there was a chance he wouldn't see the husky again after that night. Balto knew that when the next day would come, Steele surely would seek him out for revenge and a battle between them would begin, a fight that only one of them could survive - and Balto wasn't even sure he would be the victor. He had bested Steele in a fight before, but at that moment, the hybrid felt too spent to do anything except get some much-needed sleep.
Balto tiredly greeted Boris, Muk and Luk, wishing them all a good night before he went inside his inside his cabin where his trusty blanket / rug was waiting for him, as usual. Balto laid down on the rug and closed his eyes. Since he was finally alone again for the first time in days, the wolf-dog let his mind wonder. "How ironic is it that a dog finally proposes to the girl he loves, just in time to die?", he pondered to himself.
After the way their last discussion about Steele went, Balto decided to drop the subject with Jenna. But the wolf-dog knew that Steele would come for him, it was only a matter of when. After all, the rogue sled dog had deliberately sabotaged the trail to send his team off course to their deaths. Which meant that after years of feuding, the malamute had finally snapped. Steele would know that Balto was alive by now, either by the news of the delivery or from Nikki, Kaltag and Star themselves.
Balto had always known that Steele hated him, and honestly the hybrid didn't feel that differently. But he had no idea until a few hours ago that Steele was crazy enough to sacrifice his own team just to get back at him. Maybe, deep down, he had always kind of suspected it. Balto had speculated about reading people's auras before, and Steele's aura - his soul - had to have been one of the most complex ones Balto had ever encountered. It was like Steele was always fighting his dark side, straddling that line between good and evil, and his conscience was always just barely keeping him in check, stopping him committing the ultimate evil: murder. Balto had naively hoped that someday he could befriend Steele and that maybe the lifelong feud between them would finally come to an end. But after that night, all hopes the hybrid had had of a peaceful resolution were crushed.
"Oh, it'll end all right", Balto thought bitterly. When Balto had crossed Steele, he had dared to disobey him and tried to deliver the medicine anyway, and Steele had snapped. Balto didn't know what had happened to Steele in the first place to make him hate wolves so much, and he really didn't care. The one thing he knew for sure was that the malamute was even more dangerous than ever. He imagined Steele bursting inside the boat at that very moment, poised to kill with a wild, malicious etched into his face.
Balto had heard legends about famous wolf battles. One of them was featured in an 19th century novel by the famous author, Jack London. In which, Buck, an aspiring sled dog, had a fight to the death with nemesis, a brute named Spitz. Only one of them could walk away from the battle and Spitz had lost. But as Balto continued to think about their fictional battle, he couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Buck and Spitz's roles were reversed?
Balto hardly knew anything about fighting, after all. He had only just embraced his wolf-half a few hours ago. He wasn't nearly ready for a fight with a champion sled dog like Steele. The hybrid figured he didn't stand a chance. Steele was bigger and stronger than him, and he fought dirty. Outbrawned, Balto weighed his options. The wolf-dog was faster and craftier than the malamute, but Steele would probably have Nikki, Kaltag and Star to back him up, just like he always did. That thought temporarily distracted the hybrid. Would Steele even allow them back into his gang? His most loyal followers had crossed him too, just like Balto had, and abandoned him. But if Steele confronted them and threatened them, Balto had no doubt that they would go back to him and beg for his forgiveness.
"Steele may be evil, but he's no fool. After tonight, he knows he's gonna need help to take me down", Balto growled to himself, thinking about the different tactics his rival would use. The malamute would have to sneak up on him, because Balto would just sense him coming if he approached him directly. Steele would have to act quickly, have his cronies surround Balto and pin him down long enough to go in for the kill.
As the minutes ticked by, Balto went on to imagine dozens of scenarios and none of them were good. He could probably take down a few of Steele's gang. Nikki and Star were the easiest targets, but Steele and Kaltag would be a lot stronger and tougher. Balto would have to move fast, ducking and weaving while he always kept his eyes on the most important canine, Steele. And then, as reality hit him, Balto realized that would be an impossible task. The wolf-dog's heart sank as he realized there was nothing he could do. Sure, he could try and fight, fight to the very end if he wanted to, but it still wouldn't make any difference.
It was not so strange that Balto could think so calmly about his own demise; he had done so several times over the last two years. "I'm gonna die", he thought grimly. As he finally admitted to himself that he didn't stand a chance, the hybrid still managed to find the tiniest bit of satisfaction. "But I won't go down without a fight", he promised himself.
The further he fell into despair, the harder Balto had to fight to keep from falling apart. The wolf-dog had to remain strong, because he knew that Jenna was counting on him. "Jenna", Balto thought. He had risked his life to save Jenna several times and she had done the same. He could imagine Jenna lying over his dead, mutilated, body the red fur around her face darkened by her tears. She would be devastated if he died, and she would probably try to take on Steele herself to avenge him.
"No!", Balto tensed, growling at the idea of Jenna fighting alone against Steele. Balto suddenly had the urge to howl, but this time didn't he suppress it. The hybrid got to his feet, ran out onto the main deck and started howling at the full moon. The celestial orb was beautiful that night: instead of its usual gray color, it was glowing a bright red/orange. Balto's howl reverberated for miles; across the forest, through the mountains, past valleys, and over frozen rivers.
When he was done, the wolf-dog bowed his head and sighed, feeling well and truly exhausted. Turning around, he padded back inside the cabin. He had been so busy thinking and worrying, he still hadn't gotten around to actually sleeping. He hadn't slept in days, since set he set out find Steele's team, and he needed some rest. Balto laid down again, letting every sore muscle and bone in his body go lax.
Whatever the following day would bring, good or bad, he would face it head on. "Unless of course, he decides to just kill me while I sleep", Balto thought sourly.
Balto took one last inspecting look around the room and then he closed his eyes, letting himself drift off into some blissful, well-deserved sleep.
((()-()))
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away from Nome, a familiar white wolf howled at the full moon, in response to Balto's own call. The wolf had been there for Balto when the hybrid needed him the most, and pretty soon, Balto would need him again.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Note:
"Salvation, Parts 2 & 3" will be posted soon (which are both mercifully shorter). If you've read this story all the way to the end, I thank you for your patience, and I once again apologize for writing this super long story (but then again TV pilots are always twice as long as regular episodes). Anyway, the following is a complete list of Heritage of the Wolf: Season 1 episodes. A good chunk of this season's stories are adapted from Cyberwulfe's classic fanfics, and the bulk of them are my own original stories. Until next time, The Cool Kat.
1. "Salvation, Part 1". *
2. "Salvation, Part 2".
3. "Salvation, Part 3".
4. "Framed".
5. "Camaraderie".
6. "Solitude".
7. "Chronicles".
8. "Lone Star, Part 1". *
9. "Lone Star, Part 2". *
10. "Untitled".
11. "Reunion". *
12. "Untitled"
13. "Survival of the Fittest, Part 1".
14. "Survival of the Fittest, Part 2".
* = Adapted from an original Cyberwulfe story.