Chapter 14: Children?
The water flew in all directions as Cole hit the water with a loud smack. Pain rippled through his body as he sank to the bottom. He looked up and saw two dark figures rushing forward ahead of him. His nose stung as some water penetrated his nostrils. Cole swam up to the surface of the water and gasped for air as his head bobbed above the surface. His body was being flung around like a ragdoll. Rocks crashed into him leaving an open gash on his right hip. He opened his mouth to yelp but it only opened for the rush of water that now resided in his lungs.
He closed his mouth tight as he tried to gain control of his down-stream decent. A small dark figure was just ahead of him. He swam towards the figure, dodging rocks and pieces of ice that went zooming by him. As he reached the figure, it looked more brown then black and that's when the realization hit Cole.
It was too late to turn back and go after that other figure; he was just inches from the grizzly. His stomach churned as it looked like the bear was flailing its arms, trying to reach for him. But something was wrong. The bear wasn't moving. When he got closer to it, the white water was stained a light red. The feeling of relief washed over him. The bear was dead. His stomach churning subsided, replaced by the overall fear of the water trying to bring him down.
But if the bear was dead and Chloe was attached to the bear…oh crap. The other darker figure was so small and so far away; he could barely see it being tossed around in the swirling white water.
He brought his front legs forward trying to gain some speed to catch up to Chloe. His back leg stung against the rushing water hitting the open gash. He bit his lip hard as the water slapped his cut sending the blood out into the open water. At least the pain in his lips took off some of his focus off of his leg.
Still, tears flooded his eyes. He tried to fight back the pain, but it was too much. This was way worse than when he got whipped by Steele's master. At least then he could lie down and pass out. If he did that here, everything he'd done in the past month would have been all for nothing.
His parents. Chloe. Taku. Alex. Jack. The sled team…Aleu. And for what? Nothing. Why was he even in this situation in the first place? Did the universe just want to fuck him over so they could get a good laugh out of it? Why was he so important? He didn't mean anything to anyone. Most people want him dead anyways. Especially the one he holds more important than his own life.
Maybe he was supposed to die like this. Saving the damsel in distress, but dies in trying.
It doesn't have to be this way. Cole told himself. And if it is, at least save Chloe. You brought her into this mess, it's only right to get her out of it.
Cole shook his head and the water cleared from his eyes. As if he were in a different body, his leg stopped complaining and his resolve seemed to strengthen. The dark figure ahead was closer than he had originally thought. Ten feet, give or take a few feet.
He dipped his muzzle so that it was only inches above the water. He brought his hips up and started to paddle forward. His speed increased until Chloe was just inches away from him. Cole opened his mouth and tried to grab her neck ruff, but a wave of water shot in.
Cole closed his muzzle and slowly let the water trickle out the side of his lips. He shook water from his eyes again and focused on Chloe's floating body. She wasn't moving. The current was just throwing her back and forth like they were playing hot potato.
He reached for her again with his and finally felt wet fur carpet his tongue. His teeth sunk in to her ruff as he pulled his body vertically until the water was punching his back. He growled as he struggled to get control. Now that he had twice the weight, he was going faster than before and with little movement.
He looked forward and saw they were heading straight towards a rock jutting out of the rapids. His mind only got out a Holy shit, before he had to try to twist around. Cole swung his head to the side as he wrapped his paws around Chloe's chest. He pushed himself forward, in between the rock and Chloe.
He closed his eyes and counted the agonizing seconds before he hit the rock. Five. Four. Three-
The impact alone was enough send shooting pain through his body. But at least it was only for a few second. The next, darkness surrounded him and he could feel the faintest traces of the cool water gliding over his fur.
Nome was dead still in the dark of night. Aleu had just crossed over the hillside and found the town black, like a storm had driven everyone out. She sniffed at the air and could still smell the people and animals from just hours before her arrival.
First, she would find her father. If anyone, besides Cole, knew what to do, it would be him.
She made her way to the boat, taking the alleys and roads she knew so well. Aleu missed the scents and smells of her home town, even more than she missed her pack. They were doing fine before her, they were doing fine now. The fact that they did not need her anymore was answer enough to her questions coming back here.
Should she stay? Was she missed? Could she start over? Could she find love? Where was Cole-
The last one always gave her pause. She knew, somewhere deep inside, that he hadn't meant for all of this to happen. But he was the cause of it. Everything centered was around him. Or so it felt.
What had he meant when he said Kodi was in danger? Was he just hallucinating? Maybe it explained the wild eyes when he found her. Or maybe it was real and her brother really was in danger.
Aleu's thoughts brought her to the large boat that her father called home. She jogged to the side of the boat and clambered up the plank. Just like every night before, Balto was lying under his blanket in the captain's quarters.
He looked so peacefully. His muzzle was twisted into a smile and his chest was softly rising and falling. His tail flicked occasionally, hitting the boats walls making a loud thwack.
"Papa! Papa, wake up!" she nudged him with her muzzle.
He groaned and twisted onto his side away from Aleu. She growled and pushed him again, this time harder. Still, he wouldn't budge. This was starting to get annoying.
Aleu leaned in, putting her muzzle almost into his large ears. "PAPA!" she yelled.
Balto shot up in the air with ears perked and tail bristled out. "What? Who? Who's there?" he asked.
He focused in on his daughter and immediately, his bristled tail smoothed out and started to swish back and forth. He wrapped his arms around her and she felt his warm chest fur on her neck. "Aleu? What…what are you doing here?"
"Papa," she backed out of the hug. "Kodi's in trouble."
"What are you talking about?"
She knew that brining up Cole would only cause more distress. "I had a dream that he was in danger." Balto opened his mouth but he already knew the question. "I don't know from who or what, just that he could die. We have to help him."
For a second all Balto could do was stare at Aleu. Then his eyes narrowed. "How do you know all of this?" he asked.
"A…a dream," she replied, darting her eyes to the right to avoid her father's.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Papa, I'm sure."
"Not from Cole?"
Her eyes widened. "Why would you think that?"
"Aleu, you're my daughter. I know when you're lying. But how could you listen to him after what he did to you?"
"It…it might not have been his fault," she said. Though even part of her didn't believe it.
"It wasn't his fault now? The only time I've ever seen you so hurt was when I told you about-" He stopped himself and looked at the ground with a frown. He sighed then looked back up at her. "Look, Aleu, don't fall for him again. It will end the same. You hurt, and he going after another dog."
"You don't know him!" she yelled.
"Neither do you!" he raised his voice and she lowered her ears. "Look, Aleu, he is bad news. I'll look into this further but I don't want you seeing him. Am I understood?"
"Yeah," she said turning. "You made yourself perfectly clear."
"Where are you going?"
"To go find Kodi and keep him safe."
She made it to the plank and started to walk down when her father started to call after her. "Aleu! Aleu, get back here!"
She almost did. But she held her head high and walked off the boat. Cole wasn't bad news, if he didn't care about her, then why go out of his way to find her and say how sorry he was? Speaking of, where was he? He left with that bird hours before she did.
Cole coughed out some water as consciousness came back to him. His head was swimming and he thought he was on a boat in the middle of a storm. His back legs seemed to be submerged in water, just below his gash. When his eyes opened, they took a few seconds to clear the haze from his vision. A couple feet in front of him, Chloe's body was lying, back towards him.
He propped himself up an inch on his front paws before his back sent him down again. He breathed deeply as the pain subsided. He tried again and this time he got to his feet, with a lot of protest from his back and leg.
Limping, towards Chloe, he saw her chest slowly rising and falling. He came up to her and gently nuzzled her neck.
"Chloe?" he asked. When there was no answer he nuzzled here again. "Chloe? C'mon, answer me." She stirred but still didn't answer. "Chloe, please answer me."
"C - Cole?" she softly asked.
He rounded her and immediately smelled the sharp metallic scent of blood. He looked down and there was a small puddle under her and trailing down towards the water. Her stomach was dark red with lighter red staining her white stomach fur.
"Oh, Christ," Cole said.
"Wha…what?" Her eyes slowly opened for only a second before closing again. She must have smelled the blood because she asked, "Is it bad?"
"Oh my God. This is all my fault. You shouldn't have been dragged into this. I-"
"It's not your fault. I…I followed you out here. You couldn't have...prevented it. But, Cole there…there's something that you have to know." He leaned in close to her muzzle so she wouldn't have to speak as loud. "Remember when I met you, our first night…together? Well, when you left I…started to get this sickness in the morning. I started…started to have cravings. Janise told me I was pregnant, I told her it was just some weird flu. But…a couple month after that, my stomach got bigger and…I knew that she had been right. Then a few months before I got here, to Nome, I gave birth to them and…one of them, a boy, the only boy, looks like you."
"Does…does this mean I'm a…a father?"
She gave a weak smile. "Yeah. Two girls and one boy. One girl's grey and the other's black. Their names are Haley, Rachel, and well, Cole. Rachel's a lot like you. A fiery little girl. You'll like her."
"Where are they?" he asked.
"With Alan and Janise. When…when I was about to leave for Nome, I asked her to watch them for me. Their safe, but they really want to meet their father."
"Oh my God…Chloe…I…" he trailed off, the words lost.
He had children. He had children? He was excited enough for a smile to creep onto his face, but then he looked back down at Chloe. She wasn't making it out of here. She could barely keep her eyes opened. What would he tell the cubs? How their mother died and he could have saved her but failed. More people disappoint. More ruined lives.
"Cole," she said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I…I just wanted to say that…I know you love Aleu, that much is apparent." Cole opened his mouth to talk, but Chloe shakily offered her paw. Cole took it and squeezed lightly. "I know you do, and I'm fine with it. She's a good girl. She'll make a good mother and wife. Tell her I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean for all of this to happen."
"I will, Chloe. Jesus, we need to get you wrapped up in something, your shivering."
"No, Cole. This is where I end my journey."
"Don't say that," Cole said.
"I did, and always will, love you Cole. Be sure to name one of your cubs after me."
She took one final breathe before her chest subsided and her body relaxed.
"Chloe? Chloe! Jesus, not now…" He pressed his face into her blood stained chest and sobbed. All of this was fucked up and fucked up because of him. "I'm so…so sorry, Chloe."
He sniffled and picked his head up and looked down at her. She looked so peaceful. He had children with her. They had a lot of history together. It all started with him coming up to her and shyly telling her she was pretty. And it all ended with him asking her to stay, when both of them knew she wasn't.
He lay down next to Chloe, propping his head on top of hers. He didn't care about the blood soaking into his fur or how her chest was still and not moving in the normal, rhythmic manner. A few salty droplets ran down his cheeks thinking of her under him and all the fun times they had together. But that was all over now. Cole closed his eyes, the tears still burning.
A/N: Sorry for my lateness, school is a bitch (what's new). If there are some spelling/grammatical errors, don't go all Grammar Nazi on me, I didn't spell check or anything of that nature. But I hope you like this chapter, and I hope school/life is treating all of you guys well. :)