Chapter 24: Runaway

Hey everyone... like I promised earlier... chapter 24... read, enjoy and do review...

Note: New Character

Fire:- Five season old arctic wolf. Pure white fur with Golden-brown eyes and muscular. Easily mistaken as being older.

While Siku pelted questions on the now sullen Balto neither noticed a red and white husky slowly walk away from the den site and into the tree-line. Feeling sad was an understatement for Jenna at this point. She was well and truly depressed and confused at the same time. Just last night he had snuggled up to her, nuzzled her and held her close. Now he had again pushed her away. She didn't know what to think of this. Last night she felt at peace, even happy that she might have finally found that someone but today she was back to square one. These constant acceptances and rejections were now taking a toll on her. She had been part of the town dog community but they rejected her when she stood against Steele, nearly got forcefully mated to Steele, the wolves accepted her into the pack but Aniu threw her out, and lastly there was Balto. He comforted her when she needed it, he had admitted that he liked her more than a friend but then within hours had pushed her away. She sighed as tears made their way into her eyes. "Maybe I don't have a happily ever after" she thought as she slowly padded away in a random direction.

(With Siku)

Meanwhile back at the Den site Siku had asked Balto a question that made him question the reason he had chased after them. "Why did you come here... to set things right or make matters worse?" Siku asked him. Balto just sunk his head into the snow. Siku continued to stare at him, her eyes boring deep into him. "Are you going to answer?" she asked clearly getting annoyed with Balto. When the said wolf did not reply Siku just growled in irritation. "You know what... just forget it... Go back to the pack... we don't need you here" Siku growled before heading over to the spot where she last saw Jenna. As she rounded the tree to the spot she last saw the husky, she was met by plain white snow. As she approached the spot she spotted paw prints leading into the tree-line. "Oh no... please no..." she thought as she raced around the den site hoping to catch a glimpse of the missing husky but having no luck. Finally having her anger peak she rushed straight at Balto. Grabbing the depressed wolf by the back of his neck she effortlessly flipped him over before growling into his face. "You better hope we find her... or you will have a one way ticket..." she spoke before she was interrupted by movement in a nearby bush. As she turned her attention to the bush two familiar figures walked out, Mara and Marron.

As the two entered the den site their eyes widened at the site of Balto pinned down with Siku holding him down. Siku stared at the pair before realising what she was doing. "One minute... I'll be right with you" she spoke to the duo before turning her attention back to Balto. "As I was saying... You better hope we find her... or you will have a one way ticket to your ancestors..." Siku spoke in a cold, unemotional voice, adding a growl to it to stress she meant every word. As she moved off of Balto she was approached by Marron and Mara. "What is going on here?" he asked confused. "Romeo here..." Siku replied pointing to Balto "...has been adding to my list of problems". Mara stepped up ready to defend her son "And what exactly has he done?" she asked. "Oh I don't know... maybe he caused a certain husky to run off on her own..." Siku growled back. Not believing what Siku had spoken she stared Siku in the eye. A minute slowly ticked by before she broke eye contact with Siku having determined she spoke the truth and turned to Balto. "What did you do this time?" she questioned with a huff of annoyance. Balto just hung his head down letting out a low whine. Siku on the other hand was more than happy to expose his fault to his mother. "Romeo here..." Siku spoke again indicating to Balto "... was all too happy to have a cuddle fest last night... and come morning was gladly giving his partner in crime a good Hard Cold Shoulder" Siku continued placing emphasis on the last three words. "That doesn't explain her reason to run away" Marron spoke up, Mara nodding her agreement.

Siku grumbled to herself. This was wasting her time, time she could use to find Jenna and convince her to come back or else stay by her side. Letting out a sigh she addressed the three wolves present. "Mara you will understand this best because you are also female. She's an outcast amongst dogs, she was nearly FORCED, she tried to find a home but was evicted and finally when she thought she might have some solace in a dear one he pushes her aside like she's nothing and all this within a few weeks" Siku spoke stressing on the word 'forced'. Realisation dawned in Mara's eyes, any female having to undergo such a mix of emotions was lucky not to have jumped down the first cliff she came upon. As she tried to formulate how to reply Siku spoke up. "Mara explain to these two... especially Romeo there... I'm sure he needs to learn to provide fresh roses and not thorn bushes... anyhow I've wasted enough time here, there's somewhere I need to be" Siku spoke before turning around and darting into the forest following Jenna's paw-prints.

(With Jenna)

Jenna continued to wander through the forest. She just wanted to get away from everything. She didn't know where she was, nor did she know where she would end up, she just wanted to get as far away from Balto as possible. As her mind wandered to matters of the past she never noticed the slick ice as she started to descend the hill she was currently on. She had barely made it a few feet down the slope when disaster struck. Her paw landed on a patch of slick ice and she slipped, losing her balance and sliding down the hill. The ride was short, fast and came to a painful end. She slid down the slope lucky enough to have avoided colliding with a tree on the way As she neared the bottom she couldn't help but sigh in relief only to be caught short. An exposed root hidden from view by the snow caught her front paw. Her added momentum only made things worse as the root flipped her over before causing her to slide straight into a tree.

Jenna's head spun from the impacts, her vision blurry. Shaking her head to clear her vision she found herself staring up at a heavy set arctic wolf with golden-brown eyes. Jenna immediately yelped in fear and rushed to stand only to let out a pained yelp as her left forepaw collapsed under her own weight. The wolf cocked his head to the side as it studied the husky before he slowly crept forward. Jenna watching the wolf approach couldn't help but whimper in fear of what might befall her. However what happened next was something she did not expect. Stopping right next to her the wolf used one of his large paws and gently prodded her left leg causing her to yelp in pain before it backed away. Jenna noticing the wolf back away immediately tried to stand and get away only to yelp in pain and fall over as her left foreleg buckled again. "You've sprained your leg from that tumble you took". Jenna's eyes immediately fell on the wolf again. "Nasty thing... slick ice... you're lucky, most often it's a broken leg but yours is only a sprain" he spoke before moving closer again. Jenna just whimpered in fear as the wolf closed in for a second time. The wolf however took no notice of the whimpering and settled down next to the husky. "Climb on... better get you some place more homely" he spoke in a calm tone. Jenna just stared at the wolf, too shocked to whimper. "Damn lady, I'm the one being hospitable here and you're being plain rude" he commented breaking Jenna from her trance like state. Seeing the confusion in Jenna's face he sighed. "Do you want to become a husky popsicle or climb on and survive the night?" he asked again not receiving a reply from Jenna. "Don't make me repeat myself again..." he groaned "... it's hard enough already". Jenna finally responded by hesitantly trying to climb onto the wolf's back not sure whether to trust this wolf or not. "If I wanted you dead you wouldn't be here right now... so quit stalling and climb on already I got hunting to do" he spoke in a dry tone. Scared by the wolf's words Jenna quickly climbed and settled on his back. The wolf seemed to stand up seemingly without any effort and started to carry Jenna away from the tree. Jenna was surprised at the ease with which this wolf could carry her on his back and walk as if it were nothing.

As the wolf carried Jenna towards his den he decided to break the lingering silence. "Why is it that I find you... a husky of all animals, that too a house pet... miles from any humans?" he questioned. Jenna just whined in reply before resting her head on his back as her expression drooped further. "That bad is it... always knew humans were foul creatures... killing for sport... been trying to wipe us out" he commented dryly, voice tinged with anger in the end. The wolf's words didn't help Jenna feel any better. She was anyways scared of the wolf and his anger towards the humans only made her wish she wasn't going to be used as an outlet because of her being a house pet. Sensing the distress of the husky he spoke "Just because you're a house pet doesn't mean I hate you already... if I did I wouldn't have to hunt after this now would I?". Jenna yelped in fright and almost jumped off his back causing the wolf to chuckle to himself. "All you house pets... every last one of you are the same... so predictable... so easy to scare" he spoke before breaking into a laugh. Jenna's ears perked when she heard this. "H..how do you k..know..." she started but was quickly interrupted. "That's none of your business lady..." he snapped back before turning to a calmer tone "... before we go any further, the name's Fire and you happen to be on my turf so you follow my rules if you want to live". Jenna quickly nodded in fright not bothering to comprehend what Fire had just told her.

"Now these are the rules... Rule number one... When someone introduces himself do provide him with a name..." Fire spoke before pausing and glancing at Jenna on his back. Jenna just kept blankly nodding her head until she heard a growl and jumped falling off Fire's back. "I believe I said rule number one..." he paused staring at Jenna. Jenna was confused at first before she realised the rule "I..I'm J..J..Jenna" she spoke nervously. Fire nodded in acknowledgement before he spoke "It will do good to listen if you wish to survive... second rule... you stay where I tell you to, no exceptions... rule three... you eat what you get... rule four... no going anywhere without my supervision and lastly rule five... do not... and I mean DO NOT be afraid of the host" grinning in the end. Fire broke his gaze from Jenna and surveyed his surroundings. "Well... home sweet home..." he spoke to no one in particular.

Jenna slowly and nervously surveyed her new surroundings. A vertical cliff face stood on the opposite side of a small clearing they currently occupied. A small stream flowed through the site originating surprisingly from within the only cave visible in the cliff face. As she kept admiring the surroundings her eyes eventually landed on the wolf who couldn't help but smirk. "That cave over there..." he pointed to the sole cave "... is where you will be sleeping and living... under no circumstances are you to leave this clearing unless escorted... wouldn't want my hospitality to go waste as another's meal.." he spoke in a dry tone causing Jenna to shiver and nod. "Well then... now that all that's out of the way... come along... your foreleg isn't going to heal itself".