A/N: Oh my gosh, how long has it been since I updated last? Too long, the answer I was looking for was too long. Well I could give you several excuse (I'm good at coming up with those, if you ever need one for anything, you know who to call, "Ghostbusters!") Ok sorry, I'm just really excited right now for som reason! Well let's get this story going before I procrastinate any more by writing a super long author's note like the one I'm writing right now in this very moment at this exact time in the never ending... Well you get the point... I hope. You do get the point, right? Because there is a point and I know it, but do you? Well if you don't know, the point of that was to procrastinate even more. But no more procrastination! Let's do it... After these short messages. Ha ha! I kid, I kid. Alright let's go...

PS: Trajan's POV. Ok that's all...

36: Nome: Part the First

Four days we spent on the trail. Four days we ran a never ending jog from dusk until dawn, running all night and sleeping through the day. It probably would have been easier to travel in the daylight and rest when the sun set, but Aniu and I agreed that the new plan would minimize our chances of running into any other travelers on the trail, whether they be another animal, or something much worse-a human or sled team. So we forged onward.

But as we got closer and closer to Nome, the itch in my mind seemed to get more and more irritating until it felt like my skull was buzzing. My condition made me all the more irritable and though I tried to keep my temper even during the few times Aniu and I spoke, I found it increasingly difficult. I knew that Aniu could tell that I wasn't at ease, try as I might to hide it, and though she expressed her worry for me several times over, there was nothing that she nor I could do about it until we reached Nome.

I had another reason for my uneasiness too though. I had no idea how I was going to keep Aniu safe in or around Nome while I tried to figure out what needed to be done. I knew she could take care of herself if a fight somehow broke out (she had proven that on numerous occasions when settling disputes between pack members) but if she was discovered then the local dogs and humans would surely run her out of town or even shoot and kill her. I knew that I couldn't let that happen no matter what.

I turned the problem over in my mind for the whole journey, trying to analyze it from every angle to see if there was a solution hidden somewhere. 'Her scent will be the hardest to hide.' I thought. 'I could easily find an empty old shack or hidden alley in Nome if all I had to worry about were the humans, but the dogs would sniff her out in the first day! I have to find somewhere far enough outside of Nome that her scent won't be strong enough to notice, but close enough so I could make sure nothing happened to her and within easy walking distance.' But no matter which way I looked at the puzzle, I just couldn't fit the pieces together.

My answer finally came when we were about six kilometers from Nome on the morning of the fourth day - because I knew we were so close to Nome, I had suggested that we keep going instead of resting and Aniu had agreed - and the tree line halted abruptly. We stood there for a few minutes taking in the sight of the small town that sat right in the middle of nowhere. The land surrounding Nome was all flat with a semicircle of trees forming the edges, roughly six kilometers away from the town to the north, south, and east. To the west was the endless expanse of the ocean. Frozen solid near the shore, but a ways out, one could see the gentle waves splash against the ice in a steady rhythm. But about two to three kilometers to the south of the town, there were a number of old, decrepit boats that were abandoned by their owners to the elements.

Only then did I remember the ships, and I berated myself for not thinking of them sooner. I was thankful for the solution because the only one that I had thought of up to that point was to have Aniu hide in the trees far from Nome, but that held the risk of me not being able to check on her quickly, and if she had been left out in the forest she would have left paw prints that any amateur hunter would have been able to track and she could be killed without me even knowing.

But if she was in one of the old boats, not only would she have shelter, she wouldn't leave prints unless she went strolling about and no hunters would even think to look so close to their town for prey anyway. It was perfect.

I pointed the beached ships out to Aniu and told her my plan and she approved immediately, if not enthusiastically. I realized that she must have been considering much of the same things I had and trying to come up with a solution for our problem too.

After sweeping our eyes over the large, open expanse between the trees and Nome for anyone who might spot us and scenting the air for any sign of danger, we stealthily darted between the large banks of snow towards the old boats. When we were about a hundred or so meters from one that still seemed mostly intact and even had a narrow wooden board set against it to allow those on the ground access to the deck, Aniu stopped behind a large snow mound while I continued alone to check for humans or other dogs.

The old board creaked as I walked up it and I flinched at the noise, my nerves on end. I waited several minutes to see if anything would happen, but when nothing did I forced myself to ease slightly then continue to the deck, the board shrieking in protest.

As soon as I jumped the gunwale and landed on the upper deck, I sniffed around trying to determine the last time any threat had been on the boat. I explored every nook and cranny all over the ship from the stern, to the cabin, to the bow. I even went belowdeck to check what might be hiding in the hold but all I found were some wooden crates and an old blanket.

Finally, when I was satisfied that the only things to smell was the tar that lathered the ropes and the sweet scent of rotting wood, I finally let some of the worry drain out of me and relaxed my tense muscles. I trotted back to the side of the ship and signaled to Aniu that it was safe then turned back and entered to hold to drag the blanket backup and placed it in the captains cabin for Aniu.

As she neared to ship she took a sniff at it herself then cautiously climbed the plank to the top where she hopped down to the deck. She began sniffing around for herself and once she was satisfied with the boat, she came over to me, gave me a thankful lick to the snout then trotted back to the cabin and nosed her way under the blanket. She let out a loud yawn and I realized how tired I was too. I padded into the cabin after her and snuggled under the blanket next to her. She placed her head over my neck, let out another yawn then immediately fell asleep. I smiled as my eyes slowly drifted shut, the buzz in my head seemed to have abated slightly and my smile grew even more as I drifted off into the land of dreams...

A/N: Hey funny seeing you guys here, at the end of the chapter that I just wrote for the viewing pleasure of the public. I swear I run into people at the weirdest places, huh, oh well...