Chapter 6.

This is the sixth chapter. Hope you like it. Somethings the characters say will also be different. The bear will be replaced by a British soldier.

The group continued on their quest through the snowy woodland. Balto had his eyes open, and his ears sharp, as they had no idea where they were, and for all he knew, they could be behind enemy lines! Boris was behind, also keeping his eyes open. Balto also mistook a snowball that hit a tree in front of him moments later to be a bullet or something. Looking behind, he saw Boris staring at Muk and Luk, who were snowball fighting. Suddenly one hit his face, causing to fall on his back into the snow. He lifted his head up, and saw Muk and Luk cheering the hit. "In the face! Bulls-eye!" Muk cheered. Balto stopped to looked back to them, acting as if they were children, not in the army. Then he heard a faint sound of feet crunching the snow, coming from nearby. He looked around and saw nothing through the trees. "Uh, guys… I think we need to keep moving." He said back to the others and kept walking. "Is that your answer to everything? Moving? Easy to say for a regular infantryman! Boris Sid back as he got on his feet, only to be hit in the back by a second snowball seconds later. "All right, that's it! It's time for Boris to kick some sense into you 5-year olds!" Boris said once he got back on his feet, walking towards Muk and Luk with an evil look on his face. Looking his way, Muk and Luk looked absolutely terrified, their arms literally shaking with fear. Boris chuckled at the sight of this, taking no notice of Muk pointing his left index finger towards him. His chuckling and walking stopped when he felt something cold touch his back tunic and his skin. His anger melted away instantly, as he felt the small thing feeling of cold metal touch his back. Tilting his head around slowly, he saw what it was: A Lee-Enfield rifle, held by a British soldier!

Wearing the standard khaki Pattern service dress, Puttees around his ankles, Brodie helmet over his face, the enemy soldier showed no pity in his face, and looked poised to pull the trigger in his rifle. Just as he pulled the trigger, Balto caught him by surprise, running into him on his (the British soldier's) right side, causing them both to fall into the snow, and their rifles to fly off a few feet away. Balto tried to punch the enemy soldier in the face, but the soldier (that's what it'll be called now now) used his left hand to block Balto's right hand. He then gained the upper hand by rolling to the left, in effect, getting him over Balto. With the solders desire to eliminate his enemy, the soldier pulled out from a sheath on its belt a sharp bayonet, using its apparently stronger strength to keep Balto pinned to the ground. The soldier held the bayonet up high like a dagger at a sacrifice, about to plunge into Balto's body, before something hit him in back causing him to fall besides Balto. Balto looked his head up and saw and piece of wood where the soldier had been standing, and saw Jenna! Standing a few feet away, wearing a thick woollen coat that looked like one of her fathers, and on her feet were a pair of soldier's boots. Glad to see her though, Balto still had the enemy soldier to deal with, who had just gotten back on his feet. Balto crawled on his back backwards as the soldier picked up his bayonet again and looked to kill again. Balto looked to his left and saw a long thick brand lying in the snow within arm's reach. As quick as a flash, before the soldier could react, Balto shot his shot towards the brand grabbed, and just as quickly swing it in the face of the soldier, making him stumble back a bit. Balto had no time to think however, as half the snow he was now lying on gave way, making him fall down the slope he hadn't previously noticed. Yelling as he fell several feet, he laned on a frozen lake, most of the ice blanketed in snow.

Looking up, he saw the British solder walking down the slope, with his feet moving carefully buy quickly on the slope, still not giving up. At the bottom of the slope, he then stepped out on the lake, his first step causing the ice to crack slightly. The more and more steps the soldier took, the more cracks appeared each bigger than the last one. Balto tried to run, but the ice was too slippery and he fell on his stomach. Finally seeing his enemy stuck, the soldier was about to throw the bayonet at him, when suddenly the ice beneath him broke all around, sinking him in an instant. However, the ice around the hole also began to crack, and it was cracking at a fast speed, rapidly heading towards Balto. Still on his stomach, Balto barely had the time to react, and being on slippery ice, it would've been extra hard to run. The cracks in the ice got to him faster than he could comprehend, and seconds later, he too sank into the ice! At the lake shore, Jenna and Boris (carrying Balto's rifle) were both shocked to see him sink into the ice like that. Their attention was suddenly taken away when they heard Muk shout "Geronimo!" before he and Luk both jumped on to the ice, instantly breaking and descending into the water below. Boris and Jenna were again shocked at this, and looked down at the hole they just made. "They can't swim!" Boris said with worry, making Jenna look at him with a mixture of shock and fear. A few seconds went by, and nothing happened. Not a sound could be heard. Then a few metres in between the hold hole Balto fell in and Muk and Luk's new hole, the sound of cracking could be heard, followed by ice breaking upwards, as if someone was punching it or something. Moments later, a hole was broken through the ice, Muk and Luk coming out of it, Luk carrying Balto. Though he looked unconscious, seeing him made them both cheer as Muk and Luk carefully walked towards the shore. Just as they were about to get off the ice Muk slipped on the ice, making him fall into Luks back, who in turn fell onto Balto. Muk falling on him helped balto regain consciousness it made him cough up the water in his lungs, his eyes opening slowly as he coughed the last bit of water, then taking deep breaths, as Muk and Luk got off him. After a few breaths, Boris came up to him, and then started patting his hands on Balto's cheeks. "Come on, come on, breath!" He said frantically. "Stop hitting him, uncle Boris! Stop hitting him!" Muk said, arms on his hips, mistaking Boris's pats for slaps. "Oh, Balto. You had me worried there. I was so scared." Boris said, as he stopped his patting. Balto moved his face a bit and coughed a few more times before looking straight at Boris. "Boris, I know I didn't want to come, ad you had you're doubts at first, but… I'm glad you're here." Balto said weakly and softly. "Who else likes going on a wild goose chase other than me?" Boris asked rhetorically, chuckling a bit. They both looked and saw Luk whispering to Muk again. "Yeah, I know. We were in the water, we were moving a made ourselves go in a direction, and up and down…. Luk, ... we were swimming!" He said loudly, his face changing to show his realization. This made Balto chuckle.

Then Jenna came besides Balto, who's faced gleamed u a little seeing her now. "Are you ok?" She asked him. "Cold, but yeah, I'm fine." He answered. She then un buttoned his over boat, and then started rubbing her hands on his tunic to try and warm him up. "I overheard the radio operator speaking with some officers. The weather is making things worse. On the return journey, we have to go through the hills." She told Balto. "But if we went around, it would save us a lot of time." Balto protested. "Do that, and it'll take a lot of time. It's dangerous in the woods, but we can do it." Jenna said, confidently. "I'm beginning to think nothing stops you." Balto said, a small smile forming on his face as he looked at Jenna. Jenna then got up onto her feet, but when she tried to walk, she fell back onto the ground, clutching her right leg. Balto then got back onto his feet and got besides her. "You're hurt." He said, looking at her with concern. "I'm fine." She said back, but as she tried walk again, she fell to the ground again. "No, I'm not. You go ahead without me. Ill only slow you down. Besides, Rosy can't hold out much longer." She said, looking at Balto with a hint of sadness mentioning her sister. Balto too looked sad, then turned around to the others. "Muk, Luk, carry Jenna back to town. Boris, lead the way. Follow my marks." He said to others, as put his rebuttoned his wet overcoat. It would not work properly since it was wet, but he still needed it. "You're going on alone?" Jenna asked, who was still lying in the snow. "Won't be the first time." Balto answered back. Jenna then took off her orange bandanna and put it around Balto's neck. "Here. I'm afraid it won't keep you warm." She said as she tightened it. "Yeah it will." He said, before they both hugged each other. Once the hug was finished, Balto then started walking away from the group. "All right, guys. Go ahead. Take her home. And I promise ill be back." He said. Boris then ran besides him. "Balto, I don't like this, you going on alone. You need me." He said, before Balto turned around and looked at the others, Boris too, moments later. Around them, snow slowly started to fall. "No, they need you. More than I do." He said, pushing his Rifle, in Boris's hands, closer to Boris. This made Boris inhale deeply before taking two steps forward, then he turned his head back to face Balto. "Let me tell you something Balto: A man Englishman make this journey alone…. But maybe a German can." He said wisely before running off back to others. Balto then with continued his quest.

Back in Nome…

At his station, the radio operator suddenly received another message. "Nome. Stop. Cannot send more antitoxin. Stop. Weather worsening. Stop. Lost team only hope. Stop. Our prayers are with them and you. Bad Kreuznach. Stop." That meant all hope were no on the team, and they were completely lost! Will they find their way back? Will the medicine reach them? Will the sick ones die? Who knows?

And that's the fifth chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review. Will Balto find the team? You'll see in the next chapter, which will be out soon.