Chapter 7.
This is the seventh chapter. Balto finds the team in this one. Also, forgot to mention his horse in the last chapter. Let's just say he dismounted to fight the English soldier, and got back on it when he continued. Hope you enjoy it.
Later, in the wilderness….
Walking through the fast snowing woods, Balto kept his horse marking the trees with his bayonet. After that he kept on walking. But it began to get hard (for him and the horse) because of the deep soft snow, and the wind blowing in his face, save his hair due to his helmet. As he approached a slope, he began to hear in wind the faint sound of multiple horses whinnying. Knowing there were usually no horses around that area for miles, for him, that could only mean one thing: Steele's team was close by!
Realizing his quarry was closer than ever, he moved the horse frantically through the snow and up the slope till he saw down below…. A lantern glowing brightly in the middle of a clearing that was strapped onto what looked like a wagon that was snapped in two. Harness to the front half's remains were 5 horses, could not see where the 6th was. And around that wagon were several men lying on the ground in blankets almost covered in snow. Smiling as he'd finally found them, he moved the horse forward, when suddenly, it slipped on the snow and started going down the slope. Thinking quickly, Balto held on tight to the reins and used them to keep the horse steady as it slid down the slope, making it now move in a straight line. Down below, in the clearing, Star, hearing different sounds than those he's been hearing ever since they became stuck, pocked his head out of his blanket (which was covering most of his body) looked to his right and saw Balto coming down the slope on a horse."Balto?" He asked, causing everyone else to get out of their lying down positions and looked where Star was looking and saw the same thing he was seeing. "Is that…" Nikki was about to ask when Kaltag interrupted him. "Balto, how did you find us?" He asked as Balto came to the clearing. "Anyone hurt?" Balto asked as he stopped the horse, though if there were any injured, he hadn't brought any medical supplies. "Everyone… Is ... fine." Steele said, string into the distance, his voice full of murder. "Yeah, but was wagon is kaput. And we're one horse short." Star said, pointing at the ruined wagon. "All right, leave all the non-essentials here. We've got to get back. I can lead you back." Balto said as his dismounted his horse and lead it towards the wagon, but as he approached it, Steele grabbed on to the reins, making the horse jolt its head slightly and stop. "We don't need you're help." Steele said, talking in a blood thirsty way. "Maybe we should listen to him." Star said, making Steele give another one of his menacing looks at him.
"But how are you going to get us back?" One of the other wagon crew members asked. "I marked the trail." Balto answered, walking over the nearest tree with his bayonet and the same mark he's been doing on the other trees he'd marked. Just as he'd finished, Steele came rushing by his side and shoved him very harshly into the snow. "I'll get us back. I'm the highest ranking. I'm in charge." Steele said, standing above Balto menacingly. "Then let me help you. Their getting sicker." Balto said as he got back on his feet and headed towards the box with the medicine. He could tell it had the medicine in it because it said "Fragil" or "Fragile" on the side. A few feet away from the wagon, Steele suddenly leaped in front of him, blocking his path. "Touch that box and ill tear you apart." Steele growled at him. Balto swore he could hear Nikki bet Kaltag 2 Marks that Steele would take him down, but he had to focus on the madman of an officer that stood before him. "Steele, I'm not leaving without that medicine." He said, and moments later, Steele shoved him violently into the snow. "Who do you think you are you English filth, English scum, English MAN!?" Steele menacingly shouted. Balto though he heard Nikki say "This is going to be good." As she got back on his feet. "Since when do you have to be German to help someone?" He asked, as he saw Steele still standing where he was, the look on his face looking like a dog that was about to bite. As Balto tried go to the wagon around Steele, he was again shoved into the snow, this time by a much more powerful shove. "He'll feel that in the morning." Kaltag said, looking at Balto's still body. "I think he's feeling it now." Nikki said as Balto slowly got back on his feet. "I don't want to fight. Especially my own countrymen." Balto said, as he went for the wagon again. Steele rushed to stop him again, this time using his personal knife, (which he had unsheathed) which he swung at Balto, which fortunately only ripped a hole in his overcoat. "Whoa, that can't be right." Kaltag, said whose eyes were wide open at what had just happened. "Yeah." Nikki said, who was just as shocked. Balto recovered from the shock of almost being stabbed, withdrew his bayonet and looked ready for a fight. Steele, saw this and took a step back to get into a fighting stance, but the step he took made the wagon lean to the left a bit, causing the medicine crate to fall to the left, its holding ropes keeping from falling into the snow. This made everyone else worried. "Hey, that stuff is fragile." Nikki said as Star came up to him and Kaltag. "Was the matter with the Captain? All Balto wants to do is help." Star said, causing Nikki and Kaltag to roll their eyes at him for barging in like that at them.
Balto stared at the medicine crate with so much so worry he lost his attention on Steele, who went behind him and using the long back ends of his overcoat, pulled Balto backwards and using his strength, threw him against a large rock, a loud CLANK! Coming from his helmet, which showed a bit dent where it impacted, as he fell into the snow. Steele chuckled evilly as the other soldiers stood shocked/sad and silent as they looked at Steele, who stood over Balto's motionless body. Then moments later, Balto's body slowly started moving, as his arms and legs slowly moved to get him back up. Seeing his opponent get back up, made Steele gasp and growl before he jumped forward at Balto, who as quick as a lighting bolt, moved to the right. And as he turned, he noticed there was a cliff just before him! Steele was suddenly about to fall in when he suddenly grabbed hold of Jenna's bandanna. Steeles weight, made Balto fall just on the cliff edge, with dangling over the drop, holding onto the bandanna. The weight of Steele, especially around his neck, began to choke Balto. As his lungs were being affected, Balto rapidly withdrew his bayonet and cut the bandanna at half way, freeing himself from Steele, who was falling down the cliff, screaming as he fell. Balto watched as Steele banged himself on ever outlying rock as he towards the bottom, and then landed.
Turning from the cliff edge, Balto saw the rest of the team were getting the wagon ready, dumping non essentials of out the front half (which had the medicine crate on it) and getting his horse harnessed up with the other horses. Balto saw that the front half, without is wheels and wooden sides and a plank of wood tied tightly on the left and right sides(the team and also taken them off) now looked like a level sled, but with rudimentary runner (the stick on both sides of a sled to help it move in the snow). The team now got on to the now sled, and sat down on it. Balto came up to the front and saw Star with the reins, who then looked at Balto and held the reins up to him, straightening his back and putting his chin in respect as Balto took the reins and saw down besides him. Moments he later, he moved the reins up and down to make the horse walk on. At the wagon went up the slope, Steele who had survived his fall and climbed back up the cliff, still holding Jenna's bandanna, saw them go up. "Go ahead, Englishman. You'll never get back. I'll make sure of it." He said to himself, as he saw the mark Balto had made to the tree nearby to demonstrate his mark, and looked down at his knife in its sheath, and grinned as an idea formed in his head.
And that's the seventh chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. You probably know what Steele is going to do. Will Balto and the team make it back? You'll find out. The next chapter will be out soon.