Chapter 8

Balto raced along the stream as fast as he could, snow sprayed from his feet and around every corner he would slip and slide. All of the pain that he had been feeling earlier had vanished. There was no longer the hunger eating at his belly, or the pain from the long journey, the adrenaline racing through his heart had pumped this all away. But even with the adrenaline running through his veins he could still feel the cold air. The cold air cut deep into his lungs, and a light coppery taste covered his tongue.

Balto raced along in the teams tracks, snow had blown into them covering up the finer details.

Balto then heard several gunshots ring out through the silence of the night. They were from Sam's rifle, and were well spaced, which meant that he had plenty of time to reload the leaver action rifle. Balto felt better knowing that the team wasn't under attack just yet.

As Balto drew closer to the gunshots the trees on his left began to thin out until only the tall thin willows along the stream were the only trees there. On Balto's right the trees also thinned out all the way up the side of the mountain. Balto could tell that this was the perfect place for an ambush. The mountains were tall and squeezed between two cliffs, which made a perfect bottle neck. Balto could see a battle field of dead trees off to his right through the willow trees. It would be perfect for the wolves to hide in wait, while the team made there way through.

Balto rounded a corner in the river and could see the scene unfolding before his eyes. The team had been mushed up onto the bank that was only a foot or two high. The sled had been pushed over and some of the gear had fallen out. Sam, the musher, knelt down behind the sled, resting his rifle on the running boards for added accuracy. He busted a shot out over his dogs, through the field of dead trees, and into the groups of wolves.

Balto took all of this in, in an instant. He dealt out, in his head, every possible outcome of the scene he saw, and knew that every outcome in the present instant all ended badly. He knew that they had to get out of there traces if they didn't want to be slaughtered.

Balto half lunged forward, then stopped himself. What was he going to do, run up there and start chewing there traces off. Sam hated Balto so much that he would just shoot him in the head, and would have no problem at such a close range. But Balto had to do something; he couldn't just stand by and watch. Then something deep down inside of Balto clicked, and he knew what he had to do if Sam was ever going to save those dogs.

Balto dug his feet down in the snow and pushed the snow high up into the air as he ran. Balto surged up past Sam, brushing against his side as he past. Sam, in such a state of shock, let go of the lever on the lever action and swung high right arm at Balto but missed. Balto raced past the team in a flash and dove over a large log on his way out to meet the wolves. The dogs shouted out encouragements as he ran past, but Balto could hardly hear them.

Balto bound under and over the logs. As he grew closer he could see the anger in the packs eyes, it was a hatred of hunger, hunger hatred, which was the worst of them all. But Balto couldn't see the stupidity of his actions; he knew he would when the battle was over, but not now.

Balto dove over a log, and then ran under another that was above him. Then Balto jumped over another log and came out into a small area where there were no dead trees. The wolves also came into the small clearing and charged at Balto.

Balto slid to a stop, his teeth bared, his fur bristled, his body held low to the ground ready to fight.

The wolves slowed and eventually stopped. They made a half circle around Balto and stared at the wolf who dared defy them. For a moment they wondered why a creature of there own would do such a thing, it was there fight and this one lone wolf would stand up to the entire pack. For a moment the wolves stared at him with almost a kind of respect. Then one of the wolves began to notice things about this wolf. He noticed the full thick ears, which were nothing like the wolves floppy ears. Then he noticed the shorter muzzle that dogs would always have.

"That wolfs a half breed." came a shout from a wolf.

Balto's cover was caught. The wolves charged in, teeth bared and hatred open. They piled atop Balto in seconds, completely covering him so none of him was visible. But Balto had gotten lucky, the wolves in the there fight to get at Balto had covered him up before they could get there teeth at him. Balto lay crushed under there bodies, feeling them move about, and the few teeth that were getting him had nothing more then fur in there mouth. But Balto knew that they would soon figure out there errors and then he would be ripped apart.

Sam had seen how Balto had charged forward, and had temporarily stopped the wolves, now he knew that if he let the other dogs loose they could chase the wolves off. Sam set the rifle on the sled and grabbed his parka. He ripped the fur parka open and grabbed a knife set sideways across his belt. He pulled it out and stepped forward onto the gangling, pulling the wheel dogs in slightly. He then reached down with his knife and cut the pull and tug lines of the dogs, and continued this up to the front of the team.

The dogs, once free, charged ahead through the thrashed trees and towards the pile of snarling, growling wolves. The first of the free dogs ran up to the wolves, and then jumped high into the air, almost floating over them, crashed into the pile and began to fight.

The dogs charged up one after another, each piling in to get a chance at the action. They bit and fought at any bit of fur that came within there reach, not caring if it was one of there own.

At first the wolves seemed to have trouble fighting, even though they outnumbered the dog, but within the time of a few seconds the tides had turned. Blood from dogs and wolves covered the ground and the animals still standing. Throats were slashed and ripped out completely. Dogs and wolves lay dead and scattered about the ground, fights thrashing on above the dead and dying. Violent fighting on such a scale that none of the dogs or wolves could tell who the other was, but could only tell who the enemy was.

Sam finished cutting the tug line from Kaltag, and put his knife back into the sheath. He then ran back to the sled, grabbed his rifle, and took off after the dogs. He jumped over the trees along the ground, and ducked under the ones that hung above him. He then slid to a stop just behind a large log, and not more then twenty feet from the mass of fighting wolves and dogs. He moved the action on the lever action, and leveled the rifle up to the fight.

Sam looked down the sights and began lining up the figures. Then he saw him, Balto. Balto was squaring off with a wolf just this side of the fight. Same lined his sights up with him. The sights moved along his left shoulder, the back of his head, and then his right shoulder as Balto turned with a wolf. Balto stopped for a moment, and that's when Sam began to squeeze the trigger. He pulled slowly on it, making sure that his aim was correct. When suddenly a blood soaked wolf charged up leaping over the barrel of the rifle and slamming his paws into Sam's face.

The wolf rolled over the back of him, and as he did Sam rolled up to a sitting position and emptied the round into the wolf's side. The wolf fell instantly, dead. Sam began to lever the action of his rifle when another wolf jumped behind him and grabbed him by the back of the neck. The wolf's teeth sunk down into the parka and just barely began to touch the flesh. Another wolf charged up and bit down on Sam's right arm, making him loose grip of the rifle and let out a scream.

Balto heard the scream and turned his head to see what it was. As he did the wolf he was facing off with took the chance and stuck, leaving a gash along the left side of Balto's face. Balto turned back, then ducking down low, came up under the wolf grabbing him by the throat. Balto rolled him over, and at the same time snapped his neck. Balto glanced at the dead wolf lying on the ground, but then heard another scream, he had to help Sam.

Balto ran back to Sam and found a wolf on his back, another at his side ripping at his gloved had and his rifle at his side. Balto leapt up over the log and head butted the wolf in the side, knocking him clear. The wolf that had been at Sam's side dove up towards Balto. With one quick motion Balto slashed the wolf's shoulder and threw him clear. The two wolves looked back at Balto, standing on Sam's back growling at them, and turned to run away.

Sam grabbed his rifle and turned over. He looked back to see what dog had saved him, and was surprised to see that it was Balto. Balto looked Sam in the eyes then returned to the fight.

Balto had no time to see if he was ok, he had to return to the fight. Balto jumped over the log and began to sprint towards the fight when the gunshot rang out. Balto slid to a stop and looked back.

Sam was standing up leveling the rifle with his left hand and moving the action with his right. Balto watched as he shot again, the bullet going over Balto and into a wolf standing at the side of the fight. Balto watched as Sam reputedly shot the rifle, and watched repeatedly as wolves fell dead. Within moments the wolves could see that there attack had failed and began to flee, until just the dogs stood around.

Only three dogs stood after the fight. They were exhausted, covered with blood some being there own, some of it not. There were cuts all along there faces and there chests. Nikke was a little bit dizzy and it was all he could do to keep from falling over from exhaustion. A small dog that Balto hadn't previously seen lay in the snow, just barely able to keep his head up. They breathed deep and hard, Kaltag breathing so deep and hard that blood slowly oozed from his mouth. It oozed out and froze into little teardrops before hitting the ground.

It was a victory, but they were all to exhausted to celebrate. All they could do was watch as the wolves crawled off to lick there wounds.

Balto then looked at the animals lying dead on the ground. They lay in a pile, the snow around them painted red with blood. Balto counted out how many wolves had fallen and came to a top number of fourteen. Five dogs also lay scattered through the pile of dead wolves.

Balto began to feel a twinge of guilt. He had killed several of those wolves, and now felt somewhat sacrilegious. He had killed some of his own species, his own brethren. He was covered with there blood, but it was all for his son. Balto then remembered his quest in the first place. He was here to find Kodi, and wouldn't leave without him. Balto turned to Kaltag, "I half to find Kodi."

Kaltag shook his head in agreement, being too tired to respond with words.

Balto looked at nikke and the other small dog who were both sitting down in the snow. These three weren't going to be able to pull the sled without Balto's help. But he had to go and find Kodi; he had come so far and couldn't give up now. If he waited any longer Kodi could be dead, if he wasn't already dead. But Balto couldn't risk the lives of the team, even if it meant his son would die, he would stay.

Kodi had heard gunshots from down river. He had been walking close to shore for the last few hours, and had thought many times that he could hear dogs, or wolves running down the river. He had figured that his mind was messing with him and that it was nothing, but gunshots he hadn't heard before. Kodi picked up the pace, but it provided little additional speed.

Kodi came around a bend in the river and suddenly was standing at the edge of a field. He looked ahead and could see the turned over sled with some gear falling out of it. He could also see a wolf, covered with blood walking towards the empty sled through the field of dead trees. Kodi ducked down, and at first wanted to cry, the rescue team that had been sent out had been killed by wolves.

As the wolf reached the nose of the turned over sled, he turned and looked upstream. Kodi didn't have any cover to hide under, beside that he had been in the middle of the river, he had made the rule to keep close to bank and he had already broken the rule. For a moment the wolf just stared at him from the front of the sled. Any moment Kodi thought the wolf would give out a hunting howl and he would be ripped to shreds, but the wolf didn't move.

Balto walked back to the sled to wait for Sam, who was sitting with his dogs up in the field. Balto stopped and looked upstream; he could see a red spot lying down in the middle of the river. Balto stared at the spot for a moment, his vision slightly blurred from the lack of blood. He stared harder while blinking rapidly, hoping that it would clear up his vision, but still Balto couldn't see it well enough.

Balto began to walk towards it, curious as to what it could be. Then Balto saw it stand up, it was Kodi.

Kodi lay on his stomach watching the wolf stand and look at him. The wolf stood for several seconds just watching. Kodi knew he didn't want to die on his knees, the wolf would realize who he was any second, and come running down to rip him apart. Kodi rose to his feet, prepared to fight to the death.

The wolf charged down off of the river bank and up the river. Kodi began to growl and bare his teeth, but as the wolf got closer Kodi began to realize who it was, it was his dad. Kodi closed his mouth, and stopped growling.

"Kodi?" Balto called out. "Is that you?"

Kodi sat down, relived that he wasn't going to be ripped to shreds. "Yeah dad it's me."

Balto charged even faster and just as he was reaching Kodi he brought his front feet of the ground as though he were going to tackle Kodi. But Balto dropped down short, realizing that his son was hurt.

"Are you ok?" Balto asked between his breaths.

Kodi simply breathed, and shivered. "I'm pretty messed up dad." even his breath was cold.

Balto looked at Kodi and began picking out the cuts and scraps about his body. There were cuts all over his chest, and one large blood clot filled wound on his neck. There were icicles of blood hanging off his underbelly and chest. It froze to a solid shield on his chest with tufts of fur coming out of it.

"What do you mean Kodi? You look fine to me." Balto said with a smile.

"no…dad." Kodi's teeth had started to chatter and prevented him from talking very well. "It's…my, leg"

Balto looked at his front legs, then around Kodi's left side. "What do you mean you look fine?"

"No…my, right…leg."

Balto turned around to Kodi's right. He glanced down at the leg that stood just like all the others in the snow. But then Kodi moved the leg. Balto's eyes opened with shock at the wooden stiffness of his leg. Balto came back to look his son in the eyes. Kodi shook his head in agreement; they both knew what it meant.

"Kodi?"

"I…know, dad…I, just came…for her." Kodi said bluntly.

Balto didn't know what to do; he couldn't deny his son's last wish. But maybe he could give Kodi some hope. "Can I take a look at that Kodi?"

Kodi shook his head, "yeah."

Balto moved around the left side of Kodi and got his head right down next to Kodi's leg. Balto looked at the leg and knew there was nothing he could go but give Kodi some hope. Balto looked close at the leg and began to realize that the leg wasn't as bad as he had first thought it was. Kodi's leg was only frozen from his toes up to just above his ankle. Balto pushed his nose against the upper part of his leg and waited for a response. Kodi didn't seem to notice which meant that the leg was just numb.

"Oh Kodi." Balto began. "Quit milking it, it isn't that bad."

"B, but…it was, frozen…from, my hip…down." Kodi said with chattering teeth, but Balto could also hear the shock in his voice.

"Well," Balto began. "All you're walking must have warmed it up because it's only frozen from your ankle down. I think you'll be just fine."

Kodi gave an agreeing node. "I…need, to…lie down."

"Don't worry Kodi; I'll help you to the sled."

Balto shoved his side up next to Kodi until most of his body was against Kodi's. Balto then brought his head up over Kodi's and grabbed him by the back of the neck like a puppy. Then, Balto using his body as a crutch and pulling Kodi along began to walk with him. It took them ten minutes of this steady walking to reach the sled.

Nikke, Kaltag and the young dog stood at the front of the sled watching Balto help Kodi along. Sam also stood at the front of the sled watching, a bloody hatchet in his right hand, from making sure the wolves were dead.

Balto brought Kodi up the small hill to the sled and slowly let him down to the ground. Balto then looked up and was staring right down the barrel of Sam's rifle, smoke and steam still rising from the gun. A wild look in Sam's eye.

Balto gasped back, lowered his ears and brought his belly to the ground. Sam shoved the barrel into the top of Balto's head. The dogs stared and stepped back. They knew the law that you don't go against your master. Kodi moved himself up next to Balto's side and waited for the blast, if he was going to take Balto he would take him too. But Sam didn't pull the trigger.

"Balto, you saved my life," Sam paused. "So I'll save yours." He pulled the gun away from Balto's head and put it in the sled. Balto let out a sigh of relief, then slowly brought himself to his feet.

Sam rummaged through the sled, trying to find a wool blanket he had placed at the bottom. After throwing several supplies aside he found the blanket. It was green and ratty, but it was warm. Sam bent down with the unfurled blanket and laid it over Kodi. He then rolled Kodi over until Kodi was lying on the blanket, and his head was the only part that stuck out.

Sam found the dogs shoulder and hip; he shoved his hands up under the blanket and hefted the dog to his chest. He turned around and set the dog down in the front of the sled, just in front of the medical supplies. He made sure Kodi was just fine and comfortable before he got to work.

Sam stepped to the front of the sled; it was time to make repairs. He grabbed the small dog and moved him where he wanted him. Sam took the severed pull line and tried to tie it to the other severed end, but there wasn't enough line to tie him to the gang line. Sam stood up and scratched his head trying to figure out a solution, and then he got it.

Sam turned around and began rummaging under Kodi. He soon emerged with a roll of cord. Sam pulled out several feet of cord, then bent over and tied it to the dog. He then gently pushed the dog with his foot until he was at a length he liked. Sam then pulled his knife from his belt and cut the line, and secured it to the large metal ring at the front of the sled. Sam continued doing this to all the dogs, and then looked at Balto.

Sam still didn't fully trust Balto so he held his hand out, palm down, and waited for Balto to make a move. Balto knew that Sam was afraid of him so he gently touched his nose up to him. Sam was now satisfied with Balto and turned to find Balto a harness.

Sam turned and headed out into the field where all the dogs lay dead. He returned several minutes later with a frozen, bloody harness. He then bent down, extending his hands out to the full reach, still not trusting Balto, and put the harness over his head and shoulders. Sam then tied a long rope to Balto's harness and the other end to the sled.

Sam then turned and looked back at the field where the dogs had died. Balto glanced up and could see tears welling up in his eyes. Sam had lost a lot of friends in those few minutes. Balto looked away as Sam moved to the back of the sled.

Sam jumped up onto the runners "hike." he yelled. The team then struggled to turn the sled. Then moved it down onto the river ice, and moved off through the wilderness.