Love Hurts

Part 2

Left off with Balto heading off towards the woods to follow Kodi and find the truth behind his mysterious trips to the forest…

Balto skidded to a halt outside the old mill. He poked his head through the gap in the doorway and saw the rest of Kodi's sled team resting quietly in the warmth. Ralph lifted his head at the sound of the door hinges creaking and cocked his head slightly at the sight of Balto standing at the door.

"Hey guys, its Balto!"

Dusty raised her head and looked at Balto, whose eyes were scanning the room.

"What you lookin' for Balto?" She asked quickly.

"It's not what," Balto muttered, "It's who."

"If you're looking for Kodi," Riley piped up from behind, "then you just missed him. He left here about five minutes ago."

Balto turned round immediately and dashed out of the door. He ran out over the snow covered plains and on towards the forest. He glanced at the ground and noticed Kodi's tracks leading to the tree line. Judging by the tracks it seemed that Kodi had been running. Balto looked ahead and focused on reaching the trees quickly.

It only took him a short time, for in a few minutes Balto had slowed down to a speedy walk and had stopped just behind the first line of trees. He raised his muzzle and sniffed the air, searching for Kodi's scent. When Balto found it, he found Kodi's tracks with it.

He looked up and squinted through the thick forest. Kodi's tracks led away quite deep into the trees and Balto's gut twisted suddenly in anguish as he remembered that the forest was prone to grizzlies and cougars alike.

Balto's amber eyes darted to and fro in the dark as he padded along as quietly as he could through the undergrowth. There was not an ounce of light shining through the leafy canopy above to light his way, but he was confident enough that he would be able to find his way successfully.

After what seemed like many hours of wandering around, loosing Kodi's trail once or twice and walking around in a number of circles, Balto found what he assumed he was looking for. A small clearing that rounded off quite neatly in the centre of the forest was lit up by the light of the moon which could actually get through as there was no canopy up above to block it. Balto remained in the shadows of the low-hanging tree branches and watched with wide eyes as his own son, Kodi, pranced around playfully with a young, grey, female wolf.

"Aww, come on Aleu, surely you can run faster than that!" Balto heard Kodi bark cheerfully. Balto's gut flipped and squirmed again. The wolf…surely it was not the same wolf…

"You know I can't keep up with you, Kodi!" Aleu laughed in reply, "Which is why I'm so rubbish at playing tag with you!"

Kodi suddenly stopped running around, padded lightly over to Aleu and nuzzled her softly. Aleu nuzzled him back and smiled.

"I'm so glad it's just me and you, Kodi." She said gently.

"Yeah, same, and it's going to stay that way." Kodi replied in a determined voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that…well…you know how we said that coming here to see each other would be our little secret?"

"Yes…."

"Well, my…my parents have found out. I don't know how, but one of them must have seen me come down here. Now my dad's on to me. I don't know if he suspects anything but….I can't be too sure…"

"Well…" Aleu said thoughtfully, "the only thing we can do, I guess, is to find another meeting place."

"But my dad might see me again…"

"It's either that or we don't see each other again."

Kodi and Aleu fell silent. That was the last thing they wanted to do. They were so alike, and yet so different. They could talk about anything and everything and they both felt like they had known each other for all their lives. There was something special between them, something almost magic.

"No matter what happens," Kodi started slowly, "we will always stay together, because I love you Aleu, and we need each other."

"I know, and I love you too, promise me you'll always be there for me…"

Kodi silently stepped closer to Aleu so that their noses touched. They kissed in a way that only dogs could kiss before nuzzling each others necks. Their tails wagged happily as they embraced their warm hug.

Balto had seen enough. He wanted to lunge forward and split the couple up. Kodi did not know who Aleu truly was, and Aleu did not know who Kodi truly was. It was not the fact that Aleu was a wolf and that Kodi was a dog, no, of course that was not the reason why. It was the fact that Kodi and Aleu were…

"No!" Balto growled. He spun round and began to run blindly back through the forest. Branches whipped his sides and face as he ran, but he did not care. He burst through the trees and out onto the snow cut and bleeding, he did not care. He slipped and skidded over the snow and ice and once or twice nearly fell, he did not care. He didn't even care when he burst in through the old mill's door and aroused the sleeping sled team, howling at the top of his voice as the team stared at him, both shocked and terrified looks spread all over their faces.

"Balto!" Ralph called out over the howling, "Calm down man! What's wrong!"

Balto stopped howling and looked at Ralph. Dusty's jaw was hanging open in shock at the sight of Balto looking so scared.

"Are you ok, Balto?" She asked meekly.

Balto just stared at the team, unsure of what to do next.

"Wh…wher…where's Jenna?" He managed to stammer.

"Not here, that's for sure…" Riley said quietly.

Balto turned and scampered out the door and up to Jenna's house. When he arrived he found Jenna was out waiting for him.

"Balto!" She cried, "I heard you howling!"

"Yeah? Then so did the whole of Nome!"

"I was so worried, what caused you to do that?"

But Jenna stopped dead suddenly as she saw a look of almost terror in Balto's eyes.

"Balto, what's…what's wrong?"

"It's Kodi," Balto began, "I know why he's going to the woods each night."

"Tell me then! Why is he?"

"He has a…girlfriend."

Jenna sighed with relief.

"Why, Balto, what's so wrong with that?"

"Jenna, Kodi's girlfriend is his own sister Aleu."

"Aleu? But, no….why? How doesn't he know…?"

"He won't know because he won't remember her!"

"Balto, what are we going to do? This is…..its terrible! We can't let those two be together, it's not right! They're brother and sister for pity's sake!"

"The thing is, Jenna," Balto mumbled quietly, "how are we going to tell them and make them believe it?"

To be continued…