While Aleu and Steele leisurely walked back to the waterfall, Balto was headed in the same direction from town. He had picked up Aleu's scent and was determined to find her today. He picked up his speed as he reached the waterfall. Once he arrived he scented the area and picked up another scent. The scent of someone that he didn't think he would ever see again. He grunted lightly, hoping he was only imagining it, and glanced around. He spotted the cave beside the cave and tilted his head curiously before he slowly walked inside. Just as he disappeared into the cave, Aleu and Steele came back into the area. Steele slowed down and glanced toward the cave. He could hear the sound of paw steps inside. He defensively stepped in front of Aleu.
"Hang on Aleu. There's someone inside," Steele said as he moved forward with bristled fur and bared teeth. Aleu sniffed the air then gasped softly.
"Steele, wait! I smell my papa!" Aleu shouted. Steele stopped and from inside the cave, Balto flicked his ears at the sound of his daughter's voice. Balto ran out of the cave then stopped in his tracks, not surprised to see his daughter, but who she was with. Steele also stood still and stared at Balto in dismay. Aleu glanced back and forth between them.
"What's wrong?" Aleu asked with slight worry. Balto was the first to snap out of it and he quickly placed himself between Aleu and Steele.
"Aleu, get away from him! He's not safe!" Balto exclaimed with a growl directed at Steele. Steele shook his head and took a step back as he snapped back to reality.
"Not safe?! I've been keeping her safe this whole time!" Steele retorted with a louder growl. Balto bared his teeth and grunted in disbelief.
"That's funny, Steele! You never cared about anyone but yourself!" Balto shouted. Steele growled and bristled then took a step forward. Aleu grunted in irritation and stepped in between the two of them then growled in frustration.
"Both of you stop it! How do you even know each other?!" Aleu demanded. Balto and Steele both calmed down, but not by much. Balto was the first to speak.
"Steele used to live in town. He was a sled dog. He and I didn't get along because I'm part wolf. That and he lied to every dog in town to make himself sound like a hero," Balto explained. Aleu gasped softly in shock and looked at Steele.
"Is that true, Steele?" Aleu asked in almost a whisper. Steele sighed softly and nodded.
"Yes, it's true. That was so long ago that I tried to forget about it, but I did end up learning from it. To tell you the truth, I'm not proud of who I used to be. It was because of who I was and the decisions I made that I lost so much that was important to me," Steele said as he lowered his ears sadly. Balto eyed Steele suspiciously then began to walk toward town.
"Even if that's true, now that my daughter knows who you really are, she and I should be on our way. Aleu, let's go," Balto said as he continued to walk. Aleu whimpered softly and looked at Steele.
"Steele…" Aleu whispered. Steele sighed with defeat and looked down.
"Just go, Aleu. I'm sure you don't want to have anything to do with me now," Steele said quietly.
"But Steele, you're not like that anymore. I know you're not. I have seen so myself. You accepted me and took care of me. You didn't care who or what I was. I don't want to leave you alone," Aleu whispered. Steele flicked his ears upward and looked up at Aleu.
"Your father wouldn't want you to stay…" Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears and glanced in the direction her father had gone. She noticed that he had stopped to wait for her. She grunted lightly in irritation.
"He treats me like a baby. I can make my own decisions. I would rather be in the wild than back in town where no human will ever want me," Aleu said with a determined tone. Steele raised a brow.
"It can be tough out here though. Life would be easier for you back in town with your family," Steele said with a quick glance toward Balto before looking back at Aleu. Aleu rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Steele, you've been out here for more than a year and you're still standing. Plus, I'm part wolf so part of me belongs out here anyways," Aleu said confidently. Steele chuckled softly.
"You may feel like you belong here, but you'd have so much to learn if you were to live here," Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears for a moment, but quickly flicked them back up again.
"I can come here every morning and you could teach me what I need to know. Once I learn enough, I can live out here permanently with you," Aleu said with a smile. Steele raised a brow at her last word.
"Why do you want to live out here with me?" Steele asked curiously. Aleu flicked her tail from side to side and shuffled her paws slightly.
"We both know what it's like when you're not wanted and I refuse to let you or myself feel like that again if I can do something about it. I'd have a real home and you wouldn't be alone ever again. Plus I just know there's something special about you. You're not like anyone else I've met," Aleu said with a soft smile. Steele smiled in return at her explanation and felt a little surprised at how much she cared. In truth, he knew that he also cared about her too.
"I'm glad that's how you feel. I believe there's something special about you too," Steele said with a happy chuckle. Balto barked softly and Aleu glanced back at him then at Steele again.
"I had better go for now. I will be back tomorrow morning, ok?" Aleu prompted. Steele grinned and nodded once.
"Tomorrow morning it is then," Steele said. Aleu nodded then glanced back at her father who had turned and began to walk toward town again. She giggled softly then quickly nuzzled her nose against Steele's cheek then ran to catch up with her father. As she left, Steele smiled happily. Even though his cheek was a little cold from Aleu's nose, he felt warm inside. He watched as Aleu and Balto disappeared then he headed back to the waterfall. Even though they now both knew who each other were, something still compelled them to see each other again. There was something more aside from their quickly formed friendship. A special bond that nothing could break.