Where The Heart Takes You
Chapter three: What I'll Do To Protect Someone
Next morning Kodi woke up and saw Shanti eating out of a bowl. He then noticed another food bowl. The musher came in.
'Morning you two. Kodi you better eat, we've got to go soon': the musher said.
Kodi knowing they had to deliver the post soon stood up and ate. The musher was outside getting the sled ready. Kodi had enough and walked to the door only to be stopped by Shanti. She jumped at him and both fell down. Kodi played a little with her until the musher called him. He liked her face and walked outside. Shanti was about to run after him when the musher stopped her.
'Easy Shanti. You have to stay inside for now. I'll be back as soon as I can': the musher said putting Shanti in her basket.
He walked outside and closed the door. Shanti scratched the door, but it didn't work. She squeaked loud, but no one could here her.
#
Curly and Sandy stood in their place in front of the sled. Dusty and Ralph were being placed now. Kirby stood waiting with Kodi.
'So are you ready?': Kirby asked Kodi.
'Yes absolutely. The wetter is clear and we're gonna do this fast': Kodi said convinced. Kirby nodded.
Then the musher put them in their harnesses and got the postbag. Kodi looked at the window and saw Shanti standing there on the desk. Kodi felt a little sad, but knew she couldn't go with them and certainly not wander around. Much time to think about it he didn't have.
'Mush!': the musher yelled and the sled team sped away.
#
Shanti scratched at the window when she saw Kodi run off with the others. 'Why?': she thought. 'Why would he leave her?'
Shanti saw a man walking towards the window. It was the same man who was screaming yesterday. Shanti got a little scared. She feared this man. Suddenly a big object came straight for her. Shanti jumped off the desk and slipped. A hard crashing sound startled her. She looked around and saw a huge rock on the floor. The window itself was shattered. Pieces were all over the floor. Shanti didn't move until she heard the man run away. Carefully to not step on the glass she made her way to the desk. She climbed on it and looked through the hole where a minute ago was glass. Wind rushed past her. She could get out! Shanti completely forgot that she was scared and jumped out the window. She landed on the snow and fell threw it. She climbed out and ran happily around.
She came to an alley and walked inside. Bit by bit she became scared again. It was creepy here. Shanti felt a shiver over her back and swiftly turned around and saw a huge black figure. Shanti squeaked and wanted to run. She turned and hit a box. She fell down feeling pain. The figure came into the light. Shanti looked up and saw a big dog. He was black with white.
'Hello little pain in my butt!': the dog said harsh. Shanti feared him greatly. 'So you're the new pup in town. My name is Steele. What's your name?': Steele asked with a grinn.
'Sh..Sha..Shant...Shanti': Shanti said with difficulty.
'Ah, Shanti what breed are you. I don't recognise it': Steele said.
'I'm a wolf': Shanti said. Steele's face turned to hatred.
'A wolf you say. I hate wolves': Steele whispered showing his teeth. Shanti felt her heart pound in her throat while Steele came closer still showing his teeth.
#
'Whoa!': the musher said. The sled team was back. Kodi was carefully picked up from the sled and put down on the ground. The musher left to hand over the postbag.
'How are you feeling?': Kirby asked Kodi.
'I'm fine, it hurts, but I feel bad for not being able to help': Kodi said.
'No problem, we're done anyway and besides no one knew there would be ice there': Kirby said with a smile. The musher came back with another postbag. The sled dogs looked surprised.
'Sorry we have to go again. Seems we found a lost bag': the musher said. The sled dogs understood and turned the sled around. Kodi looked sad.
'Hey it's alright. We'll do this one without you. You just rest': Dusty said to Kodi. Kodi smiled a bit and the sled team sped away. Kodi watched them until they were out of sight.
Kodi looked at his right paw and saw it was bleeding a bit again. He licked at it. He decided to wait here for the sled team. He looked up at the musher's house and saw the damage to the window. He looked shocked and jumped on a box nearby. He looked inside and saw glass everywhere. But no shanti. He smelled the air. Nothing. He then saw footprints. Small ones and wolf like. He followed them away from the house.
#
'I'm going into town. Are you coming too?' :Balto asked Boris.
'Yes in a minute. Are you going to Jenna?': Boris asked.
'I guess. Yeah I think so': Balto said.
'Ok, I'm done. Lets go!': Boris said. Balto jumped off the boat and walked to town with Boris running after him.
Balto and Boris walked into town. Jenna wasn't at home so they decided to go to the post office. The sled team should be back by now. Balto felt a bit uneasy, but didn't mention it to Boris. Boris was busy counting his feathers. Muk and Luk were playing with him last night so he wanted to be sure he had all his feathers.
#
Kodi saw that the tracks were going towards an alley. He heard some noise coming from it. He ran harder. Then a high squeak sounded. Kodi knew immediately it was Shanti and sped up. He reached the alley and ran around the corner at full speed. He braked hard causing a big pile of snow to fly up. He saw Shanti scared in a corner and a big dog covered in snow. Shanti had a scratch on her back. It was small, but she did feel the pain. Kodi felt angry. The big dog shook the snow off him. Kodi looked shocked. It was Steele. Kodi felt the anger boil inside of him. Steele looked at him and snared at him. Kodi felt his anger turn into hatred when Steele moved towards Shanti. Without knowing what he was doing, Kodi leaped up and bit Steele in his neck. Steele didn't expect this, but quickly threw him off and bit back. Kodi howled in pain, when Steele got a hold of his back. Kodi fell down. Shanti screamed in fear. Kodi got strength from it and got up. Swiftly he turned and went straight for Steele again. Both struck each other and kept hitting and biting. Shanti felt scared and also glad to have Kodi protecting her. Kodi felt his anger and hatred grow and lost himself in blind fury. Steele looked at him with anger in his eyes. Kodi looked back with huge hatred. Kodi jumped straight at him with his teeth ready to strike...
#
'They're not back yet? That's weird': Boris said. Balto didn't hear him. He saw the broken window. Boris looked up and his mouth fell open. 'What, how did this happen?': Boris asked stunned. Balto didn't respond. He was looking at the ground. Boris looked too. 'That's blood right?': Boris asked.
'Yes it is': Balto said. He sniffed at it and immediately jumped back.
'What! Balto what's wrong?!': Boris asked.
'The smell! It's, it's...it's Kodi's!': Balto said. Boris looked shocked. Jenna came walking towards them.
'Hey Balto!': she yelled at a distance. Balto didn't hear her. He smelled the air and swiftly ran past her. Jenna looked worried at Boris.
'Jenna look here': He said. Jenna saw the blood and was shocked. 'Jenna it's Kodi's': Boris said. Jenna looked at him and quickly ran after Balto. Boris ran and jumped in the air and flew after them.
#
'Aaaaaaaaaahhh!': Steele screams. Blood dropped from Steele's back. Kodi cut his back with his teeth. Kodi didn't wait for Steele to recover and attacked again. Steele avoided the attack and quickly bit in Kodi's back again. Kodi howled in pain, but didn't give up. He got up again and attacked again. Shanti was watching all of this. She felt like she should help, but knew she wasn't much help. She squeaked softly.
'Hoooowwwww!' Balto, Jenna and Boris heard a howl. It was Kodi! They went straight to it. Balto ran inside an alley where the sounds were coming from. He instantly stopped and Jenna bumped into him. Boris landed in the rooftop of the ally. They saw Steele standing at the other side of the alley. Steele's mouth was covered in blood. It wasn't from a wound of himself. He didn't have a wound on his face, so it wasn't his. Balto noticed Shanti scared in a corner with a cut on her back. Steele was laughing. Balto looked back at Steele. Out of nowhere Kodi jumped straight at Steele letting his teeth sink in his neck. Blood poured out and Steele screamed in pain. Quickly he turned and grabbed Kodi's neck. Balto rushed forward and launched himself at Steele. Steele didn't see this coming and fell down with Balto standing on him. Kodi saw his dad but wasn't responding to him. He just kept looking at Steele. Balto said to Kodi the would fight together. Kodi nodded. Steele got up ready to attack back, but Kodi and Balto attacked quicker. Jenna and Boris stayed close to Shanti and looked at the fight.
#
'Finally free to go. I'm so done for today': Kirby said while yawning.
'Hooooowwwww!' Kirby, Dusty and Ralph looked at each other and swiftly followed the howl they just heard.
They reached an alley. They ran in and saw Jenna and Boris next to shanti. Then they saw Balto falling on the ground. Steele stood grinning. Kirby wanted to help Balto, but saw suddenly Kodi. Kodi's mouth was covered in blood and he looked full of hatred. Kodi launched at Steele and sank his teeth in his neck again. The sled dogs looked shocked.
Was that Kodi? The Kodi they knew?
Balto got up and bit Steele too. Steele fell down and Balto released him. Kodi did not. He bit even harder. The musher came running into the alley. Balto pulled his son off of Steele. Steele got up and jumped at kodi and bit his back for the third time. Kodi howled in pain and Balto bit Steele's paw. Steele let go. Before anyone of them attacked again the musher stepped in. With a stick he scared Steele away. Kodi wanted to run after him, but the musher grabbed a hold of him. The sled dogs ran towards them. Balto looked at Shanti. She was scared. The musher tried to keep Kodi calm, but Kodi struggled and growled. He wanted to hurt Steele, no kill him! Kirby looked at Kodi and noticed how much he looked like a wolf now. Shanti squeaked and Kodi immediately calmed down. The musher let him go and Kodi went straight to Shanti. Shanti snuggled him. 'I'm fine now. Thank you for saving me': Shanti whispered. 'I'm glad you're okay, I'm sorry I let myself go': Kodi whispered back.
#
The musher took everyone to his house and looked at the wounds. Kodi was hurt badly, but he was doing fine. Shanti was fine too as was Balto. Kodi said he was sorry, but no one blamed him. He was part wolf and his wolf part was triggered when Shanti was in danger. Shanti snuggled him again and everybody was happy again. Kirby asked how Kodi's paw was and Kodi laughed.
'You're worried about my paw! Have you seen my back!': Kodi said laughing. Kirby laughed too and filled Balto, Boris and Jenna in on Kodi's accident. All were happy now.
For the next few days Kodi was taking it easy. The sled team delivered the post without him. Kodi kept training as much as he could, so that he could work soon again. Shanti became less shy and often trained with Kodi. The raced and played together. Shanti felt safe in Nome and happy. Kodi was like a big brother to her. It was now four days ago that Steele attacked her. Kodi was almost fully healed. Shanti was glad to be here. Even though she was curious about her origin. She wanted to stay here, with Kodi and the others.
'Hey are you ready?': kodi yelled from a distance.
'Yes!': Shanti yelled back.
'Now!': Kodi yelled.
Shanti pushed off hard and ran as fast as she could. At the end of the line she turned sharply and slipped for a moment. She quickly regained herself and ran back at full speed.
'Nicely done!': Kodi yelled as she came over the finish line they made. Shanti however couldn't stop and bumped into Kodi. They fell down and laughed.
'Haha, we better work on your breaks': kodi said. Shanti agreed and they both went to the musher's house that stood near the post office.
#
It was getting late. All the sled dogs were inside the musher's house. When it got too cold, the musher let all the sled dogs sleep inside his house instead of the shack. Shanti fell a sleep quickly and Kodi kept talking with Kirby about the delivery. Shanti felt being pulled into a dream.
It was dark and then light. Snow slowly fell down and two dark figures appeared. It was too dark to see who it was, but it felt familiar and at the same time unfamiliar. She shivered. The figures came closer. Shanti didn't know who they were and why they were here. She got scared a little. One of them spoke in a very low and creepy voice:
'We found you at last. You must come with us. We've come to get you. Come with us!'
Shanti jumped up. It was a dream. It felt so real. She looked around, but everything looked normal. She lay down again and went to sleep again, hoping she wouldn't see that dream again.
#
Two dark shapes walk towards Nome. Nome is fast a sleep, unaware of what steps closer and closer. Shanti turns in her sleep. She senses something is coming. No one is awake. The two figures come closer to Nome and no one knows it.
This was chapter three. Please Review!
Next Chapter: Unnerving Feelings Throughout Nome