Where the Heart Takes You

Chapter five: Fight for Someone Important

Balto and Kodi faced their opponents without fear. Though Balto was a bit worried for Kodi. The tow wolves stepped forward again, Balto and Kodi not moving an inch. The rest behind them did however step back a bit giving them their space.

Kodi and Balto walked sideways away from each other. Kodi faced the male while Balto faced the female. Without warning the male charged forward and bit Kodi in the neck. Kodi howled in pain. Balto tried to get to his son, but was cut off by the female wolf. Both charged each other, the female biting Balto's paw and Balto biting her neck.

Kodi struggled and got loose from the male. Before the male could attack again Kodi bit his back causing the male to howl in pain. He was more angry than before now and roughly turned around causing Kodi to let go and immediately aimed to bite Kodi's chest. Kodi rolled over his back to avoid him and jumped up.

Balto and the female were continuesly trying to bite each other. She bit Balto's paw and Balto bit her neck in return. This went on and on.

The others were looking stunned. They knew Balto could fight well, but never thought Kodi would be so good. Shanti looked stunned as well, but seeing these wolves she started to feel nervous. It seems as though they knew her and seeing she was found alone she got a bad feeling.

Kodi howled highly and the others saw blood pouring over his back from his neck. He had a deep teeth mark in his neck and the blood slid down over his back. Kodi stumbled to get up and even though he felt his strength leave him he charged at the male. The male easily avoided him and bit his back causing more blood to appear. Kodi dropped down on the snow leaving a puddle of blood on the ground. The male stood still for a moment before turning to the group.

Balto was still struggling against the female. He tried desperately to get to Kodi. He was so distracted the female knocked him of his feet. Balto pushed her away and immediately jumped at her and bit at her throat. She dodged it barely leaving a small cut across her throat. She growled angrily and aimed for Balto's throat. Balto jumped over her and turned around quickly. Before the female had turned around Balto sank his teeth in he back. The female howled full of pain.

The male heard his mate and turned to see. He saw her drop to the snowy ground with blood all over her back, though not as bad as what he did to the kid he was fighting. His female gave him a look that said I'm fine and he turned to the group again.

Shanti shivered as the male came closer. 'No!' Kodi yelled weakly. Shanti was afraid seeing her "big brother" hurt. The male was a few meters away from her. Suddenly he howled loudly as Kodi had jumped on top of him and sunk his teeth in his neck while still standing on him. The female and Balto stopped their fight to see what happened. The male collapsed from the pain combined with the weight of Kodi standing on his back. Kodi jumped off of him and growled menacingly.

The female ran away from Balto and stopped by her mate's side. She nuzzled him and he opened his eyes. 'Toril?' she asked worried. He answered with an angry growl and slowly rose from the ground. 'I'm fine Myla' He said back. The others were still staring at them. Toril turned his head around and looked at Kodi.

'Not bad, kid' He said a bit calmer. Kodi didn't let him fool him and growled even louder. The male and female, now known as Toril and Myla, jerked their heads up as if they heard something. Seconds later everyone hears voices of humans.

Toril and Myla turn around ready to run away to hide when Kodi jumps in front of him. Balto and the others look shocked thinking, Is he crazy? He has a chance to get out of this fight! Toril looks angry again. The people of Nome arrive on the outskirts of town and see the dogs and two wolves. They gasp and without another second the two wolves jump over Kodi and run away.

#

The next morning Kodi lay the musher's house with Shanti close by him. The other sled dogs were wandering around outside waiting for the musher. Kodi's wounds had seemed pretty bad, but over night most of it had healed already.

The musher was pulling the sled outside and placed it in fornt of the post office. The sled dogs were already standing nearby ready to go deliver the mail. Kodi walked outside and saw them. Shanti was still a sleep inside the house. Kodi walks over to them not looking all to thrilled about delivering post.

'Kodi!' Dusty shouts as she sees him walking towards them. She runs over to him and dog-like hugs him. The others walk towards them.

'Hey you okay?' Kirby asks. Kodi weakly nods. The others notice he's not very thrilled today.

'You know, we have post to deliver. Isn't that fun' Dusty tries to cheer him up. Kodi loves his job as post dog. Surprisingly Kodi only looks more depressed at hearing this. The others look kinda worried.

'Kodi? Don't you fell well?' Ralph asks. Kodi looks up at them.

'Sorry guys. I just don't feel like delivering post today' Kodi says. After hearing this his friends look very concerned.

'But you love your job!' Kirby says not believing what he's hearing. Kodi sighes indicating he doesn't feel like discussing it now.

The musher calls his dogs and reluctantly Kirby, Dusty and Ralph walk to the sled leaving Kodi standing behind. The musher places them in their places and then notices Kodi walking back inside. The musher checks on him. As he enters the house he sees Kodi laying beside Shanti looking rather tired. He decides to let Kodi stay home and carefully closes the door leaving the doggy hatch open. Moments later Kodi hears the sled team rush past the window on their way to White Mountain.

#

Balto wakes up on his boat. He yawns and gets up. Boris is no where around. He sighes as he remembers last night. Slowly he walks off the boat. Before he took another step Boris crash-landed in front of him startling him badly.

'Boris!' Balto yells in surprise. Boris dizzily gets up. He then snaps out of his dizziness as he sees Balto.

'Balto!' he nearly yells. Balto looks a bit confused. 'I think Kodi might be sick!' Boris says. Balto's eyes open wide.

'What!' Balto shouts in worry. Boris brushes the snow of his feather before answering.

'He hasn't gone with the other sled dogs to deliver mail. I thought that was worth some worry, I saw them when I flew not too high over Nome' Boris said. Before Boris could check on Balto's expression he was twirled around as Balto rushed passed him. 'Wolves' Boris says as he gets out of the hole that was created by his twirl.

#

Balto stops in front of the house of the musher of Kodi. He enters through the doggy-like hatch and sees Kodi laying with Shanti. Kodi is making soft sleeping noises as is Shanti. Balto smiles and softly goes outside again. He bumps into Boris who followed him.

'Oh Boris, sorry I ran right passed you' Balto apologises as he sees the ruffled feathers of Boris. Boris just brushes it off and together they walk away as Balto says Kodi seems fine.

#

Kodi and Shanti woke up and decided to go outside. They walked to the far end of Nome to play on the white plain. (other side of Nome's outskirt then were the wolves were). They both didn't feel like being in the town.

Shanti squeaked as she happily ran across the white plain forgetting all her troubles. Kodi just watched her for a minute until she squeaked him to join her. Kodi ran up to her and the two began throwing snow around from the jumping causing both to turn white. Shanty kept squeaking with joy a sound Kodi always liked hearing. They raced a few laps and Shanti jumped Kodi a few more times. Eventually they both lay down on the cold snow catching their breaths.

Kodi's head jerked up as he heard footsteps, heavy footsteps. Shanti looked confused until she too heard it. She cowered a bit and Kodi reassured her. They stood up Kodi standing in front of Shanti. Then the man appeared who destroyed the window to let Shanti run of. Shanti shivered as she saw him. Kodi immediately took a defensive position realising this was the man who first began saying Shanti should leave.

The man grinned as he saw Shanti and Kodi. This time he would certainly scare Shanti out of town even though that dog was protecting her. The man closed the distance to about a few meters. Kodi growled dangerously as the man stood towering above them threateningly. Shanti stepped a bit back and Kodi was glad for it. He didn't want her to get hurt. Then the man revealed a bronze pole. Kodi felt an unnerving feeling at the back of his throat, but stayed put. He'd risk everything to protect Shanti.

#

Balto and Boris walked through Nome when suddenly Stella rushed past them flying low. She abruptly stopped as she potted Boris and Balto.

'Boris! Balto! Good to see you. There is a problem!' Stella nearly yelled at them. Both looked confused and worried.

'What is it?' Balto and Boris asked simultaneously. Stella panted a bit.

'I already informed Jenna. Kodi is in trouble at the other end of Nome. A bad man walked towards him and Shanti' Stella said in one breath. Balto shot passed her while Boris grabbed her wing and pulled her with him after balto.

#

Jenna was running to the outskirt of Nome. Suddenly she heard a voice behind her. It was Balto followed by Boris and Stella. She waited for them to catch up and together they ran towards where Kodi was. When they arrived they did not look happy at the sight in front of them.

#

Kodi stayed put as the man pulled the bronze pole back. Kodi had made up his mind. He would fight to protect someone important. The man swiftly brought the pole forward, but before it could hit its target Kodi closed his mouth around it holding it in place.

Balto, Jenna, Boris and Stella gasped as they saw Kodi grabbing the pole. Inside they felt relieve that Kodi didn't get hurt.

Kodi barely registered his parents being there as he was too busy. The man started pulling at the pole scolding loudly. Kodi felt the sudden pressure against his teeth and released the pole. The man furiously brought it back again and got ready to hit Kodi again. Shanti cowered. This time however Kodi was distracted for he sense something else around there. The pole hit him at the side and Kodi fell down flat on the ground.

Shanti shivered and squeaked in fear. Jenna, Boris and Stella gasped from shock, but Balto growled startling the others.

Kodi felt a serious head ache, but got up nevertheless. Shanti was cowering backwards and the man was closing in on her. Kodi though he was in pain jumped up and landed between Shanti and the man just as the man lashed out with the pole. Kodi got hit on the head and a little blood poured down his face. He felt down and gasped for air as his vision got blurry. Shanti howled for the first time, though it was a howl of fear.

The man gets ready to lash out again when a sudden growl sounds close by. The man turns around just as Balto grabs the pole in his mouth and jumps past the mans till holding it and pulls him on the ground.

Kodi managed to keep his vision from moving around and saw though it was blurry his dad growling angry at the man who was on the ground. Balto growls threateningly at the man's face like he never growled before. The man cowered a bit before he draws a knife from his pocket and lashes out at Balto.

'WATCH OUT!' Jenna, Stella, Boris and Kodi yell at the top of their lungs.

Balto knows he can't dodge it and looks in shock as it comes closer. It is just inches away from Balto's chest when a sudden harsh force collides with balto pushing him out of harms way. The man misses and cuts through air.

Balto opens his eyes and sees Toril, the male wolf, slowly getting up. Balto himself gets up looking rather shocked. The man stands up as well and turns around. Kodi got to his feet as well. The man sees Balto, Toril, Myla and Kodi standing in front of him all four growling. The man looks actually scared now and runs off.

Shanti squeaks softly and Kodi immediately runs to her and nuzzles her gently. The two wolves look happy at this. Jenna nuzzles Balto having been so afraid.

'So who are you guys exactly and what are you doing here?' Stella asks since she hasn't seen these two wolves yet before.

Toril looked at them and then at Myla before speaking.

'I'm Toril and this is my mate Myla. We are alpha's in our pack and the parents of her' He says as he looks at Shanti when saying –her- . All of them gasp or just look shocked.

Shanti looks them both straight in the eyes noticing something familiar as she softly speaks. 'My parents?'.

This was chapter five. Please review for I really need some encouraging with this story.

Next Chapter: Hidden Instincts Revealed