Where The Heart Takes You

Chapter six: Hidden Instincts Revealed

'My Parents?' Shanti weakly asks. The two wolves nod and Shanti feels an enormous weight on her heart.

The others understand what this means. She has to make a decision. Myla walks towards Shanti.

'I know how difficult this is, but we want you to come back with us. We miss you' Myla says like only a true mother can. Shanti keeps looking down debating everything in her mind.

'Shanti, you don't have to decide now. Take your time. We'll come back later to see if you have made a decision' Toril says. He and Myla then turn around and leave.

Kodi can't stop looking at Shanti. Boris and Stella softly fly away while the sled dogs leave quietly as well. Balto and Jenna consider for a moment, but then they too leave. Kodi stays where he is with Shanti across him. Eventually she looks up and meets his eyes. She looks more than troubled and sad. Kodi almost feels the struggle inside her and comfortably nuzzles her. Shanti nuzzles him back and then runs off. Kodi knows she needs time alone and reluctantly leaves for the shed.

#

The sun was slowly setting as Kodi saw the shed in the distance. He heard voices from his team mates inside. Kodi walked closer trying to ignore his aching head and body from where he was hit. Kodi took a deep breath and walked inside. The instance he walked in the voices became loud to his ears and the headache forced him to close his eyes. The little blood he lost during the fight was already dried.

Dusty suddenly stopped talking causing the others to cease their ramble as well. They followed Dusty's gaze and saw Kodi standing in the entrance with closed eyes and a painful expression on his face.

'Kodi?' Dusty asked worried. Kodi lifted his head and forced his eyes open even though the pain in his head was agonizing.

He saw his friends looking worried and smiled weakly at them as if reassuring them, though it didn't work.

'I'm fine, really' Kodi tried. Suddenly his vision got very blurry and he started rocketing back and forth and sideways. He could barely hear his name be called with much worry before he felt himself fall down and hit the ground. Not another second lasted for everything around him went black and he didn't feel anything anymore, or heard or saw anything.

#

Shanti was wandering through the town. She didn't feel like going to the shed tonight, nor did she feel like going to Balto or Jenna. Strangely she neither liked going to the musher right now. She sighed as she placed her paws on the cold snow walking through the streets.

'My parent. They're not dead, they're here. They came for me. What should I do? I'm a wolf and belong with them, don't I? I feel so at ease here in Nome, with Kodi. Do I really belong with them or is that just guilt talking? Why am I feeling guilt? I didn't run away or anything. I was lost and found. What am I supposed to do?!'

The thoughts kept floating through her mind giving her a serious headache. She was at a total loss. Shanti sighed once more and herself standing near Balto's boat.

'Great, and I thought I didn't want to be around anyone. Now I subconsciously walked here'.

Shanti sighed at her own thoughts. She was pretty tired and wouldn't mind taking a nap. she changed her mind and decided to just keep walking, for now. Again lost in her thoughts she did not realize she was walking towards the outskirts of town where a certain wolf couple hid from the humans.

#

The two wolves raised their heads as they heard noises outside the small hide out. Toril carefully crept outside and to his surprise saw his daughter standing quiet lost. Myla soon followed and smiled upon seeing her long lost daughter.

Shanti felt a bit awkward. Here she was standing in front of her real parents not knowing what to say. She was glad though to see her mother smile. Clearly she was hoping to see her.

'Uh..I…' Shanti tried but she couldn't say anything useful. Luckily for her Myla understood immediately.

'It's okay, you probably want to know more about us and your pack right?' Myla ask already knowing the answer. Toril understood upon hearing his mate and motioned Shanti to come closer as to talk.

Shanti sat next to them and still not knowing what to say or ask looked down a little shy, which normally would be weird with your parents.

'I guess we should just tell some stuff' Myla said upon noticing her daughter's slight distress. 'Let's see, our pack was of about 15 wolves. Then you and your two brothers and sister were born. Your sister was the second one and your brothers the first and third born. You were the last one.' Myla told her daughter with a calm voice.

Shanti was listening closely and her eyes opened a bit wider upon hearing her mom speak. ' was? Why is she speaking as if it isn't anymore? Did something bad happen? Is that why I was separated from them?'

Toril noticed his daughter's confused and slightly more distressed expression. He understood what she found out.

'Yes it's true' Toril said cutting of his mate's story. She realized what was wrong and knew they had come to that part of the story.

Shanti looked up at her father fearing the worst. He sighed and then looked at her.

'Our pack was attacked by another wolf pack. Most of our own were either missing or ….dead' Toril said the last word a bit quieter, but Shanti had heard it alright. She felt sad even though she didn't know anyone from her pack.

'It happened shortly after you and your siblings were born. your brothers couldn't get away and no wolf of ours could get to them. Your sister had already crawled out of the den and your mom had run of with you. At least we saved your life. Your sister is also still alive saved by her uncle. After we reestablished who was gone and who not me and Myla began our search for you. She had lost you and could not find you again. That is how we came to Nome' Toril finished.

Shanti looked lost in thought. This was much information to hold. She nodded as if trying to tell them she understood and didn't need to hear more. Luckily her parents understood her gesture. After a minute Shanti stood up and walked outside again. The moment she felt the cold wind she started running away to Nome.

#

It was very early in the morning as Kodi awoke. He found himself on his cushion in the shed though he did not remember laying down on it. He noticed his team tames around him fast asleep. Kodi sighed and understood they must have put him down here after he fainted. Kodi slowly got up and felt the headache coming back at full force. He ignored it and walked outside slowly for his body also hurt.

Outside it wasn't dark, but is wasn't light either. It was still dusk. Kodi felt relieved that he didn't wake up when everyone else was for he did not feel like talking right now. Kodi decided to just walk around town a bit and maybe see if his musher was awake. He stepped onto the streets and walked through the cold and wet snow.

Unknown to him at the moment was a shadow moving in an alley watching his every step. A small shimmer was seen near the shadow. Kodi noticed nothing and walked further ahead.

#

Shanti woke up and found herself laying in the boiler room. Apparently she laid down inside last night seeing she didn't recall anything. She stretched and stood up. She was still clueless about what to do and decided to not think about it for now. She stepped out in the cold snow even though it didn't feel that cold to her. She decided to go see Kodi who most likely was in the shed. She turned to the direction of the shed when she felt a sudden panic come over her. She couldn't explain it nor could she say what she felt so panicked about. What she did know was that it was coming from the open area at the other side of Nome. Without a second to waist she ran straight for that place fearing something bad had happened.

#

Kodi had found the musher still asleep and walked through town until he reached the open area at one side of Nome. He sighed and sat down for he felt a bit tired and his headache wasn't getting any better. Actually he felt like passing out again, but kept fighting it.

Then Kodi heard footsteps and turned around instantly. His expression became one of anger mixed with worry. In front of him barely a few meters away stood the horrible man that tried tog et to Shanti last night. In return for protecting her, Kodi had received a few blows from the man with a bronze pole, which he was holding right now again. Kodi was even feeling slightly afraid for he was in no condition to fight this man.

Thinking back to what had happened Kodi felt his wolf heritage crying to be set lose. Kodi stood up and growled threateningly ready for anything the man would try.

The man grinned as if hoping the dog or according to him part wolf scum, would put up a fight. Kodi didn't step back when the man stepped closer.

#

Balto, Boris, Jenna and the rest of the sled team were walking around Nome. Balto suddenly felt a little uneasy noticed by the others. Before anyone could ask what was wrong they saw Shanti running down the street as if she was being chased. They quickly followed her hoping to find out what was wrong.

#

Shanti ran so fast her legs had a hard time keeping up with her body. She barely noticed her other friends across the street and she didn't have time to think about them. She had to get to Kodi! She didn't know how she knew something was wrong with him, but somehow she knew.

Shanti reached the end of town and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the scary man from yesterday. He was standing about ten meters away from her. Shanti felt the fear rise in her when she remembered what he did to Kodi just to get to her. That's when she remembered why she ran over here and she directed her gaze to the ground and saw Kodi about a meter away from the man growling in a way of protecting himself.

The others arrived now and stood just as frozen as Shanti upon seeing the man. They quickly noticed Kodi and ran closer with Shanti following behind them.

The man had heard the other dogs coming and turned around while still holding his pole in Kodi's direction and pulled a gun out of his pocket. Without warning he shot a bullet in the air, forgetting people would hear it.

Balto and the others stopped abruptly upon hearing the gunshot. They knew things had gotten much worse now. This was very dangerous.

Shanti stood slightly behind and aside the others. She looked at Kodi and noticed how unsteady he stood. He wasn't afraid, but he was probably still hurt from last night. Shanti didn't know what was going on around her for she was caught in flashes of her short life in Nome. Her meeting Kodi, and the others, being protected by Kodi, having fun with Kodi, feeling like he was her big brother.

'Brother, I had those once, but now not anymore. Wait I do have a brother. Perhaps not by blood, but certainly by feelings. Kodi is my big brother! And I'll protect him now!'

As soon as that thought had crossed her mind she snapped back to reality and noticed the man had turned slightly towards Kodi and hold his gun pointed to the side not aiming at anyone at the moment. She felt anger rise inside her followed by a sudden hatred. The urge to rip this man apart was hard to fight. So she decided to let that urge float into something else, like ripping apart his tools. She was determined and stepped forward one step before she ran straight for him.

#

The others were closely watching the man forgetting about Shanti. Then suddenly Shanti shot passed them growling furiously and charging at the man. The man quickly turned and aimed his gun at her. Shanti jumped at the moment he pulled the trigger. Whiles he was in the air the man swung his pole around to hit her. Kodi and the others yelled in fear. Shanti couldn't dodge it and she wasn't planning to dodge it anyway.

The pole was inches away from her and Shanti opened her mouth and grabbed hold of the pole surprising everyone, but she didn't stop there. She pushed harder while still in her jump. For her it felt as if going in slow-motion. She put all her anger in the bite and felt the pole crack under the pressure. Then the winning sound of a breaking bronze pole.

Shanti landed close to Kodi on the other side of the man. The man looked in horror at the bronze pole that was snapped in two by a mere wolf bite. The others were just as shocked. Shanti was breathing heavily, not from exhaustion, but from anger. She turned around and growled at the man who flinched upon seeing her expression. She was looking with hatred at the man.

Kodi couldn't keep his eyes off of Shanti. She was so different now. Not the scared pup who hid behind him, but a strong wolf full of determination and anger. Then to everyone's surprise she howled the loudest and most beautiful howl ever. The man flinched again and even fell down.

The people from Nome came running towards them now. Upon noticing the man and the gun they shot him looks of hatred. The man knew what was coming for him. The town head immediately ordered him to leave Nome and never come back.

The musher was checking Kodi who himself was still looking at Shanti. Shanti faced away from the man who was now stumbling to get his things and she turned around to the open area of snow behind her. She could make out two forms who were her parents. They howled to her and she responded. They then slowly faded out of sight. Everyone around her heard the howls and understood who it was from. Shanti looked at Kodi who was looking down sadly.

'Kodi?' she said slowly. Kodi looked at her and noticed she was smiling. 'Would you mind continuing to be my big brother?' Shanti asked him. Kodi's face lighted up and soon after Shanti nuzzled him.

'This is where I want to be' Shanti thought.

#

One month later.

The sled team was on it's way to White Mountain. Their team was slightly different. Kodi no longer ran beside Kirby, but alone in the front. He was finally a lead dog as he always wished. Next to Kirby was now Shanti. She was totally happy to finally have her own place.

Balto and the others had watched them until they were out of sight.

Shanti enjoyed the cold wind and the running. She loved her life now.

'This is where my heart took me, to where I truly belong' Shanti thought as she noticed Nome moving out of sight.

The End –

I couldn't think of anything else to write for this story so I decided to end it here. If I ever get another idea I might put in here or in a sequel.

I've made a picture of Shanti. Find the link on my profile at my made up characters.

Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them.

Bye!