Chapter 2

As the days blended into weeks, spring came in full swing. The hills once covered in a blanket of snow and ice now had the seasonal purples, reds, blues, and greens of the spring time flowers and grasses that would last until the first frost in a few short months. With the coming of spring, Balto's fears began to die down; even for his daughter Alue. From birth she looked like a full blooded wolf with her lean frame and large paws; the light grey fur and white underbelly mixed together with the piercing blue eyes had claimed her physical appearance. But inside she was all dog, except for her howling, but that only occurred when she was overcome with excitement.

Balto was beginning to feel like all would be well for his pups and that his fears were just a pointless paranoia. In three weeks the pups would be adopted out to good homes and live happily with their owners until their number was called. All would turn out well for them. There was no need to worry.

He had no idea just how wrong he was.

- It was late at night on the trawler. The pups, now five weeks old, decided to sleep over at their father's house and play on the beach the next day until their mother came to take them home.

Kodiak was the smallest of the litter; therefore, he always lay close to his father with his four siblings huddled around him with enough space for them to move. Kodiak slept peacefully on his belly dreaming that he was running through the grass playing chase with his siblings. In his dreams he was the fastest of them all and would catch them after a short folly.

He had Alue in his sights and was about to take her when somewhere inside of him, he felt an urge; unexplainable, but he felt something deep inside of him scratching away and fighting to escape. Alue disappeared into thin air. Kodiak stopped dead in his tracks and suddenly all the grass and flowers around him melted into nothing. The sky and everything else around him went black.

This feeling and sight brought him out of his dreams and he raised his head from his paws. He looked down at his paws and realized that he was flexing his claws on the deck. Why would he need to do that? He no use for them really.

Something rose in him again and it made his head hurt. He groaned to cope and placed his head down with his paws folded over his muzzle. He began to growl and tried to stop. Wait, why couldn't he stop growling? His face twisted in pain and he groaned louder. Balto stirred and glanced around him desperately. He felt something bump his side and looked down to see Kodiak jerking about on his belly and groaning.

"What is it son," Balto asked.

Kodiak didn't answer; it was almost as if he didn't even hear the question. Kodiak screamed involuntarily and jerked onto his side. His siblings jumped awake and glanced around them. They all saw Kodiak and gathered around their brother quickly with a haunting fear plastered onto them.

"What's wrong with him daddy!" Saba asked frantically.

Balto realized that he had seen this before and his heart sank into the bottom of his chest. Kodiak screamed loud enough to wake the spirits of hell, brining Balto back to the situation at hand.

"Kodi, I need you to listen to me," he began slowly. Kodiak's siblings sat in an awed silence.

"You know who you are son, don't let that be destroyed. You have to fight back son."

Kodiak screamed possibly louder than ever before and pitched over onto his back. This time even, hysterical laughter that was not his own escaped his muzzle

"Fight it Kodi; that is not you. FIGHT IT SON!"

Kodiak's face relaxed and he drifted back into sleep. It was over. The wolf was caged once again.

A/N- I apologize for the short chapter, but what can you do? Anyway please read and review. I'd also like to thank TheFunniestAlpha and Mike101 for the reviews. Next chapter will be along soon.