As I've mentioned in all of my updates in other stories, I am incredibly sorry for how long this has taken me to update. I know it's been months since y'all heard from me, but I have been a bit overwhelmed lately because I am in the process of writing at least four stories and co writing another, so you can see where a problem would begin to arise. However, I haven't forgotten the plot of this story nor forgotten about all of you who have been waiting for an update. I thank those of you who have been waiting so patiently for me.

Chapter 8

Balto, Boris, and Alue rounded the corner to the house that Rosie ans her parents called home, moving quietly through the yard and coming to a stop a short distance away from the shed where Jenna slept here Balto devised a plan inside of his head, a sly smile crossing his lips.

"What's going on Papa?" Alue asked, confused as to why they had stopped.

Balto put a paw up to his lips, signaling her to be quiet, then began to sneak over toward the shed. Alue began to follow, but Balto silently instructed her to stay put. She reluctantly conceded and sat beside Boris, the both of them wondering what Balto was up to. Balto slinked his way up to the door of the shed, being careful not to make even the slightest sound. He stopped just outside of the door and sniffed the crack beneath the door, smiling dubiously when Jenna's fresh scent hit his nostrils. Balto flattened his ears and threw back his head, screaming as loud as he could and slamming his forepaws forcefully against the door at the same time. From inside there was a scream equally as loud followed by a scramble and crash. Balto and Alue both rolled to the ground laughing, their eyes beginning to fill up with tears of hysteria. Even Boris had a chuckle escape him.

From inside of the shed, Jenna's heart was racing a mile a minute and her breaths were ecstatic from fear and shock. She shook her head and turned to see that she was under a thick piece of shelving that she had knocked down off of the wall, a pile of items from said shelf scattered about the board and surrounding area. From outside of the shed she could hear intense laughter, immediately recognizing the two canines that the laughs belonged to. She smiled evilly and devised a plan of her own, laying her head down and shutting her eyes and whimpering loudly. The hysterical laughter outside died as quickly as it began, a panicked, "oh crap," coming from her mate.

Balto instructed Alue to stay put and he and Boris scrambled to the shed, Balto arriving and throwing the door open.

"Jenna! Jenna are you alright!"he called frantically.

He heard a soft whimper and turned his head down t see Jenna trapped beneath a large board. She wasn't moving and her face was contorted in pain.

"Oh no."

Balto leapt to her side and stuck his muzzle beneath the board the board, using his nose to flip it off of his mate. There was a loud slap as the board slammed into the wall and Balto nuzzled the side of Jenna's face with his muzzle.

"Jenna I'm so sorry," Balto began, tears forming in his eyes, "I had no idea that-"

He stopped when he caught Jenna trying to fight back a smile.

"Hey!" Balto demanded.

Jenna erupted with laughter, rolling to her stomach and burying her face into her paws.

"Jesus Jenna that wasn't funny!"Balto spat firmly, his breath starting to calm.

"Yesss it... was," Jenna sputtered between fits of hysteria, "You should've heard yourself!"

"Jenna you scared me half to death!" Balto stated indignantly.

"What goes around comes around hun," Jenna replied, finally starting to gain control of herself.

Balto opened his mouth to argue, but closed it and shook his head with a smile.

"I guess you're right," Balto said in the tone of a pup.

"Of course I am," Jenna replied with a goofy grin.

"Is it too late to say that I'm sorry?" Balto asked, lowering his head and tail in a false submission.

Jenna seemed to think heavily about this for a long time, eying her mate over carefully.

"Oh, I guess I can forgive you," Jenna finally replied with a small laugh.

Balto's face lit up and his tail swayed side to side slightly. Jenna got to her feet and the pair nuzzled each other. Boris coughed and they separated, turning back to him.

"Jealous?" Balto teased.

Boris scoffed and folded his wings.

"No," he replied, "but I think you are forgetting the whole reason we came out here."

Balto mentally slapped himself, an apologetic smile forming upon his lips.

"Sorry Alue," Balto called outside, "You can come on in."

Alue bounded into the shed, taking one look around at the mess and began to giggle. Jenna picked up on the reason as to why and scooped her up, tickling her belly with her muzzle. Alue squealed and squirmed to try and get free. She made a final jerk and pulled herself away from her mother's grasp, turning back to her with a smile.

"Hello Alue," Jenna began, a smile on her face, "How are you this evening?"

"I'm fine," she began, "Can't say the same about Kodi or Papa, though."

Balto shifted nervously and Jenna raised hr eyes to meet his.

"Alue? Can you go out and play with your Uncle Boris for a minute?" Jenna asked, glancing over at the old goose, "Your father and I need to talk."

Alue hung her head. She was getting sick of all the secrecy. Honestly, what was so bad that it was unfit for her to hear?

"Alue?" Boris asked waving a wing in front of her face.

Alue snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to Boris with a smile.

"Come on Alue," Boris said, motioning for the door.

Alue followed, her spirits only lifting slightly as she scampered out the door. Boris paused in the doorway and turned back to Balto, a questioning look in his eyes.

"I'll explain later," was all Balto said.

Boris nodded and turned to leave, shutting the door behind him so Balto and Jenna could have their privacy as they spoke. Jenna waited until the door was all the way closed then turned to Balto, silently urging him to speak.

"Jenna," Balto began, his eyes on the floor.

"Yes Balto?"

"I came out here tonight to discuss another incident with Kodi," Balto stated, his voice low.

"What happened now?" Jenna asked, worry evident in her tone and upon her face.

"Kodi walked all the way out to my trawler by himself to talk to me, so I knew that it had to be important," Balto started as he began to relay his story to his mate.

Jenna was shocked.

"All the way out there?"

"Alue and I must have been asleep whenever he arrived because we woke up to find him snuggled in close to Alue."

Jenna was more worried about her son than detail at the moment.

"Can we please just get to the part about why my son walked over a mile out of town without any supervision?" Jenna interrupted.

Balto wasn't too offended by it though. He knew that Jenna had to be as worried as he was.

"Alright, so he starts to tell me that he began to feel very far away, his mind beginning to go blank."

"That can't be good," Jenna inquired sadly.

"And that's not the worst part," Balto informed, worry overtaking his tone, "Whatever it was that was happening to him caused him to black out and he had this crazy dream."

"What was it about?" Jenna pressed.

"He said that he was staring at a huge wall and that he could hear something growling on the other side of it," Balto explained, Jenna sitting across from him, silently waiting for him to continue, "He approached the wall and something started to beat on it from the other side, cracking it and then knocking a small hole into the wall. He told me that he saw an evil golden eye glaring back at him through the hole then blacked out, thus waking himself back up."

Jenna had no conscious knowledge that she was holding her breath at the moment.

"Is... is that all?" she asked hopefully.

"No," Balto muttered regretfully, "When he woke up he took on the gait of a wolf."

"No... no, Balto! He can't be!" Jenna nearly yelled.

"Shhh!" Balto demanded.

Jenna quieted herself and glared at Balto.

"Alue," Balto reminded in a whisper.

"But what about our son?" Jenna pressed, her voice at a lower volume, her angry tone still present.

"I tried to tell him," Balto began, avoiding Jenna's eyes.

"But you said it could be dangerous," Jenna stated firmly, "Why would you want to take such a risk?"

"I don't know Jen, I just... I just thought that he deserved to know."

"So why didn't you tell him?"

"I just couldn't do it, Jen. I couldn't find the heart to break it to him."

"So what did you tell him?" Jenna asked, her brow furrowing in curiosity.

"I told him that he was just stressed," Balto admitted.

"But stress wouldn't just change your gait," Jenna pointed out, "Even he would know that."

"I know Jenna, I was just getting to that."

"So?"

"I told him that he was born with a bad back and that he should swing by here every now and then and get a massage from you," Balto explained.

Jenna shook her head.

"I don't know how to give massages," she pointed out indignantly.

"Please Jenna," Balto begged, "Just go with it. Do it for Kodi."

Jenna dropped her head.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"Uncle Boris?" Alue asked, drawing the attention of the old goose.

"Yes?"

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" Alue asked in an innocent wonder.

Boris scratched beneath his chin.

"I'm not sure kiddo; but whatever it is it's probably nothing."

"So then why was I sent outside?" Alue continued to question.

Boris thought for a moment.

"Those two crazy love birds probably wanted some alone time," Boris teased, making kissing noises with his beak.

Alue gave out a long "EEEW" and turned away from the shed in disgust.

Boris chuckled, running a hand over the pup's head.

There was a creak as the door to the shed began to swing open, Boris and Alue turning to see Balto and Jenna walking casually out.

"Well Jenna, I guess we'd better be going before it gets too late," Balto began as if nothing had happened.

"Okay," Jenna replied, giving her mate a quick nuzzle, "Be safe."

"Always," Balto replied, returning the nuzzle.

"Hey Alue," Jenna called to her daughter.

Alue moved over and sat at their feet. Balto nuzzled her lightly then straightened himself up again.

"I'll be back to pick you up sometime tomorrow," Balto informed to his daughter.

"Okay Papa," Alue said, "I love you."

Balto smiled.

"I love you too."

"Well, I'll be seeing you around kiddo," Boris said, wattling over and rubbing the top of Alue's head.

Alue giggled and flatted her ears to the touch.

"Bye Uncle Boris."

With that, the hybrid and old goose turned and began to walk causally away, disappearing shortly after around the side of the house.

The walk back out to the trawler had thus far been laced in silence, neither Balto nor Boris making an effort to start a conversation. They had by now made it out of town and were about a quarter mile out, steadily leaving the darkening town behind them. Boris couldn't take another minute of being in the dark about Kodiak and opened his mouth.

"Balto, What happened earlier?' he asked.

Balto dropped his head.

"It's all my fault Boris," Balto mused.

"What is?"

"Everything Boris!" Balto snapped angrily, "Kodi is screwed!"

"What happened?" Boris pressed concerned.

Balto's anger subsided, being replaced by a deep sense of hopelessness.

"It's over, Boris. He's almost been completely consumed."