Rusty

Both of them… Watching me as I brought the rest of the catch for their meal. Eyes peering into me as if expecting something. Saba more, as she was wondering why I left in such a rush. Kanai was more or less, still lost, and had his head in the snow. Poor guy. Then I decided to do something that I never thought I would ever do.

"Say, Kanai… If it means anything. I know how it's like, to lose someone."

I tried talking to the kid, but I even messed up at that. Saba shot me a look as I said those words. It wasn't a good conversation to have with a pup his age, let alone someone who has lost so recently.

"My Mother… She was a pure-bred Dingo. Heh, only about 1 in 5 could say they were pure-bred… Her name… Her name was Kajura."

Saba was amazed by his words. Two days with this guy and she barely got any info from him. Yet now, he was spilling his past. It must have taken a huge amount of power for him to do this…

"Hah, well. To make a long story short… The humans killed her off, and were within an inch of doing the same to me."

Saba looked at him with confusion, how would this help Kanai?

"But you know what? They didn't. I fought my way out of my problems. And that's what you need to do right now. Fight. Fight to find your mother."

If Saba was confused before, she was even more so now. Rusty obviously had no idea how to talk to a month old pup who's just lost his parents… He wasn't a war veteran, he was a pup. He didn't need a pep-talk, he needed caring, trusting words. But her confusion rose higher when Kanai reacted.

Kanai slowly lifted his head up to match Rusty's eyes, and nodded slowly.

"Good boy. Now you and Saba enjoy your meal. I'll scout ahead for a bit."

Saba watched Rusty walk off with a smile on her face. Rusty sure was good with kids, and she wondered how he would fare with pups of his own. For a split second, she suppressed her thoughts of wanting to have his puppies… It was a devious thought and she immediately shunned herself for them.

She growled for a second at her thoughts, then turned to Kanai.

"Wow, he took down a giant Ox like this himself?" She said.
"It looks like it! He is strong…" Kanai said.
"I noticed…" Saba muttered under her breath as she bore a devious smile.

Black Eye

Rusty admitted it, he told Saba and Kanai a little white lie. In reality, they had already reached their destination. Black Eye's territory. Over-watched by the green-sapphire eyes of the large wolf, Black Eye kept his territory closed and was not very welcoming as guests… But as always, Rusty was an exception.

Black Eye couldn't hide his smile as his old friend, Rusty showed himself from the bushes, escorted by two of the packs guards. Rusty took a second to look over the older wolf, as he certainly aged well since the last time he's seen him.

"Rusty you ol' sly dingo you. What brings you to my pack brother?"
"What, I can't just drop by and say hello?"
"Yeah… But don't you have some human babies to take and devour tonight?"
"Oh trust me, I've looked." Rusty joked back.

His words were distant and unfocused, and this is something Black Eye caught on instantly. He wasn't a fool, and he knew that Rusty knew that he wasn't a fool.

"Serious time Rusty. You need something, and I know it."
"Fine. I do need your help with something. There's a wolf pup… He's lost his pack. Father confirmed dead, and mother might still be out there."
"You know I don't memorize every pack by name, but if you bring the pup to me, I'll see if I recognize it's scent."
"Can do… But there is a slight problem."
"Oh?"
"The pup is not alone. Another has lost her home and wishes only to help the little one. You know me, so trust me when I say that her intentions are well and only meant good for the pup."
"Why are you telling me this? I don't mind to allow a pup and a female into my pack."
"Wolves yes, but…"
"What are you saying Rusty?"
"Well for starters her name is Saba."
"And… Who gave her that name?"

Rusty froze for a second before answering. He knew Black Eye resented… No, hated, dogs with a passion. It stems from his irrefutable hate for the humans. He hated dogs, yes, but it was nothing to the fiery pits of torture and unimaginable hells that he wished beyond anything the humans would suffer for all eternity. Dogs are a byproduct of the human menace, therefore, dogs are hated as much.

"Most likely her parents."
"Rusty…" Black Eye moved closer now, beaming his dark green irises directly into his soul.
"Her mother was a dog, her father a wolf-dog hybrid."

Black Eye slowly turned from Rusty and faced the save entrance with his back turned towards Rusty. Only after about 10 seconds or so, Rusty got the message. Black Eye wanted nothing to do with him or his problem.

"I understand, friend. I won't bother you with this again and I'll make sure that dog doesn't step a paw-"
"No, no… You say her intentions are for the good of the pup only… And that is mine. The pup is welcome, bring him to me. The… Dog… is not to come within a mile of my territory."
"Fair enough." Rusty said.

Black Eye nodded slowly towards Rusty as he bowed in respect to the Alpha. A few of the pack members, who remembered Rusty from before snickered as the dingo/wolf hybrid stumbled down the cliff-face and into the forest. All eyes were on their Alpha yet again, wondering why the wolf-dingo returned.

"That was an old friend of mine… I trust his word with my life, and I want you all to do the same. Respect him. Respect him as much as you would me… For he's suffered much more than we have." He said.

Black Eye quickly turned form his pack and retreated into his den. A newfound hate for the humans were refreshed and it nearly caused him to boil over… But help a pup he must. It's a promise he made, but only half of it.

"To help a pup in need, or a female in distress" A motto to live by, and a promise he made to his one and only.

Black Eye sighed as he hung his head low. He's breaking his promise already. The female, be it dog or not, was also in need of help.

Regardless, he wasn't letting a dog anywhere near his pack, and he was ready to tear it to shreds if he so much as caught the slightest scent from it.

Balto, Jenna and Siku.

For what seemed like hours, was nothing but a faint trail for them to follow. It led them in circles… Led Balto into confusion and anger, led Siku into distrust and pessimism, and led Jenna into hopelessness and depression. Saba ran, and ran she did, further than any mail run Kodi had ever gone on. Further than Aleu did when she ran from home. Further… Than Siku the day she was forced to do the same.

"That's it… You two go home, I'm going on alone." Siku valiantly spoke.
"Ha. You're funny when your mad."
"Mad? I'm not mad. Maybe a little mad, if you mean mad as in crazy. Yes I'm a little crazy. But I'm finding Saba. I'm finding my sister."
"Love the energy Siku, but it's okay, really. Saba is more than capable of taking care of herself out here." Balto said.

This time, he was nearly tackled by both Siku and Jenna for making such a dumb statement.

"What… What? Are you kidding- Did you really just say that?" Siku stammered in-between anger.
"My daughter is out here in the harsh wilderness and you think she can fend for herself?" Jenna asked in a much softer tone than Siku.
"Look, just trying to stay positive."
SHE CAN'T EVEN HUNT!" Siku yelled.
"And she's got a wolf pup with her! What idiot brain do you have to think she can survive out here alone!" Siku added.
"Alright, jeez. Calm down Siku. We're all a bit frustrated."

Siku froze up, anger still boiling over, but retracted herself and walked off with a growl. Only when she turned around did she notice there was another character watching over them, hidden from view in the trees above. It didn't take her long to recognize the scent more so than actually seeing this character.

"Oh great, the frickin' Son of Amarok shows his stupid face again." Siku said in anger.
"Alex? What are you doing out here?" Balto asked.
"Eh. Was bored. Thought Id help you guys find your daughter, and by the looks of it, it seems like everyone is getting along nicely." Alex said.
"What can you do loser?" Siku said.

Alex jumped down from the tree and got to within inches of Siku's – Still angry – face.

"Tough talk. From such a cute little package." Alex said.

He patted her head a bit as Siku never lowered her stance with her teeth shown. Alex simply patted her head with a soft chuckle and walked past her, ignoring her gaze as it shot into the back of his head like a laser beam.

"Your daughter, Saba, is it? Isn't alone. This you know, but what you don't know is that the pup isn't her only company."
"What do you mean?" Jenna asked.
"My, my, she looks identical to you. Are you sure you're not her sister?" Alex said with a smile.
"Oh, how nice, but I'm not that young." Jenna blushed a bit.

Balto wasn't the jealous type, no, but it was more of Alex's stalling that caused him to grow impatient.

"Okay, enough of the compliments, my daughter?" Balto interrupted Alex's gaze onto Jenna.
"Right. Well, she's traveling with another mutt, goes by the name of Rusty, or Aubery, I don't fucking know. Anyway, he's even more demented than I am. I don't trust this guy, but Saba obviously does."
"Aubery… That name does sound a bit familiar" Jenna said.
"It should. He used to be stationed in your town years ago, as a police dog." Alex explained.
"Yeah… Yeah! I remember him! He was half something, half wolf… It wasn't dog…" Jenna said.
"Dingo." Alex corrected.
"Dingo?" Balto asked, confused.
"No clue. As far as I know maybe his mother swam her ass from Australia to Alaska."
"Well, do you know where they're going?"
"Sadly, no. I know where they might be going, and that's about it, and even that is a long-shot."
"Last time… You said they might be heading to someone named Black Eye?" Balto asked.
"Yep. But here's the funny little secret! Black Eye hates dogs, and would most likely skin Saba alive." Alex said almost absent-mindedly, ignoring the affect it had on the other three.
"Oh god, why would you say something like that?"
"What? It's the truth. I never lie."
"Yeah, bullshit." Siku finally said from behind him.
"What was that dear?"

Alex walked up to Siku and sat in front of her.

"Go ahead. You're still mad at me from earlier, so go ahead. Strike me, come on!" Alex snarled.

Siku smiled and planned her next move.

"As you wish."

She jumped him and flipped him onto his back, suprising Balto, Jenna, and even Alex, who retaliated and flipped her back over.

"Ugh, there they go again…" Balto said.
"Yeah, if I didn't know any better, I'd say they liked eachother."
"Do not!" Both Alex and Siku yelled back as they froze in their fight.

Balto snickered a bit as he watched the two wolves, who were frozen in combat. Jenna's words caught them off-guard, and they were so determined to deny her words that they didn't notice how they were positioned.

Siku was ontop of Alex's back, and had her arms around his waist. Had it been the other way around, an on looking human would probably film it to document two wolves mating in the wild.

Siku blushed and jumped off of Alex, who simply stood there for a while longer.

"Let's just… Uh, move along now." Balto said to diffuse the tension.
"See ya later Alex" Jenna said.
"Yeah, thanks for the help, I really owe you one." Balto said

Alex watched the three leave again, but one thing seemed to stick in his mind as he watched them. Siku was too young for him, yeah, that was it. He now had a reason to dismiss any feelings he had for her.

Settled, Alex moved on and returned to his den.

Hmm… Siku and Alex act very weird around eachother…

Well, everything is out on the table now. Black Eye knows of the wolf pup, and of the female dog, Rusty knows of Kanai's past, Saba and Kanai know of Rusty's past, Balto, Jenna and Siku now know of Rusty.

I really hope I didn't piss off either of the owners of these OC's as even I'll admit they're a bit weird in this chapter...