Sorry I haven't been putting chapters up. I've been busy
One week later…
Now that his place was discovered, Steele now had to find a new place for him and his friends to run the slaves. Steele had gone real easy on Kodi so he could recover. He had beaten Aleu for what she got him into, but he didn't just let her bleed like he did to Kodi. That was a mistake.
"Alright, mutts. Get going. We gotta find a new place to stay because Aleu drew Balto to my camp. Lucky all of us, I managed to get myself off the hook."
Star, Nikki, and Kaltag just got back from Nome. They had to update Balto and Jenna, then check in on their owners. Ralph, Star's owner, didn't let Star off the hook so well. Since Star was a puppy, Ralph didn't treat him well. But they were back, and ready to help Steele move.
"Where are wes going, dere?" Nikki asked.
"Any available den a good distance away from here," Steele said.
Steele attached a line from his collar to Kodi's. Last thing he needed was for Kodi to successfully get away. He was healed up and healthy by now.
"Carry her, boys," Steele said.
Star, Nikki, and Kaltag picked Aleu up and carried her. Steele looked back at the den one more time to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything.
Damn, this sucks! Steele thought, I've been at that den for four years now. After the serum run, I've done so much crying and recovery there. I cleaned it out myself, customized it to my desires, I now I have to leave it! Thanks mutts!
"Where do we go?" Kaltag asked.
"Just follow me, I smell my way to a new place."
Nikki didn't feel like carrying Aleu.
"Youse take her!" Nikki said to Star.
He dropped Aleu on Star without Star getting a word of consent out.
"Uh… hi," Star said.
"Don't drop me," Aleu said.
"I won't. You know, I don't mind carrying you."
Star enjoyed having the honor of carrying Aleu. Wow, is she hot! I would love to… wait, what am I thinking? She's Balto's daughter! I can't just mate with my best friend's daughter!
"What am I thinking!? What's wrong with me!?" Star said.
"What are you thinking about, Star?" Aleu asked.
"Oh, uh… Was Balto a good father?"
"Yeah, I love papa so much! I just hope Steele will let me see him soon. Is there any way you and your friends can help me see him?"
"Nikki and Kaltag wouldn't help me, and I can't single handedly smuggle you to Nome."
"Do you have any idea when Steele will let us go?"
"I don't have a clue. I…"
"Shut up, Star!" Kaltag said.
Star shut his mouth. They came upon a den. Steele constricted Aleu back so she couldn't escape his grip. He released Kodi from the line that connected their collars.
"Kodi, go in and check if the den is occupied. If not, check the scents, see if there have been recent animals, if so, what and how many."
Kodi headed to the den. He looked back at Aleu. She pointed to Steele as if to ask if she should pull a move and try to escape. Kodi shook his head. It wouldn't be worth it. He went into the cave. It wasn't in bad shape. It was looking good until he turned the corner to find a group of foxes sitting there. They all looked over at him, growling.
"I mean no harm!" Kodi yelled.
He booked out of the den and ran back to the group.
"Occupied!"
"Why are you running out like that?" Steele asked.
"Who'd win a fight, me or 7 foxes!?"
"We're 6 dogs. We got 3 Huskies, a Malamute, and Chinook, and a Chow. We got this," Steele said, "Not to mention, two of you are part wolf."
The 7 foxes came out of the den to see all the commotion.
"Aww, what's this? 6 puppies wanting to play?" a fox taunted
"We just want your den, that's all," Steele said.
Kodi and Aleu looked at each other wide-eyed.
"He's got guts!" Kodi said.
"Poodles play rough, don't they?" another fox taunted.
"Do you guys want to make the first move, or should I?" Steele offered.
A fox went right for Star. Star is their weakest member. Kaltag immediately pulled the fox off of Star. He may be annoying, but he's still a good friend!
"Attack!" the fox leader said.
"Attack!" Steele commanded.
Steele took on both the leader and what appeared to be the Beta. That's perfectly fine with him! More fun! Kodi reflected fox that came right to him. Nikki was already on top of one, crushing the air out him. Kaltag was having trouble with the massive fox attacking him. Although Kaltag was still bigger, the fox was younger.
Kodi got his fox to surrender.
He looked around at everyone getting attacked. Steele was getting teamed up on, and Star, Nikki, and Kaltag were in battles of their own. He can switch teams right now! Make friends with the foxes, and kill the four dogs that have enslaved him! But… that was a dishonorable move. Three of these dogs were still his friends.
He then realized Aleu was on the ground getting beat by a fox.
"Hell no! Get off!" Kodi yelled.
"Reinforcements!" the fox leader called.
Kodi was about to rip the fox that was on top of Aleu apart, but he got pulled back and tackled by two more foxes. Coming to help was Star. He managed to pull a fox off of Kodi before getting tackled by another one. Once Kaltag was finally done with his fox, he helped Aleu. Steele had finished off the leader, the Beta, and another fox before knocking all three foxes off of Kodi with one blow.
Steele was protecting him? Steele was taking out the foxes attacking him? For once Kodi actually felt protected by Steele. He felt like Steele was a friend. A team mate. This strange bond motivated Kodi to get to his paws and help everyone out.
Steele was taking on three foxes at once! Kodi knew if he were Steele, he'd be dead by now. Kodi looked over his shoulder at Aleu who was leaned up against a rock. She didn't seem hurt, but she was definitely exhausted. Kaltag had finished off two more foxes, Nikki fighting off one that brought Star to the ground. Star laid there with a wounded leg.
A fourth fox attacked Steele. That brought Steele to the ground. Kodi needed to return the favor. He bumped two off and ripped a third to the ground.
"Thanks, kid!"
Kid? Kodi thought. Did Steele see him differently now?
Once the foxes were finished off, they circled around wounded Star.
"It hurts! Don't touch it!" Star yelled.
"Kodi, check the den again. If the coast is clear, we'll bring him in."
Kodi went and checked the den. Wait, Steele trusted Kodi to go off by himself. He didn't even hold Aleu back. Was this a new bond between them? The coast was clear. Aleu helped Star into the cave and licked his wounded leg again. Kaltag and Nikki assisted.
Steele pat Kodi on the back.
"Thanks, again. You could've turned on me back there. But you didn't. You helped me out. You got those four foxes off me. I can't thank you enough for not going against me. You helped me fight off those foxes."
"Yeah, no problem."
"I still have stuff that needs done. Especially since I had to get moved to a new den. I still need someone to do my work. I need you to work for me. But maybe not as my slave. Maybe we can be more than slave and owner, but… maybe…"
"Friends?" Kodi offered.
Steele, knowing Kodi's gay, opened up his arms.
"I'm thinking more than friends. Closer than friends."
Kodi gripped Steele's right paw, pulled him in, and wrapped his left arm around Steele's back forming a bro-hug.
"Bros!" Kodi declared.
Steele couldn't believe Kodi didn't get the hint.
"Bros," Steele agreed insincerely.
The four dogs in the other watched the bro-hug.
"You two are starting to like each other, huh?" Aleu asked.
"Aleu, come here, I gotta talk to you," Steele said.
Kodi sat down next to the three dogs that remained his friends.
"I'll give you the same brief I did to Kodi. Thank you for not turning on me when we were fighting the foxes. You could've easily killed me and returned happily to Nome."
"I was following Kodi. Whatever he did, I would do."
"Well, thanks. I still have work that needs done around here, especially moving to a new den. I can't free you, but I will treat you like friend rather than property. Can you forgive me for what I've done to you?"
Aleu was getting a thank and an apology from this devil? Maybe he's not so bad after all.
"Yeah, Steele. I forgive you. I'll stay with you and not try to escape as long as you don't treat me badly."
Aleu nudged Steele. Steele nudged back.
"It's a deal."