Chapter 8

Balto spent the next month on the boat. He had angered Steele greatly. He knew Nome had become even more dangerous because of this.

Eventually he summed up the courage to enter the town. As usual the streets were crowded with people. Balto tried to avoid the main streets as much as possible. When he was forced to use the streets he attracted fearful glances from adults, who immediately eyed there wandering children. Balto sighed.

He gotten used to the humans distrust of him. But that didn't make it any less frustrating.

He noticed Jenna on a walk with her humans. One of them was a little girl. She couldn't have been more than three. She looked as though she was filled with energy. She was jumping up and down excitedly.

Jenna smiled when she saw him. "I haven't seen you for a while."

Balto nodded. "I've been uhh…healing." He gestured to the bruises.

Jenna nodded. "Is Steele always like that?"

"With me? Always. Thanks for what you did that night."

Jenna smiled. "No problem. I still don't understand what he was doing that for."

Balto chuckled grimly. "You don't?" He sighed. "He wanted me out of town. I stayed."

"Why did he want you out of town?"

Balto frowned. "Isn't it obvious? I'm a uh…wolf dog."

Jenna stared at him unconcerned. "Why does that matter?"

Balto smiled. "You're one of the few people who think that."

"Well I have to go. Nice to see that you're recovering." Jenna gave him one last smile then padded off with her family.

This was one of the few days in which no one appeared to be around. Balto was, for the first time in years, bored. He had always had someone chasing him during his time in Nome. Now the streets were empty.

Balto had managed to stay fit because he was constantly on the run. He was overcome with boredom.

Suddenly a mischievous grin spread across his face. He padded up the ladder to the roof of the building. He ran at the edge and leapt over to the opposite building. It was just as exciting as the first time, if not more so.

He jumped onto a slanted roof. Suddenly his paws slipped. His cries of excitement turned to terror. He was sliding down the roof. There was a drop to the street below if he didn't stop himself.

He failed to notice the large glass ceiling that the roof had turned into. He dug his claws into the glass to slow himself down. The glass shattered beneath him. Balto cried out as he fell into the room. He looked around him. Humans were standing all around him. He realized he had landed in the middle of a large luxurious table. The people there were staring, open mouthed at him. He let out a cross of a whimper and a bark. The man at the end of the table pointed at him.

"What is that thing?"

"Sir that is a wolf." A man barked.

"Wolf dog." Balto muttered irritably.

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. Balto reacted quickly.

He jumped down from the table and ran to the door. He rammed it open.

Some of the men followed him out. There was a crack and the ground next to Balto's paw exploded. They weren't using tranquilizer.

Balto ran into an alley. He realized with horror that the alley was a dead end.

The humans were closing in on him. Balto could see that some were carrying revolvers. Balto backed against the wall. Suddenly there was a sound of glass breaking in another alley. The humans turned in the direction of the sound. Balto breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're welcome."

He turned to see Togo. He was looking angry. "What the hell was that? You think you can pull a stunt like that and not get shot at?"

Balto shrugged. "I was bored."

"Are you freakin kidding me? You nearly got shot because you were bored?" He sighed. "Listen. This wolf came to the old mill the other day."

Balto's ears perked up at the word wolf.

"Yeah?"

"He says he's looking for his nephew. Someone named Balto. Sounds like you kid."

Balto was off running in the direction of the old mill before Togo could finish.

Balto was filled with excitement. He had been alone for so long. Now he would finally meet someone who cared.

He padded into the old mill. In the middle of the mill was an old looking wolf. Balto shuddered. He was covered in stitched wounds.

"You…you are…my uncle?"

The wolf nodded sadly. "Yes. And you are Balto." He smiled. "I've been looking for you for a long time."

Balto was speechless. "You…you couldn't find me?"

"Unfortunately Nome is a rather…isolated town." He looked Balto up and down. "You are the scrawniest wolf I've ever seen."

"Wolf dog." Balto corrected.

The wolf chuckled. "Tell me about yourself."

Balto told the wolf about what had happened since he had come to Nome.

He told him about Steele's treachery. He told of the time when the human had hit him on the head with a gun. He told of the few people who cared about him. He told of the hate the townspeople had for him.

He caught his breath. He had been talking for two hours. "What about you? What has happened in your life? Who are you?"

The wolf smiled. "There isn't really much to my life."

Balto eyed the wolf. "Who are you?"

The wolf chuckled. "What do you mean?"

"What side of my family are you on?"

"Oh well…I'm your mother's brother."

Balto was startled. "My mother had no relatives…"

Balto gasped. He knew where he had seen this wolf before. He turned towards the door.

The wolf jumped over him blocking the door.

"C'mon! Say hello to you're Uncle Claude!"