"Alright, Star! That's far enough!" Balto stood on the splintering deck of his home, surveying the white, endless plains of snow. Far out from his position, just barely within ear shot, Star stood, awaiting the half-wolf's signal. "Just like last time, Star! Ready! Set! GO!"

The small blotch of dark amongst the white world took off like a shot; getting larger as Star got closer. Balto again marveled at the speed at which the husky could travel. They had repeated this exercise at least four times now, and Star showed little to no signs of tiring. Within a few moments, Star was standing just below him, panting slightly, but otherwise unaffected by the run.

Jumping down from his perch, Balto approached the small husky with a smile.

"That was great, Star!"

Star shrugged, but he smiled back. "I always did like to run."

Balto shook his head, and there was a hint of awe in his voice. "I don't think I've ever seen such speed, especially from someone of your stature. It's definitely one of your strengths."

Star blushed. He glanced back in the direction of the starting point. "Do you want me to do it again?"

"No," Balto replied, cheerfully. "I don't think we need to worry about that exercise. You've got it down pretty good."

"So what do we do next?"

"Well," Balto said, "We don't really have enough time to do much else. The race starts in half an hour."

Star felt his heart speed up at that. The panic must have shown on his face, because Balto immediately looked at him with concern.

"Star, I know you can do this," he said gently. "You're fast, light on your feet, and you seem to know the race route very well. There's no reason to worry. This race is for fun; it doesn't matter whether you win or lose. All that matters is that you do your best."

Star stared down at his front paws. Somehow he felt this race was more then that. That it could be a turning point in his life. He couldn't mess up. He couldn't lose, he just couldn't.

He gave a nervous nod. Balto smiled again. "As far as being a leader goes, you just have to remember this: use what you know from experience. Use past situations to figure out the new, or the unexpected. Take care of the teammates behind you, and do what's right. Do this and you will be a great leader."

"Somehow I get the feeling you're not just talking about today's race," Star said quietly.

Balto chuckled, laying a gentle paw on Star's shoulder. "Maybe I'm not."

"BALTO!" The name seemed to echo for miles. Balto chuckled again as he turned in the direction of the voice.

"That would be Boris back with Jenna." He turned to Star. "It's just about time. Ready?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be," the scrawny husky replied.

...

The main road was bursting with activity. Children ran wild, women gathered and giggled in small groups, and the men exchanged opinions and bets on the race. Nome was a beehive of excitement. The road was so crowded, it was a wonder anything could be done in preparation for the start of the Annual Antitoxin Run.

Star walked beside Balto and Jenna as they made their way over to the starting line. The nervousness that had started to bubble up within Star was reaching new heights as they neared the sleds.

Balto's team were all hooked up to their harnesses, awaiting the arrival of their leader. Star followed Balto to the head of their sled team, where one empty harness lay in the snow. Star gave it an uncertain glance.

"Go ahead, Star," Balto urged gently. "It's all yours."

Nodding slightly, Star stuck his nose under one of the straps and carefully managed to wiggle it on. The harness hung limply around him. It was far two large, but even his own did that. Even when pulled as tight as possible, his harness had always been very loose. Balto attempted to fix it, and it helped a little.

Star could feel himself shaking, a mix of excitement and anticipation flowing through him like an electrical current.

"You'll do fine."

The voice was gentle and feminine. Looking up, Star found Jenna standing in front of him. She smiled encouragingly. Star smiled back. Jenna had been Balto's mate for a while now. They were perfect for each other. Both were quiet and soft spoken. Jenna, especially, had a huge, kind heart. She was the driving force behind anything Balto did. Her love kept him going. Star almost looked up to her in a motherly way. Indeed, she was much like a mother to the whole team. Her gentle words of wisdom and encouragement often empowered them all.

Star gave her a nod of thanks. He glanced back behind him at the team. They were all waiting obediently for the starting signal. They sent smiles up his way. Though they still had some doubts as to his ability to lead, now that there was no way to change it, they were willing to support him fully. It was, after all, just a race for fun.

The humans of Nome began to gather on the sides of the street, clearing the runway. All the dogs, with their sleds and riders firmly in place behind them, lined up at the starting line.

Adrenaline began to pump wildly in Star's body, filling him with tense energy. Behind him his team braced themselves as a man came and stood by the line of panting canine. Slowly the man raised his pistol into the air. Woman and children covered their ears as his finger began to tighten on the trigger.

BANG!

With a bound, Star leapt forward. He felt the harness tighten against him momentarily and then slacken as the dog behind him matched his speed. The crowd cheered wildly, a blur of color and noise to Star as he raced forward, eyes wide and tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. They were almost out of the buildings now, almost out in the open. Star realized with mild surprise that they were in the lead. That his team was in the lead!

With a yip and a little leap of joy, he surged ahead, mindful of the dogs behind him. The last traces of fear disappeared as excitement and pure thrill took it's place. A moment later they burst out of the shelter of the town. The snow deepened, but did little to impede their progress.

Balto stood beside Jenna watching as Star and the team became nothing but a string of dots on the horizon, in the lead. Balto and Jenna smiled proudly. Things were looking good so far. Star's energy and speed were being put to good use. As the last sled team left the street, everyone dispersed, knowing that it would be a good two to three hours before anything more would be seen of the racers. All they could do now was wait.

...

In the darkness of a shadowed dune of snow, two fierce eyes glowed menacingly. Watching the racers charging out into the afternoon wilderness. The eyes narrowed slightly when their owner realized the leader of the leading team was not the half-wolf. Interesting. With a toothy grin, the hidden creature slowly turned to head back to his chief. The boss would find this news interesting as well...