Hi here's a new chapter! I don't think I said this at the beginning of my story, so I'll say it now:
I do not own any of the Balto characters.
Ok, enjoy!
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The lean, slinking form of a black-furred wolf was almost invisible in the inky darkness. It picked it's way through the dank cave, carefully treading over the slippery rocks. The drip...drip...drip of moisture was all that could be heard in the stillness.
As he neared the back of the deep alcove, another sound could be heard. Breathing. Slow, steady, hate-filled intakes of the damp air. It was unnerving, even for the dark wolf.
"Master," he spoke, his voice deep and hallow. It echoed about the cave eerily.
The sound of shifting came from right in front of him, and, despite the utter darkness, two glowing eyes fixed themselves upon him.
"What is it?" the voice hissed.
"The race has begun."
If there had been light the wolf would have seen a grin spread over the face. "Good. Very good..."
"But Master..." the wolf paused, and he could feel the eyes upon him. "The half-wolf does not lead them."
A spark of anger appeared in the disembodied eyes. The wolf heard a growl before he felt something whip across his face. It stung, and he thought he felt a slight wetness.
"Fool!" His Master nearly screeched. "Of course he is with them! He is their leader! He must be with them! For years I have hidden away! For years I have plotted my revenge...I will have my vengeance...I WILL!"
The wolf heard the swish of another on-coming blow, ducking instinctively as it just missed him. "Now," the voice thrummed dangerously low, reverberating of the cavern walls. The Master was obviously trying to regain control of his temper. "Tell me who does lead the team. If not Balto then who? WHO?!"
The dark wolf gulped nervously. The Master was an extremely unstable individual. Too give him ill news could result with anything between a blow to the head to an instant death.
"I-I know not the name of the new leader." He winced when he heard his Master growl, adding quickly, "But he is small. Small and thin, with fur of grey. He is fast, Master, and full of life.
In the darkness, a slow, evil smile spread across Steele's face. He knew each and every dog of his old team by memory. He knew their strengths...their weaknesses.
"Star," he practically hummed. "Oh, he has moved up in the ranks, hasn't he?" he said with a dark chuckle. An idea was beginning to form in his vile mind. "Perhaps this will work out to our advantage."
"How, Master?"
Steele's grin widened. "Balto cares about them. He cares about his precious team. MY TEAM! Oh, but he's going to be sorry! They all will! I will strike! I will take them away from him! Just as he took everything away from me! Go, gather the others...It is time to make that half-wolf pay!"
Wild, dark laughter echoed throughout the cave. Outside, the wind blew the snow gently, loud enough to drown out the sound from within the cavern. For now the evil was completely hidden, but for how long?
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The snow beneath his feet flew by and powder kicked up behind them as Star continued to run. The pure exhilaration was like nothing he'd ever felt before. The thin husky had been in many races, all throughout his lifetime, but nothing he had ever participated in could ever come close to this. To run with no one else in front of you; without a wet powder pelting your face, or the slight pull on the harness from the dog in front of you. The space in front of him was empty. Only white snow lay before him, untrampled by man or beast.
It was slightly disturbing. To be behind others all one's life, only to be suddenly shoved forward, ahead of everyone. But Star didn't have time to dwell on that. He had a race to run.
Behind him, Kaltag and Nikki marveled at his speed as they rushed to keep up, secretly glad when they felt the smaller husky slow slightly when he realized they were struggling.
Their human rider stood fixed to the back of the sled, urging the dogs on kindly. Ever since Steele had disappeared, so had his human master. He had been beat up pretty bad in the Antitoxin Run, and had been shipped to the warmer regions of the United States. Rick Cleaveland had replaced him. Young and gentle, all the dogs loved him. They might even have forgotten he was there at times, if not for the encouraging calls and whistles he would utter behind them.
Star brought up a mental map of the route in his head. They must almost be to the first check point by now. The afternoon sun was just beginning to shift to the evening position. After the first check point, two more would follow. They were making good time, and Star figured they'd probably be back in town by 9:00.
But, of course, things don't always happen the way we figure they will.
Not far from the team, hidden in the shadow of an embankment, ten sets of unfriendly eyes waited. Their chance would come soon, and they could not fail...
The team sped up as the first check point come into view. It was a small, hastily made wooden shack. Within it would be a small table with a stack of red pennants. Each human rider had to stop at each point and grab a pennant to prove they had followed the route. Each check point had a different color pennant. The first was red, the second yellow, and the third one blue.
Star steered to the right slightly, pulling up along side of the shack. They came to a stop beside it, watching as Mr. Cleaveland jumped from the back of the sled and raced inside to get their first flag.
Star took a deep, steadying breath. He wasn't badly winded, but even he was panting lightly. The vapor from their breath lingered around them, floating up into the darkening sky.
Star looked behind him. Some distance off he could just make out the loping figures of the other dog teams, gaining on them fast. He shifted his sight to his own team and gave them a shy smile. They smiled back, waiting for their human to return so they could continue. Kaltag and Nikki, as well as the rest of the team's hope was beginning to rise.
A sudden sound, a low and angry growl, came from their left. The dogs whipped their heads in that direction and fear gripped their hearts at what they saw.
Ten dark, scraggy wolves were slowly making their way toward the team. Their teeth were bared, lips pulled back in a terrifying snarl. The hackles of their fur stood on end, bristled and matted. Their eyes were slitted, hatred and an evil sense of hunger radiating from within them. They came steadily nearer, paws leaving claw marks in the snow.
The team stood immobile in their shock. Afraid to move; afraid to breath. One wolf, far darker then the rest, fur as black as night, met Star's eyes and a chill ran through the small husky, snapping him out of his daze.
With sudden, tremendous force, Star leapt forward into a wild run. Behind him, he heard Kaltag grunt in surprise as he too was jolted into an all-out dash. The others followed in much the same fashion.
The moment the team took off, so did the wolves. With a howl, they took chase, gliding over the snow like dark spectres, fanning out as they went.
"Star! What are we doing?! Where are we going!?" someone yelled behind him.
To be honest, Star wasn't sure he knew. But what he did know was that those wolves were not there for a chat. He knew deep down that they couldn't have stayed by the shack, and live. Balto's words had echoed in the recesses of his mind:
"...Take care of the teammates behind you, and do what's right. Do this and you will be a great leader."
He couldn't let anyone get hurt on his team, he just couldn't! And so, Star ran. He knew their human rider would be safe. He was still in the shack, and the other teams would find him.
Star chanced a backwards glance. All ten wolves were behind them, gaining quickly. These monsters weren't after Cleaveland, they were after them!
The darkest wolf was running beside the sled now, trying to snap at the rear dog's legs. On instinct, Star changed direction, veering to the right. The wooden sled zooming behind them shifted, slamming into the side of the wolf, knocking him onto his side in the snow, stunned. The team gave a cheer. The wolf staggered to his feet with a snarl, even angrier then before.
"We have to lose them!" Nikki yelled, his short legs struggling to keep the pace.
Star's mind was reaching panic mode. He could hear the growls and faintly muffled sound of large paws hitting snow as the creatures behind them grew closer. The small husky's eyes searched desperately around and ahead of him. Suddenly, to their left he spotted what looked to be a frozen river. An idea forming in his mind, he suddenly veered to the left, putting on one last burst of energy, his speed nearly causing the dogs behind him to stumble. It might not be the smartest plan, or the safest; golly, it might not even work, but it was the only idea Star could come up with.
The team and their sled hit the ice at a fantastic speed. Water was pooled thinly across the ice, confirming what Star had imagined. The frigid world that they lived in had been abnormally warm the past week, melting some of the ice in town. Star had figured that the same would stand for the ice over the river. Now if only...
With a loud snap, a long crack formed in the ice below their paws. That crack spread out, causing a spider web pattern all across the ice.
Star didn't slow down, pulling the rest of the team with him. The wolves were several yards behind them, hitting the ice the same time Star and his team were at the river's center. More cracks raced across the ice. There was a mighty groan under the wolves, as they thundered across the frozen water. Suddenly, without any further warning, the ice gave way beneath the monster's paws. With howls of surprise the wolves disappeared into the below-zero water.
Star heard the ice give way, but still raced on ahead, not looking back.
Kaltag chanced a glance, and horror gripped him. The ice was giving way behind them, chasing them across the river, threatening to catch them. Dark water was all that swirled beneath it.
"STAR!"
The thin husky didn't respond, knowing full well what the problem was. He pumped his legs harder, praying they hadn't lost one threat to their lives only to gain another.
Fear rose in his heart when he felt a mighty tug at his harness, throwing him back. Crying out in surprise and fear, the other dogs began to slid backwards. Looking back frantically, Star saw what had happened.
The collapsing ice had caught up to the sled. The fast moving water below them grabbed the wooden frame with a vengeance, slowly pulling the dogs down with it. If they didn't do something quick, they would all be dragged down beneath the ice!