Balto had lead the way as he braved the Alaskan bush. He perked his ears feeling a presence off in the trees.
"What is it?" Jenna questioned cautiously as she peered around their surroundings. He smelled an off putting scent unable to identify it.
"It's nothing," The juvenile muttered to her with a flirtatious smile. He slowed his pace matching his speed with hers.
"Hehe," He chuckled in awe taking in her natural beauty. He perked his ears hearing her heartbeat fasten. The smell of nervousness radiated from her coat.
She turned her head slightly seeing and feeling his gaze. Jenna smiled in return. She couldn't help herself stealing glances from the corner of her eye.
Most juveniles in Nome had thick fluffy coats hiding their features from prying eyes. The way he took charge made her swoon in delight. Just his sense of direction alone caused a sense of security flutter within her.
There really wasn't much to look at. Ever since his father left he had barely eaten anything. It was just the way he took charge of situations sent her over the edge.
Jenna knew that once he would hit his prime he would be unstoppable. Most of the dogs in Nome were pretentious characters. All had fallen for Jenna but none would be brave enough to come face to face with the wild ones.
She was the epitome of fine design that even the golden ratio would envy. The orange hued rays beamed through the trees. She wished it had arrived sooner from the clouded skies above.
"Nome," Jenna whispered to herself wagging her tail. He closed his eyes leaning up against the thick bark of a tree. Breathing in the last bit of his long day he smiled. It was worth it. He thought as he watched her glimmer with joy.
"It's beautiful." She lamented with a smile. He managed a chuckle as he watched the orange glow from the clouds matching the sunset before him. "Yeah beautiful." He replied with a warm smile just as she locked eyes meeting his gaze.
The sun was hanging low and weak yet it was so strong.
She brushed her snout against his neck affectionately. "Farewell." He whispered in pain as he pulled away from her affection.
"You're leaving?" She questioned in concern while her voice trembled. "You just got here." She called out from afar.
"I can't be with you." He turned facing her glare. She narrowed her eyes at him in fear of what's to come. "Why not?" She said beckoning with hope as she cut off his route.
"It's not like you're a wolf." She said playfully with smirk and posture ready to pounce. He lowered his in defeat. Balto let out a sigh lowering his ears to his coat.
She strutted away carefully fearing his demeanor maybe true. "I- I.. I have to go." Jenna struggled to say as she made a hasty retreat.
A wolf? Her mind screamed in disarray. What was I thinking. All the signs were there! Her mind mentally scolded herself.
She ran far from the edge of the forest as fast as she can go. Small shrubs and trees blurred by. Jenna slowed down as she felt a safe distance was put between them.
In seconds she saw his form disappear into the trees. "Thank you." Jenna whispered to the edge of where he stood. She tried to forget him. Stories from a local Alaskan Malamute chilled her to her core. "Maybe Steele is wrong?" She whispered.
She sighed while her mind wandered back to Balto. The stench of guilt and misery made its way into her senses. She stumbled upon her owner's home.
She let out a whine as he clawed at the door. In seconds her owner greeted her with a smile and ushered her in.
It must have been hours with the encounter of the wolf. Jenna had found herself staring out the window. She struggled to make any sense of it. "How could he be so -so compassionate." She whispered in awe.
The sound of a knock at the door broke her from trance. Who could that be? She wandered around the warm home.
In a moments notice she came face to face with a bearded fellow dressed in the finest furs the Alaskan bush had to offer.
His face was bloodied and bruised. Just from the appearance and limping form signified the third degree. Torture. The dark circles surrounding his sockets made him seem like he had just walked off death's doorstep.
She let out a growl locking eyes with his green ones. "Is that one of Zodiac's? James?" He commented with a smile calling over Jenna with a motion of his hand. A low growl ruptured from her throat and mouth.
"Easy Jenna," her owner soothed with a gentle stroke of her fur. I guess you're okay but I'm watching you. She thought watching attentively a few feet away. "no John was always going on about Siberian Huskies so I got one." He chuckled taking a seat in the dining room.
"So what brings you here Mitch." He asked slipping into some boots. The redhead sighed at the task at hand.
"John's missing," He spoke softly as his voice nearly broke. He refused a seat as he struggled to stand. "We volunteered joining the white army. The tsars are gone. Russia is in a state of disarray."
He nodded at his information clenching a fist. "And his dog?" He questioned off handedly changing the main subject. "He loved that mongrel more than anything in the world." He asked with his voice breaking.
"Waiting in the cold." The ginger spoke as he reached into his coat. "Here he wanted me to give you this." He spoke softly as he retrieved a ushanka. "I'm thirsty let's go to the bar." Mitch proposed to a nodding James as he eyed the hat.
In a moments notice they exited the home with Jenna in tow. There she saw an older husky with scars on his snout and chest. "A musher's hat?" He questioned with a broken smile as they trekked the town.
He wagged his tail at the sight of James. He looked much like John besides the smaller beard. Just the sound of his voice commanded respect.
She tried not to look at his scars knowing he had been in hell. Jenna stole glances each time he winced in pain every couple of feet.
"You don't have keep stealing glances." The scarred husky stated offhandedly in pain. Her face reddened under her fur at his straight forwardness.
Zodiac questioned with a somber smile. He nuzzled her gently picking his scent. "I see you met one of my sons."
Just those words alone chilled her to her core. "Balto?" She questioned with a furrowed brow.
Zodiac nodded in return. "He's a wolf how ca-"
"Part wolf," He interrupted in pain, "part husky like you and me." He reassured softly as he stopped at the bar's entrance. "And I expect you to treat him the same as any other dog."
"Come on now Jenna," James said aloud holding the door to the bar. "you too Zodiac." he stated with a soft smile.
The two sat down in the middle of the bar. "I heard you did a number on one of the mushers." James questioned with a chuckle.
Mitch nodded locking eyes with James' brown ones. "He had it coming." Mitch stated offhandedly as he ordered a beer. "You fuck with a dog of war you fuck with me."
"Why are there pictures of John and you around the bar." James asked as he drank a shot of scotch.
"The pictures of these lads are of servicemen that never came back." The redhead spoke almost inaudibly. "They take your picture down and give you a free bottle of your choice of poison when you return." He spoke eyeing the grey husky. "Most of these men didn't make it back."
"I'm going back in a month's times." Mitch spoke breaking the silence. "What happened?" He questioned with intrigue.
"He was working with British intelligence. C'était moche." Mitch said softly as he stared down at the empty bottle. James arched a brow at the latter.
"It was ugly." Came the reply knowing he didn't speak a lick of french. "He went looking for the trinity."
flashback
He looked at the caved in door in fear. Shadows on the opposite walls inched closer and closer.
He gulped away the fear forming in his throat. He turned to look at his companion clutching at a gut wound with a pistol in hand. He felt for his cavalry sword at his hip.
"This is it," He whispered in a British accent as the ginger raised his gun at the englishman. "get ready." He shuddered as he raised two pistols at once. One pointed at the door and the other at the bleeding redhead.
In case of danger of being captured the two would shoot each other when possible because Christianity forbade suicide.
"Shoot the first bastard that comes through that door." The bearded redhead said with gritted teeth as he withered in pain.
Fear became constant in the room. The unknown's footsteps echoed lightly in the hall.
He gripped the gun tighter than before awaiting the shadows true form. Was this shadow friend or foe?
He prepared himself to kill whoever lurked around the corner. "Bring it ya bloody bastard." The englishman shouted knowing this is the end.
He looked back to the ginger. His face seemed to evade all hope. His green eyes held back tears as he nodded his head.
He looked around skeptically listening for a response.
"Huxley is that you ya fucker?" A familiar American voice called out. To his surprise he found John bloodied and bruised. He lowered his rifle chuckling at the chances.
Most of his face had shrapnel and grit lodged into his skin. "Jesus Christ," John exclaimed as he handed his rifle to Huxley. "Mitch you alright?" He questioned with utmost concern.
He turned to look at John in disdain. "We were about to off each other like the union soldiers did against the apaches."
"Can you move?" John asked quickly, "No." Came the reply followed by grunts as John tightened the tourniquets on his leg and arm.
Huxley watched as he grabbed Mitch's arm and ushered him up. "We got to go, come on." He steadied the unwilling ginger.
"Fucking John." Mitch heaved through labored breaths. "The whites didn't come by for pickup."
"There was a dispute between staff and the white fucks about how to evacuate the city." John informed as he exited the room.
Mitch nodded against a weakened John. "If you can identify them forward it to command."
Huxley nodded as he cleared the hallway of obstructions. "One of my guys got lit up by Paradigm." John informed quickly with a saddened face.
"We got to get out fast." John reassured gently as he let out a whistle. In seconds Zodiac appeared his fur matted with blood. "Make sure he gets out safe." He stated flatly with a stern look in his eyes as he eyed Huxley and Mitch.
The two nodded quickly as Zodiac looked around nervously at his owner John. "This contains a list of targets in the states and abroad." He informed tieing a pack to the grey husky.
They looked around at each other in disbelief of the carnage surrounding them.
In the night sky he could see columns of fire. He shouted words of encouragement to the two.
They past bodies emitting smoke and flames. Some men laid there withering in pain. Nothing could be done for them at this point. Further down the street they saw a male responsible for the smoldering carnage.
"John?" Mitch asked curiously worried. He turned expectantly to his bearded friend. He squeezed of rounds. Missing the enemy entirely.
"Bad barrel." Huxley whispered. "Must of been damaged in the explosion." John replied with a stoic look on his face.
In seconds he produced a fire of yellow and orange. It roared out to them in a blink of an eye. They watched intently stricken by the awe of the wall of fire.
The heat began to take its toll. Their skin and hair began to burn from this man made inferno. Just the smell of fuel alone was sickening.
"Run you fucking yanks!" Huxley shouted out in the distance. "Don't look back!" Mitch screamed in between pants as he was now being dragged. His voice faded with fear. With each step into the darkness of the forest it was evident escape was a lost cause.
John neared a clearing wheezing in pain. He lost his footing as he neared a slope. His heart rate quickened falling face first in a pile of mush.
Pairs of emaciated eyes outnumbered his. He found himself in a shallow grave with rotting corpses. Insects crawled all over their drooping skin. Huxley's eyes stared back in a blank gaze.
His face covered in beads of sweat. "Don't fucking move." John murmured in a near stoic state covering his dog with his body. Mitch had propped himself against the wall overseeing the three.
It was then Huxley realized he could see the barrel with a single round chambered underneath his being. "You move I'll put one in your head." He whispered coldly with fear in his eyes.
Huxley narrowed his blue eyes scornfully at his. He didn't blame him. If John feared for his life he knew they'd be done for.
The sounds of footsteps ceased near the open grave. A voice in russian barked out orders in a hurry. Soon two men had began bayoneting the dead with their rifles.
Mitch had watched in horror as they neared the three. He felt around grabbing a rock. Bring it you socialist fucks. He thought willing himself to fight.
Zodiac whined at the thought of death. The two froze in their tracks completely surprised. "Over here you socialist pigs." Mitch yelled at the two as he willed himself to stand.
He lunged forward smashing the red's head in with the stone. In seconds Huxley drew his knife. He pierced the soldiers side earning a blood curdling scream of pain as John fired a round at the other. Piercing screams filled the air. The fight survival had begun.
He watched the red mist escape his adversarie's shoulder. He pulled the trigger again only to fail to shoot.
He watched in horror seeing his comrades die at the hands of rough men. He steadied his rifle firing off a round at John.
The sound of the round that slapped into his flesh sickened him. He tackled the red face to ground wrapping his hands around his throat. He withered around in a desperate attempt to break free.
"Die you fucking coward." He seethed with rage. Without warning a grey blur had pounced on John. A caucasian shepherd towered over him.
The foul dog snarled revealing its razor sharp teeth. It tensed his body pinning John further into the ground while the other howled.
Zodiac pounced on the enormous howling dog. He sunk his teeth into its neck. The shepherd let out a vicious growl shaking free of Zodiac's hold.
"I'll show you real power you Siberian rat." The caucasian shepherd sneered. His pupils constricted at the sight of blood and loss of flesh and fur.
He clawed at the husky's neck and shoulder drawing blood in return. The enormous dog pinned the husky to the ground. His snout was being crushed by the enormous bite of the shepherd.
John looked at Zodiacs pleading eyes waiting for help. Zodiac let out a whine in fear of death itself.
The hound listened to his comrade's snout snap shut on John's arm. The sickening snap of a bone being broken sent the mongrels into a frenzy.
It almost seemed as if the mongrel was smiling an evil grin. His teeth clenched further into John's forearm flesh.
He gritted his teeth in pain. He would rather not give an ounce of satisfaction to the abomination. He pierced the hound in the neck only to be pinned down by the other, its claws had weighed him down.
It's claws dug deep into his pale skin. The dire hound pulled back its paws scarring his chest.
The shepherd tried going for the throat, a guaranteed kill spot. But the dog was a second too late. A fatal decision.
John had grabbed it by the throat. Zodiac watched it struggle in his grip. Seconds later foam and thick saliva gushed from its mouth dripping onto his face. His grip strengthened while the dog whimpered in pain.
The only thing between him and its jaws was his left forearm. Mitch slid a hidden knife from his custody. He struggled trying to get it. John looked at him pleading with his eyes.
The redhead looked beyond the trees frantically. He grabbed a mosin nagant off the dead firing off a round beyond the trees.
Huxley rapidly stabbed the enemy repeatedly ensuring his fight for survival remained true. A presence was felt. John's gaze had darted back to the knife glowing in all its glory.
With every attempt his fingertips would miss it by thousandths of an inch. Mere inches seemed like miles now.
John gave it one last go. He closed his eyes feeling around for the knife. The touch of the handle was at the end of his touch.
He dragged it back getting a firm grip. He swung the blade into the side of its head, while the shepherd let out a deafening yelp. The enormous dog had collapsed instantly. Its dead weight felt like a thousand tonnes. Almost bone crushing.
"Get it off me!" John shouted in pain. Huxley nodded in a hurry. He dragged the dead shepherd off laying it at the edge of the shallow grave. "We got more reds coming!" The englishman screamed as he aimed down the iron sights.
"Those dogs are monsters." Mitch commented in agonizing pain. "The whole town must've heard the shots." Mitch informed struggling to get out of the rotting pit.
"Come here boy." John whispered in concern for his dog. He watched him limp in pain. Just the whine alone set him in a fit of rage.
He crouched over regaining his pistol. John winced at the pain as he racked the slide back releasing a dud.
"I'm thinking of sending him home." He commented as blood spattered on his hand as he fired two shots into the dogs.
flashback ends
"You'll get a telegram saying he's killed in action James." Mitch whispered cautiously as Jame's wife strolled into the bar. "Disregard everything. And I mean everything."
"Atrocities are being committed by both sides." Mitch declared emotionless. He gave a cold stare to his friend. Just the look in his eyes seemed more or less nightmarish.
The way the lighting hit his face seemed to drive himself mad. He chuckled sarcastically at his reflection from the bottle. "We'll get John back huh Zodiac?" He questioned with a smile as he stroked the husky's coat.
"Bring him home Mitch," James reassured with a solemn smile. "you know where the key is at. No need for knocking or calling just come on home with him."
How can a dog remain so faithful to man when we aren't faithful to mankind? He thought with a burning stare directed to Jenna and Zodiac. "God I hope dogs never lose faith in us. I already have."
"Dogs have unconditional love to mankind." James informed in a near whisper. "Mankind does not. Corruption ensues."
"So how'd you meet Balto?" Zodiac questioned softly followed by a yawn. He laid on the floor exhausted from the cold and the thought of his owners absence.
"A wolf attacked me and out of the blue he came along." Jenna replied in sorrow as she laid her head on his backside. "I-I didn't even thank him properly."
"You were lucky he was there," Zodiac informed with a stern voice. "most wolves would've killed you."
She furrowed a brow at his response. "What do you mean?" She asked in a demanding tone. The red husky perked her ears at the sigh he had released upon her.
"You're in heat." He replied shortly hoping to end an awkward exchange. She lifted her head dumbfounded. "And what does that mean?" She questioned in annoyance.
She nudged him with her paw awaiting a response. "Wake up." She demanded in a commanding way.
"What?" He replied irritated baring his teeth. He let out a growl that made her fur stand on end. Jenna flattened her ears at his aggression.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped." He declared in sorrow. "It means you're ready to be mated. He didn't try to mount you?" The grey husky asked nervously.
"No." Jenna responded smalley. "He fought off a wolf three times his size." She concluded dreamily with a small grin.
He perked his ears in amazement. "Was he hurt?" He asked in a hurry ready to leave. She hesitated to respond fearing his reply. Just his stare alone intimidated her into submission.
"His forepaw may be bruised." She replied avoiding his questioning gaze.
"We'll look for him in the morning." He reassured her with a weak grin.
Note: I'll begin editing this thanksgiving weekend. I haven't had time to post/edit. I'll see if I can post another chapter soon.. I'll tidy up the chapters in a more artistic way this weekend. If nothing comes up.