Chapter 1: All over again
Nome June 6, 1929
Balto was shaken awake by Jenna; who had spent the night in the boat with him.
"Hmm? What?" He yawned as he resisted the urge to close his eyes again.
"Balto, are you awake?" She asked her face filled his view. He had a quick debate in his head whether to stare into her eyes or to fall back into sleep. The debate ended when his eyelids drooped.
"Maybe, not really." Balto laid his head back down while he flipped the brown blanket back over his head with a paw.
"Well then get awake; we need to go into town for our day job." Balto mulled it over again and surrendered, he stood, leaving the soft cushion of the bed.
"You know, we see them more than they do." Balto said, stretching out all of the sleep in him, or most of it at least.
"The two of them have to help deliver the mail, besides I thought you enjoyed it?"
"I do, but if we keep this up much longer I'll need to tape my eyes open." Balto half joked. Above him he heard a honking snore.
"At least we have Boris to fall back on." Jenna looked up to the snoozing goose in his basket.
"I think he quit after the last batch." Balto said with a smile.
"Come on, we had best get going." Jenna said tugging on his tail.
"Huh, no use putting it off. Um Jenna, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Like what?" She noticed she was minus her scarf and began to look around for it. Balto soon found it lying on the floor next to the bed, right where he left it.
"Let me give you a paw with that." Balto picked it up in his mouth and slipped it on to her. As he did, a guilty smile danced over her face and she nuzzled him.
"Thanks, let's get a move on." They both walked through the open door and into Alaska. The first signs of summer where finally coming around, the air had a sweat sent and the birds chirped in the far off woods. Even though it was early June; a cold front had parked itself over the whole area and a respectable layer of somewhat slushy snow still covered the ground. Balto preferred the warmer seasons in Nome and enjoyed the spring flowers. But the scenery would have to wait for now, the two of them had a job to do. The walk to town was the same as it always was. The sun glinted off of the melting snow and highlighted the landscape, giving the whole area a sense of tranquility.
"You know it's not too late to go back." Balto said, hoping his luck would hold out. Jenna shot him a look that killed that hope. "I guess not." They walked into town. Nome had grown in the last couple of months. New businesses had moved in and set up shop in the once sleepy backwater. Cars chugged up and down the streets that were once exclusive to sleds. They passed by the old butcher shop and the smoke coming from the back signaled that the butcher was smoking some meat. Balto could smell the fresh venison and slowed his pace.
"Hungry?"Jenna asked, noticing his distraction.
"Maybe a little, I guess I'm a little addicted to the food I was eating during the race."
"With Duke's cooking I'm surprised you're still alive." Jenna remarked.
"It wouldn't be me if it didn't involve some danger." he retorted.
"You're impossible." Jenna conceded and continued walking. They walked down the street and turned into an alleyway with the backyards of homes on either side.
"Ok, so, which one was her's again?" Balto asked.
"Really? How many times have we come here in the last six weeks and you still have to ask?"
"Just keeping you on your toes."
"The second one on the left." Jenna sighed out. They began to walk down the alley when a tremendous barking came from over the other side.
"Hey, Victor, do us a favor and put a cork in it will ya!" Balto yelled over the fence. He came up to a hole in the wood and saw an unhappy looking Rottweiler on the other side.
"Keep walking wolf boy." Victor growled.
"Oh Victor," Jenna began. "Still sticking to words under three syllables?"
"I wasn't talking to you, wolf-lover." he shot back, his growling turned into a snarl. Balto jumped between them and stared Victor down.
"Victor, I'm only gonna say this once so I'll make it simple, Leave. Jenna. Alone." Victor looked like he was going to pop a blood vessel and Balto took a carful note of his stance, ready to dodge the first strike.
"Balto, he's not worth it." Jenna said over his shoulder.
"You're absolutely right." They continued on their way despite the barking and bluster behind them.
"What is with that guy, wasn't his boy in the hospital with diphtheria when you brought in the medicine?"
"He was, but Victor is, well, I'm not sure what he is." Balto shook his head.
"How about an ignorant bastard?" Jenna chuckled.
"Hey, watch that potty mouth; or I'll have to wash it out with soap." Balto returned with a laugh.
"Practicing?" Jenna asked laughing with him
"We have had all the practice we need." They came up to the next house and jumped onto a pile of crates and barrels and over the fence. They made their way to the back porch and saw six small fur balls charging at them.
"Mapi! Papi!" the gaggle of pups exclaimed as they surrounded Balto and Jenna. Dusty and Kodi's pups resembled their parents perfectly, save one. Suki was a snow white pup with mischevious green eyes that made Balto think of his mother on occasion. Her pure white coat had earned her the native word for snow, it fit her well. She happily jumped up and down, giggling as all children always do.
"Papi! Tell us a story!"
"Ok, Suki, Ok. Let me see, what kind of story. Alright I've got one. It started here in Nome and ended at the top of the world." Balto began to tell the story he had told them at least three times. Across town, another pair of dogs were welcoming a break in their own chore of love. Daisy and Steele had been busily managing four rambunctious pups for the last day strait and poor Steele wished Jake would share the coffee.
"They are finally asleep." Daisy whispered.
"Thank goodness, I feel more like a log than a dog." Steele said as he laid down on the rug, every muscle from his nose to the tip of his tail resounded in a dull ache and he thought he would not even stand for a grilled steak if one was tossed in front of him. Jake gave him a quick scratch on the ears as he to doze off. Rowdy came into the room and sat down next to his snoozing buddy.
"He's out like a light." he said.
"Ya, well you will be to after your shift Rowdy."
"Great, get some sleep. I'll look after the little ones." He said in his usual, calm voice.
"Thank you." She said as she rested her head on Steele's back.
"What are friends for?" He got up and walked down the stairs to see a set of pups curled together. He took a look and noticed that there were only three asleep.
"One, two, three. Wait, where's Loki?" Just then he felt a set of needles attack his tail. He whirled around and saw the assailant, none other than Loki. Rather large for his age of only two months, he was the largest of the liter. His teeth, like all pup teeth, were quite sharp; a fact Rowdy was well acquainted with.
"Was that absolutely necessary?" Rowdy asked with a pained smile.
"I'm sorry Uncle Rowdy, I can't help it." The pup said meekly.
"I think I know why." Rowdy said under his breath, he knew because of his mother, Loki and his brothers and sister were part wolf like Balto's children, due to his mother. He also knew it was not his place to tell them that fact. Most locals still detested wolves even though Balto had made a good name for himself and his family.
"Can we play a game?" the pup was still full of energy despite his being up for almost 24 hours.
"Sure, but if I win you have to go to sleep." Loki nodded avidly in response. "We can play one of my favorite games." Rowdy had an idea.
"Really! What is it?"
"It's called Tackle-Puppy!" With that Rowdy pounced on Loki and picked him up by the collar.
"I win." Loki kicked away at him for an answer. "Hey there, a deals a deal. Bed time."
"Fine, I want a rematch tomorrow!" The pup didn't know how to quit.
"Okay, I'll let the ref know." Rowdy plopped him in the huddle of pups and Loki's tiredness overcame him and his eyes closed. Rowdy was glad he had nap-time duty. He wondered if the clock would run down before the monsters reawake.