I really took my sweet-ass time working on this one, huh?
Siku, the spirit world.
At this point, Siku had no idea where she was running. She growled at herself in anger; wolves were supposed to be expert navigators, and she was sure that if town was within a hundred miles, then she should be able to know where it was. Ahead of her was a large river, Siku could smell it as she closed the gap at the full speed her legs could carry her.
"A river… I could sample the water and figure out the source, and hopefully, l'll recognize it, and know where the river leads to." Siku thought. She smiled and ran a bit faster, but when she broke the treeline, there was no river bank...
Just a cliff.
Instinctively, she slammed down her paws to try and stop, but like any experienced driver would tell you, this was never a good idea. Siku panicked as she lost all traction and was no longer able to stop herself, she was sliding fast through the snow. Just ten feet from a fifty foot drop. She was still going pretty fast, and tripped, turning her uncontrollable skid, into an uncontrollable tumble as the last few seconds she closed her eyes. Her body flew off the side of the cliff, with nothing but gravity acting upon her, pulling her tiny body towards the ground below.
Aniu, supernatural first person.
My creations, either wolven, or dog, and anything in-between, are all my children… All I've got to show for, but one single pack of them has chosen to ignore my teachings and follow my good friend Amarok instead. I felt bad for Nehalem, for he was greatly mistaken. Amarok did not wish death on anyone who did not disobey his only rule:
Do not kill without just reason.
Amarok is my own creation, a god child born into the spirit world to watch over human hunters, to help those who needed it. Amarok was allowed to make his own decisions, and I have made his word law. Humans could hunt as long as they used what they killed for food, warmth, or in self-defense. Anything else, like the dreaded sport known as fox hunting, or hunting wolves just for the fun of hunting wolves, was deeply frowned upon, and Amarok usually had to alter their minds. Over the years, humans have gotten smarter now, and it's getting nearly impossible to manipulate their actions. Amarok grew frustrated with this, and began to alter the minds of my children. I could not take hold over Amarok, for I have granted his word law. Amarok had begun to grow out of control, and started altering wolves' minds to kill hunters who were foolish enough to hunt alone at night.
I turned my attention now, to Steele. The dog has changed his ways, and I've considered giving him a permanent place in the spirit world when the time comes. I found him at the end of a valley, which led to a chasm nearly 500 feet deep. I watched as the poor dog struggled to stop, not knowing yet the abilities that I have taught him and the gift I have given him. I could only watch, unable to help, but I began to smile as he did remember my words. I heard him repeat the words as they seemed to register into my mind, and granted him access to the spirit world. I did not stick around, for I have heard my calling elsewhere.
It's been about two hours now, I had helped my true son, Balto, recover from his injuries in his sleep, and helped my grandson, Kodiak the same. They were fighting the good fight, and they needed my help as much as I needed theirs, for I could not directly manipulate the real world like Amarok could. All I could do was repair the physical forms of whom I chose, at the cost of my own blood, and a sacrifice...
My physical form is long gone, so I had to pay with a sacrifice. The only fair thing to do was to take life from the very beings I was helping. For Kodi, I had to take a moment from his life; a crucial moment, one that could affect his future with Siku. How significant, I could not say. As for Balto, he would forget his next anniversary. It pained me to take these moments, but that was the sacrifice I had to make, and it was what it took to keep the spirit world in balance with reality. The more significant the moment taken, the more I could help them now, in their time of need.
I felt the ground around me begin to shake lightly, and the sky began to turn a darker shade of purple, rather than the pale blue it usually was.
A disturbance in the spirit world often indicated sites of deep hatred and evil. I sighed as I knew exactly where this was coming from. With a blink of an eye, I brought my spirit form to the crowd of wolves that circled Nehalem. I had watched Nehalem often now, hiding among his own loyal pack. I could not do anything to him; I could not fight his actions, even when he went as far as to kill the innocent Rosie and her family, and Serif, not to mention kidnapping the mate of my true son. I loved all of children the same, but Nehalem was breaking even my barrier. I did not wish to fight him; though I could easily wipe out the entire pack if I wanted to, but something like that would disrupt the spirit world so much, that it would collapse on itself and its inhabitants would fall to the real world, where they would die, then disappear instantly. Such a horrible fate.
I listened to Nehalem; he started talking about more of his plan to "eradicate" the town of Nome, and then talked about killing Balto. I could not hold back anymore, no longer would my spirit form be limited to just watching, with a crinkle of my muzzle, I had asked the spirits to assist me, and they answered by doing what they do best, and shot gale-force winds into the pack, knocking everyone down, including Nehalem, who suffered a much harder fall. I closed my eyes in repent, but I was forgiven. I looked into the realm and figured that the spirit world did not seem to be affected. Perhaps I could do more to stop Nehalem… If only I had a physical form...
I snapped my head to the left; someone was in trouble a few miles north of here. The little wolf pup named Siku. With the blink of my eyes, I was on the edge of a cliff, and watched Siku just in time to see her fly off, and over the edge. There it was, the spirit world would accept her for passage, and I would have my physical form. I recited my own code for Siku – the same code that Steele used –, and with a flash, Siku has now joined me in the spirit world.
Siku, first person.
This was it, I was falling to my death, I had failed Kodi, I had failed everyone... I closed my eyes, preparing for impact, but something was wrong. I was no longer falling; instead, I think... It was just a dream. I looked around to see where I was at, and when I looked down I panicked. I was floating about twenty feet above where I almost fell off the edge. I could see the bottom, no river down there… Just flat rocky ground that would have easily been my death spot. What was this? I was just here, floating... I figured I'd try and move, but I didn't want to risk falling. I didn't have to wait long, a flash of white changed my view, and I found myself in the last place on earth I wanted to be at.
Right before Nehalem himself, at his den, as he addressed his pack.
I panicked again, and tried to sneak away, hoping nobody saw me, but in my impatience, I seemed to have stupidly forgotten that I had four paws, tripped and then fell into another wolf that sat next to me. Nothing hit, I simply fell through him!
"What is this?" I asked quietly, nothing like this was exactly a surprise to me though; I've been I the spirit world, and experienced passing through objects before.
"I have brought you to me in a time of need." I heard a familiar voice say to me from behind.
"Aniu! How have you been? Thank you for saving my life."
"No worries, my child." She replied in her same, angelic voice.
I walked over to hug her; it's been months since I've seen her in my dreams and if anything, she was pretty much the mother I've never had. She hugged me back, but I could feel the tension in her as she ignored me and focused her head towards Nehalem. Something was not right, and it obviously had something to do with where we were at right now. I watched as Nehalem stood and shook his head.
"The white bitch and her tricks! You see? She chooses to attack me where I am weakest, and she is nowhere to be found."
That simple comment turned my rage into overdrive, and I wanted to charge at that asshole. How dare he refer to Aniu in such a matter... I looked to Aniu, and she smiled back, supposedly reading my thoughts. She had a plan, and she set it forth, amazingly, it seemed like she slowed down time, everything was moving sluggish, like a clock winding down with its last energy. Nehalem continued to say something, but his mouth moved in slow motion. I watched in a trance as a wolf a few feet away from me crunched up and began to scratch his left ear in a slower motion, only contacting his paw to his ear once every 5 seconds. I turned and looked at the trees that once flowed crazily through the wind, now seemed to flow with much more grace and fluid. Once more, I turned and watched as Nehalem walked along the cliff face to return to his high-perch. Each 8-second long stride it took was matched with his coat, the color of death, as it bobbed and turned slightly with each step. I could also note the dirt that flew from his paws and slowly fell to the ground.
Aniu seemed to let me enjoy the trance I was in for a while, before finally speaking.
"Siku, you must do what I cannot. Face Nehalem in the real world. I will assist in what I can." She said with a smile.
I felt my body start to rumble, and from my head to my paws there was a constant tingling sensation. I felt my body begin to stretch and generate new matter as lines of white light striped my body from top to bottom. My tail was first to transform, it grew twice longer, and already felt much sturdier, like I could use it to kill someone if I hit them hard enough with it. Then the rest of my body started changing. I felt everything from my muzzle, to my hind legs begin to grow with incredible speeds. Apart from growing nearly four times taller, I had developed long, razor sharp fangs. I looked down at my paws and noted how far away I was above the ground now; they were also three times larger. Even my ears felt noticeably heavier, as did my much thicker coat of insulating fur enclosing my body.
"Aniu, what are you doing?" But I did not get an answer, for she had vanished. A voice echoed over the spirit world, and resonated through into the real world.
"If that is what you are to believe, Nehalem." I said... Wait, I said that? It took me a bit to realize that, while it felt like 10 minutes to us, in the real world, Aniu was replying to Nehalem's previous statement that was said not 20 seconds ago.
"Aniu?" But my mouth did not move, I was no longer in control of my body. Aniu had borrowed my physical form, and I happily allowed for it.
"Be careful with my body now." I joked in my mind. But Aniu was already reciting something using my own voice.
"I ask for the aid of the traveler spirits, those in charge of aiding sailors across long unforgiving seas. Take this physical form, and allow it to be returned without me. I call for an escort into the real world. Siku and her new form are no longer in need of my aid. Free our spirit, and allow passage into the physical world." I heard her pray to the spirits. I caught on to her little lie, that I no longer needed her aid, as she was the one controlling my body! I figured that the spirits probably would not aid her in altering the physical world, so I went along with it.
"Man, how could the spirits be so blind?" I thought jokingly, and it appears that Aniu read my thoughts because she laughed softly in response. I made a note not to think about wrong things, and yet again, Aniu caught that.
Aniu's plead was answered, and before us, a green light spawned in and was slowly settling down to meet with the earth.
"That's our ride, Siku. Mind if I drive?" Aniu asked nicely.
"Sure, Shotgun!" I joked. And Aniu laughed, but not at my joke, her laugh turned demonic with rage. I felt my body start to move now, so huge, I felt like I would not be able to walk on my own, as I was not used to controlling such a massive body. I started running now, and noted the huge strides I took compared to how I used to run. My front paws reached far beyond me, and my back legs stretched back. Each nine foot stride I took, met the snow in a loud crunch, continuing in slow motion, I ran around the pack, circling Nehalem, and felt a new gust of wind hit me from behind, seemingly pushing me to meet the green dot. I felt my body lift, and with a slight shock, I was starting to take hold into the physical world. Aniu's demonic laughter broke free now, and boomed from the heavens above.
"I pray to the high spirits, the lesser of evils, one who controls the systems that bring water to life on earth." I hear Aniu pray from inside of my mind. And instantly, her demonic laughing was broken by a bolt of lightning that struck my body! I flinched, expecting to fry alive and die right there, instead, my body pressed on. The world returned to normal speed as I began shoveling snow and dirt behind me. Each paw hitting the ground and digging into it, propelling me forward with tremendous power, and I was aimed at Nehalem...
I watched with laughter as the pathetic wolf slammed into the wall and hit his head pretty hard. In an instant, my body disintegrated again, just in time to miss a full on collision with a stone wall, but back in the spirit world we entered, and once again, I rounded the treeline with amazing speeds, and circled around the whole den. I started running towards Nehalem again at full speed and with a small spark of transformation; I once again entered the physical world and was bolting at Nehalem. I did this a third time, but at the last second, my body froze. Aniu dropped control of my body, and seemed to leave me.
"I cannot…" Aniu said, and released my body, then took form on the other side of me, but she was not with me in the physical world, she had stayed behind in the spirit world.
I understood her. She really wanted this wolf dead, but she could not do it herself, for it was a great violation of both, her moral code, and the laws of the spirit world. I wanted to help, and I knew what I had to do… I knew what someone had to do…
Even though I had this new massive body many times stronger and many times everything else, of my old body, I still felt naked, and scared in front of the entire pack of killers.
I had expected to fall down, not being used to carrying such a huge body. But instead, found that I could stand just fine. As I realized that I had now re-gained control of my new body, I instinctively pulled my lips back, arming my newfound four inch fangs. I stood there, staring down Nehalem. I was blinded by rage, not really knowing why. I figured some of Aniu was left in my body, and that my desire to kill this wolf and the entire pack stemmed from it. I didn't care though, because I really did want to kill this asshole for what he did. But here I was, standing, doing absolutely nothing. It took me a second to realize that Nehalem had spoken to me three times and has gone without an answer.
"Come on, let me kill him already!" I screamed to Aniu in my mind, but she did not respond. I couldn't do it, though this body would have easily torn the wolf in half. But I could not attack, Aniu did not bring me to the physical world for that reason, and I knew what I had to do. I kept my stance, never hiding my teeth, and sustaining my low pitched, thunder like, growl. I watched without moving, as Nehalem snapped at his friend for attempting to reason with him.
"Smart move" I said in my mind.
"You know what has to be done." Aniu replied instantly.
I ceased the moment of Nehalem's distraction, and engaged in a stare into his eyes. Everything around me turned yellow, and I looked into him... No, I looked into his thoughts, and took what I needed. I had taken information telepathically, and as confused as I was, Aniu seemed to have a smile on her face, which told me that I had done the right thing.
"Good" Aniu said, and with a split second, I watched Nehalem fall to the ground, just before another bolt of lightning struck my back and relinquished me of this world, and with it, my body returned to normal.
"Aw..." I said
"Hmm, you do not need physical strength to defeat your enemies. You've done well with your own body and mind, why would you need such a change?" Aniu replied.
"I know, but it would have been cool to have such a massive and strong body to beat people up with." I joked, and after reading her serious face, I made a bit more of an effort to show that it was a joke.
Aniu didn't reply but she only smiled at me.
"Your time in the spirit world has come to an end. We shall meet again, my child." Aniu told me, and with a flash of white, I found myself lying on the ground, at the base of the cliff that I should have been nothing but a dead splat on.
I got up and shook my head, wondering if any of that really happened, or did I just fall, somehow survived, and all of that was just the result of some kind of head injury.
Aniu answered my question with a green dot that shot up towards the sky, and bolted off instantly in the direction of Nome.
"Thanks for showing me the way." I said to nobody.
I ran off in the now known direction of Nome, determined to get home to warn the others of the upcoming attack, and get help for Kodi.
I carried on, running quickly through the woods; I only wished I had the ability to run super speed, like Steele. Speaking of Steele… I turned just in time to see him about to crash into me.
Steele and Jenna.
"Don't tell me you're lost... You seemed so sure of where you were going!" Jenna screamed, though the forest did seem familiar, it was disorienting, as everything looked the same no matter which direction they went. Little did they know, they were still only within five miles of where they came from.
They were traveling in a massive circle.
"I know where I'm going!" Steele snapped back, instantly registering it as a carbon copy of his same reply to when Star asked him that a week ago when he was lost again.
"I'm sorry." Steele apologized, and to Jenna, it seemed unwarranted.
"You? Sorry?" Jenna asked curiously, speech stammered as Steele jumped around at fifty miles an hour.
Steele stayed quiet, sniffing at the air, jumping almost ten feet over a fallen tree, and nearly crashed into another in the process. Jenna sensed his frustration and figured she wouldn't question him again for a bit.
"This is useless; the blizzard stripped away any kind of hints to where Nome is, scents and all." Steele said as he slowed to a stop. He bowed down to allow Jenna to safely fall off of his back. She tried herself to sniff at the air and ground to hopefully pick up a sign of which direction Nome was.
Steele watched her for a bit, he thought about how beautiful Jenna looked in the weak sunlight, but instantly hated himself for thinking that way.
"Like it or not, she is Balto's mate. Not like I deserve such an honor anyway." Steele thought.
"Steele, you want to explain now, we've ran twice as fast as any dog or wolf, and you don't even look tired! Plus, didn't you almost die just three days ago?" Jenna asked, but continued to focus her nose on any scents she could pick up, desperately trying to find home.
"It's a long story, well… I guess it isn't. A lot could be left out." Steele said.
Jenna turned to him now and listened as he tried to gain her trust by saying that he has changed his ways, and thanks to Aniu, he has been granted such powers, as long as he used them for good, and to aid the spirit world.
"I knew there was something a bit off. I'm glad you've decided to help." Jenna said with a smile. Steele awkwardly smiled and looked away.
"So you recovered in three days, what would have taken weeks or months... You can run and jump very well, and you apparently have excellent tracking skills." She smiled at the end. "What else can you do?"
"Not much, other than what you've seen. I can gain passage to the spirit world and..." As much as he scolded himself for being so stupid, Jenna stated at him blankly with a "you've of to be kidding me" sort of look.
"Yeah... Probably should have mentioned that an hour ago." Steele said as he turned from Jenna and began to mutter words inaudible to even Jenna's acute sense of hearing.
"I seek aid from the traveler spirits…" Steele sighed and turned his head. "Show me the way home…" Steele said in a calm voice, more to Jenna. A silent whisper was all that was required.
"Steele what are you saying..." Before she finished her words, his plead was answered, and the spirit world helped by spawning a green dot before them. Steele smiled at Jenna as they both stared at the spirits that would guide them home. The green dot rose a few feet into the air, and then shot quickly towards Nome, which - not exactly surprising to Jenna - was almost in the opposite direction that they were going.
Steele smiled and awkwardly laughed at Jenna as he began to walk in the direction of Nome.
After Jenna turned down Steele's offer to continue carrying her, they ran off side by side, but even while running, Steele couldn't ignore Jenna's obvious depression. She had lost her girl and her family. He thought about what, or even if, he should say, but nothing came up. He didn't exactly have experience "caring" about anyone but himself.
"I've got to say something. How do you comfort someone that has lost everything in her life?" Steele thought. "But she has not lost everything… She still has Balto." Steele smiled as he found a viable subject to talk about and hopefully get her mind off of depressive thoughts.
He continued thinking about what to say as they came across a good marker; it was the same river that everyone knows, Snake River. Steele and Jenna slowed down their pace to a walk along the river. Jenna went up and lapped up some water, and Steele did the same.
"Oh man that's refreshing…" Jenna said under her breath.
"I didn't realize how dehydrated I was." Jenna said to Steele, who smiled and nodded in agreement.
Steele wanted to talk, he knew what to talk about, and figured he'd just go ahead and say something.
"So Balto, eh?" Steele said, so full of awkwardness, he barely finished his statement.
"What about him?" Jenna replied, surprised by the random question.
"Everything I've told you, I've told Balto, and I like to think that we're getting along now." Steele explained.
"That's great, how many times have you guys nearly killed each other over the years..." Jenna said with slight annoyance.
"That's all set in the past; I'd never be able to make up for so many years fighting him."
"Wow you're so weird now..." Jenna replied.
Steele smiled and watched looked down ground below him.
"Yeah, well."
"We were going to come and check on you, Balto didn't even care that he could barely stand. He was determined to make sure you were okay, even if he had to crawl to the vet's office." Steele added.
"Sounds like him. I just know he's beating himself up for... What happened…"
Steele noted the obvious change in Jenna's voice.
"I'm sorry, Jenna." Steele said.
"For what?"
"I could have done something... Me and Kaltag were just sitting on our lazy asses… Talking in the vet for who knows how long. If only I knew. We… I could have come to protect you, to protect Rosie." Steele said as he lowered his head.
"I didn't know you we're even there last night. I fell just in time to see Balto tear apart that... Bastard." Jenna said. Steele smiled as he knew Jenna probably has never cursed before in her life.
"Yeah, well, you can believe me when I say I know how well of a fighter Balto is. More times than I'd like to admit, I only won in our battles because I had backup. I probably wouldn't have stood a chance against him alone..." Steele said.
"Wow, it seems almost unreal to hear you like this. You complimented Balto, what's next, pigs flying?" Jenna joked.
"Yeah, well anyway, Balto and your son got back from the mail run in the middle of the night. I'm sure it was Aniu who tipped them off. The reason Balto couldn't walk, was because him and Kodi, along with everyone else, ran themselves crazy trying, desperately to safe Rosie. Kodi had nowhere to stay, so I brought the team to my house." Steele explained, he knew she'd be curious as to what happened to her son.
"Thanks, I don't know where Kodi and I are going to stay now... I mean, I wouldn't mind living with Balto and Boris..." Jenna stopped, on the verge of crying again at the loss of here family that raised her from birth.
"Let's not think about that for now. If anything, my door is always open." Steele said in a calm voice.
Jenna did not talk; she blinked a few times trying to dry her tears. Steele didn't know what to do, so he just focused on his feet. The walk was slow along the river that would eventually lead to Nome. Even though it was another 5 miles or so until Snake River would empty into the Norton Sound, and Nome was a good 3 more miles east of that.
(Obviously I looked up a lot about the geography around Nome lol)
Steele froze in his tracks, staring ahead, Jenna wondered why for a split second, but she would find out right away. Ahead of them, blocking their path along the river, was a group of wolves from Nehalem's pack. They were on their way to return to the pack after a successful hunt.
"Dogs! Go after them!" the leader yelled. As Jenna and Steele broke past a treeline into an open area, that was closed off by a line of wolves...
Before he finished his command, all seven from his group ran after Jenna and Steele. Any one of these - to an extent, mutated - wolves could easily catch Jenna in her fastest speed, and admittedly, so could they catch Steele running at his full speed prior to Aniu, help.
"Do I have to ask?" Steele said as he bowed down, and quickly, Jenna jumped on him and wrapped around his neck. With a few seconds of Steele staring the wolves down with a smile, he quickly turned and sprinted off the other way. Within just thirty seconds, all that reminded them of the wolves chasing them, we're distant howls from the various wolves trying to reform their patrol. Steele carried on, but soon noticed that there was another wolf nearby, in the general direction that he was running.
Siku.
Steele tried to stop, but ended up running full force into Siku, throwing her tiny body a few meters away.
She barked and whimpered as she flew through the air and hit a tree with a thud.
"AH, what the hell!" Siku said as she got to her paws and realized that she could not stand in her front left leg. Luckily, it wasn't broken, just hurting. The event also threw Jenna ahead of Steele and she too, hit the ground face first.
"Well, I think I need to work on brakes..." Steele said, smiling, but turned it off and decided not to laugh.
"Are you okay Siku? Jenna?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Jenna replied, shaking her head, as leaves and dirt fell from her body.
"Why would you run into me..." Siku said, still a bit pissed.
"I uh, tried to avoid it. I swear."
"Yeah, sure..." Siku replied, and limped over to Jenna.
"Jenna! I'm so glad you're safe!" Siku said, completely changing her tone and forgetting her injury, she ran up to Jenna and hugged her. Jenna smiled and held her back. Siku was beyond happy, for reasons Jenna couldn't understand, Siku started to lick her muzzle and face all over. This was a bit weird to Jenna, but she figured that it was cute, after all, Siku is as young as her own kids.
"Okay okay, Siku." Jenna laughed.
"Uh, in sorry. I don't know why I kissed you... I'm just happy you're safe. I feel like I've found my lost alpha female of my pack, I'd die for you!" Siku said proudly.
Jenna smiled, but in her head she was thinking "Siku is crazy!" But accepted her apparent affection.
"Me... Alpha? Of what?" Jenna asked, with Siku still in her chest.
"I don't know how to explain, I don't know why I like you so much." Siku said, sounding like a cute, confused child.
"You obviously have some issues Siku." Steele said under his breath as he was looking the other way, and both Jenna and Siku snapped at him.
"What?" Steele asked as he turned to look at them.
Siku let go of Jenna and took a step back, she was still worried about Kodi... And the rest of town too.
"Jenna, Kodi is hurt... After you we're taken by the wolves, he was mad. Last night another dog was killed; Serif and I think he's had enough. He ran into the forest, at night..." Siku said, struggling to explain, as she noted the worrisome look on Jenna's face.
"I ran after him but wolves caught me and knocked me out, I don't know what would have happened to me if Kodi didn't save me. He's a hero!" Siku said exitedly.
"Oh Kodi... What is wrong with that boy... Where is he? Is he okay?" Jenna said worried.
"He fought off a wolf by himself, and... He fell down from his injuries... I don't know if he is okay." Siku said sadly.
"No... How bad was it?" Jenna asked, on the verge of crying.
"The wolf bite him deep in the chest, I think he passed out from blood loss. I left him with my father, Mason." Just then, Jenna's eyes widened as she recognized the name.
"Mason..." Jenna said, and with it, she was lost in her memories as the three of them started to run back to Nome.
Jenna, flashback.
Thought it'd be interesting if Jenna knew Siku's father.
Jenna was out like she always was. Happy to have been adopted by her new human owner, Rosie. As young as Rosie was at the time, Jenna was a tiny puppy herself. She was two months old, much too young to be playing where she was... At the forest edge. The day was gradually passing by, and soon the sun would set behind the white, expansive frozen Bering Sea. Jenna, on the other hand, didn't seem to care. She was enjoying her little adventure, and the first time she was ever let outside alone. Though, unknowing to her, Rosie had no idea she escaped.
Jenna was laughing by herself and jumping up high, to land on the soft wet snow below her, playing like a fox. As she got low, preparing to jump again, a sound made her froze. Something was watching her, in the darkness if the forest beyond her. She turned her head in curiosity, wondering what the sound was, but then trend her head back and ignored it.
Mason
Mason watched from a distance, he had just set out on his first hunt alone, told not to come back until he brought something to contribute to the pack. He was far from home... More than 100 miles west of his packs den... His dad was the pack alpha, and he wanted to find something to impress him.
Mason was just a pup himself, at 7 months, it tradition that he set out alone to hunt, and bring food for the pack to prove his worth. And as the alphas son, he would have to try his damn hardest so he didn't taint his father's reputation. At this point, he was lost. 3rd day in hunting with nothing but random scent trails of bison and elk, but nothing more than scent. Human smells began to fill his nose as he was nearing a rather large settlement of them, Nome. He wandered over, hiding in the trees. His puppy fur was wearing off, and a new gray white coat helped him hide in the snow.
There was something else near him, another canine, but this one didn't smell like a wolf, it almost smelled... Dirty, mud, filthy and plain right disgusting wolf smell. It was a female husky named Jenna.
Mason watched this dog, how it seemed to be different, but was playing like a normal pup would be caught. He didn't know about domestic dogs or even much about how the humans took his ancestors captive and altered them to their own selfish needs. To him, this was just another wolf... A strange wolf. He continued watching, planning on talking to the "wolf", and maybe get some advice. Maybe this "tainted" wolf knew where food was. Mason didn't like where he was standing from, so he very quietly snuck closer, to hide behind another, equally giant-trunked fir tree, but he mistakenly broke a branch that let out a loud crack. He froze and dropped to the ground as Jenna stated into the forest. He she could not see him, but he was staring at her. Not even ten seconds after she heard the sound, the dog turned away and continued playing.
"Why am I hiding? I should just go ask her now." Mason thought.
He got up now and emerged from The treelike at a normal pace. He found that, even though he was older than Jenna, she was still almost as tall as he was.
"Uh, hi." Mason said awkwardly.
Jenna snapped around and stared into the wolf, fear causing her to whimper, and made Mason felt terrible for scaring her.
Jenna
Jenna figured it was time to get home now, but a voice came from behind her before she could even turn around.
"Uh, hi" she heard an low voice say from behind her.
She snapped around and stared, there was a grey-white wolf, larger than she staring back at her. She was shocked, but did not jump because she was scared of wolves. She was two months old, and I those two months, she never had a reason to fear them.
"Hi there!" Jenna said happily in her high pitched voice. Mason smiled back, happy that he didn't scare her.
"I was wondering if you've seen any elk or bison around here." Mason asked, not exactly something that any wolf would usually do.
Jenna turned her head in confusion.
"What's elk and bison?" Jenna asked.
"Oh, they're big animals, food." Mason explained.
"Animals are food? haha I eat Iams, they don't look like animals." Jenna innocently explained.
"Iams, huh?" Mason figured it was some type of food that the humans fed to dogs, and figured he'd have to he had to move on.
(Note: I am not sponsored by Iams lol)
"Well, young one, I must take my leave now." Mason said, and bowed his head to her before waking back into the forest.
Jenna watched him, all the way until he disappeared behind the darkness of the forest, before developing a smile and running after him.
"Hey wait mister! Come play at town, the humans would give you Iams!" Jenna offered.
"Haha, I don't think I would like these so called 'Iams'" he replied without turning his head.
"Well, the butcher sometimes has food for dogs and maybe you will like it."
"Butcher?"
"He's a man that kills chickens and other animals for their meat." Jenna explained, and even though I was a terrible subject, she seemed almost happy to explain it.
Mason thought about it, "Food is food."
"Very well, young one, I'll walk with you back to the town, as long as you think it's safe. What's your name anyway?"
"My name is Jenna!" She replied with a small jump.
"Mason."
"Mason? I like that name, you sound like a warrior!" Jenna exclaimed.
"Haha, I suppose so."
They talked the whole way back to Nome, with Jenna breaking Mason's expectation that she was going to be an annoying puppy the whole time; she actually had a normal conversation with him. Mason also exceeded Jenna's expectation that he would be wearier of entering town, but unknowing to both of them, the fact that Mason was a wolf, meant that he was not allowed into Nome.
"So you live that far away? Why did you leave your family?" Jenna asked.
"It's customary for wolves who reach adolescence to leave the pack alone, to hunt, and bring something of worth back to the pack. My dad is the leader of the pack, so I want to make him proud."
"That's great. I don't think I could go anywhere alone, I'm too scared of everything." Jenna said. Mason chuckled at her innocence, she reminded him of his younger sister.
The two were behind the building that everyone knew as "the one that is all alone" as it was a single building, more than 100 feet from another.
"I smell food..." Mason said to Jenna.
"Yes the butcher is a nice guy! He will give you leftovers if you beg" Jenna explained.
"Me? Beg? Like hell I will." He said.
"What's wrong with begging? You can get everything you want if you ask nicely."
"I don't know about how you were raised, but dignity is a very important thing, and I intend to keep it."
"What's dignity?" Jenna asked, sounding out the word, trying to mimic his words.
"It's the measure if honor and respect, I you keep your dignity, you keep honor, and by extension, respect of your fellow peers." Mason explained.
"That's boring..." Jenna replied.
"Haha, perhaps we are just from two different worlds, Jenna."
"Yeah! Your world sounds boring though..." Jenna innocently replied.
"Hey, we have lots of fun in the pack!" Mason playfully argued.
"Like what?" Jenna asked.
Mason spent the next few minutes, explaining wolf culture and eventually, what the wolves did for fun. Jenna was locked on his every word, interested in such a different lifestyle than hers.
"And of course we wrestle and chase each other all the time."
He turned and smiled at Jenna, who was smiling back. It was all too obvious; by her facial expression what she was going to do next. She growled for a second before snapping playfully at Jason, and then the tiny red and white husky ran off down an alleyway.
"Ouch, hey! You get back here!" He said with a laugh, and then proceeded to run after her. He caught up to her easily, and planned to let her had her moment, and slow himself down a bit, but he didn't have to do that. Jenna looked back at him and teased him a bit, before running faster.
"Whoa, this dog is fast!" Mason thought. He was running near-full speed and was barely able to keep up with the dog. He did not know that Jenna was a pure red husky, a dog literally breed for running.
Mason chased her past buildings, and eventually into the Main Street... Where many people gasped and yelled in horror.
"Wilson! Get the gun! A wolf is chasing Rosie's dog!" A lady screamed in panic.
Neither Mason nor Jenna heard it, and continued playing. He seemed to ignore the humans, though he should be terrified, but something took him over. A prey-drive overtook him, and all he could focus on was chasing Jenna. He was still in a mindset string enough to know that he wasn't supposed to actually kill and eat her when he caught her, but perhaps the urge to chase this dog was just as dangerous for him.
A man named Wilson was armed with his double-barrel Damascus-Steel Remington shotgun, and he slowly loaded two shells into the barrel. Not in any rush, since he knew the wolf wasn't going anywhere soon.
"I'll get 'Im girl, go get Rosie." He said to his daughter.
"Okay okay!" She replied. The girl was not much older than Rosie, and was in the same Christian early class that Rosie attended. She ran quickly to the Jones's home and opened the door, not caring to knock.
"Rosie, Rosie! Jenna is in trouble!" She yelled. Rosie dropped her toys and ran out side with her.
"Jenna girl! Where are you?" Rosie called out. She heard tiny barks coming from her puppy and watched as Jenna turned a corner, running for Rosie. But she didn't make it, and was jumped at the last corner by Mason.
"Haha! Got you now!" Mason said.
Jenna laughed playfully, and tried to throw him off with her back legs. To them, it was all innocent playing around, but to the horrified looks if several humans, plus Rosie, it looked like this wolf was about to kill Jenna.
"Jenna!" Rosie yelled and ran to them.
Mason noticed the many humans staring at him, and snapped his head around at a loud sound... A gunshot.
Wilson had shot to the left of them on purpose, in an attempt to scare Mason off of Jenna, so that he could shoot Mason without accidentally hitting the dog.
"What was that!" Mason screamed, terrified.
"I don't know! Run!" Jenna yelled.
Mason froze, staring down at the barrel of Wilson's shotgun aimed at his face.
Click.
Mason closed his eyes, preparing for something to happen, but nothing did.
"AGH! Damn gun, always jammin' up" Wilson said, hitting his gun.
"MASON! RUN!" Jenna yelled at him, knocking him out of his trance, as she was still pinned under him.
"Uh..." Mason stammered for a second before bolting off behind a building.
"Get 'em Will!" A man yelled off at him.
Wilson dislodged the defective shell and reloaded two more into the chamber. He ran off down the alleyway and ores a shot at Mason. He yipped frightened, but thankfully was not hit by any of the shotgun scatter.
Jenna watched in horror as the scene started to progress in slow motion, like the world around her froze on that very point. Watched, as Mason looked back at her for a split second.
The man quickly cocked the gun and fired a second shot... This time he satisfied his shot, and as quickly as things happened, Jenna still watched the scene in a trance, a wolf was just shot before her eyes.
Mason fell with deathly whimpering at the far end of the alleyway.
"Nooo!" Jenna yelled as she ran to him now, slipping the hands of Rosie.
"Jenna get back here girl!" Rosie called out, but Jenna had other plans.
She quickly ran and jumped at Wilson's back, and growled at him, threatening to bite.
"Whoa girl, don't jump at me when I've got my gun loaded." Wilson playfully said, more to Rosie than to the dog. He continued loading his gun a third time, preparing to end Mason's life.
Jenna wouldn't allow it. She ran over to Mason now, and lay on top of him.
"J-Jenna, what... are…" Mason struggled to say, he was still crying in pain at his gunshot leg, and was close to blacking out now.
"I won't let them kill you!" Jenna said as she shielded his body with her own.
Mason seemed to say another word, but Jenna could only watch him as his eyes silently closed and his body fell limp.
"Hey, uh, Rosie you might want to get your dog. Wolves are dangerous, she isn't safe. Plus, she's blocking my shot at the wolf..." Wilson said to Rosie as she ran past him.
"No! Don't kill the poor wolf!" Rosie yelled back at him.
Wilson looked over to the towns' people and shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't every day that action like this occurred, and almost the entire town was on Main Street now, watching Wilson like he was a celebrity.
The town vet watched, seemingly thinking to himself, as he brushed his beard with his hand, before he spoke out.
"Wilson, lower your weapon. This wolf is not dangerous, why else would a common housedog risk herself to shield him?" Dr. Osnik explained.
Dr. Osnik is a well-respected doctor - the only one in Nome - and is very good at what he did. He claimed to be able to work on any living animal, from humans to dinosaurs if they existed. But of course, he was only legally specialized in veterinary practices. Still, in a town that depends on sled dogs, plus having the highest dog:human ratio of any city in Alaska, Dr. Osnik is pretty much even more important to the town than the mayor.
"Very well, Doc." Wilson replied, and removed the shells from his gun and handed it and the gun to his wife. She seemed a bit relieved that Wilson wasn't going to kill the poor animal, and happily walked back inside with the gun.
"Great, now I have to save the poor guy..." Dr. Osnik sighed.
"Sorry, I'll help carry him if you want."
"Yes, come now." Dr. Osnik said as he quickly walked over to the two canines.
Jenna growled at the approaching men, but stopped when she recognized the vet, whom she knew meant no harm to any animal. She did not move from on top of Mason.
"Now now, girl. We're going to help him." Dr. Osnik said in a soothing voice.
Jenna obeyed him and whimpered in sadness, but trusted his word.
Wilson knelt down and nudged at Mason, who hollered out in pain again as his leg shifted. The shotgun shell had not hit, but only shrapnel was enough force to break his bone and tear apart the surrounding meat and tissue. The snow and his snow-like fur were both stained with crimson red blood.
Wilson hesitated, but proceeded to pick the wolf up. He expected at least a growl, after-all, this was a wild animal he was picking up. But Mason was silent, for he had blacked-out. Either from the loss of blood, or the actual pain, that shifted his brain into hibernation.
"Poor guy, he's fainted." Dr. Osnik said as he examined the woods back leg while Wilson held him up.
"Come now, to the operating room." He motioned Wilson to follow.
Wilson got a better hold of the 60 pound wolf he was carrying, and in the process splattered blood on himself. He didn't care, but it scared Rosie, who cried and hugged Jenna tight.
Wilson nodded to Rosie, he felt a bit bad for what Rosie had to see. She didn't respond, and picked up her own dog then walked back home.
Jenna looked off of the side of Rosie and watched as the two men walked down the alleyway, towards the vet. When Rosie got home, she let Jenna down and for a second, Jenna thought about running back, but she knew he'd be alright, and running off, making Rosie worry wouldn't help anything. She whimpered as Rosie closed the door behind them, and Jenna joined Rosie in playing with her dolls.
Dr. Osnik
"Are you sure you can you work on him, doctor?" Said the intern.
"I can work on any animal! Be it wolf or dog!" Dr. Osnik proudly explained.
"Close the curtains on the front door. I will not let anything short of an emergency interrupt me."
"Very well. I must say, you are a very committed veterinarian, sir." The intern replied.
"Yes yes, but this is also a challenge for myself, to prove that I can heal anything!"
The intern smiled as he saw the expression on the man's face as he talked in a hard German accent. He might have been a bit crazy, but not the intern or anyone else would dare comment about it, for Dr. Osnik really was the best at what he did. The intern did not for a second doubt his ability to heal this "wild-animal"
For the next two hours, both men worked on the wolf, first literally having to clean shrapnel and a other junk inside his legs. Then they worked on the leg like a normal broken dog leg, something they did at least ten times a year with how hard the dog-sled teams' Mushers worked them. They straightened, and had to break it again to get it the right way, then when the bone was formed correctly, there was still work to be done before a cast could be put around it.
Finally, they needed to repair and close up his leg. The shotgun blast all but completely stripped the bone of flesh, and it would be a miracle if it healed completely.
A few more hours passed, and at this point the intern spent most of this time napping on the bench in the corner, while Dr. Osnik, concentrated as ever, continued his work.
The doctor finally snapped his bloody latex gloves off and threw them in the waste bin. Job well done and Mason would awaken any time now.
Mason, first person. Awakening.
I awoke to a slur of a world; everything looked like it was behind a plastic cover, distorted by the drugs in my system.
What is this odd place? Who are these people, and what have they done to me? The last thing I could remember was pain. Pain, and a loud explosive sound behind me. There were other sounds, like Jenna and her human owners' screams, but they were nearly inaudible by a louder, more chilling sound.
I remembered hearing my leg snapping, literally hearing the shrapnel rip my back leg apart, and forcefully break through bone. After that, I heard a high patch screech, which I guessed must have been the pain overloading my brain, and it was simply unable to process anything else. As I fell for he ground, I felt something take hold of me, like I was meant to die there, but was released, and instead left to suffer. It is set in the past now, but through the blinding, I could hear them talking about me.
"He looks perfect, well done sir." The intern said.
"Ah! He's awaken now, I do not know how much morphine a teenage wolf should receive, so I gave him the dose of a normal adult dog. Looks like it worked haha!" As Dr. Osnik said this, I felt his hand brush against my side. The touch was filtered again, due to the drugs coursing throughout my veins, but it felt calm, peaceful, like he meant no harm to anyone.
"Maybe these humans aren't so bad." I thought, but was quickly drowned out by the echoing noises perceived by my drugged brain.
"He'll rest for a few hours, and then we'll call up Rosie and Jenna to see him." Dr. Osnik said.
"Good, I want to lay here and enjoy this wonderful time." I thought, though it was the drugs that said that. I was enjoying the 'high' it gave me...
Jenna, Siku and Steele, present day.
Jenna snapped out of her flashback as she saw a familiar place. Nome.
"Yay, we're finally home!" Siku said. I noted how happy she was, and I was happy myself that she considered it her home too.
"And hey Jenna. I think I see someone you'd like." Steele said with a smile.
Jenna squinted and looked in the distance, and saw Balto walking with Doc and two others away from his boat, on their way back into town.
"Balto... I'm finally home." She said quietly to herself.
As the three got within a mile of Nome, Jenna smiled, jumped up, and figured she'd try something that would defiantly get Balto's attention.
"Hey, Siku. Help me out a bit." Jenna said with a wink to Siku running alongside her.
Siku smiled as she recognized the obvious gesture.
Jenna howled in a similar fashion to when Balto marked his return from the serum run. Siku joined her, and harmonized with a higher pith howl, both finishing at the same time, with Steele looking surprised at them, and even more surprised, was Balto. At this point, he howled in return and ran to meet them half way.
Once they got close, Siku and Steele slowed to a stop and watched with a smile as Jenna pretty much collided with Balto, flipping him in his back as she stood over him.
"I have returned, my love." She said as she nuzzled his neck.
"Jenna… You have no idea how happy I am to see that you're Okay. I'm so glad you're ... You are... Okay, right?" He said as he returned her nuzzle, making sure to kiss her in return, he then began to check around her for injuries, as if she wouldn't have known if her own body was injured…
"Of course I am, thanks to Steele." Jenna said as she looked back.
"Oh, uh." Balto looked awkwardly at Steele from under Jenna's back legs, and slipped out from under her.
"Well, Steele, you crazy dog, I don't know what the hell motivated you to change, and actually help someone for once..." Balto said, Steele just stared at him, not exactly expecting that kind I\of response.
"But thank you, I don't know if Doc's crew would have even come close to saving her... One bad move and..."
"They would have killed her as soon as they sensed someone was there to save her..." Steele completed his sentence in a low tone.
"I..." Balto sat there with his mouth open. He didn't exactly know what to say.
Instead, he walked up and extended his paw out in front of Steele. Steele got the message and smiled as he shook Balto's paw.
"You're a good man Steele, I think we'd make great friends." Balto said with tears in his eyes.
"Likewise." Steele said with a smile.
Balto returned to Jenna and licked her a bit, simply grateful for her return, but turned at Siku's whimpering. She was obviously holding herself back, and it seemed to tear her apart.
"Okay Siku..." Balto said.
As soon as he said that, Siku ran up and nuzzled him, joining him and Jenna in a group hug. Balto smiled at Siku's cuteness, but seemingly snapped back to reality.
"Siku... You're here, what about... Where's Kodi?" He struggled to say.
Siku stepped back and seemingly thought what to say.
"He was injured after fighting off the wolves that hit me... I hope he is alright..." Siku said, leaving out a crucial part.
"What? Where is he?" Balto asked, worried.
"I left him with my father, Mason. I know he'll do the right thing and take care of Kodi... But I don't know if he's... Any better..." Siku said as she lowered her head.
"What do you mean?" Balto asked, and joined Jenna in a curious stare.
"He's fainted; I think he lost too much blood... It was horrible, so much if it just kept flowing..." Siku struggled to recall the events of that terrible night.
Balto looked down now as Siku returned to his side, then he looked back at his boat, before looking at Jenna.
"Alright... Jenna... I'll get Kaltag and Nikki, and you get Dixie and tricksy to keep you company at my boat with Boris. Doc and a few dogs are staying there as sentry, and it's the safest place to be..." Balto said.
"Balto, I don't need that much protection..." Jenna said with a smile.
"I don't want to take any chances." Balto said calmly as he faced her.
Balto paused for a second, and then shook his head.
"And Steele?" Balto turned to him now.
"Don't fret lobo, I'm going with you." Steele said.
"Sounds good to me." Balto replied with a smile.
The sun was starting to set once again, the snowy field the four were in; quickly got dark and the suggestion that was feared came up.
"It's getting dark..." Siku said.
"Yeah? What of it?" Balto said with a hint of aggression.
"Balto, nobody here is saying you're afraid of the dark... It's just that we shouldn't risk going out into the forest, let alone ten miles into it, at night. Plus, you know we need to be here in case of..."
"Another attack." Balto said quietly.
"Siku. You're sure Kodi is safe with your father?" Balto faced Siku now.
"Yeah, I can, uh, sense it. Plus I kinda told him that I love Kodi..." Siku said shyly.
"Aw, that's cute." Jenna added.
"Hmm. Let's hope your father is as proud of you as I am." Balto said with a smile.
Siku smiled back at him, as the four of them began to move, loud, booming thunder echoed across the landscape I the distance.
"I guess that's another reason not to go..." Steele added.
"I suppose we should make our way to my boat... I'm sure we all use stories to tell." Balto said.
"Nonsense, we can all stay at my place. Warm, comfortable fire, soft carpet, DRY..." Steele said, comparing it to Balto's boat.
"We need to be with the sentries in case of another invasion."
"Fine, but you're letting me tell my story first." Steele said.
Balto chuckled and turned to walk to his boat. Jenna and Siku sticking to his sides, and Steele walking slightly ahead. They picked up the pace a bit in order to avoid the storm, and the same crash of thunder they heard, was also head by Kodi, 20 miles to the North, as he woke up, being watched by an unknown wolf.
Well, there you have it. Jenna and Balto are re-united, Kodi survives, Balto has completely "forgiven his enemy" and made friends with Steele, and, for the time being, the town of Nome was at peace.
This is actually part of chapter 7, but more like the "second half" as I typed this all supposedly to be the 7th chapter. But I wouldn't upload a 24,000 word chapter, that'd just be overkill.
Enjoy your storytime Balto, Jenna, Steele, and Siku. And let's hope Kodi and Mason get along, and hope for Kodi's safe return. For there is still imminent danger soon approaching the little town of Nome, Alaska.