Day 8
2AM
Siku
I couldn't sleep... Nobody could sleep... Yet I was the only one in this boat right now who couldn't just close her damn eyes and drift off. How could anyone sleep so well knowing that the town might be invaded tomorrow?
Some sounds from the other side of Jenna got my attention. They were from Balto. He must have been dreaming again...
Then there was Steele, he apparently had moved since earlier, and was actually sleeping in the room now opposed to outside the doorway. And finally, Dingo and Saba? Looks like they snuck in to sleep with their parents. How cute... Or scary.
I thought long and hard, weighed out the differences; it even got to the point where I grew frustrated with everything and a deep growl formed in my chest for some reason, I didn't even know who or what it was directed to.
The thunder rolled on, keeping me stressed and unable to sleep. Since I couldn't, I figured I might as well go for a walk.
"Maybe some of this nice warm rain would help me go to sleep..." I thought.
Decided, I compromised the warm, soft and more importantly, dry, aspect of my fur, for the rain. I stepped outside, and took note of the soothing rains. I could have sworn that the rain was falling slowly, because it felt soft, almost like gravity was weaker. It melted the snows as far as I could see, and who knows what interesting affects it was having on the pack ice.
Aniu told me of rains like this. It was a sign. Warm rains in early spring, a storm that followed a Blizzard meant that the worst will come, but the warm rains also meant that in the end things will be better. I think she was trying to explain that the rain would "wash away the evil", but she's probably afraid of sounding too cliché.
I could see the town from here... It was silent, dimly lit, and barely visible through the rains, but it was still there. Everyone was sleeping, the humans maybe, but surely there were a few dogs who couldn't sleep either.
I sat out on the deck for a bit, and even though it was raining heavily, I could identify the scents of Balto and Steele, who were here maybe an hour ago.
I thought long and hard, weighing out the possibilities, giving it every ounce of my brain power to figure out what, if anything, I could do rather than waste this time sleeping. Balto still isn't sure if there was going to be an invasion tomorrow morning, but I was there. I saw it for myself. Nehalem is up right now, his wolves are organizing, and they're planning right now, in the dead of night, when everyone in town was asleep...
They had to be stopped.
First my father and now they're coming for my town. I walked off now, down the plank, and as the first time my paws felt the soggy ground below me, I was already planning my course of action. I was going to stop Nehalem, right now, before he gets to town.
Determined, I ran as fast as I could towards the forest edge. This is my town now... And I've got nothing to lose. Balto does.
Steele
The wolf pup had the right idea, walking out on deck when she couldn't sleep. She thought I was sleeping, hah. How could I? I've been living a lie all my life, and Balto, the very same wolf dog I've spent my life trying to tear down, was the only one who cared when I myself was torn down. What type of future could I hope for? A family? No. Being a sled dog, my musher… Got me neutered the day I started training for the team. A mate at least? No female would go near me since the serum run. So what could I do? Spend my life as friends with the wolf dog, and his mate, whom the latter, I still loved to this day? That's a recipe for disaster, heartbreak and never ending depression.
I thought long and hard, all the time prying my eyes into the sleeping forms of Balto, Jenna, and two of their children.
You know, it's funny. I use to tease Balto about what type of mutated, tainted offspring he could have, but only recently have I been able to see that his children were nothing that I could imagine. As cute as they were as pups, his daughters grew into independent, beautiful young women, just like their mother. And his sons had grown into tough, equally stubborn, but strong. Just like their father.
I came to a conclusion. I had nothing to lose... Meanwhile Balto had everything to lose.
I felt like a robot, working on instinct. Like it or not, Balto was the alpha here, not me. And I would do anything to protect my alpha, and my town. Whether or not the town even wanted me to or not.
Nehalem had to be stopped, and damnit all, I'm going to die trying myself if anything.
I left Balto's boat, the soothing rains accompanying me down the plank, and before I could even touch paws to the soggy, half frozen, half muddy ground below me, I had my plan formulated.
I was going to stop Nehalem myself, tonight.
I started running, where exactly I didn't know. But remembering my abilities, I quickly got to a speed I was comfortable with and bolted straight for the treeline. I didn't even take notice to the town behind me as I left. I knew it was there, I knew the residents of the town were safe and sound. And I intended to keep it that way.
I noted a familiar scent right as I crossed what defined Wild from Town, the scent of Siku. What reasons she had for being in the forest no doubt had something to do with his same reasons.
Perhaps she too, shared my death wish.
Short chapter...