chap_14_6-23

Day 8, 7 AM

Balto and Jenna

I awoke to a happy surprise, my other children, Dingo and Saba, whom were adopted almost a year ago and rarely visit; we're snuggled up between me and Jenna. They must have snuck in last night while we were sleeping for... Reasons I hoped they wouldn't even have to fear. I told myself it was probably because of the storm.

Speaking of… Frank wasn't kidding about this one. This storm was so powerful that the rainfall alone was loud on the weaker upper level decks.

I chose this room to sleep in for a reason, I was the only place that seemed to hold up the most after years of rotting, and the amazingly, the ceiling didn't leak, however rotted it also was.

Upon first look, I thought Siku was here, to my surprise, she wasn't anywhere to be found. I joked about the possibility of one of us rolling on top of, and flattening her, then seriously considered it for a second, checking under the sleeping three others.

"I can't think of anywhere she would go during a hurricane... My safest bet would be that she was somewhere watching the storm."

I had no idea what time it was, but knowing how dark the clouds above would make it, there probably wouldn't be a way to tell. It must have been kind of late into the morning, since I was not tired anymore. So my best guess was that it was about 8 or 9 in the morning.

I sat up and yawned as Nehalem's deal entered my thoughts again... How I wished it were true, but that is crazy... Nehalem able to get into my dreams? Not possible... Though, given the chance, I would gladly turn myself over if it meant that the town, my family, Jenna would all be safe, again though, how could I trust him?

I shunned the thoughts away and figured that if there was going to be a fight, then a fight they'll have.

Steele was gone too... Odd.

I stood and walked into the short hallway preceding the lowest deck, and looked for the others. Frank was there like always, still awake, still ever alert in the drivers' box, sheltering from the downpour. I loved this rain though, how it drenched me in seconds down to the skin, but it was warm, soothing... Made me want to sleep in the rain.

After thi shirt time, I was already soaking wet so I couldn't return to sleep in the back room, so I decided I should visit town, and maybe look for Siku or Steele while I was there. Not to mention, check on Doc and the rest.

It wasn't until I dropped a single paw on the ramp leading down, that I heard my name being called from behind me.

"Balto? Where are you off to so early?" Jenna asked and quickly ran to my side.
"Good morning. I just figured I'd go check on the town... Can't sleep anyway. Why are you out here? You'll catch a cold or- never mind." I canceled this hopeless worrying. After all, implying a dog bred for the cold... Getting a cold was just too stupid for me to continue.
"You don't give me enough credit... I'm not a child Balto." She said with her smile same as ever.
"I know that... If anything I'm the child" I joked.
Jenna chuckled and patted my head before walking off.
"I love this rain though... It's so-" she was cut off halfway through the word by explosive thunder, and involuntarily got closer to me.
"You were saying?" I teased.
"Okay okay..." She knew I would comment on that.
"You and Siku the same..." shaking my head with a smile.

We continued our walk in the rain, the wind was not cold, but so strong it made it a bit more difficult to walk in. Cloud cover above made it pitch black everywhere, even if the sun was up it'd probably still be just as dark. Judging by the town activity ahead, I would better have guessed it was around 7am.

This thunder was different... It was constant, fueled by the intense pressures above, and static charges such huge amounts of clouds would produce. It growled in the distance, and when it happened above, that too would get pretty loud.

All-in-all, Jenna shared my liking of this storm, I would much prefer this type of precipitation rather than a searing blizzard every once and a while. I kinda wanted to talk to Frank again and ask him how the hell a hurricane formed this far north... Pure curiosity, seriously, I was at a loss. But, I supposed if we get blizzards a warm opposite is sure to happen sometimes.

As the town grew closer, I noticed we've walked without saying a single word now for nearly ten minutes. Jenna caught on... Her psychic abilities were both scary, and a bit annoying...

"Balto I'm scared..."
"Crap..." I thought.
"Of... What?" I stupidly questioned.
"What do you think? Balto... Dingo and Saba were sleeping next to us... They haven't felt the need to be in our protection in almost a year..."
"It was probably just the storm."
"No... They were scared something was going to happen... If it was just the storm they would have just stayed snuggled up with the team back at the old mill."
"Well maybe the rest of the team bailed..."
"Maybe... And that just worries me further... I'm scared... What if-" her voice was struggling already; it could be noticed regardless of the downpour or the pitch black of darkness. It was the single varying pitched voice of worrisome.

I had enough of her worrying. It wasn't exactly good for me to hear either, all it meant was that I've failed. Fail, failure, failness times 50. I walked ahead and turned to get right in her face.

"Jenna. You have nothing to worry about... Please trust me on this. Every time you say it... I hate myself for you even thinking of being worried."
"What but I-"
"You will not ever see a single tail of those damned wolves in our town. Not as long as I am here to kick their asses." I changed tones now, but did not break eye contact.
"Now... I need to be strong... And I am nothing if my mate isn't. I need you to be strong for me. Can you handle it?"

Jenna froze in her tracks... I had stared at her blankly for a second, still awaiting a reply, until I finally noticed what she was looking at. I turned slowly, dreading what lie behind me as her face was one that nobody could decipher unless they were the one, and only wolfdog that chose to spend his life with her.

"Oh my god..."

There, lie before us just a meter away was a body, the body of Kirby. The yearling pup that was also team leader of my sons sledding team.

I quickly grabbed hold of Jenna and tried to move her away, and cover her eyes. If she was worried before... This wouldn't do much to help. She slipped my grasp and walked towards Kirby, I let her go. She slowly looked at his lifeless body, blood nearly absent due to the rains, but it was obvious that his body most likely had little left at this point. Jenna examined the body only for a second, before turning away crying. I was basing this off of her posture and the sounds I've come to mark as one of the worse things to hear in my life. The rainfall cloaked her tears, and I went to hold her. Only when I looked over her shoulder did I notice how Kirby had died... Across his neck, as high as his jawbone, down a whole foot, was a massive bite... A bite almost certainly from a wolf, not a dog. No way it was from a dog.

"Come on... Lets go. We need to inform Doc..."
"We can't just leave him here?"
"We can't do anything..."
Jenna seemed to want to protest, but finally nodded her head and walked off, continuing her crying. No doubt due to the shock of the scene.
"My wife had to see this... Something I hoped she wouldn't ever have to endure again... First Rosie and her family... Now this?"

We were within the city in no time, and what chilled me the most, was that Kirby was practically right outside his front door when he was killed... A good eye from a dog standing on Kirby's porch would have seen the even through the trees, and no doubt hear the event at least. It must have happened last night when Saba and Dingo came to sleep with us... Unintentionally leaving Kirby helpless when he was attacked. A shiver went through my body at the thought... For it could have easily been one of my children...

"Hey... There's Doc now."

We picked up our pace as we noted down the street Doc and the same two dogs that always stuck to his side, they were making their way into the Old mill. I did not rush Jenna's pace, and noted that it would probably take hours to reach at this speed... It was just my impatience, at most maybe a 400 meter walk. Close enough to see, but luckily not be directly affected by...

Lightning.

I felt the hair stand up down my back at the static buildup below us. I was, by no means trained in this sort of thing, but the strange feeling alone caused me to freeze, and hold Jenna back.

It started with a low, short explosion in the distance, quickly grew softer, then built up into a low rumble right above us. It was as if it's first choice was to strike many miles away, but it changed its mind. Just as quickly as I blinked my eyes, quite possibly the brightest flash I've ever seen stretched from the clouds above to the ground... No, a building. The old mill, the same that Doc had just entered... I screamed in protest and ran to the building, but before I had enough time to react, the small room exploded, and regardless of the torrential downpour, a raging inferno developed, shooting flames out of the top and side windows. The explosion alone shot wood and shrapnel in every direction, and blew out windows as far down the street was we were. I instantly shielded Jenna with my body, even though if something did decide to come this way, it would have already.

It was the boiler that had exploded. The same that had provided every canine in this town at least once, warmth, during the coldest nights. It was where the sled team unofficially made into their team house and slept there every night nowadays. It was where I was, just a few days ago with Siku, as she told everyone of the news.

Now it was destroyed, leaving the fire to finish it off.

Just seconds later, I yelled in anger and confusion, leaving Jenna and running towards the burning beacon at the end of the road. The flames were intense, and the heat could be felt from where I was at already. As soon as I was outside the door, I shoved it open and walked inside; I sniffed around, hoping to smell Doc, but not like this... Not like this… I smelt... Burning fur. I gagged at the sight before me, something that I never wish to have to explain to anybody. Doc... Or whatever was left of him, was now a burning dead body. Our alpha, mayor, whatever you called the dog that has dedicated his life to keeping balance in the canine world, that would have, no doubt, fallen into ruin at just the events of the serum run alone. This time I felt, cried at the sight, but instantly had to man up, for I knew what lied ahead, and Jenna needed me to be strong. I had hoped to run out and meet Jenna before she saw this, but it was too late. I turned and saw that she too, had entered the remains of this building, and was simply staring back at me.

"Jenna... You shouldn't have seen-"
"I told you... I'm not a child."

Her response was unexpected, not more than her next statement.

"What the hell are we going to do without our leader..." Jenna said.

The flames died down on their own, the rains helped, but it was also as simple a fact that it did not have any more material to burn, and whatever was left quickly became soggy to the core. It was 7am, but the few humans that were awake at this hour were no doubt curious as to what caused the explosion that shook their houses.

Me and Jenna stood in the former building, flames and smoke not even a problem as the roof had already been destroyed and the rains fell freely upon us, extinguishing most of it. Admittedly, I was scared more about the fact that we were without order when this battle happened, then the battle itself.

A few did come now, humans, the sheriff, Dr. Osnik, who as smart as he was, knew that dogs called the old mill their home, and expected tragic results.

He walked past me and Jenna, placing a hand on her head as he passed, walking straight to Doc, and kneeling before him. As much as I never wanted to recall the sight before me, I had to. I would have to explain it many times and I knew it. His entire body was burnt, fur singed to the point where the better half of his body was fur-less.

Only after examining him a second time did I notice what I would hope, was the event that killed him quick and painless. The explosion shot a four inch metallic beam directly into his skull between his eyes. The event shattered his skull in half, striking a sweet spot that every canine head had, and easily split it in half.

There were other signs of the two dogs that accompanied him, but that was it. Signs. The intense blast would no doubt have vaporized them if they were close to the lighting strike or the explosion. Knowing Doc, he stayed at the door, watching the rains, which is why he suffered the least damage.

I closed my eyes in respect, Jenna did the same. A few of the towns dogs came to investigate, or, however few who's humans were awake at the time. One of us had to start, a dog from the front led in a death howl, a sign of respect. Soon every dog, me and Jenna included joined in this song, for our three fallen brethren. The humans knew this and lowered their heads too, everyone but Dr. Osnik doubting the dogs did I out of respect, but he knew dogs, and was, admittedly, the only one who shared in genuine sorrow. Doc was the oldest dog in town, and showed no signed of slowing down.

I went up to another dog, without anyone really destined to "take his place" there was nobody to take command. With nobody to take command, I made sure to tell the smartest dog I knew.

"Kirby is also dead. Poor kid died only 250 meters from his own house."
"What?"

I walked away without looking at his face. I knew he was a closer friend of Kirby's parents than I was, heck, I didn't even know their names.

Kaltag was up, and walked to me, passing a few humans who were still putting out whatever was left of the fire.

"What in the hell happened here?!
"Lightning... Exploded the boiler and killed Doc and his two walkers..."
"Oh my...
"There's more. I found Kirby dead outside of his house. Wolves got to him last night..."
"Kirby... God... What could we have done-"
"There was nothing anyone could have done..."
"Kirby's death means they're coming. Docs death means we have no leader, no order, no plan..."
"How's Jenna doing there?" Kaltag motioned to Jenna who was sitting behind me, watching Osnik wrap up the remains of Doc.
"She's managing."
"Our kids came over last night... It's been almost a year since they wanted to sleep with us, yet when I woke up they were here, snuggled I between us."
"Again, you can't imagine how sorry I am about Dusty... But my kids were also scared. Scared to the point where they walked two miles to my boa at night to be safe with us... It could have easily been them that died instead of Kirby."
"We need a miracle..." Kaltag said gravely.
"Yeah... We do."
"We need a leader..." Kaltag faced me now.
"Don't even... What experience do I have running the canine population?"
"You aren't stupid Balto. That's one trait, and not being stupid means that you know... You know that any dog in this town would follow you to hell and back. If Doc were here he'd agree..."
"I second that!" A random dog said who was listening in on our conversation.
"I'm no leader..."
"You have no choice balto. The attack could happen any minute now. We need you to restore order otherwise they will attack us with our backs turned. The humans are useless as long as their oblivious..."
"I see... But-"
"All in favor of Balto next in line?!" Kaltag screamed to the few dogs that were standing around."

Their overall expression was simple. One dog simplified it easily above the rest.

"Hell yes!" He yelled back.
"Wanna be my second in command?" I joked.
"It'd be an honor."

Whether it was habit, or simply out of circumstance, the dogs turned to face me and Kaltag. This was both exiting and somewhat intimidating at the same time. In a wolf pack, it was the equivalent to the alphawolf dying and I was being chosen as his successor.

"So. I know there cannot be 100% agreement about my sudden rise to power, but do know this." I walked around now and jumped on a fallen part of the wall.

I looked down at the dogs who were eager to hear my words.

"We have lost another of our family. Kirby, was a good kid. He was leader of the team three of my children run on. His body was discovered just 250 meters from safety, from help. Right outside his own damn door."

"It was a wolf that killed him..."

A few surprised gasps came from the group, though a few we're a bit more prepared. I looked to the audience, Kirby's parents were not present. I had to wait for everyone to wake up and listen to the plan, but what if they attack before?

"First things first. I cannot promise that we have any spare time. They could be out there now on their way. The pack of wolves, at least thirty."
"Eh, we greatly outnumber them! We can take 'em!" One yelled out, earning sounds of agreement from a few others.
"You'd think so, but Doc... May god rest his soul... He knew. He knows how these wolves are. Apart from me and just two others, none of you have first-hand experience with wolves. They are... Faster, stronger, smarter, much more organized and simply bred fighters than any of you are. As much as you've idolized Steele in the past-" I heard many sounds of disgust at this statement. " - he may have been a big guy, one of the largest dogs in Nome, but for comparison, the smallest wolf in the pack is probably already a head taller than him."

I heard both signs of disbelief, and signs of fear.

"What do we do?"
"We've prepared for this. We are much more able to handle a situation like this than we were just two weeks ago. We have Siku to thank for that. If any of you are disbelieving at this point, I might have been there with you, had I not seen Rosie's killer firsthand."

Everyone could see how inexperienced I was at giving speeches, but at this point it didn't matter. They recognized that I had started on points earlier and did not complete them.

"Like I started a moment ago, we do not have spare time. I need every dog out here to hear of a plan, and gladly share ideas. I'd recommend you do not travel alone, and at the first sight of anything suspicious, I want you to howl. Yes, howl. I know you all can do it, throw that prejudice about wolves away right now, because you'll go into this thinking you're up against bloodthirsty ruthless killing machines. But fear not. They can be beaten. They are not immortal. The have weaknesses, just like we do."

"Now off you go, wake everyone in town and we will meet..."I stopped after realizing that the Old Mill was pretty much the default place we'd always meet in times something important.
"What about your boat?" Kaltag suggested from my side.
"We should probably be in town..." I replied.
"City hall?" Kaltag said. I nodded agreeing with his idea.
"Okay. All of you disperse and wake every dog you know and we will meet back at City Hall. Do not let the rains-"

I was cut off by a loud thunderclap, just on time.

"Rains... Yeah, don't be afraid of that either. Use the lights of the town as your guide. If its too dark where you are at, or going, then the simply means do not go there!"

I nodded to the group and walked off with Kaltag. Jenna had a surprise smile on her face, instantly giving me the courage I needed as well.

"You're good at giving speeches. I don't care what anyone says." She said to me
"I second that. It was the most uplifting, the most informative... You know." Kaltag stopped himself, a habit he was working hard to break.
"I'll go and get the vet... Lead him to Kirby... I know Osnik would understand, and hopefully it will open his eyes to the wolf attack..."
"Good idea. All three of us trying to get his attention should lead him on." Jenna said.

Dingo and Saba

Dingo awoke first, though out of habit and instinct, Saba woke right afterwards.

"Morning sis." Dingo said while yawning.
"Morning. Where's everyone?" She asked looking around.
"Don't know. It's still pouring out there... All four of them left?"
"Left us alone here at night?" Saba said a bit scared.
"No, no. I'm sure there's a good reason.
"Well, let's go to town. I wonder if we're running today... to find Kirby and Ralph. Then maybe some breakfast" he said with a small laugh.
"Sounds good to me" Saba said as she stretched.

Both of them walked out of the room, near-identical coloring of their fur was noticeable in the small light. They were in for a surprise as to the coloring soon enough...

Saba knew it first; it took Diego much longer to figure out. They were not alone on this boat.

"Oh no... Shh, Dingo get down." Saba whispered.
"what is it?"
"Wolves... On top deck..."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Dingo whispered back.
"No doubt they know we're here... They're guarding us... Otherwise they would have killed us in our sleep." Dingo expertly guessed.
"What do we do?"
"Nothing... Otherwise they'd probably kill us... At least they can't. Hear or smell us through this storm. I doubt they know we're even awake."
"The wall... We could break through and try to run for it..." Dingo whispered.
"Good idea."

Dingo slowly creeped to the far wall, and tested it. The already rotting wood nearly fell apart at just that.

"Saba... On three."
"One"
"Two" Saba continued.

"Three!" Both synchronized and shoved their way through the wall of the boat. It broke free with little resistance. Dingo and Saba found themselves falling only a few feet into relatively soft landing. Too bad it wasn't safe still.

Both of them fell and upon first look, saw wolves staring back at them. Dingo got a better look at the sight before him.

As many as thirty wolves were marching their way over the hill in the weak light, and rain.

"Hello, children." Nehalem said with a smile before them.

_D

Sorry for stalling this so goddamn much, but some people don't like long chapters and I understand that. Even I don't have time to dedicate to read a 10,000 word chapter. Edit: Decided to cut it for no reason.