Here's Chapter Two! Hope you guys like it!

Chapter Two

"What!?" Yuna shot up from her spot in front of the fire. She had returned home with Rosie's mother, while Jenna had gone with Rosie and her father. Yuna hadn't been told why… until now. "What do you mean Rosie's sick!?" Jenna sighed, settling next to her sister.

"I mean what I said, Yuna. Rosie's sick… and the doctor…"

"The doctor can fix it, right?" Yuna was begging now, something she never did. Her heart dropped when Jenna shook her head. "Jenny?"

"The doctor doesn't have any more medicine." Yuna gasped, her eyes tearing up. "There's more."

"What? How could things get worse?"

"Balto was accused of stealing sausages." Yuna's eyes widened.

"What!?" Her hackles rose. "Who did it?"

"Steele." The word was barely out of Jenna's mouth when Yuna had torn out of the room. "Yuna! Come back!" The white husky was too far away to hear.

She ran down the lane, not caring about the snow blowing in her face. Panting, she skidded to a stop in front of the hospital. A sign was on the door, but she didn't stop to look at it. Instead, she stuck her nose in the air, sniffing.

Finding Balto's scent, she ran under the building, gluing her nose to the ground. She followed it to the grate under Rosie's room. Yuna's ears flattened against her head at the sound of her girl's coughing. Rearing up, she placed her front paws on the wood under the grate, staring up into the room. Rosie was huddled under a mountain of blankets, but they had done nothing for her shivering. Yuna whined, in hopes of her owner hearing her, but to no avail.

A sound behind her startled the female. Whirling, she hunched her shoulders. "Yuna! Relax!" The blue-eyed husky relaxed her stance.

"Balto?" she called out hopefully. Her eyes widened when the wolf half-breed stepped out of the shadows. He smiled softly, sitting down.

"Hey."

"Hey." Yuna shuffled her paws. "Is… is it true? Is Rosie really… really that sick?" Balto's eyes widened when he realized that Jenna must have told her. He sighed, looking down at the ground.

"Yeah." Hearing a sniff, he looked up to see Yuna's shoulder shaking. "Hey, Yuna." She glanced at him. "Come here." Shakily, she descended the small mound. He waited till she was right in front of him to reach his head out, placing his chin on the back of her neck and directing her to his chest.

Yuna pressed into him, rubbing her face on his chest. Balto sighed when he felt her tears soaking his fur. "I'm sorry, Yuna. I didn't want you to be upset." She sat down, shifting her head so it rested against his neck. He rubbed his muzzle on her shoulder. "I've been listening for a while."

"To what?"

"The humans. Apparently, they are creating a dogsled team to retrieve the tonic for the kids. They're racing the dogs tomorrow around town to find out who the fastest dogs are." Yuna pulled back, looking into Balto's eyes. "And I'm going to run."

"What?" she gasped. "Balto! If you do that Steele will turn you into a chew toy!" Balto butted her muzzle with his.

"Hey! I expected you to be cheering me on, not be another Boris." Yuna huffed, stepping back.

"It's not that. I just…" She turned away. "I don't want you getting hurt." Balto smiled softly, rubbing his muzzle on Yuna's neck. His smile grew when he felt her nose nudge his shoulder.

"I appreciate you worrying about me, Yuna, but I'll be fine. I'm half-wolf, remember?" Yuna giggled softly, burrowing her nose deeper into Balto's fur. Balto shifted his head so it was resting on Yuna's neck.

"Yeah… I remember." Yuna sighed, pulling back. "Just… promise. Promise you'll be okay." Balto nodded, pushing his forehead to hers.

"I promise, Yuna. I'll win the race. I'll join the team, and I'll get that medicine for Rosie."

"Is that why you're doing this?" Balto smiled.

"No…" he said softly. Feeling rather daring, he let his nose brush Yuna's as he pulled away. "I'm doing this for you." Yuna's eyes widened. "I've seen how happy Rosie makes you, and I want you to smile like that all the time. It's one of the many things that makes you bea…. Um…" Balto stopped short, turning his head away.

"Makes me what?" Balto swallowed uncomfortably.

"Makes you… beautiful." Balto's cheeks were burning. Yuna's turned bright pink. He glanced at her, waiting her reaction.

"Oh. Well… that's very… sweet… of you to say, Balto." She stood, clearly embarrassed. "I um… I better be getting back. Jenna will be worried." The half-breed nodded.

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow then?" Yuna nodded, walking towards the exit. "Wait!" She turned around.

"What is it?"

"There's a blizzard outside. Will you make it back?" Yuna's eyes widened.

"I… I don't know."

"Stay here." Her eyes widened further. "There's a heater in the room you had to pass through to get here. The doctor will keep it running all night, so it'll stay pretty warm in here." Yuna smirked.

"I take it you stay here often?" Balto shrugged, walking next to Yuna as they made their way back.

"Occasionally." Yuna smiled. Coming to the entrance into the main room, they hid behind the wall behind the heater. Just like Balto had said, it was really warm. Balto smiled, sitting down. Yuna sat next to him, stretching her paws out in front of her.

"You were right." She moaned in appreciation, resting her chin on her forelegs. "It is really warm." Balto chuckled, laying down next to her.

"Told ya." Yuna yawned, displaying two rows of perfect teeth and a bright pink tongue. Shutting her eyes, she rested her chin on her legs again. Balto's eyes softened as he looked down at her. "Goodnight Yuna."

"Goodnight, Balto." was her mumbled reply. Balto laughed softly to himself, letting his head drop onto his forelegs. The last thing he saw that night was Yuna's peaceful face as she slept.

雪狼

Yuna sat next to Jenna and her friends, watching as the dogs lined up for the dog race. Steele walked back and forth in front of the line, his head held high. Dixie was swooning over him. Again.

"Just look at him. He's gonna save the entire town. He's… positively… magnesium!" Yuna rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"It's not exactly a one-dog show, Dixie. They're racing to see who's going to be on the dog sled team." Dixie huffed at Yuna.

"What's with you, Yuna? Steele's a genuine hero. But do you give him a sniff?"

"That's because Yuna is running with Balto." Yuna glared at Sylvie while Dixie gasped. "She was seen in the boiler room the other night with Balto, and they stayed there the whole night." Sylvie laid down in front of them. "And I heard it all from a very reliable source. And don't bother to deny it."

"Well then…" Yuna lay down, crossing her paws. "I won't." Sylvie's jaw dropped. Dixie looked like she was a statue, and Jenna just grinned.

"I'm speechless." Yuna chuckled at her busybody friend, looking up as the men started calling out for the race to start. She scanned the racers, her ears drooping when Balto wasn't seen. Jenna noticed, nudging her.

"He'll show up."

"If Steele hasn't gotten to him first." She gasped, her ears pricking in joy as Balto shoved himself between two racers. "There he is!" She sat up, completely ignoring the gaping stares of Sylvie and Dixie.

The gun was fired, signaling the start. All the dogs shot past, barking. Yuna watched till they rounded the corner, before ducking in between legs to find a gap in the fence. She gasped when Balto was kicked in the chin, causing him to skid down and across the frozen lake. Boris was cheering him on from on top the fence. Yuna bounced in place, lifting her muzzle. "Go Balto!"

On the ice, Balto smiled when he heard Yuna's shout. 'Don't worry, love. I'm going to win this thing.' Jumping across the ships, he landed on the snow in front of the pack. 'Alright!'

"Yeah!" Yuna jumped in place, ducking back through the fence so she could watch the end of the race.

"Who's eating who's snow now, mutt!?" The white husky laughed at Boris. She had never been this excited for a race. Balto crossed the finish line several dog lengths ahead of the pack.

"Time!" Yuna giggled when she saw the man double-check his stopwatch, and then put it against his ear to see if it was working right. Turning her head, she locked gazes with Balto. He smiled at her, making her blush. It disappeared, however, when he and Steele began arguing. She ran over in time to catch Steele's words.

"Do you honestly think any musher would ever put you on his team? You're even more mixed up than I thought."

"Steele!" The black-and-white sled dog looked at Yuna. "It doesn't matter who's on the team! As long as the medicine gets through." Her ears flattened against her head. "Stop being such a glory hound!" Steele blinked in surprise at the normally mild-mannered husky's outburst.

"You're… one hundred percent right, Yuna. I… I wasn't thinking about those children. The, important thing here is to get the medicine through, and that's just what I'm going to do." Steele's head whipped around to stare down Balto. "And when I get back… I'm gonna fold you five ways, and leave you for a cat… toy." The sled-dog's owner came up.

"Let's take a look at our winner!" Yuna stood next to Balto, standing in between him and Steele. The men chuckled. "Well! It seems Yuna likes him!" Balto ducked his head, blushing when Yuna rubbed his neck with her muzzle. Steele snarled to himself, lifting his paw. Just before he could slam it down on Balto's paw, Yuna shoved hers in between the two, consequently getting her paw thrust into the ground.

She bit her tongue, hiding her pain. The humans didn't notice, instead looking Balto over. He glanced at Yuna uncertainly, but she nodded, showing him it was okay. He nodded back, letting the human lift his paw.

"Would you look at these mitts!" The second man hummed.

"It makes sense. He's part wolf, if I remember correctly." The first man looked at his companion, before standing.

"If that's the case, then he could turn on the dogs at any moment." Yuna gaped in shock. "We can't trust him." They turned away, calling to the other dogs. Bristling, Yuna tried to jump out in front of the men, but Balto held her back.

"You shouldn't risk yourself for me, Yuna. I might hurt you."

"Balto…" Steele tried to ignore the hurt he heard in Yuna's voice. He turned away as well, walking over to his master. A quick glance showed Balto running out of the town, with Yuna staring woefully after him.

'Just you wait, Yuna. I'll show you what a real dog is like. When I bring the medicine back for your stupid human, you'll be begging at my feet for me. You'll never look to wolf half-breeds for strength again!'

雪狼

"What!" Yuna stared in shock at Balto. He smiled slightly at her.

"I'm going to find Steele and the others and lead them back here."

"But why!?" Yuna was pleading with him now.

"To save Rosie." Yuna shook her head.

"Balto! I don't care if Steele dies getting the medicine, but…" tears began to run down her cheeks. "But I don't want you risking your life for someone that'll kill you the second he gets a chance." Balto pressed his muzzle against Yuna's, rubbing her fur soothingly.

"Hey…" he crooned. "It's okay, Yuna. I'll have Boris and the bears with me. I'm not going alone." Yuna shook her head again, shoving her head under his.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you, Balto." Balto sighed, stepping back. When Yuna looked up at him, he licked her cheek, catching the tear.

"I'll be okay, Yuna. I promise." Yuna searched his eyes. He smiled gently. "I'll bring the medicine back, and your girl will get all better." He was rewarded with a soft smile.

"I'm holding you to that promise, Balto." His smile grew. Yuna stepped forward, pressing her head to Balto's chest again. He rested his chin on her neck, rubbing his cheek on her fur. "I'll never forgive you if you don't come back, ya' hear?" The half-wolf chuckled, stepping back.

"Yes ma'am." Turning, he bounded up the lane. Casting one last glance over his shoulder, he waved at Yuna. She lifted a paw in return, watching him vanish over the hill with Boris and Muk and Luk.

"You have to come back, Balto. You have to… so I can tell you I love you." A fur in her nose surprised her. Whirling, Yuna came muzzle-to-muzzle with her sister. "Jenna!" The red husky smirked, nodding her head in the direction Balto had gone.

"Go after him." Yuna looked over her shoulder at the paw prints. Jenna rolled her eyes, butting Yuna's shoulder with her head. "Now?" Yuna smiled, turning around to nuzzle Jenna's neck.

"Thanks sis. I'll be back."

"You'd better." Smiling, Yuna turned around, racing down the lane. Jenna waited till she had disappeared over the hill to stand, making her way home. 'I know you'll be okay, Yuna. Just... come back safely. Please.'