Cole backed off so Balto can recover from getting his belly rub. A sound caught his ears and Cole looked up to see some geese flying in V-formations against the sunset skies. Boris was beside them too and Balto looked his way.
"Homesick, Boris?", Balto asked smirking, "You ever think about going back?"
"Don't fret, fido.", Boris comforted rubbing his head, "I'm sticking here until you can stand on own four feet."
Cole noticed Boris waddle over to a bucket nearby and took out a mop showing the bucket had water in it before he started swabbing the deck. Cole felt like Boris was a caring individual even if he could be grumpy at times. He had an uncle back in his old life who was the same way. He was strict, but was only that way cause he was caring and probably didn't know how to show it properly. Balto rose to his feet as a scent came to his and Cole's noses. It had the aroma of fish and wet fur which confused Cole, but Balto seemed to be familiar with it.
"I smell . . . herring.", Balto said still smirking.
"The herring are flying south too?", Boris asked as he dipped the mop into the bucket yet again.
"Say, must be Muk and Luk.", Balto said cheerfully.
Cole looked confused.
"Who?", he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll see.", Balto told him.
"Oh-ho, good news.", Boris said sarcastically.
"Uncle Boris!", a voice called out.
Boris nearly dropped his mop from getting startled and looked around while Cole did the same trying to locate the distant voice.
"Oh, no.", Boris spoke nervously.
"How sweet.", Balto said rolling his eyes still grinning, "Uncle Boris."
Boris grabbed the bucket and held it like a shield sending water over the deck and holding the mop like a lance.
"No hugging, no licking!", he demanded.
A small polar bear hopped on the deck and was running right for Boris making the goose cry out in fear, close his eyes, and braced for the impact of the polar bear ramming into him. He felt a shudder, but no impact so he cautiously opened his eyes to see the bear held back by the mop poking into its belly providing a safe distance. Just as Boris sighed in relief, he fell back into something big and fluffy. It turned out to be yet another much bigger polar bear who swiped him off the deck and wrapped him in a tight bear hug while making a few humming sounds that the smaller one translated.
"He says he's glad to see you."
/
The larger polar bear swung Boris around as he gave the goose a huge slobbery lick that made some of his feathers drop like flower petals.
"We love you, Uncle Boris.", the smaller bear said excitedly to Boris who was still struggling and sputtering.
Boris finally managed to get out of the grip he was in and landed hard on the deck as Cole looked Balto's way.
"Uh, which one is which?", he asked.
"Small one's Muk and the big one's Luk.", Balto answered pointing them out.
"Got it.", Cole said.
Boris saw his dropped feathers and scooped up as much as he could while placing them on multiple parts of his body. Then he noticed a large feather missing from his left wing before Luk hummed to get his attention. He turned to see Luk twirling the missing feather in his claws which Boris swiped back and Luk began making small whimpers to Muk.
"What are you talking about? Of course he's glad to see us.", Muk assured Luk, "He does love us. Don't you?"
Boris was in the middle of twisting his feather back into place and gave a firm look. Balto turned his head to Boris, waiting for his answer back. Then Muk noticed Cole near Balto.
"Um Luk, when did Balto get a brother?", Muk asked.
"Oh, I'm not a relative.", Cole answered a little taken aback, "I'm a new friend he met earlier today."
"Oh, Luk loves meeting new friends!", Muk said excitedly clapping his hands together.
Luk approached Cole and Cole suddenly felt like he made a mistake. Just as he was about to bolt away, Luk had already had him in a bear hug that felt anything but welcoming. As much as Cole tried, Luk's grip clearly couldn't be broken, but surprisingly as he gave up, he started to feel that Luk was pretty comforting until Luk finally let go.
"Well, you sure know how to hug.", Cole commented.
Luk then noticed Cole's collar and whimpered some soft whispers to Muk who eyed the collar himself.
"My, isn't that beautiful."
Cole felt a bit of pride as he used a forepaw to touch it soothingly.
"Well, I don't mean to boast, but I did run against the best and they didn't make it easy."
Cole then noticed the sunset and went to the ship's bow to get a better view and the sight was enough to take his breath away. Maybe Alaska wasn't so bad as he believed it was and he should get it a shot. As the illuminating ball of light sat at the horizon, it bathed the sky in a bright yellow-orange hue.
/
Balto came up to him looking curious.
"You okay Togo?", he asked.
Cole snapped out his thoughts again and turned Balto's way.
"Yeah, just thinking.", he said hoping to cover how he was feeling, "Balto, since you're half-wolf, can't you . . . you know?"
Balto flinched because he knew what Cole was talking about and doing so felt like it was opening up the biggest wound in his life.
"I haven't done that in years.", he said with a sad sigh.
Cole felt like he had spoken something bad and quickly tried to make amends.
"Oh, well back there, when that wild pack was watching us, I thought about howling back, but after what Steele did, my heart wasn't in it."
Balto felt comforted as he could see that Cole just wanted to be friendly and could see that it was what was on the inside that counted alongside Rosy and Jeanna. He then felt something nuzzle his neck and turned to see Cole brushing his face across his fur looking content. Then Boris' voice caught their ears.
"Hey, fellas, come over here."
They did so and walked over to where Muk and Luk were resting while noticing Boris had a mischievous grin on his face.
"Let me show you something.", he chuckled before facing the bears, "Hey boychiks, uh, let's play a game."
Muk and Luk were on their feet in record time eager to play.
"Yes, please, Uncle Boris!", Muk exclaimed.
Boris gave a toothy grin while pointing with his left wing swiftly.
"Race you to the shore. One, two, three, go!"
The bears shot off and leaped over the deck towards the nearby beach while Boris had a proud look on his face when Balto and Cole looked his way.
"They win.", the goose said plainly.
Just as the goose was walking away thinking he had gotten rid of his problem, the sounds of splashing and cries filled Balto and Cole's ears.
"Help! Help! We can't swim!"
Balto and Cole bolted over the deck and towards the beach with Boris right behind them.
/
Arriving there, Cole just saw the two polar bears splashing around in the shallow part and was in disbelief while Balto looked amused and Boris was dumbfounded.
"Bears! Fellas!", he yelled hoping to get the bears attention, "Idiot balls of fluff!"
"Easy Boris.", Balto told him calmly, "You know how they are."
Cole took a breath as he tried to deescalate the situation as Boris began waddling over to the still panicking bears.
"Muk? Luk? Hello?", he called out to them, "Hey, it's okay, you're fine. You're not drowning."
The bears finally calmed down and stopped flailing about once they realized how shallow the water was and Boris spoke to them from a reflection in the water.
"He has point bears."
Muk looked up to him as he continued.
"You're not drowning because, if you will pause one moment you will observe, perhaps . . .", he started before pressing his beak hard into Muk's nose while pointing to the wide-open sea, "Tide is out!"
Boris shook his webbed feet before heading back to shore as Luk whimpered something in Muk's ear. Even so, Boris heard it and turned their way.
"He said what?", he asked with an eye closed.
"Oh, the shame of the polar bear who fears the water.", Muk said nervously rubbing his arms, "No wonder we are shunned from our fellow bear. Woe is us!"
He took a moment to point to his brother.
"It's what he said. Kind of pathetic, really."
Boris had by now had enough and started walking back to the boat.
"What, more whimpering? Between you and Balto, it's like Dostoyevsky novel around here. Lighten up."
Muk and Luk got out and shook themselves dry while Cole rolled his eyes comically.
"Those bears are pretty dim."
"You can say that again."
Cole followed Balto to the bow of the boat so they could watch the sunset which was nearing its end. As the two dogs watched the sun become a single sliver against the horizon, Cole noticed Balto had a dreamy look on his face which brought up yet another memory. A couple of his teammates had developed crushes on a couple of the team's cheerleaders and the team shared a laugh or two between them in good humor and not in any kind of bullying. Could Balto be feeling the same way? He took a chance with a line a team member used.
"I know that look."
/
Balto looked Cole's way as Cole looked eager.
"Who's the girl?"
Boris then came up to them and overheard Cole.
"And what is so interesting?"
Balto sighed and didn't hesitate.
"Jenna."
"Is love.", Boris said, "So go make move."
He waddled on the deck before continuing.
"When the angels' balalaikas strum the sweet song of love, mambo!"
Cole couldn't help but chuckle as Boris did a little Latin dance with invisible maracas.
"Nah, she's not my type.", Balto denied.
Cole frowned.
"Excuse me? I saw the way you two looked each other's way both at the race this morning and in the alley after. You two certainly have a spark between you."
Balto tried to hold back his romantic feelings, but failed miserably as his warm smile said it all.
"This wolf business again?", Boris scoffed, "What's wrong with being half and half, I'd like to know? Sometimes I wish like crazy I was half eagle."
"Why?", Balto asked chuckling.
"Better profile, for one thing. Hmm.", Boris explained, "And nobody eats you, for another."
"See Balto?", Cole added, "Even Boris sees the positive of half and half."
"I don't know.", Balto breathed through gritted teeth, "She did seem to like my company."
Cole then felt his stomach rumble and Balto must have heard it so Cole looked a bit embarrassed.
"Sorry, I guess haven't eaten anything in a while."
Balto looked a bit concerned, but didn't hold back.
"There's a butcher in town who owns a meat locker."
Boris looked uncomfortable.
"That svoloch almost chop my head off.", he interrupted.
Cole was a bit surprised and guessed Balto wasn't really liked by this butcher, but he had to get food if he was going to be able to run like he was.
"Why not after it gets dark, we sneak over and you show me how to get into the meat locker?", he suggested before looking a bit sneaky, "Although, I wouldn't mind taking a detour to visit a certain red and white husky if you're up for it."
Balto sighed and rolled his eyes comically.
"All right, I guess I'll give it a try."
/
As darkness descended, Balto and Cole went over their plan.
"Okay, we'll meet up with Jenna and then we'll get some grub.", Cole stated.
Balto looked confused so Cole felt like he should clear the confusion.
"Food."
Balto then looked a bit interested.
"Maybe I can show you my trick so you can get into the meat locker so you can feed yourself if needed."
Cole was onboard with that before turning to Boris who would be staying behind and then noticed some lights in Nome were going out.
"Okay, game time."
Balto looked confused again.
"What?"
"Sorry Balto.", Cole said as he blushed with embarrassment, "Figure of speech. I was meaning that it's time to put our plan into motion."
Balto and Cole headed off the boat while Cole winked to Boris who winked back. Cole was considering getting food, but he felt like Balto needed to talk to Jenna to tell her how he felt about her. He had a feeling she would understand by the way he saw her interact with Balto and was feeling a bit giddy.
"Any idea what you're going to say to her?", he asked Balto as they came closer to Nome.
Balto shrugged so Cole decided to try and get to know Balto more.
"So Balto, do you ever fetch sticks?"
Balto rolled his eyes with a smile.
From time to time. Boris doesn't like it when I bring sharp ones though. Reminds him of those skewers the butcher has."
Cole snickered, but covered it up quick before Balto noticed.
"What about you Togo?", he asked, "What happened to your musher?"
Cole felt dread wash over him as he looked to the ground shamefaced. Balto suddenly looked apologetic.
"Oh, sorry if that was-"
"No, it's just . . . hard to recall.", Cole answered as they reached the first buildings and continued on, "Seppala and I were doing a delivery after I won this collar. It was over one of Alaska's most dangerous areas and a frozen lake. I thought I could get our sled across to the other side in time even though the ice was cracking, but then . . . a teammate got caught between some ice blocks. I was scared for him, but Seppala didn't stop and my teammate got free. But still . . .we went too fast and the sled turned over. Seppala bumped his head and wouldn't get up so we pulled him to our destination hoping he'd pull through for us."
Balto looked both surprised and sympathetic.
"Wow Togo, that has to be the most heartfelt story I heard in a long time. Did your musher pull through?"
"I don't know.", Cole answered sadly looking Balto's way, "I just ran away before the doc came with the news. Guess I could've used a friend that time huh?"