Steele led the team through the Alaska wilderness towards Nenana. Now that Balto and Cole had been delt with, there was nothing in his way of getting the medicine like he had promised Jenna. Sure he wasn't exactly true on what he said, but it was short notice and who would tell the difference? As much as he would admire Cole's spirit of forfeiting his chance at getting selected, it made him smile to himself to finally find Cole's one weak point: Cole cared about Balto enough to be by his side no matter what. That was something he could use, but for now, he had a mission and after a long journey, they made it to the train where two workers hitched a lit lantern to the medicine after placing it on the sled. The weather had started growing worse so Steele felt like he should pick up the pace.
"Easy. Easy with that."
"Now, be sure you lash it down tight."
The moment, Steele felt his musher's reigns against him, he knew the medicine was there. If only Balto could see him now.
"Take care now, you hear?"
Steele didn't bother to stop, but then the weather turned worse and now the wind was blowing snow into his face so hard, he couldn't run and had to drag himself through. Where was the trail? Where was the scent? Why couldn't he find the path?
"Steele, maybe we should go back."
Steele tried ignoring it since it was Star who said it, but then something else caught his ears.
"We're lost."
Steele looked back and brought his cold sneer to Star's face.
"I'm not lost!", he sneered splattering Star's face with snow.
As Star tried explaining, Steele turned his sights into the wind and just made a guess.
"This way!"
And before Star even finished talking, Steele had pulled the rest of the team even further into the wind that even drowned out his musher's voice. The thought of Jenna giving him a shot and the look on those wolfdog's faces when she did was enough to motivate him and no storm was going to stop him.
/
Back in Nome, Cole had noticed the snow starting to fall and wondered how the sled team was doing. He turned to Balto who was still sulking after Boris and him had tried to help him cheer up. Then an idea came to mind.
"Hey, want to see what the status of the delivery will be?", he asked trying to sound supportive.
As much as Balto had tried to put Steele out of his mind, he could see that Cole wasn't phased anymore and it helped put his mind at ease.
"Togo, how come you want to know?"
Cole shrugged as he started down the plank to get off the boat.
"Can't it be to find out?", he answered, "And not to mention that we'll see what the latest talk is."
Balto just followed Cole into Nome again and Cole's ears picked up the telegraph beeping and dog barking which led them to a large building that had once been used for coal mining, but now was abandoned though the inside was still maintained by the way light came out. Cole and Balto's ears picked up voices and Balto led Cole to a window so they could look in. A group of resident dogs including Dixie and Sylvia had gathered though one dog looking elderly came in with grave news.
"It's terrible. Steele and his team are lost."
Gasps of shock rang out and Cole felt it too. Dixie looked especially shocked.
"Steele!"
"What do you mean lost?"
The elderly dog spoke again.
"They missed their second checkpoint. They're off the trail."
"Can't they send another team?", one dog asked.
"It's too dangerous for us, and our men.", the elder dog answered still talking gravely.
"What about them little ones?", another dog asked.
"The medicine won't be here in time.", the elder dog said now looking solemn, "We're going to lose them."
Cole turned to see Balto look behind him looking worried.
"Rosy."
He headed off and Cole followed loyally. He was just as worried too and the thought of the medicine not arriving in time made him even more concerned.
/
By the time they made it to the hospital, they came to the window looking into where children lay in bed and Rosy was one of them which made Cole's heart shudder. Rosy's father and the doctor were standing nearby though Rosy's father looked desperate.
"Please doctor, it's the only medicine we got."
The doctor sighed as if he admitted that was the case.
"Okay."
Rosy's father went to the door and opened it to allow his wife set Jenna (who she had in her arms at the time), on the floor. Jenna came over to Rosy's bed and gave her a lick on the cheek. Rosy opened her eyes slightly and smiled at her.
"Jenna.", she said weakly.
As much as Jenna was happy to see her smile, that moment didn't last when she fell back into her disturbed sleep. Cole and Balto saw Jenna lay herself on Rosy as if to comfort her and Cole felt tears come to his eyes. He had no idea what he was feeling, but something had to be done. Then the sound of tapping caught his ears and he turned to see Balto heading off.
"Hey, wait up."
Cole soon caught up with them as they came to the carpenter's place where after going through an opening in the fence came to the open door to the shed where the man was in the middle of making something. Cole and Balto saw him lift up a small coffin and carry it near a wall where two others were before turning away as if grieving for the loss. Cole recalled what he saw and imagining Rosy in one of those coffins made him feel that much worse.
"Rosy.", he heard Balto whisper.
Cole turned to Balto who was looking firm, but scared.
"Okay, the team is lost, the children need help, we're the-"
Cole stopped as he noticed Balto heading off.
"Hey, where are you going?", he asked as he followed him.
Balto didn't answer.
"Hello? Earth to Balto!", Cole said firmer before realizing what Balto had in mind, "Balto, are you thinking what I think you are?"
Balto returned a smile.
"Oh yeah."
/
"Balto, Togo, please. Don't go crazy on me now."
Balto and Cole had arrived at the boat and were heading back to Nome after explaining to Boris what they were planning, but the goose wasn't about to let them go without trying to talk them out of it.
"This is foolishness.", the goose continued to rant before standing up on an opening to an old pipe, "You will die like dogs. What? No offense."
He fell through the pipe's lid that flipped, but luckily there was nothing in the pipe. Still, Balto trudged on with Cole right behind him. Even so, they heard the goose's voice in the pipe.
"You will both be frozen stiff by morning.", they heard Boris say before they passed another opening and the goose dropped out on the ground behind them, "When you are big, frozen stiff statues named Balto and Togo, don't come running to me!"
The goose slipped on the ice he was on and didn't see Muk and Luk excitedly jump on the ice and slide into him making him slide along with them while Luk pointed to Balto and Cole and whimpered something.
"He says-", Muk started as they came to a stop.
"Where are they going?", Boris said irritated while getting to his feet, "They're going into freezing coldness to find a dog they don't like to bring medicine back to a town that doesn't like them!"
Boris then looked shocked as if he suddenly realized he had guessed correctly what Luk had whimpered.
"Oh, no!", he said closing his eyes and holding his face in his wing, "I'm beginning to understand the bear!"
Muk and Luk nodded eagerly and moved forward only catapulting Boris forward once more.
"Yes!", Muk said eagerly.
The moment Boris landed near him, Balto grabbed his head in his mouth and dragged him to the window he and Cole were at while Cole had already arrived. Balto got on a barrel to look in and set the still grumbling goose loose.
"No brains at all!", Boris continued ranting, "Might as well be talking to shoe . . . lace."
He had settled when he looked in and seeing Rosy on the bed was enough to make him forget his anger.
"Okay, let's go get the medicine.", he said turning and heading out.
/
"Wait a minute.", Balto said surprised, "Now you're coming?"
"Spending days in bitter cold, facing wild animals, risking death from exposure?!", Boris answered before chuckling, "It's like holiday in old country."
Cole saw Balto's growing smile and gave him a confident look also.
"And there is no way you're leaving me behind. I'm in too."
Balto came down grateful that Cole had already decided to come, but looked curious.
"How come you're going?"
"Because I'm still a little bit sore at someone, I won't say who, and feel like somebody need to teach him a lesson."
Balto couldn't help but chuckle as he got down and started walking alongside Cole.
"You want to teach Steele a lesson?", he asked playfully.
"I just think it's high time that mutt finally learns not to underestimate us.", Cole answered proudly, "Also, I just wanted to say that."
They had just noticed Muk and Luk were bouncing excitedly and now walking alongside Boris as they caught up.
"Wow!", Muk said before turning to Luk, "Luk, we're going on holiday!"
Cole felt a laugh at the thought of the polar bears coming along before he turned to Balto again.
"You know this land?", he asked, "Cause I have no idea where we need to go."
"We'll mark the trail as we go.", Balto said to him.
Cole had no idea what Balto ment, but he was sure he would find out as the group made their way out of Nome and into the Alaskan wilds unaware that Jenna had been put back outside and was now looking in on her girl through the very window to see Rosy cough and wheeze horribly. Jenna soon was overcome with grief and broke down sobbing on the sill when a scent brought her mind out of it. She sniffed some more and then caught another one before she turned to see tracks leading out of Nome.
"Balto, Togo.", she said in awe.
/
Cole followed Balto with Boris, Muk and Luk right behind them far until morning when Balto came to a large tree and suddenly started clawing it making a mark on it. Cole suddenly knew what Balto ment by marking the trail.
"Good Balto!", Boris said cheerfully as he came up when Balto was finishing, "You took on the roughest, toughest, meanest tree in the forest! And you won. Hey."
"I'm marking the trail.", Balto answered.
Muk had gone up to the mark and after sniffing it put up his paws like he was a boxer which Cole found amusing before he turned to his brother who had come up to him.
"He's marking our trail.", he said before heading after the rest of the group, "He's very clever."
Luk stayed to give the tree a lick before catching up with the group.
"And here I was dropping bread crumbs.", Boris said to himself, "Eesh."
As Balto started marking another tree they came to, Cole had an idea and removed his collar before holding it in his teeth.
"Balto, hold still."
"What?", Balto asked as he got down from finishing.
Cole jumped on Balto's back and held himself up while using his collar's tag to mark a large X high above Balto's mark before coming down and landing on the snow again.
"Why are you doing that?", Balto asked as he helped Cole put his collar back on.
"I thought I'd put my mark above yours to show that it's the right one.", Cole answered.
Balto smiled at the thought and kept moving. Cole adjusted his collar before catching up to him with the rest of the group right behind them. As the day wore along, Muk decided to play some "I Spy" to pass the time.
"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with "S"."
Cole seemed more focused on finding the team and being near Balto as the group marched on. Soon, darkness had fallen again and as beautiful as it was, Cole felt a bit scared. It was one thing to watch something from safety, but they weren't in Nome anymore and he was determined to be brave for Balto's sake. As the next day seemed to dawn, Coel could've sworn he heard something braying in the distance. Maybe a moose or something he decided but then a scent caught his nose and Balto must have smelled it too by the way he was sniffing the air.
"Steele.", he said a bit irritated.
Coel turned around to see Muk start sniffing the air like Balto did, but when he sniffed near his brother, he then flinched and held his nose while waving his face. Muk looked a bit apologetic, but Boris' voice caught their ears.
"Hey! Bears!", he called before waddling up to Balto and Cole who had finished marking another tree.
"Come on.", Balto said heading toward a mountain in the distance, "Steele and his team passed this way."
"Man, is he lost.", Cole muttered.
/
Steele had not gotten any closer to Nome. Everything was hardly visible and despite the stormy gales and cold snow, he strained to pull the team along. His musher's calls didn't help as he finally paused and Star's voice broke his concentration.
"Steele, we're going in circles!"
Steele brought his face close to Star's again.
"What?!", he sneered.
As Star tried to make amends, Niki and Kaltag came up and started voicing complaints too. They should've been to Nome by now, but how could he find the way if his team wasn't trusting him?
"I know what I'm doing!", he snapped before turning to the open area and making a guess, "It's this way! Move!"
He yanked the team along, but the musher called out to pause, but Steele was certain that this way was it. It had to be! He then went over a bump . . . only to find a steep hillside! He tried to pause, but his paw slipped making the whole team fall along with him. Several thuds were heard behind him and Steele tried to put on the brakes, but the slope was too slippery. The bottom came up and Steele braced for impact! The landing hurt really bad as he hit the snow hard and was dazed pretty good as he got to his feet and shook himself off. The musher was now off the sled and laying down not moving and his team started digging themselves out of the snow.
"Oh, I hit my head on something", Nikki groaned.
"Ow! My head!", Kaltag countered.
"He looks hurt pretty bad Steele.", another member of the team said as he observed the musher.
"Wh-what are we gonna do now Steele?", Star asked nervously.
Steele sat there shocked and in disbelief. The medicine was unharmed in all of this, but what good was it if he didn't have a musher or the team's trust?
"Is this what failure feels like?", he couldn't help but think.
How long would they be there before he thought of a way to get out of this mess?
