Unfortunately, Nigaq and Sura were not the only ones observing Balto, Aleu, and Cole. Peeking out from behind a tree, two wolves eyed and looked curious.

"You think that could be them Sumac?", one of the wolves asked.

This one had dark gray fur and gray on his underside, but he paused as he took some time to scratch an itch on his head. He'd been having a lot of itching lately, but Sumac who was light tan on his underside with brown on hit top though his face looked kind of off with his tongue hanging out mostly.

"It's "beating" me, Yak.", he answered before turning to yet another wolf behind them, "What do you think Nuk, huh?"

Nuk was too busy gnawing on a bare bone to hardly notice anything. He was large and clearly well fed, but with that well feeding came laziness and he showed it underneath his dark brown and light gray underside.

"I don't think.", he growled, "I just eat. It's more filling."

As Nuk continued to gnaw, Sumac and Yak noticed a fourth wolf appear on a ledge above them. He was firm and with his black fur and gray underside well managed. Still, he bore a look of cold unfeeling steely kind that made the other three pay attention.

"What are you waiting for?", he asked coldly causing Nuk to crunch through the bone he was gnawing on as the wolf was at attention also, "Get them!"

Sumac whimpered and held on to Yak though the wolf gave him a firm look to let go which he did before Yak started leading the other two toward the beach.

"Okay, okay.", he said pausing a moment to scratch yet another itch before moving out, "You don't have to yell."

As the three wolves moved out, the fourth one stayed behind a bit, but followed also though to keep his distance. Balto, Aleu, and Cole looked at the raven still circling and still in thought.

"Why a raven?", Aleu asked, "Why here?"

Cole shrugged.

"I don't know.", he admitted, "Balto and I are as clueless as you."

"I wish we knew.", Balto admitted.

Cole then smelled something and sniffed around. Aleu must have also cause she was sniffing too.

"What is it?", Balto asked.

"Company.", Cole reported.

"And it doesn't smell friendly.", Aleu added looking as concerned as Cole was.

"Let's get out of here.", Balto suggested.

"Good idea.", Cole agreed.

With that, all three went down to the beach.

/

Once they were on the sand, Aleu and Cole couldn't smell the unwelcoming scent anymore as they looked back behind them.

"See anything?", Balto asked.

"Nothing.", Cole answered.

"Maybe we were wrong.", Aleu added.

Cole frowned.

"Still, we should keep our guard up if that "unwelcomed company" shows up again.", he advised.

Aleu then looked forward and looked more eager already.

"Look Papa!", she cried as she dashed off down the sand, "Oh, I love it here. It's so wild. Come on!"

Cole rolled his eyes comically.

"Well, nice to see she's feeling better."

Balto however was another story.

"Don't go out too far, Aleu.", he told her, "The tide's coming in fast."

"I'll be fine.", Aleu called back.

Cole observed as Aleu stood on a rocky ledge overlooking the ocean and looking happier than he had ever seen her. The wave that crashed beside her created a wonderful display though Balto ran to her and Cole felt he should follow which he did.

"I don't like you being out here.", Balto said trying to be calm, "You could slip and fall."

Cole rolled his eyes.

"Balto, you need to stop worrying so much about her."

The sound of wolf growling made them turn to see Yak, Sumac, and Nuk right behind them on a ledge above them.

"And start worrying about us.", Yak snickered as he and his posse descended.

"Yes, because we're-", Sumac started before laughing maniacally and continuing, "mean. Right Nuk?"

Nuk landed after the other two and looked just as mean.

"Yeah, especially when I'm hungry."

Cole guessed this was the "unwelcoming company" he and Aleu smelled earlier, but he wasn't about to back down.

"Look, we don't want any trouble.", Balto said trying to sound reasonable, "This is your territory. We'll just go."

"Sorry, but you're going . . .", Yak started before scratching himself and continuing, "nowhere!"

"That's "anywhere", flea bag.", Aleu corrected.

Balto looked worried.

"Aleu, I hardly think this is the time to be correcting his grammer.", Balto cautioned.

Cole however looked firm.

"Listen closely.", he said trying to sound nice, "We can either depart peacefully or we can do this the hard way. Which is it?"

The trio of wolves just came closer, but then Cole turned to Balto and Aleu.

"Balto, you're on the barrel. Aleu, you got the flea bag.", Cole instructed as he got into an attack pose, "I've got Smeagol over there?"

/

Once Cole finished, the trio of wolves paused.

"Huh? What's a Smeagol?", Yak asked before he scratched himself again.

Before any of the other two could answer, Cole tackled Sumac and clearly took the other two by surprise. Aleu seemed to be on board also as she ran forward.

"Come on.", she said to Balto, "We can take 'em."

"Aleu, no!", Balto called out.

Cole had pinned Sumac to the rock, but by now the other two seemed to have regained their courage and joined in the fray though Aleu tackled Yak and headed him off. Nuk had tried to assault Cole, but Balto wasn't about to let his friend get hurt so he got on Nuk's back and bit the wolf's ear making him back off. Cole slipped on some water and got to an edge though he held on as Sumac came close to him.

"Bye, bye doggy.", he laughed as he started putting a paw to Cole's head.

"Not yet!", Cole answered before chomping down on Sumac's leg making the wolf back off in pain and pulling him up at the same time before he let go, "Lesson number three in combat: use what you got."

Balto and Aleu were clearly holding their own, but as all three wolves got them into a corner, a huge wave came over them and bathed them in saltwater. And making them fall flat on the rocks.

"The tide is coming.", Sumac said with a gasp, "Get out of here!"

Whatever courage the trio had, it had vanished as they darted for the mainland. Cole obviously sensed danger too cause he followed with Balto and Aleu on his heels. Unfortunately as the trio of wolves started climbing, the fourth wolf from before showed up looking annoyed.

"Get back there, you sniveling cowards.", he sneered.

"But, Niju, the tide!", Sumac answered rather fast, "We'll drown."

"Yes, there's always that chance.", Niju answered coldly going past them, "But, then, if you don't take it, I'll make sure you drown."

Seeing that his words weren't working, Niju once again spoke.

"If those three live, they'll take what's left of our food."

"Excuse me, my good man.", Cole piped up, "But my friend, his daughter, and I are not here for such a reason."

Unfortunately for Cole, it fell on deaf ears as the trio of wolves regained their nerve and joined Niju in approaching them. Just as Cole got ready to fight again, a voice came over the crashing waves.

"Stop!"

/

Cole looked behind the advancing foursome to see a pack of wolves standing on the rocks not far behind. Cole could make out Nigaq and Sura who were standing at the sides of another wolf who looked elderly, but still able. He was very dull gray with a white underside and standing proud and firm.

"Clear a path for our visitors.", the elder wolf said firmly, "Now."

Sumac, Yak, and Nuk whimpered as they turned and retreated, but Niju stood his ground as the elder wolf, Sura, and Nigaq approached.

"I will not let them go, Nava.", he scoffed, "I will not let an aging fool, destroy us with your weakness."

"I admire your passion, Niju.", Nava answered.

"Never mistake our father's old age for weakness Niju.", Sura advised firmly.

"Nor your youth for strength.", Nigaq put in, "Now, will you clear the way for our visitors as Nava has instructed?"

Niju although close to the edge of the rocks wasn't backing down.

"No.", he answered coldly.

Cole then noticed an orca surface behind Niju and then go down again after spouting a spray of water that drenched Niju and spread him out on the rocks while the rest of Nava's pack laughed at the gesture. Niju, although soaked, had not settled his aggression towards Nava as he passed.

"Some day your trickery will not be enough to save you.", he growled.

"We are sorry it had come to be this way, Niju.", Nigaq said calmly.

Sura then turned to Balto, Cole and Aleu and then to Nava.

"See Nava? My sister and I told you they'd be here."

"Thanks for the help.", Balto said clearly grateful.

"Same here.", Cole put in.

"You're welcome.", Nava answered before smiling, "But it is I who thank you for coming at last."

Balto, Cole and Aleu all looked surprised.

"You knew we were coming?", Balto asked.

"Of course.", Nava answered, "For it was I who sent for you although I must say my daughters were more than eager to assist in Togo's arrival."

Sura blushed as she turned away shyly. Nigaq just looked assured.

"Now, if you three would follow us please.", she said gesturing for Cole, Balto, and Aleu to do so.

"Well, it would be rude to not take up an invitation from the one who called us here.", Cole said as the pack started back to the mainland with Balto, Aleu, and himself joining.

Sura, who had started walking alongside Cole chuckled which brought his attention.

"You sure have a way with words Togo.", she said to him, "Our cousin sure knows a good soul when he sees it."

Cole looked to Balto and then back to Sura.

"You mean, Nava is Balto's relative?", he asked.

Sura nodded.

"Yeah, Aniu is my father's sister which would make me and Nigaq Balto's-"

"Sister.", Nigaq said cutting Sura off, "Togo gets it."

As Sura piped down, Nigaq looked Togo's way apologetically.

"Forgive us. Sura was just so eager to know you."

"It's okay.", Cole answered, "It's nice to meet new friends."

/

After walking for what felt like hours, Nava led the group to a canyon where he stood on a ledge while the rest of the pack waited below with Cole, Balto, and Aleu.

"My brothers and sisters, our summer is almost passed, and I have listened to the trees and to the blades of grass.", Nava spoke, "And they have said this: the caribou will not return this year nor any other year, for they have crossed the Great Water."

The pack started murmuring among themselves though Cole then remembered the first part of his rhyme.

"A vision leads to a clan where tensions grow.", he muttered to himself, "That must be referring to Nava and his pack."

Before anyone else could speak, Nava spoke again.

"If we are to survive, we must follow them."

Niju scoffed as he approached Nava's perch.

"The old one believes that trees and grass can talk.", he said firmly, "It is time to realize our leader had lost his ability to lead."

The wolves started murmuring among themselves again, but Nigaq and Sura looked Niju's way firmly.

"You dare to say that?", Sura asked.

"Nava has always led us well.", Nigaq put in.

Niju looked colder, but Nava's voice broke up the growing tension.

"Stop! Let him speak.", he stated, "It is his right."

Niju then spoke again.

"Nava would have us leave the land that has been our clan's for generations. So what if the caribou did not return this year? This does not mean they will not come again."

"And how will we survive without the caribou if we stayed Niju?", Sura asked, "They give us life."

Cole then remembered the last thing that the white wolf had shown him in Balto's dream.

"Caribou-life."

He was brought out of his thoughts when Niju's words rang out.

"Simple. We take what we need from other clans."

"Steal from other clans?", a wolf of Nava's pack asked.

"It isn't right.", another said.

"If you're hungry, there is no right.", another put in.

"Sure there is.", Niju answered firmly, "Our right to survive."

Sura and Nigaq were not about to back down as they saw Nava descend from his ledge.

"And if we eat the food of other clans, what will they eat?", Sura questioned.

"That's not our concern.", Niju answered.

Nigaq frowned.

"Is not the balance of our world the concern of all?", she asked.

"If we steal from other clans, those clans will be forced to steal as well.", Nava advised as he had made his way down from his ledge, "Soon, we ill all be fighting for less and less food."

Sumac, Yak, and Nuk nearby looked especially concerned.

"Uh-oh. "Less and less" food". That sounds bad doesn't it Sumac?", Yak asked.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Really bad.", Sumac added before looking Nuk's way, "Unless you're on diet."

Nuk looked Sumac's way annoyed.

"Who's on a diet?", he asked.

"Aniu, the white wolf has come to me in dream visions and has told me what we must do.", Nava continued.

Cole tensed up in surprise the moment Nava finished talking.

"Aniu is the white wolf?", he thought recalling the first time he saw her, "Well, that would make a lot of sense, but isn't she dead?"

Cole was about think some more, but Nava's voice brought him back to reality.

"She said, we must move on, and we must be led by the one who is wolf and does not know."

He paused in front of Balto and Aleu though Aleu turned to Balto.

"Papa?", she asked.

Cole then looked unsure as he came over.

"Hold on Aleu, that could mean either of you could be it.", he said before looking Nava's way, "Wouldn't it?"

Nigaq and Sura looked thoughtful.

"That . . .would make sense.", Sura stated.

"I agree.", Nigaq answered, "But now the question is which one is it?"

(A/N: I'd like to thank LORfan2187 for the suggestion in this chapter.)