Cole felt the winds recede and once he regained his vision, he was once again in his bedroom in the same chair at his desk with his laptop exactly as he left it.

"Well, back to being me again.", Cole thought to himself as he saw his reflection in the mirror as it was once again normal and he was once more human again.

"So, what now?", Cole thought as he turned to his laptop again to see the totem pole images he was looking at for research for the Art class project and reflected on his adventure, "Take care Aleu."

Cole did some more observing as he looked at the totem design he had drawn before going back to Balto's world. It looked right and he felt it represented the original adventure he had gone on and he couldn't help but smile.

"Cole, Blake was wondering if you're available tomorrow afternoon to help him with his totem project.", he heard his mother call down from the floor above.

Cole went to his door as his voice would probably not carry up enough for her to hear before calling up himself.

"I'd love to."

Cole went back and decided he would watch some online videos to help pass the time. He recalled the song he was singing from before and looked it up. He came across "If I Could Only Go Back" a song by Andy Williams. The moment the tune started playing, Cole had a faint memory of watching "Where the Red Fern Grows" in one of his classes at school. It was sung over the scene where Billy was teaching his dogs to hunt while sharing moments with them which Cole favored above all else. Cole couldn't help but sing along as the next verse started. It wasn't sung in the movie, but Cole felt it was just as strong as the rest of the song.

"Siver wings of eternity take me back like a child to see faces lost in the memories. If I could only go back. If I could only go back. To live in your arms again. To love as we did then. To run free as the wind forever more."

"Cole, dinner will be ready shortly.", Mrs. Marty called from above.

Cole came out of his trance and answered his mother before turning back to his laptop and smiling.

"Thanks Andy.", he said as if he was talking with the songwriter himself, "For providing the music for me."

Cole had developed a habit of listening to music whenever he felt stressed or upset. It helped him calm down and forget his troubles so he could work it out more peacefully. Blake accepted this and he was able to open up to Cole about his own troubles which they could both relate to. It really helped them establish a connection and grow closer as friends. He smelled the aroma of clam chowder and grilled cheese so he decided that the totem he had drawn would work fine and allowed him to work on his math homework which was almost done. Just because he was on the cross-country team didn't mean he could skip classes.

/

The following day, Cole met up with Blake before school started as their lockers were practically next door to each other.

"So Cole, you set for coming over tomorrow?", Blake reminded him.

"Yeah.", Cole answered, "I just hope we have enough fire in our legs to run the way home."

"Please, that will be the day."

Cole and Blake turned to see Keith hobble up to them on his crutches looking firm.

"What do you want Keith?", Cole asked looking firm, "To hurl another insult?"

Keith's expression darkened.

"Don't think I'll be off the team for long.", he warned, "I'll recover by next year."

Blake then smiled.

"Not if you can't get that D- in science class up to at least a B-", Blake countered.

Cole then raised an eyebrow.

"How could you fail that class?", he added, "You're usually good at keeping your grades up or did you slip because you were thinking of the time Blake and I beat your record run and lost focus?"

A bunch of students nearby snickered, but quieted when Keith shot them a cold glare.

"Don't think that just cause you beat my record means either of you are top runner.", he growled, "I'll get my record back and make sure that you won't stop me."

"Is that your version of a threat?", Cole asked as he had grown to anticipate Keith's bluffs.

"Call it a promise.", Keith countered, "I hear that the team you're going to race against is called the Rocketeers from Boise, Idaho."

A cruel smile came to his face as he saw Cole flinch.

"Did I hit a nerve?", he asked, "Or was that the team you once ran with?"

"Keith!", Blake said sharply, "Cole may have been a member of that team, but he's proven to be a true Nanook."

The Nanooks were the team's official name used in the school sports.

"We'll see.", Kieth answered turning away and still smiling his cruel smile, "But if Cole's old team beats him, I wouldn't be surprised if he quit out of shame."

Cole regained his nerve.

"Hey, we'll give it our all that day Keith.", he said to Keith who was just walking off, "The final results will decide if the team wins or not."

Keith said nothing, but kept walking off chuckling to himself. Cole didn't have time to deal with what he said cause the school day was about to start and he didn't want to be late when the end of the school year was so close. Just as he was about to head off, Blake gave him a look.

"Cole, you did remember to get your permission slip signed last night right?", he reminded, "Coach won't let us go to Anchorage to compete if we don't turn them in during gym class."

Cole didn't look worried.

"Yep, asked right at dinner."

/

The school day was like any other. Cole then noticed Alice in his study hall just as he was finishing up on his Algebra homework. She pushed a lock of her red hair aside as she looked pretty into her work. Luckily she took a break to get her pencil sharpened and was near Cole at the time.

"So Alice, it's a beautiful day isn't it?", Cole asked hoping to get a conversation started.

Alice looked his way while she continued sharpening her pencil.

"I guess.", she answered.

Cole noticed she looked a bit down.

"You okay?", he asked.

Alice sighed.

"It's Keith.", she admitted, "The final dance is coming up and he asked me to go. I tried refusing him, but he wouldn't back down. I'm just glad that a teacher was nearby to make him back off."

Cole felt pity for her.

"Hey, you know my teammate Blake Wolfen really likes you."

Alice looked a bit nervous, but then grew calm again.

"Really?", she asked.

"Yeah, he'd really like to talk to you.", Cole stated before catching himself, "Oh, and I mean that in a good way."

Alice rolled her eyes comically.

"You're a bit weird.", she chuckled lightly, "But thanks for talking to me."

She then looked inspired as she had finished her pencil sharpening and went back to work. Cole followed her.

"What you working on?", he asked interested.

"Something for British Literature.", Alice admitted, "We're studying on the poem part of the class and I think I have a line I was looking for."

Cole decided to let her get back to her work for after Study Hall, he would have Gym and he needed to make sure he had his permission slip ready to hand in. He took a moment to check his folder where he found it. All signed and ready to be turned in just as the bell rang signaling the class period was over. Cole gathered his things and headed toward the gym among the crowd of passing students and faculty. Coach had the teams place their gym clothes in the locker rooms so as they didn't have to go to their own lockers and to the gym which Cole was thankful for. As he got to the locker room and started changing, Blake came in looking nervous.

"You okay there?", Cole asked as Blake came over to him and started changing clothes.

"Yeah.", he answered a bit glum.

Cole had finished and it would be a bit before the class started so he thought he'd talk.

"Okay, what's got you so down in the dumps?", he asked.

Blake sighed as he got his gym shorts on.

"Cole, every time I talk to Alice, I freeze up and I can't think.", he admitted, "What should I do?"

Cole smiled and placed a hand on Blake's shoulder after Blake got his shirt adjusted.

"Blake, you're making a big deal about nothing.", he answered, "Just pretend you're talking to me when you see her. Take a breath and just talk. You won't know what she thinks unless you try."

Blake felt comforted as they heard the coach blow his whistle outside signaling the class was about to start.

/

Cole and Blake were understandably out with everyone as Coach Barkley started business.

"Wolfen, Marty, front and center!"

Blake and Cole came forward as Coach looked at his clipboard.

"According to your grades, you both have a good chance at going on the final run of our cross-country season.", he said looking their way as if giving a speech a coach gave his player before a bit match, "You both are great, but these runners are going to push themselves hard. We can't let them win that trophy."

"We won't let you down Coach.", Cole said assuring.

Coach Barkley then looked to the rest of the class.

"Okay everyone, all cross-country runners must turn their permission slips to me by the end of the class or you're not going.", he said before turning to Blake and Cole again, "That will be all."

Cole and Blake rejoined the class as Coach assigned teams for the usual lap racing. One member would run around the gym and the person they're paired with ran after they completed the lap. As usual, Blake and Cole were understandably the best runners though Keith would brag that he would outpace them if he wasn't benched. Not that the other runners gave it much notice.

"Yeah, yeah, we've heard it before."

"Maybe if you weren't so mean to Cole, you wouldn't be benched in the first place."

"Do you ever pipe down?"

Cole and Blake were the first to finish as usual and after everyone else finished, they got into their sit-ups, push-ups, and stretches. Cole and Blake had taken the time to talk some more.

"Any idea what will be on the menu this evening?", Cole asked

"I was thinking about goulash.", Blake answered as he held Cole's knees while Cole did his push-ups, "We usually have that on Fridays which would be today."

Cole had done his twenty reps and switched places with Blake so Blake would get his in.

"Yeah, your adoptive dad sure makes a mean goulash.", Cole admitted smiling, "Same recipe?"

"You know it.", Blake answered while doing his fifth rep, "We also got some new neighbors moving in next door."

Cole recalled a moving van similar to the one he had a few years back and remembered a couple new faces in the student body. They were both girls, but he never officially met them.

"You think we should visit them after Coach sends us through the grinder again?", Cole asked.

Blake smiled.

"Yeah, I think we've been avoiding them a little long."

Blake finished his sit-ups and he was the first to do push-ups before Cole took his place. He was just finishing when Coach blew his whistle.

"Okay people, hit the showers and make sure your slips are turned in."

Cole and Blake were the first to turn in their slips though when Keith did, Coach Barkley didn't look so sure.

"McSnarl, I really think that you shouldn't take this trip."

Keith looked outraged.

"Coach, I have always made these trips.", he protested, "I'm already almost fully recovered from my injury."

"We can't afford to make it worse McSnarl.", Coach Barkley countered firmly, "Now you can either accept that you're not going this year, or you can run around the gym twenty laps to prove you can run without getting hurt."

That was enough to get Keith to zip the lips though he cast a cold glare at Cole and Blake.

/

After cross-country practice after school, Blake and Cole headed over to Blake's house. AS they grew near, the sound of growling caught their ears and made them pause.

"Aleu, no!"

Cole tensed at the sound of the name. Then from a bush in the next yard, a young female wolf-dog puppy came out and started yapping. Cole and Blake froze as a couple girls that looked their age showed up. One wore a light gray shirt and white sneakers that complimented her gray shorts while the other had a sandy short-sleeved shirt and jeans though she also wore white sneakers. They may have passed for twins except one girl's hair was graying while the others was light brown though they shared the same green eyes.

"Aleu, down girl.", the gray-haired girl said as her sister went to get the puppy and gave Cole and Balto apologetic looks, "Sorry, we just got her and she's not housebroke yet."

"It's fine.", Cole answered as he and Blake calmed down, "Are you the new neighbors?"

The light brown-haired girl smiled shyly as her puppy was now in her arms and calming down.

"Yeah, I'm Sarah and she's Nora.", she said gesturing to the other girl, "Father insisted that we can keep Aleu here if we can tame her."

Cole looked at the puppy as Sarah set her down and it seemed to be calmer and he recalled Aleu bac kin Balto's world and how nobody wanted her cause she looked different. He knelt down and let the puppy sniff his hand before it started licking it.

"Looks like she likes you.", Nora said smiling.

Cole then looked her way and thought he'd extend the hand of friendship as he had done for Blake.

"Hey, you mind if Blake and I help you out?", he asked, "The more hands on deck the better."

Sarah looked on board already as the door to the house opened to reveal an adult looking like he was reaching the end of his middle-ages, but still spry. His dull gray hair was becoming white as he wore an old plaid shirt and jeans faded while sporting old shoes that looked old fashioned. Cole knew him as Mr. Polar cause he and his family had met him and his girls during church a few times, but he never had the courage to make a proper greeting. He took a look and noticed the two newcomers.

"Oh, who are you two?", he asked kindly.

"I'm Blake, your new neighbor.", Blake answered before gesturing to Cole, "And he's Cole."

Mr. Polar looked impressed.

"It's lovely to meet you.", he said kindly before turning to his daughters, "Don't stay out too late. Dinner will be ready shortly."

He went back inside as Blake and Cole helped Sarah and Nora out with helping Aleu learn. As fun as it was, the day grew late and Mr. Polar called his girls in for dinner.

"Thanks for the help.", Nora said over her shoulder as she and Sarah led Aleu inside.

"No problem.", Cole answered before he turned to Blake, "Well, now it's time for us to get to dinner."

They headed over unaware that the shopkeeper once again observed from afar.

"Two riddles down, one more to go.", he said sagely, "Sometimes caring for someone different can show just how alike you are."

And with a smile and a wave, he vanished once more without leaving a trace behind.