As Cole, Balto, Steele, Muk, and Luk trudged through some nearby cliffs, Stella flew over them a bit. A wind had picked up, but the group was beyond caring. Steele however was looking more than a bit stressed as Cole had been bombarding him with chatter.

"Did your parents ignore you as a puppy or were you the runt and thought you wouldn't make it?", Cole asked, "Oh come now, what dark secrets lie inside that disturbing mind of yours? Come on! Out with it!"

"Do you ever pipe down?", Steele growled.

"Have you any idea the penalty for bullying other people?", Cole continued.

"Please tell me there is something around here that can make him stop.", Steele grumbled to himself.

"Well I haven't been talking about bullying me.", Cole clarified, "Just your average basic kind of bullying."

"Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak.", Steele sneered, "I don't hear you. Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak. I'm not listening."

Cole chose to drop the chat, but found Steele's explanation of the reason he bullied Balto before unlikely. Muk's voice caught his ears and clearly Balto's too.

"Do you think Uncle Boris is okay?", Muk asked a bit worried.

"Oh, he's probably griping about what's taking us so long.", Balto answered.

Cole smiled.

"And I seriously doubt there was a magic wardrobe that leads to another magical land where the plane went down.", he added, "So you two bears can be more at ease that he hasn't gone far."

Steele forgot his aggression briefly, but then regained it.

"Come on, let's pick up the pace.", he said firmly though it was hard to do so with the wind blowing in his face.

"Right.", Muk agreed, "Onward. Onward."

After going a bit, Muk fell into some snow and got Luk's attention. As he noticed Muk struggling to pull himself up, a smile came to his face and he leapfrogged over Muk before extending his back leg to Muk so his brother could get out. Soon, they were leapfrogging which grabbed Balto and Cole's attention who both couldn't help but smile while Steele just looked confused and Stella looked curious.

"Their hearts are in the right place.", Balto told Stella.

Stella couldn't help but look amused at the bear's silly antics.

"They are kind of cute.", she admitted, "If you have a thing for polar bears."

Steele however looked annoyed again.

"I'm in the middle of the wilderness, no idea where I'm going and being led by a couple of wolf dogs.", he said to himself pretty miffed, "What has this world come to?!"

He stamped his foot in anger and at first nothing happened, but then the sound of cracking came faintly and then grew louder as the ledge the group was on started buckling and Cole looked Steele's way firmly.

"You're the devil.", Cole said.

And then the ledge dropped with all three dogs and both polar bears on it!

/

The ledge hit the walls of the drop a few times before it broke apart completely and now the foursome were free falling. Cole was petrified before he then slipped onto a ramp of smooth ice and landed safely as did Balto, Muk and Luk. Steele however was less fortunate as his face smacked the ice hard and he fell on his back and was sliding right behind them. Cole's fear stilled, as memories of being on a waterslide came back to him as the group slid along. Steele managed to get his head up and looked annoyed.

"This is no time to be playing games.", he grumbled unaware that Stella had said the exact same thing above.

Stella flew down and was soon caught up as the group continued to slide on the ice and slushy snow as a small avalanche rolled behind them.

"You know, if I wasn't so scared right now, I'd think this was kind of fun.", Cole admitted.

Soon, the sliding ended as the four went flying off another ledge and into rushing river. Cole felt the freezing waters hit his body and was temporarily stunned as he opened his eyes to the blurry view and saw a patch of brown swim past him. Not taking a chance, he followed and was above water again as a wave came over Balto and him. When they both came up again, a large ice floe came up to them and after it hit them, a side went down enough for them to clamber onto it. Muk and Luk were pushed into it also, but Cole looked a bit worried.

"Where's Steele?", he wondered.

As if to answer him, Steele hurled himself on to the ice from a side and looked worn out and angry.

"If I'm dying out here, I'm haunting you for the rest of your life Balto.", he said pretty harsh.

"Oh stop your griping and get on.", Cole shot back.

Just as Steele was about to, a wave pushed Muk and Luk onto the ice floe alongside him as the ice rocked like a boat. Then it came down hard and created a huge splash which made Balto and Cole close their eyes for a moment, but when they opened them, they saw each member was on a small piece of ice. The river only got more rough and soon, Muk was screaming.

"Help, Stella!", he called out.

Stella flew in close to the frightened polar bear.

"Quick, grab my leg."

Muk did, but then he fell off his ice and into the river dragging Stella with him. Luckily Stella got out in time before she went under and was now in shock at herself.

"What was I thinking?"

Balto and Cole were soon back in the river and rushed to get to the surface just as a log rolled by with a branch pointing out. Balto grabbed onto it with his teeth and Cole managed to grab Balto's back to keep himself from drifting off.

"Hang on Balto and Togo.", Stella told them as she landed on the log.

Cole then somehow managed to get his teeth planted on the log as Stella rolled it and was soon on the top with Balto right beside him. He looked over his back to see Muk, Luk, and Steele still being flipped out of the waves only to fall back into them.

"Hang in there boys.", Balto called out.

Steele managed to stay above the water long enough to give Balto a cold look.

"Do I look like I'm hanging in there?", he snapped before he went under once more.

/

Stella was getting frantic.

"There has to be a way out.", she said as she turned to Balto, "I'll fly ahead and look for something."

"Hurry!", Balto called after her.

A few moments later, Stella had flown back looking more frantic than she did before.

"Reverse! Reverse!", she shouted, "Go the other way!"

"Is there trouble ahead?", Cole asked.

"Depends on how you feel about waterfalls.", she answered.

Now Balto and Cole both started to panic as they looked ahead to see Muk, Luk, and Steele still struggling in the rapids. Then a large ice floe came by and without thinking, Balto and Cole jumped on. Cole almost slipped, but managed to get on as Balto started helping Muk and Luk on the ice. He got up in time to get a good grip on Steele, but the malamute looked annoyed.

"I refuse to be saved by a wolf dog.", he admitted trying to look dignified, "It's degrading."

"How about I just get you out of the rapids, and you just come along to protect me?", Cole asked.

Steele paused, but then looked a bit at ease.

"I can live with that."

That was when Cole bit into his neck and hoisted the dog out of the rapids and on to the ice. That was when the whole group saw they were right up to where the waterfall began! Balto and Cole both cringed waiting for the drop, but paused when a crash sounded. They opened their eyes to see that the ice they were on was wedged with some smaller ones to make a bridge to the sides of the river. Steele however suddenly was on his feet and bolting to the shore.

"Out of my way!", he yelled as he passed Balto and Cole.

"You're welcome.", Cole said firmly as Balto, Muk, Luk and him followed and turned to Balto, "Man, he's a pain in the tush even when he's being saved."

"I heard that!", Steele barked as he turned around only to slip on the ice and land on his underside and spreading himself all over the ground.

Stella looked just as upset.

"What are you trying to do? Give me a stroke?", she snapped, "Because you did. That's it. No more white-water adventures. No more."

As Balto and Cole caught their breath, they saw the ice break apart and go over the waterfall rather fast. Balto then turned to Stella smiling.

"It's a deal.", he told her.

"I second that emotion.", Cole answered before looking Steele's way, "By the way Steele, I'm still waiting on that-"

"Don't you say it.", Steele warned as he struggled to his feet, "Don't you say it."

"Apology you owe Balto.", Cole finished.

Steele the tried to dash, but he slipped on the ice once more and landed flat on the ground once again.

"Wow, talk about a case of karma.", Cole commented.

Steele just looked annoyed.

"I'm just going to take a break here.", he grumbled as he managed to get himself into a lying position, "I'm worn out and I need one bad."

/

Back in Nome, Kodi was having second thoughts about not helping Balto find Duke. And after that talk with his mother, he was feeling really low.

"Kodi, you okay?"

Kodi paused as he turned to see Fox come up to him looking like a relative would look if they were concerned and caring.

"Fox, what are you doing here?", Kodi asked him, "I thought you'd be helping Dad and Togo out."

"I'd say the same to you.", Fox answered, "Now what's going on?"

Kodi sighed.

"I've been thinking about what Dad said to me.", he admitted, "My team doesn't want to help though. It seems they care more about our jobs than a life."

Fox raised an eyebrow.

"Do you?", he asked.

Kodi looked a bit shocked.

"What?", he asked back.

"Do you care about your job more than a man's life?", Fox told him, "Look inside yourself Kodi. You know that your father could need your aid as will Togo."

Kodi wanted to object, but when he made eye contact with Fox, he knew Fox spoke the truth.

"Here's how I see it Kodi.", Fox told him, "Your dad's out looking for someone who might be dying, you're confused, and your team isn't going to help. What I'm getting at is, what are you going to do now?"

Kodi paused and then looked sure of himself.

"I'm going to make my point.", he said.

Fox smiled.

"I'll get my team together and we'll search together."

Kodi didn't' stop til he was at the boiler house where he knew the team would be. HE managed to get the door open just in time to hear Kirby's voice.

"Hey-hey. Our newest teammate."

Kodi's confidence waned as he entered, but he had to said what he needed to do and what Fox had said.

"Listen, guys, I've been thinking. Maybe the pilot really is lost."

Dusty looked a bit surprised.

"Joining the other side?", she asked.

"Of course not.", Kodi answered as his courage waned again, "I'm one of you, it's just… well, the temperature's dropping. He's just a human. He could freeze to death."

"So?", Ralph countered, "Maybe he should have thought of the risks before challenging us to a race."

"Yeah, but…", Kodi started.

"Hey, you're either with us or against us.", Kirby pressured.

Kodi finally lost it and spoke his mind.

"All I ever wanted was to be a part of your team. Bringing the mail and supplies is about helping people. And now when somebody really needs our help, we're sitting on our butts. If this is what it takes to be a mail dog, then I'm not sure that's what I want to be."

He headed out while Dusty got down from the place she was resting on and observed Kodi leaving. She turned to Ralph and Kirby who both looked unsure. Maybe Kodi was right and they were looking at the situation the wrong way.

/

Back with Balto and Cole, the two wolf dogs were shaking themselves dry as Muk and Luk took a quick nap. Steele had attempted to do the same, but he only fell down once more. After Balto and Cole finished, Stella looked annoyed as the water dripped off her.

"Any more boys?", she asked.

"Sorry Stella.", Balto apologized.

Steele managed to get himself up on his feet and shake himself dry spraying Muk and Luk and waking them up. They didn't say anything as they came over with him and Stella whipped her wet feathers off her face.

"Okay, now what?", she asked.

"Well, I think I know where we are.", Balto answered.

"You think?", Steele asked, "Why don't I like that sound?"

"I know where we are.", Muk said now a bit nervous, "Much too close to moose territory."

"You have a thing about moose?", Stella asked.

Cole looked nervous also.

"Hey, bull moose can get pretty nasty when someone crosses them."

"Yeah, mean and stubborn.", Muk added, "And did I mention those antlers? Sharp and big. Sharp and strong."

Steele rolled his eyes annoyed as Luk got up with his hands on the side of his head as if to represent antlers and unfortunately he wasn't looking where he was going and crashed into a tree and fell down.

"See how dangerous they are?", Muk asked, "See."

"I'm guessing the river pushed us past Bear Rock.", Balto observed, "I can't tell from here how far we need to backtrack."

"Oh, you can find your way in a blizzard yet you can't find Bear Rock?", Steele asked

Cole looked the malamute's way firmly.

"Zip it!", he snapped before looking Stella's way, "Stella, can you look around? Bear Rock looks like…"

"A giant bear.", Balto finished.

"You don't say.", Stella said as she took flight, "Back in a flash, fellas."

Steele's expression lightened, but only slightly. He didn't' get a chance to say anything cause Stella's voice rang out.

"I see it! I see it! I'm going over."

Steele looked slightly impressed.

"Wow, we weren't that far off."

As Stella flew by Bear Rock, Keelut sniffed the air and then smiled.

"Oh, they're finally here. Well, time to give the welcoming."

He turned and started speaking Inuit as a dark fog started forming around his feet. After a few chants, he paused and gave a smile. What did he conjure with that fog? I'd say if I knew, but whatever it was, it was not good.