"Max, there is no way that your friend will ever make it into the team! I mean, he is half-wolf!" Audrey, Max's younger twin sister, also dark brown but with brown eyes, protested her brother's idea of Balto being a sled dog. She had discovered that same day about Max and Molly befriending Balto and unlike them, she had no amicable stances towards him.
"Do you really think that just because he's got the wolf blood, that he has no chance?! You don't see it that way, do you, Audrey? He could be the fastest among all of us!" Max contradicted his sister's words. These two, as well as Molly, were in their house, just a few days after that meeting. Things had gone south since then.
"You two aren't afraid that he would turn on you, right? Just picture what mom and dad would say on that!" Audrey didn't want to give up here. When she had met Balto later that same day, she didn't feel any sympathy for the wolf-dog, thinking how someone rugged, wild-looking and with sharper claws and fangs, meant danger and harm.
"Says the one who could have at least listened to their parents instead!" Molly scolded her older friend. Like Max, she stuck close to what her parents said about meeting a new friend and that they should not already judge someone by the looks, but by heart. Clearly Audrey overlooked that entire conversation, being too proud to have Molly's brothers follow her around.
"And Max, why would you ever turn down the opportunity to be friends with Steele?! At least I know that he won't turn on me or any of us!" Audrey was hard-headed when it came to Steele and their talk about him was lengthy and tense, namely how she had no intention of giving up on following Steele around.
Max sighed in frustration and looked at her with his eyes squinted, asking: "Are you seriously going to bring Steele into this again? He has bullied our friend for two months straight and taunted his mother from whom he was separated at the age of two months. We still had the pleasure to be with our parents!"
Hoping that Audrey would have at least some compassion left for the wolf dog who had been orphaned too soon, Max and Molly waited for her response. She stood there, watching them in silence and disbelief while her brother paced around the room. Sitting below the old and valuable clock, he hoped she'd realize her mistakes.
"I really don't want to talk about that, alright?" That was her answer, clearly showing how she could not take the criticism and face it like a real person, or dog. He watched her leave the room, asking: "Is that it? You think you'd feel the same way if that fate happened to you, right? Is it above your honor to show some compassion for Balto, uh?"
She still didn't reply to him and just moved on, not talking or looking at them. Molly, who was also mad at her for being this disrespectful and emotionless, told Max: "Let her go, Max. Once when she sees how wrong she was about Balto, she is going to give you and me, as well as Balto, a lengthy apology for this!"
"Don't you think that I didn't hear you, Molly! We'll see who will pull the thicker end yet!" Audrey answered her on the staircase, showing the ignorance in her blindness. Max just looked at himself in the mirror and looking at Molly's reflection, asked her: "Molly, what could have possibly gone wrong to her? I know she and I weren't always the best with one another, but this is just too far from her!"
"I don't know, Max. My only speculation is that she listened to Steele all this time and we only have acknowledged that not long ago. Besides, if she is going to be in our team, she better not pander to Steele's team just because of her opinion towards him!" Molly didn't want to have anyone in their team to side with their rivals as long as they'd blindly obey his words.
Their lengthy and heated discussion ended in a really sour note. Audrey was stubborn to her believing that Steele was the righteous and a dream sled dog with no flaws, Max and Molly saw him as a very rude and brash sled dog who had no remorse in bullying those dogs he openly disliked and how he pictured that everything revolved just around him.
"Yet, we need her in a team no matter what. She is my sister. If she dares to taunt Balto after he's let in the team, it won't get any better." Max showed how much he cared for his friend who was like a little brother to him. If anything, he wanted to have his friend feel accepted and happy with his peers.
Molly walked closer to the mirror and looked at him, or his reflection to be precise, to tell him: "Max, she has an overinflated opinion of herself, but a slight sharp rock may burst that bubble. One day you'll see how she was wrong about her beliefs, alright? She may not like our friend and we can't force her to like him, but at least she could keep it for herself!"
Max thought of her words, figuring out that she might have been right. He looked at her in the eyes, not in reflection, but onto his right, and answered her: "You're right. We will let her side with her beliefs and opinions. Over the time she'll realize how immature she handled them!"
Seeing how they could not let themselves succumb to anger and control loss, Max and Molly figured out that they should use a different and more reasonable approach instead. Their sled training was coming on the first day of November and they had to stand united to make a strong and formidable team.
"Mom, dad… I don't know how I will ever handle my issue with Audrey, but I hope that one day your words will come to her and that you will see us getting along. If only you were here to meet Balto yourselves…" Max thought to himself, glancing at the sky through the nearest window. It was now on him, his sister and his best friend, to carry on the legacy.
He sighed, thinking how different things would have turned that terrible day. Max and Molly could only speculate some things. One, they had no concrete evidence between Balto and Beringo. Sure, there were some strong possibilities that he could be his son, but Balto never mentioned his father, either by name or the fact that he had a father. Second, they were sure that Balto did not know who Beringo was.
If Balto were Beringo's son, as they were both thinking, would he be playing with them as little puppies then? Would they chase one another at the beach, run in snow, howl together? Maybe so. Balto would have been more respected in one way due to being the son of the town's ace if their guess was correct. Then again, Beringo was gray furred, yet Balto's fur was brownish gray and their shades weren't identical, so this only branched into many unanswered questions, desired to be answered.
"Well, Max, at least we may try to give Balto some opportunity in his life to be accepted somewhere, no? If he becomes a sled dog, maybe then Steele and his gang won't pester him around!" Molly concluded this, realizing how dishonorable and cowardly would have been to torment the rival's sled dog, something that Steele wouldn't learn anyhow.
"After all, his father made a really dirty rumor so who knows, the joke is going to be one him when he sees Balto in our team soon!" Max happily concluded his thoughts, hoping to see Steele's bewildered face, as well as his gang's members' faces and also Audrey's, when they were to see Balto in harness. These two and even Jenna would, on the other paw, show them how wrong they had been about him all this time… or so they thought…
The day of sled training was coming closer. Young dogs, aspired to become a sled team, were anticipating that day with great anxiety. Sure, dogs like Max, Molly and Audrey in one paw had this absolute chance to join. Steele also had it, along Nikki, Kaltag and Star. It was all in their family bloodlines. This raised a question for Balto.
"Balto, tell me! Have you been working on how you're going to stand up for yourself lately?" Boris asked him when he followed Balto to the town, reaching the first houses any second now. Balto glimpsed at him before facing the first alleys, telling him: "Boris, you have nothing to worry about! Once I become a part of Max's sled team, you'll see how easy that is going to be!"
"I just hope your plan is going to work." Boris muttered. He was surprised when he had heard from Balto that he had in mind to become a sled dog. A pup who had no biological family anywhere nearby, no humans to look after him and having to rely on food either he caught or found in alleys, had chosen something like this?
"Boris! It is going to work! If Steele tries to bully me again, not only it is going to backfire, but it will show how he has no smart business to do!" Balto assured him what was coming to his enemy. While he was physically weaker and smaller compared to Steele, he was in his heart a bigger canine than him and that way, he'd get to see Steele receiving his comeuppance.
"Just remember, when you get in the team, make sure that you're with your druzya you just met not long ago, is that clear? I really don't want you to do some funny business." Boris recommended him what to do. Even if Balto, in his early teenage days, could just tell him to take it easy, he didn't want to have him be mad for his reckless decisions.
"That's fine, Boris. Look, we've only made it to them!" Balto beckoned him to the house from where he could see Max, Molly, Audrey and some other dogs waiting outside for their master. Molly noticed him coming and Max caught that look in her eyes, calling him: "Hey, Balto! Over here!" Audrey, however, was not enthusiastic when she saw him.
"Hey there! Right on time, aren't I?" Balto wanted to make sure that being right on schedule made a proper sled dog. Molly giggled: "Speaking of, our master is kind of running late, but we'll be there in no time, trust me!" Just then, these two noticed who accompanied Balto. Max asked: "Say, you are Balto's adoptive father he's been talking about, aren't you?"
"Da, that's Boris Goosinov to you, mal'chik! You must be Max and you are Molly, aren't you?" Boris looked at two teenage husky pups with interest, knowing that they were one of rare dogs in this town to treat Balto kindly. Molly answered: "Oh we are! You sir sure look like you've made no mistake looking after Balto, right?"
"I could have returned to my home, but then again, no young ones should ever be left behind!" Boris told them why he stayed in Nome in the first place. Molly was touched by how Boris, despite not looking like the sweetest father figure out there, willingly looked after Balto. He looked at Balto and then at his friends, answering: "And now I am happy that he's going to do something that will make him happy!"
"Not to mention, make us happy too!" Max didn't hide his enthusiasm when they were going to be in a team together soon! Though, Audrey couldn't hide her unamused look when she puffed in annoyance, telling her older brother: "Oh as if! Next thing I know is your friend makes a funny move at him and one of us has to go!"
"Audrey, what were we talking about before?" Max closed his eyes, clearly not in a mood to argue with her in front of them all. Boris noticed her giving unfriendly remarks on behalf of the wolf dog he was looking after. He asked her: "And you are Audrey I have heard of. Not so friendly looking and friendly sounding devushka, are you?"
"Watch your beak, feathers!" Audrey growled at him, but Balto and Max reacted first when she tried something. Balto did that so he could prevent anyone trying to do any harm to his guardian while Max did that just so she could keep her muzzle shut. Looking at the wolf-dog first, she asked her brother: "Now do explain to me why he made this move on me!"
"You asked for this, Audrey! Are you hurt for being called out, huh?" Max almost lost his patience on her when the situation was going south for her. Balto also couldn't let this go unnoticed when he told her: "You may not like me, but at least don't attack someone who has been this close to me, alright?"
Not only that Audrey was shocked that Balto growled at her, but Max, Molly and Boris were indeed surprised how Balto actually stood up to someone! Audrey gave him that disgusted look and as she was about to reply to him, the doors finally opened and the voice was heard saying: "Alright, let's get going, team! Today we begin the training!"
"It's time!" Molly invited them, cheerfully awaiting what was coming to them. Balto followed Max and Molly, Audrey being next to him. Boris moved along, hoping that Balto was going to be given his chance to do something that would make him happy. As they were reaching the Main Street in Nome, Max noticed the presence of someone.
"Hey look, Jenna has already come!" Max whispered to them and upon hearing "Jenna", Balto glanced anywhere he possibly could! There she was, resting on the wooden sidewalk and seeing their friends passing by, she smiled at them all and even Balto! This made him think how this day couldn't be any better than it was right now!
Jenna was told by Molly the morning before about where their training is going to take place and she didn't want to miss it, not that this would mean a whole lot for her friends. Speaking of her, she was not really fit for a sled dog, just like how her parents weren't sled dogs themselves. It didn't matter to her really that much.
"Good morning, Jenna! I was hoping to see you here this morning." A leisurely female voice spoke from her side and without looking, Jenna could figure out it belonged to a female Afghan hound with a beige fur, long beige ears with brown tips, her having brown eyes, brown face and also brown paws. "Good morning, Sylvie. Has Dixie come with you too?"
"Of course, I'm right over here!" The high-pitched voice squealed next to Sylvie when these two got to Jenna. Dixie was a Pomerian female, having a purple fur with the brighter tone of purple on her head, chest, paws and even tail. While Sylvie laid down next to Jenna, Dixie had to take her spot on the crate above them for the better view.
Jenna knew these two friends well. While she was from the classy family, her classiness was nothing compared to these two. Sylvie very likely was brought up in a wealthy family and was fairly groomed, and when it came to her habits, rumors and gossip were her thing. As for Dixie, who very likely looked like a dog who demanded attention at all times, leaned on bragging in any way she could. How so? Well, they were older than Jenna, judging by Sylvie's size.
"So, did you two come to see some of my friends becoming sled dogs?" Jenna asked, despite the fact that she was planning to see them today anyhow. Sylvie smoothly glanced at her husky friend to answer her: "Oh, you can freely say that we have, but because how we're waiting for that handsome male Steele to do his training!"
"You don't say?" Jenna asked her sarcastically, only for Dixie to add on: "Oh yes we do! Steele is going to sweep down anyone in his way to become the top sled dog!" She even looked like she was going to melt on the sight of Steele." Unlike these two, Jenna had no honestly positive opinion for him, not after she'd heard him taunting Balto and his mother…
Speaking of Balto, Sylvie noticed him among other dogs. She let them know: "Is it me or there's a wolf looking dog in that team?!" Dixie looked around, panicking for a bit when she heard "wolf", fearing there was one nearby! Well, Jenna rolled her eyes when she looked at her Pomerian friend and told her: "Dixie! Calm down! There are no wolves here, only Balto!"
"Who?" Dixie wondered what that name was again when she stopped looking around. Jenna looked at Balto, who was wondering when the line up was coming, and told them: "That wolf-dog over there is Balto! He is actually hoping to become a sled dog if you have to know." Sylvie gazed at the wolfdog over there in disbelief, asking her: "You know him?"
"Has someone mentioned that lobo again?" That voice clearly belonged to Steele, "lobo" giving away his presence. Dixie and Sylvie immediately squealed in joy when they saw their favorite malamute teenage pup emerging from the corner and surprisingly, he was on his own. Both Sylvie and Dixie panted joyfully while saying: "S… s… Steele!"
"Ladies, how is your day?" Steele smugly asked these two adoring fans of his all while hoping he'd end up acknowledging their crush on him. They were busy trying to say something to the point that Steele noticed the presence of Jenna. Raising his eyebrow as if he scored the world's highest achievement smugly, he asked: "Hello, are you the new girl in town? I don't seem to remember you from before?"
Jenna looked at the malamute for whom she clearly was showing no interest, but she learned her habits. She told him: "My name is Jenna and you don't have to waste your time, Steele. I've heard about you before!" She exclaimed this one with the false sense of joy. He perceived it as genuine instead, to which he asked her smugly: "I might say, your two friends are really full of surprises and you're the biggest one I've met in my life so far!"
"Oh, is that so?" Jenna asked him with the raised eyebrow. Obviously, standing next to him showed how taller he was in comparison to her and even the gap between ages (in months actually) was visible. As Steele was about to tell her something, trying to win her over with his tricks, Dixie interrupted him with her bouncing around and squealing: "Yes, it is, Jenna! You just wait when Steele and his team get to train after this team!"
"I already see Maxie boy and Dolly's team being there and… Bingo is with them too?!" Steele's pupils shrunk in disbelief when he saw his enemy wolf-dog over there, standing with two of his friends. He was still not noticed by their musher, who was busy talking with some other humans. Jenna told him: "Steele, do be nice! His name is Balto!"
But did that matter to him? No. He just gazed at the team where Balto was with Max and Molly. Audrey then noticed in front of herself someone she had a crush on and her excited squeal betrayed his presence. Max, who was busy explaining to Balto what was coming, noticed where Audrey was looking after she squealed joyfully.
Once he noticed who was over there, he spoke: "Oh great, Steele is now over there! Don't worry, Balto, once you're in the team, we'll see how low he will fall with mocking!" Max looked at Steele with a gleeful look, thinking: "When you see Balto being in my team soon, I can't wait to see the day where you're going to whimper like a little pup trying to mock my friend based on your gossip and attention seeking!"
Steele also looked gleefully at these three dogs, namely Balto. He was thinking: "Do you think you have a chance, lobo? As soon as the human finds out what kind of beast you are, I'll have the pleasure to make fun of you for trying to be in the team! I don't think your friends will be of any help!" Only one of these two were correct regarding their thoughts.
Then the musher turned around to get on training his team, just when Molly told them: "Get ready, master is coming!" So they were all excitedly awaiting for their master to see in what condition they all were to train. Audrey was the first one to get her check, which she passed. Molly was the second one and now it was on Balto…
"And who are you out of sudden now?" The musher noticed the unknown canine to him when he was giving his last check on Max. Molly and Max were surprised how their master took an interest in Balto and even that other human he was talking to came along and asked: "What's wrong, Leonhard?"
"I don't seem to remember seeing this one from before. Do you remember who this is or if he has an owner?" The musher by the name Leonhard asked his acquaintance, to which he observed Balto's messy brownish gray fur, face and paws. His answer came: "You're right, I don't know who this is… maybe it is a stray dog?"
"Dog is a questionable word here. I mean, look at his fur and those claws on his large paws! But wait, those fangs?! Are you sure if this is a dog or a wolf?" Leonhard asked. Hearing how they were describing them here, Balto started slowly crawling behind, being afraid of what else they were going to tell him. This was alerting two of his friends, fearing where this may lead.
"I am not sure either. Maybe this one is a mix between a dog and a wolf?" He asked, with the suspense growing taller as long as this discussion could go. Leonhard knew what the rules were to be a sled dog and backing a meter behind, he pointed at Balto and made it clear: "You as a halfbreed don't have a place in a team! Get out now or else!"
Hearing how spiteful that human was, Balto felt that voice being so strong and crushing that it felt like a rock smashing the glass that kept all things together. With his tail lowered down, Balto walked away slowly from his friends, who in shock wanted to tell their master something. Max was vouching strongly for Balto, hoping his master would reconsider his decision.
"Max, get down, boy! He could have almost attacked you, or Molly, or Audrey!" Leonhard ordered him to stand down. Max did it, against his own will. He and Molly were really sorry for their wolf-dog friend, who was quickening his pace down the street, clearly not wanting anyone to see his misery. Audrey, however, remained cold faced on Balto's forced departure.
As he ran past Jenna, Steele, Dixie and Sylvie, with Boris following from the side, Steele smugly looked at the running wolf-dog and telling girls: "What did I tell you, ladies? The lobo had no chance in being a sled dog!" Dixie and Sylvie found it admiring how Steele could predict something like that, clearly not caring for the wolf-dog.
But Jenna thought otherwise, being bewildered how Steele was being cold-hearted about Balto's happiness being stripped away from him. She just told them: "Excuse me!" Without wasting any more seconds, she just followed Balto, even if Steele told her: "Jenna, where are you going?!"
But as he wanted to have her back, he was already flanked by the Afghan hound and the Pomerian, the former one saying: "Come on, Steele, you've got us!" The latter one cooed him sweetly: "Leave Jenna when we're right by your side!" As much as Steele wanted to have and be with Jenna, he knew that these two wouldn't give in just like that, so he gave up: "Alright, let me tell you how I knew he wasn't going to get the place." They turned all ears when he laid down between them.
As for Balto, he was making a run for it to hide in the darkest alley he could. The tears were coming back to him. He couldn't believe it, he just could not believe what happened! The last bit of happiness in his life felt like it was stripped away from him. Only one thing he could ever do to make him happy… he couldn't just have it…
"Balto! Boychick, are you running mad?!" Boris finally caught up with him when he had to follow the pawprints in the snow. He noticed how Balto was sitting all by himself in snow, all miserable, facing the snow below him. Tears in his brown eyes showed how hurt he was when that human repelled him away. He replied: "Boris… I want to be alone… please go!"
"Nyet, I'm staying right here! Look, I am sorry that you didn't get your place in the team! If there is anything I can do for you!" Boris moved straight to him and wrapped his wings around him when he moved in front of the teenage wolf dog. He glanced at the Russian goose just once and muttered: "Boris, I told you…"
"Balto? Balto!" Jenna's voice came from the end of the alley when she finally caught up with him, following his scent and his pawprints. Balto was startled at first when he saw his scarlett red female teenage husky behind him. He backed a bit when he spoke: "Jenna… what are you doing here?!"
"Balto, I'm sorry for what happened over here! I was hoping that the musher was going to let you pass! But that was just too cruel of him!" Jenna moved closer and closer to the point she was only less than a meter away from him. She looked him in his teary eyes and whispered quite sweetly: "Look, I know what you're going through. Just don't let that be your burden, alright?"
"But, Jenna… didn't you see what happened? I have nothing left in my life to make me happy now!" Balto cried, feeling that there was nothing else left for him, being left without any chances and possibilities in his life. He was actually wrong for this matter, there were some things left in his life.
"Balto, that's not true! You know that Boris is here to look after you!" Jenna let him know when she glanced at the snow goose next to Balto, who smiled at the young husky pup and answered: "She's right, and don't forget that there are Muk and Luk to keep you company!" As much as he didn't want to have any business with those two polar bear cubs, he had that golden heart hidden behind that grump.
"Don't forget that there's us! Max is like your older brother, Molly is like your older sister and I'm here for you too!" Jenna assured him that not all hope was lost and much to Balto's surprise, she nuzzled him by his chest, as tall as she could get compared to their sizes respectively. This made Balto blush instantly… she actually didn't mind nuzzling the half-breed like him?!
He stood there, speechlessly for a minute. It all felt so real to him when she sweetly nuzzled him and wanted to wish him all the best now that he almost vented his issues. He had no feeling to do so actually. This gesture made his problems go away, as if they were a fire being doused by a bucket of water.
"Don't you see? You may not have anything to make you happy now, but you have someone to make you happy and that's something you should be thankful for!" Jenna spoke, not scolding him for his words, but reminding him that in his dark times, he could always seek the solitude and comfort from his care-taker and his friends.
At last he spoke: "Jenna, Boris… you two are right. I was overreacting there, mainly because my hopes were too high there…" Boris didn't resent him when he wrapped his wing around him and with his right wing, he gestured and spoke: "Mal'chik, it can happen to anyone with emotions. Just don't let them take you over, have a reason!"
Balto looked at him, knowing there was a wisdom behind those eyes that stretched beyond anyone's imagination. Jenna, who had to return to her friends so her owners would eventually take her home, spoke once more: "Balto, just so you know, you have us to give you all you need, alright? Boris, will you keep an eye on Balto for us?"
"Two eyes, as often as I can spare them!" Boris pointed with his wing to his head, taking this proposition to his heart. Balto and Jenna actually both chuckled at this, mainly how Boris took this quite literally and even he smiled when he heard them. Jenna once more looked at her wolf-dog friend and before she returned, she told him: "One day I am sure that you're going to be a sled dog and there's nothing that will crush your dream in being one."
"Thank you, Jenna." Balto gladly accepted her support, acknowledging that there was actually some happiness coming from someone. She returned to the street one last time and before she was out of the sight, she gave him that one last friendly smile before she was gone. His smile lasted longer until he could no longer hear her pawsteps in the distance.
Afterwards, Balto's smile weakened and once glancing at his feathery adoptive father, he beckoned him to the other side of the alley to let him know: "Let's go get something for you to eat. It was quite a morning for you, wasn't it?" He was right, he didn't realize how much he craved for meat until now. Hopefully there were some leftovers disposed of so Balto could have them, whereas Boris would have to find his own meal somewhere in the wild.