For Balto, it was going to take some time to recover entirely from his wound. As such, the children and other people who had contacted diphtheria were taking days to be released from the hospital as well. In fact, some of the first cases had been released home after showing no more symptoms and also breathing with their lungs full.
Jenna never left Balto's side, not that the love between them was formed and nothing could really dent it. She was there with him and whenever he needed assistance, she was the first one to help him up. Balto kept receiving the visits from his friends every day. However, his recovery was much faster than he thought it'd be.
What seemed like it was going to be at least one week in a bandage and then one week to be fully mobile turned out to be much sooner. It was around five days after he'd awakened in a hospital that he no longer needed Jenna's assistance to walk around. Moreso, the nurse nearby also noticed something odd about him.
"It seems that you can walk normally again, Balto? Let's see how your wound is like now!" The nurse spoke, being ready to remove the bandage from wolfdog's injured shoulder, hoping she'd not pull the hair off it. In fact, when she was done unveiling the bandage, her reaction was: "Oh my! I've never seen anything like this before!"
"What is she saying?" Balto asked Jenna, who stood by his side. He couldn't see by himself how his shoulder was because the nurse's head was blocking his view. Jenna's face showed amazement: "Balto, your wound… as if there was nothing left of it!" He was surprised to hear that, taking a good look at his shoulder once the nurse moved her head.
His look said it all. Despite the pain and injury he had sustained, as if there had been no wound there before and no scar whatsoever! He observed his shoulder carefully, wondering if this was the shoulder he'd been bitten on or not? Then again, it didn't ache him anymore and even under his thick fur, he could find no scars.
"I… I don't know what to say… this is amazing!" Balto was stunned to find this out, walking around the room. At no point he tripped and fell or even yelp. Nothing. As if he'd never been injured in the first place! Then again, there were some slight tingles in his leg, but nothing that would interrupt his pace.
"I think you are ready to go, boy. I'd have never dreamed that someone like you would recover this soon!" The nurse didn't hide her surprise. He heard her correctly - he was free to leave! As much as he welcomed that idea, he looked at Rosy's bed and then asked Jenna: "But what's with Rosy? How long is she going to stay in the hospital?"
As for Rosy, her recovery was going well. Two days after getting the medicine, she was seen for the first time outside her bed and four days later, she eventually roamed freely around the hospital and met up with some of her friends. Jenna answered her: "Don't worry, I've heard from my masters that tomorrow morning Rosy will be released!"
The smile on Balto's face widened when he realized that the human he cared the most for was going to be out by the following day. He walked to her bed and noticed her musher hat on the sleeping table next to it, he got the moment of mischief in his head and used it to place the hat on her lap. That way he also had her awakened.
"Morning, Balto! Morning, Jenna!" Rosy spoke when she was awake. Her voice was more lively and full of joy, showing her amazing recovery. She noticed the hat in her lap and figuring out who placed it, she leaned closer to cuddle Balto behind his ears, telling him: "Oh, you really want to be in a sled, Balto? Wait when I come home first and then we can run together, with Jenna as well!"
Jenna loved to see how Rosy was full of spirit after recovering from diphtheria. She came to rub her head against her and naturally, Rosy cuddled her dog behind her ears, telling her: "Don't worry, Jenna. Tomorrow I'll be home and everything will be back to normal! Well, with Balto being by your side that is." Both the girl and her dog loved that idea.
Later, that same morning, Balto was ready to leave the hospital. The town still had no vet. Jenna would usually stand by Rosy's side and watch her recover, but at this point she was absolutely confident that Rosy was doing well. She asked him: "Well, shall we? It is your first day out there ever since you've returned, Balto!"
"With you by my side, let's go." Balto accepted her offer and both left the building. The cold winter air dashed across Balto's brownish gray fur. With his muzzle he inhaled the fresh air and felt like he was finally home after a long, long time! Well, it was no surprise he was feeling like that when he heard a familiar Russian accented voice.
"Oi, boychick! You have finally left this hospital?!" He heard Boris calling him from his left and the smile stretched on his face when he greeted him: "Hello, Boris! Have you been all this time around the hospital while I was recovering?" Jenna found it pretty amusing when he asked him that and even Boris let him know: "I haven't moved a step away from here, mal'chik! I wanted to make sure you could stand on all fours first!"
"As you can see, I am standing on all four of them." Balto smirked on that statement, to which Boris rolled with his eyes. However, he wasn't alone when two familiar polar bear cubs came from the alley where Boris came out first and Muk beamed joyfully: "Balto! You're out and well! It's wonderful to see you again!"
"Muk, Luk! You two couldn't wait to see me again? I guess you were so worried for me back that night." Balto greeted his first puppyhood friends when they rushed to hug him, but Boris got in the way, saying: "Nyet, you two! Balto just got out of the hospital and his leg is still weary from that attack!" Yet, Luk mumbled something, which only Muk could translate as: "If his leg is so weary, why are there no scars on his leg?"
"Chto?" Boris looked at Balto's leg entirely and noticed that there wasn't a single centimeter of scar on his shoulder or leg. He asked him: "Balto, how is this possible? That mutt viciously attacked you that night and after almost a week being in there, you have nothing on your leg?!" Balto and Jenna looked at one another, finding Boris' curiosity quite amusing.
"I don't know, you guys, but what matters right now is that I can walk on my own right now and I think I can thank Jenna here for being with me… maybe it is her secret of my fast recovery!" Balto let them know, winking to Jenna when he mentioned the secret. She just giggled on that statement, brushing it off with: "Oh, stop it, you…"
"Lyubit', that's what I sense here." Boris made himself sound like a poet here when she replied to him here. She told him: "Balto, I'm sure that your friends are going to be thrilled to see you doing well. What do you say to you and I go find them?" His answer was: "Are you reading my mind, Jenna?"
It was funny to both of them that they were thinking the same thing. However, before they could move on, Luk came to them and mumbled something, carrying something in his paws, revealing it to be a fish. Muk helped them here: "Luk wants you to have this fish as a gift for your recovery and he also says that he knows how much you like eating them!"
"Thanks, Luk, that's very considerate of you! I'll take it here." Balto was touched by this gesture and took the fish Luk offered to him. He carried it in his jaws and let Jenna know: "If you want to, we can share it together, Jenna." She found that offer tempting and if anything, she would share a meal with someone she loved being with.
As the two canines were leaving, Boris wanted it to be that way, sensing the love brewing between both of them. Muk asked: "Uncle Boris, if Balto is going to be with Jenna, does that mean that he will no longer live on the boat?" Both polar bear cubs gave those "puppy" like eyes look to the goose before he had a chance to answer.
"Now, now, you two! Balto has grown up now and he has found his lyubit'. Just because those two will be together now, that does not mean he will move away from good. We were his first family, remember?" Boris taught them not to despair now that the things were going to change with Balto finding his love. That certainly made both Muk and Luk relieved.
As for both Balto and Jenna, who were seen walking around the streets of Nome, Jenna made sure that her wolfdog boyfriend was feeling welcome in this town. In fact, she didn't have to do anything because there have been some humans passing by. Instead of their vile hissing "half-breed!", "tramp!" or "wild animal!", they were saying warm words like: "There's the town hero!", "You have saved this town!" or "Who's the good boy?"
Some of the humans went on to pat him, but his instinct always made him back away a bit, yet he let them do it. Jenna asked him: "Balto, is everything alright? I know that it's different now, but if you don't get adjusted to it, the humans may have second opinions about you!" That was something he couldn't let happen to him, fearing more abuse.
"You're right, Jenna. I really wish Rosy is here with us." Balto looked down, thinking how embarrassing it was for him to back away from the love and affection those humans were giving to him. Eventually he didn't hesitate to be cuddled and patted anymore, but his instinct was making him do so otherwise.
"Well, at least you're not afraid of being with other dogs, right?" Jenna wondered what it would look like for Balto to be surrounded by the other dogs in this town. He made it clear to her: "Don't worry, I am sure that when I come there, I won't get a cold shoulder. Get it?" He made fun of his pain and injury he sustained not long ago.
She just rolled with her eyes, telling him: "Well, if one thing didn't change about you is that you still use humor for your misery, huh?" She didn't say that with spite and he knew that so he didn't have to seek an apology from her. Besides, the boiler room was in front of them and even Balto let her know: "Who do you think we will find there?"
"I say only familiar faces!" Jenna gave him a hint even if she had no clue who there was in the first place. The doors were open and there was a clamor coming from there, indicating that this place never seemed vacant. It didn't take anyone two and two to figure out that someone was standing in front of the entrance and even Star beamed: "Hey, hey! Look! It's Balto! He's all in one piece!"
"And don't forget Jenna!" Kaltag showed some mannerisms when Balto and Jenna made it inside. Most of the dogs in there were delighted to see the town hero walking again after recovering for days. Balto told Jenna that he was going to leave a good impression, even if he struggled with his confidence a little bit. However, he made it clear: "Hi everyone!"
"Balto, youse recovered faster than I believed! I didn't really think youse would be on all fours in less than a week!" Nikki was surprised by how fast his recovery was. Balto didn't really think about it, but let him know anyhow: "I guess it's my wolf side that made me somehow recover faster than I actually believed, Nikki."
"And no matter what side he has, be it a wolf or a dog one, we are all in a great debt to Balto." Doc raised from the crowd, showing that he never had any prejudices towards the wolf-dog in the first place. There were some murmurs from some lesser known dogs. Balto just let him know: "Doc, I'm flattered, but I'm not asking that much."
"Don't jinx it yet, Balto! There may be something, some time soon, that will call for you to save this town again!" Kaltag laughed, showing enthusiasm for the wolf-dog in the dog society here, getting over the prejudices towards him. Some others laughed, not to mock him, but just to show what role Balto had in this town.
"Don't be ashamed of yourself! Just look at them, they actually care about you even since." Jenna encouraged Balto not to back away from the laughter coming from the dogs in the boiler room. Then, one other male voice, coming from the platform above, spoke: "Alright, we get to joke now. Let's settle down the dust!"
It was Max obviously, always accompanied by his best friend Molly and his sister Audrey. All three of them were delighted to see Balto being mobile again, but because Star was stealing the spotlight for his gang, he had to wait until they were down. Max asked him: "How are you, my friend? It's good to see you walking by yourself again!"
"Max, I'm doing pretty well actually! I recovered much sooner than I thought I would." Balto let him know, revealing how there was nothing left on his shoulder. Jenna noticed on his muzzle: "Say, Max, not that I want to incite anything, but I can still notice you kept yours?" Those scratch marks, seen near Max's muzzle, were still somehow visible.
"Oh yeah, but I will live with them. Besides, what's a scarred face compared to a… cold shoulder?" Max asked, which made Balto laugh when he mentioned it and even Max broke into laughter. Others didn't know if they were laughing with them or not, yet Molly asked Jenna: „Don't tell me he's serious about it?"
"I wish." Jenna let her know as the two friends shared some good laughs. Audrey watched her brother with his wolf-dog friend and asked the other two: "Do you think there's a good chance that Balto and I… you know, make friends? You do know that I never had any high opinion about him before, right?"
"We know, Audrey. Besides, you do see who he really is now so it'd mean a lot to Max if you were to befriend him, you know?" Molly told her, showing that the room for prejudices was no more. Audrey let her know: "Alright, I will do so. If not today, these days I will, mark my words!" It was better late than never, as they'd say.
"Say, Balto, can I ask you something in private?" Max beckoned him to go outside, to which he followed, wondering what he had to ask him. While the laughter and clamor echoed from the boiler room, Max asked him: "I was wondering, do you have any plans for like… tonight? I mean, is there anything you and Jenna have been thinking about?"
"From what I know, not yet. Just seeing how others would react about me being here with you now." Balto let him know, not being sure why he was being cryptic here. That was when Max told him: "Alright, but let me ask you something. Jenna has been looking after you pretty well, didn't she? Has there been anything brewing between you during that time?"
While it was quite curious how he asked that question, Balto was ready to reply with: "She took a good care of me and I actually admitted to her that night that I loved her, but I haven't had anything in mind yet… but now that you brought it, I realized that Rosy will not go home until tomorrow morning."
It wasn't until a few seconds later when the oil lamp turned on above Balto's head and he had a good idea: "Say, you're right. I might go ask Jenna if she has anything in mind for tonight! I mean, she looked after me and never in my life before I've felt this close!" Max smiled widely when Balto finally figured out what he was hinting at!
"Very good! If you're going to ask her out tonight, I suggest you come in front of the post office tonight at around… 8 in the evening. There's a surprise you have to see by yourself… or yourselves at least!" Max was hinting at something that made Balto curious about what Max had in mind before he beckoned him to go back inside.
Being back inside, the clamor wasn't dying down yet, even among the three females who were having a delightful talk with one another. When they got to them, Balto asked: "Jenna, do you have a moment? I need to ask you something important." Jenna stopped the discussion with her female friends here, saying: "Sure!"
Standing aside, she asked him: "What is it, Balto? What do you have in mind now?" The look in her eyes was really showing how asking her out had to be a shot worth taking. He gulped, knowing that it was for the first time: "Jenna, what are your plans for tonight?" That was he had hoped this was going to be a good start.
She answered him quite casually: "Well, Rosy will go home tomorrow morning and I will likely be by her side tonight. Why are you asking?" He had to answer her why and Balto thought to himself: "Alright, no excuses. You asked for this, now you answer her, Balto!" If he was going to say that he asked her out of fun, he better had it another coming.
"Well, I was thinking… if you would come with me tonight…" Balto started, clearly not getting a good hold of his confidence in here. She raised her eyebrow when he invited her tonight, but where to? He inhaled once again: "What I meant by that was that if you would like to go out with me tonight!" He sped up saying this, clearly not having a hold of this.
"Are you… are you asking me out, for a date?" Jenna asked him, wondering if she heard that right or Balto was just merely toying with her here. Balto's nervous smile and chuckle ensued and he admitted: "Y… yes! That's what I meant!" For a moment, Jenna remained speechless and even Balto wondered if he said something wrong?
Thankfully, he didn't. Jenna knew what he meant over here and leaned on his chest to nuzzle him, speaking: "Balto, I would love to go out tonight with you! Oh, ever since you have returned to Nome, I was wondering when we would go out." She no longer had to hide her feelings towards him and Balto felt the warmth spreading all across his body.
"Thank you, Jenna! How about you and I go at around eight o' clock tonight, in front of the post office? Max told me there's some kind of surprise there!" Balto let her know what he had in mind. Jenna's answer was whispered softly: "Whatever it is, I think it is going to be a wonderful one for our night!" Both of them were eagerly awaiting the evening.
"What are you two whispering?" Molly asked them, being amused by what they were doing over there. Balto and Jenna looked at her and there Jenna let her know: "Balto just asked me out for a date tonight!" Molly raised on her paws when she heard that, asking: "He did?! Jenna, Balto, congratulations to you both! I bet you two have been waiting for this for a long time!"
"You have no idea, Molly." Balto let her know, seeing how his dream was finally coming to a fruition with everything being settled down for that night. Molly then told him: "You know, Max wants you to talk with boys over there about you being a sled dog. Us girls have some talk with ourselves right now!"
"Girl talk, you say?" Balto smugly asked his friend, only for Jenna to gently push him aside, saying: "Just go talk with the boys!" He laughed how she took this in, having to stand next to Max in front of Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Doc and other dogs about the idea of him being a sled dog. In fact, that was something he wasn't feeling like talking at the moment…
The boys were discussing the potential future for Balto being a sled dog, with him agreeing and disagreeing on some opinions. In fact, he let them know that some other time they should have a more serious talk because his head was clearly all over the place. It was all thanks to him thinking how he would go out with Jenna later that night. Even the boys seemed like this day was just not the day.
Throughout the entire day all that Balto had in mind was to have a wonderful date with Jenna and he actually thought of a place where to take her. He had to wait until evening to go, yet she was going to see Rosy once more before they go on a date. As for Balto, he spent the majority of his day with his newly found friends.
"Boys, I know that you want me to be in a sled team, but we will talk about this more the other day, alright? I think I should get going now, Jenna will be waiting for me!" Balto let them know, noticing that not only Jenna wasn't there anymore, but Max, Molly and Audrey had already left. Were they going to help Jenna up for a date?
"So are you going to tell us how your date is going to go, uh?" Kaltag couldn't resist asking this, seeing how the wolf-dog was scoring with the prettiest husky that evening. Balto answered him: "All in the proper time, Kaltag!" He found it pretty endearing how Balto wasn't hiding anything from him, letting the wolf-dog know: "Now that's the spirit! Good luck out there."
"Thanks, I will need it." Balto smiled and headed outside in the night. The only way he could figure out what the time was to see the church tower and observe the clock. There was still some time left, less than thirty minutes. To think about it, this wasn't the first date with Jenna, but it was the first one he was going to have as a boyfriend and girlfriend.
He went through the alley where he saw in a somehow cracked mirror his own reflection. Aside from his messy hair on the head, he actually didn't mind his own looks here, thinking how he already had all the minerals he needed. He didn't have any food to offer to her, but then again, he knew that she was never that kind of female who'd go with meals just like that.
"Alright, I think I am ready." Balto whispered to himself, making his move to the hospital. It was relatively quiet tonight, save for occasional humans or dogs out there on the streets. Still, he had in mind to meet up with Jenna right on time. Soon enough, he found himself below the window from where he observed Rosy when she was still sick… and Jenna.
He climbed on the windowsill to see how Rosy was doing. She was sleeping peacefully, looking much healthier than she was before. She was ready to leave home the following day after spending weeks there. In fact, only her and one other bed inside were still taken, majority already being vacated as the patients had left and being dismissed home.
"Balto?" Jenna's voice broke the silence when she walked to him. Balto noticed her, looking pretty as ever. She noticed the smile on his face, both from seeing her here and because of: "Jenna, before you came here, I just started thinking… how everything would have been different if the medicine… had never made it here."
"Oh, Balto, don't let those dark thoughts cloud your mind." Jenna nuzzled him to make sure that he could let his mind be free from alternate outcomes. He whispered to her: "When I'm looking at Rosy, I just think how devastated I would be too if she never made it!" So would be Jenna, knowing her beloved human ever since she was only two months old.
"It's alright. I think we should get going." Jenna let him know, hoping that he would stop with these thoughts before it got too much and thankfully, his answer was: "Let's go! We better be at around eight by the post office!" Both of them were going to find out what kind of surprise was awaiting them both and little did they know what impact it would leave.
"What do you think the surprise is?" Balto asked her, wondering if someone told her. Her reaction was the same as his: "I am not sure, the only thing I've heard from Max was just to come and find it out by ourselves." Soon enough, when they were in front of the office, they saw Max already waiting there.
"Hello, Max! We made it just on time as you mentioned." Balto greeted his friend over there. Max smiled when he noticed on the tower that they were right on time and then he brought it up: "So, are you two ready to find out the surprise?" Balto and Jenna looked at one another, which Max interpreted as "Yes, we are."
Just them, Molly walked from the alley next to the office and she sat next to Max. For a few seconds, there was a silence until Molly broke it: "So, do you two wonder what the surprise is?" The smile on her and Max's faces were seen, but not good enough to give them any clues. Balto just mentioned: "Well, I don't see that Audrey is with you, right?"
"Right! Sigrid was released from the hospital this afternoon and now she's looking after her at home. That's not the surprise we have to show you actually." Max pointed out who was missing here, but he wasn't looking for that. Balto didn't notice that there was anything out of the place so he asked: "Then what is it?"
"Have you two been thinking that tonight all four of us… make a double date?" Molly answered and before they figured it out, she leaned closer to lick Max's muzzle, much to his delight. Jenna's eyes widened in pleasant surprise when she figured it out: "Are you… are you two dating?!"
"We've been in this relationship for a few days now, but we wanted to tell no one but you first!" Molly squealed in an excitement when she revealed what the surprise was, making the two females jump in joy. As for Max, he leaned closer to Balto and asked him smugly: "Do you see why I asked you two to come over here tonight? You deserved to know it first! Well, my sister knows too."
"Well, congratulations to you both! I think that we can make this a double date now!" Balto didn't hide his enthusiasm for his friends whom he had known since he was a pup and now that they were officially boyfriend and girlfriend to one another, it was a cherry at the top of the cake. "Though, where do you plan we should go?"
"Now that is your honor, Balto. After all, your name is very well known across the town so it is you who should decide that." Molly let him know what she had in mind and the three pairs of eyes were looking at him to see where he had in mind to go. A smirk on his face gave them the answer: "I know the exact place where the four of us should go. Follow me!"
So Jenna stayed closely to Balto to see where they were heading to. Max followed them, with Molly sticking close to him. They were on the beach, but it wasn't the place he had in mind. It wasn't the hills either because Balto led them towards the forest. While it was questionable at first from him to take them there, he soon darted his view at the clearing in front of them where moonlight was present and the view on the sea and the town was more than perfect for them, in the circle of the pine trees.
"So, what do you think of this place?" Balto asked them, hoping this location would appeal to them. Indeed, Jenna got to ask him first: "How come you've chosen this place?" She got her answer: "Sometimes I come to hunt here, but when I ran away that day and returned the night after, only then I figured out how pretty this place is during the night."
It seemed like that it was appealing to all of them, with Max and Molly telling something to one another and even Max letting him know: "This is an outstanding place, Balto. I must admit, the view of the town and the sea is very pretty!" Balto snickered when he had done this for his friend, answering: "Well, you can thank my wolf side for coming here from time to time."
Once the four friends were together in this place, knowing one another since they had been little pups, Balto and Jenna found their spot at one side of the clearing whereas Max and Molly took their spot on the opposite side. It was their double date, but out of respect, if they wanted to share something with one another, then it was just between each couple.
Between Max and Molly, they were just sitting close and opposite to one another. Molly gazed above at Max's ocean blue eyes, seeing her reflection in them. She asked him: "Max, do you remember that day when we were little and we met? You helped me out of the basket while my brothers left me behind to play with Audrey."
"Do I? As far as I can go, I don't think I will ever forget that day, Molly." Max was amused by that question, still remembering how he saw a helpless female puppy trying to get out of the bed and with some courage, he helped her out, making a friend that day. "Not only I met a friend that day, but a girlfriend too! It took me only until not long ago to figure that out."
"And it took me not that long ago that not only I met my friend then, but my boyfriend. Out of any other male I met out there, I don't think I can imagine myself with any other than you are, Max." Molly honeyed her words, hoping that Max would soak them like a bee from the nectar of the flower and judging by the dreamy look on his face, she was good at it.
"You know, I never really thought you are being so 'poetic', Molly. Have you been secretly studying poetry behind my back?" He asked her, keeping his laughter behind and wondering if she got the joke. She told him: "Oh, stop it!" She swiped some snow right at his face and saw him laugh at his own joke. Quite interestingly, some snow landed on his scars.
"Have I ever told you before how those scars are making you actually more handsome than I thought?" Molly pointed it out, which he took fairly well. He answered: "Well, ever since I've seen myself in a mirror after getting those scars, I just wondered if there was going to be any female out there who'd say that first and you know what? I'm glad you were that first female!"
"And it isn't just scars that makes me like you either. Not only you've been my best friend since we were puppies, Max, but the way you've been standing up to your friends, all of us, and giving the taste of the medicine to your enemies… I couldn't hide it anymore. I was only hoping that you'd notice that first." Molly admitted her feelings openly now.
"Well, I know it's the right thing to do, Molly. Besides, do you sometimes wonder what our parents would think if they find out we're dating one another?" Max asked her, recalling the times before their adoption how their parents used to get along. Molly also felt the rush of nostalgia as he'd mentioned them and moreso, answered: "I think they'd love to know that!"
Watching them having a delightful talk and laugh at their topics, occasionally licking one another's muzzle, Balto and Jenna could easily notice that their friends were having a pretty good start of their relationship. Jenna whispered: "Balto, this place is so pretty tonight! I really wish there were the Northern lights here!"
"I know, they'd make this night pretty magical if you ask me." Balto told her, raising his paw like a gentleman so Jenna could place hers on his. Their muzzles were close to one another as they were gazing into one another's eyes. Balto whispered: "Now that you mentioned the lights, I still remember the night I've returned with the medicine, the lights were above the town."
"Yes, that was me. It was my best hope that they'd bring you home!" Jenna let him know about her deed, further saying: "I saw the oil lantern being extinguished from the office and I remembered your trick with the lights. Oh, Balto, if it weren't for your underground adventure that night, I would have never known about the trick of yours and even so… I think you'd have never known the way home."
"Jenna, throughout my whole life I could not see the light until I met you. You are my light and my love and the way I showed you how to summon the lights was the only faint memory of my puppyhood before I was separated from my mother." Balto revealed to her the origins of the trick he had learned as a little pup.
She was still awestruck when Balto called her "his light and love", but didn't interfere just yet. In fact, she leaned her head onto his neck and deeply nuzzled him, which made him feel pretty warm all across his body. Her sweet scent spread all across their place and his heartbeat growing slowly and steadily.
"Jenna, thank you for being my friend and for being in my life!" Balto whispered, showing how much she meant to him and for a pretty siberian husky who could have chosen any purebred dog in the town, she settled with a raggedy wolf-dog whom she deeply loved and when she parted her head from his neck, she answered: "No, thank you for existing in the first place, Balto. I can't imagine my life with any other male than you."
Neither could he, while their muzzles were touching and all the cold around them seemed to be gone. Their love and their warmth made them realize that they just needed one thing in their lives - one another. As for Max and Molly, they were playfully chasing one another on the clearing, taking a more mischievous nature of their date.
Still, being a gentleman or a mischief, it didn't even matter to them. They went to the edges of the world, scrambled fang and claw, went through the harshest places out there to prove, at the end of everything, how they could not live without one another. Besides, they had no other wishes out there in the clearing but to cherish every single moment they had on their date.