"Jenna, you have to tell us how it was when Balto has received his spot as s lead dog… or dare I say, wolf-dog?" Sylvie teased her as she and Dixie were resting on the wooden sidewalk near the post office. They were awaiting for Balto and his team to return with the mail that morning.

"Oh, you two have no idea! Not only that my masters care for him as if he's a pet, but now that he is doing something that's making him truly happy in his life!" Jenna let them know. She also seemed to radiate with joy ever since her boyfriend had no longer to despair. It had been three weeks since Rosy had been released from the hospital.

"He must be so positively… amazing to deliver a mail as a sled… wolfdog!" Dixie couldn't keep the hold of her usual commentary, which made both Jenna and Sylvie roll with their eyes. Sylvie was curious: "But now that he shares the same sled with Kaltag and boys, I wonder if he was first looking for the spot in Max's team?"

"Oh, that. Well, Balto wanted to be in a team with his friends. The thing is, they had no vacant places unlike Kaltag's team." Jenna let them know, which further made these two ask, Dixie to be precise: "Ohhhhh! What about the race? What would happen if Balto and Max have to race against each other?!"

"Don't you worry about that, you two! They may be in rival teams, but knowing them pretty well, these two would never dare to clash against each other, trust me!" Jenna assured them that there wasn't going to be any problem between the two old friends. In fact, this would bring the good old days of friendly rivalry that had been corrupted with Steele's greed.

As for Jenna, she heard her Afghan hound and Pomerian friend talk, but she sunk deep into her mind for a moment… Her mind drifted back in time, three weeks ago, with Gunnar Kaasan being finally released from the hospital and her master suggesting him the new replacement for a lead dog because his original one was missing…

"I think you're going to be a great lead-dog, Balto. Tomorrow morning I want you by the post office to see how good you are as a sled dog, or a wolf-dog!" Gunnar Kaasan spoke to Balto, who was eagerly awaiting the day after to train and show his future musher that he could handle this pretty well.

The morning after, Jenna came to see how Balto was going to train alongside Kaltag, Star and Nikki. Max, Molly and Audrey also came to see Balto's training. While Kaltag, Nikki and Star were obviously veterans in terms of sled dogs, they would seem like they were going to outrun Balto on the training.

Little did Kaasan realize how he underestimated Balto's experience and agility that he ended up outrunning the most agile dog in the team, Kaltag. Realizing that no matter how many times he'd test Balto to see if other dogs would outrun him, Kaasan made it clear already: "Well, boy, I think I have no doubts that you should be the lead dog of my team now!"

This resulted in Balto receiving a standing ovation from his friends alike and even Rosy, who watched him training. Not only that he got to be a sled dog, but he got to lead the team, immediately proving to everyone that he was born to be a lead wolfdog! The word spread around the town and outskirts just to see who was in charge!

"Jenna? Jenna!" Jenna's memories bursted like a bubble when Dixie called for her, snapping back the scarlet red female husky to reality. "W… what?!" Jenna asked, wondering what was the big deal over here. Dixie told her: "Be ready, Jenna! I think I'm hearing the barks in the distance!"

"You mean, they're coming back?" Jenna asked, looking towards the direction the team had left the town the evening before. Sylvie raised on her legs and got a better view: "Here they come!" The small spot in the distance increased into the shape of a man holding the leather harnesses in his hands as the sled was arriving, with a certain wolf-dog being in charge.

"And would you look at them, Jenna! They are all led by your positively… precious boyfriend!" Dixie commented, showing no signs of embarrassment that she admired Balto for his bravery instead of a certain glory hound. As for Jenna, she moved in front joyfully to await Balto the moment he'd pull over and get disassembled from his harness.

"Good! HALT!" Kaasan yelled to his dogs when they made it to the post office and so they did. They all seemed like they could drop down from exhaustion, but Balto just had to be the strongest and most durable one here because he heard in that moment: "Balto!" Raising his head after catching up some breath, he saw Jenna rushing towards him.

"Jenna!" Balto was delighted to see his girlfriend rushing to him and she nuzzled him by his chest. Balto couldn't get enough of her love and care she was openly giving to him. He replied to her: "Jenna… it was amazing…! For the first time ever… I've done my first… mail delivery!" He was obviously catching his breath.

"Balto, you know how I'm glad for you now that you're doing something that makes you happy! When you rest, I'll take you home in front of the fireplace to get yourself warm, how's that?" Jenna offered him the compromise which made Balto smile widely of a lovely scenario with her in front of the fireplace.

"You know, I could use some of that fireplace too! My legs are frozen stiff after a long absence!" Nikki suggested jokingly, trying to catch his breath. Kaltag told him: "Jenna, you have no idea how amazing Balto is as a sled dog. He's the fastest, the most agile, the most durable, the sharpest…!"

"He's born to be a SLED DOG!" Star broke out with his words. Surprisingly again, Kaltag just told them: "Well, more like born to be a sled WOLF DOG!" Out of instinct, Star covered his head when he yelled, but seeing that Kaltag wasn't going to punch him again he calmed down. Balto found it funny nonetheless.

"It seems that you're now getting along better than before." Jenna noticed how they'd changed their attitude towards him ever since Balto found them and took the medicine home. Balto couldn't wait any longer to spend time alone with Jenna so he told his teammates: "Alright, you boys! You have done a great job too and I'll see you around soon! Jenna, let's go."

Jenna helped him up and led the way. They got to pass by Sylvie and Dixie, who were throwing their admirations at him, such as "Here's our town hero!" or "You're positively fantastic, Balto!" Clearly he didn't expect to get that kind of admiration from them and he even let Jenna know about it: "Looks like I got not-so-secret admirers, Jen."

"I know, but do you know who you have now?" Jenna teased him, rubbing his chin with her tail and clearly he answered: "The most beautiful dog in the entire town of Nome!" Her face got red when he said that even if he had nothing to hide from her anymore. He still spoke: "You know, I was wondering if our three friends would show up to see me return from the first mail delivery."

"Speaking of them, did you really think they were going to forget? Look in front of you!" Jenna let him know that Max, Molly and Audrey were already coming. Molly greeted them from nearby: "Hey, you two! We're sorry that we're a little bit late!" Clearly with Max laughing and walking close by Molly, it had been a good while since their relationship progressed.

"Well, Molly and I overslept and Audrey had a hard time getting us up!" Max commented, clearly not trying to hold his laughter. His sister said: "Not true! You two shared your breakfast together and fooled around with the food again." Even if she sounded like she was not initially amused, the look on her face was saying otherwise.

"So, you two are hitting off well lately, right?" Jenna asked them, noticing how every time they would say something, the other one would be teasing friendly another one while Audrey would observe. Molly told her: "Oh, not only we share meals, we also share a bed now! Our master doesn't seem to mind it actually!"

"That's good." Balto let them know, thinking how it would have been if he actually was Rosy's pet. He still had a privilege to sleep with Jenna every night, although he opted for at least once or twice to be on the old boat so he did not forget Boris, Muk and Luk. He then told them: "You know, I have enjoyed my first mail delivery. It was amazing!"

"Welcome to the club of sled dogs aboard, Balto! Well, sorry, Jenna." Max enthusiastically wished him, but realized that among five of them one was not a sled dog. Still, Jenna let him know: "Don't apologize, Max. As long as we're getting along with each other, I won't be mad at anyone."

Speaking of getting along, Balto couldn't really hold this back when he heard "getting along" so he told them: "I hope we will be getting along. I mean, I'm not in the same team as you three are and what would happen if we were to race against each other… and in a final race too?" He was worried that the event would bring the turmoil to their friendship.

"Balto, why are you thinking that would be like our rivalry with Steele? It is not going to be like that? Steele was a cruel glory hound, you're our friend and we know you'd never turn on us!" Molly assured him that he had nothing to worry about and she also sounded as if she couldn't care any less to whom the victory was going to go anyway.

"Cruel is just one of the words, Molly!" Audrey let her know, baring her teeth at the mention of Steele. Clearly hearing his name instantly made her angry and made her think of pretty dark things, but Max told her: "Audrey, control your temper, will you? I know what he's done to you and us, but don't dig deeper, please."

"Sorry, Max. You're right… it's just I still can't believe that I used to… admire him!" Audrey tried to get over that phase and clearly both her brother and Molly were going to help her in so. As for Jenna, she commented: "You know, I never really thought that Audrey was a bad female, but she was falling too easily for Steele. At least she's learning from her mistakes."

"Even if she said some terrible things to me back then, I agree. It'd be wrong if I were to reject her apologies." Balto agreed on Jenna's statement. While some scars remained, the time would take until they'd fully heal. Max asked them: "Say, what are your plans for today?" Balto started, but didn't finish: "Well, Jenna and I are going to…"

Some kind of racket was heard from the alley on their right, gaining their attention. Jenna reacted first: "What was that?!" To Molly, who was the furthest from the sound, lazily commented: "I don't know, maybe a human was throwing garbage through the window?" It seemed like a possibility.

Yet Balto's muzzle caught a scent. Sniffing the air that came from that alley, this was a rather unknown scent to him. He had the sharpest sense of smell among five of them and yet he was unable to recognize it. It didn't belong to any dog he knew of from Nome and also, it couldn't have been Steele's scent. He would have recognized it.

"Hey, have any of you noticed the pawprints in snow? They seem pretty big to me!" Audrey noticed the pawprints. One would assume by big that they were Balto's. However, if he was there and those pawprints were leading to the alley, then that couldn't be possibly his! Max also noticed something when he compared his pawprint to the unknown one.

"You're not the only one, Audrey! This is even larger than mine!" Max commented, being surprised that he had found a pawprint that was larger for a normal male dog. Balto, on the other paw, noticed that the pawprint was similar in size to his. Moreso, as if the claw prints in the snow were deeper than the ones of a dog.

"I think I should go take a look and see who this is. Are you going to wait for me here?" Balto decided that this was something he couldn't ignore. Clearly he wasn't going to be alone, but then again, he only could bring one or two. "I am coming with you." Max tagged along, leaving the females to discuss this… or not because Molly spoke: "I'm coming too."

"Be safe, you three!" Jenna told them, hoping that if they were facing a wolf in the town, they were going to defend themselves. Audrey just let them know: "Please don't get yourselves hurt by whoever… or whatever is there." They were clearly both nervous, but they had to know who was there and what was that someone doing.

Balto led two of his friends to the heart of the alley, wondering if there was a wolf in the town? Soon they reached the wider part of the alley and the source of this racket was revealed. A canine was there, sniffing around the trash can, very likely for food. However, there was more than met the eye with this unusual appearance.

The canine was gray furred with gray underbelly. They couldn't see the face because the canine was digging something. But what was more shocking to see how many scratches this canine had around the body and the skin on some parts was hanging, showing how skinny that canine was. Not to mention, the canine was trembling, as if it were starving.

"Oh, wow. This is quite out of place." Max had no clue what this canine was doing. Balto and Molly were wondering if this canine was for the first time in Nome or if it had been abused badly by owners. Molly asked: "What are we going to do, Balto?" He was also thinking whether to introduce themselves to this canine now or not?

"We should try to find out who this is. That skinny look is looking quite messed up!" Balto told them what he had in mind. He nodded to them both and walked closer to the canine, wondering what was going to be right now. Getting closer and closer, Balto could notice that the canine had been found by someone.

Once the canine looked to see who was coming, Balto could notice that he was facing a female and she seemed terrified upon being discovered: "S-s-stay where you are!" She didn't say this with a threatening tone, but to show how frightened she was. Max and Molly seemed alerted with this so they came closer, only for female to stutter: "W-w-what do you w-want from m-me?!"

"Look, we're not here to make any trouble. We caught your scent and tracks leading to here and we just wanted to know who you are!" Balto told her, trying to make sure that the female wasn't going to be scared away with their presence. However, Molly pointed out: "You look like the humans mistreated you! You look so skinny and scratched! What have they done to you?!"

"Humans?! I n-never had a h-human in my life before!" The female let them know, which made them look at one another in shock and disbelief, with Molly asking: "Wait, are you saying that you've never been adopted? No human ever had you as a pet, how is that possible?"

"L-look, I don't know why you are talking about h-h-humans, but I have never been near one in my whole life until not l-long ago!" The female let them know, further indicating where she was coming from and this made them all raise their eyebrows. Max's curiosity grew larger: "You've never been near humans your whole life? Then where did you come from?!"

"I l-lived my whole life in the wilderness… with w-w-wolves, okay?" She admitted, making these three eyes widen in surprise. However, with Balto being part wolf here, he told her: "Look, you don't have to fear me, I am a half wolf myself!" This way he hoped she'd actually believe someone in here.

Then Balto asked her: "What's your name?" Hopefully she had a name if she couldn't remember a lot of things right now and much to their relief, she answered him: "My name i-is Aurora." Balto looked at her in the eyes and firmly replied: "And my name is Balto. These are my friends, Max and Molly."

"That's… n-nice, I guess?" Aurora spoke, not sure if she could trust the other two dogs in the alley. Molly came closer to her and even asked her: "Aurora, what are you doing all by yourself here? You need some treatment because you look really terrible!" However, she didn't take quite well when she hissed at her: "Hey, watch your mouth, okay?!"

"Easy, easy, you two! Look, let's not fight with one another. Aurora, we don't know where you have come from, but we're not going to let you wander on the streets, bruised, scratched and skinny searching for food! Molly is right, you need treatment!" Balto assured the stray female that this was something serious. Then again, Aurora gave him a defiant look.

"I said I'm fine, I don't need your treatment!" Aurora let him know, even if deeply inside herself she knew that she needed it badly. Balto and Molly, as well as Max, looked at one another and Max asked: "Balto? What are we going to do?" As much as they hated to leave her by herself in this condition here, there seemed no alternative.

"We will walk away from this alley back to Audrey and Jenna. Maybe then she'll realize that she needs us!" Balto whispered and yet, he must have forgotten that Aurora's hearing was sharper, or even as sharp as his: "Look, whatever you're whispering, you better tell what what you just told them!"

"What? I was just saying that we will go back, okay? If you want to stay in here, then that's your choice." Balto let her know, secretly knowing that she wasn't going to be here all by herself. He even told them: "Let's get moving." They started trotting back through the alley back to Jenna and Audrey and it didn't take them too long until…

"N-no, wait for me! Don't leave me here by myself!" Aurora begged them, being afraid of being alone in this new town. She started running towards them and because she wasn't looking at where she was going, she stepped into a splinter at full speed, making her scream and growl in pain, gaining their attention.

"Whoah! Talk about that pain!" Max commented when he saw her stepping into a splinter and crying in pain. Molly also looked there, but Balto was looking at her face, her fangs to be precise. "Look at her fangs!" Balto let them know and as soon as they did, they were more shocked to find out that Aurora's fangs were larger for a regular canine!

"Do you think that she is a… wolf-dog like you?" Molly asked him that, to which he only assumed: "With the larger paw prints, body build and those fangs, she has to be one! But now she's got hurt." As Aurora sat down, she held her paw where the splinter was stuck on her paw pad. The tears were seen in her eyes because of the pain and she was whimpering.

"Aurora? Aurora, let me help you." Balto walked up to her and noticed what pain she was. She asked him: "Do you think you can get this sharp thing off my paw? It hurts me really bad!" He moved closer to see where it was stuck and he looked her in the eyes, explaining to her: "Look, clench your fangs as tight as you can. I will pull it out as quickly as possible. It will hurt, but I'll make sure the pain is gone very soon, alright?"

She was terrified by the idea of having to go through another pain, but clearly she couldn't let herself have that splinter hurt her so she spoke: "Just g-g-get it out of paw, okay?" Opening his jaws, Balto took a bite from that wooden splinter and as quick as flash, he pulled it in once piece! Well, at the cost of Aurora's loud yelp.

"There it goes!" Balto spat out the splinter and watched Aurora licking her paw. For a moment, when he was looking at her doing so, she returned him that same look. Those few seconds made them feel something unusual, but Balto broke it out: "Well, do you want to come with us? There are two other friends who I'd like you to meet!"

"Well, yes… sure! And, Balto? Thank you for taking that thing off me." Aurora thanked him, limping on her front left paw because it was still hurting her. He answered her: "Don't mention it. Come on, we'll find you a place to get yourself comfortable and help you the best way possible, alright?" She nodded, not wanting to clash with his reasonable ideas.

They made it back to the street and the first thing they had coming was Audrey asking: "What was that yelping? Did some of you get hurt?!" Max told his sister: "We're alright, Audrey. We have found this female Aurora in the alley. Just look at her!" Jenna looked at the new canine coming with Balto, Max and Molly and silently gasped: "Oh my! She looks terrible!"

Aurora looked insecure among five canines surrounding her and commented on her terrible condition. Balto looked at Jenna and asked her: "Jenna, you do have some free space left in that shed, don't you?" Jenna was surprised to hear him ask that, not expecting that he'd look up for Aurora to be sheltered there. Then again, she answered: "Yes, I do?"

"Good, we're going to take Aurora there and let her rest. Then we will figure out what to do with her and how to nurse her back to health! It is for your good." Balto told them what was the plan, finishing the talk when he looked at Aurora. She didn't know what to say anything else but this in a timid tone: "Thank you, I guess?"

"Come on, you're hurt, you'll need our help to get there." Balto guided her, with his friends making sure that Aurora wasn't going to hurt herself more after getting a splinter stuck in her paw. The uneven day was more and more uneven with her appearance and mysterious origins and yet again, Balto felt something towards her when he got the splinter out of her paw. Only he had no idea what it was.

"Wait here. Jenna, are your masters or Rosy in that shed?" Balto asked her when they noticed the doors were slightly opened. Jenna walked up to the doors and pushed them with her muzzle, then she let them know: "No one is inside!" This was a green light for Balto to lead Aurora inside, telling her: "Don't worry, you'll be safe in here!"

"But what am I going to do there?" Aurora wasn't sure about this small and dark place with only one window in it. Balto looked at the table he first slept in after having his first date with Jenna back then. He pulled the blanket from it and with a muffled tone, told her: "Rest down there. Don't worry, we will bring you something to eat!" As she laid down, Balto gently placed the blanket over her.

Then Balto headed outside and rejoined Jenna, Max, Molly and Audrey. Molly asked him: "Balto? What is your plan with Aurora? Are you sure you'll nurse her back to health?" Clearly Balto didn't elaborate his plan entirely, but he answered with a promising tone: "Look, whatever it takes, she needs to look healthy and perhaps she may want to blend into the dog community in Nome!"

"Do you think that a human may want to adopt her? For a wolf-dog, she seems to have more dog looks than you do." Max wondered about this, pointing out the uncanny fact between Balto and Aurora. He let them know: "Well, if the humans do adopt her, I think it'd be for her best. I am still trying to figure out how a wolf-dog like her even managed to live with wolves."

"And you know what I think? What if something had brought her here in Nome?" Audrey suggested that, hoping that her question actually made sense. "What do you mean by that?" Balto asked her, receiving the answer: "I don't know, a wolf-dog who spent her early days in a wolf pack comes to live in a human town. Something feels odd about that."

"I don't know. Jenna, do you think Rosy and her parents have some food left over? She's going to need it more than we do now." Balto asked her, hoping that some decent food would at least replenish the frail wolf-dog's energy. Jenna told them: "I'm going to return in a minute!" So she rushed to the kitchen, leaving the four behind.

"You three, I have to tell you something while Jenna is looking for food. It's about Aurora." Balto told them, hoping that he could stay as quiet as possible so Jenna would not hear him say this. They all looked at him curiously when he mentioned Jenna being absent among them and he said: "When I managed to her that splinter out of her paw, I felt something."

"What do you mean by that?" Molly asked him, being surprised that he mentioned a feeling to a female he only met. He looked around and continued: "I don't know. When I got it out, not only it felt like a good thing I have done, but there was something, like a bond!" This made the three of his friends gasp in surprise.

"Balto! Do you hear yourself?! You are with Jenna! You can't go after this Aurora now!" Max didn't believe with his own ears, fearing that Balto would abandon his oldest friend for a new one. Yet Balto assured him: "No, it's nothing like that, Max! It feels like… I have met a long lost relative!" They gasped once more, but this time more positively.

"So you suggest that Aurora and you are related?" Audrey found it pretty curious how Balto made that suggestion and then she connected: "Well, you did tell me she's a wolf-dog, but what are the odds you two are related?" This was a rather curious opinion, seeing how just telling Aurora she and Balto are related would look too outlandish.

"I've made it! We've got some bones and a piece of steak for her!" Jenna returned, coming with the bag of meat and bones for Aurora. "That outta do! I just hope she is not going to ask for another round of meat, for now." Balto felt relieved now that Aurora wasn't going to be famished once she'd been sheltered. Jenna and Balto both headed into the shed.

"Aurora! We've got some food for you. Help yourself." Jenna spoke to a guest in her shed, placing an open bag in front of the frail wolf-dog. Once she caught the smell of meat and bones, she vigorously grabbed the first bone she could and started gnawing it as if every single fragment of that bone would heal her.

"My, now that's a big appetite!" Jenna was surprised to see a female feasting on a food like that without any manners. However, Aurora told her: "Excuse me, I would like you not to comment on how I eat!" Balto let her know: "Come on, Jen, let's get out of here. I think she needs some time alone. Aurora, we'll come back later!"

She nodded to them in a rush and continued gnawing the bone, being left alone as both Balto and Jenna left the shed, with the latter one asking: "Balto, how long are we going to have her live in there? What will happen when my masters find out about her?!" Balto offered her an unclear solution: "They won't find her there, I promise. Once she gets healthier, we may help her find a human."

"Alright, but I don't know how long that is going to take." Jenna agreed reluctantly, knowing that a presence of an unknown canine in her master's shed would raise alarm. If none other dog had found out about Aurora being in Nome, then this was just a secret between the five friends. Until the time was ready, they hoped it was going to stay that way.