Saba accidentally bumped into an old tin can. Suddenly, one by one, the dogs’ eyes popped open, and snarling rose in their throats as the kept their eyes locked on Saba. Then they lunged at her, but she got away just in time. She was sprinting down the street yelling , “HELP, HELP!!” She looked back and saw the three big street dogs getting a little bit closer. Saba tried to remember what Nao taught her. But it was no help because in dog sledding, you have to pace yourself to match the other dogs. In this type of situation, you just have to run as fast as you can and hope you live!

She kept screaming for someone to help her. And finally, she didn’t hear any footsteps behind her. Saba dared to look back and saw a dog fighting the three big things all by himself. Saba stared even more closely.

“NAO!” She screamed. Nao was the one fighting the three street dogs.

“Nao, please don’t do this to yourself!” Nao ignored her and kept on fighting. Saba knew he couldn’t win this battle, and went to find help. But sure enough, three shrieking whines were heard as they got further and further away. Saba turned back around and saw Nao collapsed on the ground, still breathing. Saba was relieved, but still very nervous.

“Nao?” She asked when she was close enough to see his face. “Are you okay?”

Nao coughed twice and opened his eyes.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine. You’re bleeding.”

Nao looked at his legs and they were cut all over the place. He touched his paw to his cheek. Blood. His back wasn’t looking so good either.

“Well, I FEEL fine.”

“Nao I’m taking you to the vet.”

“You’re overreac-okay.”

Nao leaned on Saba’s shoulder as they walked to the vet’s office. When they got there the vet looked out the window and gasped. Then he took Nao inside. Saba was allowed to come in also.

For about an hour, Nao had to get stitches in some places, but the vet said he was going to be fine. When his owner showed up after hearing a lot of things from his neighbors, he took Nao home carefully. He said goodbye to Saba as they left, but very faintly.

Saba felt so guilty about this. None of this would’ve happened if she never gone into that alley in the first place. Saba decided she was going to apologize to him as soon as possible.

That night. Jess and Kila came over to ask Saba about the street dogs thing. She told them the story and she grieved in the end.

“It’s all my fault! Now he’s going to hate me!”

“Well, judging by the way you told the story, I don’t think he’ll be mad at you. He’s not that kind of dog.” Jess told her.

“Yeah Saba. Soon you and him will forget all about it. Trust us.” Kila said.

“…Maybe…but I still feel bad for him. He’ll miss practice tomorrow.”

“I thought you wanted that to happen.”

“What? No I don’t, Kila!”

“I thought you thought differently about him after he found out your little secret.”

“Maybe I did. But it doesn’t matter now. He won’t be able to talk to me for a while.”

“That maybe true, but you can sneak in his house to see him!” Jess told Saba.

“Sneak in?! Are you insa-I’ll do it. But how?”

“Ugh! Do I have to tell you everything?!” Jess lifted up her paw to reveal her wolf-like claws. “Keys to the city.”

“But I never use these things.” Saba looked at her claws. “I’m in complete denial of my wolf side, remember?”

“Saba, you CAN’T deny it. You are what you are. You know what your dad had to go through.”

“I KNOW!”

Jess and Kila froze in shock.

“I’m sorry. I’m just tired of hearing my dad’s story.”

“We weren’t going to tell the whole thing, you know.” Kila said.

“*Sigh* I know. It’s just whenever I hear my dad’s name or anything referring to him, I go crazy! And I don’t know why?”

“Well like you said. You’re tired of hearing about him.”

“No, there has to be more than that. I’m just not sure what it is yet.”

“Do you hate your dad?” Jess asked.

“No. I don’t hate him, at least, I don’t think…Do I?”

“Do you WANT to hate him?”

“No.”

“Then you don’t.”

“Okay, we’re off topic! I’ll go see Nao if that’s what it takes okay?”

“That’s my Saba!”

The next morning, Saba went to practice. The talk with Nao last night went well. Nao wasn’t mad at her at all, but she still felt guilty. Nao said we was going to be at practice, but wasn’t going to run at all. That was good. Saba liked seeing him.

When Saba arrived, the dogs that were already there kept asking, “Is your dad here? Did he come with you? Where is he?”

Nao wasn’t here yet.

Saba told the dogs that Balto may or may not come. She didn’t know. After that the dogs left her alone.

Luke arrived with Jess and Kila. That was weird. But Jess caught my eye, came to me and explained to me what happened.

“It’s official. Luke and I are dating!”

“And I’m only here because she is.” Kila pointed to her owner who she was leashed to. They all talked for a few minutes, but Kila had to go home. Jess said goodbye to Luke. She was going to take it slow, too. But she couldn’t handle it so she kissed him on the cheek and left.

After that little incident, Nao arrived, but sat down. Luke already knew what happened to him, so he didn’t make him do anything he didn’t want to.

Practice went by without a single word from Balto. He lived just a quarter of a mile away. Saba thought maybe she was a bit hard on him and now he didn’t want to come to the practices. But then again, Saba was a bit relieved. No one said anything about Balto, not even Nao. So there was no embarrassment or anger involved. Saba actually seemed to like practice.

At the end of practice. Luke announced that our first real run is in a few weeks, and he wanted everyone to try their hardest. Saba listened hard. She wanted to be the best sled dog ever. Just like her…dad.

Saba then quickly took off for her father’s boat. She needed to talk with him.

Saba barked three times before Balto appeared, looking very sleepy.

“Saba? Aren’t you having practice?” he asked drowsily.

“It just ended. And I noticed to didn’t show up.”

“Was it better for you that way?” Balto wasn’t being sarcastic, just asking a question.

“Well, everyone asked me where you were at the beginning, and I said you may or may not come. They looked disappointed and left me alone for the whole practice. I never had anyone just leave me alone.”

“So I guess that means it wasn’t better?” Balto asked. He knew how much Saba loved attention.

“I was like I didn’t even exist. I haven’t had that feeling in a long time…” Then Saba realized something. “Wait a minute…I know why they ignored me. It’s because of you!”

“Well, those guys are true Balto fans.”

“Yeah I know! And I bet the only reason I’m popular in the first place was because of you!”

“Isn’t that a good thing, Saba?”

“NO! It means that the one reason any guy would want to marry me is because they’ll be related to you! Or if anyone wanted to hang out with me, they’ll tell all their friends, ‘I just hung out with Balto! And I think his daughter. I never bothered to know her name.’”

“Saba, calm down. Now I know I maybe a little full of myself sometimes but”-

“A LITTLE?! Dad, you have told your stories millions of times and I’m sick of hearing it! Why can’t you just get out of my life?!”

Saba didn’t wait for her dad to answer. She stomped away from the boat and back to her house.

All week, Balto never showed up to practice and Saba didn’t care anymore. When they were having races, Saba would mostly win, but never feel good about it. She was depressed practically the whole time! But she wasn’t really sad, just…angry. She was torn apart.

One night while sleeping, a voice called to her, and it was not someone she knew.

“Saba…” It said.

Saba’s head snapped up. She waited to hear if the voice was real.

“Saba…” It called again. She knew now that the voice was female.

“Y-yes?” She whispered in a stammer. Then a figure appeared in the distance. It was canine-like in structure. Saba walked slowly toward it. By then she realized that it was a

“Wolf.” Saba whispered. “You’re a wolf.”

The figure nodded. “Yes. How did you know?”

“Please, I don’t have a cold you know. Bye.” Saba turned to leave.

“Do you not like me?” The wolf asked.

“No.” Saba didn’t turn around.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Saba turned around that time. “Every single one of you is to blame for my life, everything that happened…It destroyed me, my family. You have no idea what sick creatures you are! Why did you have to be this way?!!”

“Saba, I know.”

Saba looked up at her. “No…you don’t. And you never will. Good bye.”

“Saba please”-

“GOODBYE!!”

“Saba? Saba are you okay?” Now Saba knew that voice.

Saba shot opened her eyes to see Carla looking very worried

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