Characters (the important ones):

Brigham- Brigham is the main character of the story, he is ambitious and determined but that sometimes gets him in more trouble than he expected. He is the son of Balto and Jenna and the grandson of the Great White Wolf, Aniu. He is a loving, caring and understanding, but he lacks introspection and is a little myopic.  Brigham is faced with many difficult decisions and with an even more daunting destiny.

Balto- Balto is the father of Brigham and son of Aniu. He is the mate of Jenna and the savior of Nome. He loves his wife more than anything in the world.He is now very old and slowly fading, but is granted one more bit of joy before he dies with the birth of his son Brigham. However, this gift comes with some fine print.

Jenna- Jenna is the wife of Balto and mother of Brigham. Like Balto, Jenna is very old and thought unable to have anymore children. Jenna loves Balto almost as much as he loves her, which is saying something. Jenna is skeptical when she is told that she will have another pup and when she does have Brigham, she is forced to undergo what every parent fears.

Vira- Vira is the son of Ulra and Accalia. He is very rebellious and ungrateful of his parents. feels all that he is doing is submitting to everyone, when he would rather be on his own. He is the great grandson of Aniu and the He cousin of Brigham, which is weird for him considering Brigham is younger. Vira soon learns more about himself through meeting Brigham.

Akira- Akira is the main female in the story. She is very independent and not afraid to speak her mind. She mistrusts all males because of her history with them and is incredulous to believe any of them are different. However, she is in for a rude awakening when she eventually meets Brigham. 

Nakota- Nakota is a wise and mature husky who meets Brigham after he is captured by miners. Nakota sees great potential and Brigham and decides to help him. After being separated from Brigham, he never expects to see him again, little does he know that their paths are intertwined.

Aniu- Aniu is also known by her other name The Great White Wolf, especially by the earthly wolves. She is the mother of Balto, the grandmother of Brigham, and the great grandmother of Vira. She is kind and compassionate, but just. She is all knowing and has a plan for everything within the story. She orchestrates all the events  but lets Brigham face them, seemingly on his own. She appears to him to tell him his destiny and also that she will be with him. No one understands what Aniu’s plan is but trusts that she is doing what is right.

The Tale of a Hero’s Journey:

Preface:

The story takes place in Nome and in Tayor. Balto and Jenna want more children, mostly balto. Jenna does not really want to have more children but she doesn’t want them because she doesn’t believe that they can have children, seeing as they are both at least 13 in human years. However Aniu, Balto’s mother appears to them both. This is the first time that Jenna has ever seen Aniu and actually heard her speak. Aniu tells the couple that she will grant them a son but he will not be an ordinary son. He will look almost identical to Balto except more brown and wolflike. He will have many trials and turmoil in his lifetime, just like Balto. However, Balto cannot help him, he must undergo the challenges that arise and tackle them on his own, Aniu promises she will watch over him. He will be great and change the fate of many humans, much like his father. He will be rejected and cast out because he is different and have to fight his way through many challenges. He will be strong and independent, but he will have a heart as gentle and loving as his fathers. He will fall in love with a perfect mate and they will return to Nome, after a couple years. Balto and Jenna will be forced to have unfailing faith in Aniu and if they obey the orders of Aniu, they will be granted more years on this planet so that they see their grandchildren grow and also be granted exalted positions within the spirit realm. Their sun shall be named Brigham for he will be strong like a stone bridge but also able to love without limit.

Gold miners travel to Nome in search of any lost gold that might have been over looked and left after the gold rush of in the late 1800’s. There was a settlement made near Nome in 1917. So the miners traveled to Nome first. After Brigham is born he ends up being taken by the miners on their way to Wasilla. Brigham escapes and travels to the nearby town of Taylor. On his way he meets up with a kind older half-wolf like himself named Vira. Vira was Greyish brown with a brown underbelly. Vira is the grandson of Aleu but was lost in a hunting raid on a caribou tribe. They thought that he was dead so he left anyway because they did not except him because of his half-wolfness. He became a drifter and a lone wolf who had no home. Most tribes that he met were nice to him, with the occasional tussle with a young wolf. He saw a lot of himself in Brigham and after Aniu appearing to him in a dream, he was told to protect him and teach him the ways of the wolf. Seeing as he was 3 years older than him he was to be his mentor.

 Vira taught Brigham how to fight and hunt, but also taught him of the lore behind wolf culture and beliefs. He taught him of the great wolf Spirit, Aniu who created the wolf race after her image and blessed them with her spirit. He told him that she watches over all wolves and protects them if they are worthy. Brigham felt angry at Aniu for letting him be separated from his parents and wished he could meet this spirit so he could fight her. Vira noticed his hatred and taught him to be cool-headed. Vira knew Brigham was passionate and headstrong so it was crucial that he taught him self-control. Brigham hated the humans for capturing him and his parents for letting him be taken. He hated Aniu most of all for corrupting his blood with the half-wolf and giving him this future. Vira knew Brigham was the grandson of Aniu because he was the son of Balto, but to tell him would only make things worse, he must find out on his own. Aleu told her pack of her father who was the only child of Aniu the great wolf Spirit. And as the only way to keep history was through oral tradition, Vira eventually heard it from his father. He knew that this was Brighams destiny, to face hardships, to become stronger and to channel his hatred into being better. But he also knew that he must monitor this hatred and try to teach Brigham the meaning of love and kindness.

Brigham was very rebellious and stubborn so Vira knew he’d have to teach him humility. Vira was the best fighter in his pack but never was given the praise he deserved because of his half-wolf blood. When Brigham would throw a tantrum Vira would challenge him to fight, and that way he would release his steam. Vira used physical challenges and also mental challenges to strengthen Birgham. Vira did not tell Brigham that he was his cousin but Brigham always felt Vira was his borther or family of some sort. Aniu appeared to Vira periodically during his mentoring of Brigham and would tell him what to do or to encourage him, tell him of his mother and father and of his grandmother Aleu. Vira would ask Aniu when she would appear to Brigham, “he needs to see you and talk to you!” But Aniu would tell Vira that he is not ready yet and that he must accept who he is before she can speak to him or her my words will be dead to him. Vira understood and the next day decided it was time to change up his style.

 Vira had taught Brigham how to fight, how to hunt, how to survive with his body, but not with his heart. Vira took Brigham to a special spot, a spot that has been used by the ancestors of Balto since he was born. It used to be Balto’s special spot and then became his and Jenna’s when they were together. It then became their families when they had children, and then their children’s family’s spot. Vira took Brigham to a high cliff top that overlooked the most beautiful landscape. Vira was guided by a raven to the spot that he had never seen to but felt like he had been before. Brigham and Vira felt almost as if they were drawn to the spot by some invisible force. The cliff overlooked a vast forest and the far off snowcapped mountain range to the east. The sun glistened off the tops of the mountains in a way that sparkled in the snow. To the west was the ocean and a small clearing of land on the coast. On the coast there was a small town that looked familiar even though neither of them had ever seen it before. Something soothing entered their hearts at the sight of the town and the vista before them. Brigham wondered what town that was, but before he could even consider the thought more, a breeze traveled though the trees shifting and rustling the branches. For a moment Brigham thought he heard someone call his name.

He asked Vira if he said something but Vira told him he hadn’t said anything. When Brigham asked him that, Vira knew this was the spot where Aniu would appear to Birgham. Vira then began to put his plan into motion. While Brigham was confusedly admiring the vista before him Vira told him to close his eyes. Brigham being stubborn asked what the purpose of this exercise was, was it so that he can strengthen his hearing to be a better hunter but Vira only told him once more to close his eyes. Brigham reluctantly closed his eyes. Vira told him to then breathe deeply and just listen to the nature around him. Brigham took a deep breath and relaxed his muscles. He listened carefully to his surroundings but complained saying he couldn’t hear anything. Vira told him to be quiet and to just relax his whole body….

Chapter 1: The Unwanted Destiny