The sun was a firey orange ball that dipped slowly towards the horizon. On a hill lay two dogs watching it.

"Isn't it beautiful?" One asked.

"Yeah, your right Dusty, it is," said the other.

Dusty turned to the other dog, "Kodi?" she asked

"What?" Kodi asked

"Do you think you could stick around awhile?"

"Sure, why?" Kodi asked.

"Well, I'm kind of worried about the whole Ralph thing," Dusty confided.

"Of course I'll stay, what happened with him anyways?" The moment Kodi said it, he wished he hadn't.

"He's just always so secretive, he won't ever tell me where he's going, but then he always has to know right where I am at all times, and he's never nice to me, always calling me his baby or his pretty little thing. I hate it!" She half said, half shouted, "I hate him!" Dusty layed her head on her paws, a few tears fell down her cheeks.

"Awe don't cry," Kodi said, trying to comfort her, "You're too good for him anyway." And too good for me he thought.

Dusty sniffled, "Thanks Kodi," she said, "You're a great friend."

Kodi tryed to smile, he had to get something big off his shoulders, " Can we be... more than friends, Dusty?" He asked.

Dusty's eyes widened, "I uh.. I don't know what to say Kodi. I mean uh-"

Kodi looked away, "I knew it," he said, "You'd never go out with me." Kodi started to get up, but Dusty stopped him.

"Wait Kodi, I- I have something to say," Dusty said.

Kodi looked back at her, "What?" he asked.

"I- I wanted to be more than friends too, it's just that, I never got up the courage to ask," Dusty explained.

"Really?" Kodi asked.

Dusty nodded and smiled. It was getting dark. "I'd better get home," Dusty said, then she walked away.

"Dusty!" Kodi called catching up to her. Dusty looked at him. "Are we like.. together then?" Kodi asked.

"I don't know, are we?" Dusty answered with a question, smiling.

"Will you go out with me?" Kodi asked.

"Yes," Dusty answered.

Kodi's heart filled with joy, he leaped into the air and bounded of towards his home. He lept and barked and howled with joy, all the way to his house.

Dust laughed and bounded off to her own house. As she neared her home, she became aware of pawsteps behind her. Dusty turned around and saw a petiet little dog who looked strangely familular.

"That's right," said the dog, "I moved to Nome."

Dusty was utterly confused, "Kira?" she asked.

"That's right," said Kira, "Now I suggest that you stay away from Kodi, he's all mine."

"What are you talking about?" asked Dusty. How could she know I am with him already? She thought. "Have you been watching us?" Dusty asked defencively.

"Possibly," said the little dog.

"Just stay away from us!" Dusty shouted at Kira, "You have no right to go around evesdropping."

Kira looked taken aback, "I can do what I want!" she exclaimed, "and that includes making Kodi mine."

Dusty laughed a little, "Kodi thinks you're a creep!"

Kira laughed and started to trot away, Dusty watched her go. Before turning into an alley, Kira looked back at Dusty and said, "We'll see about that."

*****************************************************************

Kodi woke up the next morning, he had had a good night's sleep, and was quite happy. Kodi hopped off of huis boy's bed and stretched. Padding out to the kitchen he lapped up some water, and ate a few mouthfuls of food. His boy's mother walked into the kitchen groggily, her slippers dragging over the floor. Kodi licked her hand and she patted him. Then Kodi slipped out of his dog door and out into the nieghborhood. He sniffed the crisp morning air and padded out onto Main Street. He hadabout an hour until the Mail Team had to leave, so he decided to go see Dusty.

Kodi trotted o Dusty's house and jumped up onto the porch. He scratched on the dog door, but the dog that came out,was definately not Dusty. It was her father, Butch. Butch was a bulky malamute, he was gray and white, and was very protective over his daughter.

"Hello mister uh.. Butch," Kodi began.

"Why are you here boy?" Butch asked.

"I uh..," Kodi chuckled a little uneasily, "I umm,"

Butch stared at him menacingly. In a window, Dusty's head popped up, her eyes widened and she hurried outside.

"Dad, It's fine," she said nuzzeling him, "Kodi's just here to see me."

"Exactly," Butch said through gritted teeth.

Dusty sighed, "Dad, I'm old enough to take care of myself, besides, Kodi's nice," she said.

Butch still looked uncertain.

"Dad, I'll be fine," Dusty insisted.

Butch gave Kodi one last warning look, then he turned around and went back inside. Kodi shuddered, "Your dad scares me," he said to Dusty.

Dusty laughed a little, "His bark is worse than his bite," she said trotting off. Kodi followed her into the main part of Nome. Up ahead, a few of the Mail Team dogs were already gathered, Kodi could see that Ralph was one of them. Both dogs strained their ears to hear thier conversation.

Kirby turned to say something to Ralph, "So where's Dusty?" He asked him.

Ralph sighed, his voice sounded dull and defeated, "Probably somewhere running around with Kodi," he said.

Kaltag's ears perked and Kirby's eyes widened, "Oh really?" he said.

Ralph nodded, "She's better off with him anyways," Ralph said. Silence met his words.

Kodi and Dusty padded up to the group. Nikki turned to them, "Hey hey hey!" He exclaimed, "Ralph speeks the truth!"

All of the team turned to stare at Kodi and Dusty. They all whispered comments to one another. Dusty looked uneasy.

"Don't listen to them," Kodi said, "It's just talk."

"But maybe they're right."

Kodi, Dusty, and the rest of the team turned to see Kira standing there.

"Kira?" Kodi asked bewildered, "Why are you here?"

Dusty sighed, "Could you please just stay out of my life?" she asked Kira.

Kodi was still confused, "Right about what?" He asked.

"Maybe you shouldn't be with someone, if all of Nome is going to talk about it nonstop," Kira said.

Dusty rolled her eyes, "Could you just leave us alone?"

Kira sniffed, "Fine," she said padding away, "But don't think this is the end of this!"

Kodi and Dusty looked at eachother, they both sighed. Inside Dusty was wondering if Kira was right. No! Don't think like that! Dusty told herself. After a few minutes, the Mail Team left Nome.

Meanwhile......

Kira stormed into her barn at the edge of Nome, she was on the verge of tears. "Nothing is working!" She shouted out to the empty barn. Kira paced around for a while, not hinking of anything, she stormed out of the barn. Not really caring where she was going, she accidentily ran into a black and white husky.

"Watch were you're going!" He shouted at her.

Kira looked up and saw a familular face she was happy to see. It was Steele.

"What a coincidence!" She said to him, "Just the dog I needed to see!"

Steele cocked an eyebrow, he wasn't surprised this dog knew who he was, most dogs did, but he didn't know her. "Who are you?" He asked interestedly.

"Oh I almost forgot to introduce myself," Kira said sweetly, "I'm Kira."

"Miss Kira," Steele asked politely, "May I ask why you needed to see me?"

"I need your help with something," Kira said.

Steele sighed, "Help with what?" He asked impatiantly.

"Now don't get all impatiant," Kira said, "Follow me."

Then Kira trotted towards her barn with Steele following her. When they were inside, Kira sat down on a small pile of hay. Steele sat down accross from her.

"So.." Steele implied.

"I need your help to break up Kodi and Dusty," Kira said.

A scinister grin spread accross Steele's face, "I'm listening," he said.

"You could be my dirty worker I guess," Kira said.

"What's in it for me?" Steele asked.

"Anything you want," Kira said.

Steele's smile widened, "Deal," he said.

********************************************************

Kodi led the Mail team back to Nome quickly. It was almost noon by the time they got back. The musher unharnassed them and praised them all with a pat on the head. Kodi was unaware that Kira was watching him a little ways away, hiding in a bush. Dusty walked to her house with Kodi, they chatted casualy.

"Come on, give me something I can work with!" Kira muttered under her breath.

When they got to Dusty's house, Kodi asked, "Uh, would you like to , I  don't know, uh, hang out with me tomorrow?"

"Sure," Dusty said bouncing up her porch steps, "It's a date."

Kodi smiled, "I'll come by around noon, okay?" He asked.

"Sure," Dusty said, then she dissapered through her dog door, into her house.

From her hiding spot, Kira smiled. She turned around and went in the direction of her barn. I'll have to tell Steele, she thought as she bounded away.

Kodi breathed a sigh of relief and bounded towards his house.

Dusty padded towards her food bowl and ate a few mouthfuls. Noon tomarrow she thought, I have about one day to get ready. Dusty hadn't been on a date before, she wondered what she would do. Maybe I should ask Mom, she thought. Dusty trotted out of her house and over to her mother, Tasha's house. Dusty stuck her head through the door, she scanned the room