to me who he was, for that I am eternally grateful, my boy nearly died thanks to you” Celino snarled in reply

 “He saved my owners little girl, she’s only two, she could have died” Sylvia snarled.

 “Cathán do not listen to them…..” Steel replied, turning towards Cathán.

 “I was right, you are just like your father Steel, boastful, full of pride and arrogant. They may have treated Balto badly but they have the courage to admit they were wrong, you do not. I for one am eager to meet Balto, I have met several half wolves in my time, they have been perfectly pleasant to me. Unlike you I do not judge on breeding alone, only on their personality” Cathán replied glaring at Steel.

  At this the other dogs cheered with delight glad to see that Cathán’s attitude towards Balto was pleasant from the start, they were also glad to see Steel taken down a peg or two. Ever since the article first appeared in the paper, Steel had been boasting that he and Cathán would become friends and run on a team together, that the fact that this had gone dramatically wrong was very pleasing for them. Walking away from Steel with Jenna, Sylvia and Celino, Cathán grinned widely, glad that he had helped his son in some way, well aware that the Balto would hear about the event for the day was out.

Father and Son

    Cathán was right about Balto hearing about the event, the town gossip chain had gone into overdrive and Balto heard about that evening through the brother of Kaltag’s girlfriend. Sitting out on his boat, Balto though about what had happened.

“I cannot believe my Father said those things to Steel, in front of all the mail dogs as well. Wow that took a lot of nerve, Steel still has some status here as a race dog, that never changed. I wonder is he meant all those things, no he must have done, he would not have them otherwise. He didn’t tell them the truth either….he didn’t brag about me… he must have meant what he said. Of course he did you fool, his first day here he sent you a message through Jenna. Today must have been his first day in town, I wonder if he’s still around now, it’s only just gone six. No wait until tomorrow when its light, you’ve not seen him in years, you could walk right past him. Besides what would you say to him? Wait until morning and think this through, decide what you’re going to say to him. What do I say to him? It’s been three years since we last met, so much has changed since then. How do I tell him what happened to us after he left?”
     As Balto sat thinking he looked out to Nome then gasped as he saw his father walking towards his boat. Standing up Balto looked at his father for the first time since he was a pup. Though his father had aged slightly, he still looked just as Balto remembered him. For a moment neither spoke as they looked at each other, each taking in the others appearance. Slowly Cathán walked up to the beginning of the gangplank, stopping just in front of it. Seeing his stance Balto nodded once and Cathán began to slowly walk up, all the time his eyes focused on his son. Stepping onto the boat’s deck Cathán stared at his son for a moment, before Father and son bounded towards each other.

“Balto my son I am so thrilled to see you, I have dreamed that this day would come for years.”

“I never thought I would see you again Dad, I’ve missed you.”

“And I you my son, I have missed you all so much. You have grown into a fine wolf dog, I heard about your exploits, I am so proud of you.”

“You have no idea how much that means to hear you say that” Balto replied grinning.

“You are my son, I would be proud no matter what you did, I think we have a lot of catching up to do. I want to hear everything that has happened to you since I was captured.”

    Grinning Balto sat down next to his Father on the deck and began to tell him all that had happened. As Balto told him of the arrival of Aniou’s older daughter Cathán’s ears pricked up, as he had seen a wolf that fitted her description not long before. Unknown to him he had seen the wolf on same day that Balto had met a white wolf at the bottom of a cliff, a wolf who fitted Balto’s description of his half sister. On hearing of the blizzard and Balto’s separation from Aniou Cathán’s heart sank, even though years had passed he still loved Aniou and had hoped that Balto would have been able to take him to her. Cathán’s sadness turned to white hot anger when he heard of his son’s arrival in Nome and his treatment by the other dogs and humans. But the anger lessened on hearing about Jenna and Rosie, glad that two had seen past his son’s looks

 “Rosie got sick with diphtheria, she was ill, Jenna was worried… I helped her find out what was wrong. From the start I wanted to help Rosie get better, she’d been such a good friend, she and Jenna. I did all for Rosie….and for Jenna, I had to save Rosie. Then….as more children fell ill…. Rosie’s friends…... I knew I had to help them.”

 “You did a very brave and noble thing Balto, most importantly you did out of a genuine desire to help. I am very proud of you, you are brave and true, there is nothing more I could ask. You have my speed as well, I always knew you would be fast.”

“I do don’t I, I told you I would be a sled dog one day, do you think we could pull I sled together now you’re here?”

“There is nothing I would like more then to run with you Lightening Paws, tomorrow we will tell everyone who you are.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course I do, you are my son, it is high time the world knew that. Incidentally I presume that Ms Jenna already knows?”

 “Well er… we are…. you see the thing is……. We are friends before and when the article first came out last December I told her.”

“But now things are different, you are no longer just friends.”

“No… we er….we you know…. I mean we love each other” Balto stammered blushing.

“No need to be embarrassed about it, you are both adults, it is perfectly natural….she is a lovely girl, I can tell she cares about you. Love spins you around, knocks you back and just makes life wonderful…. I felt just as you do know when I was with your Mother. You were willing to risk everything for her, just as I was willingly turned my back on this life for your Mother. I’m here now, you ever need me just come.”

“I will Dad, you’ll be seeing a lot of me now.”

“I certainly hope, I’ve got a lot of time to make up for. You must introduce me to Boris, I have to thank him for doing such a fine job of raising you.”

“Well he had a good starting point, you and Mother had already given me morals and values, all Boris had to do was build on them. I always saw him as an Uncle like figure, if it hadn’t been for him I don’t know what I would have done.”

 “Neither do I. You have grown up to become everything I thought you would be and more. As a pup you had a kind heart, a strong sense of right and wrong and courage, all those I see within you now. No matter what happens from now on we face things together as father and son. No matter what any dog or humans tells you, know that you will always be worth something to me, no matter what, you are my son” Cathán said smiling proudly at his son.

“No matter what. Before…..I used to think I was worthless…..now I know that isn’t true, I love you Dad.”

“And I love you to Balto.”

     Together father and son looked out across Nome, as they did the Northern Lights shone above them. At last both were reunited, their bond still presented despite the time passed, a bond which could not be broken. Both looked up at the hill above town, and for a moment, in the mist of Northern Lights, stood a white wolf. The wolf howled a song of pure beauty, a song that came from the heart. For a moment the wolf stared at the pair, a smiling dancing on her face, and then in an instant the wolf vanished into the Lights. Father and son smiled at each other, as for a moment their family had been whole.    

     End