other girl dog and get them out!"

"What?"  Jenna took a step back.  "But Balto......"

"The odds are already for us Jenna!"  Balto said.  "We have more dogs than Steele.  Please Jenna!  I can't fight knowing your in danger!"

"Balto, please don't ask me to run away!"  Jenna said, a little angerily.  "I've done my part to help....."

"And you've done wonderful!  But now it's time for me to try."  Balto licked her.  "Please Jenna!  Do this for me!"

"Balto, i will not fight, but please, be careful."  Jenna whispered.  She went to round up the female dogs.  Balto heard many moans and angry shouts, but eventually, the chaos died down as the females left, leaving the males to fight. 

"Balto, it's time."  Mage said.  Balto nodded and stood up.

"Dogs of Nome," He called out and there was silence instantly.  Even teh wolves seemed to listen.  "By now, Steele has made a battle plan and is ready to fight!  Well so are we!  We have grown in this experiance!  And now, lets kick some tails!"  Howls and cheers followed his words and Balto ran up to Kodi.

"Take some dogs, Oreo and Sasha around and hide in the trees."  He instructed his son.  "We can block them off and stop any traps coming our way.  Steele is tricky."  Kodi nodded.  "And Kodi,"  Balto continued.  His son turned to look at him.  "Please be careful."

Kodi nodded.  "For Dusty."  He whispered before he ran off to find who he needed.  Finally, the time to strike was there.  Kodi was in position and was to come into the fight at a signal from Mage.

Balto lead the pack, running until they came to the forest where he had first hidden.  They would not have the fight in the city.  Steele stood there with Rector and the seven snarling wolves.

"Rico."  Mage called out to one of the wolves and a black one raised it's head.  "It's a shame to see you fight for a cause like this."

"Steele promised us food!"  Rico shouted.  "Think what you want Mage!  You won't be thinking for much longer!" 

"Then it is settled."  Mage whispered and Balto stepped forward.

"Steele, i will give you one more chance to redeam yourself!" Balto called out. 

"I don't think so!"  Steele snarled.  

"Steele, your outnumbered!"   called out.  "Give up!"

"Am i?"  Steele laughed as Balto flicked his ears.  In the distance, he heard the howling of dogs and the snarls of fights.

"Kodi!"  Nikki cried.  "Our trap backfired Balto!"

"Oreo!"  Vitwany whispered, horrified.

"You bet it did!"  Steele said.  "You didn't think i'd leave this all down to just a head on fight?  No, your all surrounded!  Now, lets make this clear wolfdog!  The losing dog has to leave Nome.  Forever."  Balto looked around toward his small group of dogs.  With Kodi, Oreo, Sasha and three more of his dogs, that left only Nikki, Kaltag, Mage, Vitwany and four more.  They were trapped.  To his horror, many more wolves jumped out of the trees, followed by other dogs.

"I have been planning this for a long time Balto!  These dogs are from other towns who all are willing to help!  The wolves were promised hunting rights!"  Steele laughed!  "You can't beat me!"

"I accept!"  Balto called out.  "I am not afraid of you Steele.  It's time we end this fight once and for all!"  

"Agreed."  Steele snarled and he lept at Balto, who sidestepped the attack and swung around, snarling.  He saw Vitwany run ahead and collide with the wolf Mage had adressed eariler.  Rico.  Suddenly, Balto felt someone yanking on his tail.  With a snarl he turned to see Rector glaring at him.

"Now you die Balto!"  Rector snarled.  "Die like my family did!"  And he pinned Balto down under one of his massive paws.

"Rector!"  Balto coughed.  "I did not kill your family!"

"You did!  You sent me to the ally that day!  You caused me to kill Meeko!"  Rector growled and lunged for Balto's throat.  Balto suddenly saw a flash of red.

"Kodi has saved my life!  He escaped the other attack!"  Balto thought in relief, but when he got up, he saw, to his surprise, Jenna.

"I couldn't leave."  Jenna called out while she dodged Rector's teeth.  

"Rector!  Leave her alone!"  Balto snarled.  In one motion, he lept at Rector, who had been taken by surprise and pinned him down.  "Rector understand, i did not kill your family.  You are crazy with grief and your mind was twisted by Steele!"

"Lies!"  Rector screamed.  "All lies!  You are a murderer Balto!  And you will die tonight!"  Rector jumped up, throwing Balto back and aimed for his throat.  

"Balto!"  Jenna called in horror.  Suddenly, Balto saw Mage, standing in front of him.  To Balto's horror, Rector's teeth closed around Mage's throat and pinned him to the ground.

"Balto!"  Mage coughed.  "Balto, tell Vitwany I....."  But it was too late.  In one swift motion, Rector closed his jaws.  Mage's eyes grow wide then closed as his body went limp.

"MAGE!"  A voice called.  Vitwany rushed in, saw her brother's dead body and screamed.  Jumping at Rector, she easily caught him off guard.  Rector had never fought a wolf and Mage had not put up a fight.  Vitwany on the other hand............

"You killed him!"  She screamed.

"I have no time for this!"  Rector growled.  "Balto, die!"

"I am a wolf!  I kill for food!  Your not the only one who can kill!"  Vitwany sobbed and in one swift motion, she clamped her jaws around his throat and he screamed in pain as she killed him.  

"Balto."  Jenna ran up to him and hugged him.

"Vitwany, I....."  Balto stared at Mage's body, but Vitwany had already moved on to another dog.  Quicly, she sent the dog running into the woods, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

"Jenna, what are you doing here?  Where's the other dogs?"  Balto asked.

"I brought those who wanted to fight."  Jenna said.  In the distance, Balto could see Kodi running toward him with Dusty by his side.

"Mother came and helped us fight off the other pack!"  Kodi called out.  "Then we came here!"  It was clear Steele's team wasn't prepared for the renforcements and they backed away. 

"We're winning!"  Balto thought.  Jenna growled as a wolf came near. 

"Jenna don't!"  Balto said, but his mate ran ahead and caught the wolf with her teeth.  "Jenna!"  Balto called.  Sasha was suddenly in sight, fighting alongside Jenna.  Balto turned his head.  Jenna would be safe with Sasha.  She was a good fighter.

Balto ran through the fighting packs, looking for Steele.  He saw Star and Oreo battling side by side against two of the wolves from the Pack of Blood.  Kodi had gotten one of the dogs that had come with Steele and the others were just a mix of teeth and claws. 

Finally, Balto saw him.

Steele was fighting against a wolf Balto had never seen before, but regonized from Mage's old pack.  Teh wolf had been following Balto and snuck in to fight with Balto.  

"Steele!"  Balto called out and Steele turned.  The wolf nodded at Balto, accepting that it was Balto's turn to fight, and ran off.

"Balto!"  Steele snarled angerily.  The sled dog raced at Balto and the two collided in a furious whirlwind of fur and teeth.  Steele had bitten down on Balto's shoulder, causing pain to sear through Balto's pelt.  Balto quickly did a counter attack and clawed Steele's back. 

Finally, the two seperated, both gasping for air.

"I will not lose this fight wolfdog!"  Steele snarled.

"Steele, you grew up hating me!  Let the past go!"  Balto said.  "Stop this fight right now and no more blood will be shed!"

"Never!"  Steele cried.  "You humilated me, scorned me, and took my future mate!  My musher didn't put me as head dog again because you took over the medicine run!  You destroyed my life Balto!"

"Steele, I'm sorry that your life has been hard, but so has mine!"  Balto said.  "Please Steele!  Stop this now or your going to get hurt!"  

Steele snarled and sprang at Balto.  Balto sidestepped the attack and flung himself on Steele.  The two dogs rolled on the ground, snarling and lashing out before they once again had to stop for a break.  They were evenly matched.

For the third time, they looked at eachother.  Hatred flared in both dogs eyes as Balto and Steele started to circle eachother, both looking for a weakness in their opponent.  Steele was limping slightly in his left front leg and Balto's shoulder was bleeding badly, but neither slowed.  Finally, Steele made the first move.  He sprang at Balto who jumped up and met him in the