good-for-nothing ever since you were born. You were born weaker than any other pup in our pack. I don't even know why your parents are so stupid that they still want to raise you."

    Without noticing it himself, Topaz had his fur puffed, his fangs bared, his position shifted from crouching to ready for attacking. "I am the one who lose the prey. Don't speak of my dead parents that way," growled little Topaz. The larger wolf was startled by a mere second.

    "Or what I just spoke isn't true? They are just foolish enough to give you their last food and died themselves, so that you live two years later to fail...," Tormenta didn't have to speak to whole sentence to boil Topaz up, the young wolf, driven by anger, dashed in only to be thrashed away.

    Topaz was panting very hard, he had just managed to stand up when Tormenta approached and turned him over; he was now too weak to defend himself. Seeing the younger wolf in this condition encourage Tormenta to grabbed him by his throat. With jaws around his neck, gagging him little by little, Topaz wearily tried to push his alpha away, but there wasn't enough strength left in him; finally, he just lay there, waiting for the time that he can feel no more pain.

    Unable to bear watching, Rhoacia pulled her mate back, "Please, stop. Tormenta, don't kill him. I beg you." Tormenta stopped to turn and face his mate, her eyes were full of tear. He turned his face away, closed his eyes tightly for a moment. "What have anger turned you into? You almost murder a member of your pack, a family that you are supposed to protect," his mate asked with a trembling voice.

    Unfortunately, Tormenta had already gone too far, he didn't realize how monsterous he had become, he didn't even listen to what his love asked. He walked toward the wolf panting on the ground, the snow around him was tinted red by the blood seeping out of his wounds. He grabbed Topaz and threw him farther away from the cave entrance, this violence was repeated for two or three times until the leader himself was tired. He barked, "Get youself out of here, go and disappear from my territory. From now on, if I see you anywhere in my land, I will kill you without a second thought."

    With that, little Topaz slowly dragged himself away, for his legs were now too feeble to support his weight. Finding a shelter took Topaz a long, lonely, and agonizing week, he was so lucky that he managed to find a cave not so large, but enough for him to rest and heal. Throughout the period of healing, Topaz had to depend only on dead animals and water from the snow he melted in his mouth....

    "I'm so sorry I make you think of your terrible past," Glace said as Topaz ended his story.

    "No, no, no, it's all right, Glace. At least, I have something to talk with you, and that's good enough," he answered, hiding a smile. With his half-closed eyelids and a portion of tears in his eyes dimming his vision, Topaz didn't notice Glace approaching for some gentle licks on his cheek. It shocked him a little bit, but it was pleasing enough for him to relax within the matter of seconds.

    After another few licks on her friend, Glace invited, "Do you mind if I say we go for a walk and some chats now."

    Topaz went so happy, he eagerly helped Glace stand up and supported her all the way down the boat. Along the beach, the couple of young canines enjoyed every little thing each of them brought up to talk about. After some thirty minutes of walking, Glace lay down on the sand and rest, with Topaz lying nearby.

    "Topaz, you know? You are one generous wolf I've ever met," Glace started another subject.

    Not so sure what to say, Topaz just tilted his head like he wanted Glace to repeat the statement which she did, and also added, "Really, I don't think there could be another wolf who would promise to help Balto with such a serious subject without a second of hesitation."

    "I do what I can, Glace. Besides, it was you who came asking for my help," Topaz answered.

    "So?"

    "To tell you the truth..., my first thought was to impress you. I have been adoring you for so long, but wasn't brave enough to introduce myself. Anyway, that silver thing bumped me into you at last," explained the male wolf, he, then, talked further, "Uh.... Glace..., I don't mean to offend you, but have you ever eyed any male..., I... I mean have you ever liked someone?"

    Glace, already knowing what Topaz would asked next, just played along, "No, I don't think so. Why?"

    "If so..., I'd like to ask if you..., well, we have been a good friend ever since we met, I think... I mean... umm... I want to know if you want to be like umm... closer than that, like a girlfriend or something? I love you, really love you," the male wolf felt hot all over, despite the relatively cold weather, he gulped and stammered, "It... it... it's okay if it is a 'no,' I'll still help you find Aleu, anyway. I... I... I...."

    Glace shook her head a little bit. Deeply, she did like Topaz a lot. It didn't matter how well Topaz could help, his generousity had impressed her enough. At first, she had already plan to brought this issue up right after Balto's problem was solved, this was a little fast for her, but she reacted as her heart told her to. She and gave Topaz a lick, "Yes, Topaz, yes. Stop stammering, I love you too...."

Chapter 12 : The great fire

    "Oh my, I've been eating only fish for weeks now," Aleu complained over the fish she had caught.

    Nebbia who was enjoying carcasses of a prehistoric animal smiled, then picked up some of her food and give it to Aleu, "Well, come on, give it a try."

    "Thanks Nebbia, but I'd rather not," she sniffed her share once, before continuing, "I don't even know what it is. Are there something here like mice or at least some birds?"

    "Come on, Aleu. You just didn't know what Sotara gave to you, because it was torn to pieces. But, believe me, it's the same creature." said Nebbia, urging Aleu to eat the carcass.

    "Thanks, Nebbia. But..., I still... don't want to eat this," Aleu said, drawing her head away from the flesh. A grey Herrerasaurus appeared at that moment and took the carcass away.

    "Platinum!" Nebbia gasped loudly.

    "What? If Aleu doesn't want it, why waste it?"

    Aleu walked toward her fish and started her meal, while listening to the two dinosaurs talking.

    "Nebbia, I have one question I was to ask you many days ago, but I, heh..., forgot to...," Platinum started.

    "Don't tell me you forget it again today."

    "No, no. The question is... Where is the body of Sotara's uncle?"

    Nebbia stared at him a bit, then she stated the place where Boha would be resting forever, also, she said that she's about to go there too. She and Aleu usually went there from time to time, mainly to wish Sotara fast healing, and to ask Boha to guide Sotara through his life. Once, Aleu even begged Boha to show her way back home.

    "You..., bury him? What were you thinking?" Platinum cocked his head and asked in confusion.

    "It's Aleu's idea," Nebbia pointed her nose at Aleu. Platinum turned his gaze to where the mammal was, "What's burying for, Aleu?"

    "Well, at least, if we bury him, no one will have the body," Aleu explained.

    Platinum turned his head to Nebbia once before turning to Aleu, "That's..., well..., brilliant, Aleu," Platinum said, hiding a smile, "Kind of weird, but brilliant."

    "So, you wanna come with us, Platinum?" Nebbia, who was standing in front of the cave, asked.

    "I'd love to, but I have to go see if he tried to stand up and hurt himself again. I'll go with you when Sotara is alright. Bye for now," Platinum walked out to the cave entrance, and turned out to the direction of his cave.

    "Good luck, Platinum. And don't forget to tell Sotara that we miss him," Nebbia left a message to Platinum.

    "Don't worry, Nebbia. You'll be surprised when he comes back, he's healing faster than you two could ever imagine. I can tell just this, so, see you later," Platinum said before he ran deep into the forest of the valley. "Come on, Aleu. Let's go," Nebbia called Aleu after the grey male disappeared from her sight....

    Hours passed, Platinum had arrived the cave. From a distance, he can see the female trotting back and forth as if she was thinking about something. As she saw him, she ran toward him. Something wrong happened was what her voice told as she muttered, "Platinum, thank heavens you're here. It... it's Sotara. He... he's." The female wasn't able to say clearly, she was in too much worry. Platinum wasted no time rushing in to see what had happened to his friend.

    There, where Sotara usually lying, all left to be found is nothing but a little warmth left on the earth. At this moment, thoughts raced through Platinum's mind; there were so many thoughts about what could have happened to an injured dinosaur wandering around all alone. Though he tried to think only