themselves.

On another sunny day, Dusty decided that today she would stay in town with Kodi. The rest of the team had already gone outside. Dusty looked around for Kodi, and she found him in a corner with a sad face.

“Hey, what's wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing” He muttered.

Dusty sighed. “C`Mon, I know you better than that. Now spill it.”

Kodi remained silent for a while.Perhaps now is the time to tell her…I can’t go on much longer without knowing. But what if she doesn’t like me back? What if…No, I HAVE to know.

Dusty looked expectantly at him. Kodi sighed and avoided her gaze.

“There is something…something I've been holding in for a while, and its eating me from inside.” Kodi looked at the wall while he was talking, he did not dare look her in the eyes.

Dusty got worried. “Then tell me, what is it?”

Kodi felt a lump in his throat and his heart racing.”A few weeks ago, I started noticing something about…you.” He tried to calm himself.”I started to look at you in a different light. Dusty…”Here goes nothing.”I love you!”

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“Dusty…I love you!”

As soon as those three words reached her, she froze. Her mind went numb. It took her completely by surprise. It was those words she had dreamt of hearing for so long, and now they came from the one she cared about the most. She noticed that Kodi was now looking her in the eyes, and she saw fear. Fear of being rejected. She realized how hard it was for him to confess, because he was afraid she would turn him down. She smiled inside. Heh… were we both that afraid? Yet, he took the first step, now it’s my turn to take the next…

“Oh Kodi, I'm so glad.” A tear formed in her eyes. It was easy for her to tell him now that she knew. “I've always wanted to hear those words, and you were the first one I wanted to hear it from.”

Kodi opened his eyes wide.”So…you mean…”

Dusty smiled. “Yes Kodi, I love you to.” Happy tears streaming down her face, like her worries and doubt, they fell to the ground. She sobbed and buried her face in Kodis neck. Happy to be close to him.

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She's crying…but she happy. Wait, she loves me? Yeah, that’s what she said. Kodi was in shock, but woke up when he felt something press against his neck. It was Dusty. He nuzzled her head and licked her neck. He didn’t know why, it just felt right. Everything felt right. For the first time in a long time, he felt at peace, he felt like there was nothing he couldn’t do.

“You know, there's one good thing with the delay in our job.” Kodi smiled.

Dusty looked curiously at him.”What?”

“We get more time together.”  Kodi whispered.

Dusty blushed.”I guess you’re right, it’s a good thing after all.”

The rest of the day, they walked around town, much like they did earlier, but know they walked closer to each other.
When night came, they went outside and looked at the stars, like they did long ago.

“Do you remember what you always tried to show me when we did this?” Dusty asked.

“Yeah, I used to say I saw a dog up there…not anymore.” Kodi answered.

“You don't”? 

“No.” Kodi looked her in the eyes. “Now I see you.”

Cold and loneliness

Three weeks had passed since the slightly teary confession between Kodi and Dusty.  Much to Kodis joy, his ribs had healed almost completely. He was now able to run around without any pain to talk about. Even though Dusty kept telling him to take it easy, she still found herself racing him here and there just for the fun of it.

The entire team had by now figured out that the two were a couple; still, they would both blush when they were caught nuzzling or kissing or anything like that. They didn’t deny their relationship, but they didn’t show it off either. Kodi wasn’t even sure his parents were aware of it. As for Dustys parents, they figured it out almost at once, and even went as far as to “check the boy out” as her mother put it. Kodi passed, though he had to endure a talking to from Dustys father. But after all that, they mostly left the two alone. Kodis own parents had yet to see the two together, but that would change faster than they’d expected.

One evening, Kodi and Dusty was sitting on the mountain overlooking Nome, watching the sunset. They had only been there a short while before the cold crept in on them, and they sat as close as possible. Dusty was leaning her head against his neck for comfort. As they admired the falling sun, a sound startled them. Kodi spun around, almost knocking Dusty of her feet.

“What was that?” Dusty asked nervously.

Kodi offered her a crooked smile. “Not what, who.” He sighed and walked towards the big rock behind them.  “Mom, Dad. Come out would you?”

Out from behind the rock came a slightly blushing Jenna and a grinning Balto. “How did you know we were there?” Balto asked.

Kodi sighed.”First off, we heard you. Second, I've known you long enough to recognize your scents.”

“I told you we should have gone back.” Jenna whispered.

Balto ignored her.”So, when were you going to tell us?” Balto snickered.

Kodis faced turned hot as he realized that his parents had seen them. He lowered his ears and voice.”Sorry I didn’t tell you, but it’s not something you just come up and tell somebody…especially you…” Kodi then heard Dusty grunt.

“So, you think me being with you is embarrassing? I know we don't brag about it to everyone, but I still told my parents as soon as I could.” Dustys voice was sad and hurt.

Kodis heart skipped a beat.”What? You told them? I thought they just saw us or something.”

Dusty started walking away.”Of course I told them, they’re my parents.”She said over her shoulder. She continued walking back towards town.

Jenna and Balto felt awfully out of place.”That was badly handled.” Balto commented.

Kodi grunted and walked away.

“Should we do something?” Balto asked Jenna with a distressed voice.

Jenna shook her head.”No, it’s something they must figure out on their own.”

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Dusty was sitting in an alley back in town. The sun was almost down, and it was getting rather cold. She sighed and got up. Just as she got out of the alley, she was blocked by a rust colored dog. “I don't want to talk to you right now Kodi…” She stopped herself when she saw it wasn’t him.”Oh, sorry. I thought you were Kodi.”

“Hehe, no problem. I get that a lot.” The newcomer said.

Dusty took a closer look. He was so like Kodi in so many ways. The biggest difference was that this dog looked more like a pet rather than a sled dog. “Wait.” She said.”I know you, you're Kodis brother Dingo. Right?”

Dingo chuckled.”You got that right. But tell me, why don't you want to talk to Kodi? I thought you were a couple?”

Dusty sighed.”I guess you can call us that. But he basically said he's embarrassed at being with me…”

Dingo grimaced.”Ouch, sounds like a screw up I could have done…”

Dusty couldn’t help but laugh at this.”Oh really?”

Dingo blushed.”Yeah, I actually did that once…but I put myself together and apologized to her. Blabbered about how I was just insecure about myself and so on, really pouring out my soul.”

Dusty listened, interested.”So, what did she do?” She asked.

“She slapped me and told me to get lost.”Dingo said indifferently.

At this Dusty cracked up and fell down laughing. Dingo soon laughed with her.

When both had regained their breath, Dingo excused himself that he had somewhere to go. But before he went he said.”Don't judge him too hard, you know Kodi, he's not ashamed of you or anything. He's just shy.”

Dusty stood there, lost in thought. Perhaps he's right. She thought.I just over-reacted. Il make it up to him when I see him. She walked back to the boiler room.

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While Dusty was in town, waiting for him. Kodi was wandering the forest line outside town. He had no desire to return to the warm and comfy boiler room quite yet. He wasn’t sad, angry or regretting anymore. He just wanted his time alone.
Since he's mind was distant, he didn’t notice either the cold night approaching, or the wind picking up, carrying with it increasing amounts of snow. When he finally became aware of his surroundings, he had wandered so far away from Nome that he could barely see the glinting lights from the town in the distance. He cursed himself from being so stupid as to wander around alone this late. He looked up at the sky, seeing the contours of clouds starting to cover the moon. Realizing he would soon be as blind as a bat, he decided to seek shelter in the dark