before” Aniou replied as they walked down a street.

 “One of the best shows I have ever seen. So would you like to go for a late dinner?”

“Will a hotel be open at this late hour?”

“The one we are heading to will be. The Washington is the finest hotel in town the kitchen is open as it does room service.”

 “Well in that case lead on.”

      As it was quiet Cathán led Aniou along the main streets of Fairbanks, passing closed shops and businesses. Looking through the window of jewelers Aniou admired the gold, silver, rubies, and emeralds. As they passed a saloon the pair stopped as three men went sailing through an open doors, landing on their backs in the dirt. Looking at the men the pair saw that one was minas his boots and coat, another had blood pouring from his nose and lip and the third had two black eyes.

 “And you ruffians can stay out!!!” shouted the landlady shaking her fist. “If I catch you in here again I’ll skin you alive and have your guts for my bootlaces!!!!!”

 “That will be after I’ve done with you, the beating you’ve just received will be nothing, one of you has just felt my fist” said a young barmaid. “We run a respectable business here we don’t need jackasses like you brawling every other night!”

 “To right we do not” replied the landlady. “And you’ll be paying for the damage you’ve all caused!”

       Shaking their heads the women walked back inside and Cathán and Aniou continued on their way. Soon the pair reached the Washington Hotel, a grand six story building with an excellent reputation. It was a high class establishment only taking the most respectable clients. The bar was first rate, the restaurant employed the best chefs to be found in Alaska. In the bar a band or a pianist played every night and there dances on a Friday and Saturday nights. So prestige’s was it that it even employed two teams of sled dogs during the winter months. Slipping around the back the pair arrived at the kitchen door just in time to see a maid put out the days leftovers. The moment the door closed the pair walked towards the food, grinning at their luck.

 “So this is human food, why is not raw?” Aniou asked as she began to eat some chicken.

“Raw? Humans cannot eat that, they have to have it cooked over fire for some reason, this is good stuff” Cathán replied tucking into the remains of a joint of beef.

     Eating their food Cathán sly looked at Aniou taking in every detail, as he ate a feeling he did not understand surfaced. For the past couple of weeks his feelings towards Aniou had been changing and as had his feelings towards his girlfriend Amelia. As the pair began on the leftover deserts Cathán pondered his feelings.

   “What is it with Aniou? Why is it that I cannot get thoughts of her out of my head? I should be thinking about Amelia more than her, and the new racing season will start soon. For the entire summer we have been having fun, she has taught me how to survive in the forest. But I have known Amelia for longer.  Why do I feel so happy whenever Aniou and I are together, who I have this need to be with her?” 

       As the pair finished their meal the sound of other dogs drifted around the corner startling the pair. With a nod to each other they set off, managing to avoid the oncoming dogs, all of who were pure breed huskies. Walking through down the pair soon reached the edge of the forest.

  “I enjoyed tonight Cathán thank you for taking me.”

“It was my pleasure. We should do it again some time.”

“We should, are you still available for lessons?”

 “For the next couple of weeks I am after that things are going to be very busy.”

“Then I will see you in a couple of days, goodnight Cathán” Aniou replied walking off into the night. 

    As she settled down to sleep in her cave that night, Aniou thought about her night with Cathán.

  “Tonight has been fun with Cathán I never thought I would see a humans form of storytelling. Why did I accept his invitation? For what reason did I take that risk? I could have been captured, I took a huge risk. Yet it felt right, to be in a human town with him, it was so strange…….I have helped humans many times….and I have been in Inuit villages many times, yet I had never been in the villages of the pale skinned humans. They are so different…… They have no respect for our ways of life…..Then why did I feel so at ease being with Cathán? I am a wolf, I do not belong in a village, yet I agreed to visit his home again. Why did I agree to start teaching him to hunt? He is a dog, a foolish dog who I encountered once. Why is it then at I feel so drawn to him, why do I feel happy when I spend time with him?”

      The complexity of love

        Winter arrived with a vengeance with a three days blizzard, sixty mile an hour winds and six foot of snow falling. Thankfully the residents of Fairbanks were a hardy bunch and managed without much trouble. The winter sledding work kept Cathán incredibly busy and it was early December before he was able to see Aniou. Walking out of town Cathán passed nodded to his girlfriends Amelia as she sat with some friends. Reaching the forest he soon reached the waterfall where he found Aniou gazing into the plunge pool.

  “See anything interesting?” he asked causing her to jump.

“No” Aniou replied turning to face him. “It is good to see you again Cathán it has been too long.”

 “Yeh it has…with winter coming I have been really busy….with supply runs, carrying passengers and the races….I’m a busy dog.”

  “You sound it, but I detect that something else is bothering you.”

“Perceptive as ever….Amelia is rather high maintenance” sighed Cathán. “She wants to see me every day, she doesn’t understand that something I need space.”

  “Yet you still date her.”

“I love her…I mean we have been together since spring, I just wish she would back off sometimes. She wanted to spend today with me she wasn’t in the least bit happy when I said I had plans.”

  “She sounds a nightmare to be with” Aniou replied as they walked.

“She is at times……….I’ve got a race coming up in a couple of days, would you like to come and watch?”

 “Would that not be a little dangerous and awkward with Amelia?”

“Not really we are friends” Cathán replied looking at his friend. “Come on Aniou this an important race, the team and I could use your support.”

  “Alright I will come and watch you.”

“Great, thank for this” came the reply as the pair continued through the forest.

        A couple of days later Aniou slipped into town, keeping to the side streets and shadow as she made her way to the race track, that being the main street in town. Reaching her destination she gasped at the amount of humans and dogs who had gathered to watch the finish.

 “Girl over here” came a voice and Aniou looked around the find Franklin waving at her.    “Come over here and watch the race with me.”

          Seeing the excitement and kindness in his eyes Aniou walked over to him, passing by the other humans unnoticed. Sitting down next to Franklin, Aniou received a shock when he began to stoke her fur, yet she soon came to enjoy it. To her surprise Franklin seemed relaxed, even offering her a licorice all sort, which she liked instantly. Watching the race both cheered as Cathán’s team crossed the finish line, a meter ahead of another two teams.

   “YES” Franklin cried punching the air.

          Leaving the side lines the pair ran over to the team, Franklin throwing his arms around his Dad and Aniou nuzzled Cathán, just as Amelia appeared.

 “Sweetie who is…….” Amelia said glaring at Aniou. “A wolf…you cheating…”

“Mia it is not like that” Cathán stammered.

“Of course it is, oh how could I have been so blind…..all that going off into the forest…..you were with her” the cream husky snarled. “We are through I do not want to be with a dog who cheats on me.”

 “Sorry Cathán” Aniou whispered as Franklin unclipped him.

 “Forget about it, I was tired of all the drama, let some else handle her” Cathán replied as the team gathered around him.

 “Great going”

“We won”

“We slaughtered Iron’s team.”

“A wolf! Jeez Chocolate Paw you make friends with the oddest of creatures.”

       As the group talked the sled dogs quickly realized that Aniou was a decent wolf, some were happy to talk to her but, others gave her the cold shoulder, with a couple throwing some nasty comments her way.  As many of the dogs acceptance Aniou