that. ”

            Leaving the station Cathán made his way to a grand house, where an older, but still beautiful grey female husky laid on a blanket on the veranda. Seeing him approach she looked up and smiled at him, a white collar around her neck. Seeing her smile Cathán bounded over to her and lovingly licked her cheek before laying down next to her.

  “I am pleased to see you, you are troubled” the husky said looking at him. “You are unsure of what path to take as regards Aniou and you seek my advice.”

  “Perceptive as ever Mother and you are right I do seek your advice. I’ve just come from the station, I tried to explain about Aniou, they refused to listen. They called her a filthy wolf. I am torn Mother, between my racing career and Aniou. You are the wisest dog in town you are called Bella the Wise by all for it.”

  “I will help you in any way that I can” Bella replied. “Tell me what you feel.”

“I love Aniou when I am with her I feel truly happy, she is princess from a fairy story a creature so wonderful she cannot be real yet she is. When I am with her…..I don’t know how to describe it, all I know is that I want to be with her. Yet we are persecuted for our love, others don’t understand or refuse to accept based on the simple fact that she is wolf. Don’t they know that all dogs come from wolves? I hate how they treat her. Yet at the same time…..all I ever wanted as a pup was to be a great sled dog like Father was. I don’t know what to do Mother, please I know that Aniou is a wolf……”

“I understand my son, I understand that you've met someone
With a perfect heart
But you've been questioned by everyone
So you're in the dark
Can you choose to fall?
Should you risk it all?
How am I going stop it if you want to give it all to love?
When I'm on your side
And I understand you're the only one to know
Whether wrong or right
Let your heart decide (you're the only one)

Some may tell you don't take the risk
It's a waste of time
But if you think you'll find happiness
Son take the dive

It's unusual
But it's critical

How am I going  stop it if you want to give it all to love
When I'm on your side
And I understand you're the only one to know
Whether wrong or right
Let your heart decide” Bella sang looking at her son. “You are the only one who can make this choice.”

  “My heart” Cathán whispered looking into the night sky. “Aniou holds my heart in her paws just as you do. I worry for you Mother…….if I made the ultimate sacrifice I would worry about you.”

 “You need not my son, I have years left in me yet and my owners take good care of me. You are my son I love you unconditionally.  No matter what path you choose I will be proud of you. There is a Celtic say “trust your heart for it is often wiser than your head.” Trust in your heart and let it guide along the right path.”

     Book 2: The Beginning of a Hero 

         The ultimate choice

         The following night Aniou and Cathán sat on the pier, boats were moored up nearby, above them the stars shone brightly. Neither spoke for a while, unsure of what to say and scared of how their discussions would affect their lives.

  “This cannot go on the way it is” Cathán said looking across the river. “The dogs here hate wolves and they think…”

“That I am beneath you, Amelia said as much to me…she hates me that I know…I know what the other dogs think of us.”

“I love you Aniou…I love you so much, but this cannot continue…something has too….”

“Cathán it does not matter what the other dogs think…..we can fight it….”

“Is that what you want? To be constantly teased, all the comments, dogs chasing you around town?” Cathán asked looking at Aniou.  “What you are saying…it is not the life either of us want. You are a wolf, a smart, amazing wolf you should not have to deal with that, you are better than those dogs.”

“You are right saying is that something has to change, we have to make a choice” Aniou replied meeting his gaze.

 “We do, the life here is not what either of us want or deserve.”

“So that means you must choose between me and racing career, you cannot mean anything else. Our two worlds cannot be together, so there is only one choice for us.”

“Yes, it will not be easy but….. we have no choice.”

“We have to…..” Aniou stammered, tears forming in her eyes. “We have to……”

“Leave Fairbanks for good” Cathán said standing up.  “We have to leave tonight, run as far away as we can.”

“Leave!” Aniou gasped. “I thought you would.”

“Break up with you? No I would never do that.

 Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings?
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you until my dying day” Cathán sang walking over and kissing Aniou, placing one paw over hers.

“I love you so much Cathán, I am so glad to hear that. We leave tonight together we leave for a new life.”

 “Yes together you and I can do anything. We do not need this town we can live together wild and free in the forest.”

 “Together” Aniou replied smiling at him. “Would you like me to take that collar off you?”

 “Yes please.”

    Seconds later the collar was off, as Aniou had covertly used her powers to take it off. Picking up the collar Cathán walked out onto the ice and dropped it through a large hole, watching as it fell into the icy water.

“There done, the collar is gone and so is my old life, time we were leaving.”

“It is, are you sure about this?”

“Yes, all I want is to be with you, to live free with you.”

      Looking at each other the pair smiled, heading out onto the ice, their paws leaving few tracks in the snow. Reaching the other side Cathán looked back to Fairbanks, the lights of the saloons and few homes shining. Turning his back on the town he looked towards the forest, smiling at Aniou. Together the pair ran into the forest, running until they reached the waterfall. Standing on the top of the waterfall the pair lifted their heads and howled, their voices ringing out across the forest and into Fairbanks. Together the pair howled out their love for each other, their souls uniting under the star filled sky.

          Well aware that the humans would start searching for Cathán, the pair began to travel east, heading in the general direction of the coast. Cathán himself had travelled east before, he had taken part in races to and from Nome and various towns along that way. Working together they travelled through the deepest part of the forests, avoiding the dog sled trails to avoid capture. However there forest was vast and few mushers would risk driving through an area of forest that they did not know. It was only done when the need was paramount and locating a missing sled dog fell very short of that category. As they travelled the pair encountered other animals, passing and hunting deer, birds flew above them, amused at the sight of a wolf and dog together. For the first time in his life Cathán felt truly free and happy, no longer confined in a kennel but free to live as he wished.

      Over the next few weeks the pair travelled and were welcomed by the wolf packs they met, spending weeks with one pack or another before moving on. Despite their welcome Aniou always wanted to move on after a few weeks, unable to settle with anywhere. This fact concerned Cathán as he could not understand it, despite his fears over being found by humans.

  “Why do we keep moving Aniou?” Cathán asked two months after they had left Fairbanks.

  “I am taking you to my home” Aniou replied as they walked through the forest. “I know a beautiful place where we can live. The nearest human town to it is Nome, I say nearest, but it is miles away from that town.”

 “Wow, how did you end up near Fairbanks?”

“Oh I am a little different to other wolves, I was to adventures for my own good I have certain gifts.”

 “Whatever you say I did not mean to pry but Nome… well it is certainly far enough from Fairbanks. I know Nome quite well.”

“I am glad you do, we may have to pass through it. At the very least we will have to pass by the town.”

 “It might be advisable for us to slip in…..” Cathán mused. “I have a friend there he would be able to tell us how the humans reacted to my disappearance.”

 “There are advantages in finding out the situation with you it would certainly ease my