a lynx, do you like to play?”

“I love to play, always with my brothers thought, never with any other animals”

“We could play together if you like.”

“Yay that would be fun, can we Mum?” asked Mist looking up at her mother.

“That is fine with me, what do you say…. ”

“Aniou, my name is Aniou and you are.”

“Glade is my name. Mist I want you go back with Aniou and Arden, I will be along once I have collected your brothers” Glade replied.

         Playfully tapping Mist on the nose with a paw Arden set off running around the lake, Mist following him and Aniou walking behind. Reaching his home Arden received a mild telling off from his father, who was a little surprised to see Mist. By the time the introductions had been completed Glade had arrived with Mist’s brothers. With moments all six were happily playing together, racing around and jumping on each other. Watching their children the parents grinned at each other, happy that their children had found friends.

     A couple of weeks after their meeting with Mist and her family, the pups awoke to find their parents lying outside their cave whispering.

 “Awake that last! It is about time” Cathán said licking them. “Today we are taking you on a tour of the forest.”

“Really?” Suka asked wagging his tail.

“Yes we are, it is time you saw just how wonderful your home is” Aniou replied grinning.

“This is going to be so much fun!!” Eagle yelled as Balto howled with delight.

        The pups finished their breakfast in record time and the group set off through the forest, the pups looking this way and that. Twigs broke beneath their paws, birds sang above them and the trees rustled in the wind as they walked. The pup’s eyes were wide as they walked taking in each sight and smell. Passing through a clearing they stopped to watch a herd of deer grazing, slipping away quickly so that the adults did not worry. Rabbits hopped in front of them as they walked their fluffy tails bopping along as they hopped. Then suddenly a creature raced out of some bushes, running smack bang into Balto, sending both of them to the floor.

 “What in??? You idiot” the creature said getting to its paws. “Dumb kid.”

“I’m….” Balto stammered looking at the creature, a male coyote. “You ran into me.”

“You stupid fluff ball you have……” the coyote replied then stopped as Aniou and Cathán’s shadows fell across him.

“What did you just say to me son?” Aniou asked glaring at the coyote.

“Nothing nothing at all” the coyote stammered well aware of the danger he was on. “Er just took a wrong turn, er slipped, accidently knocked him over.”

“Why were running so fast?”
“Erm I was.”

“He was running from me” came a voice and the group looked up to see a male lynx appear from the trees. “This filthy little scavenger has just stolen some of my lunch, thief, he was running from my jaws.”

“I needed to eat, listen I’m sorry knocking over your cubs, please don’t let him eat me.”

“This is not our concern” Aniou replied leading the pups away from the pair.

       As the family walked away they suddenly heard the coyote utter some very colourful language, followed by a loud splash from a nearby pond. Seconds later the male lynx appeared grinning broadly.

  “So sorry about that language, thieves have no concept of polite Alaskan” said the male smiling at the cubs. “So which one of you did he run into?”

“It was me” Balto replied stepping forward.

“Well then you will be pleased to hear that I just dropped him into a pond, I dropped him from a tree, about eight foot off the ground, that should teach him to respect his betters.”

“Thank you, he was rather rude to me, I thought he might bite me.”

“He would not have dared, trust me on that, a tip for all of you” the lynx said looking at the pups. “Coyotes are nothing but cowardly thieves challenge one to fight and they will not fight fare. They will avoid hunting their own lunch at all costs preferring to steal some of yours if given half the chance, don’t give them it.”

   Then the lynx left the family, vanishing into the tress above, camouflaged in the foliage. As they walked the pups began to hear the sound of water, turning a corner they came to a river. Looking down they saw fast flowing rapids, the grizzly bears standing on the rocks trying to catch the leaping salmon, and sheer number of bears. Steadily Aniou and Cathán led the pups further up the river, an area which was calmer and away from high concentration of bears. Reaching a spot deemed suitable the adults began to fish with Aniou catching a salmon moments later.  Then seconds she gasped as Suka dived into the river, sending water all over her.

   “Excellent diving Suka!” Cathán chuckled, smirking at his wet mate.

      With identical grins Balto, Arden and Eagle dived in, sending water on their father who laughed at their antics. Shaking their fur the pups chased each other through the river, taking delight in jumping off rocks. Surfacing from a jump Balto found himself nose to nose with an adult male bear.

“Well you are an odd sort of salmon” the bear said gazing at him.

“I er…” Balto stammered in fright.

“Relax wolfie I’m not going to harm you, that I swear, plenty of fish here for us all” the bear replied as Balto swam into the shallows.

“My name is Balto.”

“That is a good name, you are a brave one” the bear replied looking at Balto.

 “You said you would not hurt me, my mother told me bears respect other hunters.”

“She is s very wise wolf than, we bears will not hurt other hunters unless threatened” replied the bear walking next to Balto.

“She is nearby, I am sorry for what happened, you were not there when I jumped.”

“You have no need to apologise Balto, I jumped from the same rock as a cub, would you like a ride on my back?”

“Really?”

“Of course, it will show your brothers and sister how brave you are.”

“Thank you!” Balto replied climbing onto the bear’s back.

        From the bear’s back Balto looked around him and let out a howl, a howl which his family heard, all staring at the pair in utter shock. For Aniou the shock was double as she knew the bear very well and had worked with him on numerous occasions, yet she could also see the motive behind his kindness, the curiosity over her pups. As the bear set Balto onto the ground he tipped Aniou a wink, a genuine smile on his face.

 “You both have a very brave son, he was not terrified when we accidently met, kept his head completely, very polite as well.”

 “I am just glad he is in one piece” Aniou replied.

 “I would never hurt a youngster, not in this time of plenty, goodbye Balto it has been a pleasure meeting you” the bear replied heading back up the river.

 “You have been very brave Balto not many pups would keep their heads when faced with a bear” Aniou replied licking her son.

“He was a nice bear, I liked him” Balto replied as they settled down to eat the fish. “I wish we could have spoken for longer.”

“Perhaps you will meet again one day.”

    After the fish had been eaten the family left the riverbank, walking next to the river for miles. A family of otters swam next to them in the water the youngsters ducking and diving, letting out squeaks of pleasure as they played. Both sets of youngster regarded each other with curiosity, soon chatting to each other. Their parents shock their heads at the sight, amazed at the ease their children interacted.

      Reaching a bend in the river the wolves jumped across a series of stones to reach the opposite bank, with each member managing them safely. Now the pups were excited as they had never been across the river before, it had always been the ultimate boundary they could not cross. To their surprise it looked much the same the other side did. In their minds the pups had created it be a fighting and dangerous place out of the barrier their parents had imposed. In truth their parents had imposed to the barrier to prevent the pups from landing themselves to much trouble. 

      The family headed towards the mountains keeping away from the sled trails that ran through the area, another reason to keep the pups away from the area. The pups raced a little ahead of their parents, laughing and barking, their paws leaving tracks in the dirt. Reaching the mountain the pups drew closer to their parents, a little scared and unsure what was at the top. As they climbed higher the trees slowly decreased until there was only bare rock. Reaching the summit the family walked to the edge, looking at the forest that was stretched out in front of them, catching sight of their home in the distance. As the wind played with their fur three eagles soared above them, then Aniou let a howl with each member of the family joining in. Their voices rang out across the forest, voices full of joy and