warm up. She whispered into his ear, but Dakarai could not hear what she was saying.

He was not one to question Aniu, nor did he have any doubt as to her motives, but he couldn't help but wonder if she had a particular interest in Balto. She seemed to act as though he was familiar to her, and Dakarai watched in silence.

"You are wondering why she acts like she does towards Balto," Kantu said quietly. Dakarai's head snapped around to look at his son with wide eyes. "I didn't mean any disrespect," he said quickly.

Kantu smiled. "It's all right, papa. Balto is Aniu's son."

Nightfall gasped and Dakarai's mouth hung open. "Her - her son? But... but she's the great wolf spirit, how...?" Dakarai said in disbelief.

"It's a long story, papa. But Balto is her only son, and she loves him very much. Just as you love me," he smiled at his mother. "And just as Balto loves his son Kodiak."

"...and Aniu would do anything to save her son," Dakarai finished. "Just as I would do anything for you, Kantu."

Kantu nuzzled his father and leaned against him. "Just as Balto would do anything for his son. He risked his life and almost died trying to get that medicine back to Kodiak. His strength of will is so great that he was alive when we got to him simply because he refused to die. His body had already given up and was beginning to freeze."

Dakarai looked at Balto and Aniu with respect. Aniu gazed back at Dakarai and smiled. "You have done me a great kindness, Dakarai of the Falling Leaf Tribe," Aniu spoke with a voice that filled the den. "My beloved son lives because of you, and now his young son's life may also be saved through your actions."

She stood up and walked over to Dakarai, and a radiant light began to fill the den. "The Falling Leaf Tribe has my gratitude and my blessing, and I will watch over you all from this day forward. Just as Kantu has earned a place at my side in the spirit world, so have you and your mate Nightfall. When it is your time to join me, I will be waiting for you, as will your son."

Dakarai and Nightfall sat together in astonishment as they heard Aniu declare her blessing upon their tribe. Dakarai lay down flat in front of Aniu and placed his head between his paws. "Th-thank you, great Aniu," he said with respect. "We will strive to be worthy of your blessing."

Aniu looked down at him with kindness. "You are already worthy, Dakarai. You set a shining example for your pack, and they have great respect for you." She moved to stand beside Kantu at the entrance to the den.

"When my son awakens, please show him the way back to Nome. He will want to leave as soon as he regains consciousness."

"I will do as you ask, great Aniu," Dakarai said humbly.

"Take comfort in knowing that you have saved a good father from suffering the loss of his son, the kind of pain you know only too well." Aniu's voice seemed to reach out and caress his face gently as she spoke. "And you have saved my son by doing so. Kantu is proud of you, as am I."

"You've done a good thing, papa," Kantu said from beside Aniu. "I love you both. I will see you again when it is your time to join me in the spirit world. Until then, know that I will always be with you. You were the best parents I could have asked for, and I will always love you."

Nighfall broke into tears again. "Goodbye, my baby," she sniffed. "We love you so much, and we'll miss you." She buried her face in Dakarai's chest, shaking with sorrow.

Dakarai wrapped his paws around Nightfall and held her close. "Goodbye son," he whispered with tears in his eyes as Kantu and Aniu faded into the howling snowstorm behind them. "I love you."

###

The doctor pulled his stethoscope away from Kodi's chest and sighed. "He's not improving, I'm afraid," he said wearily. "But at least he's not getting any worse. I can't say for sure if he's going to pull through or not. He still has a pretty bad fever, I haven't been able to flush it out of his system yet."

Jenna sat and listened to the doctor explain to Rosy and her parents how Kodi was doing, and she felt the most alone she had ever felt in her life. She loved Balto with all her heart, but it was only now that she realized that he was a part of her, something she could not live without. She lay down on the floor and flattened her ears back on her head.

Rosy sat down next to her and gave her a hug. "It's okay, girl. Balto will be back with the medicine, I know he will. He can do anything."

Jenna shut her eyes, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "My love... where are you?" she thought. "I need you so badly now that you're gone. I didn't think... I didn't think I would miss you this much."

The doctor wrapped Kodi up in a small blanket and put him down in his bed, and Jenna got up and went over to him. She lay down next to the bed and began licking Kodi and nuzzling him.  "It's all right, my son," she said quietly. "Your father will be back soon with your medicine, and then we can all be a family again."

She lay with Kodi until Rosy's parents had finished talking with the doctor. "Come on Jen," Rosy said from the doorway. "Your other pups need you too. Kodi will be fine here with the doctor."

"Goodbye Kodi," Jenna said softly. "I'll be back for you soon." She kissed him and got up to leave with Rosy.

They made their way back to their house, and Jenna went into the shed where her five other pups were still sleeping. She gingerly stepped into her bed and lay down next to them, being careful not to wake them. She settled down and closed her eyes, and Balto was all she could think of as she tried to sleep. She could practically feel him lying next to her, kissing her, nuzzling her, holding her in his big safe paws... she could smell his scent, and it was enough to make her cry with longing.

"Please, my love," she thought. "Please come back to me. I need you more now than I have ever needed anything. I don't know what I would do..." she sniffed. "Save our son, my love."

"Save me."

###

"Wha–" Balto woke with a start. He sat up and immediately wished he hadn't. His head hurt, his stomach hurt, his paws hurt, his legs ached, and he had no idea where he was. He lay back down and tried to figure out where he was and what happened to him. "I'm... in a cave... on a bed?"

He closed his eyes as his last memories came floating back to him. He was hurt and freezing, and he fell over into the snow and lost consciousness. "Am I dead?"

"Not yet. Apparently it's not your time," said a voice from behind him.

"What - who are you? How did I get here?" Balto's vision focused and he saw a red and tan colored wolf standing in the entrance to the den, framed by the early morning light shining in from behind him.

"My name is Dakarai," he said as he walked towards Balto. "I am the alpha wolf of this pack, the Falling Leaf Tribe. You are here because it was the will of the Great Aniu."

"The great who?"

Dakarai stopped in surprise. "You don't know who Aniu is?"

Balto shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't. I'm only half wolf, and I grew up among humans."

Dakarai nodded, but wondered why Aniu hadn't told her son who she was. "Aniu is the great wolf spirit, the one who created all wolves. She appeared to us and told us who you were, and showed us where to find you. I lifted you onto my back and carried you here so you could recover and finish your journey back to Nome with the medicine."

Balto blinked in surprise. "How do you know all that about me?"

"It is as I said, Aniu appeared to us and told us about everything, including the difficult journey you are making to save your son Kodiak."

"Kodi..." Balto said, and then stopped as he saw the body of a young, reddish-brown wolf lying against the back wall.

"That is... was... my son Kantu," Dakarai said quietly. "He died saving a fellow pack member from a grizzly bear last night. He... he was my only child."

"Your only son," Balto whispered, and flattened his ears back against his head. "I'm so sorry, Dakarai. If my son died, I don't know what I..."

"I know," Dakarai said softly. "It seems we are more alike than not alike, Balto. But while my son is with Aniu now, yours may still live and survive if you can get the medicine back to him."

"Dakarai... thank you for saving my life. I don't know how I can ever repay you. I don't mean to be ungrateful, but I have to get this medicine to Kodi before it's too late. I have to leave right now."

"You can repay me by saving your son. I would not wish the pain of the loss of one's child on anybody, and Aniu told us that you would want to leave as soon as you woke up. I am prepared to show you the way back to Nome."

Balto got up from the bed of furs, nudged the leather satchel into place on his side and followed Dakarai out into the morning sun. As they left the den, a beautiful all black female with bright blue eyes walked up to Balto.

"Good luck, Balto," she said. "Aniu is watching over you, and I'm sure you'll make it back to save Kodiak."

"This is my mate,