to help you out."

"Are you sure you want to do that? Tikani might not enjoy having someone from another pack with me," Balto said.

"I'm sure. Besides, I wouldn't be going there for my pack. I'd be with you as your... advisor," she replied.

Balto thought about it, and knew that Anya could help him with this. "Alright, you can come," he said, before turning to Kaltag and Jenna. "In the meantime, you two should watch over Kisa. Spitz and some others didn't seem too happy about having her here, and I need the both of you to make sure that nothing happens to her while I'm gone."

They both nodded, and Jenna nuzzled him goodbye, letting the touch linger. "Be careful… and good luck," she said before he and Anya trotted away.

"And don't worry, we'll try not to have any wild parties while you're out," Kaltag cracked, causing Balto and Anya to laugh as they departed.

---

Balto and Anya made a direct beeline for the riverbed where he first met Tikani, and on the way, Anya started to grow anxious. "What kind of mood do you think Tikani will be in when he realizes his mate is missing?" she asked.

"He'll probably be blowing a gasket, but I'm sure Spitz feels the same about his sister," Balto replied. "I just hope he'll still be able to listen to reason."

"At least your town has someone like you who can keep their clam under pressure," Anya said. "Otherwise they'd be in even more trouble."

"Heh, yeah. I know Steele wouldn't have been willing to do what I want to do here," Balto agreed, remembering the ego that Nome's former champion carried. The husky hadn't been willing to deal with a half-wolf like him, so things would've been much worse if he was faced with an angry pack of full-blooded wolves.

Balto knew that their meeting with Tikani would come soon, but it came sooner than he expected when the alpha wolf jumped down from the top of the riverbank, landing right on top of him and knocking him to the ground. Anya skidded to a stop when she heard the impact and turned to see the Balto on his back with the larger wolf pinning him down with his paws. "You miserable half breed; where's my mate?" he bellowed.

"Where's Kari?" Balto replied, showing no fear. A group of wolves surrounded them, waiting for their next order. "Well, here we go," Balto thought.

---

Chapter 6: Progress is Made

"I won't ask you again; tell me where Kisa is!" Tikani shouted.

"I will once I know that the dog you took is okay," Balto replied.

"You aren't exactly in a position to be making demands here," Tikani threatened. "I could kill you and your friend over there with little effort. Besides, I asked first."

"… Fair enough. Kisa is in town, being watched over in an old gold mill. She was knocked out in an accident and left behind during your escape. I assure you, she's safe and will remain that way," Balto reassured him. "Now, about Kari-"

"How do I know that she will be safe?" Tikani demanded, his teeth bared in anger. "How do you know that the dogs there won't hurt her while your back is turned?"

"Because I left her with dogs I would trust my own life with," Balto replied. "We aren't bad dogs, and I know that you don't mean to be a bad wolf either. Your mate is safe and I just want to know that Kari is too."

"… She's fine," he replied after a brief pause and his expression calmed a little. "You're right, I don't mean to be a bad wolf. I'm just trying to make the best of a bad situation," he finished before releasing Balto and letting him up. "I assume you didn't just come here for some small talk."

"No, we didn't. Tikani, I want to make a deal with you; one that I hope will benefit both of us," Balto said.

"For starters, you have one of theirs and they have one of yours," Anya started.

"So you basically want me to trade the dog for my mate?" Tikani asked.

"Yes and no," Balto replied. "That 's only part of it. If we just did that, we'd be right back to square one. There's still the issue of the team coming in and bothering you."

"What are you getting at?" Tikani asked impatiently. "I just want my love back."

"And you will, but let me finish. I want us to come to an agreement that will ensure that the team is still able to hunt and support itself, without taking too much from what you need," Balto said. "The humans have a saying about killing two birds with one stone – solving two problems at once. I want us to solve both of our problems today, right now."

"Making deals with dogs… " he muttered, while he looked down with a furrowed brow.

Anya could tell that he was uneasy about this, and wanted him to see that this wasn't meant to be a threat, or coercion. "Look, I know you're hesitant to make a deal with them because you'd see it as a loss, but it isn't. You said yourself that you simply want to be left alone, and chances are that can be worked out," she said.

Balto nodded. "That's why we're here. I want to talk with you and prevent anyone else from getting hurt," he continued. "I know you have to look after you own pack, but we can find a way that will ensure they'll be fine as well."

"I don't know…" Tikani said hesitantly. "Nothing like this has ever been done before."

"Then how do you know it won't work?" Balto countered. "The only thing keeping us from it as far as I can see is that we're not looking eye to eye. You think we're hostile, and I'll admit that I think you're a little too proud for your own good," he continued, earning a scowl from Tikani. "But if we drop the preconceptions and simply talk, then we should be able to work something out. You do want this conflict to end right?"

"Yes, I do," the wolf affirmed. "Everyone in my pack just wants to get back to their lives without having to deal with any dogs."

"The feeling's mutual," Balto replied, earning a small grin from Tikani.

Tikani's expression softened as he thought Balto's proposal over. While he did have some misgivings about it, his desire to have his mate back was far stronger than his distrust. "Alright, we'll try it your way, but I want you to promise me that your dogs hold up their end of whatever agreement we reach okay?" he said, his voice conveying a sense of cautious optimism.

"I promise that we will," Balto said, allowing himself a smile now that they were getting somewhere. "And I promise that before then, no harm will come to Kisa."

"Good. Now that we have that cleared up, let's see where we can go with this," Tikani pondered. "Where should we start?"

"First, I want to make sure that Kari is okay," Balto replied. "Can you take us to her?"

" … Very well," Tikani said. "I suppose I can afford it, but don't try anything funny. She only gets released after we make our deal, okay?"

"I know," Balto replied. He could tell that Tikani didn't completely trust him yet, but he hoped that his efforts would build that trust. Balto and Anya followed Tikani into their territory, while being escorted by four other wolves.

"So far so good," Anya started. "We at least got them to start talking to us."

Balto nodded. "I know, but we have to watch our step if we want to continue to gain their trust."

"Well, you know better than anyone that it can be hard to get someone to drop their distrust," she said, alluding to Balto's relationship with Steele.

"I do, but I know that it isn't impossible as long as both involved are willing to listen as much as they want to talk," he finished as they reached a cave with four wolves standing guard at the entrance. Tikani approached and they let him in, but kept Balto and Anya back. It wasn't long before Tikani emerged with Kari at his side. She seemed quite shaken up, but her fear receded when she saw Balto there.

"Balto!" Kari cried out on seeing them. She burst past Tikani and ran to him, tail wagging at the sight of a friendly face and started rattling off questions. "What's going on? Are they letting me go? Who's your friend here?"

"Kari, this is Anya and she's come to help me get you home. We still have to work out a deal before you can go home, but Tikani has agreed to talk," he replied. "What about you? How are you holding up? Are the wolves treating you well?"

Kari nodded. "Yes; they may have dragged me out of town by the scruff of my neck, but other than that they haven't hurt me much," she admitted. "How are things back home?"

"They're okay; no one else was hurt last night, but there are a few who are worried about you," Balto replied.

"Not to mention that they also have my mate with them," Tikani cut in.

"What does he mean by that?" she asked.

"Last night, Kisa, his mate, was knocked out in the chaos and left behind. We found her and decided to hold her in town," Balto replied. "My hope is to work out a deal with the wolves and seal it by returning her to them in exchange for you. I've gotten Tikani to start talking,