the jury will deliver their verdict. Everyone is starting to worry about getting back to Nome before the sea freezes permanently.”

“That is understandable the last thing you want is to be trapped here for winter.”

“I like being here with you but….”

“You miss Nome, your friends, your own home, the freedom you have there.”

“I’m not like the other dogs here in the neighbourhood I’m living in, I don’t fit in here I never did.”

“It’s not hard to see why you feel like that. Dogs in your neighbourhood are so stuck up and spoilt, even more than some dogs in Nome. Me I’m a sled dog, I don’t mix with that crowd, yet they see me as rough and beneath them.”

“I wish you hadn’t moved here Ember. At least I can tell Mom and Dad that I have seen you.”

“I do miss them” Ember replied looking out across the port. “At the same time I’m glad I live here, I am really happy here Jenna. So this thing with Onyx….”

“I like him a lot but I know it cannot last, I have to go back to Nome.”

“I knew this would happen Jen, I warned you not to fall for him for this reason, I knew would end up getting hurt.”

“You were right all along but my heart refused to listen, Ember what am I going to do?” Jenna replied as tears fell from her eyes.

 “We will work this out Jenna” Ember replied licking her cheek and curling up next to her.

    Changing of the Tide

    It was mid October, on the dock Jenna stood waiting to board a ship that would take her back to Nome. In amongst the crowds she spotted two dogs running towards her, one limping slightly, seconds later Ember and Onyx arrived in front of her.

“What are you both doing here?”

“Come on Jen you didn’t think I’d let you leave without saying goodbye did you?” Ember asked with a grin.

 “I...I…. I had…. I had to see you one last time” Onyx stammered. “I’ve had a lot of fun while you have been here Jenna.”

“So have I Onyx you have shown me so much. You know how I feel about you but….”

“Stay Jenna please, you don’t have to go, you could stay and live with me and be happy.”

“Stay with here with you” Jenna whispered looking behind her at Rosie. “I…I can’t Rosie would be heartbroken. I don’t belong here.”

“Fine, so be it. I’ll never forget you Jenna” Onyx replied racing off to hide his pain.

     Turning to face her brother, Jenna’s eyes filled with tears as her heart split in two.

“I am going to miss you Ember being with you was like being a pup again.”

“I’ll miss you two Jen, part of me wishes I could come back with you, to see our parents and Nome. If you asked me….if you want me to I’ll get on the boat with you” Ember replied as Jenna caught sight of a cut on his shoulder.

“Ember how did you get that cut?

“It doesn’t matter Jen” Ember replied turning away as Rosie walked up to them.

“Hi Ember I am glad you have come to say goodbye” Rosie said hugging him as the whistle blew.

 “Jen that’s the call ask me to come and I will.”

“Tell me why, please Ember…I cannot ask that of you, you have your life here.”

“Jenna come on girl we have to go” Rosie said clipping a lead onto her collar.

“My life here is where I belong, I said that so that to make you happy. Go with Rosie, tell our parents to look out for my name in the papers” Ember replied with a grin.

     Walking onto the boat Jenna stood with Rosie, Violet and Arthur as the ship set sail, Jenna and Rosie waving to Ember as they leave. As the ship sailed to Nome it became obvious that winter was on its way, as the ship passes icebergs and at times had to break through sea ice. As on the way to Juneau Rosie and Jenna spent most of their time watching the animals that lived on the ice, herds of walrus with huge tusks laid on ice, sleek seals swam alongside the boat and polar bears crossed the ice. On deck one day Arthur took a picture of Rosie and Jenna with a polar bear in the background, along with a picture of a polar bear swimming leisurely between ice flows, the bear looking at them as the ship passed him by. The mood on the ship was relaxed as there would still be a few more ships to and from Nome before the ice froze.

   Arriving back in Nome in the middle of October Arthur, Violet, Jenna and Rosie were met by Wilfred and Hilda. Loading the luggage into a sled Wilfred and Hilda drove them back to their house. Arriving at the house Hilda made them all a cup of coffee washed down with some of Hilda’s famous chocolate brownies. Climbing into their own beds that night Arthur, Rosie and Violet fell into exhausted slumber all glad to be home.

    A couple of days later Jenna walked into the centre of Nome keen to catch up with her friends. Reaching the main street Jenna grinned as she saw Balto surrounded by Steel, Nikki, Kaltag and Star. To her utter shock Steel was bullying Balto, throwing hash comments his way and generally being unpleasant. Seeing Jenna Steel turned to face her, a look of guilt on his face.

“Hi Jenna welcome back” Steel said as she walked over.

“Hi Jenna great to see you” Balto said softly.

“I am glad to be back. So tell me what is going on here? Why are you bulling Balto?”

“Reasons, come on guys let leave these two” Steel said heading off with Star, Kaltag and Nikki.

“Balto?”
“Not here, tonight at your house” Balto replied before heading off.

       That evening Jenna sat on her porch with Balto and Steel, both males looking rather guilty.

“Jenna about this morning that wasn’t real. It was a show in front of my team mates, they all hate Balto and to fit in with them I have to act the same.”

“Why now? They have always been like that and you have always been nice to Balto.”

“I need to advance within the team, all the pressure they put on me is too much to resist anymore. While you were away a few of them hit me I don’t want to go through that again. It’s all an act Jenna, I don’t mean what I say but I’m in a corner I can’t break out off.”

“Jenna I’m ok with this. Before Steel started saying these things he came and explained it to me. I don’t like Steel saying these things but I understand and am willing to take it.” 

“I don’t like this Balto, I feel terrible saying all those things to you, please believe me but I have fit in with my teammates” Steel said turning to face Jenna.

“I don’t like this Steel and I think you’re a fool to put up with it but it appears I have no choice but to accept it” Jenna replied looking between Balto and Steel.

      Over the next month Steel’s treatment of Balto became even worse and though he did not hurt Balto physically he hurt him emotionally. For Jenna it was hard to watch and she often left the area when Steel was bulling Balto. Yet after every occasion of Balto, not matter how late, Steel would go to Balto and apologise for his actions. So the friendship between the trio continued in secret, meeting outside town and at night. One cold day the trio played together on the ice, racing each other and jumping between icebergs. Balto proved the most sure footed, able to jump the farthest. In the distance they saw Boris, Muk and Luck the two bears having come to Nome that summer. Theirs was a tragic tale, their mother had been shot by a hunter and they had been found by Balto and Boris. Steel and Jenna found this strange at first as bears and dogs would not normally mix.

    As winter passed the attitudes of the humans towards Balto changed as they could see him growing and were afraid of the wolf in him.

    One night Rosie, Balto and Jenna were playing together in Rosie’s garden. Rosie was throwing a ball for Balto and Jenna both taking turns to fetch it. As Balto fetched the ball the back door opened and Arthur walked a hard look on his face, a walking cane in his hand.

“GET OUT OF HERE WOLF” Arthur shouted brandishing his cane. “Rosie stay away from him.”

“But Daddy Batlo is my friend” Rosie replied as Balto disappeared over the fence. “Why did you say that to him?”

“He’s part wolf Rosie he could hurt you, you must never play with him again.”

“Why? He is my friend and he is Jenna’s friend.”

“Jenna is a dog sweetheart he is a wolf. I am sorry Rosie but you have to stay away from him.”

 “I hate you, that is not fair, what is the difference between him and Jenna?” Rosie cried as she ran inside, tears streaming down her face.

    Watching Rosie run inside Jenna ran after her finding her curled up on her bed with tears in her eyes. Wining softly Jenna jumped into the bed, licking her cheek as Rosie hugged her tightly.

“Why did Daddy have to be so mean to Balto? Balto just wanted to play with us he would not hurt me. Just because he had wolf blood does not make him bad, the white wolf I met was nice to me. What is so bad about a wolf? All husky’s look a little like wolves anyway why do people hate wolves?”