Jenna took a deep breath. Then she let it out, a simple thing like breathing prepared her. Barely visible tracks had lead her out of Nome to the outskirts of the forest. A cold wind was setting in. She saw the scratch marks on the trees. She smelt them. Placed her paw on them. She knew the dog who had made them, she was sure of that. Balto, clever Balto. She had to find him. To tell him the pass, Eagle pass was blocked. She knew that he would try to go through it. It was a well known shortcut but to find it blocked would delay him severely. The forest looked dark, dangerous and oh how exciting. Jenna had never been into a forest before and didn't know what to expect. Other dogs had told her stories about terrible beasts that could easily kill a man. A snap of a twig startled her. She snapped around looking for who had caused the noise. Nothing to be seen. Her mind was playing tricks on her she told herself. Into the darkness she went.

Jenna decided to follow Balto's prints exactely. Her slight paws fit inside his paw prints easily and she had to strech to mach his stride but all the same it made her feel safer. She grew numb as the cold got under her skin and made her head hurt. She couldn't remember when she had lost the feeling in her paws but she was sure it was not long after her journey began. Whenever she felt close to giving up she would remind herself why she was doing this and these thughts powered her on. She felt she had a very big responsibility and didn't want to let anyone down. Who knew what the consequences could be?

Darkness set in quickly and the cold intesified. She found a hollow log and sheltered from the wind within it. Laying completely still she listened to her own heart beat and the gale outside that was freezing the landscape. Jenna thought of Rosie. Balto. Rosie and Balto. Balto and Rosie. She thought of them in ways that made her sad. Death was a big possibility for both of them she had to face that. But how could she. The two whom she cared for most were in danger and she had to do what she could to help. Jenna shifted her position. She couldn't thin like that. She told herself not to give up. An owl hooted and swept in front of her and Jenna settled down to sleep.

She dreamed. In her dream she was climbing a mountain in the peaceful night. On the mountain she was climbing was warm snow that wasn't melting or anything but just helped her on her journey up. The Northern Lights were everywhere lighting up the sky in thousands of beautiful colours. Everything was perfectly still. No wind, no falling snow. It was even warm. Warm outside during winter on a mountain in Alaska. This was definitely a dream. She climbed and climbed and climbed. She finally reached the top. On the top was nothing but the stillness and warmth. And then in front of her appeared a white glowing transparent silhouette. It grew solid and coloured itself in. A recognisable figure was infront of her. Balto.

'Balto' Jenna called beaming. Her troubles were over. He would save everyone, she knew it. She was sure that he was going to be Nome's saviour.

Balto smiled back and started slowly walking towards her.

She started to run to him but she couldn't get to him. She was running but not going anywhere. She tried harder but still she stayed still. Running as if on a treadmil.

 But then from beneath him, Balto, the mountin fell away and he plummeted down and down and down in a scream.

'NO!' screamed Jenna

All of a sudden coldness swept in with the wind. A strong wind. Snow hurtled at her. Jenna backed up and up. Going with the wind but then she stopped. Nothing was beneath her feet the she fell into the night. Falling down until hitting the botttom....

Jenna woke with a start. She was fine. Bright early morning sunlight hurt her eyes.

'Just a dream'

Jenna shook herself hoping that the dream had no deeper meaning. She padded over to a small pool of water. As she lapped up the crisp and cool tasting water that gaver brain freeze she played back yesterdays events in her head and found that she felt proud of herself. Proud that she had set of on the journey. She got up stiffly and continued her search.

How long she looked she didn't know she just followed the tracks and the marks on the trees. She entered more trees. It was dark and dull under the bare trees and an unnatural silence swallowed her. Something didn't feel right. Lack of life spooked her. Jenna stepped carefully, making sure she didn't snap a twig or anything. A rumble startled her. Thunder? No. Growling. A very large shape was moving through the forest. It went in and out of view but she got a good glimpse of it. A bear. She decided to sneak around it. Silently she skirted past it giving the beast a wide berth. She was safely past it when she heard a dog. Or, was it a wolf.

'Balto' she shouted

Towards the bear she ran. She halted behind a bush. There was the bear, but where was Balto? She searched for him then realised he was under the beasts enormous paws. Drowning in the snow. Deeper and deeper he went. Jenna was scared but also she knew that, without help, Balto could die very soon Without thinking she gathered herself and growled as she leapt at the bear hoping to suceed and help save Balto, Rosie and Nome.