eyes.

Riley was now one the ground in a defeated posture, Buck even thought he saw a tear drop down his eye. Buck began to feel the weight of his words.

"Uh, anyway, c'mon Jade, we gotta start now if-"

"No, Buck."

Suprised, Buck utttered "What?'

"I'm not going with you. Not now, maybe not ever."

"But, why?

"There are dogs, and humans here that need me. And I am not going to fail them."

"Jade, you are coming with me, and that's an order."

"No!" Jade yelled. "You are NOT my father. Just leave Buck, and don't come back!"

Buck growled and ran off. Riley slowly got up and walked to Jade's side. Together, they watched him leave. She did not look at him, ashamed of her brother's actions. Jade said something under her breath Riley did not hear, because the words were carried on the artic wind, to Buck. As the young wolfdog raced towards the familiar mountains, he heard the voice in his ear, and the words of his sister chilled him to the bone.

"I never want to see you again."

 

 

 

Chapter 8

 Jade layed down to sleep in  the boiler room, just hours after Buck had left. Soon, Riley came in. He layed down beside her, making Jade a bit uncomfortable.

"You okay?" he asked.

"No."

"Your brother?"

"Yes my brother. He is the most arrogant, selfish dog I have ever met!"

Riley was silent for a short time. "Jade?" he finally said.

"Yeah?"

"Did your brother mean that, when he said you only felt sorry for me?"

Jade grinned and turned her head. "The thing you should know about my brother; he has no common sense and is impulsive when he says things like that. Besides, I don't feel sorry for you, you're my friend, I like you"

"I love you, Jade."

"I love you too, bro."

"No, not like that, I mean...I want you to be my mate."

Jade stoood up, shocked. "You what?"

"Please Jade." Riley begged.

"Oh, Riley. I can't. I-I love someone else...we can't be together!'

She ran off out of the boiler room, her heart breaking with every step she took to Balto's old ship.

 

 

Buck had never had worse luck. A full scale blizzard had set in as he traveled farther and farther North. He was way off course from his pack, but he couldn't retrace his steps. The great flurries of white got into his eyes, his ears and his nose. He was blind and deaf by the snow, completley helpless. He began to run wildly, crying out for help.

"Please!" he cried. "Help me find my way."

He stopped and sat, panting loudly. "Please..." he whispered.

Out of the blinding  flurried  of the a great shape soared into view, its great wings made no effort as it glided towards Buck. Smoothly, it landed right beside him.

Buck took it as a chance to look at the creature. The body was many shades of brown along each feather, while its white head seemed to sparkle like the snow. The beak and legs were a solid yellow color, and its green-yellow eyes were steady and piercing as it looked at him. A bald eagle. The creature who humans looked upon with most favor in this country, calling it an icon, or a symbol. Yet, what was it doing here?

"Who are you?" he asked.

The eagle cocked its head, as if surprised Buck did not know. It screeched at him, and flew into the air. Buck, knowing it was telling him to follow it, ran as fast as he could under the eagle, letting guide him with every turn. The snow lifted, but Buck kept running, farther and farther South.

"Where are you taking me?" he called up to it.

It looked down and screeched at him again before making a sharp right turn. Thoughts raced through Buck's head of the stories his mother had taught him; how every creature had a spirit guide that would guide them in the darkest of times.

"Are you my spirit guide?" he asked.

The eagle screeched at him, which he took as a yes.

They stopped several times to rest, before hitting the road again, for it is much easier for one to fly than to run. Only after three days did the terrian was looking more and more familiar, but it was not the home of his own pack, rather of his Uncle Nava's pack. The eagle flew down to the beach and looked at him, then looked across the horizon.

Buck looked to where the eagle was staring, he thought he could see the faint outline of several wolves on a iceberg.

"Buck!" a voice said. "I can't believe it!"

 He turned to see Nava smiling at him.

"Uncle Nava, I-"

"I know why you're here, Buck, the great Aniu told me you would come just too late."

"What?"

"Aleu was on that icecap, Buck. You just missed her."

"Aniu was wrong, I don't miss her."

Nava looked grave. "Really, Buck?"

"Well..."

"Come, I will take you home. You will not survie out here on your own."

Buck nodded. The two began walking down the beach. Buck glanced back, looking for the eagle, but it, like Aleu was gone, without even a simple goodbye. He thought about Aleu, and wondered if she missed him as much as he missed her.

 

 

Chapter 9

 

Aleu sat atop the icecap, and howled until her throat was sore. She had sad goodbye to her old life, ready to start a new one in this new land. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath of the salty air. Suddenly, her nose caught a familiar whiff from far away. The scent of the wolf-dog that looked llike a German Shepherd. Her eyes snapped open and, just for a moment, scanned the horizon. The land was gone, but for a moment, she had believe, had hoped, he was swimming towards them.

"Buck..." she whispered.

A brown head turned in her direction. Silently he approached her.

"Did you say Buck?'

She looked at him as though he was a bit crazy "Yeah...why?"

"That was the name of my long lost brother. He looked more like a dog than a wolf though, no one knew what happened to him the day my father died."

"Was he tan and black?"

"With two white socks."

"Then, we are talking about the same wolf."

The brown wolf smiled. "My name's Amak. What Nava didin't tell you is that the ice caps will rearrange in a few weeks. If you want, we will cross it with the pack to find my brother."

"But the caribou-"

"How abouit we herd them across the ice?"

Aleu smiled. She liked Amak's wit.

"It's a plan."

 

The two wolves approached the valley at daybreak. Buck smelled all the familiar scents of home as the two trudged towards the pack of wolves. The entire pack raced to Nava, who all greeted him warmly. They turned their heads toward Buck and eyed him coldly.

"Who are you?" a grey wolf growled at Buck. "Why do you come here?"

Buck could not utter out a reply. He was stunned that his family did not even recognize his scent.

"Calm  yourself, Juncau. I brought him here, he is a wolf like us."

"Stop defending all the dogs you see, Nava." Juncau shot back. "He has obviously fooled the old one to bring him here." he said to the rest of his pack.

Resounding growls echoed through the pack as they cornered Buck. Nava was pushed to the ground as the wolves rushed foward, ready to attack...

"Stop!" a female wolf cried.

The pack froze and sat, obeying their leader. The old wolf came out of the crowd and walked towards Buck. She lifted her nose and sniffed at the air, all the while staring at Buck. Without warning, she cried out and rushed to him, burying her face in his fur.

"My son!" she cried. "You have returned."

Buck nuzzeled his mother back. "Yes mother, I have returned, and I will stay...forever."

 

Buck sat atop the great stone cliff, watching over his pack. Immediatly afer his return, Bella had given up her position, and had made Buck leader. He smiled contentedly, feeling good to finally take his rightful place. He wondered about Jade. Where was she? Was she safe? Yet, he knew that she was a strong dog and would prevail. He thought about Aleu and if he would ever see her again. Their journey had only begun, and who knew? Maybe their paths would cross again in the future.

But Buck was not concerned about the future or the past; he was focused on the present, and the challenges he would face. For now, he could be sure of one thing; he was home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buck, Jade, Grace, Abel, Bella, Cain, Amak, and Riley (c) me

Howl(c)Leadstallion

Reaper (Barry) and Cover Art Lines (c) Sakujo

Balto, Jenna, Aleu, Kodi, Kirby, Kaltag, Steele, Star, Nikki, Nava, Ralph, Dusty, and Aniu/White wolf (c) Universal

 

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