retorted. "He may seem nice now, but we don't know how he'd react around them. They'd be defenseless, so I don't know if it's good to have a half wolf like him around the pups."

This made Balto stop mid-bite. Had it been another dog talking, he probably would have wheeled around and snapped at them for suggesting such a thing. The idea of being kept away from his pups repulsed him, but like all the other concerns about him it was all because he was still part-wolf. 'I don't believe this. Being reluctant to let me in is one thing, but keeping me away from my own pups is an insult, especially considering what I did for these people.'

Rosy grumbled at her father, before muttering, "He'd never hurt them… especially if they were his too."

'Oh, I love this kid.'

"Now we don't know for sure that he's the father," her father added. "It could be another dog from town."

"But he's always hanging around her, and it's obvious they like each other and-"

"Look, we can go back and forth on this until the cows come home, but the decision is final," her father cut in. "I just want to err on the side of caution. We don't know what would make him snap."

"I don't think he'd snap at us," Rosy protested.

"Although if you keep talking about me like that, I just might," Balto grumbled, earning a disapproving glare from Jenna.

"You never know," her father continued. "Even if he doesn't snap, I don't want him to think he can just mooch off of us for a free lunch. Dog food isn't free y'know."

"But it's not like money's tight," Rosy's mother put in.

"Besides, I can do fine on my own," Balto mumbled. "I don't need to beg for my meals."

"Just ignore him," Jenna urged.

"Don't you hear what he's saying?" he retorted.

"Yes, but you can't react or he will kick you out."

"He kicks me, and I'm going for the ankles-"

"Balto, honestly what has gotten into you?" she said sharply. He tried to think of some excuse, but his brain wasn't functioning at full power. Despite the boost from the food, he still felt a little tired - probably from being woken up early by his dreams.

"I'm sorry, it's just… I haven't been sleeping right recently and the fact that Mr. Putdown doesn't want to let me see my own pups isn't helping my mood either," he explained, while trying to control the growl forming in his voice.

"I don't like it either, but reacting won't help you out at all. If anything, it will only prove what he's saying about you," Jenna retorted. "For goodness sakes, lower your hackles. The last thing we need is you baring your fangs at breakfast." At this, Balto was quick to hide the teeth that had become exposed in frustration, but he still wore a very discontented look as he tried to go back to the kibble remaining in the dish.

"I think we should look into it," Rosy's mother said, the conversation having continued while Balto vented. "We might be able to support another dog if we wanted to. My only worry is whether or not he'd want to stay in one place. I have noticed that he likes to go off on his own quite a bit."

"But Balto wouldn't run away from us, would he?" Rosy asked.

"As long as I'm not treated unfairly," Balto muttered. "Though you can't blame me for wanting to stretch my legs and go out on the land for a bit... especially if it gets me away from him." Beside him Jenna sighed a bit - this was definitely not how she wanted breakfast to go for them.

"I don't know if he would, but we can't know if we don't try," Rosy's mother replied.

"Oh, not you too," her husband grumbled. "Look, there's more to this here. There are also medical bills, grooming, and what if he breaks things? I know you love him now, but he's not exactly housetrained, and who knows what damage those fangs could do-"

"That's enough!" Balto snapped. While his words were heard only by Jenna, that didn't stop the humans from jumping at the sudden bark that came with it before it trailed off into a soft growl.

The older man's head snapped towards him, and the two stared each other down, not saying a word. Balto didn't bare his fangs nor make any other move - he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing him crack. He couldn't deny that he felt insulted, but when he glanced to his sides, he saw Jenna, Rosy and her mother all staring at him with apprehension. He knew who his allies in this room were and didn't want to lose their confidence. His best option would be to take the high road and cut his losses. He sorted in contempt at the man before turning around and trotting right out the doggie door. Jenna tried to follow, but she was held back by Rosy's father.

"Great, I think you made him mad," Rosy said.

"I doubt it - dogs can't understand us," her father replied.

"Then explain that," Rosy demanded. Her father sat there with his mouth open, but no explanation came to him.

----------

Balto stormed through the streets and right out of town, paying little attention to his direction. He was so frustrated with the result of that encounter, wondering why, after all the good he'd done, he was still viewed with mistrust by some.

'What is his problem with me? I save his daughter, I protect his dog from danger, and I mind my manners when I visit,' he thought. 'I do everything right, and he still looks down on me because I'm part wolf. If he's like this to me, then what will he do when he finally sees that our pups are part wolf too? Will that be when he finally comes around… or will he look down on them too?'

The thought of his own pups being neglected or mistreated because of their breeding quickly filled him with rage. 'If that man does anything because of what they are, I swear the gloves will come off. I'll… I'll-' Multitudes of vengeful scenarios started to run through his head, but his mind was quick to push them away. As frustrated as he was, he was not a violent dog and would never harm another unless it was a mater of mortal peril.

'Get a hold of yourself. You won't do yourself any good getting angry now; if anything it would just undo what you've already gained,' his rational side put in, helping to calm his nerves. 'Jenna said that humans had a soft spot for puppies, so it's doubtful they'd kick them to the curb if they were part wolf… Rosy would go on a rampage if that happened.' He chuckled a little as the thought of a rampaging eight year old entered his mind. Rosy may have been small, but she had a lot of energy and could potentially do a lot of damage.

'Still, it's frustrating to have someone like him say things like that about me when I know they aren't true. I don't want that prejudice to be passed down to my pups either,' he thought. 'The worst part is that I can't rebuff him because humans can't understand dogs. He'd probably just think I was barking my head off for no reason. There's got to be some way… I got this far thanks to my good actions, so I'll have to show him that I can be good around the pups. That just leaves the question of how.'

He sighed and sat down to ponder, finally taking a moment to look at his surroundings. He'd actually wandered quite a distance away from Nome, and was now in the woodland a couple of miles away. He'd been so caught up with his thoughts that he had walked right out of town and across the tundra without even realizing it. Taking a moment to get his bearings, he recognized the roll of a few hills, and the sound of a nearby creek that he used as a marker when he went to visit his friend Maska.

'Maska… maybe he can help me out here,' he thought. Maska was a wolf whom Balto had befriended shortly after the serum run. He'd actually found him after having a very rough day, and the wolf was eager to boost his spirits and give him a place where he could come when he needed it. 'Maska was there for me when I needed help then and I'm sure he'd do the same today. If anyone can help me out, it'll be him.' With that, he set off deeper into the woods, hoping to gain any advice he could for dealing with a stubborn human.

----------

The woods were silent, save for the soft sound of paws against the ground. The warm winds of spring had melted a large amount of snow, soaking the land in fresh meltwater. The paws made more of a squelching sound against the inundated ground, but their owner didn't mind. He knew that soon the sun would warm the land and dry it out, bringing the life of summer. Maska observed his surroundings, taking the sights in. His years of experience had taught him all there was to know about the cycles of the world, and now he was going to pass some of that knowledge on to his companions.

"Papa, what are you looking at?" a voice asked him. He looked down and saw the four young cubs with him had curious looks in their eyes.

"Everything," he replied. "I'm looking at what this land is now, and what it will bring in the time to come."

"Huh? How can you see all that?" a second voice inquired, this one female.

"Because I know how to look at the world in more than one way," he replied.