said as Rosa walked over.

“We put on speed on the last corner, just as we planned,” Kodi replied.

“Kodi’s right Kaltag planned the move,” Kirby said proudly.

“The race was so fun to watch, where we you anyway? I didn’t see you,” Rosa asked nuzzling Stella.

“We followed it from above,” Boris chuckled. “That is an advantage of flying; we can follow the action as it happens.”

“That is cool,” Rosa replied laughing. “I don’t suppose you could drop a bucket of water on Steel sometime?”

“Why what has that egotistic sled dog said to you this time?” asked Stella folding her wings.

“He asked Mum out again, saying Dad would never return,” Rosa replied quickly.

“That again,” Boris muttered putting his wind between his eyes. “He’s persistent I’ll say that for him, so long as he is polite to you that it my main concern.”

“He didn’t have any right to say that,” Stella muttered shaking her head angrily.

“He’s right though,” Kodi whispered as Kirby walked away. “Face it Uncle Boris, Dad has been gone two years, he’s not coming back. Mum needs to accept that instead of pining for him.”

“Kodi that is harsh……..” Stella began.

“But it is true!” Rosa finished. “I am judged on his actions every day and I’ve never even met him! Mother would be happier if she let him go.”

“Rosa this neither the time nor place for this,” Boris hissed looking to where Jenna sat talking to Sylvia and Dixie.

“Then when is the time and place? She has never told me what happened and neither have you Uncle Boris,” Rosa snapped.

“I can’t tell you Rosa,” Boris sighted putting a wing around her. “Your Mother made me promise not to tell you, as much as I want to I cannot break a promise.”

     Looking angrily at Boris, Rosa jumped to her paws and walked away from the party, slipping into the now deserted streets of Nome. Scaling a fire escape Rosa jumped onto the roof of a suit shop. Standing on the roof Rosa looked out across the snow covered town and into the wilderness beyond.

“I live with the legacy of my father and in the past’s shadow. Kodi has his speed for him the legacy means pride. Saba has Father’s keen wolf sight and Dingo his sense of loyalty. They look like dogs, they are dogs, and they all have homes with humans who love them. I’m not like them, I alone bear Father’s wolf legacy, I look like a wolf yet I was raised a dog. What I am really, a dog, a wolf or just an outcast?”

          Truth of the Past

       A few days after the race, Dusty and Rosa walked through town, chatting happily about the new films that were showing at the cinema. The pair had been friends since they were pups, playing together nearly every day. To Dusty, Rosa was a member of the gang and both belonged to the same group of friends. As they past the Post Office they saw Steel and his friends talking. Seeing them a couple off the younger dogs called out greetings, one of the dogs being Steels youngest son who had once been Rosa’s friend until Steel banned contact between them.

“Well this is a surprise a dog and wolf together,” Steel said sidling up to Rosa. “Then again you have been raised by dogs so it is to be expected.”

“What do you want Steel?” hissed Rosa in annoyance.

“Oh just to see how you are getting on little wolf, I take interest in the child of Jenna, especially one who is more wolf than dog.” 

“The wolf thing again, why can you not see past my Father and see me for me?” Rosa snapped.

“Your father caused Jenna so much pain and suffering, he is responsible for the death of the children. I find it hard to forget the past, believe me I have tried but it is difficult. If you looked like a dog I could forget that fact as I do with your brothers and sister.”

“Liar! Balto was a great dog and Rosie’s friend; he had nothing to do with her death.”

“You truly have idea what happened back then! Well that explains why you are so proud of him,” Steel said his eyes widening in surprise.

“I am proud of my Father because he was a good dog until your bulling drove him away, you made him feel as though he didn’t belong so he felt he had to leave.”

“Poor naïve little Rosa you know so little,” Steel replied softly circling her. “Ask Jenna the truth about what happened when your father left. You are no longer a pup Rosa tell your mother it is time to end her lies. She has kept so much from you little wolf.”

“I know what happened back then,” Rosa replied glaring at Steel.

“No you know half truths Rosa. Have there ever been questions that Jenna has avoided? When you have asked more about the events immediately after Rosie’s death has Jenna refused to tell you? Have you ever seen Jenna looking out to the tundra or wondered why she brushed off other dogs who would court her,” Steel asked lifting an eyebrow.

         Listening to his works doubts began to appear in Rosa’s mind, instances when Jenna had refused to tell Rosa about Balto or begun a tale then stopped. Instances when Boris had been speaking of Balto and suddenly stopped or had been cut off by Jenna. Seeing the look of confusion and doubt on Rosa’s face Steel smiled evilly.

“I am right Rosa you have been lied to.”

“If what you are saying is truth,” Rosa began nervously. “Mother may refuse to tell me the truth. What do you gain from all this? I know you hated my Father.”

“I gain nothing Rosa s I do this for your benefit. Like it or not I have feelings for Jenna, I wanted to be with her. I remember how she once was and I see how she is now. If she refuses to tell then I will, you need to know the truth,” Steel replied turning his back on Rosa. “Think on what I said.”

     Watching Steel and his friend’s leave Rosa barely heard what Dusty was saying to her as the pair walked away from the Post Office. As much she hated to admit it Steel’s word rang true, in her mind stirring doubts in her heart. For in her heart Rosa had always known that some details had seemed out of place. In particular there was a large gap of details about what Balto did between Rosie falling ill and dying. Never once had Jenna mentioned what Balto did during the time the sled team were brining the medicine. Those events were rarely mentioned at all by anyone human or dog in the town, but on occasion they had been mentioned those speaking had always shot looks at Rosa or her brothers and sister. Could it be that Steel was telling the truth? If so what were his motivations behind his offer to tell her the truth? Regardless Rosa knew she had to speak to her mother as soon possible.

     That evening Jenna and Rosa were sat together on the back porch watching as Arthur playing with his son. Sitting next to her daughter Jenna looked at her with concern as she was unusually quiet.

“Rosa is something wrong?” asked Jenna putting a paw over her daughters.

“Mom I need to know the truth about my father. Steel said he caused the deaths of the children,” Rosa replied looking at her mother in the eyes.

“Untrue. Balto did not cause their deaths,” Jenna replied firmly.

“Then why did Steel say that? He told me you had not told me the full truth about his actions during the epidemic.”

“It does matter Rosa the past is the past forget that Steel ever said anything to you,” Jenna replied hurriedly.

“I cannot forget Mom. I know you are keeping details from me. I have to understand the past.”

“No Rosa you don’t. I admit I have kept details from you, for your own benefit. You are young little one,” Jenna replied licking Rosa’s cheek. “In time I will tell when you are older.”

“I’m nearly two years old. In my life there are so many secrets about what happened long ago. It’s the little I know about my father that I’m longing to know.”

“No Rosa its better unknown about him. One day perhaps I will tell the truth, when you are grown.”

“I’m no longer a pup and I yearn for the truth that you know about my father. I live in the shadow of a past I know little off.”

“Rosa, please, do not ask I have to protect you,” Jenna replied forcefully.

“Protect me!” Rosa shouted, jumping to her paws, her blue eyes glowing with anger. “I am persecuted as a wolf! The time for lies and secrets is over Mom! I’m an adult. I have to know the truth.”

     Seeing the anger and confusion in her daughters eyes Jenna sighed, realizing she could not longer keep the past from Rosa. The day she had been dreading had arrived sooner then she had expected. Despair and pain flooded through Jenna at the thought of having to speak of a past she had tried so hard to forget.

“What you are about to hear……..Rosa………… it’s not going to be the easiest thing to hear but, your need to know is far greater than I ever expected.”     

             Slowly Jenna told Rosa the tragic tale of what