they went. As he walked Balto felt fear enter his heart, despite his brave words he feared what he would find when he arrived in Nome.

       A week later Balto stood alone outside the boiler house waiting for the right moment the entre. On arriving an hour before Balto had sent Arden and Eagle to Boris to explain what had happened with strict instructions not to enter town. Inside Steel, Star and Kaltag were surrounded by dogs, one of which was Jenna. Taking a deep breath he walked into the room. Seeing him the dogs gasped in shock, all had believed him to be dead.

“Balto! I don’t believe it we thought you’d died,” Kaltag stammered walking over to him.

“I nearly did Kaltag……” Balto replied as Jenna approached. “Jenna…….I……”

“She’s dead Balto……….Rosie’s dead,” Jenna sobbed, tears running down her cheeks as she nuzzled Balto.

“Jenna I am so sorry,” Balto whispered as tears fell from his eyes, his heart shattering.

“No thanks to you half breed,” Steel snarled glaring at Balto. “You killed her trying to be the hero. They know what happened, how you lead on a short cut, how you demanded you lead the team. You good for nothing……”

“SHUT UP STEEL YOU LIAR,” Kaltag yelled to the shock of all. “That is enough of your lies! Tell them what really happened out there.

“Kaltag you were there you know what happened,” Steel snarled.

“You’re right I do and what you’ve been saying isn’t it. I’m done listening to your lies! My owner is dead because you refused to accept Balto’s help.”

“Kaltag is right Steel,” Star replied glaring at Steel. “If you’d listened to him the children would still be alive, my owner is barely alive thanks to you.”

“Alright everyone its time you heard the truth,” Kaltag said looking at the other dogs.

    Together Kaltag, Star and Balto told of the true events, Balto’s offer of help, his cliff fight with Steel and the events on the ice. As the tale finished several dogs yelled names at Steel and praised Balto. Yet others saw Balto’s actions as interference and threw several names his way. Looking at Jenna, Balto saw the pain in her eyes and when she left he didn’t follow, realizing she needed time alone.

     Walking out of town a while later Balto saw Arden, Eagle and Boris waiting for him on his boat.

“Good you have you home Kiddo,” Boris said hugging home. “How are you holding up?”

“She’s dead Boris…….she dead……….I failed her,” Balto replied collapsing into tears.

“No Kiddo she just died from her illness,” Boris replied as Arden and Eagle nuzzled their brother. “Her funeral is tomorrow, go and say goodbye.”

   Collapsing into his blanket Balto cried bitter tears at the loss of his friend his heart breaking and all his dreams dying. Boris, Arden, Eagle, Muk and Luk gathered around him, their hearts aching to help him yet realizing nothing they said could take away the pain he was feeling. Under the night say Aniu walked into the cabin and laid her head over her son’s neck, her heart full of pain as she watched him grieve. Both of Balto’s worlds united in the cabin as they comforted him, Aniu and Boris sharing a look of mutual respect and understanding. In the darkness Balto’s mother and his adopted father shared their stories, both knowing he would need them both in the coming days and weeks.    

     The following day arrived with the promise of snow. At the town cemetery Rosie’s family gathered for her funeral. People spoke of how happy Rosie had been, her kindness, her artwork and how much they would miss her. Tears filled everyone’s eyes with Rosie’s mother Violet shaking with grief, unable to cope with her daughter’s death. As the pastor spoke Jenna threw in a flower into Rosie’s grave, her heart breaking into a million pieces.    Silence descended on the mourners, turning around Jenna watched as Balto walked through the crowd, their eyes fixed on him. Calmly Balto took a flower from the basket held by Rosie’s Grandma Hilda and threw it into the grave. Then turning to Jenna he nuzzled her cheek before they rejoined the mourners together, to his surprise Balto felt the hand of Rosie’s father Arthur stroke his head. For a while the mourners stood in silence each wrapped in their own memories of Rosie. Walking over to the grave Balto threw his head back and howled a beautifully heartbreaking song full of sadness and grief. Tears flowed down the human’s faces, at last understanding how much Rosie had meant to the town outcast. Higher and higher the song rose expressing the grief of all that stood by the grave. As the snow began to fall people watched as an outcast sang a lament for a lost princess.

      That night Balto sat alone under boats in dry dock. Half heatedly he nibbled at the hare in front of him. Then Jenna appeared, her cheeks stained with dry tears, a look of utter despair on her face.

“Jenna……..I…..I’m sorry……….this is my fault……I tried.”

“Balto please I don’t want your pity,” Jenna replied sitting down beside him. “I need to know what happened after you fell into the ice

“Why Jenna?” Balto asked avoiding her gaze.

“I dreamed so many terrible scenarios in my mind when the sled was discovered. Tell me and I will tell you what happened in the end……when Rosie.”

“Jenna no please………I cannot expect that from you…….”

“I want to tell you………….I was there Balto I was with her. She told me to tell you something a couple of hours before she died. She told me to tell you that she loved you and that she was proud to have been your friend.”

“She truly was a kind girl,” Balto sobbed. “Alright if you wish I will tell you.”

    Slowly Balto recounted the events after he had been found by Arden and Eagle, his illness that had nearly taken his life and how his mother had saved him. Balto’s voice choked when he described his illness while his eyes lit up when he told Jenna of his hunts with Arden and Eagle.

“That was why I did not come back sooner I was so ill. I’m sorry Jenna, sorry that I lived when Rosie died. It should have been me Jenna……….I should have died that day on the lake so that Rosie could have lived.”

“Not Balto not you it was Steel. Steel should have been the one to die, had he listened to you the medicine would have reached her in time. You tried to save her out of love for her. You were not trying to be a hero you just wanted to help. Despite the entire town and the sled dogs hating you still tried to help them.”

“I failed! Rosie died because I failed, I killed her for that I will never forgive myself,” Balto replied getting up and running away.

“There is nothing to forgive Balto,” Jenna whispered watching him leave. “It was never your fault.”

        Lost souls

      As the weeks past the residents of the town grieved for their losses, Jenna fell into depression, while at the same time having to cope with Steels attempts to woo her. Grieving for the loss of his young master and the death of his friend Nikki, Kaltag grew to despise Steel. Wanting little to do with the town dogs other than Star or Jenna, Kaltag spent much of time with his owners elder brother Jonathon, both finding solace in each other company. Jonny was hit hard by the loss of his brother, his once lively personality vanishing as he started to go by his full name of Jonathon. Jonathon became a serious teenager spending most of his time studying then playing baseball or football with his friends. He was not the only one to change as many adults tried to rebuild their shattered lives. Steel’s life was not all plain sailing as many dogs blamed him for the children’s deaths, seeing for the first time the vain, arrogant and self serving dog that he was.

      For Balto the situation in town was terrible as other dogs blamed him for the children’s deaths, resulting in insults being thrown his way, insults worse than before. Grief rocked his body as he blamed himself for the deaths of the children, the guilt he felt almost unbearable. Yet at the same time there was light, out on the tundra or in the forest Balto hunted with Arden and Eagle, utterly revelling in the freedom it brought.

    Six weeks after Rosie’s funeral Balto stood outside her former home, through the lounge window he watched Violet, Arthur and Jenna. Looking up Jenna was shocked to see him, getting up she slipped out through the kitchen door.

“Hi Balto,” she said smiling slightly. “What are you doing here?”

“Checking that you are alright………I know how hard this must be.”

“I never thought you would come here again, never thought I’d see you slink in through the hole in the fence.”

“I’ve done it a lot, sometimes I’ve watched and you haven’t even noticed, the other day I