Gathering together at the Town Hall the town’s folk sat in silence at a memorial service for the children. Humans and dogs sat together in groups, some reminiscing, others talking of recent events, the youngsters in each group having less connection to the events than older residents. In the crowed sat Jenna, sitting next to her was Steel and dotted around were both her pups with Balto and her pups with Steel.

       In the months that followed Balto and Rosa’s return their pack, Jenna had forced herself to change, rejecting all she had once been. With a broken heart she had done what Balto had asked to her to do, forget him and rebuilding her life. In her new life she had accepted Steel’s offer for a date. At first this had been a shock to Kodi, Saba, Dingo and her friends but they had been forced to accept the situation as the relationship between Steel and Jenna deepened. Consumed by hatred for Steel, Kaltag had washed his paws of Jenna. Kodi had soon followed suit as Steel’s past treatment of his father was something the young husky had been unable to look past. A year after their first date, Jenna had given birth to the first of her and Steel’s two litters of pups. Both litters looked a mixture of their parents, with some pups being identical to one parent while others had red and black fur. The pups got on well with Saba and Dingo but had little contact with Kodi, nor were they aware of the existence of Rosa. Time had passed now Jenna and Steel had grand pups.

     Balto had been virtually forgotten by all but Kodi, Balto’s colouring appeared in the pups of Kodi, Saba and Dingo, though thankfully his wolf appearance had not. He had been briefly mentioned to the pups but he was only a shadowy figure to them, a figure who appeared in adventure stories told at bedtime as a valiant hero, more mythical then real.

    Sitting next to Steel, Jenna watched as mayor walked onto the steps of the Town Hall, as he began to speak, Jenna could not help think of Balto, where he was and if he was even aware of the anniversary. In her heart she had never stopped loving Balto, at times she still dreamt of what might have been.

     Hundreds of miles away Balto sat at the edge of a lake next to Rosa and Aniu, all too aware of the anniversary. In the decade that had passed Balto had changed, his fur was greying and his speed was slowing. In months immediately after his and Rosa’s return, Balto had begun to slowly challenge Arden’s authority as alpha male. Simultaneously Mist had slowly challenged Nada’s position as alpha female. The situation had come to a head the following January when Balto and Mist formally challenged Arden and Nada for pack leadership. In the ensuring conflict Balto and Mist had emerged victorious and ruled the pack for the next five years until losing control to one of their sons. Both were now old and lived happily in the pack under their son and his mate’s leadership.

       For Rosa to times had changed a few weeks after before Balto and Mist had taken leadership she had left to find a pack of her own. Now seven years on, she lead a large pack with her mate, their pack neighbouring that of her father. Rosa had pups herself, some had inherited Jenna’s colouring but all looked like wolves, with no knowledge of their dog heritage. Despite living in different packs Balto and Rosa always spent the anniversary of Rosie’s death together, as packs found it hard to argue with the leaders. Rosa’s pack was unaware of her dog heritage, as far as they knew she met her father every year on the anniversary of her mother’s death.

“Ten years ago,” Balto muttered shaking his head. “So much pain and suffering, so much lost in a single tragic event.”

“A foolish dog and a deadly illness,” Rosa replied putting a paw over her father’s.

“Lives changed for the better or worst. I cannot tell which, if only Rosie had lived,” Balto sighed, blinking away tears.

“You miss her still.”

“I have always missed he, and what she represented.”

“You miss Mother too don’t you?” Rosa asked looking at him.

“Jenna has always been in my heart, how could I not when the beautiful legacy of our relationship is sitting in front of me? Years ago I chose a path and I have been happy, I have no regrets. Ah forget an old wolf rambling,” Balto replied, brushing away the memories.

“No so old Dad,” Rosa replied nuzzling him, well aware of the pain he felt.

     Despite the years a small part of Balto still loved Jenna and wished the events had gone the other way. In his heart there was a hole left by Rosie’s death that had never healed the same hole that existed in Jenna’s heart, the legacy of a tragic loss. Balto and Jenna could never stop loving each other for they were the others true love. It is said true love can overcome all but in rare occurrences true love is doomed to tragedy.      

   Back in Nome the memorial service had ended, humans and dogs had gathered inside the Town Hall for a communal dinner. Standing outside a red wolf looked in through a window at the humans inside. The wolf was young and female, her coat gleaming red, her eyes emerald green. The wolf looked sad, her eyes fixed on a boy of seven with shining emerald eyes and brown hair. Out of the shadows stepped Aniu, a sad smile her face as she joined the red wolf at the window.

“The pain you feel when you visit them will never ease Rosie,” Aniu said softly “Tonight if you wish you can appear to them.”

    In a flash of red light the red wolf turned into a human girl of sixteen with long red hair and emerald eyes, dressed in a long white dress and silver cloak. Looking at Aniu, Rosie smiled sadly before turning back to the window, one hand touching the glass.

“I want to, but I’m scared of what I will say if I meet my parents and Jenna. I want to hold my parents hands again,” Rosie replied tracing a heart on the frosted covered glass. “If they see me I’m scared I might tell them the true. If I do…….”

“You will be forbidden from returning to Nome until they die. You must do what you deem best Rosie, today was the day you died after all,” Aniu replied nuzzling her hand.

“I just want them to know I’m happy,” Rosie replied stroking soft Aniu’s head.

          An hour later human and dogs gathered at the memorial to the children, a bronze statue of a husky with a boy and a girl, the names of the children inscribed on a plaque. One by one the families lit candles inscribed with the names of their lost child. Those residents who had not lost children held blank candles. On by one the candles were placed at the base of the statue, tears running freely. Slipping into the crowd Rosie watched as Violet and Arthur placed three candles with her name on it on the ground. Tears streamed from her parents and Jenna’s eyes, her little brother looking at the scene with confusion. The tears twisted like a knife in Rosie’s heart. For a moment she hesitated, unsure how to approach her family or what she would say.

“Please don’t be sad Jenna, Rosie is happy,” Rosie said walking over to Jenna.

       Turning around Jenna took in the red wolf with green eyes, eyes that looked very familiar. Seeing the surprised look on Jenna’s face Rosie a slight panic rise within her, perhaps she should have stayed hidden.

“Oh thank you, I miss her so much,” Jenna replied softly, shaking her head of silly ideas.

“She loves you Jenna,” Rosie replied as Arthur and Violet walked over.

       Seeing her parents Rosie’s heart ached to hug them yet she willed herself to stay in her wolf form. If she became human she ran a high risk of them realizing who she truly only by reaming wolf could she interact freely with them. Wagging her tail Rosie jumping up and licking both of them in turn. Unknowingly both ran their hands through their daughter’s thick red fur. Utter joy spread through Rosie’s body as she stood with her family; grinning from ear to ear she laid her mother’s shoulder. Jumping down she looked up at her human family.

“I wish it were possible for me to tell you who I am. I’ve missed both of you so much yet I am happy now. I don’t blame you for my deathl, I love you and I will always watch over you.”

        Out of the night the Northern Lights burst across the sky illuminating the sky. Aniu appeared in their midst her white fur contrasting with the bright colours. With a last lick of her parent’s hands Rosie howled before running up onto the hill above Nome to join her. The eyes of humans and dogs alike fixed onto the pair as both howled together. Then in the midst of the lights Rosie changed into her human form, in her hands she held a single red rose.

“Rosie?” Jenna gasped in half belief and shock.

     The townsfolk could hardly believe their eyes at the sight of a human and a white wolf standing together. Seeing her parents Rosie smiled, before disappearing as the lights changed shape. Slowly the shocked residents returned to their homes all convinced they had seen a ghost.   

     As the years passed a legend would grow in Nome of a red haired girl and a