The Beginning

 

            Spilled blood means nothing in the eyes of those who have forgotten what it means to have a heart.

 

            So thought a young wolf as he lied there bleeding in the grass. Death seemed so close, yet so far away. He could feel it overtaking his body little by little.  Wounds lined his body like the stripes of a zebra or a tiger. How did I end up like this? Dying in the middle of the woods like some common deer, he thought to himself, his vision getting weaker by the second.

 

            The last thing he remembered before blacking out was a figure running toward him. Death slowly took its hold.

 

            Perhaps it would be better to start from the very beginning.

 

***

 

            Snow lined the crowded streets of Nome, Alaska. People from all over town gathered in the center of the town. Rope had been lined out, dividing the crowd down the middle, creating a lane running from edge to edge of the town. Two tall posts stood in the middle of the lane, holding up a banner saying “Start” on one side and “Finish” on the other. Different conversations filled the air. A gunshot was heard through the chattering. Two sled teams then took off running, as if one was chasing the other. The crowds cheered loudly as they watched the race from either side.

 

            A small pup pushed his way through the crowded streets, and found himself right on the sideline. He was mostly white with black ears, paws, and a black stripe going down the length of his muzzle. He sat down and watched as the two sled dog teams turned the corner. Cool, he thought to himself as a smile spread across his face.

 

            He didn’t even notice the pup that came up and sat next to him.

 

            “I love watching these races,” she said.

 

            The white pup started and looked at the female pup next to him. “Oh, you scared me.”

 

            “I’m sorry,” she giggled. “I’m Lana.”

 

            “Damian,” he said, turning back around.

 

            “Who’s your friend, Lana?” came another voice, older this time.

 

            Damian turned around once more to see not just one, but a whole family sitting behind him.

 

            “I’m Damian.”

 

            “It’s nice to meet you Damian. I’m Lana’s mother, Aleu,” the grey-ish female said.

 

            “And I’m her father, Nero,” said the all-black dog.

 

            “Where’s your family, Damian?” Aleu asked.

 

            “I don’t know. My mom kinda dropped me off here, and never came back,” Damian replied quietly.

 

            Aleu and Nero looked at him sadly. “That’s awful,” Nero spoke up. “She just left you here, her own pup?”

 

            So annoying, Damian thought. “Yeah.”

 

            They then sat, not saying anything for about five minutes, before Aleu broke the silence. “Why don’t you stay with us?” she asked.

 

            Just the very thought of living with this family mortified Damian. To have to listen to them yakking day after day just sounds like torture. “No thanks. I’m fine,” he replied.

 

            “Nonsense. We won’t take no for an answer,” Nero replied happily. “You’re staying with us.”

 

            Oh no…

 

***

 

            3 months later:

 

           

            The sun was shining over Nome. The snow was beginning to melt all around. A gentle breeze blew its way through the town. Dogs and their owners were walking up and down the streets. Puppies were frolicking playfully, while their parents watched and laughed, intervening when the pups got out of line. It was Spring.

 

            A lone dog, well wolf actually, trotted along through the town. He was roughly six months old, and much more broad than most of the dogs in town. Every time he walked by a group of girl dogs, they stopped talking and just watched and swooned.

 

            “Hey, Damian,” a light gold female said.

 

            Damian just grunted and kept walking.

 

            It seemed like all the girls acted this way ever since they became interested in boys. Unfortunately for them, Damian wasn’t interested in a relationship. While is adoptive brothers, Drake, Derek and Killo, had started thinking about girls and relationships, Damian showed no sign of wanting a girlfriend.

 

            “Damian!” a dark-grayish dog called out.

 

            Damian turned to look at his caller. It was Lana, his adoptive sister. He just groaned and continued walking.

 

            “Wait up!” she yelled, running after him. “Wooh! What’s up?” she asked as she caught up to him.

 

            “Being pestered to death by girls almost as annoying as you. You?”

 

            “Very funny, smart guy.”

 

            “I wasn’t joking,” he retorted, as he kept on walking.

 

            She just rolled her eyes. “You can be such a jerk,” she said jokingly.

 

            “I’m only a jerk as long as you’re annoying.”

 

            “Anyways, I came to tell you that you’re late for lunch with grandma and grandpa.”

 

            Damian sighed. “They’re not my grandparents, so why should I have to go to your stupid family reunion?”

 

            “Because, Damian, while they are not you’re real grandparents, they did accept you into the family, just like we did,” she said sternly, flicking her tail angrily. It always made her mad when Damian said things like that.

 

            He groaned loudly and replied, “Fine, I’ll go.”

 

            Lana smiled. “Good. Now come on. Everyone’s waiting.” She then darted off towards the beach.

 

            Damian just sighed and followed after her. How the hell did I get myself into these kinds of situations? he thought to himself. He remembered being a young pup, and just trying to watch a sled race, then he was pulled into a family that got on his nerves like no tomorrow! But, nevertheless, he eventually grew to somewhat like them, and even started considering his step-siblings as actual siblings.

 

            He and Lana continued walking until they reached the beach, and the ship-wrecked boat that their grandpa, Balto, lived on. Balto was a dark gray wolf-dog who had saved the children of Nome from a diphtheria epidemic a few years before.

 

            Lana led the way up the wood plank leading into the boat. Damian followed,

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