looked up. His heart stopped beating! There, in midst of the thick blizzerd, a huge black shape appeared. It's legs were like thick logs and it's eyes (which open suddenly in a eeri way) were like twin lamps.

Balto blinked in disbelief.
   'Oh no.' he whispered,

The bear ploughed through the snow towards them. For first time in his life, Balto was stuck. He didn't know what to do. They were trapped between a grizzly bear and a bottomless pit. There was no getting out. The bear towered over them.

   'Balto!' Jenna cried.' What is it?'

   'Ha-ha-hang on, Honey.' Balto reasured her.'Just hang on!' 

He could see the Bear's teeth, glinting and tipped like iciles. It's breath was warm, as it growled and grunted. Behind him, Balto heared Jenna gasp. She had seen the bear. The others must of seen it too, but nether one of them moved. Dispite the threat, Balto was greatful by their courage. Like him, Kodaki, Chilla, Dingo, Alau, Tamill and Saba had already seen the odds. His pups were much braver than he had ever imagened. 

He wished they had never entered this race. Gazing up at the monster, Balto waited. Ready to feel it's claws rack his skin and force them down. 
  
  ' Papa!' a voice froze his thoughts. It was Aleu. And she was quivering.' It's...it's...' she stuttered.

  ' It's what!' Balto gasped looking down at her.

  ' It's going to be okay.'

  ' WHAT!' exclaimed Balto. Had she gone completely mad? 

She smiled. Balto shuddered at that smile. He glanced at Jenna. But Jenna's face was hidden against her paws. The others, paying no attenion to Aleu's craze were gazing at the bear in horror. A deathly hush had settled upon them. The bear drew closer.

  ' We have to jump...' Aleu started.

  ' DON'T !' he snapped,' Let me think.'  

  ' But there's no time.' 

That's true and my duaghter has been right before, Balto thought, but can't be possible! He remembered when he and Aleu once faced another bear and escaped by Aleu's own ability to read thoughts. Somehow, she had been able to read the creature's mind. Was this a similer recap.

Balto look up at the bear. Its eyes glinted hungrily as it inched closer. It roared in hunger.

No

This bear was no vision. Even if it did attack, they would still fall. And if he allowed that happen, the bear will fall with them.

 He swollowed.       

  'We have to jump.' he said, simply. His voice sounded strangely atone, amid the howling of the wind.. 

  'JUMP!'echoed the Kodi. 

  'Don't argue. Get ready everybody!'

  'Balto! No! We'll be killed.'Jenna cried.

  'And we'll be killed if we don't.' Balto said to her. 'Jenna, We have no choice.' He stared at his aching paws. He felt the bears breath as it drew nearer. He held his breath.

  ' When I give the word, we let go of the ledge.'

Nobody replied. It looked to them like the end was near. Balto felt the bear's warm breath touch his neck. There was no time to lose.

  'NOW!'

In a dizzy moment, they let go of the rock. Once again, Balto felt the burden of the sled pull him down.

It dragged them.

The whole body of the team fell away from the bear, who swung its paw over the space were Balto's head had been!

Roaring with anger, the bear  tried to reach him. But Balto and his family already were far from reach. 

As Balto squeezed his eyes shut and waited for a sickening thud.

Tink

The sound ringed like chime. Like a tiny bell.

Opening his eyes, Balto and once a again gripped the rock. The foot of the sled had hit something! Could it be a rock? He looked down. He gave a slight choke, almost letting go of the rock. There, below them was a wide ridge which on eather lay a path. They had fallen barely seventy yards.

  

  'Easy, gang.' said Balto.'Nice and slow.' They hung there like a rope ladder. Balto looked up. He couldn't see the bear. 

  ' Tam, Dingo, everyone! Climb down. Slowly does now. Slowly.'  

In a few minutes, they were on the ground, Safe. Balto shook himself. They had made it. They had made alive.

  'That was...unexpected.' gasped Jenna, shaking.

  'I know. ' Balto grinned,' And yet...Oh Jenna we're safe.'

  'But how did you know?' Tamill asked, turning to gaze at Aleu. Aleu returned it, without an expression.

  'Aleu.' Balto said, walking up to her. Aleu looked up.' This is becoming a habit, isn't it.'

 'I know, it's weird. And yet...'she started.

 'What?'cried Dingo, impaitently.'YET WHAT? How did you know. What happened up there?'

  'Your sister has a gift of seeing things.' Balto said.

  'Eh?'

  'Balto,' Jenna cried,' she can't have.'

  'You knew that the ledge was here?' Saba asked Aleu, her eyes wide.
  
Aleu nodded  

  'But how?' 

  'I'm not sure. But I've had this vision since I left the sea. It's been guiding me for as long I remember.'  

  'Spooky.' commeted Dingo

  'Dad, look.' a cry from Kodiak caught everyone's attention. A little away from them, facing the snow, lay a body of a man. His head resting on the crook of his arm.

  'Rig!' Balto gasped, racing past the row of dogs to where he lay. Aware of him, Mr Ground raised his head and gazed up at Balto.

  ' I'm sorry, boy.' he whispered.' This is all my fault.' he collasped, suddenly.

Balto inspected the leg. It looked striaght. The poll was undamaged. If they could drag him onto the sled...

A low growl surprised them.

Balto groaned.

 'Oh no, you can't be serious.' he said, shaking his head. Everyone looked up, especting to see the bear jumping off the rock. But the creature did not appear. There was a sound of shuffling. Balto realised that the Bear was making it's way, down the path towards their ridge. 

Awakened by the Bear's growl and Balto's yelp, Rig raised his head again. Seeing the sled, he struggled up and crawled towards it. With great effort, the Musher reached up and grasped the steel. He looked groggedly up at the dogs. Balto understood.  
   'Mush! MUSH! GO! Go! Go! Go!'

They shot off down the track. Half slipping, half running. Down and down they went. Behind them there came a loud roar. Balto's head shot back. 

Don't look back

   'What's that Jenna?' Balto asked. Jenna glanced at him, strangely.

   'I didn't say anything.' she said, panting.  

Don't look back, My Son.

   'Mother,' he breathed.'It's good to know your there. Thank you.'

They ran on for a few more minutes. Away from the ridge, away from the bear and away from the mountains. 

                                                               *
 

The night was dark when the team halted in a clearing near the foot of the mountain. Looking up Balto could see the plain with trees dotted around it. They were back on the clearing. Back to where they started.  

Mr Rig Ground, his hand still on the sled was shaking uncontrolably. Both Jenna and Balto walked over to him.  

Jenna hovered over him, worriedly.
  'Balto, what do we do?'she asked. Balto didn't reply. He was too tired.

Sighing, Jenna pulled out a blanket from the sled and covered Rig with it. Rig did not stir. While she did this, Balto cast a look towards his pups. 

He breathed a sigh of relief.
  'I am so proud of you all.' He said,, softly. They came and nuzzled him. Dispite the loss of time, Rig broken hurts and their near death experiance, Balto smiled with relief and joy.  He was so proud of his pups. Together they had faced a danger and mastered their fears. 

Dingo grinned, as he broke away from his father.
  'We did it. US against that bear.'

  'Papa did it.' Saba corrected him. She went over and nuzzled her father.' Papa, you saved us. You brought us out of danger.'

  ' Hooray for Dad.'cheered Tamill.
   
  'Thanks for saving our skins, Dad.' Kodiak said, nuzzling him. 

Balto gazed at each pup with such warmth and love. His eyes rested on Aleu lastly. He licked her nose.

  'I know it was hard to leave your clan, Aleu. But I am so glad you came.'

Aleu nodded
  'You too, Papa.'she

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