at Hanler, and to her astonishment she saw that his whole body was shimmering vividly. His eyes glowed as it did this. His paws had suddenly disappeared.

 

VI

After her meal, Jenna flopped down on the bedroom carpet and was asleep at once. But her mind never rested. Her dreams showed her crowds, trials, sleds and prizes. But most of all the sled-dogs. She remembered that her grandad Flench, had been a famous sledding dog, and had always been chosen for races of all kinds. All the running exhausted and, eventually, killed him.

Balto was getting on in years. Could there be a way to stop this?

*********

When she got up the next morning, Jenna was surprised to see her owner Rosie sitting up in bed and crying. Jenna rushed to her owner and licked her hand. Whatever's the matter? Rosie stopped crying and hugged Jenna tightly. After a few moments she let go and looked at Jenna for a long time. Finally she said.

    'Daddy came home from the post-office yesterday,' she said. ' He heard that Balto is going to run to Anchorage! He's going to leave tomorrow!' Jenna eyes went widened. Just then the bedroom door opened and in came Rosie's father and mother. Both of them too looked troubled.

Mr David Loran got hold of Jenna's bandana and without a word, lead her out of the bedroom, through the kitchen and out of the house. Jenna breathed in fresh air and waited for Mr Loran to let go of her bandana. To her suprise, Mr Loran kept hold of her. What's going on? she thought.

She walked at his heels through town. Soon they came to a large wooden barn. At it's closed doors stood two men, who waved to them.

    'So you've brought the dog,' said one, ashey approached them. Loren nodded.

    'So she's related to Flench?' the other asked. and Jenna ears pricked with a little annoyance as he started to examine her.

Mr Loran nodded. 'That's what the man I bought her from said, Rege.'

Rege pulled out a document from his pocket and reading it aloud.

'Red fur; white markings, under-side and chest; triangular, erect ears,' he said. He got up,' Are you alright with us putting her into Nome's team?'

Jenna's heart lept. The team? Could that be Balto's team?

    'No. But alot of people say I should, they want Nome to win these trials so badly.' her master patted Jenna on the head. Then giving her to the men, he walked away. Jenna watched him go, unable to believe what was happening. Rege went and pushed the barn door. Tep led Jenna in.

It was dark inside and little light shone through the wooden windows in the walls. The floor was of hard stone, strewn with straw at the far end of the barn. The men looped a rope around Jenna's neck and tied it to a ring in the wall.

They left her there, closing the door behind them...

 

 

VII

Jenna stood in the darkness, staring at the shut door. She couldn't see anything except the beams of light shafting through the windows. Jenna gazed around at the darkness, thinking as she did; Was it true that she was to be part of Balto's team? If so, why was she here?

A voice interupted her thoughts, 'Jenna! Is that you?' From the shadows emerged the familar shape of a dog.

    'Balto!' Jenna cried. Balto rushed out, they nuzzled each other. Although she had no idea what was up, she was glad to see him. Then she noticed that, like her, he was tied up with a long length of rope. She was about to ask Balto whether he knew why they were here, when another voice called,

    'Mother, are you there?' It was their son Kodi. He too was roped up at the other side of the barn. And beside him sat...

    'Tamill! Saba!' Jenna cried.

    'What's going on?' moaned somebody in a sleepy tone. Everyone looked around and saw a broad figure of a male-dog and it was Tamill who guessed who it was.

    'Dingo!?'

Dingo was sitting on some bundles of dried grass, looking at everyone with an expression of puzzlement. It was clear that neither any of them knew why they were here, except Jenna and Balto. Quickly they told their pups why. Moments later, the barn was quiet.

*

After an hour, the barn door opened and a fierce light shone in. Jenna blinked at it. She could just hear Rege and his friend come in. They were pulling a dog in and had knot it's rope beside the door. It made a fierce struggle, growling at Rege and Tep. They quickly withdrew, shutting the door behind them.

Jenna eyes grew used to the light, as she stared at the dog. It wasn't a Nome dog, nor one she knew...or was it? Beside her, Balto had stiffened and her children were fidgeting. Jenna took a curious step forward, trying to make out the dog in the half-light. It had white markings, which were clearly seen. It's scent was unfamiliar. Once more Jenna took a step. The dog looked up, and her head touched a sun shaft. Jenna immediately recognised the dark red body-fur.

    'Chilla!' Jenna cried and ran forwards. Balto pulled at his rope as far as it could go, to reach their daughter while Chilla stood beaming, eyes showing relief and joy. Kodi and the others watched silently, too amazed to speak. They hadn't seen Chilla since she had been sold as a pup.

Chilla explained that she lived far outside Nome with her owners, who were a family of six. They had a very nice cabin home that was surrounded by hills and trees. She worked in the winter as a supply-hauler, along with her team. Her own girl Moria, would sometimes hitch her to a little cart in the spring time so to pick berries and herbs for the mother of the family. It made Jenna smile when she heard this, as it reminded her of when Rosie and herself had gone out together too.

When Chilla the told them about her suddenly being handed over to Mr Rege, Balto, Jenna and the others exchanged glances, 'Why are we all here?' she asked.

Balto explained about the Trails. Chilla shivered, 'I've never entered a race before,' she said. 'I don't think I would know how to cope!'

Dingo nodded. 'Neither have all of us. But what choice do we have?'

 

VIII

The whole clan gazed at the sea. The waves were calm but the the weather seemed hard and breezy.

Still, Aleu was determined. There was not a moment to lose.

She raised a paw and dipped it into the ice-cold water. Forcing her whole body on, she thrust herself into the swell, feeling the thick grit and sand below her paws sink and form clouds. It felt like walking in mud. Aleu shivered but didn't look back or hesitate.

When she was a few meters away from the shore Aleu almost knocked over face-first. She steadied, then looked out at the water beyond. It was different, it's colour was a darker blue-green. Aleu had reached the the start of the sea, but before she went any further she turned back to her pack. They sat on the beach, looking forlorn and terribly lost. Aleu's heart sank as she looked at them, and tears began to dampen her muzzle. But this was her journey and she had to complete it to save her family.

    'I will be back!' she said finally. Her words seemed to enhearten every wolf. She plunged down into the water. It rippled, then her head shot out from beneath the waves. Pushing against the current, she started swimming northwards.

Aleu paddled furiously through the huge waves that bore down on her like swift eagles swooping on prey. Once more the wind had changed, stronger than before and pushing the waves higher. Aleu could hardly see what lay in front of her. The saltwater which was slashing at her face made her eyes sting.

After swimming a mile away from the island, Aleu finely managed to see clearly. She blinked hard and looked at what was infront of her.

She gasped in horror when she saw a massive wave, taller then a pine tree. It roared towards her, foamy and menacing. For a split second it reminded her of Hanler and the avalanche. She held her breath, just in time, before it crashed upon her and forced her underwater.

Aleu felt the cold water all around her, she didn't dare open her eyes. Quickly she swam to the surface again. Aleu opened her eyes and looked around. She saw nothing but waves. Where should she to go now? Aleu felt a tug of worry. The huge wave had left her in confusion. Aleu stopped trashing her paws and let the water carry her. She coughed out the salt in her mouth, then shouted aloud.

    'Hanler! Where are you!'

The wind howled as it once again flung the waves at her. Aleu waited for yet another ducking. But, unexspectedly, the water swept her up and along. It flowed like a river. Aleu looked at it in wonder. What was going on? Aleu didn't have time to decide, the waves had steepened. She screamed. She dropped off the peak of the swell, so fast that all she could see was a blur. Aleu shut her eyes tight. After all that had happened, her head was starting to pulse with pain.

Then, Aleu felt the waves slow down, and fall. She was unprepared for the thing it hit, which felt damp, crumbly and soft. Sand! Aleu opened her eyes and looked down at it in amazement. Then she looked up. Infront of her, lay a vast chain of cliffs and rocky slopes, covered in trees. The mainland! The pack's old home. Her old home also. How glad she was to see it again.

She turned to the sea.

    'Thank you,' she whispered to Hanler. The waves stopped lifting, and then became calm.

　

X

When the sun rose, Chilla woke up. Of all the dogs in the barn she was the first to awake. Suddenly, she heard loud bang. It was was coming from

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