swiping away the small hill of snow that accumulated and formed her protective "shield". The wolf moved back a bit, but then ignored everything and walked out to Balto.

Before him was the most beautiful thing he's set his eye's upon, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why? He had no desire at all to "mate" with this wolf, but he was dumbfounded by her beauty nonetheless. Another thought popped up in his head. Something told him that he needed to protect this wolf from any and all dangers, he needed to hold the wolf close to him and fend off anything that would threaten it. Both sides in some sort of trance, they moved together and gave, what could best be described as a "dog hug".

"WOAH, WOAH, WOAH." Balto screamed in his mind, what the hell was he doing? Not only was this wolf years younger than him, he had a mate! But Balto never felt like he was betraying Jenna in anyway. He had no attraction to the wolf, but he couldn't deny that he loved her. Loved her like a daughter, that is. Balto was first to break from the trance as he thought about Jenna, and stepped back. The wolf pretty much fell on her face and it broke her trance as well.

"Who are you?" Balto asked, still shaking his head. The wolf did not speak. Just stared at him with her multi-colored eyes.

"Okay… Where did you come from?" The wolf only nudged her head in the direction of the forest, towards where Balto found Steele.

"Uh-huh, so you can't talk." Balto asked curiously, he turned his head to the left as he heard a familiar sound, Jenna's yipping.

"Sorry, I have to… go now." Everything in Balto's mind told him not to leave this wolf. He fought it and head towards Jenna. He looked over his shoulder to the wolf; she just sat there, with a face of sorrow, and looked towards the ground. Balto let out a sigh and turned back to the wolf.

Siku

Siku got quite comfortable in her hiding place. She dug a tiny hole to see towards the alley opening, waiting for Balto's arrival. She didn't have to wait long, Balto came striding into the alleyway. She realized she had not planned on how she would confront the wolf-dog. Panicking, she simply decided she'd let him pass and talk to him when she actually know what to say. She lay back down and peered through the hole and watched Balto. She was happy just seeing Balto, but she could not talk to him yet. It seemed as though it wasn't her decision, because Balto was walking right towards her!

"I know you're there!" She heard him say, then she heard him growling. She could do nothing but freeze, fear filled her body at the sight of a huge wolfdog nearing her with teeth the size of her front paws. She drop down and covered her face with both paws, preparing for the worst. Her shaking disturbed part of the snow wall, and it collapsed, exposing her to the open, and to Balto. An huge amount of fear resided when she heard Balto stop growling. She was at a loss of words, she just stared at him, he was amazing, and everything she imagined he would be like up close, so long did she observe him from far away, but she was still trembling in fear.

Balto said things that made no sense to Siku, as her mind was on other things, how would she approach this topic to Balto? How would she even speak to him. His voice was soothing though, it told her that he could be trusted no matter what. Her body loosened and she caught his eyes. For reasons even beyond her, she locked her eyes into his and immediately lost all voluntary thought. She had no idea what was going on. It was like she was reading his mind! That's crazy. She figured she'd been starring too long, so she tried to say "Hello", only to realize she was still silenced by this event.

"Uh, hello to you too." Balto replied, but to what? She didn't say anything, did she? She didn't hear herself say Hello, but she'd got the message through.

Everything in her body told her that she could trust Balto, her mind was full of thoughts, most of them about Balto, the rest about what was going on not too far outside of Nome, and that she'd have to tell him eventually. She couldn't control herself as she watched Balto move the snow out to allow her freedom; she only walked slowly to Balto and rested her head in his chest. Her mind was literally blank at this point. She'd finally touched another wolf-dog, it didn't matter, she'd been so alone for so long. Plus she couldn't fight off the feeling that Balto was her protector, and that she'd have to stay with him always. She loved Balto. But not in the way you'd normally think, it was more, the way a daughter loves her father. Gravity seemed to slip away momentarily before she was reminded of its existence. Balto seemed to had disappeared and she crashed face first into the snow under her. She broke from her train of thought and immediately sat up, watching Balto seem to try and shake his thoughts out of his ears.

"Who are you"? He said in a concerned voice, he was obviously as lost for words as she was. Words were still absent from her mind, she could not answer, though she was screaming it in her mind.

A moment passed then, "Okay… Where did you come from?" She was happy that she could answer this without words, and pointed her muzzle in the direction of the forest.

"Uh-huh, so you can't talk." Balto said as a small smile formed on his face. She loved his smile too. Yipping sounds came from the right as Balto turned his head towards it, she opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by "Sorry, I have to… go now."

Her heart fell as Balto turned and left her, but she would not follow him, he needed to be at full concentration to listen to her anyway. Not really noticing, or caring, her head fell and looked towards the ground, she was a bit frustrated that she didn't talk to him when she got the chance. Balto turned and headed back towards her and she felt her happiness return.

Balto was slightly annoyed by this wolf, here he was inexplicably attracted to, but at the same time not attracted in a "wanting to mate" sort of way, And all the time she barely answered his questions.

"Okay, let's try this again. Slowly, don't worry." He really wanted to know this wolf's name.
"May I learn your name, please"? Balto tried hard to hide any annoyed sound in the question.

"Siku" The shewolf finally responded. Balto was lost at her voice, she only said one word, but it made memories of her mother's voice pop up in his head, he ignored it and continued at the wolf pup.

"Okay, uh, Siku, would you like to come with me as I talk to my mate, Jenna?" Balto asked very carefully. Siku nodded her head and returned to Balto's side, just a little too close for Balto's comfort. "Good"

"Jenna's going to love this..." he thought as they walked out of the alley.