mail. He'd see Jenna more or less at these days when they were out on their run.

One snowy day, Balto was resting on the boat and watched Max and Molly's team leaving for White Mountain for the post delivery. Then he looked up the hill beneath the boat and saw three canines looking at him. He got a better look at them and realized that those were the wolves, watching him.

Balto felt something. ''Go with them.'' A voice said in his head. ''Why?'' Balto asked himself. The voice replied: ''They might help you.''

''Might help...'' Balto said to himself. Then he turned to Boris, who was moping the wooden floor of the boat.

''Boris, I... uh... will be going towards the north.'' ''Why'd you do that?'' Boris asked him. ''You've never gone anywhere further than Nome. I'll be going with you.''

''I'm sorry, but I'll be going alone.'' Boris looked him worried: ''Alone? Balto, It's not easy for me to leave you alone.'' Balto replied: ''I know, but it's about the wolves. I don't want you to get harmed by them. Something told me to go with them.''

Boris, concerned, said: ''The wolves are wild and possibly dangerous, but if you insist, then you better go with them, but, are you going to come back?''

Balto said: ''Of course I will, I'm not going to become the member of the wolf pack.'' and jumped off the boat.

He ran towards North and saw the same wolves in the distance going around the hill. The snow was trying to slow him down, but Balto kept up well. Soon enough when he got across the hill, he entered the forest. The wolves were now out of his sight.

''Now great.'' Balto said, as the snow began falling harder and the visibility was getting lower. Then he saw a small cave and he got in, waiting for the weather to calm down.

''What're you doing here?'' A voice asked out, causing Balto to turn around. There were the three wolves he saw earlier passing across the hill.

One wolf asked: ''You're the outcast wolf-dog living outside the town of humans we saw you before, aren't you?''

The second wolf said: ''Indeed, I'm not sure if he's either wolf or dog. I mean, he has the fur of the wolf and yet the body of the dog.''

The first wolf asked: ''Why have you come here?'' Balto replied: ''Something told me that you might help me.''

The second wolf said: ''Might. If you think that we'd accept you if we 'might' help you, you're wrong. We've seen you with the humans before and that means we won't accept you, sorry.''

Balto knew it'd happen. He'd be accepted if wolves found him and he'd raised him in the wilderness. He felt that he was in the no-man's land. Rejected by everyone.

Then the third wolf said: ''You've mentioned the help. Well...'' Suddenly, his eyes glowed as Balto saw it, astonished.

Then, the third wolf said: ''One day, you're going to become a hero. And that'd be the day when you learn that your weakness is in point of fact... your strength.''

Balto felt somewhat stronger, but he couldn't figure out what would it be.

''I appreciate it.'' He said. ''I better go home now.'' Then he exited the cave and headed towards Nome.

The journey was not easy. Although the storm calmed down, he didn't know which way to go. He was lost, as the snow erased his paw-steps. Somehow, he reached the small clearing, but the different one than the one he came from.

As he was walking near the cliffs, he felt cracking under his paws. He looked in fear what it could be. Much to his misfortune, it was the ice.

''Oh no...'' He said as he was trying to move away, but the ice began flowing and soon enough, he realized that he was standing on the frozen river that began to flow again.

Then he saw that there's a waterfall behind him. He tried to escape, but the ice was splitting further from each other and from the shore, preventing him to do so.

As he was standing on the ice that'd fall down high and he was standing there, not knowing if he was going to survive.

''GERONIMO!'' A voice yelled, causing him to turn to his left and get pounced by the small white furry ball. He dropped onto the snow, breathing heavily and not being sure how he managed to avoid death.

Then the mumbling was heard, and the voice replied: ''Of course he's alive, Luk! Can't you see him breathing?''

Balto raised his head and saw two polar bear cubs looking at him and speaking. Balto relieved that he was alive, said: ''Thanks for saving me. I'm not sure if I'd survive that fall.''

The smaller cub replied: ''Well, walking alone in the wilderness after the blizzard is not safe at all. Who are you exactly? You look like both dog and wolf.''

Balto said: ''The name's Balto. I'm the wolf-dog, and because of that, I'm the outcast from the city. And how come you be alone here?''

The smaller cub said: ''I'm Muk, and this is Luk. He speaks with his own type of language I'm only able to understand. And we're alone here because our parents have gone. Never come back...''

Luk started mumbling again, and Muk said: ''Luk, I think you're right, there might be fishes around the city.''

Balto, smiling, said: ''You kidding? Nome is the city on the sea. There are bunch of fishes there!''

Muk asked: ''Balto... May we come with you, please?''

Balto replied: ''Of course, you saved my life and yet you don't deserve to be alone.'' He had that good feeling that he'd never feel alone whenever Max and Molly go on their sled duty.

One hour later, they reached Nome and eventually Balto's boat. Boris, concerned, showed up and said: ''Balto? Where've you been all the day?''

Balto said: ''I'm sorry for concerning you. The bad news are that the wolves don't seem to like up. But on the other hand, one of them said that I might do something that I might get accepted as well.''

Boris looked at the bears and asked: ''And who are these?''

Balto replied: ''These are Muk and Luk. They saved me from the falling of the cliff. They were alone in the wilderness, so I promised them to come with me to give them home and fishes.''

Boris sighed: ''Well, we can give them home but I don't think that'd be good.''

Balto said: ''Don't worry, I know it will.''

Chapter 6: The sickness
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Somewhere in 1925, Balto was walking through the streets of Nome, minding his own business. Then he saw a tall shadow coming from the other street while the shorter one followed him. Humans.

Balto peeked at the street and saw a man carrying a child, who was coughing harshly. ''That's strange.'' Balto said to himself. Then he followed them, trying not to be seen by them.

Soon enough a man and a child entered a good-looking building. Balto, knowing that he couldn't go in, went to the side window to see what's happening.

There he saw in one room at least five children coughing harshly and holding their throats. They must have fallen sick from some kind of sickness, but which one?

''I hope it doesn't affect any more children.'' Balto said as he went to the old boat.

Few days later, a finalist race between Max's team and Steele's team was being held. Just then, Balto came into the town and saw his friend.

''Hey, Max.'' Balto said. Max turned around and said: ''Hi, Balto.''

''So, getting ready for the final race.'' Balto asked.

''Yes.'' Max replied. ''But at the end, when we will get so close, Steele will sabotage or team again.''

Balto frowned: ''I know... I wish all the best to you, Molly and your team.''

''Thanks.'' Max said. ''By the way, have you noticed that more children are falling ill everyday?''

Balto remembered that, as he witnessed seeing some children coughing in the hospital. ''Yes, but what kind of sickness is it? It's really... dangerous.''

''I'm not really sure. So far 14 children have fallen ill.'' Balto was shocked by the fact that more children are getting ill.

''Anyways, the race is about to begin, I have to go. See you later, Balto!'' Max said, running to the start line.

''Later, Max.'' Balto said. Then he climbed onto the roof of one house to see the beginning of the race.

The race began, as the two teams headed off to the other city. Balto could clearly hear the other dogs cheering to Steele. ''Steele is not the only one.'' he thought to himself.

The next day, while Balto and Boris where on their boat, Balto saw a flare in the sky exploding.

''A 4-mile mark!'' Balto said. ''Come on, Boris!'' Balto said as he grabbed Boris who yelled: ''Balto, wait!''

They reached the town and tried to get close to the finish line. On their way to there, Balto saw Steele's team passing through the Pass of Nome only.

''Steele did it again.'' Balto said while frowning.

Soon enough, they made it to the Main Street, where