Chapter 15: New Sled-dogs
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Somewhere in the early 1928, the was a final race between the two best sled teams. The finalist teams were Kaltag's team and Max's team.

One day after the race began, the teams were returning to the Nome. Suddenly, a flare popped in the sky.

''A 1-mile mark!'' Jenna said, watching the flare in the sky while sitting next to the finish line.

''They're almost here!'' Balto said.

Just then, the two sled teams turned around the bend and raced towards the finish line.

''Hurry up, you guys!'' Kaltag shouted, as he was tied with Max's team.

''We're almost at the finish line!'' Max shouted to his team.

''Alright, Max! Let's show them what we got!'' Molly shouted behind Max.

Max sprinted and was in front of Kaltag's team. Then his team crossed the finish line, leaving Kaltag's team three feet behind.

''Max's team crossed the finish line first.'' Jenna said.

Then Balto and Jenna headed to Max and Molly, who were lying in the snow due to exhaustion.

''Way to go, you two.'' Balto congratulated to his friends.

''Thanks, Balto...'' Max replied, breathing heavily.

Later, at Max's house...

''So, Max.'' Balto said. ''This is the third time you are the champions, isn't it?''

''Exactly.'' Max said. ''Even since Steele ran away, our team wasn't sabotaged anymore. We won the championships in '26, '27 and this year.''

''And this was our last championship.'' Molly said.

''Wait... You two are retiring?'' Balto asked.

''Yes.'' Max said. ''We've been delivering mail for seven years. We're not as young as we used to be.''

''Besides, Dusty is our daughter, and we should not just neglect her.'' Molly continued.

''I see.'' Balto said. ''But what is going to happen to your team.''

''Don't worry about that, dad.'' Kodi said as he entered the room along with Dusty.

''Kodi?'' Balto asked his son. ''Are you two succeeding them?''

''Yes.'' Dusty answered. ''My dad's musher decided to do so.''

''That's great to hear!'' Balto said proudly. ''Kodi, I'm sure your mother will be happy to hear about this.''

''I think she will.'' Kodi said.

Later, Balto went to Jenna and told her about the news.

''That's wonderful!'' Jenna said. ''You know that he always wanted to deliver the mail.''

''Yes, Jenna.'' Balto replied. ''It's good that I had encouraged him to run with me.''

After a week, another season of the sled racing started. Kodi and Dusty became the lead sled-dogs of Max's former team. As they joined in the team, their friends Kirby and Ralph joined as well.

Undoubtedly, Kodi was as fast as his father. The way to White Mountain lasted for a several hours, and the way to Nome lasted the same time as well. As they were young sled-dogs, no doubt that they were faster.

One day, Kodi was on his regular mail delivery. As Balto was watching for him to return back, a plane engline was heard from above. Balto raised his head and looked in the sky to find out where the plane was.

As he saw the plane, he got excited to see something magnificent from his perspective. He felt like he wanted to be in that plane.

The next day, in the early dawn, Balto took Jenna outside of Nome, just on the cliffs near Nome.

''What is it, Balto?'' Jenna asked, yawning because of getting up so early.

''Just wait for it, Jenna.'' Balto answered excitedly, sitting on the cliff and waiting patiently.

Suddenly, a plane from the day before flied above the two canines, exciting Balto even more while catching Jenna on surprise.

''Can you believe it?'' Balto asked.

''I guess so.'' Jenna answered.

''I feel like I want to be in that plane.'' Balto said as he was watching the plane in the distance.

Two days later, Kodi's team was returning from White Mountain delivering the mail. Soon enough, the team arrived. Mr. Simpson went into the post office to deliver the mail while the dogs rested on the snowy street.

As Balto was walking towards there, he noticed the plane landing on the square. He got there immediately.

As he was under the wing, watching the plane curiously, a human climbed out with the bag of mail.

''Dog welcoming-comittee, huh?'' the human asked, causing Balto to look at him. The human patted Balto.

''Why don't you guard my plane for a while, I'll be back as soon as possible.'' The human said as he headed towards the post office.

The human entered the post office and brought the mail.

''You know that there's an interesting gray dog out there, Mr. Conner.'' He asked the post-office master.

''Of course, Duke.'' Mr. Conner said. ''He's Balto, the hero of Nome. He saved this town three years ago.''

''Oh really?'' Duke said. ''Speaking of mail, I volunteer to bring the mail from While Mountain by myself. I have a plane that's faster than sled.''

Balto heard the conversation between Duke and Mr. Conner. Suddenly, barkings and howlings echoed throughout the town.

Balto headed towards the boiler room, where he saw a lots of dogs getting in the room. Instead of entering the room among them, he climbed behind the room to hear through the rear window what was going to happen.

''He can't just take our jobs!'' one of the them shouted. Balto recognized him, as it was none other else than Kodi. ''Delivering the mail has been tradition in Nome for years!''

''Yeah, and what'd happen if we lose our jobs?'' Kirby asked.

''We... We'd starve!'' Dusty answered.

Then the doors opened. Mel entered the room, shouting excitedly: ''It's not over yet!''

''What do you mean it's not over yet?'' Ralph asked Mel.

''The mushers and the pilot made a deal!'' Mel answered shouting. ''Tomorrow, a race will be held between the pilot and your team!''

''He wants to race against us?'' Dusty asked. ''We must be fast enough to beat him.''

''I know who can help us! My dad!'' Kodi shouted.

As the dogs began exiting the room, talking about the race tomorrow, Kodi noticed his father passing by. He ran towards him.

''Dad!'' Kodi called him. ''The pilot challenged us, the sled team to race against him tomorrow!''

''Really?'' Balto asked, pretending that he hadn't heard the conversation in the boiler room before.

''Yeah!'' Kodi replied. ''If we win, we'll still have our job. And I wanted to ask you if you'd race with us.''

Balto felt silent after hearing these words. He didn't know what to do: to support his son in a race or to support Duke.

''I... I don't know, Kodi...'' Balto said, walking off.

''Dad?'' Kodi called his father, concerned, but Balto just walked off.

Later that night...

Balto went to Jenna's house. He was still indecisive about the question that Kodi had asked him before. He noticed that Jenna was outside.

''Balto? What's the matter?'' Jenna asked, noticing that Balto was somehow unhappy.

''Jenna, remember that I showed you that plane few days ago?'' Balto asked her.

''Yes, why?'' Jenna asked.

''When I saw that plane for the first time, I wanted to fly on that plane as well.'' Balto said. 

''But earlier this day, the pilot challenged Kodi's team to the race...

...if the pilot wins, he will take away Kodi's job. But if Kodi wins, he keeps his jobs. He asked me to race with his team, but I don't know what shall I do...''

''Balto, you don't have to be a hero.'' Jenna told him. ''You're his father. He will appreciate your participation, and the pilot will understand as well.''

Balto, encouraged by her words, raised his head and said: ''You're right. I may be the hero to Nome, but I can help him by being his father.''

The next morning...

Kodi and his friends were getting ready for the race. Kodi looked everywhere if his father would come and join them. Then, Balto came.

''Well, Kodi.'' Balto said, catching Kodi by surprise. ''I'm going to race with you.''

''Really?'' Kodi asked, surprised. ''Dad, thank you.''

''Have you ever raced in a sled team before, Balto?'' Kirby asked.

''To be honest, only once, and that was the anti-toxin run. I haven't been racing in a sled team before.'' Balto answered.

''Alright!'' Mr. Conner said, while shouting through the bull horn. ''Today is the race between Duke and his plane against Mr. Simpson's sled team! Whoever brings the mail to White Mountain and back to the Nome, has the job!''

''Get ready.'' Balto said, taking the lead place in the sled team.

''Good luck, Balto!'' Jenna shouted