days.'' Dusty said.

''Yeah, they sure were.'' Kodi replied.

''Not to mention the way Saba and I met was like yours.'' Josh said.

''Yeah, if Josh hadn't heard about the boiler room and if I hadn't gone there, we never would've met.'' Saba said.

''I remember it was the day after I came to Nome.'' Josh said.

''And I was adopted by the new family.'' Saba said. ''I liked the new family, but I missed my siblings and parents, so I went to the boiler room. I thought they were there, but it was empty. I decided to wait for them...''

''And I was trying to find new friends, but without any luck.'' Josh continued. ''But two dogs near the post office told me which way to go. So I went the way they told me.''

''...it was then I decided to leave, as I've been waiting for too long.'' Saba continued. ''But we bumped into each other as you were entering the boiler room. We've become best friends quickly.''

''I know. You introduced me to your dad, brothers, then to your sisters and mother. We managed to get home before the storm.'' Josh finished.

''I still remember that day pretty well.'' Josh said.

''Yeah.'' Dingo said. ''But the way you guys met was different than the way Dana and I did.''

''I remember it was the same day Kodi and Dusty met.'' Dingo began. ''I was walking with Kodi and dad through the town. Then I found a scent on the ground. Dad encouraged me to go after it...

...There I found you, but I slipped on the ice below. Luckily, my dad come and pushed me, so I could come to you. But he pushed me too hard. At least you were glad that we met each other. Then, you went home.''

''Yes, but when I went home and had a dinner, I went outside again.'' Dana continued. ''Then, a group of six pups found me and bullied me. Luckily you came and saved me. You pulled countless pranks on them until they ran away.''

''Yes. I'm glad to have big sense of humor.'' Dingo said. ''But seeing my friends in trouble is bad mistake.''

''Right.'' Yin said. ''Sounds a lot like how Yukon and I met too.''

''I moved with Yang and my parents in Nome. I asked my mom if we could go out. She told us to stay close to the house. I went a little bit far as I saw some pups there...

...I greeted them, but they made fun of me because of my face. I ran into the alley, crying. Then, they came and picked on me more...''

''But then I came!'' Yukon continued. ''I told them that it's not nice to make fun of anyone, no matter how they look. They left when I scolded them. We became best friends then. We went to your home and I met Yang. Then I went to my dad.''

''I've missed both of you.'' Yukon said. ''But it's good to see you back!''

''Well, looks like the whole family is together again.'' Kodi said.

''Not all of it.'' Jenna said, depressed.

''What do you mean, Mom?'' Kodi asked Jenna.

''There's still your sister, Aleu. Do you remember, Kodi?'' Balto asked Kodi.

''Oh, yeah.'' Kodi said, finally recalling Aleu. ''It's been so long since we've seen her." 

''Well, let's hope she'll return soon.'' Balto said. ''Alright, let's get back what we were doing before!''

Every couple went into separate directions. Balto and Jenna were going back to her home. On the way home, Balto had a feeling. It wasn't good, it was great. But he couldn't describe it.

''Jenna, I feel great right now.'' Balto said. ''As if something great is going to happen.''

''That's nice to hear.'' Jenna said, as they both entered her house. Balto was right, something great was going to happen, but they had no clue what'd it be.

Chapter 19: Homesickness
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Seven days ago, in the Other Land...

The day was relatively sunny, the wind was blowing lightly through the branches of the pine forest near the beach. The sun was on the west.

The silence was broken by stampede of the caribous, who were trying to run away from the wolf pack behind them.

As they were running, some of them began falling down dead. The ones of the back were unfortunate to end their lives.

''Ha! This is the fourth one this month I've taken down!'' a light-gray wolf said, standing above his dead prey.

''Nice one, Kalhi.'' A brown wolf said, also standing above dead caribou. ''These caribous are dead when we are here.''

''Can't complain, Kenai.'' Kalhi replied.

Caribous managed to shelter in the forest nearby, but at least the wolf pack had enough meat for this time.

As Kenai and Kalhi were eating their preys, a sandy-gray canine approached her pack. Then she asked: ''I see you did good job today.''

''We sure did, Aleu.'' Kenai said. ''Come on, I left some meat for you here.''

''Alright, if you say so.'' Aleu said, then she joined Kenai to finish their meal.

Later, sun was setting and the wolves were getting some rest for tomorrow.

''Either we finish our meal from today, or we leave the remains behind and keep hunting the living caribous.'' Kalhi said.

''We've been hunting the whole day.'' Aleu said. ''There are enough for the next few days.''

''Good.'' Kenai said. ''We can settle up here as well.''

''Yes. This place looks familiar, and it's quite good.'' Aleu replied.

''Alright, good night you guys.'' Kalhi said, lying down.

''Good night, Aleu.'' Kenai said, lying down nearby.

''Yeah, good night.'' Aleu said to them as she laid down. Soon enough, the whole pack was fast asleep.

Two hours passed, and the whole pack was sleeping. But Aleu was still awake, tossing and turning. She had no idea why she was still awake.

''Why am I still awake?'' Aleu asked herself.

She raised her head slowly and noticed that everyone was sleeping peacefully, unlike her.

Aleu got slowly on her paws. She was the only one awake on the beach. She wanted to find out why she can't sleep.

Aleu looked at the calm water nearby. She slowly approached the water, trying not to wake someone up. She reached the end of the small cliff and looked into the water.

She noticed that there was nothing out of the hand. Her fur wasn't messed up nor anything else. But why was she still awake?

Suddenly, she saw two colors morphing in the water, one gray and the other one red. Aleu turned around, thinking that Kenai and Kalhi had come to her, but they were sleeping among the pack.

''What was that?'' Aleu asked herself again and looked down the water again. Then she noticed that the colors have shifted.

The colors have shifted into canines. The gray canine looked like a wolf and a dog, and the red canine was a red husky wearing an orange bandana. Aleu's eyes widened as if she knew them.

''Papa?'' Aleu asked, looking at the gray wolf-dog in the water. ''Mama?'' She asked again, looking at the red husky in the water.

''Aleu.'' The gray wolf-dog, Balto, said. ''We're glad to see you.''

''We're missing you.'' The red husky, Jenna said.

The words that Aleu had heard, pierced straight through Aleu. Her eyes watered in surprise and sadness. Her parents, although not physically there, were missing her.

''I miss you too, papa... mama...'' Aleu replied, as she sobbed softly.

She looked at them for some time until they disappeared. Aleu was sobbing softly, she saw her parents after two years. Then she began feeling something. She was homesick.

Aleu slowly came back to the sleeping wolf pack and laid down. She was so sad because she was far from her family, who she had never greeted except her father before running away. She closed her eyes, dosing off.

Later...

''Aleu!'' Kenai said, nudging Aleu who woke up but without opening her eyes. ''Aleu, wake up!''

''Uh, what?'' Aleu asked, slowly opening her eyes, noticing that the sun had risen.

''Aleu.'' Kenai said. ''You were talking in your sleep.''

''What?'' Aleu asked, lazily. ''I was talking in my sleep?''

''Yes.'' Kenai said. ''You were saying something like names, something like papa and mama.''

At first, Aleu was confused about Kenai's words. Then, she remembered the last night. She saw her parents in the water. She blushed at that.

''I don't know what're you talking about, Kenai.'' Aleu said, trying to hide that situation and thinking that Kenai wouldn't be bothered by that.

But, Kenai knew that something was not right with Aleu. She was hiding something, but she didn't want to admit.

''Come on, Aleu.'' Kenai said, walking to the other wolves. ''We have to finish our meal.''

As they were walking towards the other wolves and the meal, Aleu was recalling the encounter from the night before with the sadness in her eyes.

Later