Chapter 22: Old and new home
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Meanwhile, Jenna and her red children went to the start line where they saw Kodi and Dingo getting ready for the final race.

''Hey, mom.'' Dingo said, noticing that not everyone was nearby ''Where are Aleu, Kenai and dad?''

Jenna looked at the rooftops of the other side of the road and noticed the three watching from the roof above the starting line.

''Up there.'' Jenna said, pointing her nose at them.

Kodi and Dingo looked up at them and nodded to them as a farewell, then they looked at Jenna, Yukon and their sisters and nodded to them.

''Here they go.'' Balto said.

Then, a fire was heard, startling Aleu and Kenai lightly.

''Don't worry!'' Balto said. ''They won't hurt you!''

''Here they go!'' Aleu said, as Kodi and Dingo set off to the White mountain.

''So...'' Kenai asked, as Kodi and Dingo's teams left Nome. ''When are they coming back?''

''Either this night or the morning after.'' Balto said.

''Okay.'' Aleu said. ''Papa, how about you find us a place to live?''

''No problem, follow me.'' Balto said. Then he jumped off the house, while followed by Aleu and Kenai.

Later, Balto led them to the old, abandoned boat outside of Nome, the same boat Balto used to live before.

''Papa, are we sharing this boat?'' Aleu asked, remembering that she shared that boat before running away two years ago.

''Not really.'' Balto said. ''A pilot adopted me one year ago and I live with him in the town. Still, this place is well taken care by Boris.''

''And we can live here without sharing.'' Aleu said.

''Yes.'' Balto said as they got into the boat.

''So, do you have any questions?'' Balto asked.

''I have one.'' Kenai said. ''Balto, since I'm a wolf, I have to hunt. Is there any forest nearby with some animals?''

''Yes, there's one just on the north.'' Balto said. ''And there are a lots of non-migrating animals. Just be careful, if you over-hunt them, then there won't be animals to hunt.''

''I understand.'' Kenai said.

''Any other questions?'' Balto asked again.

''No.'' Aleu said.

''Alright.'' Balto said. ''I'd like you to take you to the town, but I don't want you to get hurt by humans. When the night falls, the humans go home and sleep. Then I'll pick you up.''

''Sure.'' Aleu agreed.

''Get some rest you two.'' Balto said. ''You seem exhausted.''

''Okay, papa. See you later!'' Aleu greeted her father as he returned to the town. Then Kenai and she laid down on a blanket nearby and rested for a while.

Later...

The sun was setting on the west. Aleu woke up and noticed the sunset. She also noticed that Kenai was not sleeping with her.

''Kenai?'' Aleu asked as she ventured through the boat, searching for her friend.

Just then, Kenai came out of nowhere, carrying two dead rabbits in his mouth.

''There you are!'' Aleu said, relieved to see Kenai. ''You went hunting, I see.''

''Yeah.'' Kenai said. ''Got hungry and so. The forest is thick, but I managed to return.''

''I know.'' Aleu said, remembering the forest. ''Let's eat then. My papa will come soon or later.''

When they finished their meal, Balto came. It was already dark outside. Sky was covered with the stars.

''Hey, you two.'' Balto greeted them.

''Hey, papa.'' Aleu greeted her father. ''Came to pick us?''

''Yes.'' Balto agreed. ''Humans are at home now, I can take you to the town.''

''Alright...'' Kenai said, a bit unsure. ''Let's go then.''

As they left the boat and headed towards the town, Kenai said: ''I can't believe it.''

''What it is, Kenai?'' Aleu asked. ''Are you still bothered by being surrounded by dogs?''

''No, it's not that.'' Kenai said. ''It's just... that this is the first time that I'm surrounded by humans. I might have seen a human before, but I've never been so close to them.''

''Don't worry, Kenai.'' Balto said. ''As long as you're in shadows and in the dark, humans won't notice you.''

Kenai sighed in relief. He was going to be safe from the humans here.

''This evening we celebrate.'' Balto said. ''We celebrate your return, Aleu, and your arrival, Kenai.''

''Nice.'' Aleu said. ''Have Kodi and Dingo returned yet?''

''No, not yet.'' Balto answered. ''The blizzard forced them to sleep over in the White Mountain. They won't participate the celebration, but they'll return the next morning.''

Balto, Aleu and Kenai entered the town. Nome wasn't anything new to Balto, Aleu remembered Nome someways, while Kenai looked there and there, obviously being curious in that new environment.

''So, where exactly is the celebration going to be held?'' Aleu asked.

''In the boiler room.'' Balto said. ''Your mother, your sisters, Yukon and their friends, along with some other dogs are going to be there as well.''

''But why the other dogs?'' Aleu asked.

''Some of these others, especially one trio, call themselves as the protectors of our family.'' Balto said. ''But they volunteered by themselves to protect us.''

First they stopped at the vet clinic. Some light was still shining through the window. Just then, Saba came out of the dog door, being followed by another red husky.

''Hi, Saba.'' Aleu greeted Saba, as she nodded. ''Hi, Yukon.''

A red husky corrected Aleu: ''I'm not Yukon.''

Aleu tilted her head in confusion. Then a red husky, Josh, came to the light and Aleu realized that she mistook him.

''Oh, sorry.'' Aleu said. ''You look like my brother. What's your name?''

''The name's Josh.'' Josh introduced himself. ''And yeah, Yukon and I look similar somehow.''

''Okay.'' Aleu said. ''You seem familiar to me.''

''I don't know if you'd remember him, Aleu.'' Saba said. ''But when I was adopted, the day after we met each other and I introduced him to you and the others.''

Aleu nodded as if he met him as a pup, but on the other hand, she couldn't recall him well.

''And you are...?'' Josh asked Kenai upon noticing him.

''...Kenai. Nice to meet you.'' Kenai replied as Josh nodded thankfully.

''Where to, dad?'' Saba asked.

''To the boiler room.'' Balto said. ''Jenna's already there, I'll get the others.''

''Got it.'' Saba said. Then Josh and she headed towards the boiler room.

As they progressed further, they noticed a dark red husky, accompanied by a silver one, Yin, and the dark gray one, Yang.

''Yukon, is that you?'' Aleu asked without thinking, but also hoping that she wouldn't mistake him for the another.

''Yes, it's me!'' Yukon said as they approached them.

''Well, you didn't mistake him for Josh this time.'' Kenai said jokingly.

Then, Yukon came to Balto, Aleu and Kenai. And then he turned to Yin and Yang.

''Yin, Yang, this is my older sister Aleu and her friend Kenai.'' Yukon introduced them to Aleu.

''Aleu, Kenai, these are my friends Yin and Yang.''

Yin greeted Aleu kindly, while Yang looked at Aleu and Kenai suspiciously. Yin noticed that.

''Yang, knock it off!'' Yin said as Yang put that look off. ''Sorry about that, he's just being protective to me.''

''I see.'' Aleu said. ''Why so?''

''It's because we were separated for some time.'' Yang said, sighing upon recalling the sad past.
''She is my only sister, and we lost our parents when we were 2 months old. That's why I'm so protective.''

''I understand.'' Aleu said.

''The boiler room?'' Yukon asked.

''Yes.'' Balto agreed. Then, Yukon, Yin and Yang ventured towards the boiler room.

''All that's left is to find Nunivat.'' Balto said.

After a few minutes...

''I think I can see her.'' Aleu said, looking at the porch where Nunivat was talking to golden husky, Thunderbolt.

''Hi dad, hi Aleu.'' Nunivat said as she and Thunderbolt went to the street.

''Hi, Nunivat.'' Aleu replied. She noticed that Thunderbolt was watching her and Kenai in a friendly way.

''Aleu, Kenai, this is Thunderbolt.'' Nunivat introduced them to each other. ''Thunder, this is my sister Aleu and her boyfriend Kenai.''

Thunderbolt nodded in a greeting way. He was impressed to the wolves in town.

''You seem familiar to