familiar to me.'' Aleu said to Thunderbolt.

''Well, your mother let me sleep over when I was two months old.'' Thunderbolt reminded Aleu. ''It was raining outside.''

Aleu did that nod, the same one to Josh.  He looked familiar, but she couldn't recall him well.

''To the boiler room, dad?'' Nunivat asked.

''Yes.'' Balto said. ''You go, we'll be there in a minute or so.''

Both Nunivat and Thunder headed towards the boiler room while Balto, Aleu and Kenai were still on the street.

''At least there was someone you didn't mistake his name nor they looked us suspiciously.'' Kenai said as Aleu chuckled.

''What do you say so far, Kenai?'' Balto asked.

''I like the town.'' Kenai said. ''I hope the humans won't find me and hurt me.''

''Same here.'' Aleu replied.

''Alright.'' Balto said. ''We're heading to the boiler room.''

After a few minutes, Balto, Aleu and Kenai reached the boiler room. It was full of dogs, and half of them were Balto's family and their friends.

When they entered the boiler room, everyone, including Balto's family, were glad to see Balto, but when Aleu and Kenai entered, everyone, excluding her family, were surprised to see two wolves.

As much as they were surprised to see them, they started whispering and murmuring about them. They heard that and they felt ashamed, Kenai especially.

''Alright everyone.'' Balto said, as the climbed on one platform while everyone went silent. ''I see that you're surprised to see them.''

Some of the dogs nodded, although the others had no courage to do so.

''If you take a look at Aleu.'' Balto continued as the dogs looked at Aleu. ''She's my daughter. She ran away two years ago when she learned about the wolf heritage...

...she found a better place in a wolf pack, and she led them for two years. After that, she returned here, to Alaska. But she didn't return alone...

...Kenai, the brown wolf you see, accompanied her on her perilous journey, making sure that she made home safe, and she did, along with him...

...and I accepted Kenai in Nome because he followed her home, that's one reason. Second reason is that his pack is now far behind him. And at last, he's destined to live here.''

Balto finished talking. Some of the dogs still had surprised looks, but their looks turned confident immediately. Then, three dogs, one purple gray husky, Star,  other one redish-yellow, Kaltag, and a brown chow-chow, Nikki, stepped out of the crowd.

''I hope you understand this.'' Kaltag said. ''You know that we won't let any harm done to Balto's family and their friends.''

''Yes!'' Dogs said as Balto rolled with his eyes. Ever since Balto saved Nome and became a father, Nikki, Kaltag and Star volunteered on their own to be their protectors.

''And since Aleu is Balto's daughter and Kenai's her friend.'' Kaltag continued. ''Then better not mess up with them either. If you mess up with them, you mess up with Balto, and if you mess up with Balto, you mess up with us.''

Everyone in the boiler room nodded.

Later, everyone in the boiler room was talking to each other about Aleu and Kenai. Aleu headed to her father as he wasn't talking to anyone at that moment.

''Papa, those three who said that they won't any harm be done to us.'' Aleu asked Balto. ''Are they the ones who you had mentioned before.''

''Yes.'' Balto said. ''That's them.''

Meanwhile, Kenai was walking around boiler room, talking to Balto's family and the others on occasion whenever they wanted to ask him something.

Kenai got used quickly to the new environment. Even he was the only wolf there, he wasn't bothered with that at all.

Then he heard some voices outside. He climbed up on the window to hear the voices better. Judging by the sound, they weren't sounding friendly.

Just as he looked around, he noticed four dogs leaving in the darkness. But he managed to hear one of them saying menacingly: ''They're not welcome here!''

Kenai felt some sense of dread. Who were they talking to? Were the ones who were un-welcome Aleu and Kenai?

Kenai wanted to forget about that, as he came here for the first time. He didn't want the bad things to happen yet.

After an hour or two, everyone headed to their homes. Balto, Jenna, Aleu and Kenai were the last ones who left the boiler room.

''How do you like it here so far?'' Jenna asked them.

''I like it, really.'' Kenai answered.

''Okay, you two, it's time to get some rest.'' Balto said. ''Kodi and Dingo will be back in the morning.''

''Got it.'' Aleu said. ''See you tomorrow!''

Aleu and Kenai headed towards the old boat while Balto and Jenna headed towards the town.

Tomorrow...

''I bet that they'll be back now.'' Kenai said to Aleu, as they were lying on the roof above the Main Street, waiting for her brothers to return.

''You're right about that!'' Aleu said, noticing two sled teams in the distance.

Then, a flare popped in the sky.

''A 3-mile mark!'' Aleu exclaimed.

Chapter 23: Kodi's care
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''A 3-mile mark!'' Both Kodi and Dingo exclaimed upon reaching the large clearing, now being very close to Nome.

''Come on, we can do this!'' Kodi shouted as they sped up.

''Let's go!'' Dingo shouted to his team, speeding up in process, as they were tied with Kodi's team.

This was both teams' first championship. Both of them were successful there and then, but only one team could be the winner now.

A flare popped in the sky.

''A 2-mile mark!'' Dusty exclaimed, noticing the flare in the sky. ''Come on, Kodi! We're almost there!''

''Got it, Dusty!'' Kodi replied.

As Kodi's team was getting faster, Forrest from Dingo's team shouted to Dingo: ''Dingo, speed up!''

''It's alright, Forrest!'' Dingo replied. ''I know we can do this!''

And then, an another flare popped in the sky.

''That's an one-mile mark.'' Dana said.

''Yes, and we're entering Nome!'' Dingo said, as his and Kodi's teams entered Nome.

As the teams reached the main street, it was crowded with people, and with some dogs from the sides. The finish line lied just ahead.

''Yes!'' Rico from Dingo's team shouted. ''We will win!''

''No problem!'' Dingo said. ''Nothing can stop us!''

''That's what you say!'' Kodi said, speeding up.

''Oh no, you don't!'' Dingo replied, and sped up.

Both teams were tied now, but there could be only one winner of the race, but who?

Kodi used an opportunity to speed up for the last time and bolted straight ahead, finally crossing the finish line first, leaving Dingo's team 2 meters behind.

''Yes!...'' Kodi shouted, collapsing on the floor from exhaustion. ''We made it!''

''Nice work,... Kodi!'' Dusty shouted, while panting. ''We won!''

''Congratulations, Kodi...'' Dingo said, while laying on the floor from exhaustion. ''You won...''

''Thanks, Dingo...'' Kodi replied. ''You were... so close...''

''It... doesn't matter...'' Dingo said. ''I don't... race for championship... I race... for fun...''

''Congratulations, you two.'' Balto said while approaching his sons.

''Thanks... dad...'' Kodi and Dingo greeted their father.

''Kodi, congratulations for winning the championship.'' Balto said to Kodi.

''Thanks...'' Kodi said. ''But... you should... be glad... that Dingo... almost won...''

''Yes.'' Balto said. ''Dingo, you did a great job.''

''Thanks... dad...'' Dingo replied.

Kodi got on his paws and approached Dusty. Then he said: ''We won... our parents will be so proud...''

''I know...'' Dusty said, while panting. ''My parents will be... happy when he finds out that... their former team is still... doing well...''

Dingo and Dana were taking this race well. He said: ''This is our first championship, but not the last.''

''Yeah, we still have ages to do this!'' Dana said.

Dingo's other team mates, Vincent and Fiona, took the race pretty well. Vincent said: ''We were so close, but it won't be our last championship.''

''I agree with you, Vincent.'' Fiona replied.

On the other hand, Rico and Forrest seemed unhappy about losing the race, Forrest especially. They were looking at the others a bit nervous.

Later, when the triumph was given, both teams headed to their homes. At Kodi's house, dogs were celebrating their victory.

''Congratulations, Dusty!'' Dusty's father, Max, said. ''I knew it that the running spirit goes in our family.''

''It sure does,