asked.

''Yes...'' the lead wolf said, at the verge of laughter. ''...and you brought a dog. Who's he? Your friend? Brother?''

The lead wolf started laughing so hard that the others began laughing as well. But then, the lead wolf cackled as Niju pressed him hard. Everyone else noticed that.

''Hey!'' the scout wolf yelled. ''Knock it off!''

''Quiet you!'' Steele growled at the wolf. ''We came to ask you something, but you're making fun of us!''

''Because we don't allow dogs here, nor the wolf-dogs!'' the second wolf said.

''Niju, let him go.'' Steele said as Niju released the leader wolf, who got on his paw cackling.

''W-what do you w-w-want?'' The lead wolf asked, still cackling.

''We came to ask you something.'' Niju said. ''Do you have a wolf pack leader?''

''Not exactly.'' The lead wolf said. ''And no one is capable to do that.''

''Define ''no one'' again.'' Steele said. ''We need you.''

''Why?'' the scout wolf chuckled.

''Do you ever get proper hunt leaderless?'' Niju asked.

The wolves shook with their heads in decline.

''Do you ever get any pride for that?'' Steele asked.

The wolves shook their heads again.

''But we can help you.'' Steele said. ''We can guarantee you proper hunt and pride. My friend Niju can be your leader.''

The wolves watched at each other curiously. Then the scout wolf asked: ''Is there something we can do for you?''

''Well...'' Steele said, but he was interrupted by the howling in the distance.

''Who was that?'' the lead wolf asked.

''Hang in there, guys.'' Steele said. ''I'll be back soon.''

Steele headed towards the place from where the howl came, while Niju remained with the wolves.

''Who did howl?'' Winter asked Forrest and Angel, while they were hidden in the snow nearby.

''I don't know.'' Forrest said. ''It didn't sound like a wolf.''

''It sounded as if it was a dog.'' Angel said. ''Either husky or malamute, I'm not sure.''

''I hope Steele returns.'' Winter said. ''Then we'll find out what're they up to.''

20 minutes later...

''What's taking him so long?'' Forrest asked. ''Was this some kind of decoy?''

''Ssssssshhhhhhh.'' Angel shushed. ''He's coming back.''

Sure enough, Steele came back. His expression remained more or less the same. What was he up to?

''Is everything alright?'' Niju asked.

''It is.'' Steele said while looking somewhat lightly sad at the howl. ''Let's continue about the leadership.''

''Sure.'' Niju said. ''Remember when we said that you'll have proper hunt and pride?''

''Yes.'' The wolves said.

''For the pride there's no worry.'' Steele said. ''In order to get it, we'll need to battle the wolf-dog!''

''The white one?'' the scout wolf asked. ''He's gone! Possibly dead!''

''Not him, you fools!'' Steele growled. He cringed upon remembering Winter. ''It's the other one. Brownish-gray one.''

''Oooohhh.'' The lead wolf said. ''What about him?''

''That wolf-dog took both our prides.'' Niju said. ''He stole Steele's by banishing him out of Nome and he stole mine as he gave his leadership to his wolf-dog daughter, who we will also battle!''

The wolves growled upon hearing what happened to Niju before.

''In order to make sure your prides don't get stolen.'' Steele said. ''You'll be helping us.''

''If you say so, chief.'' The scout wolf said. ''But how're we going to lure them here?''

''Last night, I kidnapped the wolf-dog's mate, his mate-looking daughter and his son's mate.'' Niju said. ''My plan backfired, but I realized that he has six pups, each of them having mates.''

The wolves looked at each other. First they were confused, but they they smiled gleefully as if they knew what was he talking about.

''Now listen up what are we going to do...'' Steele said.

As soon as Steele finished talking...

''Chief, when're we going?'' The scout wolf asked. ''Now?''

''No, you fool!'' Niju said. ''We'll need some time for that, perhaps one month!''

''One month?'' Lead wolf asked. ''No way, that's too much!''

''Quiet, you...'' Steele said. ''Niju's right, we'll need one month for that.''

The wolves murmured to each other and finally accepted the deal Steele and Niju gave. The sinister plot was starting to get real.

As the month was passing, Steele and Niju were preparing the Outsiders for the sinister plot. They were going in details who was going to do what and so on.

But Steele wasn't always there, because whenever the howl was heard, he had to go for it. No one, expect Niju, knew why Steele was going after that howl.

Finally, the month passed, and the Outsiders, led by Steele and Niju, were ready for the sinister plot to be done.

''Is everyone ready?'' Niju asked.

''Yes, chief!'' The scout wolf said. ''Are we going now?''

''Yes.'' Steele said. ''By the evening, we shall reach Nome. When each of them is asleep, get to the action!''

''Got it!'' the lead wolf said.

''Let's go!'' Niju yelled as he, Steele and the wolves were heading to the Nome.

''No!'' Winter said. ''Why're we letting them go?!''

''Forrest!'' Angel said. ''This is madness! We must stop them!''

''No.'' Forrest said.

''Forrest?! Are you out of your mind?!'' Winter yelled. ''Don't you know what're they going to do?''

''I know what're they going to do.'' Forrest said.

''Then what're we waiting for?!'' Angel asked.

''Think about it, you two!'' Forrest said. ''If we stop them, we'd be outnumbered and get ourselves killed, and they would repeat their plot over and over again...

...but if we let them do that, Balto and his family will come and battle them, and we must help them. And depending on the battlefield, that might lead both Niju and Steele to their demises.''

''Are you sure?'' Winter asked.

''Absolutely.'' Forrest said. ''You don't mess with Balto and his family. And, Winter... The Outsiders'd finally realize that you don't need to be a pure wolf to the the leader.''

Winter was surprised upon that as he smiled because the aftermath might be effective. The three friends watched Niju, Steele and the Outsiders heading to Nome.

Chapter 31: Puppy-sitting
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One month had passed since Niju was defeated in the rough wilderness of Alaska. The entire Balto family was very happy by then.

The Trio of Nome, Nikki, Kaltag and Star, began patrolling the streets again due to kidnapping that occurred one month ago.

''Well, now they're protector of our puppies as well.'' Kodi joked.

''Yeah.'' Dusty said. ''At least Kirby and Ralph didn't take that responsibility.''

Both of them laughed at that as their teammates showed little to no interest into being the patrollers of Nome.

As the snow fell in Nome, all the puppies went out to the snow for the first time. The puppies enjoyed playing in the snow and sometimes they'd beg their parents to stay longer. Their parents reluctantly agreed.

Aleu and Kenai enjoyed watching their puppies playing in snow, but they had hard times finding Naia as she was white as snow. Fortunately, she'd not go further for the boat.

As the grand-puppies were two months old, all Balto's pups and their mates wanted to see each other and go out for a night all together. Even since the grand-puppies were born, they weren't able to see each other.

Because of that, Kodi, Dingo, Yukon, Kenai, Josh and Thunder gathered up in the boiler room to consult with Balto about puppy-sitting while they were on their night with their mates.

''Yep.'' Dingo said, noticing Balto coming. ''Here he comes.''

Soon enough, Balto entered the boiler room and noticed his sons and sons-in-law waiting in there.

''Hey, y'all.'' Balto greeted them. ''You wanted to see me?''

''Yeah, dad.'' Yukon said. ''We have to tell you something.''

''Sure.'' Balto replied. ''I'm listening.''

''Ever since we all became parents.'' Kodi said. ''We never had a chance to see each others.''

''Excluding the journey one month ago.'' Thunder said.

''Yeah, but we weren't able to see each others as a