Chapter 43: New home
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Balto was lying on the porch on his house that night. He had talked to Tayer and later felt bad because of misjudging him.

''He's not Steele.'' Balto thought to himself. ''He's a good kid.''

Balto was thinking about Tayer, the son of a dog who bullied him, left the children to die, abandoned Nome and kidnapped his grandpups, for which he paid.

Tayer was nothing like him. Nothing. He was kind, friendly, shy, reliable and willing to help anyone in trouble under any means neccessary.

Balto heard someone's pawsteps approaching to his house. He looked towards the source of the sounds and smiled as he realized whose pawsteps these were.

''Hi, Jenna.'' Balto greeted his mate. ''How're you doing?''

''I'm fine, Balto.'' Jenna said. ''The same can be said for you, right?''

''Yes.'' Balto said. ''I suppose you want to talk to me about Tayer?''

''As the matter of fact, yes.'' Jenna said. ''How was he doing with you?''

''He was good.'' Balto said. ''All he wanted to know was the truth of the lost medicine.''

''And he's nothing like his father.'' Jenna said. ''I know you know it.''

''Yes you do.'' Balto said. ''We all misjudged him... sadly.''

''True.'' Jenna frowned. ''Dingo and Dana trust him now, completely.''

''That's nice of them.'' Balto said. ''But I just wonder if he knows the truth know, is he going to tell Shira?''

''Unlikely.'' Jenna said. ''He and Shira had a big fight. Only thing is possible if Shira comes by herself or so.''

''Yes.'' Balto said. ''Has Tayer found his new friends here?''

''Galena for now.'' Jenna counted. ''But I hope her cousins will befriend him.''

''Let them befriend him.'' Balto said. ''He deserves friends, happiness and, of course, some parental love.''

However, when Balto said it, he frowned in sadness as he realized that his puphood was as same as Tayer's. Jenna noticed that pain.

''It's alright, Balto.'' Jenna nuzzled him in comfort. ''You don't have to think on that harsh puphood you had anymore. You may enjoy in the family life here.''

Balto nuzzled her back because what Jenna had said was right. He was a hero of Nome, family wolf-dog and a friend.

The next day...

Jenna left the house in the morning. She was carrying some kind of steak left-overs into the shed. The steak was a meal for Tayer.

When she opened the door, Tayer was sleeping on the planks covered with blanket, possibly serving him as a some kind of bed.

''Morning, Tayer!'' Jenna called him. ''I brought you a breakfast!''

''Wha...?'' Tayer yawned. ''Morning, ma'am. And... uh... thanks for the breakfast...?''

''There's no need to blush, Tayer.'' Jenna said as Tayer started to eat his meal. ''You're welcome here, y'know.''

''I guess.'' Tayer said.

''Tayer, do you have any friends except for Galena?'' Jenna asked.

''To be honest, no.'' Tayer said. ''Only her.''

''Well, why don't you make some new friends?'' Jenna asked again. ''For instance, her brothers or her cousins?''

''I might try.'' Tayer answered. ''If Galena told them, then it should be easy.''

As soon as Tayer finished his meal, Galena entered the shed.

''Hello, grandma Jenna.'' Galena greeted Jenna. ''Hey, Tayer.''

''Oh, hi, Galena.'' Tayer said, cleaning off himself the remains of the meal. ''I just finished my breakfast.''

''No, it's alright.'' Galena said. ''Wanna go out for a walk?''

''Sure.'' Tayer said.

''Galena.'' Jenna said. ''Have you thought about Tayer gaining some new friends, like with your brothers and cousins?''

''Of course I did.'' Galena said. ''That's why I came.''

''Good.'' Jenna smiled. ''Well, see you two later then.''

Galena and Tayer nodded as two of them headed towards the town. Tayer felt happier as he might have earned some new friends that day.

''Where to now?'' Tayer asked.

''We can go see my brothers.'' Galena said.

''Sure.'' Tayer said. They reached Harath's house, who was sleeping on the porch.

''Harath!'' Galena called her brother. He woke up.

''Hey, Galena.'' Harath yawned. ''Hey, Tayer.''

''Hi.'' Tayer greeted back. ''How're you doing?''

''I'm fine.'' Harath said. ''I see you're doing fine as well.''

''I do.'' Tayer answered. ''Galena wants me to meet the others.''

''Did you say the others?'' Kassan asked, coming out of nowhere, deeming very kind. ''We can be your company!''

''So you can enlist him in your pranking fellowship?'' Galena joked.

''Very funny, Galena.'' Kassan and Harath said.

''Thanks, guys.'' Tayer said. ''But I'll see about it.''

''Oh, well.'' Kassan said, following Galena and Tayer, as well as Harath did.

''Quite pranksters, aren't they?'' Tayer whispered to Galena, chuckling quietly.

''Yeah.'' Galena chuckled back, whispering. ''But there are my cousins Alaska and Dakotah, who seem to be more like brother and sister.''

''Sure.'' Tayer said. ''I'm ready to meet anyone possible.''

''Got it.'' Galena said. ''Hang on, lemme get them first.''

Tayer nodded as Galena headed to two houses to call her cousins, while Kassan and Harath remained back with Tayer.

''You seem to be quite fast.'' Harath looked at Tayer impressed.

''Yeah, I know.'' Tayer said, biting his tongue, trying not to mention his father.

''We should have some kind of run later.'' Kassan added. ''You, two of us and our other male cousins.''

''Ummm, okay.'' Tayer said. Then Galena returned with Alaska and Dakotah and met them in process.

''Hi.'' Alaska greeted him. ''You and my cousin seem good to be together.''

''Thanks.'' Tayer blushed. ''Galena told me about you two.''

''As a brother and sister, right?'' Dakotah added. ''Sure. We don't prank her or something like that.''

''Lucky.'' Tayer thought, as he had never had that chance.

Kassan and Harath asked Dakotah about the race and sure enough, Dakotah agreed. They continued onwards.

The next stop was Kodi's house, where Galena entered, while Kassan, Harath and Dakotah headed into other directions, leaving Alaska and Tayer alone.

''At least you and your brother have some kind of relationship.'' Tayer commented.

''I know.'' Alaska said. ''It sure sucks to be abused by your own family.''

Tayer agreed. At the same moment, Galena came out with her cousin Ryan, while Kassan, Harath and Dakotah returned with Koda, Tenana and Allina.

Sure enough, the four siblings managed to befriend Galena's friend. They all seemed nice to him. Tayer couldn't believe that the day was going in his favor.

''You think that we should throw a race of something?'' Koda asked.

''Sounds fine to me.'' Ryan answered.

''Hey, that's what we thought!'' Kassan said.

''Yeah, why don't we do it?'' Harath asked.

''Deal!'' Koda and Ryan said. ''Come on, let's get the others!''

Later, the huskies on the road headed to find Yukon's triplets. Tenana went to find Kiana, Allina went to find Amber while Dakotah, once again, headed to find Nero.

''Who'd say that the day would be this good?'' Tayer asked.

''Nice question.'' Koda said.

And sure enough, the huskies returned with Kiana, Amber and Nero, who, obviously, were nice to Tayer, Nero especially, as he heard everything.

Then they decided to find Nunivat's pups. This time, Kassan, Harath, Koda, Ryan and Nero went to find them. In the very short amount of time, they returned with Nova, Rose, Aurona, Phoenix and Holly.

''Is everyone here?'' Nero asked. ''Shall we go to the beach?''

''Everyone... expect our wolf cousins.'' Tenana noticed.

''Shall we go get them?'' Phoenix asked.

''We'll go.'' Kassan and Harath said. ''You go to the beach.''

''Got it.'' Nova said.

They reached the beach so the boys could throw a race while the girls could talk about Tayer, as they always gossiped about everything.

''How do you like it, Tayer?'' Galena asked him.

''This is great, Galena!'' Tayer said.

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