their team house. They heard the commotion going on at the Old Mill. Steele looked out the window at the Old Mill and saw the dogs inside. He turned around and jumped off the couch and walked back to his team who was also listening.

«I can’t believe them, it makes me sick! What’s so great about that wolfdog?» Steele growled.

«I know Steele, I don’t get it either.» Said Duncan, who was the 4th dog from his team.

«Yeah, and I can’t believe Jenna chose him, I mean it just doesn’t make sense, who would want a wolfdog for a mate?» Said Max, who was the second dog on the team.

«Who wants to have a litter of wolf pups?» said Buck, who was the 3rd dog on the team.

Steele looked out the window. «Well all I know is, Balto is stealing Jenna from me! Let’s go!» Steele ordered.

The team got up and followed Steele to the Old Mill. The dogs walked in as they were greeted by the others.

«Hey there Steele.» Said Togo

«Hey.» Steele said as he smiled

The dogs lied down and joined the rest of the group. Steele lied down next to Jenna, but not too close, so Balto wouldn’t suspect anything. The dogs talked about the race and what happened. Obviously, Steele exaggerated a lot, but Balto always corrected him. The dogs continued to talk for quite a while.

Just then, a dog that Jenna and Duchess used to be best friends with walked in the door. She has not been here for the epidemic of the town, or when Balto rescued it. She was a friend that moved away to America, and has now moved back. She had the same figure as Jenna and Duchess, with floppy ears that flopped over to the front. She wore a hunter green collar with a silver tag, and had dark tan fur on her tail, back, shoulders, and head. The fur was cream on her stomach, legs, around her eyes, under tail, and muzzle. She also had 3 small dark tan spots on her muzzle. Her name was Sage. 

Jenna heard a familiar voice coming from the door way.

«Jenna? Duchess? Is it really you?» Sage asked.

Jenna and Duchess stood up and turned to the door way, and what they saw nearly knocked them off their paws! It was Sage! She moved back to Nome, Alaska, and was so happy to see her friends again!

«SAGE!» Jenna and Duchess said together.

They ran to Sage and they all jumped around and barked.

«Oh my god, what are you doing here?» Jenna asked with the biggest smile on her face.

«My owner moved back to Nome, so here I am!» Sage said.

«I don’t believe it!» Duchess yelled.

«Neither do I! This place hasn’t changed a bit! Everyone is still here! She said. Sage looked around and noticed Balto. She was puzzled when she saw the half breed stray surrounded by everyone. She gasped as she saw him wearing Steele’s Golden Collar.

«Why is Balto here? And why is he wearing Steele’s collar?» She asked.

«Well, a while ago, a deadly sickness called ‘Diphtheria’ spread through the town, and almost all the children were sick, including Rosie. Steele lead the team to get the medicine, and on his way back he got lost, so Balto went out to find the team ,and he brought back the medicine, and he became a hero. So now he’s on the sled team, and Steele was put on a new one, and Balto is the defending racing champion!» Jenna explained. She said all of this quietly so Steele wouldn’t get mad when he heard it.

«I guess something has changed.» Sage said. «Oh right! I remember now, Balto was all over the news.» she added.

Sage sighed and thought about Steele for a moment. She’d always liked Steele, and loved that he was the champion, and now he wasn’t. It made her even more upset that Steele only liked one dog, and that was Jenna. Sage was always trying to win Steele over, but it never worked.

«Sage, what’s wrong?» Duchess said anxiously.

«Nothing.» She said quietly.

The three dogs walked up, and joined the rest of the group. Jenna and Duchess sat down as the team and dogs of Nome all greeted Sage, and welcomed her back. Sage looked sadly at Steele’s neck. It pained her to see that he wasn’t wearing the Golden Collar anymore, he was wearing was a tan belt collar with silver ovals, like the golden collar.

«Hey Steele.» Sage said as she walked up and lied down next to him.

«Oh, hey Sage.» He said. «How’ve you been?»

«Pretty good, you?» She asked as she tilted her head.

«Not so good ever since Balto’s been taking all the glory.» Steele cringed at Balto. «He never should’ve interfered, I could’ve gotten the team home.» said Steele.

«Oh I’m so sorry!» Sage said as she leaned her head on his neck.

Steele realized that she was coming on to him yet again. «When will she understand that I only like Jenna and no one else?» Steele thought.

Steele and Sage carried on the conversation as the others talked about other things.

«I can tell that there’s something else on your mind too.» Sage said.

«Yeah, but I’d rather not talk about it.» Sage failed to notice that Steele looked sadly at Jenna as he finished his sentence.

Sage took her head off Steele’s neck and faced him. «Something’s been bothering me too.» She said.

Steele looked at her. «What?»

«Well, it’s mostly a girl problem but...I’ve never had a littler of puppies, and it makes me sad that a lot of other girls have.» Sage said. She rested her head on the cold wood floor.

Steele widened his eyes. «Is she asking to have puppies?» Steele thought to himself. «You read my mind, that was bothering me.»

Steele looked and smiled at Jenna. Sage noticed that he still liked her. She looked away to hide her tears. Steele looked back at Sage.

«Sage, are you ok?» he asked.

Sage whipped her tear and turned back to Steele. «Yeah, I’m fine, I just thought I heard something.» She said trying not to have a crying voice. «But I have to go, my owner’s probably looking for me.» said Sage. She stood up and ran out the door as she shed another tear.

«Sage?» Jenna said. But Sage didn’t answer, she continued to run. Jenna got up and started to run. Steele realized this would be a good time to bring Jenna to a private spot. He jumped up and stood in her way.

«Steele!» Jenna yelled.

Duchess ran out the door and chased after Sage.

Jenna ran around Steele to get to the door.

«Let her go.» Steele said. He crabbed her bandana and held her back. Jenna tried to pull herself out of Steele’s grip, but she couldn’t, and she wasn’t about to slip her bandana off because she didn’t want to leave it behind and have to go back and get it.

Balto stood up. «Steele, let Jenna go!» he yelled. Steele growled at Balto. Balto growled back and revealed his wolf-like fangs. He pushed Steele causing him to let go of the bandana. Jenna ran out the door and followed the tracks left by Duchess and Sage.

Steele tried to follow, but a few of the dogs blocked him.

«Just leave it.» Togo said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jenna found Sage crying in the boiler room while talking to Duchess. «What’s wrong?» Jenna asked.

«She explained it to me.» Duchess said.

Sage cringed at Jenna.

«What did I do?» Jenna asked with a puzzledlook.

Sage ran out of the boiler room and to her house.

Duchess walked up to Jenna. «She’s kinda mad at you, and it’s really not your fault.» said Duchess.

«Then who’s fault is it?» Jenna asked.

«It’s no one’s fault.» said Duchess. «Just give her some time, I’m sure she’ll be ok in a little while.» she added.

«But I want to know what’s going on!» yelled Jenna.

«Jenna, calm down, let’s just hope that she’ll tell you everything at her own time. Plus, she made me promise not to tell you.» said Duchess.

«Why would you promise that?» Jenna asked.

«Because she’s our friend!» yelled Duchess.

«And I’M your sister!» Jenna shouted.

«I’m sorry Jenna, I just can’t tell you.» said Duchess as she looked down.

Jenna cringed at Duchess and stormed out the door and ran to the mill.

She ran inside. «Is Sage here?» she asked anxiously.

«She was, but she went home.» Togo said.

Jenna sighed. «But she’s mad at me, and I didn’t do anything to her! I wanna know what’s going on!» Jenna said.

Togo walked up to her. «I’m not sure, but it might have something to do with Steele.» Togo said.

«What makes you think that?» asked Jenna

«I was watching them, and when Steele looked at you, she started crying. I don’t know why, but she did.» Togo explained.

«I think your right, it might have something to do with Steele.» Jenna said. «Thanks» she said. She gave Togo