said. She gave Togo a friendly lick on his muzzle and ran to Balto to tell him what Togo said.

But before Jenna could say a word, a terrible thing happened. Morris squeezed half way through his doggy door and barked as loud as he could with an urgent message. The dogs listened to the message and gasped when they heard it. The message said that another town was infected with a deadly sickness, and Nome was the closest town that had the medicine, they needed help!

«Oh no.» Balto whispered as he lowered his ears.

His ears perked right back up as he heard Gunnar calling all the team’s names. «Let’s go!» Balto yelled.

The team ran out the door and barked all the way to the team house.

There was another problem, the town needed help, and quick! And the town was hundreds of miles away, and the only possible way to get the medicine there was from a sled team, because the weather outside of Nome hasn’t been so good lately. The stricken town knew just who to turn to. Balto.

When the dogs arrived in front of the team house, they saw Gunnar packing a bunch of supplies that seemed like it was for a long dangerous trip, and other mushers bringing out the sled and harnesses for the team.

Gunnar finished packing and called the dogs inside. They went in and walked to their food bowls and ate.

«What’s going on?» Star asked.

Kaltag sat on Star’s head, then let him go a few seconds later.

«Kaltag stop that!» Balto then turned to Star. «Didn’t you hear Morris’ message? There’s a town far away from here with an epidemic, we’re the closest town with the medicine, and we have to bring it.» Balto explained.

«That is the most terrible, the most awful, the most dire, the most horrendous, the most dreadful, the most profound--» Kaltag was cut off by Star.

«That’s bad!» said Star. Kaltag bonked him on the head. Star fell to the ground with his tongue hanging out as Nikki shook his head.

«Kaltag, quit it!» Balto barked.

Balto and Kaltag took a few more mouthfuls of food until Jenna and Duchess came running into the team house.

«Balto!» Jenna yelled.

«Jenna? What are you doing here?» asked Balto.

Duchess nuzzled Kaltag as Jenna spoke. «Are you leaving today?» she asked.

«I’m not sure.» said Balto. «But I know that we’re leaving really soon, it sounds really bad, and they need our help.» he added.

«Kaltag will you be ok?» Duchess asked anxiously.

«Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.» Kaltag assured.

«I’ll make sure of that.» said Balto.

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

That night, all seven dogs: Balto, Star, Nikki, Kaltag, Dingo , Shep, and Blaze were harnessed and ready to go, with a crowd of people standing around.

Jenna was standing next to Balto while Duchess was standing next to Kaltag.

Jenna nuzzled Balto. «Are you sure you’ll be ok?» She asked.

«Don’t worry Jenna, I’ll be fine. I made it the last time didn’t I?» said Balto. Jenna smiled and licked his nose a few times.

«Are you sure you’ll be alright?» Duchess asked Kaltag.

«I’m be fine, stop worrying.» Kaltag said as he nuzzled her.

«Ok.» said Duchess. Duchess licked his muzzle.

Gunnar Kassen stepped onto the sled.

«I have to go.» Balto said.

«I’m gonna miss you so much.» said Jenna as they nuzzled one last time.

«I’m gonna miss you too.» He said. Balto licked Jenna’s muzzle and eye a few times as she laughed. Jenna always loved it when he did that.

«I’ll miss you.» Duchess said to Kaltag.

«I’ll miss you too.» said Kaltag. He licked Duchess’s nose and muzzle, and nuzzled her once more. 

«Balto! Go boy!» yelled Gunnar. Balto looked back, then ahead and ran off as the crowd waved and cheered. Jenna and Duchess stepped back and looked sadly at the team as it disappeared into the mist of snow.

Duchess didn’t notice when Jenna ran off to look for Sage. She ran to the boiler room, but the only dog in there was Steele, sitting in front of the heater with his head resting on the floor. Jenna figured that Steele might know something about Sage’s strange behavior, since he seemed to be a part of it. This was the first time in a long time that Jenna has ever been happy to see Steele. She walked in, and up to Steele.

«Hey Steele.» she said.

Steele picked his head up and looked at her. «Hi Jenna.» Steele said.

Jenna lied down next to him. «Steele, do you know why Sage is acting so strange?» Jenna asked.

«What do you mean?»

«Well, she just ran out of the mill today, and was in the boiler room with my sister, crying, and when she looked at me, she cringed and ran off, and I haven’t seen her since.»

Steele thought for a moment. «I don’t know.» he said.

Jenna sighed. «I don’t know what else to do! She’s my best friend, and it’s like she’s mad at me for no reason!» Jenna said sadly.

Steele nuzzled her. «It’s ok Jenna.» he said.

Jenna was to upset to care that Steele was nuzzling her. She leaned on him and rubbed her head against his thick, soft, beautiful coat.

Steele smiled. He finally had Jenna all to himself, and Balto couldn’t interfere at all!

Just then, Sage walked in the doorway and saw Jenna and Steele. She lied down, backed away slightly, and watched what they were doing.

Jenna moved closer to the heater. Steele did the same. He playfully pushed her muzzle with his nose. Jenna thought that he was just trying to cheer her up. She laughed and pushed his chin up with her muzzle. Steele stood on his hind legs and wrapped his arms around her neck. Jenna ran and a circle as Steele hopped along with her, then let go when she stopped. «We haven’t played like this since we were pups.» Jenna said. «Yeah, we had a lot of fun.» said Steele. Jenna jumped over his back and Steele spun around towards her. Jenna walked under him and walked to his front side and ran her tail under his chin. Steele laughed, then knocked her on her back. He lied down on her, and licked her eye and muzzle a few times. Sage began to tear. Jenna smiled as she remembered how they used to play all the time when they were pups. She licked his cheek and laughed. Steele hopped off. Jenna stood up and stood still as she looked out the window, listening to the wind howl. She began to worry about Balto being in that harsh weather that was ahead of him. Steele smiled at the fact that his plan was working. Steele nuzzled his chin on Jenna’s neck, then slid his head down to her back.

Just then, Sage ran into the room. «STEELE!» she yelled. Steele quickly came back down and looked at her.

Jenna turned to Sage. «Sage, I’ve been looking all over for you!» Jenna said.

Sage ran out the door, crying harder than ever. Jenna began to run, but Steele grabbed her bandana. He let go a few seconds later.

«Let me go, I’m the one she wants to talk to.» Steele said. He ran after Sage and chased her all the way onto Balto’s boat.

«How could you Steele?» Sage yelled. Steele had nothing to say.

Sage lied down and covered herself in Balto’s blanket. Steele got under the blanket with her and lied down. He nuzzled her neck and licked the top of her head, trying to calm her down and make her stop crying. They eventually fell asleep there.

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

Steele was the first to wake up the next morning. He looked at Sage, and a strange feeling took over him. He felt different about her. The same way he felt about Jenna, but still liked Jenna more. He still had his heart set on giving Jenna her litter. He walked onto the dock, put his 2 front paws on the edge of the boat, and watched the ice glisten in the sunlight.

Sage woke up and saw Steele looking out. She got up and walked up to him. «What are you looking at?» she asked.

«Nothing.» said Steele.

«Come on.» said Steele as he took his front paws off the edge of the boat. «Let’s go get breakfast.» he said. Steele ran towards his team house, and Sage followed.

The two dogs ran into the team house.

«Hey! It’s Sage!» said Ranger, who was the 7th dog on the team.

«Hey sage, how’s it goin’?» said the 6th dog named Apex.

«How are ya doin’ Sage?» said Buck, the 3rd dog.

Steele smiled. His new team has known Sage for a long time, and they missed her a lot.

«Pretty good!» Sage said with a smile.

Steele’s musher put down a spare bowl for Sage and filled it with food. Steele and Sage ate next to each other.

An hour later, the dogs of Nome, and Steele’s team (but not Steele) were talking about Balto.

«Jenna, don’t worry so much, Balto’s a hero, and the lead dog, he can get the team through any kind of danger.» Dixie said, trying to calm Jenna down.

«Yeah Jenna, I mean sure there are a lot