lowered himself to the ground and laid on his side.
“…you going to be alright?” Shanaea asked.
Tiembe nodded.
“…thanks to you.”
Shanaea smiled.
“You ready Shanaea?” Kodi asked.
“Yeah.” She responded.
“…well then let’s get to it.” He continued.
“Okay.” Shanaea said.
She and Kodi knelt down and picked up the broken straps of the guideline in their mouths. Then they started the long trip back to the stalled team and their family, the injured Tiembe in tow.
The wind whipped around Josh’s fur as he continued the argument he’d been having with his mother for the last ten minutes.
“…but he’s been gone too long.” He continued. “I’m going after him. What if he got hurt or… or attacked or something?”
“You’re not going anywhere Josh.” Dusty said. “Your father is fine. He’s been in this situation many times…”
Dusty thought of one time that was worse this one… of the storm she’d foolishly wandered off into trying to search for Kodi back before they were mates.
Kodi had saved her then; saved her from that horrid storm.
She had almost frozen to death out there, and would have had Kodi not found her and got her to shelter.
“…and even a few that were worse than this.” Dusty continued. “He’s fine. All that you’ll gain by going out after him is probably getting lost and having to be rescued by him.”
“How can you be so sure?” Josh asked. “…and what about Shay? Two dogs can search better than one, what if she’s laying somewhere hurt or something?”
“Your father will find her.” Dusty said. “Josh I know you’re concerned for your sister, and I am too, but we won’t do ourselves any good by walking out into that storm after your father told us to stay here. I learned that the hard way, and almost paid for it with my life.”
Josh sighed.
“I don’t like it.”
“I don’t either.” Dusty said. “…but that’s the way it is.”
Josh sighed again and nodded.
“Alright Mom.”
Dusty smiled and walked over to her son.
“He’ll be alright.”
“…and Shay?” Josh asked.
Dusty sighed.
“…we can only hope…”
“…yeah.” Josh said.
Dusty nuzzled her son.
Just then they heard a howl and Dusty jerked her head up.
“…is that…” Josh started, but his mother cut him off. “…Kodi!” She said.
Kodi appeared out of the blowing snow dragging something.
“…Shanaea?” Dusty said.
She started forward, but then her daughter appeared beside Kodi.
“They’re dragging another dog.” Josh said.
Dusty turned and did a mental head count. All of her other children were present.
“They must have found someone else.” Josh said.
“…must have.” Dusty said under her breath.
The two dogs stopped dragging the dog as they neared the team and Kodi barked.
Mr. Harrme raised his head from where he’d been sleeping on the sled.
“Kodi?” He said.
He got up and walked over to the two dogs.
“I knew you’d find her boy.” He said, patting him on the head. “You’re a good leader.”
He turned back toward the sled.
“Well, let’s get back to it boy. It’s just a short run back to town.”
Kodi barked and tugged on the harness.
“What ya got there boy?” Mr. Harrme asked, walking over to him.
“Oh my, he’s hurt isn’t he boy?”
Kodi barked again.
“…he’s not one of ours… but I suppose we can’t leave him out here alone. Something really go a hold of him… come on boy, we’ll load him up and take him to Doc. If anyone can help him Doc can.”
He looked at the harness again.
“…wait, this is one of ours.”
He looked at Shanaea.
“…yours huh girl?”
Shanaea barked.
“…looks like you’re riding then.” He paused. “You okay girl? Your head… well, we’ll have Doc take a look at it when we get back, for now, get up on the sled and I’ll get your friend here.”
Kodi walked over to the team and took his leader position.
“Is she okay?” Dusty asked.
Kodi nodded.
“She’s a little banged up, but she’ll be fine.”
“…good.” Dusty said. “I was getting worried.”
“…took me a while to find her.” Kodi said.
“Who’s the other dog?” Dusty asked.
“I don’t know.” Kodi said. “…someone she found while she was trying to get back to the team. He’s hurt real bad, we had to drag him back.”
“I’m glad you’re okay Kodi.”
Kodi smiled.
Mr. Harrme picked up the brown dog and set him on the sled.
Shanaea scooted over to him and let him lay his head on her shoulder.
“Thanks for saving me.” He said.
She smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
Mr. Harrme climbed on the back of the sled.
“Ready boy?” He asked.
Kodi barked.
“Hike! Hike! Hike!” Mr. Harrme called.
The sled jerked forward and they were off, racing toward the distant town of Nome.
Chapter 4
Fairbourne walked through the snow covered woods, a red and white dog at his side. They were hunting for something…
“Do you see anything Jason?” Fairbourne asked.
“No.” Jason said. “What are we doing out here. We’re wasting our time. I could be training now, and instead we’re doing this nonsense. Where’s the target? Let me know what it is, I’ll kill it and we can move on without all this waiting and whatnot.”
Fairbourne smiled.
“Jason, you must learn to be patient. Rushing into a situation is the best way in the world to get killed. You want to see your enemy before he sees you, even if it means walking the long way, three hours around a mountain. It will pay off.”
“…whatever.” Jason said.
Fairbourne slapped him in the side of the head. It was a blow of reprimand, but it still rattled Jason’s senses.
“Pay attention Jason.” Fairbourne said. “You have to pay attention if you expect to kill Balto. This is a lesson you need to learn.”
Jason nodded.
“Sorry sir.”
“It’s alright,” Fairbourne said. “…but try to fight your impatience; it will be your undoing if you’re not careful.”
Jason nodded.
“So where’s the target?” Jason asked.
Fairbourne tossed his head toward a bunch of vines and bushes in the nearby forest.
Jason smiled.
“…be back in a few…”
Fairbourne smiled.
“He has no idea what’s in there…” he thought. “Will he pass this test? Probably not the first time, but eventually I think he will, he’s a natural born killer that boy. I’ll have to thank Balto sometime for sending him to me… before we kill him that is.”
Fairbourne laughed.
Jason ducked into the bushes, mind bent on killing whatever was in here… but he stopped.
A small pup sat whimpering and shivering in the cold.
She stared up at him.
“What the…” Jason thought. “This… this can’t be the target.”
He looked around.
“…Fairbourne can’t want me to…”
Jason backed slowly away from the pup and walked quickly back out of the bushes and over to where Fairbourne stood waiting.
“Is it done?” Fairbourne asked.
Jason shook his head.
“The target wasn’t in there.”
“Hmm… that’s strange,” Fairbourne said. “I could’ve sworn I put the little thing where you could find it…”
“So the target is the pup then.” Jason said.
Fairbourne grinned.
“Yeah kid, she is.”
Jason shook his head.
“I can’t sir, I can’t kill a pup.”
Jason expected an outburst from his teacher at this refusal to obey an order, but Fairbourne surprised him by remaining calm.
“What do you mean?” Fairbourne asked. “Why can’t you?”
“…because,” Jason said. “It’s just not right. She’s a child, she can’t even defend herself against me.”
“She’s an enemy.” Fairbourne said. “…regardless of age or experience, she is the target, and she must die. Balto was your friend wasn’t he?”
Jason nodded.
“So what are you going to do when your feelings tell you not to kill him,” Fairbourne continued. “…when he’s lying helpless at your feet and you must make the final blow… will you be able to do it? You’ve got to bury your feelings and emotions, you cannot feel for your enemy. That will get you killed, because you will fail to act, and they will not. You must not think of your enemy as a person, as anything other than a target that has to die, that is all… the circumstances don’t matter, understand?”
Jason nodded.
“Yes sir.”
“Now, kill the target.” Fairbourne said.
Jason turned and walked back into the vines and bushes.
The pup was still sitting there whimpering, too scared to move.
She was small, probably only a few months old, this would be very easy…
“…but it’s still wrong.” Jason began to think. Then he stopped himself.
“…no, she’s a target, nothing more.”
He lunged at the small pup and she screamed.
Jason walked out of the clearing a few moments later, a small, very tattered dark gray from hanging from his jaws.
He walked over to Fairbourne and threw what was left of the cute little pup on the ground in front of him.
Fairbourne smiled.
“…you’re doing well son, you passed the test.”
Jason nodded.
“Thank you sir.” He said
“Head back to the cave, we’ll get some breakfast there.”
Jason nodded and began to walk off.
Fairbourne watched him.
Jason’s face, chest and paws were covered in blood, so much so that he left crimson tracks in the snow as he walked away.
Fairbourne looked down at the pup, or what was left of it anyway. Jason had mauled the little female so badly that had Fairbourne not seen her before hand, he wouldn’t have known what it was.
“Yes, he’s good.” Fairbourne thought. “He gave in to his hatred, and it made him stronger. He has surpassed even my expectations… yes, soon he’ll be ready, soon Balto will pay for what he did to Meesha.”
Fairbourne chuckled to himself.
“Balto, you picked the wrong wolf to mess with. I’ve tracked you all this way, and I will see you die for what you did to my clan and my mate.”
Fairbourne smiled.
“Yes, Balto you will pay, and I will stand there and watch as you breathe your last…”
Fairbourne laughed again and took off after Jason, leaving the small mutilated body in the snow.
Shanaea opened her eyes.
“Where am I?” She thought.
Then she remembered passing out last night, about the time that they reached Nome.
Apparently she’d been hurt worse than she’d realized. Her head started
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emotion and slight sorrow. But, like all the rest, it has a great
ending. But I have to wonder about the Talbourne's future under Saba,
not to mention Josh and his extreme hatred for Tiembe. Ah, well, I'll
have to read on, something I will do gladly. Again, Amazing work!