“…Jen?”
Aleu smiled. “…not quite Papa.”
Balto’s eyes snapped open. “…Aleu?”
Then the light turned on and blinded both of the dogs, who’s sensitive eyes took a moment to readjust.
Aleu stumbled backwards in surprise and fell over a footstool behind her.
“Ahhh!” A woman screamed. “A wolf, a in my house!” She ran over to the fireplace and Aleu struggled to her paws, still confused by the events which were happening too fast for her to keep track of now.
She stumbled backwards and fell again over the leg of a chair, knocking it to the floor.
The woman grabbed a rifle off the mantle and put it to her shoulder.
Balto’s eyes had adjusted by this point and he saw everything clearly. “Aleu run!” He yelled.
“…don’t worry boy.” The woman said when she heard Balto’s bark. “I’m going to kill it.”
Aleu saw the gun just as the woman took up the slack on the trigger, and not knowing what else to do, she jumped straight up in the air.
The rifle boomed in the house and a pieces of the soft carpet shot out of the hole.
Aleu landed on the ground and ran for the doggy door, just as the woman pulled the trigger again.
Luckily for Aleu Rosie’s mother wasn’t a very good shot and the bullet shot through the door to Aleu’s left as she leapt through the doggy door.
She landed on her face on the porch and then rolled off the right side of the porch, the fall nearly knocking the breath out of her lungs, then she scrambled under the porch and hid there, breathing hard, her heart thumping in her throat.
Aleu heard Rosie’s voice through the door then as her mother opened the door and stomped out on the porch. “…mom, what’s going on?”
“There was a wolf.” Her mother said. “A wolf in my house… I shot at it but I think I missed the mangy thing… now I don’t know where it went… a wolf, here in town…” She paused. “Balto, go get it, you can find it, go get it boy.”
Balto barked and ran out in the yard, then he stopped and looked back at Rosie’s mother.
“…you don’t know where it went either do you?” She asked. She sighed and walked back inside, shutting the door.
Balto waited until he was sure she was gone and then ran under the porch. “Aleu, are you alright?”
Aleu was still breathing hard but she nodded. “Yeah… yeah I think so.”
“What are you doing here?” Balto, trying not to yell. “Aleu are you completely out of your mind!”
Aleu shook her head. “No… papa… I… I need your help.”
“…what?” Balto said, concern in his voice. “…is something wrong with the Clan?”
Aleu nodded. “Yeah… but… but it’s much more serious than that this time.”
“What do you mean?” Balto asked.
“Dad… Shade is… is planning to kill Aniu.” Aleu said.
“…what?” Balto asked, a look of alarm springing to his face. “…how is that possible.”
“It is papa.” She said. “…I don’t have time to explain right now, but I will on the way.”
“On the way where?” Balto asked.
“To meet Dash and Raye,” Aleu said. “Then we’re going to the Origin to try to stop him.”
“The origin of what?” Balto asked.
Aleu sighed. “Papa, there isn’t time for this!” She said. “…the Origin of Aniu. We’ve got to go there and stop them.”
“…stop who?” Balto asked.
“Papa I don’t have time to explain!” Aleu yelled.
Balto stepped back.
Aleu sighed. “I’m… I’m sorry Papa it’s just that… this is very important, and we have to go now!”
“…alright Aleu… but I’ve got to tell your mother, otherwise she’ll be worried sick.”
Aleu shook her head. “Papa, there isn’t even time for that. She’ll just have to be worried. It won’t kill her… but this might.”
Balto stepped forward. “You sound really scared Aleu.” He said.
“I am really scared.” Aleu said. “If Shade is successful in this he will be able to enter our world… and he will destroy us all… and not only that… but he’ll destroy Aniu’s realm as well… the fate of everyone rests on us… and I don’t know how much time we have… but it’s not much.”
Balto nodded. “Okay Aleu okay, we’ll go. I trust you.” He looked around. “…perhaps we should go over the back fence.”
Aleu nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”
Balto and Aleu snuck under the porch and ran across the back yard, and then leapt over the fence, landing on the sidewalk on the other side.
“Come on Papa,” Aleu said. “Follow me, we have no time.”
Balto nodded and the two of them started running, headed east out of town.
Jenna opened her eyes slowly and found that she had a stinging headache. She groaned and rolled over, seeing Alyse in the corner, unmoving.
She looked around, but could see no sign of whoever had taken them. The walls and floors of the room they laid in were charred and musty.
“We must be somewhere in the Outskirts…” Jenna thought. That thought filled her with fear and Jenna felt panic start to build within her.
…but Jenna forced it down. “This is no time to panic Jenna.” She told herself. “…you’ve got to keep it together.”
Her gaze wandered to Alyse’s unmoving form again, and again Jenna noticed the absence of any type of guard or captor.
She sighed. “I hate to leave her… but if I can get away I can go get help.” Jenna thought.
She stood up and started to walk toward the window. Jenna looked out the window and swore, something she hardly ever did.
They were four stories off the ground. Evidentally this was one of the taller buildings in the Outskirts… she’d never survive a drop from this height.
Suddenly a dog darted from the darkness and slammed into her shoulder, sending her rolling across the floor. She yelped in surprise.
The dog stepped into the light. Jenna didn’t recognize him, but he seemed too clean and taken care of to be one of the Outskirts dogs… they were all dirty and didn’t care about taking care of themselves. A lot of them were also covered in gray soot from the thousands of pounds of ashes that coated everything here… this dog was not.
“where do you think you’re going Miss Jenna?” The dog said.
“How.. how do you know my name?” Jenna asked.
The dog smiled. “Aw Jenna, I’m hurt that you don’t remember me.”
“I… I don’t know you.” Jenna said.
“Yes you do.” The dog said.
Jenna shook her head, a confused look on her face. “…what… what do you want?”
The dog smiled. “That’s simple… the death of Balto is all.”
“…what?” Jenna cried. “…why? What has he done to you?”
The dog laughed. “…he killed my father.” The dog said.
“What?” Jenna asked.
“…you should remember me Jenna.” The dog said. “…last time you and I spent any time together was in a place like this...” He said.
Jenna’s memory suddnely clicked. “…Oh Aniu no…” She said. “….Jason?”
The dog smiled. “…see, I told you that you knew me.”
“Jason, Balto didn’t kill your father, a theif did.” Jenna said. “You were there when they told us.”
Jason growled. “…and you’re stupid for believing them.” Jason said. “I know the truth and I know that my mother helped him hide it from me… but Balto is the one I’m concerned with right now.”
“…Jason I’m sorry for what I did to you, I was wrong.” Jenna said, her voice shaking a bit.
Jason laughed and then hit her in the face with his paw, drawing a yelp, more of surprise than pain from Jenna. “…don’t Jenna, just don’t. It’s true you were wrong, but that’s not why I took you… I took you because Balto will come for you, and when he does I will kill him for taking my father from me.”
Tears filled Jenna’s eyes. “…no… no…” She said.
Jason smiled. “…yes Jenna… yes…”
A few hours later Balto and Aleu made it to the cave where she’d told Dash and Raye to meet them. On the way Aleu had told her father of the Shadow Clan’s plan and he now agreed that the situation was urgent.
“…I’m sorry I kept you so long under there Aleu.” Balto said. “I didn’t know.”
“It’s alright.” Aleu said. “…no one does.”
Dash and Raye came out of the cave then and Aleu smiled. “Hey kid, you’re walking.”
Dash smiled. “Yeah, she’s doing much better. Fish always helps.”
Raye smiled. “Yeah, Dash is a great fish catcher.”
Aleu looked at him. “…oh really?”
Dash smiled. “…somewhat.” Then his smile faded. “Hey dad, it’s good to see you, did Aleu tell you about this?”
Balto nodded. “Yeah… it’s good to see you too Dash.”
“Look guys,” Aleu said. “I don’t mean to be rude but we can get caught up on the way… we really need to get going.”
“…do you know the way?” Dash asked. “I’ve never even heard of the Origin before.”
Aleu nodded. “Yeah, I know where to go, just follow me...” She paused. “Raye, honey, think you’re up to the journey?”
Raye nodded. “…still hurts a bit, but I’m fine Aleu.”
Aleu smiled. “Alright then, shall we?”
Balto and Dash both nodded. “Lead the way.” Dash said.
Aleu nodded back and the four started walking through the woods.
Chapter 13:
Aleu, Balto, Dash and Raye arrived at the clearing to find a massive gathering of the black wolves. At their head was Lytion, standing beside a large table-like rock.
“This is it.” Aleu said. “…the Origin of Aniu.”
Balto looked up at the sky. It was covered in menacing dark gray clouds. “…those don’t look good.” Balto said.
Dash sighed. “…looks like we’re
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