old trawler that Balto had once called home. Tim didn’t live there anymore. Shanaea had suggested the move, citing the fact that it would give Tiembe a place to retreat to if and when he needed to.
Tiembe knew that Shanaea was expecting him to ask her to be his mate, and truth be told, Tiembe wanted nothing else, but he wanted to get over his condition before he asked her to make a commitment like that to him. Tiembe loved Shanaea with all his heart, and he knew that she loved him; after the events surrounding the beginning of their relationship it was likely nothing would ever drive them apart, but Tiembe didn’t feel he was worthy of her love just yet. As long as the nightmares and thoughts of his mother lingered in his mind he felt he was a danger to her, something he wanted desperatly not to be.
As long as he felt he was a danger to her Tiembe would withold this final act which would confirm and cement their love for one another. He would do this, not because he was unsure of himself, indeed every cell in his body burned to be with the young husky forever… but if she proved unable to help Tiembe, or if he suffered a relapse of his condition, Tiembe wanted her to be happy. He would do anything to make Shanaea happy.
Tiembe gently nuzzled Shanaea so as not to wake her. What with his frequent nightmares, Shanaea’s sleep had become somewhat of a precious commodity and he didn’t want to waste it.
Tiembe heard muted voices drifting into the wheel house from outside the boat. He looked back at Shanaea and smiled. Then he got up and walked out of the wheel house to investigate the strange voices.
“Hey it’s the murderer!” Someone yelled.
Tiembe turned to see a group of dogs on the deck of the old trawler. At their head was Shanaea’s brother Josh.
He stepped forward. “That’s right Tiembe…” he said. “…enough is enough. We’ve come for you and this time you won’t be going to Blaize.”
“What are you talking about Josh?” Tiembe asked. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Josh laughed. “Oh no Tiembe?” He asked. “…just today two more dissapeared, two more females… that’s your type isn’t it?”
Timebe frowned. “I’m truly sorry about that, but I had nothing to do with it. You’ve got the wrong guy.”
Josh smiled. “I don’t believe you.”
Tiembe sighed. “Alright, let’s take this to Blaize then. You accuse me of murder, let’s make it official. Have you got any evidence agaisnt me… any at all?”
“Oh Timebe…” Josh said. He laughed softly and looked at the wooden deck beneath his paws. Suddenly he snarled and snapped his head up to lock eyes with Tiembe. “There will be no trial!” He yelled. “You have been found guilty by a group of your peers, and as the judge of this case I sentence you to death.”
“NO!” Shanaea yelled as she ran up beside Tiembe.
Josh sighed. “Shanaea…”
…but Shanaea interuptted him. “No Josh… I won’t let you hurt him.”
Josh gritted his teeth to keep from yelling at his sister. “…but he is a danger to this town… and to you, can’t you see that?”
“…he isn’t.” Shanaea said. “He hasn’t hurt a fly.”
A gray dog stepped out of the group. “You defend this murderer?” He asked.
Shanaea’s eyes flashed. “He’s not a murderer.” She said sharply. Then she looked up at Tiembe and smiled. “…but yes I do protect him… I love him.”
The gray dog crouched down. “Then I say you’re as guilty as he is.”
Then he leapt at her.
Time seemed to slow as Tiembe turned and jumped toward Shanaea, but he knew even as he did that he would never make it.
The gray dog’s paws hit Shanaea’s shoulder just before Tiembe would’ve knocked him out of the way. Tiembe felt a warm spray across his face and then time seemed to resume its normal course. The gray dog landed on his shoulder and rolled to come up on his paws. Tiembe sailed through the empty space the dog had occupied just moments before, and Shanaea landed on her side and rolled across the deck until she slammed into the railing.
Teimbe felt something run down his face and drip to the deck. He looked down and started shaking again. It was blood, but not his, he’d remained uninjured.
Tiembe looked across the deck to Shanaea, who still lay on her side. “Shanaea!” Tiembe yelled. He ran over to her and everyone else dissapeared in his mind’s eye. The world consisted of only two dogs at that one moment, he and Shanaea.
Tiembe stopped beside her and laid down, his eyes closed for fear of what he’d see. He laid his head on her cheast and waited.
It seemed as if he’d been waiting for hours and nothing had happened.
“Oh no…” Tiembe thought. “What if she’s…”
Just then Shanaea’s chest moved up and down beneath his head.
Teimbe’s heart leapt up in his throat. “…she’s alive!” He thought.
Then he opened his eyes… …and his heart plumetted through the deck beneath his paws.
Shanaea was alive… for now.
The gray dog’s jaws had caught Shanaea just below her right ear, but the inertia the dog had as a result of his attack had ripped the wound all the way down to the top of her shoulder. The dog had in effect ripped away nearly half of the young husky’s face and neck.
Tiembe saw a thin jet of dark red blood squirting rythmically from the side of her neck. He placed his paws on it and pushed down hard, trying to make the bleeding stop, williing it to stop.
…but Shanaea’s body didn’t respond to his will.
Tears started to fall from Teimbe’s eyes as the blood pooled up underneath his paws until it finally just ran over them to join the ever deepening pool around them.
“Oh Shay…” He said. “I’m… I’m so sorry.”
Shanaea didn’t answer, but her wide eyes turned to him.
Tiembe started to gently lick the side of her butchered face.
“…let… let me go.” Shanaea said, her sweet voice was raspy and her words were choked.
“…what?” Tiembe asked. “…but… but you’ll die Shay.”
She turned her eyes back toward him. Her beautiful blue eyes now widened in pain and suffering. “Tiembe… nothing… nothing can… can stop that now… you… you have to… to let me go.”
Tiembe nodded and slowly picked up his blood soaked paws, setting them on the deck once more. The rythmic squirting started again, and Shanaea’s eyes opened a little wider.
Tiembe moved his head close to hers and nuzzled her softly. “Oh God Shay… I… I love you… so much.”
Shanaea smiled. “I know… Tiembe. I… I love you… too.”
Tiembe had so many tears in his eyes now that he could barely see her as Shanaea struggled to puck up her head and lay it on his shoulder. “I don’t want you to leave Shanaea.” He said. “I’m… I’m not ready for you to leave me.”
Shanaea winced a bit and picked up her paw, rubbing it against his cheek. “I know Tiembe…” She said. “…but…” She picked up her head and laid it against his neck, looking up into his eyes. She put her other paw on top of his and smiled. “…you… you were… were the best thung tha… that ever… happened… to… me.”
Shanaea’s head dropped to his shoulder and Tiembe closed his eyes, unable to take in the gruesome sight any longer. “I love you too Shay.” He said. “You gave me a chance… when no one else would. I… I deserved to die for what I’d done… and I still do I guess… but you saved me… thank you Shay.”
Tiembe put his other paw on top of hers and squeezed it gently in between them.
Shanaea didn’t respond.
Tiembe opened his eyes.
Shanaea’s head was laying against his shoulder, her blue unblinking eyes staring back at him. Her mouth was open slightly and she was completely limp against his side.
Tiembe shut his eyes against tears he no longer had control of and he buried his head in her fur. “Shay!” He screamed. “No! Shay!” He screamed her name over and over, hoping this was another of his nightmares, that he would wake up and see her smiling face but…
“SHAY!” Tiembe yelled “SHA-A-AY!”
He felt someone shaking him and opened his eyes.
“Shh…” Shanaea said. “Tiembe it’s alright, I’m here.”
Tiembe started crying again and put his paws on her shoulders, pulling her down to him.
“It’s alright Tiembe, I’m here. You just had a nightmare; calm down.”
Tiembe just kept saying her name over and over and buried his face in her fur, nuzzling her fiercly.
“Are you alright Tiembe?” Shanaea asked. A concerned look came over her face; while Tiembe’s nightmares were normal and very frequent, this reaction to them was not.
Tiembe shook his head and wrapped his paws around her neck, squeezing her against him tightly.
Shanaea lowered her head and laid down beside him. She gently nuzzled the top of his head. “Tiembe talk to me.” Shanaea said. “What’s wrong; what happened?”
Tiembe stopped nuzzling her and looked up at her blue eyes. The vision of those bright eyes staring back at him, dead and lifeless still haunted his memories and would for some time. “…you… you died.” Tiembe said.
“…what?” Shanaea asked.
Teimbe nodded. “You… you bled to death right there at my paws.” Tiembe tossed his head at the rail at the edge of the deck, just outside the wheel house.
Shanaea sighed and looked back at him. “Well don’t worry Tiembe; it was just a dream. I’m right here, and I’m fine.”
Tiembe stopped crying and hugged her even closer. “I don’t ever want to lose you Shay.” He said.
Shanaea smiled and hugged him back. You won’t.” She said. “I plan on living for quite a while now.”
Tiembe smiled and kissed her softly on the nose. “I love you Shay.”
“I love you too Tiembe.” Shanaea answered. “…now come on sweetheart. It’s really early and we should probably both be getting back to sleep.”
Tiembe shook his head. “I don’t want to dream about you again Shanaea… not like that.”
Shanaea sighed. “Teimbe, I’ll be right here when you wake up. I’ll never leave your side, okay?”
Tiembe nodded reluctantly and wrapped his forelegs around her neck. “I’ll make
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