area that Balto laid in fell into darkness once more.

Balto couldn’t help but think that, as the room had turned dark and featureless with the absence of the light, so he had with the absence of the light in his life… and so he would remain.

He sighed again and laid his head on his paws. “Jenna.” He thought. “I wonder where you are right now; if you’re cold… wet… or even still alive… it’s been two weeks and you still haven’t come… I fear for you my love… I truly do. You know nothing of surviving on your own. I wish I could be there for you… I should be… but I’m not…”

Balto turned his eyes toward the ceiling of the room. “Please be with her Aniu… take care of her for me… for I cannot.”

He sighed again and closed his eyes.

Though his heart was troubled and his thoughts clouded, Balto felt a comforting presence, his fears and doubts evaporated, his spirit calmed and Balto fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning Jenna was again standing at the side of the river, watching the agile salmon as they darted through the water.

Not wanting to repeat the events of the previous day, she hung back from the edge, simply watching them move, analyzing their erratic movements, trying to find a way to predict where one might go so she could snag it.

Jenna snapped at one of the fish, and missed the fish, getting a mouth full of water instead.

She shook the water off her face and looked back into the water at the agile fish, as they continued their struggle against the river’s current.

Jenna started watching them again. She was very hungry; she had to find something to eat, and soon.

She’d just have to try again.

A dark gray wolf with black markings walked quietly through the forest.

He was trying to be quiet, as he was supposed to be hunting.

He heard a splash from nearby, and turned to the right, heading to the river to investigate.

He stopped in his tracks as he saw her.

There was a reddish wolf, of a type the gray wolf had never seen, standing there near the bank of the river.

“She’s… she’s beautiful.” The wolf thought.

Jenna snapped at another salmon, and once again got nothing but water.

The salmon swam to the surface and batted Jenna’s muzzle with its tail as it dove down into the river once more.

A laugh erupted from the bushes behind her, and Jenna whirled around.

A gray wolf stepped out of the bushes.

The sight of the wolf spooked Jenna, and she jumped back, forgetting how close she was to the edge of the river.

With a loud SploosH, Jenna fell into the water.

The wolf ran to the edge as Jenna stood up.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

Jenna growled at him.

“Hey, take it easy.” He said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Jenna stopped growling, but an angry look still showed on her face.

“You know,” the gray wolf said. “You really should get out of that water before you freeze to death.”

Jenna looked around her. Then she sighed and walked over to the bank, crawling up it once more.

“What’s your name?” The gray wolf asked.

“I could ask you the same question.” Jenna said.

“Very well.” The wolf said, smiling and stepping back. “The name’s Dolo.” He bowed his head to her. “…and you are?”

Jenna smiled. “Jenna.” She said.

“You’re not from around here, are you Jenna.” Dolo said.

Jenna sighed and shook her head. “Close to here though.”

“Where’s that?” Dolo asked.

“Nome.” Jenna responded.

“Nome!” Dolo asked, stepping back. “Then… then you’re not a wolf?”

Jenna smiled and shook her head. “I’m a husky… a dog.”

“What are you doing here?” Dolo asked. “Are there humans nearby?”

“No, there are no humans, not that I know of,” Jenna said. “…and I… I was banished from Nome. That’s why I live here now.”

“Oh.” Dolo said.

“I was hoping to catch some fish but…” Jenna sighed. “I guess that’s easier said than done.”

“How long’s it been since you’ve eaten?” Dolo asked.

“Almost three days.” Jenna answered.

“Wow, you must be hungry,” Dolo said, “would you like to come with me, to my clan?”

“Well…” Jenna said. “I… I wouldn’t want to impose, I mean…”

“We have food.” Dolo said.

“Food?” Jenna thought. “Alright, I’ll come with you.”

Dolo smiled. “Cool. Follow me.”

Dolo turned and walked back into the bushes, Jenna followed him.

Chapter 2:

Dolo led Jenna to a small cave not too far from the river, but almost a day’s journey from Nome.

Outside the cave was a brown wolf. He smiled as Dolo and Jenna made their way toward him.

“Hey there Dolo.” The wolf said. “Any luck?”

Dolo shook his head. “Not like we really need it though. We’re doing pretty well.”

The brown wolf nodded, then he noticed Jenna.

“Who’s this?” The wolf asked.

Dolo smiled. “Jenna, I’d like you to meet Basalt.” He turned back to look at the brown wolf. “Basalt, I found her at the bend in the river, trying to fish. She fell in the river, and is still soaked. She’s going to get sick if we don’t help her out.”

Basalt nodded. “Let’s take her inside.”

Dolo turned to Jenna. “Come on in.”

The three of them walked into the small cave.

There were four other wolves sitting in the single chamber of the cave, which was barely three feet tall. It didn’t leave much room above their heads, and Jenna had to weave around a few stalactites that hung from the ceiling.

Finally the three of them stopped in front of the clan of wolves.

Dolo turned to a dull golden colored wolf sitting beside a beautiful white one that was speckled black and gray.

“Connal, I found this Husky at the bend in the river. She was banished from Nome and does not know how to care for herself out here. I request that we help her out for a bit, until she gets on her feet.”

Connal nodded silently. “Okay.” He said. “I think we can do that.” He turned to Jenna. “What’s your name?”

Jenna smiled. “Jenna.”

“Well Jenna,” Connal said. “You’re welcome to stay here if you like. Let me introduce you to the others.

He walked back over to the white wolf, which stood. “This is my mate Jade.”

“Nice to meet you.” Jenna said.

Jade smiled. “I think you’ll like it here.”

Connal turned to her. “Jade, you want to show Jenna around?”

“Sure.” She said.

She walked over to three gray wolves. “This is Slate, Granite and Slag.”

“Hello.” Jenna said.

“Hi.” Slate said standing.

“Of course you already know Dolo, we’re the Lorelei Clan.”

Dolo stepped up next to her. “We may be small, but we take care of our own. I think you’ll like it here. ”

Jenna smiled.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

Connal walked up to the group then. “So Jenna, now that we’re all family, why don’t you tell us how you came to be out here all alone. I can tell just by looking at you that you’re not usually forced to survive on your own out here.”

Jenna sighed. “I… I was banished from Nome.”

“Why?” Jade asked.

“I… I lost someone very close to me… my son, and… and I tried to take the life of the killer’s child to repay him.”

“Oh…” Jade said.

Jenna smiled. “Don’t worry.” She said. “Unless you harm one of my children, I’m not dangerous.”

Connal smiled. “Actually Jenna, I understand you much more than you probably know.”

“You do?” Jenna said.

Connal nodded. “Jade and I had a pup not to long ago… a month ago; she was killed by a rival clan that found her on their territory.”

“I’m sorry.” Jenna said.

“We killed every one of them.” Connal said.

Dolo nodded. “Crystal’s loss touched us all.”

“My son wasn’t even dead though…” Jenna said. “It was all a big misunderstanding.”

A tear came to her eye. “…and I almost killed that poor kid… I ruined my life…”

Connal shook his head. “Not necessarily. Maybe you were meant to be here for some reason.”

Jenna sighed. “I guess…”

Slate stepped forward. “Sometimes Aniu works in strange ways.”

“Aniu?” Jenna said. “You know about her?”

“What wolf doesn’t?” Slate said. “I’m surprised you do. Most dogs have forgotten about her.”

“My daughter Aleu leads a wolf pack, and she taught us.” Jenna said.

“Aleu is