knew. Saba and Kelly had grown up together. Kelly was only three when Saba had been adopted by her parents. As Kelly grew, so did Saba. Now, at three years old, Saba had looked on the six year old girl as her best friend, someone who would stand by her no matter what.

Saba sighed and turned to walk away. She knew that it was dangerous to even be near here.

A sound stopped her.

It was sobbing.

It was someone sobbing coming from across the white fence, in the tree line beyond.

Saba walked through the dense trees ducking below the low hanging branches and following the sound.

She emerged into a clearing and saw a familiar young girl sitting against a tree near the edge of it, she had drawn her knees up to her chest and was crying.

Saba strained her ears, trying to hear what the young girl was saying. When she finally made it out it was faint, almost indistinguishable.

“Where… where are you Saba?”

Saba crept forward.

“I’m right here.” She thought.

Saba barked and Kelly jerked her head up.

Saba ran at her.

Kelly screamed.

Saba followed behind her as Kelly ran out of the clearing.

“Help!” The girl screamed. “Daddy, daddy, HELP!”

Saba skidded to a stop in the wet snow as Kelly’s father stepped out on the porch, shepparding his daughter inside.

“Damn wolf…” he muttered as he raised his gun and put the stock of the shotgun in his arm.

Saba saw what was in his hands and ice ran through her veins.

BooM…

Jenna and Dolo were walking through the forest. It was early morning, and the two were again on the move, hoping to get lucky and catch some breakfast.

Suddenly Dolo stopped.

“What is it Dolo?” Jenna asked.

“Shh.” Dolo said.

He looked around, and saw a shadow flit between the trees to the front; a large shadow.

“Jenna, stay here.” Dolo said.

“What is it?” Jenna asked, a slight fear entering her voice. “Is there something out there?”

“I don’t know.” Dolo said, walking forward. “Just stay there.”

Jenna stayed put as Dolo continued to walk forward.

About twenty yards from the spot where Jenna stood, Dolo stopped.

He couldn’t see anything, maybe he’d imagined it.

Suddenly, the snow came to life in front of him, as a huge white bear rose from the ground.

Dolo’s eyes widened. “Holy…”

He never finished the thought.

The bear hit him, and Dolo flew into a rock bluff almost ten feet away.

“Dolo!” Jenna yelled.

Dolo slid to the ground.

The bear roared and charged at Jenna. She was frozen in fear. Jenna knew she should move, but she was unable to get her legs to work.

Dolo picked his head up and saw the bear charging at Jenna.

He scrambled to his feet and ran at Jenna as the bear leapt in the air, intending to shatter Jenna’s body with it’s own.

Dolo hit the bear in mid jump, knocking him to the side.

Jenna watched, still unable to move, as the bear’s massive paw flew by her head, missing her by less than a half inch.

Dolo and the bear rolled.

The bear came up on top.

The bear slammed it’s paw down and hit Dolo in the ribs.

He could feel something crack in his chest, and an intense burning spread across his body.

The bear stood him up, and hit him again.

This time Dolo flew in the other direction, crashed into the snow, rolled, hit a rock, and flew over the side of the hill to the left.

“Dolo!” Jenna yelled again.

There was no answer.

Jenna turned back to the bear, an intense fire in her eyes.

She ran at he bear and jumped, clamping her jaws on it’s left foreleg.

The bear roared and stood on it’s hind legs, then it knocked Jenna off it’s arm with it’s other paw.

Jenna crashed to the snow, scrambled to her paws and ran back at the bear, this time landing on its back.

She punctured the skin at the back of the bear’s massive neck with her needle sharp teeth.

The bear roared and threw her to the ground beneath him.

The impact effectively knocked the wind out of Jenna, and she found it hard to breathe.

She shook her head, and rolled to the side, just as the bear’s massive paw slammed down, attempting to crush her.

The bear roared and Jenna rolled, again dodging the paw, as it slammed downward, impacting the snow where she’d just laid.

Jenna realized that she was going to die if she didn’t get out from under the bear soon, so she flipped over, and leapt onto its back again.

The bear howled in pain as Jenna tore into its shoulder blade.

The bear reached behind him, wrapping its paws around her.

“Uh oh…” Jenna thought.

Then the bear threw her.

Jenna was upside down, flying through the air, then she felt an intense burst of pain as hr back slammed into a small tree, breaking though it, and impacting the massive pine behind it.

This one didn’t give.

Jenna found herself on the snow, a red stain spreading around her.

The bear growled and lumbered toward her.

Jenna looked behind her and found salvation.

She struggled to her paws and limped over to a small out cropping of rocks, which she crawled under.

Jenna pressed herself against the back of the rocks and hoped to Aniu that the bear couldn’t reach her.

It growled and slammed it’s head into the hole, it’s gleaming jaws snapping shut just inches from Jenna, who tried to push further into the outcropping.

The bear’s head withdrew, and Jenna relaxed somewhat, waiting to see if it would re-appear.

She jumped and hit her head on the rock ceiling of the outcropping, as the bear slammed into the opening again, dislodging a few of the rocks, and pressing deeper into it.

The bear snapped its jaws shut, and Jenna could feel the gleaming jaws slide through the fur of her neck, missing her by mere centimeters.

The bear withdrew again, and Jenna heard the thud of its footsteps, then, silence.

“Is it gone?” Jenna thought.

She tentatively walked to the opening and stuck her head out, looking around.

“He’s gone.” Jenna thought.

She walked slowly out of the outcropping.

“Dolo?” She called, limping over to the hill which the wolf had rolled over.

She gasped.

On the other side of the hill was a shear drop of over three hundred feet. A small ledge stuck out of it about six feet down…

…but there was no Dolo.

Tears came to Jenna’s eyes.

“He was right.” She thought. “I can’t go back to Nome, not and put Balto and I in danger, to truly love him is to let him live, to not put him in danger.”

She sighed.

“Now I’m truly alone.”

“Jenna?”

The voice had come from behind her, and she turned.

“You alright?” He asked.

More tears filled Jenna’s eyes and a disbelieving look came over Jenna’s face.

“How…”

Dolo smiled and limped over to her.

“I landed on that ledge. While he was busy trying to get at you under those rocks, I was able to get back up here.”

Jenna smiled. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“So am I.” Dolo said, returning her smile. “Look… Dolo…” Jenna said. “I’m… I’m not sure quite how to put this, but… well, I was thinking about what you were talking about last night, and you’re… you’re right… I can’t go back. If I brought harm to Balto… I’d never forgive myself, and… well, if I can’t be with him… I’d like to be with you.”

Dolo smiled.

Jenna stepped forward.

“I mean, you’ve taken care of me, from day one, at the river. You’ve taught me how to survive out here, how to be a wolf, and… and I think I love you too.”

She nuzzled him.

Dolo smiled again and kissed her on the side of the head.

Then he fell to the snow.

Jenna opened her eyes. “You’re hurt!”

Dolo smiled. “No worse than you are. I just bummed up my leg a bit.”

Jenna looked worried.

“Come on, let’s go back to the cave, I need to take a look at that.”

“I’ll be fine.” Dolo said. “We need food.’

“I’ll take care of that later.” Jenna said. “Right now you are priority, now move.”

Dolo smiled. “Yes ma’am.”

The two began to limp out of the clearing, headed back to the cave.

Chapter 11:

Jason was still running.

He bounded up another hill, feeling an intense burning in his legs.

A snow storm had kicked up not long ago, making his journey much more difficult.

It had been many hours since Luke had indirectly revealed to Jason the true account of his father’s murder, and his worst fears had been proven true.

Balto was responsible for his father’s death, and most likely his mother knew this.

The blowing snow stung Jason’s face, and as he reached the top of the hill, he fell on his face, unable to run any further.

He closed his eyes.

“I’m going to freeze to death out here.” Jason thought.

He covered his face with his paws, shielding himself from the blowing snow.

A tear came to his