came to his eye.

“Mom… why didn’t you tell me?” He said to himself.

“Are you lost kid?”

Jason’s head snapped up and he turned.

A black and gray wolf stood behind him.

Jason nodded. “Somewhat.”

“Where are you from?” The wolf asked.

“Nome.” Jason said.

“Nome?” The wolf responded. “That’s quite a ways away, isn’t it?”

Jason sighed and nodded.

“What brings you all the way out here?” The wolf asked.

Jason hung his head and sighed. “My… my father was murdered.”

“Oh, I’m sorry kid.” The wolf said.

Jason nodded. “…and I think one of my friends is responsible.”

“Who is that?” The wolf asked.

“You probably wouldn’t know him.” Jason said.

A strange look came over the wolf’s face. “Try me.”

“His name is Balto.” Jason said.

“Balto huh?” The wolf said. “So what do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know.” Jason said.

The wolf stepped closer to Jason. “Well kid, I’ll tell you what I’d do.”

“What is that?” Jason asked.

The dark wolf fixed him with a steady stare. “I’d avenge my father.”

“You mean kill Balto?” Jason asked.

The wolf nodded. “Precisely.”

“I don’t know if I could do that.” Jason said. “Balto’s like family to me.”

“Was your father family to you?” the wolf asked.

Jason hesitated. “Yeah, but…”

“…but what?” The wolf asked. “Balto killed your father didn’t he?”

“Well…” Jason said. “He was responsible, I don’t think he actually killed him.”

The wolf held his gaze and Jason looked away. “Before you said that Balto killed your father, now you’re not sure. Which is it kid?”

“I… I don’t know.” Jason said. “I don’t know.”

The wolf stepped next to him. “I don’t know how things work in the dog world, but as a wolf, we avenge one another, blood for blood. You kill mine, I kill yours.”

“…but that’s murder.” Jason said.

“That’s justice.” The wolf replied.

“How is killing Balto justice?” Jason asked.

“Look kid, sometimes the law doesn’t have the answers, sometimes you have to be an adult and take things into your own paws. Killing Balto would be justice because he killed your father; blood for blood, remember? Will the law do that for you?”

Jason sighed and hung his head.

“I think not.” The wolf scoffed. “Your precious law will let him off scott-free.”

Jason remained silent for a moment.

“Okay, even if I wanted to kill Balto, which I’m not sure I do, how do you suppose that I should do it. He’s a much better fighter than I am.”

“I am quite a fighter myself.” The wolf said. “I can help you get good enough to defeat Balto and avenge your father.”

He paused.

“So, how about it?”

Jason sighed. “What choice do I have? You’re offering me a home, which I don’t feel like I have anymore, and a chance to avenge my father, though it’s hard to imagine hurting Balto.”

The wolf smiled. “The name’s Fairbourne kid. Now, come on, I’ll take you to the cave. We have a lot of work to do.”

Jason nodded, and followed Fairbourne through the blowing snow.

“The first thing you’ve got to learn is not to just give up and cry when a problem presents itself. The next time I see you do that it’s your tail, got it?”

Jason nodded.

“Kid, you’ve got to stand up and take charge of your life. No one, and I do mean no one has control over you. You do what you want when you want and if anyone has a problem with that you make them understand your point of view.”

As Fairbourne continued talking, they disappeared into the blowing snow.

Back in Nome, Saba was limping slowly down the sidewalk.

She thought back to the events of the past hour.

“Stupid.” She thought. “I was stupid to go back there… I must have lost my mind.”

She looked down and saw her left shoulder.

It was matted red with blood that flowed from a wound where several of the pellets from the shotgun’s blast had caught it. The blood ran down her leg and to the snow, where it pooled beneath her.

“I may need some help with this…”

She winced and continued limping toward Luke’s home, where she knew her father would be waiting.

At that same time, Blaize walked back into Nome.

He’d spent the last few days learning everything he could about the law and how to enforce it.

Over the course of his training he and Shep had gotten to be good friends. Blaize was looking forward to working with him.

Blaize had been almost overwhelmed by the enormous job facing him when he’d left only three days ago. Now though, thanks to the teaching of the kind, old German Sheppard, he felt ready to serve Nome and the many dogs that lived within its boundaries.

Though he had enjoyed his time with Shep, he was really glad to be home.

He was looking forward to seeing Astarre.

The time that the two had spent apart was more than enough to convince him that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the beautiful golden husky.

He only hoped she felt the same way about him.

Blaize turned right on Main Street and headed for Luke’s house, where he knew his father would be waiting. Blaize had some exciting news to tell him.

Blaize entered the gate to the bare yard that surrounded Luke’s small cabin.

It was late, and the place seemed to be deserted.

Blaize walked up the steps to the raised porch and leaned against the windowsill trying to see something through the windows, but the house was shrouded in darkness.

Blaize got off the windowsill.

“Maybe I should just come back tomorrow.” He thought.

“Blaize?”

The voice surprised him. It was familiar somehow.

Blaize turned and saw a shadowy figure standing below the stairs. The figure stepped forward and Blaize immediately took several steps backwards.

It was a wolf!

The creature was completely white, except for a black line that crisscrossed behind her eyes and went down her back to join a black and gray triangle that ran the length of her back, the apex of which rested at the base of her tail, where another triangle started, and ran down to the end of her full tail, which was capped in a ring of gray on black.

“Who are you!?” Blaize said.

The wolf smiled. “Blaize, it’s me, Saba.”

“What?” Blaize asked. “My sister Saba is dead.”

Saba smiled again and took a step toward her brother. “Don’t ask me how, but Aniu brought me back. It’s really me.”

“Saba?” Blaize asked, relenting a little. Then he drew back and came to his senses. “How could it be you? Tell me something, something that only Saba would know.”

Saba smiled. “Blaize, you were afraid of the dark for a long time. You thought it would hurt you because you had these dreams where the darkness killed you, and you used to run back to the light, crying for mom.”

Blaize took a step forward. “Saba?”

Saba smiled again. “Yes Blaize. It’s really me!”

Blaize smiled. “Well, no one else would know that, I never told anyone what I thought of the dark… about my dreams… but… wow! I thought you were dead. What brings you back here?”

“Well,” Saba started. “I knew Drake wouldn’t recognize me, so I decided to come let Mom and Dad know I was alright.”

“It wouldn’t matter.” Blaize said. “If Drake would’ve recognized you I mean.”

“Why is that?” Saba said.

“Drake’s dead.” Blaize said.

“What?!” Saba cried.

Blaize nodded.

“How?” Saba asked.

“He was trying to arrest a dog for stealing and the owner shot him… near the outskirts… dad was with him.”

“Is dad alright!?” Saba asked.

Blaize smiled. “Yeah, apparently the guy didn’t even see him. Dad said Drake was dead before he hit the ground.”

“I’m sorry.” Saba said. “Poor Gemeni…”

“Yeah.” Blaize said.

“Who’s the new Keeper of the Law then?” Saba asked.

“I am.” Blaize said.

“You?” Saba asked.

Blaize smiled and nodded.

“Astarre nominated me, and I actually liked the idea.”

Saba looked confused. “Astarre?”

“Astarre is a dog I met not long ago.” Blaize said

“Is this dog a girl by chance?” Saba asked with a smile, having already guessed the truth.

“Yeah…” Blaize said.

Saba smiled. “You wouldn’t happen to know where dad is, would you?”

Blaize shook his head. “No, I don’t. I want to find him though. I’ve got some good news about Mom’s situation.”

Saba looked confused again. “Situation?” “You don’t know about that,