the man must’ve saved me…”

She looked back to the young man.

“…odd that my savior would be armed though…”

Saba shook her head side to side a few times and her vision slowly cleared and sharpened.

She sighed.

“Everest was right…” She thought. “…the world of the humans is no place for me now…and I almost had to die to figure that one out.”

She slid her father’s paw off her shoulder and stood up slowly.

She felt much better now. Whatever the human had done he’d done it well.

She sighed again and turned, walking from the room.

“My place is with my pack…” She thought.

Saba stopped in the doorway though.

She looked back toward her father.

“I can’t leave without at least saying good-bye.” She thought.

Saba walked back over to her father and watched him for a moment.

He looked so old now.

Saba realized then that he was getting old, heck, she was already two and a half.

The fact that he wouldn’t always be there for her hit Saba just then and she felt a pang of pain, this, not from her wounds, but an emotional pain at the thought of this noble creature leaving this earth behind.

Saba nudged him with her nose, and Balto opened his eyes.

He smiled as he saw Saba.

“You’re alright.” He said. “I knew Luke would take care of you.”

“I’m very grateful.” Saba said.

Balto smiled. “You’re my daughter Saba, always will be, never forget that.”

Saba nodded.

“So… um… are you and Everest still… together?” Balto asked.

Saba sighed and nodded. “Yeah… we are.”

Balto frowned. “Just know that… I don’t approve… but… I understand.”

Saba smiled. “I know dad.”

“You know…”

Balto yawned.

“… you know you really should be getting some rest.”

Saba sighed. “Thank you for the help dad, but… I’ve got to be getting back to the pack now.”

“Why the rush?” Balto asked.

“I don’t fit in with this world anymore.” Saba said.

Then she told her father about her meeting with Kelly and the girl’s father.

“I see what you mean.” Balto said when she’d finished.

Saba sighed. “Everest tried to tell me that it would be like this, but… I wanted to believe otherwise… now… I see that what he said was true. I belong with them now.”

Balto nodded.

“Thank you father.” She said. “…for everything.”

Balto smiled. “You’re acting like this is the last time I’ll ever speak to you or something. I’ll still be able to come see you.”

Saba smiled. “Yeah…”

It was silent for a long while.

“Well,” Saba said, stepping back. “I’d better get going before it gets light.”

Balto nodded.

Saba turned and walked out the doggy door.

Balto watched her go, and sighed.

Then he stood and walked in front of Luke’s chair.

He curled up on the rug at Luke’s feet and soon he fell asleep.

Chapter 15:

Balto spent the better part of two months after that searching for Jenna.

He was unrelenting in his search for his lost love.

Some thought that after a week he’d give up and move on, some two, but none thought he’d still be searching two months later.

Finally, Balto ran into a wolf near Nome that had seen her.

His name was Connal.

Balto was currently talking to him.

“…so have you seen her recently?”

The brown wolf shook his head. “No.”

He sighed.

“One of our own, his name is Dolo, he took her out to train her to be a wolf, to survive like us, and they never returned.”

At the horrified look on Balto’s face, the Alpha added. “They decided to stay out there, just the two of them. Last time I saw them was about three weeks after they left, almost three months ago now. They both looked happy.”

“Do you know where they live?” Balto asked.

The wolf nodded, but a suspicious look came over his face.

“Why do you need to find them again?”

“I have some news to pass on to Jenna.” Balto said. “I’m from Nome.”

Connal shrugged. “Alright, they live up by the pond just north of here. Big waterfall in the back… you can’t miss it.”

Balto smiled.

“Thanks!”

With that, he turned around and ran north.

Balto found the pond easy enough; it wasn’t hard to spot, as the large waterfall was visible from over ten miles away.

Balto was now thirty-seven miles away from Nome.

He walked slowly toward a small cave at the base of the waterfall.

He glimpsed a red wolf outside the cave.

“That must be this Dolo…” Balto thought.

Then he looked a little harder.

“It can’t be…” Balto said. “Jenna?”

His pace sped to a fast walk, then a flat out run toward the red furred figure.

Sure enough, though she was quite a bit rougher than Balto could ever recall seeing her and she was missing the red bandanna that she’d held on to so dearly for nearly her entire life, here she was.

He’d finally found her.

“Jen?” Balto said.

Jenna turned around and froze.

“Balto?” She asked slowly.

Balto tried to answer, but the tears flooding his eyes choked it out.

There were tears in Jenna’s eyes as well now, and she walked slowly over to him. “I… I don’t believe it…”

She stuck her paw out and brushed his face.

He smiled and stepped forward, nuzzling her.

Jenna felt weak and she fell to the ground. She rolled over and Balto laid beside her.

“How did you know?” Jenna asked.

Balto smiled I ran into a wolf near Nome, his name was Connal, he gave me directions.

Jenna nodded. “Connal, huh?”

“Jen,” Balto said. “Where have you been?”

“What?” Jenna asked.

“You said you were going to come back,” Balto said. “I waited on you, but… you never came.”

Jenna sighed and looked at the snow. “Balto, If I had returned, it would have put both of us in danger. I could have been killed, but more importantly you could’ve been hurt.”

She looked back up at him, at his golden eyes in which she could see hurt and abandonment reflected within.

“I couldn’t bear to be responsible for causing you to suffer.”

She looked away.

“That’s why I didn’t come back… I… I loved you too much to return.”

Balto smiled and put his paw on her shoulder.

“Jenna, I have some wonderful news… you don’t have to worry about that anymore. You’ve been pardoned.”

“How?” Jenna asked.

“Drake is dead.” Balto said.

“What!?” Jenna cried.

Balto sighed. “He was killed trying to apprehend a thief near the outskirts.”

“Oh no!” Jena said, tears coming to her eyes again. “When?!?”

“It happened almost three months ago.” Balto said. “I’ve… I’ve been looking for you for quite a long time.”

“So how does that pardon me?” Jenna asked.

“Blaize is the new Keeper of the Law.” Balto answered. “He made the decision and Gemeni agreed.”

He leaned over and nuzzled her.

“You can come home now.”

Jenna stood up.

“It’s… It’s not that simple Balto.” Jenna said.

Balto looked confused and stood. “What do you mean?”

“Balto I have…” Jenna sighed. “…there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

Just then, a brown wolf walked over the hill in front of the cave.

“Hey Jenna!” He said, smiling. “Who’s that with you.”

Jenna walked over to the brown wolf’s side. “Balto, I’d like you to meet Dolo. Dolo, this is Balto.”

Dolo smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

Balto nodded.

Jenna looked up at Dolo.

“Dear, would you mind giving us some time?”

Dolo nodded and nuzzled her, then turned and walked toward the cave.

Balto stood in shock.

“Jen, who is this Dolo?”

Jenna sighed. “Balto, I… I thought I’d never be able to be with you again… you have to understand… I was alone and…”

Balto hung his head. “I understand now.”

Jenna sighed and walked over to him. “Balto, please don’t be upset. Please try to understand.”

“I do.” Balto said. “…doesn’t make it any easier to take in, but I understand.”

He sighed.

“…but now I am here, and now you can go back. So let’s go.”

“Balto…” Jenna said.

“Jenna please.” Balto said. “Now let’s go. You have no idea how hard I’ve worked to find you, how worried everyone is about you.”

“Balto, I can’t