how the killer made his escape.” Drake thought. “…through the window… pretty messy though…”

Drake looked at the shards of glass and saw some more blood there, though Trina was more than four feet from the glass.

“They left something behind…” Drake thought.

He looked at the frame of the window and, after a few minutes of careful searching found what he had hoped for.

He was looking at a few strands of red hair.

“So the killer was red.” Drake thought. “…there have to be over twenty red dogs in Nome, but… how many of them will be cut? At least it’s something….”

Drake heard a sound behind him and turned.

“I… I don’t believe it…” He said, shocked.

Trina struggled to sit up.

“Help me…” She said. “Please…”

Then she fell to the floor again.

Drake stood out in the snow outside the hospital. It looked like Trina would be alright.

She was hurt pretty badly, but Doc was on the case and it seemed as if Trina might pull through.

If she does, she can tell us who did this to her.” Drake thought.

He walked around to the back and snuck in through the cracked door.

Trina still lay on the wooden table, doc’s towering form leaning over her as he worked.

“Who would want to hurt Trina?” Drake thought.

Suddenly, he heard pawsteps approaching, and approaching rapidly.

The crunch of snow grew closer, until Drake saw Tim’s familiar form round the corner of the alley.

He ran up to Drake and stopped, out of breath.

“I… I came as… as soon as I heard.” Tim said.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath.

“How is she?”

“Who?” Drake asked, confused.

“Trina.” Tim said.

“Oh…” Drake said. “I… uh… didn’t know you knew her.”

Tim nodded. “We’re uh… friends.”

Drake nodded.

“Well, word certainly travels fast. She’s inside, Doc’s working on her.”

“If she going to be alright?” Tim asked.

Drake sighed. “I don’t know. She was hurt pretty badly.”

Tim sighed as well and sat down. “What happened? I… I was just with her…”

“You were what?” Drake asked.

Tim stood up. “Well that is… um… we uh, we talked this morning.”

“Why are you acting so strangely?” Drake asked.

“She’s my friend.” Tim answered. “I’m just worried about a friend.”

Drake shook his head. “Whatever Tim. I can tell you’re not telling me the whole story.”

“It’s… complicated.” Tim said.

“Complicated?” Drake asked. “I’ll say. She almost died, might still. Do you know any reason why anyone would want to hurt her?”

Tim shook his head. “No.”

“Anyone with red hair?” Drake asked.

Tim thought for a moment. “No, but… oh no.”

“What?” Drake said.

“I’ve… I’ve got to talk to someone.” Tim said. “I’ll get back with you later.”

He turned and ran off, leaving a very puzzled Drake in his wake.

“Wonder why the kid is acting so strange?” Drake thought. “This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder…”

Chapter 9:

It was late by the time that Aleu finally returned to the cave, her home.

Shadow and their new found friend Saeidifar followed behind her. Dash was the first to see her, and a wide grin split his face as he started running toward them.

Aleu smiled and stopped walking, waiting for her younger brother to reach her before she spoke.

“Hello Dash.”

“Aleu, you’re… you’re alive!” Dash cried.

Aleu nodded and smiled. “Thanks to you and Timbre; I was conscious for a little bit of our trip to Nome. Had it not been for you, both Shadow and I would’ve died here last night.”

Dash smiled. “It’s good to see you up and around.”

Aleu nodded. “I thought it was all over last night Dash… it was a strange feeling… dying.”

“Well thank Aniu you didn’t!” Timbre said, walking up behind Dash. ‘While you were gone, the humans started attacking us again.”

He paused and sighed. “…there were some casualties…”

“How bad?” Shadow asked, stepping up beside Aleu.

“Twenty.” Timbre said, “…as best we can tell… there really wasn’t a lot of time to stop and count…”

Dash sighed. “Aleu… Lightning was killed.”

Aleu drew a sharp, audible breath.

“Oh no…”

Shadow looked at the ground and the two could tell he was having the same reaction they had had.

Lightning had been a close friend to them all.

“How?” Aleu asked finally, tears filling her eyes.

Dash sighed. “They have different weapons, terrible weapons Aleu. Weapons that spit fire and lead much faster than anything I’ve ever seen… or even heard of.”

“Yeah.” Timbre added. “Dash and I led a charge into a small group of them. They… they cut all ten of us down, except us of course, Dash and I ducked behind a fallen tree, but they killed all the others… it was horrible.”

Dash sighed. “I really don’t see anyway that we can beat them. They get closer to the cave everyday. This place… our home seems to be their objective.”

Aleu smiled. “Aniu will take care of us. No matter how dark things get or seem to be, always remember that. We, the Talbourne are her clan, and we will always be taken care of.”

Timbre sighed and looked up at her. “I hope you’re right Aleu.”

Aleu smiled slightly.

“…so do I…” She thought. “…so do I.”

Tim didn’t stop running until he reached the familiar shape of the trawler sticking up out of the snow banks near the edge of Nome.

He sighed. “Please prove me wrong Tycha, please…”

He ran to the plank that led to the deck of the trawler. Once there though, he stopped and walked hesitantly up the plank.

Tim wasn’t sure what he would find up there.

What he found was, nothing.

The deck was clear, no blankets or bowls were out… nothing.

The wind blew and Tim shivered.

“Tycha, please, please prove me wrong. If there’s ever a time I want to be wrong… it’s now.”

Tim knew even as the thought crossed his mind that he was right.

He saw a folded piece of blue cloth sticking out of the wheel well.

Tim ran over to it and froze.

“Oh no.” Tim thought. “Tycha… what

have you done?”

The blue blanket was stained red with

blood.

It didn’t take long for Tim to make the

run back to the hospital and Drake.

“Hello Tim.” Drake said. “Back so soon?”

Tim nodded. “Drake, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” Drake answered.

“Drake… how do you know that Trina’s attacker has red hair?”

“I found some on the broken window at Trina’s, looks like they cut themselves pretty good too.”

Tim sighed and almost fell. He felt extremely lightheaded. “I’m so sorry Tycha.” He thought. “This… this is all my fault.”

“Drake… I know who attacked Trina.” Tim said.

“Who?” Drake asked. “…and how?”

Tim sighed. “It… it was Tycha.”

“What?” Drake asked. “Are you serious?”

Tim nodded. “Yeah… and she’s gone.”

“…but why would Tycha attack…” Drake look at Tim.

Suddenly everything snapped into focus and for the first time this situation made sense to Drake.

“Tim… you don’t just talk to Trina… do you?”

Tim looked at the ground and shook his head.

Drake sighed. “Tim… what were you thinking? I mean… I’m your friend and all but… I never would’ve thought you’d… do that.”

“I’m sorry Drake.” Tim said. “I… I don’t know why I did it, just… Tycha and I haven’t been seeing eye to eye lately… on a lot of things.”

Drake shook his head and stepped back. “Tim, no offense, but this situation has already almost killed one dog. I don’t want to know all that. I’m only concerned with the assault and possible murder of Trina… how do you know it was Tycha?”

Tim sighed again. “There was a blanket at home… it was covered in blood.”

“Coincidence?” Drake asked.

Tim sighed.

“No, I don’t think so either.” Drake said. “Well… she’s hurt, she shouldn’t be hard to find… I’ll get the town in on it immediately.”

Drake started to walk away, but Tim’s voice stopped him.

“Drake…”

Drake turned back to him. “What is it Tim?”

Tim sighed.