Saba and Everest had only made it about half way to the cave. The cave was only about a twenty minute walk from Nome, but Everest wasn’t doing very well. He’d fallen over twenty times in the last half hour, and each time it was harder to get up. The fact that the snow flurries had turned into a raging blizzard didn’t help matters much either.

Saba was walking behind Everest, that way she knew when he fell; otherwise, with visibility the way it was, she might’ve left him, and not even known it.

As they were straining to walk against the wind, Saba saw him go down again. This time he didn’t get up.

Saba kept walking until she reached his side. “Everest get up!” She yelled over the wind. “We’re almost there!”

Everest sighed. “Saba… go on without me. I don’t… don’t think there’s going to be any getting up this time. “

“What?” Saba said. “I’m not going to leave you! You’ll die!”

Everest sighed. “I’m not sure you’re going to be able to stop that now anyway.”

Saba felt a tear come to her eye. “No Everest, stop talking like that! You’re going to make it!”

“Saba,” Everest said. “The pups won’t last long in this weather… they’re more important than me. Go be with them.”

“They’ll be fine!” Saba said. “They’re in the cave, now get up!”

Everest sighed. “I… I can’t.”

“You’ve got to!” Saba yelled. “Now get up! I’ll not lose you again!”

Everest sighed, but remained silent.

“Get up!” Saba yelled.

Everest took a deep breath, and with Saba’s help, struggled to his feet.

The harsh wind threatened to blow him over, and he leaned on Saba’s shoulder.

Saba looked over at him. “Everest I love you! You’re going to be fine! Now let’s get to the cave! It’s just a little farther! Please Everest, you’ve got to try!”

Everest nodded, and the two continued to struggle through the storm.

It took another half hour to make it back to the cave, but finally they were there.

Everest stumbled into the shelter of the cave, and fell on his face, as his good foreleg folded under him.

 “That’s not too good.” Saba thought. “…but at least we made it to the cave.”

 As soon as Saba stepped inside, the three pups ran from the back.

“Mommy!” Sunny cried. “You made it!”

Saba smiled. “Yeah, we made it.”

“Is daddy hurt!” The small pup asked.

“Yeah,” Saba said. “…but he’s going to be alright.” She looked down at Everest, who had managed to sit up. “…isn’t that right?”

Everest managed to smile. “Yeah, I guess I’ll live.”

“Are you alright daddy?” Tram asked.

“Something like that.” Everest replied. He looked over at Saba. “We need to leave here now.” He said.

“In the storm?” Saba said, looking out at he blowing snow. “You’re crazy.”

“I left a pretty good blood trail here.” Everest said. “I think it’s stopped now, so it won’t be a problem anymore, but it won’t take them long to find us here.”

Saba nodded. “Okay, so where do we go?”

Everest sighed. “I… I don’t know.”

Saba walked over to him. “Well we can’t just wonder off into the storm.”

“We have to.” Everest said. “It’s either that or wait for Drake to find us here.”

Saba sighed. “Alright, you sure you can make it?”

Everest smiled. “I’ll manage, maybe it’s seeing the kids, but I feel a little better now.”

Saba nodded again. “Alright, then let’s not waste time, let’s go now.”

Everest struggled to his feet. “Kids come here.”

The pups walked over to their father.

“We’ve got to leave the cave.” Everest said. “Some dogs are coming that will hurt us if they find us.”

“Why would they want to hurt us?” Rife asked. “What did we do to them?”

Saba sighed. “It’s… it’s very hard to explain to one so young.” Saba said. “…but your father is right.”

“Now listen to me.” Everest said. “The storm is very dangerous. Not only is it colder than normal, the snow makes it difficult to see, and it’s very easy to get separated from one another. I want you walking between Mommy and me at all times. We’re going to be moving as fast as possible, but if you need to slow down, or you fall, let someone know alright?”

The pups nodded.

“Alright then, let’s go.”

The pups walked outside the cave.

“Look at me for a minute.” Saba said.

Everest turned to face her.

Saba sighed. “You’re an absolute mess, you know that?” She licked off some of the blood that was oozing out of the cut across Everest’s eye.

“You know, it you hadn’t come and found me I’d probably still be in that trashcan.” Everest said.

Saba felt a tear come to her eye. “I love you Everest. I had to come for you. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you again.”

Everest smiled. “I love you too Saba.”

Saba sighed. “This is going to be really dangerous, what with you being hurt and the kids being so young…”

“I know.” Everest said. “…but don’t worry about me, keep your eyes on the kids. I’ll be alright.”

Saba nodded.

“Now come on, let’s go.” Everest said.

The two joined the pups outside, and then started off through the storm.

The family headed north, thinking that there would be a better chance of finding shelter in the mountains. The storm was still raging, and the family was struggling through it, one step at a time. It was exhausting work just to stay on their feet, much less move. Slowly but surely though they were making progress.

They’d gone about twenty miles, when Everest fell.

Saba ran up to him. “Are you alright?!” She asked.

Everest climbed back to his feet. “Yeah, I’m fine, I just slipped.”

A voice from the wall of snow in front of the two dogs startled them. “Some storm, eh Everest?”

A black wolf stepped out of the snow.

“Stripe!” Everest said. “Leave us alone! I’m not any mood to be messed with right now.”

Stripe chuckled. “And what are you going to do if I don’t? You can hardly stand.”

Everest growled. “Stripe, I’m warning you!”

Stripe grinned again, as his three friends stepped up beside him. “And now you’re outnumbered. “Looks like the only one that could even put up a fight is the female there; pretty sad, eh Everest?”

Stripe turned to the biggest of the other three brown wolves. “Chunky, remind me again how long it’s been since we’ve eaten.”

“Four days boss.” The large wolf said.

Stripe turned back to Everest. “Four days, and we’re not on your territory anymore either, in fact…” Stripe laughed. “…you seem to be on ours!”

Saba stepped in front of Everest. “Please sir, just leave us alone. We don’t mean to trespass, but we have no home. We’re looking for one now.”

Stripe grinned, looking at Everest. “…and what happened to that nice little cave of yours Everest? Didn’t have the guts to defend it or what?”

Everest remained silent.

Stripe smiled, and turned back to Saba. His gaze started at her paws, and went all the way to the tips of her ears. “You know sweetie.” Stripe said. “Us males need a little more than just food to be happy. I’m sure if you could… help us satisfy those others as well, we could let you stay in our cave for the night.”

The thought repulsed Saba. “…but what other choice do I have?” She thought.

She was about to reply, when Everest stepped in front of her. “Absolutely not! You’re going to have to find your fun somewhere else boys.”

Stripe grinned again. “Well, I tried. In that case…”

The wolves started growling, and circling the family.

Saba and Everest stood back to back. “Get in between us kids!” Everest said, never taking his eyes off the wolf in front of him.

“Aw, how sweet.” Stripe said. “…the protective parents, sweet but foolish. Everest, how do you even hope to fight us? You’re barely able to stand.”

“I’ll die before I let you take them!” Everest said.

“Oh well if you insist.” Stripe said. Then the four wolves attacked.

Stripe was right, Everest was in no condition to fight, and quickly succumbed to the wolves’ attacks.

Saba soon found herself defending the family alone. She didn’t know if Everest was even still alive or not.

As she glanced over to see if he was okay, Stripe saw his chance, and capitalized on it. He hit her six times in quick succession, and while she was dazed from that attack, put all his strength into the next, and final blow.

Saba felt herself lifted up into the air, but didn’t fell it when she hit the snow.

About fifteen minutes later, Saba opened her eyes and groaned.

Her head hurt a bit, but she didn’t feel any blood. She had half expected for Stripe to kill her… but she was alive.

She looked up to see Tram in the snow not far away. He was alright!

Saba looked around, and saw Rife beside his brother, but didn’t see Sunny or Everest.

 “Oh no…” She thought.

Saba stood up and walked over to the two pups. “Have you seen your father?” She asked.

Tram nodded. “He’s up on that hill.”

“Yeah,” Rife said. “He told us to stay here with you.”

“Well stay here.” Saba said. “I’m going to go talk to him.”

Saba walked up the hill.

Sure enough, Everest sat on top. He was crying.

“What’s the matter dear?” Saba asked, already knowing in her heart what had made Everest so sad. “Sunny…” She thought.

“Saba, they… they took her… they took her and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.”

Saba hung her head, and felt a tear drip down her face. It froze before it fell off her muzzle.

“Where’d they take her?” Saba asked.

“To their cave.” Everest said.

“…and where is that?” asked Saba.

“I… I don’t know.” Everest said. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “We need help.”

Suddenly, an idea occurred to Saba. “God, I’m so stupid.” She said. “I should’ve thought of this before.”

“You’ve got an idea?” Everest asked.

“Yeah, let’s go, there’s no time to lose!” Saba answered, starting down the hill.

“… but where are we going?” Everest asked.

“There’s no time to explain, just follow me, you’ll see!”

Everest sighed, and ran down the hill.