Everest knew that was a good thing. He put his paws on her shoulders.

Everest lost all sense of time and place. Even the law they were breaking blurred and fragmented in this moment, this fulfillment of their most secret dreams. .It was a feeling that cannot be described, only experienced.

As the moment ended, Everest fell to the side on the floor, panting. Both of them were short of breath.

Everest neither thought about, nor cared about what they’d just done. Not now, now there was only the moment, he and Saba.

She rolled over on her side, and smiled at Everest. “I… I... love... you.” She said, still short of breath.

“I… I love you… too… Saba,” Everest said.

He pulled her close, and soon the two were

asleep, cuddled up next to one another.

Neither of them knew then how much this single event would impact and alter either their lives, or the lives of those they knew and trusted most.

The following morning, it was Saba who awoke first. She had never felt so good in her life. The fact of what they’d done the night prior had yet to sink in completely.

She looked down at Everest who was sleeping soundly. Saba smiled, and kissed him gently on the muzzle,. Saba nestled her head against his shoulder for a minute, then a thought occurred to her.

She got up, and quietly left the cave, so as to not wake Everest.

It was sometime later that Everest finally woke up. He and Saba’s interaction the night before rushed back to him immediately. “What have I done?” Everest thought.

“Hey.” A voice from behind him said.

Everest turned, and saw Saba standing there. She was quite possibly the happiest he had ever seen her. It radiated from her like some kind of spotlight in a darkened sky.

Everest stood up. “I guess I better go find breakfast.” He stretched and yawned.

Saba grinned, and walked over to him. “You’re not going anywhere.” She said. “I was up a lot earlier than you, and look.”

She tossed her head toward the back of the chamber, and Everest looked. There were four trout on the cave floor

“You caught trout?” Everest asked, surprised.

Saba smiled. “There’s as much wolf in me as in you ya know?”

Everest smiled back at her. “I guess so.”

Saba and Everest made breakfast out of the trout, and then, as they were finishing eating, Saba stood up, and laid down beside her brother, putting her paw on his back.

Everest sighed. “Saba… we need to talk.”

“About last night?” Saba asked.

Everest nodded. “Saba, what happened last night can never happen again.”

Saba sighed. “I know.” She said. Then she smiled again. “…but the one time it did was so wonderful… I can’t even begin to find the words to describe it.”

“I agree, but you do understand what I said? We could be killed for what happened between us.”

Saba nodded, and stood. “I’m going to head back to town. Kelly has got to be worried about me by now.”

Everest nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. You do know you can’t tell anyone about last night.”

Saba nodded. “Of course.”

Everest stood as well. “I mean it Saba, no one, not your friends, and certainly not mom or dad.”

Saba smiled. “I said I know, I’m not stupid you know.” She kissed him lightly. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

Everest nodded. “Good-bye Saba.”

“Take care of yourself Everest.” Saba replied. Then she turned, and left the cave.

As Saba walked into her yard, she saw Jenna lying on the porch. “Oh great…” She thought.

When Jenna saw her, she jumped up and ran over to her daughter.

“Saba!” She said. “I was so worried about you, where have you been?!”

Saba smiled. “I just left for a bit, that’s all.”

Jenna frowned at her. “Saba, these absences of yours are really hard on Kelly. Your girl loves you very much, and she gets extremely worried when you’re gone. Heck, even I thought something had happened to you this time. You can’t keep disappearing like this. This is what, the fifth time?”

Jenna stopped talking as she realized how happy her daughter looked. “Saba, are you alright?”

Saba smiled, and nodded. “I’ve never felt better mom.” She said, and it was the truth.

Jenna sighed. “Well I’m glad you’re home. You really ought to go in and spend some time with Kelly, and think about telling someone where you’re going next time, so we don’t have to sit here and worry about you.”

“Alright.” Saba said.

“Take care of yourself Saba.” Jenna said. Then she turned and ran out of the yard.

“Mom sure is acting strange.” Saba thought. “Does she suspect something?”

The fact that she didn’t quite know the answer to this question filled her with unease, but that was soon overwhelmed by the ecstatic joy she’d felt before. She ran up the steps, and ducked through the doggy door.

Jenna ran straight to Luke’s cabin, never stopping along the way. When she reached the cabin, she didn’t even scratch on the door, but ran straight to the window, and jumped in.

Hearing the sound of her unannounced entrance, Balto ran into the kitchen, ready to defend his home. He was greatly relieved when he found it was only Jenna. “Jen!” He said. “I’m glad it’s just you, I though someone had broken into the house.

He stopped talking as he noticed tears in Jenna’s eyes. “What’s wrong Jen?”

She sighed. “Oh Balto, something is going on, I know it now!”

“Is this about Saba again?” Balto asked.

Jenna nodded. “She just got back, and she looks extremely happy, almost giddy.”

Balto laughed. “Well I hardly see that as reason for tears, what’s up?”

“Balto, I know that look. I know because… because I’ve had it too.”

Balto thought for a moment. “Oh!” He said suddenly. “You mean you think….”

Jenna nodded. “Yes!”

Balto smiled. “That would explain her absences, now wouldn’t it.”

Jenna nodded. “I’m worried about her Balto. Why doesn’t she tell us about him?”

Balto sighed. “Jen, I told you before…. Saba is an adult now. She doesn’t have to tell us. I’m sure she has her reasons.”

Jenna sighed. “I still don’t like it.”

Balto smiled and nuzzled her. “There now Jen, you don’t need to get all hysterical about it, I’m sure she’s perfectly fine. We should be happy for her.”

Jenna sniffled. “Yeah… yeah, I guess you’re right. I guess… I guess it’s just a mother’s instinct to worry about her child.”

Balto smiled. “At least you care enough to worry about her.”

Jenna smiled. “Yeah…”

“Come on Jen, let’s take a walk,” Balto said.

Jenna nodded, and the two exited the house.

A little over a week later, Saba had woken up feeling awful. She managed to eat breakfast, and then wandered out into the yard. If anything, eating had worsened her condition. She felt extremely sick, and threw up on the ground. Kelly had come out to see her, and she saw Saba throw up. Kelly had run back inside, and got her parents. By the time they’d come outside, Saba had thrown up again, and was lying on the porch. Now, she was sitting in the hospital, awaiting Doc’s diagnosis.

Doc walked back in with a smile on his face. He walked over to Kelly, who was extremely worried about her dog. “What’s wrong with Saba?” Kelly asked in her innocent little voice.

The doctor laughed. “Nothing is wrong with her.”

“Then why’d she get sick?” Kelly asked, petting Saba’s head.

The doctor smiled and looked at Kelly’s parents, who stood behind their daughter, almost as if asking permission.

Her mother smiled, and nodded.

Doc turned his attention back to the girl in front of him. “A miracle has happened my dear. Saba is going to have puppies.”

Saba’s mouth almost fell open. “WHAT?” She thought.

A few months later it was beginning to be apparent that Saba was not herself. She knew that she had to tell her parents something, before they started asking questions that she didn’t want to answer.

Saba had gathered everyone in the old mill, and stood before them.

“So why the meeting?” Kodi asked, snuggling up close to Dusty.

“Guys… I have some exciting news to tell you… I’m going to have puppies soon.”

Jenna’s face split into the widest smile Saba had ever seen, She turned to Balto. “You see? I told you she wasn’t acting normal.”

Her family gathered around her, wishing her and her new family well. It was Balto who asked the fatal question. “So where’s the father?”

Saba sighed. She knew she couldn’t tell them the truth. “He… uh… he’s not here.”

Everyone pulled back.

“Why?” Jenna asked. “Where is he?”

Saba sighed. “This is… this is actually kind of embarrassing… he’s a sled dog, and he won’t be around anymore… he had to leave.”

“Oh…” Jenna said.

Everyone gathered around Saba again, all talking at once, all extremely happy for Saba… except one.

Jenna had a very confused look on her face, and walked out of the room.

Saba noticed this. She looked at her father, and he smiled. “Don’t worry about your mother. I’m sure she’s happy for you too. She’ll come around.”

Saba sighed. “No she won’t…” She thought. “She suspects…”

It was a little more than a week later, and Jenna was on her way to talk to Balto. She stopped walking as she saw Saba slip under the back fence, and look around, then, satisfied no one had seen her, she walked as quickly as her condition would allow toward the edge of town.

Jenna watched as she disappeared from sight. “It’s time to get to the bottom of this.” Jenna thought. “…and I know exactly who to talk to.”

She turned around, and started walking the way she’d come.

Saba was again climbing the hill to the cave that Everest lived in. She had some wonderful, yet terrible news. “I wonder how Everest is going to take this?” She thought.

Saba looked up the hill, and saw Everest walking into the cave. “I guess I’ll find out soon enough.”

A few moments later, Saba stood outside the cave. She stuck her head inside. “Everest?”

A few minutes later, Everest walked into view. “Saba?” He asked.