“Saba?” He asked. “How are you? Haven’t seen you in a while.”

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

“Come inside then.” Everest said. Saba followed him into the cave a little ways, and then sat down. Everest stood in front of her. “So what is it?”

Saba sighed. “Everest, I got sick a few months ago, I felt really bad, and… and Kelly and her parents took me to see Doc, and…” A tear came to Saba’s eye, and she looked away from him.

“What Saba?” Everest asked.

“Everest…” Saba paused and looked back at him, at his beautiful blue eyes. “…I’m pregnant.”

“Great!” Everest said, clearing not getting the point. “So who’s the father?”

Saba sighed. “You are.”

The smile disappeared from his face. “Oh…”

Saba sighed. “I… I never meant for this to happen.”

Everest sat down rather hard. “I… I didn’t either.”

Saba looked back up at him. “Oh Everest, what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know.” Everest said. “I can’t let mom and dad know that I’m alive, and they certainly can’t learn of… of us.”

Saba nodded. “Agreed.” She sighed. “Maybe… maybe I can live with you?”

Everest shook his head. “No, you can’t leave Kelly and your family… come up with something to tell them, but you have to remain in Nome, and you must not ever reveal the fact that I’m the father.”

Saba nodded and sighed. “I already did.

Everest nodded. “That was good thinking.”

It was quiet for a long period after this.

I’m really tired, mind if I crash here tonight?”

Everest smiled. “Of course not.”

Saba smiled. “I love you Everest.”

Everest sighed, and kissed her.

“I love you too Saba.”

Saba laid down, and must’ve been really tired, because it wasn’t long at all until she was asleep.

Everest walked out of the cave, and looked up at the sky. Then he glanced back at the cave, where he could see Saba sleeping.

“Damn!” He thought. “Everest my boy, how are you going to get out of this one?”

Drake was at a loss for words. He stumbled rather than walked back to his home. “What am I going to do about this?” He thought.

Jenna had come to him earlier that afternoon, and told him that she was extremely worried about Saba. Jenna had just seen Saba sneak out, and Jenna wanted Drake to follow her. At first Drake had refused, saying what Saba did was her business, but as Jenna continued, he could tell that she truly was worried about her daughter. “Jenna is hardly ever wrong.” Drake thought.

Drake had agreed, and had picked up Saba’s trail easy enough. He followed it to a cave about twenty minutes from Nome. There Saba had met with a wolf, and Drake had felt like he was intruding, and indeed, almost left. Then… he recognized the wolf… or dog.

Drake and Jenna had, at one time, been very close, so it naturally followed that he was a good friend of the family. Balto’s pups even called him “Uncle Drake.” That was another part of what made Drake’s choice so difficult.

The wolf was Balto’s lost son, Everest. Everyone, even his parents had thought that Everest had died four years ago… apparently this wasn’t true. That in itself wasn’t bad, the bad part came when he… when he kissed Saba.

Drake could tell that this wasn’t a friendly “happy to see you” peck on the cheek either.

Suddenly, it all made sense. Jenna had been right. Saba had lied to all of them when she told them that the father of her pups had run away. Drake would bet his life on the fact that Everest was the father.

His position as a friend of the family put him in a difficult position. Drake was the keeper of the law among the dogs in Nome, and what Everest and Saba had done was wrong, and there were very specific and unforgiving punishments for this… but… but this was Saba. He’d watched her grow up, had even comforted her when she missed her brother so badly she’d cry herself to sleep at night. He’d played with her, and taught her… heck, it almost felt like Saba was his own… but the law was the law, and had very specific guidelines that had been broken. Drake couldn’t let his personal feelings get in the way of carrying out his job.

He sighed. “Saba, why?”

Chapter 7

Drake was standing outside the fence that circled Saba’s yard. He expected her to return today. As if to prove his prediction, Saba rounded the corner, and walked toward him.

Drake started toward her, and met her half way. “Saba, step into this alley for a minute.” It was a command, not a question, and Saba did as she was told.

“What is it Drake?” Saba asked.

“I know.” Drake said.

Saba’s mind began to race. “What… what are you taking about?” She stammered.

Drake sighed. “Saba, you don’t have to lie to me. I saw you with Everest last night.”

Saba sighed, and sat down, her worst fears realized.

“He’s the father, isn’t he?” Drake asked.

Saba sighed. “No point in lying now.” She thought. Saba nodded, and hung her head.

“Why?” Drake asked.

“I’m sorry Drake.” Saba said. “I… I never meant for this to happen.”

Drake sighed as well. “Well it did Saba, and you know the law.”

Saba nodded. “Effective tomorrow, you and Everest are not to ever see one another again.”

Saba jerked her head up. “No!” She cried. “Drake please!”

Drake shook his head. “Don’t Saba, I can’t let my feelings get in the way of my duty to the dogs of the town.”

Saba fixed Drake with a gaze that almost sent chills up his spine. “I will not lose him again.” Saba said.

“The consequences of violating the sentence is death.” Drake said. “Please don’t make me do this Saba.”

“I will not lose him.” Saba said again.

Drake sighed. “We can deal with that later, at the trial, but for now… your parents need to know the truth.”

“Drake, please don’t make me tell them.” Saba said. “It will kill them… and how are we supposed to explain Everest to them? They think he’s dead Drake, let’s just leave it that way, please?”

Drake sighed and shook his head. “Either you tell them or I do. I think it would be easier coming from you.”

Saba sighed. “Yeah… yeah you’re right.”

“You have two days.” Drake said. The trial will be held on the fifth day. Until I adjudge a sentence you and Everest may continue to see one another.

Saba sighed. “Alright.” She said.

“So you understand the instructions given to you by me, as to your course of action?”

“Yes.” Saba said.

“I’m truly sorry Saba.” Drake said.

Saba glared at Drake, and when she spoke her tone was clipped, and angry.. “Yeah, me too.”

Drake sighed and walked away.

Saba watched him leave. She sighed and almost fell over. The consequences of that five minute discussion would be disastrous. Then she came to her senses. “I’ve really got to see Everest about this one.” She thought.

Saba turned, and sprinted back towards her brother’s cave.

Saba was waiting in the cave when Everest returned.

“Saba?” Everest asked. “Back so soon?”

Saba sighed. “Drake knows.”

“What?” Everest cried. “How do you know that?”

Saba hung her head. “He… he spoke to me this morning. He followed me here last night.”

:This sheds new light on the situation.” Everest said, sitting down.

“Oh Everest, what are we going to do now?

“We?” Everest said, standing. “This is your problem.”

Saba stood up, infuriated. “What!” She screamed.

“I’m dead to mom and dad, I can’t just show back up alive. There’s too much to explain… and it’ll be better for the pups if I don’t ever see them. I wish it were otherwise, but… but it can’t be any other way.”

Saba stared in shock at her brother. “Saba, I’m sorry.” He said.

“Sorry!” She screamed. “Yeah, so am I ya jerk! I thought you loved me! How can you just abandon me like this! You think it’s inconvenient for you, try being pregnant!”

Everest’s emotions were swirling around inside him, and he didn’t know quite how to feel. Eventually, anger surfaced. “Goddamn it!” He yelled. “I knew this was going to happen as soon as I saw you being attacked! Part of myself just wanted to do something else!”

“What else were you supposed to do?!” Saba yelled. “Just leave me there to die!”

“Yeah, well maybe I should have!” Everest yelled back.

Saba felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, and she almost stepped back. She found it was difficult for her to breathe. “What… what did you say?” She asked quietly, taking a step toward him.

Everest hated the hurt he heard in her voice, and it almost killed him to do what he did next.

Everest glared at her. “You heard me.” He said flatly.

Tears came to Saba’s eyes. “…but… but Everest… I… I love you.”

Everest closed his eyes as his vision blurred with tears of his own. He tried to walk away, but his legs were shaking so much that he feared he would fall if he did. He took a deep breath, and forced his emotions down inside him, letting the cold, uncaring wolf surface.

Everest walked away, leaving a shocked, confused and very distraught Saba alone.

It was now the second day since she’d talked to Drake, and her time was up.

Saba was walking down the sidewalk, trying to figure out exactly how she was going to tell her parents this awful news. She’d hoped to have her brother’s support on this day…

“… but I don’t even think I know him anymore.” Saba thought. “What happened to the Everest that I knew… and loved?”

Saba shook her head, and forced that question deep within her mind. “I’ve got too much to deal with right now to be thinking about… him.”

On top of her brother’s betrayal, and that’s how she felt, betrayed, the pups would probably be born any day now, and Saba didn’t count on a lot of love and support from her family after she told them the truth.

As she was walking, she heard a sound from the alleyway to her right.

Saba stopped walking and listened.

“Psst!”

There it was again.

Saba turned toward the alley.

“Come here!” A voice said.

Saba walked into the alley, and tears filled her eyes. Everest stood