dog collar. Me and Fluffy-

                        “Yukon”

                                    “-are going to be a team with Mya”

“Cool. I’m a one dog team I guess” I said, looking at the ground.

            “No you’re not! Danny’s dad said he wanted you to be on our team too! Just like a family team!” Nero yipped happily. “And training starts today!”

            “You’re starting your training today, Atka!” Emily shouted excitedly when she got home from school. I jumped around with her for a few seconds, but when she snapped a leash on my collar, I groaned. Leashes were a waste of whatever they were made of.

Emily dragged me down the street and handed my leash to a man with a black coat and musher’s hat.

            “Bye Atka!” Emily chirped happily. “Be good! He’s the best trainer in Alaska!”

“You’re leaving me here!” I barked angrily at her.

            “I’ll miss you too girl!” said Emily with a final pat.

Life would have been so much easier if humans understood us. The “best trainer in Alaska” brought me to a giant enclosure where a few other dogs wandered around. I wasn’t sure what to do until I caught sight of my mother and Kodiak. I ran over to them and nuzzled them both.

“Where’s dad? I was sure he was going to be here” I said, looking around.

            “He left with Aleu about a week ago” Jenna said.  

I rolled my eyes. Of course Aleu was the one who would end up running away. She could never just take what she got, could she?  

“Maybe she won’t come back” I muttered under my breath.

            “What?!” Kodiak and Jenna said in unison.

“Um, I said who’s your new owner Kodiak?”

            “I belong to the mail dog team, just like dad! And they renamed me Kodi so it’s not that hard to remember!” he said proudly. “What about you?”

“They renamed me Atka! And I’m, I guess I’m just a normal dog…”

            “They renamed you Atka? I always thought Denali was such a nice name…” Jenna tsked.

Before I could tell them more, Mya, Nero and Yukon were dropped off and we all laughed about Yukon’s name being Fluffy. Then, when all twenty dogs that were going to be trained arrived, Jenna left and our training started. It was boring and bleak: we had two meals a day and practiced for a few weeks until I felt like if I heard the word “mush” one more time, some one was going to get hurt. Nero and Kodi were both very good at being sled dogs and both were strong. Yukon and I were smaller, but we eventually got good at it. Mya, however, wasn’t strong enough and just couldn’t pull a sled. She was too good at too many things anyway. Nero, Yukonand I were so busy learning that we never got around to do anything bad. And finally, after our heads were full with commands and we were in shape enough to be taken home. When Emily came to take me home, she brought an old sled with her and hooked me up to it. I proudly pulled it all the way home all by myself.

            Being home wasn’t what I had expected. Emily didn’t want to play with me any more. I was allowed to sleep in the house, but she didn’t want me to sleep on her bed anymore. Without anything to do, I chewed up a rug and got kicked out of the house for a second time. This time, however, Emily’s dad chained me to the old doghouse so that I couldn’t visit my brothers. Thankfully, my brothers were smart enough to come see me instead.

            “What did you do that was so bad?!” Yukonsaid, studying my chain.

                        “Yeah, I didn’t even do anything that bad yet!” Nero chimed in.

“I chewed up a rug. I don’t want to be here anymore. Emily doesn’t play with me anymore”

            “Yeah, our owner is overworking us” Yukonmoaned.

“No he’s not” Nero snapped. “You’re just lazy Fluffy”

My two brothers started to argue and I was about to cover my ears when a sound I thought I hated reached my ears. I couldn’t help it. I tilted my head back and joined in the wolves’ howl. Before I knew it, my two brothers were howling along with me. The wolves stopped but I wanted to keep on howling. Emily’s dad wanted us to stop. He slammed the window open and threw a boot at us. Yukon and Nero scrambled as I darted back into the doghouse. The boot hit the top of the doghouse and made the whole thing vibrate. The window closed and I stepped out. Nero and Yukon looked up at the window, and then returned.

“Maybe you guys should go” I whispered.

                        “Okay, see you tomorrow! Our first race is tomorrow!” Nero whispered back before turning tail and running away.

            The next morning, Nero and Yukon’s owner stopped by our house with the team. Nero wagged his tail and barked when he saw me. But his smile faded when his owner took him out of the leading harness and put me into it.

“Sorry” I shrugged.

Nero scowled as he was brought behind Yukon. I had been trained in a team, but I had never been the leader. But as soon as I heard the call to go forward, I felt like I had been doing it my whole life. I didn’t like the feeling of the harness, but the feeling of leading a running team of dogs felt unforgettable. We paraded up the main street and were lined up at a red line with two other teams. I glanced at my competitors: an old malamute and a strong brown husky. A horn blared, and all three of us took off.Yukon, Nero and I leapt off a step faster but the other three had a harder time keeping up. We slipped into last place, but not by much. I didn’t really want to catch up or beat anyone; I just loved running! I followed the other two teams closely for a few miles until Nomereappeared In front of us. The banner that marked the finish line could be seen easily even though we probably had a mile still to go. But I was in no rush! The old malamute’s team tired out and we passed them without meaning to. We started to pull up alongside the brown husky’s team but with a jerk, he kept the lead.

            “You shouldn’t even try you filthy hybrid!”

Was he talking to me? I blinked, dumbstruck.

“I’m not trying” I barked flatly. “Just let me enjoy this race”

I started to drop back to let them win, much to the displeasure of my team, but the brown husky just couldn’t leave it alone.

            “Females shouldn’t win races and can’t. They’re too slow and you’re no different” he barked, thinking I had just let him get to me.

“I’ll show you slow” I snarled.

Forget about enjoying the race. I threw myself into the harness, pulling Yukonand Nero forward with me. We flew by the husky’s team and as I passed the leader, I kicked snow in his face. That’d show him who’s slow! We left them in the dust and crossed the finish line alone. The crowd cheered and Nero’s owner unhooked me, giving me lots of pats and praise. But no matter how much he liked me or how good of a lead dog I was, I had already made up my mind. I had a plan and I was going to share it with my two brothers tonight.

The night after I had won the race,Yukon and Nero strolled into my backyard.

“Congratulations!”Yukon greeted happily.

“I’m leaving” I said flatly.

Nero, who had been sulking about something, snapped to attention.

            “You’re doing what?!” Yukonremarked.

“I can’t stand being around humans and dogs! I’m chained to a house all day, no one plays with me anymore and the only time I can stretch my legs, I’m called a filthy hybrid”

                        “Atka, that husky was just trying to get to you to win!” Nero argued. “I’m sure it wasn’t personal. And aren’t you a dog?”

“It doesn’t…” I used my back legs to pull my sledding collar off. “…matter anymore. I’ve made my disision. And nothing’s going to change my