your soul as well.”

Balto nodded.

“Thanks Nava, now I’ve got to be going.”

Nava nodded.

“Yes you must, for she is running out of time.”

“What?” Balto asked.

“I told you the island is a very dangerous place. Her future is uncertain, and you must hurry.”

Balto nodded.

“Take care Nava.”

“You too Balto.”

Balto turned and ran out of the cave, headed back to Nome.

 

The next morning, Balto woke early, and went to the trawler to talk to Jenna.

“She’s not here.” Tim said.

“What?” Balto asked. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know.” Tim said.

“I do.” Tycha said, as she walked up behind Balto.

“How do you know?” Tim asked.

“Us girls talk to each other.” Tycha said. “unlike you guys. By the way, where were you last night?”

Balto looked at Tim.

“I was out in town.” Tim said uneasily.

Tycha shrugged.

“Alright, don’t tell me.” She turned and walked down the ramp.

“Tim…” Balto said.

“What?” Tim responded.

“you’re not… I mean, it’s none of my business what you do, but… when you in town… you weren’t meeting someone else were you?”

Tim’s response was instantaneous.

“No, no of course not.

He sighed.

“Of course not…”

Balto looked at him, but Tim didn’t notice.

“Hey Tycha, did you have any luck?”

She trotted back up the ramp, a bag of fish clamped in her teeth.

She walked over and dropped them beside him.

“Of course.” She said.

“So where is Jenna?” Balto asked.

“Tim, why don’t you take those inside.”

Tim sighed.

“Alright.”

Tycha turned to Balto.

“She said she was going out to the hill, if you know where that is.”

Balto smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, yeah I know where she is now, thanks Tycha.”

“No problem.” Tycha said, as she walked to the edge of the boat.

She leaned her head over the side and called to the young wolf dog playing in the snow below.

“Junior, time for breakfast!”

“Alright.” Junior said, “be there in a minute mom.”

He turned around.

“Hey, it’s breakfast time, come out, I give up anyway.”

He waited.

Silence.

“Jill?”

Still nothing.

Junior felt his heart speed up a bit.

“What if something got her out here?” He thought. “She could be hurt… or…”

“Jill!” He yelled.

Suddenly, the snow exploded from behind him, and a gray dog burst out of the ground.

The dog landed on him, and tackled him to the ground.

He rolled over, and the dog licked his face.

“Jill!” He said, rolling over, and standing up.

“You’d of never found me ya know.”

She smiled, and he nuzzled her.

“You’re right.” Junior said. “Come on, it’s time for breakfast, want to stay and eat something?”

“Sure,” Jill said.

“Let’s go talk to mom.”

The two dogs walked up the ramp to the boat, and passed Balto as he was going down.

“Hey Balto.” Junior said.

Balto smiled.

“How ya doin kid?”

Junior looked at Jill and smiled.

“Pretty good, you?”

“Pretty good too.” Balto said. “I’m off to see Jenna now, so I’ve got to get going.”

“Alright, see you later.” Junior said.

“Yeah, take care Balto.” Jill said.

Balto nodded.

Junior and Jill kept walking up the ramp.

Balto got to the bottom, and took of towards town.

“Wonder why he’s in such a hurry.” Jill said.

“I don’t know.” Junior said.

The two walked up on deck.

“Hey mom, is it alright if Jill stays for dinner?”

“Sure.” Tycha said.

Junior turned to Jill.

“Hungry?”

Jill smiled, and the two walked into the boat, followed by Tycha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4

 

Balto found Jenna on top of the large hill that overlooked the south part of town.

“Hey…” he said, as he walked up to her.

Jenna was sitting on the hill.

“Hi Balto,” she said, forcing a smile.

“What’s wrong?” Balto said, “why’d you run off?”

Jenna sighed and looked around her.

“So it was right here? Right here that we started out family?”

Balto nodded.

Jenna fell to the snow and sighed.

“I wish I could remember…”

She covered her face with her paws.

Balto laid down beside her.

“God, this is so… so frustrating.” She said.

Balto put his paw on her shoulder.

“It’s alright Jenna, you’ve just got to keep pushing on, day by day.”

“What do you mean pushing on!” Jenna said, somewhat angrily. “I don’t even know my own kids, my children!”

She sighed.

“I… I don’t even know you, my mate, and I don’t even know that… for all I know you could be making all this up! I mean, what would a husky be doing with a wolf mutt like you anyway!”

Balto sighed, and turned to walk away.

Jenna stood up and walked over to him.

“Balto…”

He turned to her.

She sighed.

“I’m sorry.” She said. “I shouldn’t have said that, but… it’s just so much to take in all at once…”

Balto smiled at her.

“I know, but I’ve got a plan.”

“What’s that?” Jenna asked.

“I’m going to journey to an island not too far from here, and I’m going to try to get your memory back.”

“How?” Jenna asked.

“Remember when I said that Shade used you to breach the bonds that held him in hell?”

Jenna nodded.

“Well, your soul wound up on that island, it’s a kind of… bridge to the other realms, and it’s caught there, something is holding it there.”

“When are you leaving?” Jenna asked.

“As soon as possible.” Balto responded.

“I’m coming with you.” Jenna said.

“Jen…” Balto started, but Jenna interrupted him.

“No Balto, I don’t care about danger, or anything else, if it will help me get my memory back, I’m there.”

She nuzzled him.

“I want to remember…”

“I do too.” Balto said.

“Let’s go then.” Jenna said.

“Follow my lead.” Balto called, as he started running.

“Me follow you, please…” Jenna said, surging ahead of him.

Balto smiled, and ran faster, catching up with her.

The two ran side by side into the trees.

 

It was later in the day.

Balto and Jenna had decided to stop for the night, and had found a small clearing of trees to shelter them.

Balto laid down beside her and soon, the two were fast asleep.

 

Balto woke early the next day.

He looked over at Jenna and smiled.

“I’ll let her sleep a little longer.” He thought.

Balto stood up.

“Man I’m thirsty, and…”

He sniffed the air.

“… I smell water.”

Balto climbed down the hill.

 

Sure enough, there was a creek.

Balto started forward.

The snow exploded in front of him, and a loud roar reached his ears.

Balto stumbled back, and looked up at the biggest kodiak he ever seen.

“Oh my…”

Balto never got to finish that thought, because the bear hit him.

Balto flew through the air, and hit the snow, bouncing, one… two…. three times.

Balto stood up and shook his head.

“Ow.” He thought.

The bear dropped on all fours, and ran at Balto.

Balto stood his ground, intending to jump on the bear when it got closer, but…

The bear attacked!

Balto ducked, and the bear’s paw hit the small tree behind him, snapping it in half.

“Oh my gosh!” Balto thought. “This thing is going to kill me!”

The bear turned, and swung at Balto again, but this time, Balto didn’t duck.

The paw hit him in the side of the face, and Balto flew through the air, crashing into a tree.

He fell to the ground.

Balto’s vision was blurry.

He watched, his fear growing, as the bear got closer and closer.

Finally, it reached him, and slammed it’s paw down on Balto’s chest.

Balto felt his ribs bend.

It was extremely difficult to breathe, and Balto’s vision got still blurrier.

He was almost to pass out, when he heard a battle cry, and saw a red blob jump at the brown one on top of him.

“Jenna?” Balto thought.

The bear heard the cry, and turned, swatting Jenna out of the air.

She hit the snow and bounced, sliding to a stop near a big rock.

She stood up and shook herself off, running at the bear, as it stepped on Balto again.

She jumped, and hit the bear in the chest, knocking him down on his back.

Balto rolled over and coughed, able to breathe once more.

Jenna was on top of the bear, and tore into it’s shoulder.

The bear howled, and slid his paws under her.

“Uh-oh…” Jenna thought.

Then the bear threw her into the air.

As she was coming down, the bear kicked her with it’s back legs, throwing her still higher into the air.

Jenna hit the ground with a sharp yelp.

Then….

Silence.

Balto shook his head, trying to clear it.

“Jenna….”

No response.

Anger overwhelmed Balto, and he turned back to the bear.

He growled and charged.

The bear was unprepared for

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