“Jenna?”

Jenna blinked a few times.

“Yeah…”

She groaned, and stood up.

“Who are you? How do you know me… in fact, where are we… I mean…. Where am I?”

“What are you talking about Jenna?” Balto said, walking over to her.

“Hey, you can stay away from me!” Jenna said, “I don’t trust you, you look like a wolf!”

Balto frowned.

“Jenna?”

She took a step back.

“I said stay away.”

Balto stopped walking.

“Jenna, I’m… I’m your mate, Balto, surely you remember.”

Jenna shook her head.

“I’d remember you, I don’t know you.”

“Jenna, where do you live?” Balto asked.

“I…”

Jenna sat down, rather hard.

“I don’t know… I don’t know anything…”

Balto’s eyes filled with tears, but he bit them back, and walked over to her, as Jenna began to cry.

“I don’t… don’t remember anything…” Jenna said, “what.. what did.. did you say your… your name was?”

“It’s Balto.”

Jenna shook her head.

“Balto, I.. I don’t remember anything, nothing!”

“What did Shade do to you?” Balto said quietly.

“Wha… what am…. am I going… going to do? I… I don’t even… don’t even know… know where home is.”

“I can show you.” Balto said. “I can help you.”

“You… you’d do… do that for.. for me?”

Balto nodded.

“Jen, I’d give my life for yours.”

“Really?” Jenna asked.

Balto nodded.

“Well Balto,” Jenna said, standing up, “I guess I have no choice but to believe you.”

Balto smiled.

“What?” Jenna said.

“Nothing…” Balto said. “Come on, I’ll take you to Nome.”

“Where’s that?” Jenna asked.

“That’s our home.” Balto said with a sigh.

“This is going to be a lot of work…” He thought.

He saw Aleu then.

“Oh no…”

On her back was Shadow.

“That’s a… a wolf!” Jenna said, backing up.

“That’s our daughter.” Balto said.

“Daughter?” Jenna asked.

Aleu didn’t see them yet, in fact, Balto didn’t think she saw much of anything.

“Wait outside.” Balto said.

“Alright.” Jenna said.

She backed cautiously out of the chamber.

Balto ran to Aleu, as she collapsed to the ground.

“Aleu!” Balto yelled.

He stopped beside her, and saw Shadow.

“Oh no…” Balto said.

Aleu looked up at him.

His daughter was covered in dirt and blood, some of it her own, some of it Shades’ but most of it Shadow’s.

“I’m so sorry.” Balto said.

Aleu stood up, and leaned against him.

“Dad!”

She cried into his shoulder.

He’s dead, he’s dead, Shadow….”

She became un-intelligible then, and Balto couldn’t make out the rest.

Balto heard voices then, and looked behind him to see a multitude of wolves, Aleu’s pack, walking up the shelf.

“Aleu…. Look!”

Aleu lifted her head.

“My… my pack…”

She smiled slightly, and walked out to Nava.

“What happened to us Aleu?” Nava asked.

It’s a really long story…” Aleu said.

She hung her head

“…Shadow was killed.”

Nava sighed.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Aleu nodded, and sighed.

“…but it’s good to see all of you.”

Nava smiled.

“We knew you’d come for us Aleu.”

“As always.” She said.

Balto looked behind him.

“WHAT!” he yelled.

“um… Aleu, you might… uh…. want to see this!”

“Not now dad, I’ve got things to do, a pack to re-build.”

“No,” Balto said, “I think you’re REALLY going to WANT to see this!”

“Hey Aleu…” Nava said.

Aleu turned back to him.

“What is it Nava?”

“Didn’t you say that Shadow was killed?”

Aleu nodded and sighed.

“Then who is that?”

Aleu turned.

“No…” she said quietly. “It can’t… can’t be….”

Her eyes filled with tears, as Shadow walked down to her.

“Hey Aleu.”

Aleu was in a state of shock.

“I… I saw you… you were dead… how…”

Shadow cut her off.

“It was Aniu’s way of rewarding you and I for ridding this earth of Shade… again.”

“Aniu?” Aleu asked.

“Well, she’s the one who did it…” Shadow said, “but there was another, a guy, he said he knew you, before the clan came over here, he just insisted that she do it, and I never got his name.”

Aleu smiled.

“Alai.”

“What?” Shadow asked.

“His name is Alai.” Aleu said.

“Alai huh, who is he?” Shadow asked.

Aleu laughed.

“Are you jealous?”

“N… no….” Shadow said, “of course…. of course not.”

“I’ll tell you the story.” Aleu said.

Balto made it down to them then.

“Good to see you made it, but how…”

“It was Aniu.” Aleu said.

Balto smiled.

“Don’t tell me anymore, I’m already lost when you start talking about her.”

He smiled again.

“Anyway, I better be getting home.”

Aleu nodded.

Balto turned and walked out of the room.

Kodi kept walking.

He’d been walking for almost three hours, and he hadn’t seen her.

He was beginning to think that he’d lost her for real, when he caught sight of her.

Dusty was laying under the loft of a burned out barn, that’d probably stand a better chance of falling on her, than protecting her.

She was shivering.

Kodi walked up to her.

Dirt plastered her fur, and turned into mud, where the snow had melted.

Kodi nudged her, and she opened her eyes.

“Look fella, if this is your spot, I’ll move, just don’t hurt me, alright?” Dusty said.

Then she saw who it was standing beside her.

“Ko… Ko…”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Kodi.”

He smiled and nodded.

She sighed.

“What are you doing here?”

“Dusty, sit up for a minute.”

Dusty did.

“What is it Kodi?”

“Dusty, I’m going to ask you this question, and you have to answer me truthfully, okay? Promise me?”

She nodded.

Kodi sighed.

“Do you still love me?”

“Of course.” Dusty replied, without a second’s hesitation. “I always have, and I always will.”

“Then why…”

Kodi stopped.

“Then why Ben?”

Dusty sighed.

“I… I don’t know.” She said. “I…. well, he saved my life, and I went in for a drink, and the next thing I knew…. Oh God, I’m so sorry Kodi.” Dusty said.

Kodi sighed again.

“So… pups, huh?”

Dusty sighed as well.

“No.”

No?” Kodi replied.

“The… ah….”

She sighed again.

“The wolves took care of that…”

“Oh.” Kodi said.

He paused.

“You really love me Dusty?”

She nodded.

“For all time, but…”

She sighed.

“… but I thought you said love wasn’t enough anymore.”

Tears came to his eyes.

“Dusty…. love….

He had to stop, and calm himself so he could continue.

“Dusty, love, your love, was always enough.”

She smiled.

“Let’s go home.” Kodi said.

The two dogs walked down the street, and headed towards the dog barn.

THE END