a chamber all by herself.

Then he threw her into the center of the room.

“Guys,” he said, turning to them and then back to Dusty. “Who’s first…”

Dusty’s memory of the events thereafter was sharp and clear.

They’d kept at her all day, and bit by bit, Dusty felt the life inside her die.

Now it was just her, she felt it, and knew it.

Though they were not supposed to be, they still were her children, and their deaths saddened her greatly.

She sighed, and limped over to the cave wall.

Dusty fell in a heap.

She closed her eyes, and drifted to a troubled sleep, shattered by horrifying dreams…

Kodi woke up in the middle of the night, screaming.

“NOOO!”

Balto’s eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet, scanning the room for enemies, but all he saw was Kodi, standing in the middle of the room.

“What!” Balto said, walking quickly over to him.

Kodi leaned over and threw up on the floor.

“Whoa!” Balto said, jumping to the side.

He walked over to his son.

“Kodi are you all right?”

“What’s all the commotion?” Luke said, as he walked down the stairs.

He saw Kodi then, and the floor.

“Kodi, did you get sick?”

Luke walked over and petted the husky.

“Well, I better clean this mess up. You all right boy, you look horrible.

“Luke’s right,” Balto thought. “He does… something’s not right...”

Kodi barked.

“Well, I’ll be back in a minute to take care of that. You just take it easy boy.” Luke said.\

As soon as Luke was gone, Balto put his paw on his son’s shoulder.

“Kodi, what’s wrong?” “It’s Dusty.” Kodi said. “Something horrible has happened to her.”

“How do you know?” Balto asked.

“I don’t know.” Kodi said. “I had a dream, an awful dream, but I can’t remember it. I just felt sick, and I remember that Dusty was in trouble.”

“I thought you said she was… gone.” Balto said.

“I thought so,” Kodi said, but…”

Kodi paused.

“…oh no!”

“What?” Balto asked. “Kodi what is it?”

“The spot where Dusty’s trail ended, it was near the cave.”

“What?” Balto asked.

“I think she was captured, and may be hurt.”

Balto nodded.

“Kodi, you must be careful. You can’t go on some rampage through that place looking for her. It’s dangerous.”

Kodi nodded.

“Yeah, I know, but I get this awful feeling that she’s in pain.”

“Are you gonna be alright son?” Balto asked.

Kodi nodded.

“Yeah I think so, now.”

“Well let’s try to get some rest.” Balto said.

“Alright.” Kodi said.

About that time Luke came in with a mop and cleaned up the mess Kodi had made on the floor. Then he patted the two dogs on the head and walked back upstairs.

Balto and Kodi laid down, and were soon back asleep.

Aleu was walking up to the cave.

Alongside her was Balto and Kodi, being the most inexperienced, brought up the rear.

Aleu turned to her father.

“My god…” She said.

The cave was lit up, not in the beautiful, prismatic colors of Aleu’s lights, but in red, simply red.

“I wonder what could be causing that.” Balto said.

“I don’t think we want to know.” Kodi replied.

The three of them walked up to the front entrance.

“There’s no guard’s,” Aleu said.

She looked around, expecting a trap, but all was still.

“Let’s go inside.” Aleu said.

The three of them walked carefully inside.

“I don’t understand.” Aleu said as the three of them walked through the cave. “No one is here.”

They’d been through the entire entrance level of the cave, through every chamber, and there wasn’t a wolf in sight.

“Where are they?” Kodi asked.

“Let’s go down to the lower chambers.” Aleu said. “If they’ve taken any prisoners, they’ll be kept there, and that’s where we’ll probably find mom.”

Balto nodded, and the three turned around, and headed down below.

As they were walking through the base of the cave, Kodi picked up a familiar scent.

“Dusty!” he said.

Balto and Aleu turned and saw Kodi walking towards the chamber at the beginning of the hall.

“Kodi…” Aleu said, but he was out of earshot.

She looked at her father, and sighed.

Balto and Aleu turned and followed Kodi, as he walked into the chamber.

Kodi walked into the chamber and froze.

“Oh my God…” He said.

There, against the wall was Dusty.

“She looks hurt.” Kodi thought.

He walked over to her, half expecting her to be dead, but as he got nearer to her, he saw her chest rise and fall.

“She’s alive…” Kodi said quietly.

He stopped right beside her.

“Yep, she’s hurt.” He thought.

Dried blood covered Dusty, what was left of the wounds the wolves had inflicted on her.

“What happened to you?” Kodi said quietly, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

He put his head down and nudged her.

Dusty slowly opened her eyes.

“Guys,” she said. “Haven’t you…”

She stopped.

Kodi smiled at her, as tears welled up in her eyes.

“How are you doing?” Kodi said.

Dusty stood up, quickly, and fell down.

Kodi helped her to stand.

“Are you okay?” He said.

She couldn’t talk, due to the emotions that were running rampant through her.

She shook her head, buried it in his shoulder, and sobbed.

Kodi smiled, just happy she was alive.

He saw Balto and Aleu standing in the entrance to the chamber.

Dusty pulled away and looked at him.

“Kodi, I’m so sorry…”

Kodi cut her off.

“Not here Dusty.” He said. “We’re looking for my mom, have you seen her?”

“Jenna?” Dusty asked.

Kodi nodded.

“No.” Dusty said.

“Well, can you walk?” Kodi asked.

Dust nodded.

“Slowly.” She said.

“Well come with us then.” Kodi said.

She nodded, and limped, leaning on Kodi for support, to Balto and Aleu.

“It’s good to see you.” Balto said.

She nodded.

“Not as good as it is to see you guys, I was convinced I was going to die in there.”

She turned to Kodi and sighed.

“I didn’t really expect it to be you that would come for me. I didn’t even expect anyone.”

Kodi smiled and nuzzled her.

As the four of them walked through the other chambers, Dusty felt very confused.

“Does this mean he’s going to take me back?” She thought. “He’s acting different, but will he take me back?”

She didn’t know the answer, but she was content that he’d come looking for her, because that showed he still cared for her.

“...but how much?”

Dusty didn’t know if he still loved her or not, but he seemed more himself, and for that she was glad.

The four of them continued to check the other chambers, looking for Jenna.

Chapter 9

Aleu, Balto, Kodi and Dusty walked through the cave.

Kodi and Dusty were pretty involved with each other, so Aleu turned to Balto.

“I don’t understand this…” Aleu said. “Where is everyone?”

They still had yet to see another wolf.

“No guards, no…. nothing.”

Balto nodded.

“It is strange.”

“There is only one more chamber…” Aleu said. “…maybe they just…. moved out.”

“And left Dusty here?”

Aleu and Balto looked at each other, and stepped into her old home…

“Is everything ready?” Gareth asked Tyrel.

Tyrel nodded.

“Yes sir.”

“Tonight is the night.” Gareth said.

Tyrel nodded again.

“Sir, the pack is waiting.”

“Alright.” Gareth said.

Then he walked down to the pack.

“My brothers!” he yelled.

The wolves all cheered.

“Tonight is the night!”

The wolves continued to cheer, and he had to raise his voice to be heard.

“Tonight, we end what the great Talkeet started! Tonight we, the Uniea, usher in a new era, an era ruled by Shade!”

The wolves’ cheering intensified.

Balto and Aleu stopped.

“Oh no…” Aleu said.

“…but Shade requires something from us,” Gareth said “and we are here to give it to him!”

Gareth turned to Tyrel and nodded.

Tyrel walked forward, pushing a struggling Jenna in front of him.

“Jenna.” Balto said.

He took a step forward.

Tyrel pushed Jenna in front of Gareth.

“Behold! The one who will bring the FATHER OF DARKNESS!

The wolves cheered even louder, growing to deafening volume.

Gareth turned to Jenna.

“I thank you for your part in this.”

“Go to hell.” Jenna said.

“I intend to.” Gareth said.

Jenna spit on him.

Gareth smiled.

“IT IS TIME!”

He turned back