know…”

Drake looked at her. Jenna’s expression was one of confusion.

She sighed again.

“What?” Drake asked.

“Jenna sighed again.

“I don’t… I don’t know, forget it. I don’t want to burden you with my troubles.”

“It’s fine.” Drake said. “No trouble at all. You can talk to me, that is… if you want to.”

Jenna smiled.

“You know, everyone… everyone has told me that you were… well, not good enough for me I guess, but… well, I kind of like you. You’re nice to me because of me, not… well, not the way I look, or the friends I have.”

Drake smiled.

“Thanks..:

He looked at the ground.

“I know the others… well, I’m not that popular with them.”

He looked back up at her.

“… but I do like you. I like you a lot Jenna.”

Jenna smiled, slightly embarrassed by his comment.

“Well….” She started, but once again, Drake cut her off.

“I’m serious Jenna, I really do like you, if it hadn’t been for Steele…”

This time it was Jenna who cut him off.

“Well he doesn’t matter anymore…” She said, looking straight into Drake’s brown eyes.

“… you do.”

Drake smiled.

“Really?”

Jenna laughed.

“Of course really.”

In that case,” Drake said, “I actually came to ask if you wanted to go to Applegate with me.”

“Applegate?” Jenna asked.

Drake smiled.

“Yeah, I really want you to, we have a race there and….”

Jenna interrupted him.

“Great, when?”

“This Friday, tomorrow?” Drake said

“Sounds good.” Jenna replied.

Drake stood up.

“It’s a date then.”

Jenna looked up at him.

Drake smiled.

“Sorry, I used the D-word didn’t I?”

Jenna grinned.

“It’s okay. Yeah, it’s a date.”

Drake walked over to her, as Jenna stood up.

“You better get some sleep then.” Drake said.

Jenna nodded.

“We have to leave pretty early, just meet me at the sled barn, the musher is good to take along my friends if they show up. I’m sure he’ll take you.”

Jenna nodded.

“Alright Drake, I’ll meet you there.”

Drake smiled.

“Alright then, well, you have a good night Jenna.”

Jenna smiled.

“Yeah, you too, and thanks… talking with you showed me I’m making the right decision about Steele.”

Drake smiled back at her.

“Anytime.”

Jenna yawned.

“Guess it’s time for me to hit the sack.” She said. “Good-night Drake.”

“Good-night Jenna,” Drake said.

Then he turned and walked off.

Jenna watched him until he disappeared into the alley, then she walked inside the house, laid down by the fireplace and soon was fast asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 7

 

Jenna felt someone nuzzle her, and opened her eyes.

She yawned.

“Good morning Drake.”

“Morning Jenna. How was you’re sleep?”

Jenna yawned again, cutting her response in half.

“It was…. …. Pretty good.”

Drake smiled.

“Great, cause it’s time for us to leave.”

Jenna yawned again.

“Already?”

Drake nodded.

“The race starts in an hour.”

Jenna nodded and stood up.

“Let’s go then.”

She yawned.

Drake laughed.

“Are you tired Jenna?”

Jenna nodded and smiled.

“Yeah, I suppose it’s because someone, I’m not going to say who, but someone, kept me up more than half the night talking.”

Drake grinned at her.

“Now who could that be?”

“Oh, I don’t know….” Jenna said.

Drake nuzzled her, then pulled back.

He sighed.

“What?” Jenna asked.

“Nothing.” Drake said.

Jenna put her paw on his shoulder.

“Drake, what is it?”

Drake smiled at her.

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Just being with you is… intoxicating.”

Jenna smiled embarrassedly.

“Drake…”

“No I mean it Jenna,” Drake said.

Jenna smiled at him.

“Drake I…”

“What Jenna?” Drake asked.

“I think I…. love you.”

Drake smiled back at her, and put his paw on the side of her face.

“I think I do to Jenna…”

She smiled at him.

“Come on, wouldn’t want to be late for the race now would we?”

Drake smiled.

“No, no most certainly not. I feel… different today, we’re going to win, I can feel it.”

“If you put your head to it,” Jenna said, “you can do anything Drake.”

Drake nodded.

“Well let’s go.” He said.

Jenna and Drake walked out of the shed, and to the waiting team.

 

Jenna stood in the crowd, along with many other dogs and people.

It was almost time for the race to start.

Jenna looked around at the town around her.

“Applegate isn’t such a bad place.” She thought.

Just then a man stood up on a table alongside the teams.

“Mushers ready?” He asked.

The Mushers all gave a response to the affirmative.

“Get ready…. Get set… ….go!”

The man fired his pistol, and the teams surged forward.

Steele’s team quickly took the lead, and soon left all the others behind, except Drake’s.

Drake’s team was pulling up fast on Steele.

“It’s gonna be a close race.” Jenna thought. She sat down, and prepared to wait.

 

Drake couldn’t believe it.

Steele’s team was ahead of them again.

Shortly after the race began, Drake’s team had overtaken Steele’s, but then… somehow… someway Steele managed to catch up to them and was now past them.

Drake could see them vanishing into the falling snow.

“They’re…. too….. fast.” Drake thought. “I…. can’….. can’t keep up.”

Drake hung his head.

“I… can’t…. go…. on….”

Drake began to slow down. It had taken all he had to get in front of Steele, and then to stay there as long as he had…”

“I’ve… I’ve got… no…. no more left.”

“Whoa boy,” the musher said, sensing Drake’s weariness. “Steady there Drake.”

Drake slowed down to a trot, then a walk, and finally just stopped.

“What’s the matter boy?” The musher said. “Did you burn yourself out at the start? I was afraid you would.”

He knelt down and scratched Drake behind the ears.

“It’s okay boy, you gave it your best, that’s what counts. We’ll beat them someday.”

Drake shook his head.

“No, winning is what counts.” He thought, “and I can’t win by sitting here, but…”

Drake saw the pass then.

“Could I?” He thought. “One last push…”

Drake stood up.

“What ?You feel better boy?” The musher asked.

Drake barked and the musher hopped on the sled.

“Hike! Hike! Hike!” The musher called.

Drake started up the pass.

“Where’re you going boy?” The musher said. “That’s the wrong…. well, I suppose you know what you’re doing…”

Drake continued, running as fast as he ever had.

“I’ve got to catch them,” he thought.

Drake ran harder.

 

Back in town Jenna was sitting alongside the finish line, waiting for Drake when she heard a familiar squeaky little voice.

“Jenna? What are you doing here?”

Jenna stood up, surprised to hear Dixie’s voice, turned and smiled.

“Hey Dixie! I could ask you the same.”

“We’re here following Steele.” Dixie said.

“We?” Jenna asked.

“I’m here with Sylvie.” Dixie explained. “She’s running around here someplace, probably trying to get with some guy.”

“So who do you think will win?” Jenna asked

“Steele, as usual of course,” Dixie responded.

Jenna smiled.

“Oh I wouldn’t count Drake out just yet.”

“What?” Dixie asked. “Since when do you…. oh no.”

Jenna smiled.

“Jenna…. Jenna you didn’t…. you aren’t….”

“Yes I am.” Jenna said, “and I like him. He doesn’t care what I look like, or how I stand, or talk, or walk.”

“Jenna….”

Dixie sighed.

“Are you sure…”

Jenna nodded.

“Yes I am.”

Dixie sighed again, then smiled.

“Well I suppose that’s better than Balto, now that… that I’d have to talk to you about.”

Jenna nodded.

“Well, you want to watch the end of the race together?” Jenna asked.

Dixie shrugged.

“Sure, but if you’re waiting for Drake to cross that line first, you’re going to be disappointed.”

“We’ll just see.” Jenna said.

The two of them walked toward the

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