Jenna opened her eyes.
The world was still blurry.
“Jenna?” A gray blob said.
The blob turned.
‘I think she’s coming around.”
A white blob joined the gray one.
Jenna shook her head and groaned, as her senses came back to her, along with her sight.
Balto and the goose…
“What was his name?” Jenna thought. “Boris? Yes, that’s it, Boris.”
Balto and Boris were sitting in front of her.
“Are you okay?” Balto asked.
“Humph.” Boris said, standing and walking away. “I still don’t understand why you’d go to all the trouble you did for… her.”
He walked up and out of the boat.
Balto sighed.
“Don’t mind him Jenna.”
Jenna groaned again and looked around.
“Where… where am I?”
Balto smiled.
“My home.”
“Where’s that?” Jenna asked.
“Can you stand?” Balto asked.
Jenna nodded.
“I… I think so.”
Balto smiled.
“Follow me then.”
Jenna stood up and weakly followed him outside.
Jenna found she had been in an old trawler, situated in the frozen fields of what had once undoubtedly been a lake, on the outskirts of Nome.
She could see the entire town.
“Wow…” she said.
Balto smiled.
“Quite a view at night.”
Jenna nodded.
“I’m sure.”
Jenna looked around at the old trawler.
“You live here?”
Balto smiled.
“She may not look like much, but she’s home.”
Jenna smiled.
“I know what you mean.”
Balto winced.
“Are you okay?”
Jenna heard someone walk up behind her then.
“No, he’s not, he got himself beat up trying to save your spoiled tail.” Boris said.
Jenna turned back to Balto.
“I’m sorry…”
Balto cut her off.
“It’s alright Jenna, I…”
He winced again.
“I just did what anyone else would have done in my place.”
“Well, not anyone…” Jenna said, images of Drake running away flashing through her mind.
“Me and guys here lately…” Jenna thought. “Not a real good track record so far.”
“Well Jenna, you want to stay and have dinner with us?” Balto asked.
“Sure.” Jenna said.
Boris sighed and walked away.
“Is he always like that?” Jenna asked.
Balto laughed.
“Boris gets a little uptight at times, but he’s the only father I’ve ever known.”
“Father?” Jenna asked.
Balto nodded.
“See, I was… well, I was lost, separated from my family when I was young, and Boris found me in the middle of one of the worst snowstorms the area has ever seen. He brought me back here and pretty much raised me. The two of us have been together ever since.”
“Okay,” Jenna thought. “A little odd, but…”
Balto’s voice cut her thoughts off.
“I’ve got some friends coming that I’d like you to meet.”
Jenna remembered Dixie’s earlier warning then.”
She gulped.
“Are… are they wolves?”
Balto laughed.
“No… no they…”
He had to stop talking, he was laughing so hard.
A few moments later he had settled down enough to speak.
I don’t know any wolves.” He said. “I’m more dog than wolf, no they’re… well, I’ll just let you see them.”
“Okay.” Jenna said.
Balto laughed again.
“Jenna, relax, you’re so tense… you’re safe here, don’t be afraid. I’d never hurt you, or allow anyone to.”
Jenna smiled.
“By the way, speaking of that… thank you for what you did back there. I…”
Jenna hung her head and sighed.
“I didn’t deserve it.”
Balto raised her head with his paw.
“Yes you did.”
She smiled.
“Well thanks.”
“Just did what had to be done.” Balto said.
Jenna nodded.
It was silent for a little while.
Jenna yawned.
“Why don’t you come down below and get some sleep before my friends show up, you look tired.”
Jenna smiled and nodded.
”I am.”
“Follow me then.” Balto said.
He led Jenna below decks, and back to the room that she’d woken up in.
There, Jenna fell asleep.
A few hours later, Jenna felt someone tap her on the shoulder.
She didn’t open her eyes until she heard the voice.
“Is she alive uncle Balto?”
Balto laughed.
Jenna opened her eyes.
“Ahhh!” She screamed, as she jumped up.
The small white ball of hair squealed as well and backpedaled. He stepped into a bucket, and fell into a pile of odds and ends in the bottom of the boat.
Jenna ran behind Balto.
“It’s a polar bear!” She said, short of breath.
Balto laughed, as the bear stood up.
“These are the friends that I told you about.” Balto said.
“Friends?” Jenna said uneasily.
Balto smiled.
“Yeah, they wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Jenna thought about what Balto had said.
“They? There’s more of them!”
About that time Jenna was lifted off the air from behind, and found herself smothered in white fur.
The huge bear licked her head, and Jenna screamed again, kicking her way free, and sprawling to the ground.
The big bear smiled, and mumbled something.
Jenna stood up and backed warily away.
Balto laughed,
“Only two.”
Once she was behind Balto, she spoke.
“What did he say?”
The small one stood out of the pile of things, throwing a few of them on the floor, including a red cat, that began to play the cymbals it had grasped in it’s paws.
“Hey I almost forgot about that.” Balto said, swatting it back toward the pile.
The small bear walked over to Jenna.
“He asked what your name was.”
“Oh…” Jenna said. “It’s… it’s Jenna.”
The big bear mumbled again, and Jenna turned to the little one.
“He says you’re beautiful… for a dog.”
Jenna stepped back and smiled, slightly embarrassed.
“Thank… thank you.”
Balto laughed again.
“Jenna, the smaller one there is Muk, and the big one is Luk, they’re brothers.”
Jenna looked first to Muk, then to Luk.
“Brothers?”
Balto nodded.
“I know, I found it hard to believe when I first met them too.”
“They look so… different.” Jenna said, walking out from Balto.
Jenna couldn’t explain it, but she felt safe behind him, like he would protect her.
She felt at home there.
Balto laughed.
“Yeah, on the outside, but on inside they’re exactly the same, big babies.”
Muk smiled and walked over to her, and stuck out his paw.
Jenna stood there, watching him, as he extended his arm, and tapped her on the nose.
Jenna sneezed, and the young bear jumped.
He laughed.
Jenna shook her head and smiled.
“Hello Muk.”
“Hi Jenna.” Muk said.
He turned to Balto.
“Uncle Balto, where’d you find her?
“Well,” Balto said, “looking over at Jenna. “She kind of found me.”
“Is she a stray too.?”
Balto laughed.
“No, no she has a home.”
“I live in Nome.” Jenna said.
“The town?” The bear asked excitedly.
“well...yeah.” Jenna said.
“I’ve always wanted to go there, but Uncle Balto said it’s dangerous, and wouldn’t let me.”
“… and with good reason.” Jenna thought. “The humans wouldn’t understand that you’re harmless.”
The fact that she was sitting in a boat, next to a wolf dog, chatting with a pair of polar bears, hit her just then.
“What’s wrong with you? Have you completely lost your mind?” Jenna thought.
Jenna couldn’t explain it, but once again she felt more at home here, than she had since she’d left her mother in Shishmaref.
“Kinda odd…” Jenna thought.
“Hey why don’t we continue this conversation above decks.” Balto said, walking away from the window, and back to the group. “Boris is coming with our dinner.”
“Food!” Muk said.
Balto nodded and laughed.
“Yes Muk, food.”
Luk mumbled something that, again, Jenna could not understand.
“He asked you if it’s okay for carry you up top?” Muk said, “he says girls, especially guests, shouldn’t have to walk up that many stairs.”
Jenna was a little uneasy.
“OOO-kay.” She said. “Sure.”
Muk conveyed this to Luk. The big polar bear smiled, and Jenna soon found swept up in his grasp, and thrown over his back.
The bear began climb the stairs.
Balto followed along behind, laughing and shaking his head, as with every step the big bear took, Jenna bounced on his shoulder.
When they reached the top Luk forgot about her, and didn’t duck.
Jenna’s head slammed into the top of the door framed.
She frowned, and shook her head.
Balto winced, and then laughed harder, barely able to climb the steps.
Luk turned his head, and mumbled.
“He says sorry.” Muk said.
Jenna shook her head, trying to get rid of the ringing in her ears.
“That’s okay…” she said.
Luk ducked, and went through the door.
It was late that night, and Jenna and Balto were alone, on top of his boat.
Balto smiled.
“I really enjoyed today.”
Jenna sighed.
“So… so did I.”
She smiled and stuck her paw out.
“Friends?”
Balto smiled and put his paw on top of hers.
“Definitely.” He said.
Balto felt a jolt, as if Jenna were charged with electricity, and when he touched her, she had shocked him. He couldn’t explain it, but it was as real as
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