Balto 1 1/2: Prelude

By C. Brucker "TameWolf03"

Introduction:

Dear Reader,

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this story. I feel that you will enjoy it. If you’re a big Balto fan, and have always wanted to know what happened to Balto and his friends after the conclusion of the first Balto movie, and wondered what happened to Steele, the trio, and other characters between films, you’ve definitely come to the right place!

I myself have had questions like that on my mind since I fell in love with Balto in high school. To add to it, I was more discouraged when Balto II: Wolf Quest was released a few years later, and I found it failed to answer these questions. Wolf Quest also brings up more questions, about why Balto is still an outcast in Nome, why he hasn’t pursued his dream of becoming a sled dog, and why he seemingly hasn’t received much recognition for being a hero (although thankfully he finally is shown some recognition in Balto III: Wings of Change). So, like many Balto fans, I started using my imagination, and compiling ideas about what could have happened, and I eventually was inspired to write my own fan fiction regarding the subject.

Now, as a young man in the U.S. military, I’ve finally completed this story after over a year and a half of work! In my mind, it best explains the events that followed the original Balto film. In it, you’ll find answers to every one of these mysteries, and some events leading up to Baltos II and III. It is long, I’ll admit. But, I guarantee it will be worth reading. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: The Rescue

Nome, Alaska

Winter 1925

Hopelessness...helplessness...depression. It was in the air...

It was all the parents, the citizens, and the children of Nome could feel on this cold winter night, as the telegrapher came out of his office, and extinguished the lantern hanging above his doorway. It broke the hearts of many of the distant onlookers. It had been more than a week since the diphtheria outbreak had first struck the youth of the tiny city, quickly draining the tiny supply of antitoxins the only doctor in town possessed. The people of Nome could now only keep their prayers with a sled team, which had been out of contact for days. Sent in the week’s past to retrieve the precious medicine from the town of Nennana, the team was now, in the minds of these tiny people, gone forever, never to return.

While hopes were kept alive that the team might still emerge from the storm, and manage to find their way home, that possibility seemed to be no more, as the team’s lead dog Steele, mysteriously returned home on his own the night before, without anyone else with him. It was assumed that the rest of the team had frozen to death somewhere in the storm, and were not going to make it back. The lantern hanging outside the telegraphy office was intended to lead the team home, as long as there was still hope. With that hope being gone now, it was certainly appropriate for its tiny flame to be blown out. A great sadness set in. Only a miracle could save the children now...

“Balto...” Muk whimpered, as he, Luk and Boris cuddled together on the deck of the old abandoned ship, mourning for their lost companion. They too had heard the news of Steele’s returning, and they knew what it probably meant for the team...

In sadness, the three of them laid rest in the freezing snow, and tried to go to sleep. As Boris comforted himself upon Luk’s furry backside, he began to remember all the good times he had had with Balto. Ever since he was a puppy, there had not been a day in Boris’ life that had passed by without him seeing his young, spirited friend. “Why?” Boris began to think to himself. “Why did I let him go off all alone? If only I had stayed wit him...” Even if that had not made any difference, at least Balto wouldn’t have perished alone. Boris closed his eyes in despair, wondering just how he could live with himself. He knew he had done the right thing, by staying with the bear cubs, as they had a much lesser chance on their own. But, Boris still couldn’t believe, that his friend was gone...

As night settled in, and the silence grew, Boris felt strange. The world around him seemed so empty now...so lonely. Things just weren’t going to be the same. The quietness bothered him, as all he could make out now was the soft whimpering of the two bear cubs, the whistling of the gentle breeze from the dying storm, and the distant cry of a wolf...

A wolf? Boris opened his eyes widely, and lifted his head in awe of the sound. “Balto...” he whispered to himself. Could it be? He quickly turned toward the direction of the noise, just in time to see a familiar figure bursting through a nearby snow bank, and dashing toward town with a sled team close behind. “BALTO’S BAAAAAAACK!!!!” he yelled.

...

The quiet streets had suddenly awakened as Balto's song was heard drawing near. The team had made it! All over, dozens upon dozens of dwellers were waking their loved ones, grabbing their coats and rushing over to the hospital to greet their new heroes.

“Oh, ho HO!” The doctor was overjoyed as he stepped out onto the hospital steps. A group of nearby men had already untied the lantern that was lassoed onto the crate, and were now prying it open. “Steady,” the doctor said, as the medicine was revealed. “Easy now, that’s had a long journey.”

The crowd around the hospital was so caught up in the moment, they didn’t even notice who was standing at the front of the team.

“Doctor,” a woman asked, who was watching nearby, “What does this mean for the children?”

“Everything’s going to be just fine, my dear,” he replied in what was his happiest tone of voice for quite some time. “This is just what we need to take care of those little ones.” He smiled in reassurance.

Everyone seemed relieved with what they heard. But in the midst of all this, someone spoke up. “Um, Doctor? I don’t mean to spoil the moment, but the team’s musher looks hurt.”

The crowd gasped as all attention turned to the figure on the back of the sled.

“Oh, my goodness!” the doctor exclaimed, running over. “Do me a favor,” he said, speaking to the men whom had helped him with the crate. “Bring the medicine inside for me. I’ll be there in a minute.” The doctor knelt over the body of the musher, holding the lantern above him to see. “My gosh, he’s unconscious!” he spoke with concern. The sound of worry began to pass through the bystanders. “Wait a minute...” He said, looking closer at the musher. “He’s been tied down to the sled?”

Confusion seemed to take over the crowd. “What?” someone asked, “How could that be?”

“I don’t know,” the doctor replied. “It’s as if someone just found him this way, picked him up onto the sled, tied him down, and sent the team on alone. I can't see how this would be. Unless...” he slowly glanced up at the team of dogs, standing idly before him. “It couldn’t have been...could it?” he thought to himself. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. We need to get him inside.” A group of people quickly rushed over to help the doctor carry the man up the hospital steps.

Before long, this phase of worry passed, and the excitement returned once again. But, the confusion remained over what had happened. Mixed conversation erupted. “I don’t understand,” someone said to a friend. “How could their musher have ended up that way? And how did they manage to return without their lead dog?”
“That’s right,” another added. “Steele came back alone last night.”

“Hold on,” someone else spoke up, gaining the attention of the whole crowd. “Who’s that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that dog on the team before.”

Dozens of tiny eyes slowly swayed over to the dark figure standing at the front of the line of dogs. Balto smiled lightly, knowing what was coming.

A nearby man brought a lantern to the front of the team to get a better look. The tone in his voice never changed as he spoke, “Oh, my gosh,” he said, dumbfounded at what his eyes were telling him. “Is this...?”

“It is!” Someone else exclaimed, “Balto!”

Many stunned voices suddenly awoke from the crowd. “What? That stray dog?”

Balto just looked around a bit shyly, waiting for this commotion to stop.

“Are you trying to tell me that Balto went out into the wild, found the team, and led them back?” The word was quickly passed on throughout the streets that a new hero had arisen. No one could quite figure out just how it happened, but it didn’t matter. Balto had saved the town! The animal that they had once feared and looked down upon was now their hero!

Balto just sighed in content, as he could clearly see through the hospital window that many of the children were beginning to wake up.

...

Inside the hospital, Rosie had awoken. “You mean Balto went out all alone, and brought back the medicine just for me?” Rosie said, overjoyed with what she heard.

“That’s right sweetheart,” her mother answered, “You and every other child in town.”

“I can’t believe it. He’s my hero!”

Rosie’s parents found it hard to choke back the tears,