always seemed different from his mother and father, but it didn’t really seem too important to him. He had made it to high school at age eight and college three years later. Andrew sighed and put his hands on Brent’s shoulders.

‘’Brent, we weren’t going to tell you this until you were ready, but I guess we have no choice,’’ Andrew took a deep breath and blurted out, ‘’Brent, you were adopted.’’

The void in Brent’s heart erupted again, but this time it was bigger than before.

‘’What?’’ he questioned, still in shock. Andrew shook his head solemnly and answered, ‘’your real parents died in a spaceship crash in 1935. We were good friends of your parents, and they were coming to Chicken from 2025 to show us their new son, when the plane lost all power and crashed into the ground, exploding in flame. You were the only survivor, and I had made a promise to your dad, Fredrick Macbeth, that if he were to pass on, I would take care of his children as if they were my very own. So I raised you like my own son. We changed your last name and brought you to 2025 mostly because we didn’t want you to find out about that crash. The newspapers back in 1935 were covering the catastrophe for months. I am sorry on, but we did it for your own good.’’

Brent stared at Andrew and started to cry. The tears poured down his face like someone had turned on a tap. Brent then turned and ran into the forest. Ginger was about to run after him, when Balto put up his arm, blocking her path.

‘’I’ll go.’’ He said sharply and followed the professor’s train through the foliage.

Brent sat down on a rock near a big lake and watched the water sparkle in the moonlight. He couldn’t believe that the parents that he had grown to know as his own were nothing but fakes. His true parents had been dead for over 90 years. He had been living a lie. Balto walked cautiously out of the forest and sat down beside his friend.

‘’You okay?’’ he asked. Brent turned his head toward Balto, making the tears fly from his face.

‘’Do I look okay to you,’’ Brent wailed, ‘’do I Balto?’’

‘’Easy now Brent,’’ Balto replied, ‘’easy. I know how you feel.’’

‘’No you don’t!’’ Brent cried. Balto put his arm around his friend’s shoulder and said, ‘’wanna bet? You see, when I had first come to Nome, I didn’t know either of my parents. I only knew Boris as a father. Then one day, while I was recovering the lost diphtheria anti-toxin, I saw a beautiful white wolf, which turned out to be my mother. My father I am still waiting to meet, but for all that time, I had no idea. When I first saw my mom, I was ashamed to even look at her because I was a half-breed. But soon, I realised that I was still loved by her, even from beyond the grave. It’s the same with you. Both your parents are dead, but they still love you. And they are looking down at you from heaven, beaming with pride right about now.’’

Brent stopped crying and looked at Balto. Giving his friend and small hug, he replied, ‘’thanks Balto. What would a guy do without a friend like you?’’

Andrew and Merina had escorted the friends to Chicken and had given them supper. Brent ate two helpings of his favourite dish; Alaskan Stew with pasta. They were also offered to stay the night, which the team gladly accepted. Everyone had gone to sleep, except Brent. He couldn’t close his eyes and decided to go for a walk. The night air was cold and chilled Brent to the bone, but he continued to walk. Finally, he reached the spot where the crash had happened. A small wooden cross sat in the snow, with the names Fredrick and Ellen Macbeth engraved into it. Brent stood in front of the cross, staring blankly at it. Suddenly, Amber appeared from behind Brent’s back and walked up beside him. She stared at the cross herself and asked, ‘’you miss them?’’

Brent nodded.

‘’Yeah.’’ He answered simply. Amber then untied Jenna’s bandanna and gave it to Brent, who was shocked.

‘’Amber, what’re you doing?’’ he questioned. Amber winked and gave Brent a small peck on the cheek.

‘’Consider it a parting gift tiger.’’ She remarked slyly and disappeared into the night. Brent replaced the bandanna onto his neck and sighed.

‘’I’m gonna miss you guys. I wish I could say goodbye to you in person.’’

All of a sudden, as if by magic, the Aurora made an image in the night sky. Brent stared and watched as an outline of his parents formed. They both smiled and said, ‘’we are proud of you Brent MacWolf. You will always be our son, no matter what happens.’’

The image then disappeared. Brent smiled and waved at the sky. He then turned and walked back inside.

The next day, the team was off. Andrew and Merina waved goodbye to their adopted son as the sled pulled away. Brent waved back and yelled, ‘’I’ll visit again! I’ll miss you mom and dad!’’

Balto then turned and asked, ‘’Brent, where’d you go last night? I woke up to use the washroom and your bed was empty.’’

Brent smiled and looked into the sky.

‘’I’d tell you, but you wouldn’t believe me.’’

END

Brent MacWolf, Ginger, Andrew and Merina MacWolf, and Fredrick and Ellen Macbeth are all copyrighted to me, silver_balto ©2004-2005

Do not use these elements, or any other of my original ideas without prior approval.

A special thanks o my friends baltohaterburner, redwolf03, Luminate, and Rail Wolf. These guys have helped me through my writing career, giving me encouragement and (constructive) criticism. I can’t thank you guys enough.