into the den. Lakota lay watching at the den’s entrance, guarding his pack with his life.

Father and daughter reached the hill and lay down. Kaila watched her father’s face, and there was a reflective silence between them. The white snow on the ground whirled around in peaceful puffs, and Balto suddenly spoke.

“You know, when I let Aleu go, I knew I probably wasn’t going to ever see her again,” he stated quietly. “She floated away on that ice bridge and a part of me felt like running after her and pulling her back home, where I would never let her run away again. But the one thing that held me back was that I knew it was her choice, and that it was what she wanted to do with her life.” Kaila looked down. She knew what was coming. “It’s your choice, Kaila. You don’t have to listen to your old man’s wishes. If you want to stay with this wolf pack, I understand.”

Balto smiled a little, and Kaila felt her heart start to pound. All her life adults had been telling her what to do, while she had to obey whether she liked it or not. Well, most of the time anyway. But now her father was telling her she could do what she wanted. Her and nobody else! But what DID she want?

Kaila looked back at the whelping den, where her pack lay inside and their new leader was guarding them. She had experienced life and death with them, made friendships, strengthened bonds, and helped keep the pack together. She had played, hunted, howled, and lived with this pack for only about two days, and yet she felt like she’d known them all her life. Needless to say, she loved them. They were like the future, the key to life outside of her old home.

Then Kaila looked back at Balto. Memories of her puppy days flooded up, and she remembered all the happy times she had had, listening to her mother, Jenna, sing her to sleep…messing around with Nikki, Kaltag, and Star…playing tricks on the town dogs with her siblings…listening to her father tell the story of when he saved Nome…that was her past. Balto, Jenna, The Trio, her brothers and sister, and Nome were her past. But which would she run to? Her past or her future?

Kaila remembered that night on the slope when Aniu had first appeared. “But who are you?” Aniu had asked, and Kaila knew it would take a lifetime for her to figure that out. But she herself had said, “I want to know where I belong.”

Where did she belong? She would have to choose now. The Anvil Creek pack or her parents? The Alaskan wilderness or Nome? Her future or her past? Another verse from the lullaby trickled through Kaila’s mind.

‘There’s no turning back,

Your destiny is calling,

Listen to the thunder roll,

And let your heart break free,’

Kaila came to a decision. She turned to Balto and said, “Stop telling yourself I’m just like Aleu. I’m Kaila, and I’m a whole different person from my sister. Aleu was on a quest to find out who she was; I went on a journey to find out where I belong. She was with a wolf pack for one day before she went; I was with my pack for two. She’s already made her decision; I’m making mine.”

Balto stared into his daughter’s eyes with hope, and Kaila smiled as she said, “Dad, I’m coming home with you.”

Balto’s heart seemed to burst, and he embraced his daughter, and before she knew it he was licking her face and muzzle all over with fatherly tenderness, and his happiness was so intense Kaila couldn’t help feeling happy as well. She was finally going home.

The two wolf-dogs raced to the den, fur flying, tongues hanging out, and feet pounding over the tundra, kicking up snow like sparkling dust. They both slowed down, and Kaila felt a twinge of guilt as they neared the pack’s current dwelling. Was she a traitor to be leaving her pack?

Lakota got up when he saw them, and by Balto’s face he knew what Kaila’s decision had been. The young alpha called his pack out, even Kiowa, and they all stood waiting.

Kaila took a deep breath and announced, “I’m going home to Nome with my dad.”

“Aww, Kaila,” Sarai said, and the others murmured in agreement. They didn’t want her to go.

“I’ll be back someday,” Kaila continued. “I promise. But right now, I feel like my home is waiting for me back where my parents are. I’ll come back someday and I’ll join the pack all over again. I promise.”

It was settled, and though Sarai whined and complained, Kaila was firm. Goodbyes were exchanged.

“Hey, goodbye ‘just friend’,” Lakota said jokingly. “I’ll miss you around here.”

“’Bye,” Kaila said. “You’ll make a great alpha someday, Lakota.”

“Why do you have to leave?” Sarai said. “This pack needs you.”

“I told you, I’ll be back,” Kaila insisted. “Goodbye, Sarai.”

“Goodbye, Kaila,” Sarai sighed.

“Goodbye, Kaila,” Sage said warmly, her eyes still glinting like Hawk’s. “You were the best hunter this pack has ever had. I’ll miss you.”

“So long, Sage,” Kaila said. “Thanks for taking care of me that first night.”

“’Bye, Kaila,” Kiowa said softly, and nuzzled the wolf-dog once.

“Goodbye, Kiowa,” Kaila said. “Take care of Cheyenne and Nilak for me. Hopefully I’ll be able to see them when I come back.”

“Yes,” Kiowa whispered, and smiled.

Kaila strode up to Aniu and they hugged each other. “Farewell, granddaughter,” Aniu said. “If you ever feel you wish to join the pack again, I’ll be waiting for you on that hill. You will always have a place among wolves.”

“Goodbye, Aniu,” Kaila whispered, and turned to the whole pack. “I’ll miss all you guys.”

Balto said one last goodbye to his mother-“Take care, my son,”-and the two wolf-dogs headed south, towards Nome, and Jenna, and Kaila’s siblings, Copper and Chase and Dusty. Nome would be Kaila’s home, for now.

Balto and Kaila made their way across the glittering landscape, and as they mounted the last hill before they descended into a steep valley, Kaila turned back for one last look at her pack. A high, clear voice floated across the frosty plains to Kaila’s ears, and she knew it was Sarai singing.

‘Reach for the light,

You might touch the sky,

Stand on the mountaintop, and see yourself flying,

Reach for the light,

To capture a star,

Come out of the darkness, and find out who you are.’

As she turned away, Kaila whispered the last words of the song: “Yes, reach for the light.”

Balto ran ahead, down the hillside into the valley, and he called back.

“C’mon, Kaila!”

Kaila followed, and let her father lead her away from her pack. She saw on the horizon a lighted shape that just might be Nome, where Jenna was waiting.

Kaila took a deep breath and plunged ahead of Balto, her paws pounding over the snow. As Kaila ran on and on, the wind shrieking in her ears and snow swirling in her face, her heart felt light. The brilliant lighted shape seemed to loom closer, and Kaila sang happily into the wind.

“Yes, reach for the light.”

She knew she was finally headed home.

The ‘A Second Chance’ series to be continued with Copper’s story…

Kaila, Copper, Chase, Dusty, Hawk, Snow, Cookie, Sirius, Sage, Kiowa, Lakota, Sarai, Cheyenne, and Nilak © redwolf03

Balto, Jenna, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Aniu, Rosy’s father, and Aleu © Universal Studios

Author’s Note: I thought it would be kind of cool for you to know the meanings of the names of all but one of the Anvil Creek wolf pack members, just so you can see why I gave them that specific name.

NAMES MEANINGS

Sirius ‘the Dog Star’

Lakota ‘High Wolf’

Sage ‘strong and sweet’

Sarai ‘wolfsong’

Kiowa ‘Sleeping Wolf’

Cheyenne ‘Little Wolf’

Nilak ‘chipped ice’