may think!'' he chuckled.

Dingo cringed ''Yuck! That’s messed up''

Carver smiled ''Sorry. So your available I gather?''

Dingo nodded ''Yep. I'm just biding my time, waiting for the right girl to come by''

Carver chuckled ''Believe me Dingo. You'll be waiting a long time sticking around for Miss Right. If you like a girl, you've gotta go for it. After all, you only get one chance at life''

Dingo nodded. He was beginning to like Carver.

Jenna was just about to start off for a walk, when Kodi came hurrying up to the house, a concerned look on his face. Jenna padded over.

''Kodi, are you okay sweetie? What’s wrong?'' she asked as he came to a stop.

''Ah...Mum, I...I've been asked to uh...escort you to the ah...old mill'' he stuttered.

''Why?'' she asked. Kodi gulped.

''Well uh...something’s come up...concerning...Dad''

''What? What’s happened? Is he okay?'' she asked, slightly alarmed.

Kodi took a deep breath ''He's fine, for now. Believe me Mum, this is difficult for me. I was just as shocked as everyone''

''Kodi, tell me what’s happened!'' she put a paw on his shoulder. Kodi looked down.

''I've been told to escort you to the mill. Give you some...support. Believe me Mum, I can't believe it''

Jenna was really alarmed now, and confused.

''Support for what? Kodi, your not making any sense!''

''What’s going on Mum?'' a voice asked. Jenna turned round, and saw Dingo pad out of the house with Kaltag and Carver behind.

''Something about your father. Kodi, tell me what’s going on'' Jenna glared at Kodi, who shook his head sadly.

''It's better if Doc tells you Mum. I've just been sent to escort you there, but I'll tell you all I can'' he smiled slightly, and gestured down the road.

Jenna turned to the group on the porch, a pleading and confused look on her face. Dingo padded over.

''I'll come with you Mum. Whatever it is, I'm sure everything'll be all right'' he lay a paw on her shoulder.

Jenna nodded and turned to her other son ''Lead the way Kodi''

As the group made off towards the mill, Kaltag and Carver looked at each other, wide eyed.

''Something’s wrong. This doesn't look right'' Kaltag said, stepping off the porch.

''What do you mean?'' Carver asked.

''Come on. We'd better see this for ourselves'' Kaltag replied.

Together, they made their way towards the mill.

*************

Meanwhile, in the old mill all the dogs of Nome, most of them bleary eyed and yawning, were gathered inside awaiting Jenna's arrival. All were talking excitedly about the purpose of the early morning emergency.

''I can't believe it''

''Never thought I'd see the day''

''I'm shocked. I can't understand it''

''Mm hmm, I can't either''

Doc walked up to the platform that was standing in for a stage, and suddenly it got very quiet. Doc stood up.

''Thank you all for coming at such short notice, but what we are gathered here for is most urgent. You all know why you have been asked to come here today''

The buzzing began again, as many dogs began whispering to one another. Doc cleared his throat.

''Thank you everyone. As I was saying, this is a very delicate situation, and one that must be treated with dignity. I'm sure you all understand that...''

He was cut short as the door opened, and Balto padded in escorted by his two guards. He walked over to the front of the stage and sat down, confusion on his face.

Doc looked down at Balto.

''Balto, do you know why you have been brought before this congregation?''

Balto shook his head ''I don't know. I really don't know''

The whispering escalated.

''He's got a nerve. Pretending he doesn't know what’s going on''

''Mm hmm, I hear that''

They were silenced as the doors opened again, and Jenna padded in accompanied by Dingo and Kodi. She walked up to the front of the platform and sat down, both sons at her side. There were tears in her eyes, and Kodi lay an affectionate paw on her shoulder. Dingo glared at Balto, who recoiled slightly.

Doc smiled sympathetically ''Has Kodi told you the purpose of today’s meeting Jenna?''

Jenna looked up ''Most of it, but I'm still confused. I don't know...I can't...'' she couldn't continue. She glanced at Balto for a brief second, before collapsing into tears.

Doc nodded ''I understand. Karla would you care to take the stand?''

The whispering started up again, as a female malamute padded over to the platform. She was crying, and around her neck was a familiar bandanna. Doc looked sympathetically at her.

''My dear, would you care to make your statement to those here?''

Karla nodded, tears brimming her eyes ''Well...last night, during the storm...I was lost, trying to look for shelter...I couldn't find anything in the snow, and then...Balto walked over and said he knew a place where I could stay for the night...I was really grateful, and he escorted me to this barn. Well, a few minutes later...he came up to me...and told me that I owed him for his help. I didn't want to do it, but he told me...'' she broke down in tears. ''I'm sorry. Afterwards, he gave me this bandanna and told me...not to tell anyone. But I couldn't...I'm sorry Balto'' she hung her head.

Balto stood up ''Doc, she's lying! Everything she's said is a lie! Please...''

Doc cut him off sharply ''Balto, remain silent or I will hold you in contempt!''

Balto shook his head in disbelief, and sat back down. Doc cleared his throat.

''Thank you Karla. You may step down''

Karla slowly stepped down from the platform, and padded over to Jenna. Removing the bandanna from her neck, she passed it to Jenna.

''I am so sorry...for all of this'' she said, before walking out of the mill.

Doc looked at Balto ''Balto, have you anything to say to this court?''

Balto sighed and stood up ''Doc, what Karla said is a lie. I know I don't have any proof, and I'm sure most of you have already passed sentence. But I'm telling the truth. I would never do anything to hurt Jenna, especially this. She means everything to me''

He turned to Jenna, tears beginning to form in his eyes ''Jen, I would never hurt you. You know that. You know me, and you know how much you mean to me. I love you''

Jenna sobbed and buried her face in Kodi's chest. Dingo turned away.

Doc sighed ''Is that all?''

Balto nodded ''Yes''

''Then I will now retire to make my decision. Excuse me'' Doc walked off the platform, and left the mill.

Balto hung his head ''She has to believe me. She has to'' he thought.

When Doc returned to the mill an hour and a half later, everyone held their breath for his decision. It hadn't been an easy one.

''Ladies and gentlemen, would you please rise?''

The assembled stood up.

''This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, for reasons you all know. Balto is one of out most distinguished citizens, maybe the most. He has always been there for us, even when we wrongly turned him away. That is why it was so hard to come to this decision''

Doc sighed, and turned to Balto.

''Balto, on the charge of adultery against Jenna, I find you ...guilty as charged''

The whispers started up again in full. Balto shut his eyes.

''No! This isn't happening''

Doc continued ''It is therefore the decision of this court that you be forbidden from coming within three hundred feet of Jenna or her house. I would like to point out that this is not banishment. You are free to remain in Nome if you so wish, but failure to heed to this courts decision will be met with severe consequences''

Doc turned to the congregation ''This court is adjourned''

Doc stepped down from the platform as the mill began to empty, and padded over to Jenna.

''I'm so sorry for all of this Jenna. Please accept my apologies''

Kodi shook his head ''There's no need for you to be sorry Doc''

''Yeah, it's him who should be sorry'' Dingo snarled.

Doc took one last look at Jenna, and then padded away. Jenna sobbed into Kodi's fur.

''It's okay mum. We'll take care of you'' he soothed her.

''No...it'll never be all right! Never again!'' Jenna sobbed.

Dingo growled ''Wait till I get my hands on him...'' Kodi cut him off.

''Leave it Dingo! He's not worth it!'' he said, taking a quick glance at Balto, who slowly slinked out of the mill.

Outside the mill, two dogs looked on as a dejected Balto slipped out of the mill and padded away. One was a young gray dog, little more than a year old. The other was a larger sleek dog with white fur. Both were grinning like maniacs.

''Looks like things went according to plan then, aye Grant?'' the young pup sniggered.

''Indeed it did Fitz. She did one hell of a job!'' the other dog laughed.

Fitz suddenly noticed a small dog padding away from the mill ''Is that him?''

Grant noticed ''Yep, that’s him''

''Should we...pull him?'' Fitz asked, as the dog took a corner and disappeared out of sight.

''No. The Brothers Grim will sort him out'' Grant smirked.

Fitz laughed, and shivered.

''Those guys give me the creeps!'' the pup laughed.

''Same here. But they do one hell of a job!'' Grant replied.

Both dogs jumped down from their vantage point, and disappeared behind the mill, laughing all the time.

*************

From the top of a barn, two shadowy figures looked down at the broken body of a brown husky in the snow.

''If the good lord had wanted dogs to fly...'' one said.

''Then he would have given them wings'' the other finished the sentence.

Both figures laughed, which cut short as one of them spotted something.

''Lo and behold, our target arrives!'' the first figure drolled.

''Then lets get to work!'' the other replied.

Silently, both figures dropped from their vantage point, and took off in pursuit.

*************

Star was beside himself with shock. He had just witnessed Balto receive a guilty verdict for adultery! Never before had it cropped into his head that Balto would be capable of such a thing. But the evidence was clear.

''How could he? Why would he do something like that to Jenna?'' he thought. But no matter how many times he asked himself these questions,