Note: This story was inspired by Balto, (copyright 1995), Balto II: Wolf Quest (copyright 2000) and Balto III: Wings of Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by: PFC Anthony E. Rotramel

Started: 06/19/05 Finished: 07/17/05 Pages 130

Words: 18,622

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: This story was inspired by Balto, (copyright 1995), Balto II: Wolf Quest (copyright 2000) and Balto III: Wings of Change by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. The character’s Shadow, Dash, Melody, Shasta, Max, Flash, Timbre, Sheik, Lima, Thunder, Shade, Blaize, Lightning, June, Talkeet, Angel, Snow, Kalia, Rayne, James, Daie, Kitok Gareth, Hiruam and the events of this story are copyright 2005 by Anthony Rotramel. The other characters are copyright by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One

 

Talkeet was again immersed in battle.

He fought the Uniea with a fury he’d never known.

Soon, he’d be a father, and he had to come home.

Rayne depended on him.

As he cut down yet another Uniea, he thought about her, about what they had shared together.

He sighed.

Now if this war would end, he could settle down with her, and put all this behind him.

Dash, his father, fought alongside him, and their two units were beginning to overwhelm the Uniea.

Talkeet had already lost more of his troops than he cared to count.

Everyone of them, dead, and for what, peace?

Peace was an illusion, a dream.

The only way there could be true peace was to take it by force.

Talkeet was through kidding himself, he wasn’t fighting for peace, despite Shadow’s proud words. He was fighting so that Aleu could declare war on the next pack that didn’t bend to her whims.

Talkeet liked his aunt, as a person, but as a leader, he was growing to despise her.

She said one thing and did another.

Talkeet warded off another attacker and sighed.

That’s why he was quitting the team after this was over, and maybe the Talbourne as well.

He needed a safe environment to raise his kids, not… this.

He and Rayne had talked it over, and she was behind him one hundred percent.

Talkeet didn’t know what to do.

One thing was for sure though, and that was that after this, he was done fighting, unless it was to defend his own family, Talkeet would never fight again.

The Uniea started to pull back into the forest.

“Should we follow?” Dash asked Talkeet.

Talkeet thought about it.

He knew they should….

“… but I’ve seen enough death for one day.” Talkeet thought.

“No,” Talkeet said, “let’s pull back to the cave, we may be needed there, they’ll surely counter attack.”

Dash nodded.

Talkeet rounded up the troops, and told them the news.

“We’re going home,” he said.

The other wolves looked relieved; they had families to return to as well.

The Talbourne wolves turned, and with Talkeet at their head, they walked toward the cave.

 

“What were you thinking?!” Shadow yelled.

Talkeet sighed.

“We had them!” Shadow continued. “We had them, and you had to call off the attack!”

“I’d seen enough of my unit die for one day.” Talkeet said flatly, “if we had pursued, they surely would have rallied around another unit, and the battle would’ve started all over again.”

“Talkeet!” Shadow yelled. “Do you understand what we’re doing?! We’re waging war, and like it or not, the cost of our freedom is blood!”

This was the wrong thing to say to Talkeet.

“Yeah! Well it’s real easy for you to say that huh! You’re not out there, you’re not the one that’s fighting for your life every stinkin day! You sit here in the safety of the cave, and ask us. “Well Talkeet how did it go?” “Good, but I lost some people.” “Well Talkeet, Freedom isn’t free, it costs blood.”

“Do you see how freakin empty that is?!”

Talkeet paused, and Shadow started to say something, but Talkeet cut him off.

“You haven’t fought one freakin Uniea, not one, haven’t seen your friends slaughtered around you….”

Shadow cut Talkeet’s yelling off.

“ENOUGH TALKEET!”

Talkeet stopped talking.

Shadow looked angry, very angry.

“Watch your mouth Lieutenant, don’t you even try to lecture me on losing friends! I’ve lost more friends than you’ll have in your entire lifetime!”

Shadow took a second to catch his breath, and calm down.

“Talkeet, why don’t you go to your chambers, and spend some time with Rayne before you go back out.”

“What?!” Talkeet said.

“You’re going out after that unit, you and your father, first thing in the morning, but for now, go rest. I know that you’re under a lot of stress now, what with the pups, and the war…”

“I’ll be in my chambers.” Talkeet said, as he turned and walked out of the chamber.

Talkeet walked into his chambers.

Rayne stepped out, and smiled.

“Talkeet! I didn’t expect you home so soon.”

She nuzzled him.

Talkeet sighed.

Rayne pulled back a little.

“Talkeet, what’s… what’s wrong?”

Talkeet smiled.

“Nothing.”

Rayne frowned at him.

“Talkeet, I can tell there’s something up.”

Talkeet sighed again.

“I just…. I don’t think I can fight for them anymore.”

“Well,” Rayne said, “you know I’ll stand by you, whatever your decision.”

Talkeet smiled.

“I know, and thank you.”

Rayne laid her head on his shoulder.

“What happened?”

Talkeet sighed again.

“Just more of the same, you know… you know I get the feeling that Shadow doesn’t care how many we lose, as long as we win.”

“Well he is the top dog.” Rayne said, “I guess he has to look at the big picture.”

“But…” Talkeet said, “…but he seems to be almost heartless, cold.”

“I’m sure he’s doing what he thinks is best.” Rayne said.

Talkeet nodded.

“I suppose, still… it bothers me.”

“How long are you back for?” Rayne asked, trying to change the subject.

“I have to leave in the morning, you see, that’s what I’m talking about… Rayne, he yelled at me, and pretty harshly too, for not continuing the attack.”

“Why’d you stop?” Rayne asked.

“Because if I would have pressed on, yeah, we might’ve gained a few more miles, but… well, I would’ve lost more people, and I’d seen enough of that today, we lost twelve.”

“You were looking out for your troops?”

Talkeet nodded.

“Well, not everyone’s perfect, since Shadow is based here, he probably loses touch with what it’s like to be where you are, and actually doing the fighting, and taking casualties.”

“Yes,” Talkeet said, “but he shouldn’t. It costs lives, and it’s a needless cost. Sometimes it’s better to pull back, and re-group than it is to press on, even if you have the advantage.”

“Well I’m sure everything will work out.” Rayne said. “Shadow seems like a nice guy.”

“Look,” Talkeet said, “I’ve got the rest of today, and tonight to spend with you. I’m done talking about this for now, let’s go for a walk.”

Rayne smiled, and licked the side of his face.

“Okay.”

The two of them walked out of the chamber.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2

 

Talkeet and Rayne were walking through the forest, and talking.

“So,” Rayne said, “what do you want to name them?”

Talkeet stopped walking for a moment.

“I don’t know, what do you think?”

He resumed walking.

“I’ve always liked Jessica for a girl.” Rayne said.

“Jessica is a good name,” Talkeet responded, jumping over a fallen log.

He turned, and helped Rayne across.

“Thank you.” Rayne said.

They kept walking, as they often did, with no destination in mind, just walking and talking.

“I kind of like Kanoe.” Talkeet said.

That’s a pretty good one too.” Rayne said.

She sighed.

“Talkeet, I know you said you don’t want to talk about it, but… well, where would we go, if we left the Talbourne?”

“I don’t know,” Talkeet said, “that’s why I haven’t left yet.”

He stopped and sighed.

“That, and I don’t really know how I’m going to explain it to my dad. It’s gonna hurt him if we leave, and I don’t want to do that, but… well, I’ll do whatever I have to, to ensure that our pups grow up in a good place.

“Talkeet,” Rayne said, “I asked you that, because I had an idea.”

“What’s that Rayne?” Talkeet asked.

Rayne smiled.

“Well, I’ve noticed that you’re a natural leader, wolves just seem to want to follow

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