their heads in unison. “Come on, Aleu. We’ll try again at another time.”

Aleu let out a small gasp as she petted the wound that her dam had just given her. “But . . . but . . .” 

“No buts, Aleu!” The patriarch ordered her, leaning up so close to her that their noses touched. Her eyes were large as she looked at him, ears against his neck and eyebrows near to his flaming-red eyes. “You heard your mother. Now, let’s go.”

He grabbed his daughter by a large tuft of mousy-brown neck fur with his mouth and began to lift her out of the box. Aleu’s expression was sullen as she let out a slight grunt as her whole body was released from the wooden prison. She was hoping that a young human would give her that freedom, but . . . She let out a sigh, knowing that today would not be that lucky day. 

“I’m sorry, Papa . . . Mama . . .” A tear fell down her face as she whispered an apology, lowering her ears in sorrow.

“Hey, there it is!” 

The large canines halted at the cry, looking at the little girl who had read their sign only minutes prior. She was pointing at the box where the three dogs originally stood.

“That’s it, Dad! This is the sign!” Joanie was all smiles and giggles as she looked back at her father. “It says that there are free pups for good homes here!” 

“I see, I see,” he spoke, not really showing much interest in it. Suddenly, he turned his head from the sign to the local canines in front of them. “Hey! That’s the hero of Nome – Balto!”

Jenna turned to the half-breed, who was shocked that someone had remembered his amazing feat. It had only happened a few months ago, but he was still having trouble being praised for being a hero by humans since many months before that January, they were always scorning him and shooing him away, afraid that he would attack them due to his wild heritage. Aleu was the most shocked, for she had never known that her father was so special. 

“Papa, you’re a . . . hero?” She looked up at him when he set her down, allowing the girl’s father to pet him.

“Thank you so much, boy,” the man spoke to him softly, petting him. Balto panted quietly, listening to whatever the human was saying. “If it wasn’t for you, my only little Joanie would have truly been lost. You know, she’s best friends with that husky’s owner there, Rosy. Wow, to think you still have one pup left,” He stared at the brown and tan pup in between the wolf-dog’s forelegs, lifting an eyebrow at her looks and markings. “Hmm, she looks all right, I suppose. Like Father, like Daughter, eh?”  

“All right?” Aleu tilted her head to the side in confusion by the man’s comments about her. “Like Father, like Daughter? Papa, what does that all mean?”

“Shh-shh. Hush, Aleu,” Jenna shushed her daughter. Jenna, meanwhile, was being stroked by the gentle hands of young Joanie. Aleu turned away from the two males with an aloof expression, standing to her feet and traveled to the feet of the short-haired girl. 

The man continued to spill his mind to the wolf-breed without fear, still petting down his scruff fur. “I believe you are a blessing to us, Balto. My wife and I were close to losing hope on her, and thanks to you, she’s here today. I really appreciate it a lot,” He looked back at his own daughter, his mouth forming a smile. “She’s my treasure since the day she was born, just like I’m sure your pup is for you, right?”

Balto barked, replying to him. Aleu was his treasure, not just because she was his first-born child, but because she had visually inherited his wolf side, and unfortunately, their traits and actions as well. 

“You must be looking for a good home for her, right?”

The brownish-gray dog stood up with a bark. He couldn’t believe it – could these be the people that would actually make a wolfish-looking pup like Aleu a member of their family? Maybe Jenna was right, he thought with a smile.  

The human father and the half-breed father, and Jenna as well, both gazed in wonderment at their two daughters playing together as if they were sent together by the threads of fate’s omnipotent cloth. Joanie had picked up the wolf-like child, lifting her up to her face. Aleu had never felt this feeling before as the human’s soft mittens applied pressure against her coat, putting her close to the little girl. With the pulsing of the human’s heartbeat against her padded paws, she truly felt happier than she had ever felt before, giving Joanie a kiss on the nose and cheek.

“Ahhhwoooooooo . . .”  

Her happy call began to fill the air as she lay in the grasp of the girl’s coated arms. For once, neither Balto nor Jenna scolded her for howling, for they knew she was on cloud nine.

“Wow, girl!’ Joanie gasped in awe at Aleu’s howl. “What a beautiful song! You’re wonderful!” The two of them nuzzled face-to-face with smiles. She then turned to her father. “Daddy! Aw, can we keep her? You said I could get a pet one day, so can I have one now?” 

Joanie’s father bade the hero farewell as he nodded to his little girl, who ended up hugging the pup a bit tighter.

“See you around, Balto,” the man said, giving the two dogs a wink. 

The moon was now high, and Balto and Jenna couldn’t believe that the impossible had finally happened – the one pup that they thought would never find an owner was now going home at last. A sudden azure tint fell onto the sky, painting the lunar sky with the shade; the wolf-dog and the purebred sat together and watched the sudden aurora, knowing that their precious little wild child was now in good hands.

“Bye-bye, Papa! Bye-bye, Mama!” Aleu was on her proud new owner’s shoulder as she waved her paw back at her parents, giving them a ray of hope that their little girl was going to be okay. 

“I love you . . .”

(I have no idea when I finished this part . . . sorry!)


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