voices.

“She just isn’t pulling her weight at the moment” A voice said. “I can’t have the lead dog on my team losing every race she participates in…it’s not good business. I believe with Butch as lead dog we can win”

Sasha realized they were talking about Araul. He peeped around the corner.

Butch was stood next to the Butcher, a smug grin on his face. Araul’s owner was talking to the butcher.

They can’t replace Araul! Sasha thought.

 

The musher walked into the barn.

“Alright guys, we have to go on a practice run now. Come on!” He yelled. “No, you stay, Araul” The musher said, as Araul stood up. The dogs gasped. “Butch will take your place now”

Through the door, Araul could see Butch’s evil grin. The dogs left and the door slammed shut, leaving Araul to sob, alone in the dark.

 

Finn walked through the forest, wary of someone’s presence. He looked up at hills above, and saw Kenai and few other wolves looking down on him.

“You have been rejected from the town, I gather” Kenai said slowly. “You will join our pack now, brother. We need you”

With one last wistful look at the town, Finn followed them through the woods.

 

Sasha sat out on the beach. Finn had left, Araul had lost her job, and he was in danger of letting a huge secret slip. What could he do? He sniffed the air. Winter was approaching quickly. He could smell a snow storm coming. That night, Butch would be setting out into the cold to transport a load of tourists to an over – night cabin. Sasha was very concerned. The humans had no idea there was a storm coming, and no one could warn them. He just wondered how the team, with their new leader, would fare in a blizzard.

 

That night, lanterns were lit, people were cheering, and the dogs were warming up to run, all except Araul, of course. She sat on a fence, and watched as Butch checked all his team members, who looked happy to have a strong and popular leader. The tourists all sat themselves down on the sled, warmed up under blankets as the snow began to trickle down from the night sky. The cabin was 30 miles away from here, which would take the team a good 12 hours at the least. They had checkpoints to stop at during the night, so the humans could eat. Araul however, also knew the blizzard was coming. She had picked it up from Sasha when she was a pup.

When the team had set off, all the watching humans retreated back to their houses, so as not to get too cold in the snow. The snow was falling heavier now, and it would not be long until it was a blizzard, so Araul went to the boiler house with the other dogs. Sasha came too; the dogs of the town welcomed him with open arms.

“I sure hope the team is okay” One dog said, as he looked at the blizzard outside. “That blizzard is pretty bad”

The dogs mumbled in agreement.

“It’s gonna get worse, too” Said another dog. “I hate to think what those humans must feel like without any fur!”

Some dogs laughed and nodded.

“I wonder if Finn’s okay.” Araul said quietly, but some dogs heard her.

“That mutt?” One dog laughed. “He’ll have frozen to death by now!”

The dogs laughed.

“Yeah, you’ll find a statue of him tomorrow” The dogs laughed so hard, they were rolling over.

Araul just laid her head down one her blanket, and sighed. Her thoughts were with the team, but also with Finn.

 

 

Finn was making his way back to the pack’s den, after an unsuccessful hunt. It was cold, and the blizzard was pretty strong. He wondered if Araul was okay. Suddenly, he heard barking. He looked out of the bushes, and saw Butch and the team run past.

That’s funny Finn thought. This isn’t their normal route!

Finn just shrugged it off, as he watched them disappear in a hurl of snow, but he still thought something was wrong.

 

The next morning, Araul woke up to find herself asleep in the boiler room. Sasha lay next to her. He lifted his head.

“Morning!” He said as he stifled a yawn.

Araul went outside. It was still snowing, but not very heavy.

I wonder if the team is back yet? Araul thought, and she ran over to the barn, and opened the door.

The barn was empty.

Araul sniffed the ground. The team was not back.

Araul ran over to the post office, where the two gossip dogs, Dipsy and Mel lived.

“Hey, Mel, is the team back yet?” Araul asked.

 

Mel turned, and looked over at Dipsy, whose mouth was wide open. She was gobbling on some beef jerky.

“Haven’t you heard?” Mel said quietly.

“What?” Araul said her smile fading.

“Araul, the team missed their third checkpoint. They never made it to the cabin” Mel confessed. “The team is lost”

Araul was not smiling now. Without a second thought, she rushed across to see Sasha by the beach, and told him.

“What do you want to do?” Sasha asked. “Go after them?”

Araul looked into Sasha’s eyes hopefully.

“No, no way, I’m not going out into the freezing coldness to find a team that hates you” Sasha cried.

“They don’t hate me!” Araul cried. “I’m concerned for the humans…and my team”

“Okay” Sasha sighed.

“Come on then!” Araul said, and she led Sasha out of the town.

 

Araul sniffed the newly set snow.

“I can’t smell them. The snow has covered the scent” Araul sighed. “But they definitely went this way”

Sasha nodded, and followed Araul.

 

Araul walked along the path through the woods. She sniffed, and frowned.

“What is it?” Sasha asked, looking around.

“I can smell someone” Araul said. “Or something”

Suddenly, she heard a growl. Towering over them, snarling and flailing its claw, was a huge grizzly bear. Araul screamed, and leapt out the way as the bear swung its huge paws towards the pair. The bear advanced on Sasha, but Araul grabbed the bear by its leg. The bear tumbled, and focused on Araul. Araul crept back. Sasha leapt up, but the bear hit him with its paw, so Sasha flew across the clearing, and fell to the ground. Araul hurried over, but the bear cornered them. Araul’s heart pounded. Suddenly, their was a rustle in the bushes. Surely not another bear?

Something brown leapt out of the bushes and grabbed the bear by the nose. It was Finn!

 

 

 

Araul and Sasha stared in awe as Finn tussled with the bear.

Finn had dug his teeth into the bear’s muzzle, and the bear was groaning and snarling loudly. Finn pulled himself up onto the bear’s head. The bear could not see, and he walked around clumsily, trying to flick Finn off his face. The bear walked head long into a huge tree, and fell flat on the floor. Finn leapt out of the way as the bear fell to the ground, and he was splattered with snow.

Araul rushed over, and to Finn’s very great surprise, she nuzzled him strongly.

“Oh! I was so worried!!!” She sobbed loudly. “Never do that again, never! I was so scared! We’re out here looking for the team, and…”

Araul carried on crying on Finn’s shoulder, as he blushed, and Sasha laughed.

“You’re looking for the team?” Finn said. “I saw them running through nearby”

“Did you?” Araul asked. “What were they doing out here?”

“I thought that too. I’ll show you if you want” Finn said. “Sasha, are you okay?”

Sasha was still lying down, but he soon got up, and followed Finn and Araul to where the team had passed through.

“They came past here” Finn told Araul, showing her the snowy path through the forest. “Why were they out here?”

“They’re lost” Araul confessed. “I got kicked off the team because I haven’t won much lately”

“Oh. So, where are you going now?” Finn said, unsure of what to say.

“I don’t believe this! If my owner had left me on the team, they would not be lost!” Araul cried. “I’m going to find them. Come on Sasha”

“I’m coming with you” Finn told her.

“Oh, Finn” Araul smiled. “Well, let’s go”

Trekking across the newly set snow was hard; it was still soft. Araul had picked up the team’s scent where Finn had seen them, and she could track them from there. It was soon night time, but Araul refused to stop.

“We can’t stop. If the team is out here, they’ll freeze to death!” She explained, and then she stopped still.

In front of them was a log bridge, stretching across the gap between two cliffs.

Sasha froze, he had a flash back; he was walking across a log bridge with his brother, and then suddenly it slipped, and Rover tumbled into the water below…

“Come on Sasha!” Araul said, and Sasha realized Araul was already ahead.

Finn looked at Sasha suspiciously; he could sense there was something wrong.

“There has to be another way around” Sasha said.

“There isn’t, and if there was, this is the quickest way, so come on!” Araul cried.

Sasha gulped. He had to do this for Araul. Finn stepped on before Sasha, but kept a close eye on him as he stepped gingerly onto the log and gulped. A small fleck of wood tumbled down and hit the water. Sasha took a step slowly. The log creaked, and Sasha jumped violently. He could feel sweat mounting on his forehead. He suddenly heard rock crumbling.

“Araul, look out!” Sasha cried, and the log slipped.

Araul leapt onto the cliff, but the log was turning. Sasha

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