She was really panicking now. They were getting closer to the falling water. Suddenly, she saw her lifeline. She threw herself off the berg, and gripped her teeth around an out sticking branch, and pulled herself up.

“Up here!” She yelled to her companions. Finn leapt up too.

“Sasha!” Finn cried, as Sasha stood, confused on his float.

Sasha closed his eyes as he reached the waterfall….

CRUNCH

Sasha opened his eyes slowly. The iceberg had stopped, and his float was no dangling dangerously off the edge. Sasha breathed a sigh of relief, and leapt on to a rock sticking out of the top of the waterfall. He leapt onto the ground on the other side. Araul and Finn leapt down from their tree and laughed with Sasha.

The icebergs suddenly slipped, and tumbled down the waterfall. As Araul laughed , she caught a familiar smell.

“The team!” She cried in joy. “I told you the raven was saving us!”

Sasha and Finn exchanged lop sided grins and followed Araul up the hill.

 

 

 

After Araul had caught the team’s scent, they had traveled some distance.

“The scent is strong here” Araul explained. “They have been here recently”

“And…?” Sasha said. “I expect there’s a ‘but’”

“But, I don’t really know what to do when I’ve found them” Araul confessed.

“Well…” Finn started, but he could not think of anything to say.

Araul stopped and sniffed the ground. She smiled, and broke into a run down the hill. Finn and Sasha ran after her. She stopped at the top of another hill, Finn and Sasha by her side.

Below them was the team, battered and tired, but well. The lantern on the sled flickered hopefully.

“Araul?” Samson, a sled dog, said. “Hey, it’s Araul!”

Butch looked up in rage, as the team cheered. The tourists sat around a campfire, warming up.

Araul rushed down the hill, and played with her team in celebration.

“How did you find us?” One dog said, amazed.

“I tracked you” Araul said slowly. “Is everyone okay?”

“Our musher is knocked out, so…I guess you will have to lead us home” Samson suggested. The other dogs murmured and nodded in agreement.

“No!” Butch growled, stamping in front of Araul. “She is not fit enough! She’s just a girl!”

“I don’t have to be a boy to get you home. Now LET ME HELP YOU” Araul snarled. She was about to pounce on him, when…

“Leave him” A voice said.

Araul turned to see a black wolf with a pack stood behind her.

“Kenai!” Finn said, sounding shocked. “Araul…this is my brother”

“Awwww, the lickle wolf dog has called on his brother to save him” Butch cooed, and some of the dogs laughed, but soon stopped when they saw Kenai (who was much larger than them) give them a menacing glare.

“Araul has come to help you” Kenai said wisely, stepping in front of Butch, and looking down on him.

Araul was surprised to see Butch look a little scared.

“She lost her space in the team, to me” Butch grinned smugly.

“Well” Kenai growled, shadowing Butch. “I would advise you to give her it back”

But Butch was not backing down that easily.

“What are you gonna do about it?” Butch asked smugly.

“I will prevent you from harming her” Kenai answered.

“You and what army?” Butch grinned.

“This army” Araul smiled.

“Traitors!” Butch growled. “You haven’t heard the last of ME!”

He ran away into the woods.

The team cheered, and let Araul take her rightful place at the front of the sled.

The humans put the musher and themselves on the sled, and Finn and Sasha sat on them warm them in the snow.

All the dogs were attached the sled, Araul at the front.

“Thanks Kenai” Araul smiled, as Kenai turned to leave. “Really”

“Oh, it was not me who got you here” Kenai smiled, and he had a knowing glint in his eye as he turned and headed home with his pack.

With Butch off her back, Araul began the journey home with the team.

The team seemed to be more comfortable with Araul back as their leader, and put in 100% effort to get them home. Luckily, there were no blizzards as the tried to get home.

Soon, Araul could see Nome in the distance.

“We’re nearly there!” Araul cried, and the team looked joyous to be almost home.

Araul raced down the hill towards her home. She barked loudly, and the humans appeared out of their homes to praise Araul and the team. Araul looked around for Finn but, saw him on the edge of town.

“Finn, what’s up?” She asked.

He was looking out at the open land, and sadly looked at Araul.

“I don’t belong here” He said. “You know I don’t”

“And…?” Araul asked.

“I have to go back to my pack” He said.

“I know” Araul sobbed.

“Goodbye, Araul” He smiled. “It’s been…educational”

He started to walk out into the sunset.

“Wait!” Araul yelled.

Finn turned, his eyes gleaming.

“I’m coming with you!” Araul laughed, and raced towards him and nuzzled him.

“Oh, Araul!” Finn laughed.

Kenai was stood on the edge of the forest.

“Welcome” Kenai smiled.

Sasha watched from the hills above.

“Goodbye Araul” He smiled, and turned to go home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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