Aleu’s new life.

((This is a story about how Aleu is getting on but I changed her sibling’s names apart from Kodi, Saba and Dingo the others are called Jetso and Delilah.))

A year had passed since Aleu had become leader of her pack. She stood alone on a hill, feeling homesick for the first time in her life. Aleu looked over at her pack, the elders were ripping apart a caribou carcass and the pups were running in between the elder’s legs. Aleu couldn’t stand being away from her family for much longer so she gave possession of the pack to an alpha male, Colombo, and told him she would be back soon. That night Aleu set off on her journey to Nome. On her way there she passed many a wolf pack, all of them stopped to acknowledge her.

Five suns later Aleu passed her fathers boat and stopped to see Kodi, running on the beach. Aleu ran over and stopped Kodi. “Hey Kodi” Aleu said smiling.

“err…hi” Kodi said nervously.

“Don’t you recognize me?” Aleu asked.

“No…I don’t make acquaintances with wolves” Kodi said stepping away.

Aleu was shocked by this and couldn’t speak “But…but…I am your sister” Aleu said stammering.

“Aleu? Aleu is that you?” Kodi asked walking up to Aleu.

“Yes it is” Aleu smiled.

“O my … you have to come with me now…father is dieing and I suppose the family will want to see you” Kodi said sadly.

“No he can’t be….” Aleu said stepping back and dashing up to Nome. Kodi followed and led her to Jenna’s house; standing outside was Jenna, Saba, Dingo, Jetso and Delilah, Aleu approached with Kodi and everyone turned around. “Aleu?” Jenna asked stepping out of the crowd.

Aleu could see that her mother had been crying as her muzzle was soaked and stained with the salty tears.

“Yes it’s me mother” Aleu said smiling.

“Oh Aleu” Jenna cried into Aleu’s pelt.

“What is the matter with Papa?” Aleu asked one of her siblings. At this point Delilah stepped forward.

“He is old, one day on a mail run he collapsed and was sent to the vets they reckon he has around less than a day left,” She said bowing her head in sadness.

“There must be something they can do” Aleu argued

“We are afraid there isn’t old age is un-curable” Jetso stepped in, he too had tears down his muzzle, he unlike his siblings had a darker red fur and it covered most of his face instead of white markings. Kodi looked through the window to see his father lying on the carpet only taking a couple of heavy breaths. “He hasn’t got long” Aleu’s ears pricked up as Rosie’s father came out and said this. Rosie and her mother let all the dogs in to see their father or husband. All Aleu’s siblings and her mother walked in and Aleu held back a bit, following shortly after. As Aleu walked in one of Balto’s eyes opened. “Aleu?” He spluttered.

The others gasped as Balto had spoken for the first time in days, he hadn’t been the same since Aleu left and then 5 months later Boris had died. “Yes Papa it is me” Aleu smiled as a tear strolled down her cheek. “Papa it will be ok you will be with your mother soon just promise me you will always be with me” Aleu said now bursting into tears.

Balto coughed this time blood came out “Aleu I will always be with you no matter where you are” He said before closing his eyes again. Jenna nuzzled him and so did Delilah, Kodi, Saba, Jetso, Dingo and last of all Aleu, as Aleu nuzzled him she licked his muzzle and said something that only she and Balto could hear “I know I hated you for me being like this but I now am glad I found my destiny I guess your destiny was looking after mum always watch over me please” Aleu whispered. At that point there were no more breaths taken by Balto he had slipped away. Aleu saw that his chest no longer heaved up and down and he made now rasping sounds. Balto was no longer with them and as Aleu cried more the others lay down beside his lifeless body and nuzzled into his fur gently. Aleu couldn’t handle it though, she bid farewell to her siblings and her mother and licked her father for one last time and ran back into the wild, traumatised by what had just happened. She ran, not stopping, still crying though, she reached her pack and saw new pups nuzzling their mothers and she remembered her mate Colombo was leader and that her pups would soon come. She had no chance to say the good news to her father or her other family but she knew there would be a chance some other time. But she could never tell her father, but Aleu had a sense that her father all ready knew.

Around 3 months after her fathers death Aleu was mourning on the hill again but this time she wasn’t alone because beside her was her mate, Colombo and underneath them both were 3 fine little cubs one little black with white patches around his eyes who was called Pasco another was pure white with blue eyes she was called Folia and the last one looked exactly as her father did so Aleu called him Balto. As the pups watched the pack and the elders feasting they lay down listening to a story about their grandfather and the diphtheria scare of Nome. Aleu promised the youngsters that she would take them all including Colombo to see their grandfather’s grave and to see the great town of Nome, but they would have to wait a while. Aleu howled a mournful howl and Colombo joined in and soon after there were little tiny yelps from the pups joining in. They were singing a song to Balto and in his memory they would sing this song every full moon.

By ~. Aragneer