Dark Eyes, Cold Heart

Lone Wolf_fanwriter

Chapter One

As he walked back into Nome, Balto felt as though his heart would burst. His daughter Aleu, the only full wolf in his and Jenna’s first litter, had left him, but he was glad. Eager to find her place in the world, Aleu had ventured into the wilderness far beyond Nome and he, concerned, had followed her. Once they had reached a rocky coastline further north, they had run into a wolf pack guided by a wise, almost mystical, gray wolf named Nava. Nava had told them of his visions of Aniu, the wolf goddess, and that he and his pack were destined to follow the caribou over a treacherous bridge of ice flows…with Balto as the leader! He had been surprised to say the least, but could he really leave Jenna to lead a wolf pack he’d known for less than a day? Balto sighed as he thought about it. That might have been the hardest decision of my life…

“Aniu said it would be the one who is wolf and does not know it,” Nava told him, “I thought it was you, but I was wrong.” He looked over at Aleu, who was staring after the rest of the pack, which was slowly drifting further and further away on an ice flow. “It is your daughter.”

Well, Balto thought, she’s where she wants to be. No sooner did his mind close to Aleu than another memory took her place. My mother…is Aniu. He ran the idea through his mind a few times, but still found it hard to believe. He had hardly gotten over letting his last daughter leave when a white wolf, none other than Aniu herself, had appeared and revealed her true identity. One question kept repeating in his mind: how? How could Aniu, the wolf goddess of the North, be his mother? Just then, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts and a grin spread across his face.

“Balto!” Jenna came walking up to him and nuzzled him. “I’m so glad you’re home safe. I honestly thought I wouldn’t see you again.” She looked past him for a moment and then turned back to face him. “Where’s Aleu?” Balto’s eyes lost focus as he remembered what his daughter had said to him.

“She told me to tell you…that she finally found her place.” Jenna looked up and smiled as tears of joy flowed freely down her cheeks. “She’s leading a wolf pack.” Jenna looked surprised, almost shocked.

“She…she’s leading a wolf pack?” Balto nodded. Jenna stood where she was, nodding after a moment. “Well, she did look like a wolf,” she said, smiling, “more than you do even.” Balto nuzzled her to ride her of her apprehension.

“Now let’s not start that again.”

“Come on, Balto, its getting dark.” Jenna started to walk towards her house, but turned and saw Balto looking at the sky. Then he met her eyes.

“Jen, would you-”

“Uh-uh, tonight you’re coming to my place for dinner.” Balto chuckled.

‘I wasn’t going to say that.” Jenna smiled back and batted him playfully on the shoulder.

“Yes you were. Don’t you lie to me.”

“I never could, not convincingly anyway. You know what I’m going to say before I even open my muzzle.”

“True, true.” They both laughed and headed toward Jenna’s front door, where Rosie waited. Balto and Jenna followed her inside and waited in the living room by the fire. A few minutes later, Rosie reappeared with two bowls of food.

“Enjoy, you two.”

A short while later, after hunger had been turned away, Balto and Jenna lay side by side in front of the fire. Jenna looked at Balto.

“Did I miss anything while I was gone?” he said.

“Kodi decided to try out for the mail team.”

“That’s great!” Balto said, smiling broadly.

“Other than that, it was pretty quiet around here.”

“That’s good, I suppose?”

“One would hope so.” After a long while, Jenna sighed and thought out loud. “Imagine that. My daughter, the leader of a wolf pack.”

“She’ll be fine, Jen, don’t worry. She did inherit my wolf side, remember?”

“Oh you…" she sighed, nuzzling him lovingly.

The next day, Balto woke up with Jenna curled up against him. He sighed and gazed at her out of the corner of his eye. He thought of all they had been through together, and he smiled. They had, of course, fallen in love and enjoyed countless dates together, been captured by a pack of wolves who served a deranged tyrant… and then there was Steele…

Perhaps it had been luck that Steele hadn’t made a move on Jenna while he had been gone, but Balto had a hunch that Steele might actually have decided to leave them alone. Yeah right, he thought sadly, and then my dad will come back…. Just then, Jenna woke beside him and yawned.

“Good morning, Balto,” she said, nuzzling him again.

“Good morning, Jenna,” he replied.

“Well, should we go visit Krystal and Kaltag?”

“Why not?”

Milo yawned as he stepped out onto the ledge behind the waterfall. He had been up all night because he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him and thus had gotten very little sleep, so pulling watch duty was not high on his list of preferred activities. Milo sighed and looked out through the shimmering cascade of water. As his keen eyes scanned back and forth across the snowy forest, he suddenly caught sight of two sets of paw prints. As he was about to turn and alert Echo, he sensed someone behind him, and his breath caught in his lungs. Whoever was behind him had his muzzle around his neck, and was slowly tightening their grip. Milo forced himself to remain calm and not scream as he mentally prepared for what he knew was coming.

“Gotcha Milo,” a voice said in between laughs. Milo spun around and to his relief saw Gunther, Balto, and Jenna. Despite how close he thought he’d come to death, Milo managed to regain his composure.

“Don’t you ever do that again,” he said still shaky from his close encounter, “or I’ll kill you.”

“You should have seen the look on you face!” Gunther interjected.

“Does this mean I’m off guard duty?” Milo asked hopefully.

“Normally, no,” his twin brother replied, “but I think you deserve it after that. Go on in, I’ll take over.” Milo gratefully led Balto and Jenna into the den and collapsed on a small pile of leaves. As he drifted off to sleep, he said drowsily,

“Go ahead and make yourselves at home, Echo and Vella are sleeping…” He paused and yawned. “…but Krystal and Kaltag are back there.” He nodded toward the cave furthest back in the den. “G’night.” Balto and Jenna nodded to him and padded quietly to the mouth of the back cave and looked in.

The two lay sleeping peacefully side by side. Krystal, however, scented a new presence and opened her eyes. She spotted Balto and Jenna and smiled. Gently nuzzling Kaltag, she whispered,

“Wake up, dear, we have visitors.” Kaltag blinked and looked up.

“Oh Balto, it’s nice to see you again.”

“The same to you buddy,” Balto replied.

“Thanks.” He turned to Krystal. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Mm hmm.”

“Leave?” Balto repeated, “Where are you going?”

“Krystal and I have agreed to try and convince my owner to let us live with him. He’s a kind old man, and I don’t think he’ll mind.” He looked down at his mate. “I just can’t keep going back and forth like I used to.” Balto nodded. He knew what Kaltag meant.

“We’ll come with you then,” he replied.

“Alright then, it’s settled.”

“Not quite,” said a voice from the behind Balto. The foursome turned to see Treffen padding toward them with Echo close behind. “

“Just when were you planning on telling me about this trip?” Treffen demanded. Krystal looked him in the eye and replied.

“I wasn’t. Dad, I think I’m old enough to make my own decisions now.” She shifted her weight, suddenly unsure of how to continue. Treffen took quick advantage of the situation.

“I can understand that you love Kaltag, and I think he’s a fine mate for you, but you’re putting you life in danger!”

“Dad,” Krystal replied, trying very much to contain her annoyance, “you don’t have to worry,”

“You’re going into a human town and you don’t want me to worry?”

“Kaltag said I would be safe.”

“And you trust him?” Her father’s last question ignited Krystal’s bottled up impatience and she snapped back at him angrily.

“Do you think I would have agreed if I didn’t trust him?” she fumed, “You act like I was born yesterday. I’m not a pup anymore, dad!” She tried to storm past him, but he put a strong paw on her shoulder and stopped her where she stood.

“You are my daughter and you will listen to what I say!”

“No!” she growled, “This is my life! I’m going with Kaltag. One way or another, we’re staying together!” She pushed her way past him, and Kaltag followed silently in her wake. Balto and Jenna watched them go, and then padded out after them.