Balto’s Antarctic Adventure:

Journey through the Impossible

 

 

Akiak and Roan ran through the soft snow to the plane that had landed not far from Base. The plane was crusted with frozen snow and icicles hanging from below. They watched as the driver jump out and started to scrape it off the wings and base of the plane. But it wasn’t the driver they were waiting for. After a few minutes of waiting, finally they could see two large light brownish paws step to the door and Balto hopped out of the plane into snow. Roan immediately ran up to him yipping with joy. Balto laughed as she brushed against him in the way dogs hug.

“I missed you so much!” She barked and continued to hug and lick him.

“Yea, me too dad!” Akiak said as he walked over and licked Balto’s face.

“I missed you two as well!” Balto laughed, “Ever since you left me,”

Roan’s face nearly cried with joy. She couldn’t explain how much she missed her dad. And how glad she was too see him again.

 

“Let me show you around base dad,” Akiak said as he lead Balto into the base. The base was small, with lots of strong tents and unusual equipment Balto had never seen before in his life. “Here’s the main tent,” he explained. Roan added on,

“That’s where most of the humans work,”

Balto looked at the tent. It was a very large olive green tent, nearly brown, with ice and snow coated all over it. On top he saw many strange metal sticks with icicles hanging from them. He didn’t bother to ask. Through the tents, he saw many other dogs barking happily in the snow, many young. They ran around the tents and nipped each others tail. Balto looked saw some kennels by the main tent and asked,

“Is that where you sleep?” Akiak answered, “Sometimes, when the weather is bad. Most of the time we sleep outside,”

“Outside?!” Balto said astonished, “In the snow?”

“Yea, dad. Of course! They do that at home in Alaska don’t they?”

“Emm… well. Sometimes I guess,”

Roan and Akiak laughed and said, “Come on dad! Why don’t you come a meet some of our friends,”

 

“Dad, meet the team!” Akiak said as they walked up to a group of dogs playing together. “Meet Izzy, Silver, Scoot, Moss, Max and Aleska”

“Their our team!” Roan said, “Aleska is our lead dog,”

Many off the dogs came up to Balto and said hello and licked his face.

“Hmm…” Roan said,

“Aleska doesn’t seem to be here. I wonder where she is?”

“Never mind!” Akiak shrugged, “Will catch up with her later,”

From a distance, Balto could here shouting. He saw Roan and Akiak’s ears  prick. “Oh, that’s our human calling,” Akiak said to Balto, “We have too go know dad, there’s a lot of work to be done! We will be back soon!”

“Okay then! Have a good time you two!” Balto laughed as they ran off to them. Roan jumped up at her human, attempting to lick his face. He laughed as many other dogs tried to do the same. Balto watched as they got harnessed and set off through the white snow. He sighed; it was so good to see them again. They had grown a lot since he had last seen them in Nome. Roan was as beautiful as her mother and had the same sparkling eyes, and Akiak; he was strong with a clever mind. He was a perfect sled dog. Balto was very proud of them. When he saw them run, working as a team, his heart soared like an eagle.

 

Roan, Akiak and the team had stopped at the main base in Antarctica. They were replacing equipment needed to drill ice out of the ground. Akiak panted with his breath looking like freezing steam when it hit the air.

“Snow’s good today!” he panted.

“Yea! Nice and easy,” Roan replied, also panting.

Moss, a brown husky with some black patches was just behind them.

“The snow may be good, but that equipment looks heavy you guys,” He said.

“We can carry that with ease Moss!” Akiak laughed, “Besides, a challenge is just what we need after those few days lying around base,”

“Yea!” Silver, a husky with a bright grey coat and beautiful blue eyes, said, “A challenge is just what we need!”

Akiak looked back at her and smiled. Mush!

The dogs suddenly sprung into action and began to run at top speed, barking and panting. The snow was sliced and pushed to the side as the sled cut through it. Aleska, the lead dog, was the fastest and was a great lead dog. She ran swiftly through the snow and was light but strong. Her coat shined, it was a gorgeous white. She had blue eyes that shone like the sun. You could see a beautiful power in her that told you, she was lead dog.

She was in charge.

 

Balto walked around the base. There was so many interesting stuff to explore. He felt like a little puppy again, in a new world. Antarctica was very different from Alaska. He couldn’t imagine living in snow all year round. And where were the trees and plants? Didn’t anything grow? He saw a playful puppy with a colour as red as Jenna. In fact, the pup looked just like one of his pups. He looked identical to Akiak.

“Hello,” Balto said to the pup, it’s head stuck down some snow, “Hello?”

The pup took its head out from underneath the snow and shook it about sending snow flying all over him. “Hey there!” Balto laughed, “Cut it out!”

The pup looked at him with a wagging tale.

“Hello!” It yipped, “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before?”

 Balto smiled at him, the pup reminded him of Akiak when he was only a pup. “I’m…” Balto was interrupted by barking and the sound of rushing snow. The team was back. The pup ran off to them yipping and laughing with delight. Balto walked over to them. “How was it you two?” Balto said.

“It was fine,” Roan panted, “Good to get us up and running again after we had had such a long rest!” Aleska walked over to Balto once her harness was off.

“You must be Balto then,” She said in a gentle voice.

“And you must be Aleska!” Balto said.

“Why don’t you come and have some food with us dad?”

“All right then,” Balto said, “I am a little hungry!”

“Nice to meet you, Aleska,” Balto shouted back to her.

“Pleasure!” She said.

 

Balto was given a bowl of, what looked to be meat leftovers. All the other dogs plunged their faces into the metal bowl, with slimy meat gravy splashing out onto the snow and other dogs. “You guys seem to be hungry,” Balto said.

Akiak’s face raised from his bowl with gravy all over his muzzle,

“It’s been a hard days work for us dad. Besides, don’t you like it?”

 

Balto sniffed it for long time before eating, which he didn’t even think it was, food. It was now pitch black outside and a gale was starting up. He could hear the other tents rattling against the wind and the cold, haunting howl from outside the main tent that Balto and the team were resting in. It was a rough night so the dogs were aloud in base until it was time for them to sleep in their frosty kennels. Inside the large tent, it was warm and cosy. Some humans sat on some chairs around a low wooden table with coffee and dogs sitting next to them or at their feet. Some were still working at tables with maps, and some were at strange machines. Akiak, Roan, Balto and Silver were sitting in a corner by a window. Balto looked out and saw gusts of wind sending the newly fallen snow rising into the air. The gale was just beginning. Many of the dogs could tense a storm.  Balto did too, but he felt safe in the tent with Akiak and Roan. Suddenly the door swung open with gusts of wind chilling the dog’s bones and forced them to shut their eyes from the snow soaring through the tent. A man in heavy clothing a bulky snow boots walked in followed by a completely white dog who looked slightly blue because of the snow crusted on her fur. The door slammed shut and the dog shook her whole body and uncovered Aleska. Icy water covered the floor from where Aleska shook the snow off. She walked over to Balto, Akiak, Roan and Silver. “Rough weather tonight,” She sighed, “I guess winter is finally here,”

“Yea,” Akiak said, “I heard it’s come earlier than usual and we need to get supplies quick before it’s too late,”

Balto didn’t entirely understand, but he listened in anyway.

“I bet we will have too go very soon,” Roan added, “The nights are getting darker, the clouds thicker and blacker and I haven’t seen the sun in days,”

“We may be coming up to winter sooner than we thought we would,”

 Silver said.

“And I bet the weather is just starting up,” Aleska said, “It’s going to be tough getting to the main base in these gales,”

“I know!” Roan shivered,

“I hate running in wind, and in the darkness of night,”

“Yes, that’s why we are setting off tomorrow,” Aleska declared to the team,

“I overheard the humans talking about it. This storm is just the start of our worries. Tomorrow is the day we will set off for the main base for supplies. Just pray that the weather will be promising tomorrow,”

 

The weather was not very promising. The gales had increased in speed, the black clouds had covered the sun for good and the snow was becoming deeper and deeper by the minute. Balto was worried for Akiak and Roan. But he had faith in them. Besides, it wasn’t as bad as when he had to take the serum back to Nome. Balto raised his head to the sky. The black clouds were moving quickly and rumbling. Aleska was also worried. You could see the fear in her beautiful sapphire eyes. She knew something bad was going to happen, she could feel it in her blood and bones. Akiak tried to keep everyone’s gloomy faces cheered a little, “Come on guys! This is nothing. Remember when we were on that lake and the ice broke beneath Scoot’s paws,” Scoot who looked very nervous and unhappy raised his head after hearing his name. “But Akiak,” Silver shouted so she was heard over the wind, “This has never happened before! Winter has never come so early and we have been late. This is dangerous and you have to admit it!”

Akiak didn’t answer. He had to face the truth. Silver was right, this WAS dangerous and the weather was getting worse and worse. Akiak was anxious, but he didn’t want that too get in the

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