on the side of Fritz’s neck. Fritz tried to maneuver himself free from the husky’s grasp. He kicked his hind legs frantically. He heard Raider run up behind him, breathing heavy.

 

Keane glanced back over his shoulder and saw Fritz being pinned down by the piebald husky with the malamute/husky cross looking on. Keane quickly turned himself around and charged at the piebald husky. Keane rammed into the husky, hard. Fritz felt the husky being pulled off of him suddenly. Keane struggled to maintain his balance after ramming the husky. Raider quickly lunged for Keane. Something suddenly flew out from a side ally and pinned the lunging husky down.

 

The husky looked familiar, it was Savick, the wolf colored husky that he met yesterday. Savick pinned the malamute cross down. Suddenly down the same ally the other dogs from the team arrived and stood between Keane and the charging pack. Stone skidded to a halt with Rush jogging up to Stone’s side.

 

“What are you four mutts doing here?” spat Stone.

 

“With all the racket you bozos were causing we thought we’d come and investigate.” growled Sasha.

 

“Come on Stone, we can take them.” Rush said anxiously.

 

Zekee and Topaz let out growls deep with in their throats.

 

“No, we’ll let them go, for now.” Stone said coming to a conclusion.

 

“But, we can take them.” Rush said trying to change Stone’s mind.

 

“I know that. We’ll leave them be.” Stone said as he looking at the Alaska Snow team.

 

Savick got up off of Raider. Rush turned and went down the street from which they came. Carbon got up and followed, shortly after Raider.

 

“Just remember Keane, we’ll meet again and next time you won’t have your friends to save you.” with that Stone turned and headed down the street.

 

“First day here and your already getting friendly with the enemy.” said the autumn colored malamute.

 

“Thanks for the help guys.” Fritz said as he tried to get up, he winced as he stood.

 

“Now problem that’s what family is for.” Savick said

 

“Are you guys ok?” asked the black and white malamute

 

“I’m good. What about you, Keane?” Fritz said as he looked over at Keane.

 

“I’m missing some fur on the back of my neck but, other than that I’m good.” replied Keane.

“You guys look like you could got for a drink,” said the female gray husky. “Your welcome to come over to my house.”

 

“Thanks Sasha” Fritz said as he followed the female husky.

 

The other dogs followed the husky down the ally. The dogs made there way through the ally and arrived on the main street. They headed across the main street and enter another ally. The ally led them to another side street. They cross the street and headed for a small house. The house was only a two bedrooms, one bath.

 

“Wait here.” The female husky made her way through the doggie door.

 

The rest of the dogs waited on the front porch. The wood creaked as Keane sat down by Fritz. Sasha made her way back towards the doggie door with her water bowl in her mouth. Sasha pushed her way thought the door. The water spilled over, Sasha waited for the water to settle than continued though the door. She sat the bowl carefully in font of Fritz and Keane. Fritz lapped up the water.

 

“Glad you like it.” Keane said, reminding Fritz that he still needed to drink too.

 

“Sorry.” Fritz said letting Keane get some water too.

 

The water was comforting as it ran down Keane’s throat. After the dogs drank heartily. There was an awkward silence.

 

“Thanks again for saving us.” Keane said trying to make small talk.

 

“I was no problem.” said the black and white malamute who had been quiet the whole time.

 

“I don’t mean to be rude but what are your names? Why did you take me away from Jack?” Keane questioned.

 

“Well, I’m Savick. This is my mate Sasha.” Savick said

 

“I’m Topaz. One of the wheel dogs, and this is Zekee.” Topaz said nodding to Zekee.

 

“Don’t forget Gus and Cooper. Gus is out with a sprained paw and Cooper is sick.” chimed Sasha.

 

“You were brought here to be the new lead dog on our team; Alaska Snow. The welcoming committee that you made friends with this morning is part of the Arctic Storm team. The piebald one is Carbon. The malamute cross is known as Raider. The chocolate colored one is called Rush. The leader of the pack is known as Stone. They are the local gang or pack; they welcome new dogs and put them in their place. You don’t want to mess with them. ” Savick finished.

 

“We have run against the Arctic Storm team before. We have only beaten them once, about two years ago. That was just on luck alone.” added Zekee remembering that the Arctic Storm had lost two dogs to a bear during the race.

 

Keane needed to think, he was taken away to be a lead dog to a team he has never met and made his first enemy this morning. His mind was racing with the events that had taken place over the last 36 hours.

 

“We know it’s a lot to take in, and we understand if you want to be alone to sort things out.” Fritz finished.

 

“We’ll leave you be. If you need anything just come gets us we’ll be around back.” Sasha said as she headed around the house towards the back.

 

The other dogs followed Sasha to the back of the house. Keane slid down; he rested his head on his paws. He closed his eyes, and forced himself to think of happy thoughts.

 

Chapter 7- Practice

 

“Just think of something that makes you feel happy.” Keane told himself. “Like eating fish, that Jack cooked, or…Jack”

 

“I will come back to you again. I will find a way to get back to Koyuk.” Keane promised himself.

 

Suddenly something pounced on his back. Keane quickly got up and turned around to see what had fallen on him. It was a pup; a black and white piebald with piercing blue eyes. The pup had on a red harness with light blue out lining.

 

“Hi, I’m Sky. You must be Keane,” said the eager pup.

 

“Ahh…yeah. How did you kno…” Keane was cut off.

 

“How did I know your name? My mom told me, her name is Sasha and my dad is Savick. They are part of the team you’ll be leading.” Sky said with his tail thumping against the wood floor.

 

“We’ll I need to think right now, why don’t you go play with your siblings.” Keane said as he laid back down.

 

“I don’t have any siblings. I mean I did but, they didn’t make it through the winter.” Sky said lowering his voice.

 

“Ohh… well that sure is a fancy harness, did you get it from Santa Claus? Keane said trying to cheer the pup up.

 

“Yes I did. You want to know what else I got?” Sky said eagerly.

 

“Sure, what did you get?” Keane said with a smile.

 

“I got a big red ball. You want to see it?” Sky said with a grin on his face.

 

“Of course I want to see it. I love balls.” Keane said as he smiled at the pup.

The young pup quickly ran into the house using the doggie door.

 

“Good kid. “ Keane thought.

 

Keane smiled at the thought of having a family of his own one-day. Playing with them is the soft grass. Sleeping without a care in the world as the suns rays warmed them. The pup returned with his bounce red ball.

 

“You want to play?” asked Sky.

 

Not wanting to disappoint the pup, Keane said yes. He could sort things out later. After playing for a while.

 

“How come you are not with my mom and dad?

 

“Because I ahh..”

 

“I can’t tell the pup, I wanted to think cause it would hurt his feelings; make him feel like he was getting in the way.” Keane thought.

 

“I just wanted to watch the scenery from the front porch before, going back to join the others.” Keane said while choosing his words carefully.

“Oh, well the scenery is much better out back, than here.” Sky said wrestling with the ball.

 

“It is, how much better?” teased Keane.

 

“Better, better like 100 times better.” Sky said.

 

“Wow, that much better. Why don’t you show me?” Keane said looking at the pup.

 

“O.k. follow me but, we have to be quiet so we can scare the others.” Sky said heading off the porch.

 

“O.k.” Keane whispered.

 

The huskies jumped off the porch and crept there way around the side of the house. Picking there way over wooden boards that were left on the side of the house. Sky peered around the side of the house; all the dogs were lined up in a row with Fritz giving directions about something.

 

“O.k. time to put you scary face on.” Sky said looking up at Keane.

 

Keane had his ears back against his head and gritted his teeth, he let out a low growl.

 

“Good, now here is mine.” Sky whispered.

 

Sky closed his eyes tight, and gritted his teeth and slightly shook his head back and forth. He left out a growl sound as he did this.

 

“Good.” smiled Keane.

 

Sky turned around and peered again at the other dogs.

 

“O.k. ready 1,2,3” Sky whispered.

 

Keane and Sky jumped out from around the house. Both dogs had their scary faces on.

 

“Mom, dad did I scare you?” Sky said running to Sasha and Savick. Keane smiled and walked over to the other dogs.

 

“Yes, you did. I thought I was going to have a heart attack.” Savick said as he nuzzled his pup.

“You hear that, Keane we scared them.” the pup said happily.

 

“I don’t mean to be rude but we need to get back to training Keane I would suggest you join us for our warm up.” Fritz said trying to get things back in order.

 

“Sure o.k. What’s the warm up?” Keane asked.

 

“See that tree over there? We run to there and back twice.” Topaz said to Keane.

 

“Seems easy enough.”

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