while.

“Well,” Alai said finally, “good-night.”

Night Alai,” Aleu said.

She walked into the chamber Alai had shown her.

Aleu couldn’t sleep.

She’d been trying for the past hour.

She felt that something was dreadfully wrong.

Aleu stood up and walked out of the cave.

She looked around, and everything seemed to be fine.

Then she saw a wolf standing up on the ledge above the cave, alone.

“Hmm,” she thought, “wonder why he’s up there this late by himself.

She decided to go talk to the wolf.

It didn’t take Aleu long to make the climb up to the wolf.

He turned and saw her approaching him.

Aleu could tell that he was old.

“How are you?” He asked.

He had a kind voice, and Aleu wasn’t afraid of him.

“I’m fine,” Aleu said, how’re you?”

“Same,” he said.

It looked to Aleu that he was sad about something.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

The old wolf sighed and smiled.

“No, everything is fine.”

He looked up.

The two didn’t say anything for a long while.

“What are you doing?” Aleu asked.

The old wolf smiled again.

“I just love the lights, don’t you?”

Aleu looked up.

Sure enough, the northern lights still blazed in the night sky, whipping back and forth.

‘Yeah,” she said, “they’re beautiful.”

The two of them just stared at the lights for a while.

Finally the old wolf looked back down at her.

“I know who you are Aleu.” He said.

“How’d you know my name?” Aleu asked.

“I know much more about you than that, but it is unimportant, your quest, now that is important.”

He sighed.

“Very important.”

“What do you know of my quest?” Aleu asked.

“Enough,” the old wolf said.

He smiled again.

“My name is Magor, and I am the leader of this clan.”

“Nice to meet you.” Aleu said.

“I too am glad to meet you, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

“You?” Aleu asked.

Magor nodded.

“Why, it is not meant for you to know yet, but you will soon enough.”

“More questions and cryptic answers,” Aleu thought, “are they ever going to tell me anything?”

“I’m just glad that you came before…”

His voice trailed off and Aleu saw a second of sadness cross his face, then it was gone, replaced by his warm smile.

“Well, it is not for me to burden you with the happenings of my life.”

Aleu yawned.

“You are tired?” The old wolf said.

Aleu shook her head.

Magor smiled.

“Yes you are, go back to bed my child, tomorrow holds a lot of revelations for you, and you will need your rest.”

Aleu looked at him quizzically.

“What does that mean?” She thought, “revelations? He is right about one thing though, I am tired.””

“Well, goodnight, Magor,” Aleu said. “It was nice talking to you.”

“You too Aleu,” Magor said.

The old wolf watched Aleu walk away.

A black wolf stepped out from behind a rock beside Magor.

“She’s a nice kid,” Magor said, “isn’t that right Ender?”

“How nice to run into you out here oh great leader…” Ender said, as he stepped up on the ledge.

“…out away from everything.”

Ender walked over to Magor.

“The great Aniu has told me what must happen,” Magor said. “Just you keep in mind that it is she, and not you who defeat me.”

Ender laughed.

“You are an old fool.” He said. “Aniu is no more than a child’s fairy tale, meant to entertain the pups.”

Then he hit Magor.

The old wolf staggered backward.

“Ender,” Magor said, “you only help me by ridding me of this physical form, when I leave this place, I will have more power than you could ever imagine.”

“Keep thinking that old one,” Ender said.

Then he hit Magor again.

The old wolf fell to the ground.

“Do… do what… what you must do.” Magor choked out.

Ender smiled.

“With pleasure.”

Then he sank his teeth into the old wolf’s neck.

He lifted the wolf’s head off of the ground, and clamped down his jaws.

He waited until the old wolf stopped moving, and then sagged, deadweight.

Ender threw the old wolf’s body off of the side of the ledge, watching as it hit the rocks below.

Then he ran off to tell the pack.

Aleu was again in the cave.

“How are you my child?” That soothing voice came again.

Aleu whirled around and knelt to the ground.

“That is not necessary,” Aniu said, “rise my child.”

Aleu stood up.

“It is time for you to learn a small amount of the things that you can do here.” Aniu said.

“There is some information that you need to know, that you do not, and the only one that knows it is your father.”

“My dad?” Aleu asked, “but how…”

“Just believe.” Aniu said. “Picture him in your head, and think of all that you know about him.

Aleu did.

“Now, think of what his childhood was like.”

“But I don’t…” Aleu began.

Close your eyes and think about it, what do you know?”

“Well…” Aleu said, “I know that he was raised by a goose named Boris that saved him in a….”

Aleu collapsed.

Aniu smiled.

A few minutes later Aleu stood up.

“Whoa,” she said, “I… I know now.”

Aniu smiled again.

“Where did he grow up?”

“Applegate,” Aleu answered.

“And who was his first love?”

“Jen…” Aleu started to say, then she stopped, and a puzzled look came over her face.

“Jamie, a husky in Applegate named Jamie.”

Aleu looked at Aniu.

“How is this possible, I.. I don’t believe it.”

“Yes you do,” Aniu said, “or you would not have been able to do it.”

“That’s amazing;” Aleu said.

“This only scratches the surface of what you’ll

be able to do soon.” Aniu said.

“Teach me more,” Aleu said.

Aniu laughed.

“It is far too much to take on right now, you must take small steps.”

“And… can I come here whenever I want, or does this only happen when you need to speak to me.

“I told you, you have only to believe.” Aniu said.

Then she vanished.

Chapter 5

“So you know all about Applegate?” Balto asked.

“I could probably tell you about things that you yourself have long forgotten, thoughts, feelings.”

“Try me?” Balto asked.

“Are you sure?” Aleu asked.

Balto nodded.

“Go ahead.”

Aleu grinned.

“How about that dream you had just before Mikie got sick of you and Jamie…”

Balto cut her off.

“Okay,” he said embarrassedly, “you got me there. I had forgotten about that.”

Jenna looked at Balto a little strangely, and then hit him playfully on the shoulder.

“What?” Balto asked, “I didn’t even know you existed yet.”

Jenna frowned at him.

“Okay,” she said, anxious to get off of that subject. “So what happened next?”

“Well…..”

Aleu was woken by Alai early the next morning.

She stood up and yawned.

“Alai, why…why’d you wake me up?”

She yawned again and looked up.

She saw stars.

“It’s still dark.”

“It’s Magor, our leader…” Alai said.

A worried look crossed his face.

“… he’s dead.”

“What?” Aleu asked, “how?”

“A wolf named Ender found him,” Alai said, “said he was attacked by a bear.”

“Oh my goodness,” Aleu said, “Alai… I’m sorry.”

“Would you come with me?” Alai asked.

Aleu nodded and followed him, as he walked out of the cave.

Aleu stood over the dead wolf.

“Wow,” she thought, “I just talked to you last night.”

“It’s too bad,” a black wolf said, as he walked up behind the two of them.

Aleu didn’t like the tone in his voice.

“Yes, it is.” Alai said, “Aleu, this is Ender.”

“Hello.” Aleu said.

The black wolf barely hid his distaste.

“nnn nice to meet you.” He said.

“So,” Alai said, turning to Ender. “He was killed by a bear?”

Ender looked sad, and nodded.

Aleu didn’t like him.

“I saw it,” he said, “but by the time I got here, it… it was too late.”

Ender collapsed into a fit of tears.

“It’s alright Ender,” Alai said, “there was nothing you could do, you just go and lie down in the cave. If I need you again I’ll call you.”

Ender nodded, and walked slowly away.

Alai sighed.

“So why does it fall on you to take care of this?” Aleu asked.

“This… this kind of leaves me in charge.”

“Really?” Aleu said.

Alai sighed again and nodded.

He looked back up at Aleu.

“I’ve… I’ve never been in charge before, well, on hunts, but then… then ole Magor was always there to take