let’s go!”

“Let’s let them rest,” Alai responded “they’re going to need the energy for the trip across, and so are you and I, come on Aleu.”

Aleu walked back up to him.

She smiled at him.

“Yes, sir,” She said.

He nuzzled her, and then the two of them walked back over to the clan, and promptly fell back asleep.

Alai looked around him.

He was in a cave, though how he got there, he didn’t know.

“Hello?” he yelled, “anyone there?”

“Only I, my child.”

The voice was so warm, and filled him with… something, he couldn’t describe it, but it was good.

He turned around and saw a white wolf.

“The great Aniu?” he said in awe.

Then he fell on his face.

“Please, rise my child,” Aniu said.

Alai stood up.

“Why have you brought me here?” Alai asked.

His face took on a concerned expression.

“Is something wrong?”

Aniu sighed.

“Not yet, but there is some information about today, that you must be aware of, for everything Aleu has accomplished depends upon it.”

And what is that?” Alai asked.

Aleu woke up first, and she looked around,

The sun shone in her eyes, but she hadn’t ever been so happy to see the sun, it meant the storm was over.

Aleu looked over at Alai, who was still sleeping soundly.

“In more ways than one,” she thought to herself.

She yawned and rolled over closer to him.

She smiled and watched him sleep for a moment.

“You were right Muru everything does happen for a reason.”

She took the time, as she watched him sleeping, to reflect back on all that had happened to her since she decided to leave Nome.

“Who am I,” she thought, “I am Aleu, daughter of Balto and Jenna, savior of the Talbourne clan, defeater of Shade…”

She smiled and gently, so as not to wake him, ran her paw along the top of Alai head.

… mate to the most wonderful wolf in the entire world.”

She put her paw over his shoulder and snuggled up closer to Alai’s side and closed her eyes.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Aleu didn’t wake until Alai gently nuzzled her and then she opened her eyes.

Aleu noticed that there was a sad look on Alai’s face, then it was gone, replaced by a smile.

“Come on,” he said quietly, “the pack is ready to go.”

Aleu stood up and yawned.

“Okay,” she said.

She smiled and nuzzled him.

Alai almost pulled away from her.

He sighed.

“That’s strange,” she thought, “I wonder why he did that?”

Alai smiled and nuzzled her back, but this didn’t make her forget about how he’d acted.

The two of them walked down to the water,

The wolves were all excited.

All of them had been born on this island, and were clamoring, ready to go to this new place called Alaska.

Aleu looked at the ice flows.

Alai was standing down there by himself, staring out at the ocean.

“He sure is acting strange today,” she thought.

She turned to the wolves, and they all fell silent.

“Listen up,” Aleu said, “last time, we had to swim short distances to each ice flow, they don’t quite make a bridge, but they allow you to get across. Pick a buddy and stay with them, that wolf is your responsibility. Now, we’ve got a hundred and fifty wolves now, and I want to have a hundred and fifty when we get there, so be careful, now is not the time to be taking stupid risks.”

All of the wolves looked among each other, and separated into pairs.

“Now let’s go down to the water.” Aleu said.

The wolves all moved down to the shore.

Aleu walked over to Alai.

“Alai come on,” she said, “we’re leaving this place.”

He didn’t answer.

“Alai?” Aleu said.

He turned around, and a tear rolled down his face.

“What’s wrong Alai?” Aleu asked.

“I… I had a visit from…. well, let’s just say, that…”

He sighed and looked at the ground.

“.. I know some things.” He said.

Alai sighed and looked back up at her.

“Aleu…” He said.

“Alai, whatever it is,” Aleu said, “we can talk about it in Alaska,, now come on!”

“You’re not going anywhere!” A voice yelled from her left.

Aleu turned and saw Ender standing there with his part of the clan.

“It begins,” Alai said.

Aleu looked at him, and then back at Ender

“I will not allow it.” He finished.

The wolves turned away from the ice flows, and began to growl at Ender, and the wolves that, at one time, had been friends, and family.

“No,” Aleu said, “You go across, we’ll hold them, GO!”

The wolves scattered, running for the ice flows.

“Come on Alai!” Aleu yelled, then she ran at Ender.

Alai followed.

Ender turned to the wolves gathered there with him.

“I’ve got these two,” he said.

Then he ran at Aleu and Alai.

The three of them hit, and rolled to the ground.

Alai was up first, and began attacking Ender.

He jumped on the wolf’s back, but was thrown off.

Ender was on him in seconds.

It surprised Alai, and he didn’t even have time to stand up.

Ender got on top of him and hit him in the face a few times, before Aleu flew out of nowhere, and slammed into Ender, knocking him off of Alai.

Ender rolled, until he slid off of the sharp drop off behind him.

He managed to grab a hold of the edge with his claws, and stopped himself from falling.

Alai had still not gotten up, as he was still stunned from the blows Ender had dealt him.

Aleu walked over to where Ender was struggling to keep his perilous hold.

She looked down at him.

All she could see was the fire in his eyes, as he tried to kill Alai a few minutes ago.

Aleu knew what she had to do,

She stomped on his paws.

Ender fell off of the cliff.

Aleu didn’t even wait to see him hit the rocks below, she ran back over to Alai.

The other wolves, seeing that their leader had lost, scattered.

Alai stood up.

Aleu smiled.

“Just thought I’d help,” she said.

Alai laughed.

Aleu looked out at the ocean, where the pack could be seen, climbing up onto the second ice flow, about a hundred yards out.

“Let’s get out of here!” She said.

Alai sighed and nodded.

Then the two of them ran down to the first ice flow and climbed onto it.

“You go first,” Aleu said, “I’ll watch your back, and join you when you reach the other side.”

Alai nodded, and turned to her, as if to say something, then he jumped off of the edge of the ice flow, swimming toward the second one.

As Aleu watched him, she smiled.

“Soon we’ll be together,” she thought, “don’t worry… my love.”

Then something slammed into her back, throwing her to the ice.

She looked over her shoulder.

It was Ender.

He hit her several times in the face, before she managed to crawl to her feet.

“How…” she said.

Ender spit on the ice.

“Thought I was gone, huh?” He said, “well I don’t die so easily.”

Then he jumped at her again.

Aleu was in shock, and did nothing to try to defend herself, still trying to rationalize how he could be there, hurting her.

Finally, she fell to the ice.

Somehow, she couldn’t explain it, but somehow, she knew she wouldn’t be getting back up.

Ender smiled, and pulled her paws under his legs, preventing her from crawling away.

“At least I got you,” he said.

Then he raised his paw high above her head, intending to crush her skull.

The blow never landed however, because at that moment, a red blur shot across the ice and into Ender’s shoulder.

Ender screamed, as Alai tore into his shoulder.

Alai hit Ender several times in the face, knocking the back of his head across the ice as he did so.

Finally, Ender went limp.

Alai walked over to Aleu.

“Okay,” Aleu said, “it’s definitely time to go now.”

Alai turned, to see Ender struggling to stand up.

When he looked back at her, there were tears in his eyes.

“Aleu,” he said, walking forward.

Aleu stepped back instinctively.

“What is it Alai?” She asked.

Alai sighed and turned to see Ender was back on his feet.

He sighed again and looked at the ground, then back up at her.

“No matter what happens, no matter who you meet, please remember this…. I love you.” He said.

Then Alai pushed Aleu off of the ice flow.

A wave caught her and pulled her away.

“Alai!” Aleu yelled.

Alai watched her, and sighed, then he turned around.

Ender was standing right in front of him.

“That was so sweet.” He said.

“It ends here Ender,” Alai said.

“Oh really?” Ender said.

Alai sighed and looked up at him.

A sharp crack was heard, and Alai nodded.

Aleu was trying desperately to swim back to the ice flow, but the current kept pulling her out to sea.

She heard the crack, and looked up in time to see the ice flow come apart.

Alai and Ender plunged into the water.

“NO!!!” Aleu yelled.

She finally broke free of the current, and swam over to the small floating pieces of