what had happened back home to make him chase after this dog so….

His sister had been the most beautiful dog in the town, suitors were everywhere… but Silver seemed to be especially enamored with one, Tango.

“If only I’d known….” Storm thought sadly “Maybe she’d still be alive.”

Tango and Silver had gotten along very well, and Storm didn’t know what had happened to change that, he just knew that it changed, drastically.

One day, he came home, and his sister was….

He almost threw up just thinking about it.

Tango was gone, and Storm had thought that he would find Tango in the shed that he always went in to think.

He did.

As soon as Storm started asking him questions, Tango had sounded unsure of himself, until he finally told Storm that he’d done it.

Tango said he didn’t know how or why, that it just happened.

The damage to his sister’s body was not something that happened on accident; it had to be extremely deliberate.

Storm had tried to take Tango then, but the coward ran away.

Storm and two of his friends gave chase.

They’d caught him once, and beat him up pretty good before he managed to get away again.

“That won’t happen again,” Storm thought, “my gleaming jaws will be the last thing you ever see.”

He and his friends had split up, as there were three towns within walking distance of where Storm had tracked him too.

They went to White Mountain, and Applegate.

Storm had headed for Nome.

He was fueled by vengeance now, and wouldn’t ever give up until his sister’s hideous murder was avenged.

Chapter 8

Jenna was woken up by Tango gently shaking her.

She stood up quickly when she saw him.

“Who’s he going to be now?” She thought.

He smiled at her, then the smile faded, as he noticed her injuries.

“What happened Jen?”

“Oh no, not again!” She thought.

He stepped toward her.

She stepped back, then looked down and saw her kids.

She stepped back over them protectively.

“Who did this to you?” He asked.

She narrowed her eyes.

“You did.” She said.

Tango smiled.

“Don’t be silly Jen,” he said.

He nuzzled her, but she didn’t step away this time, not because she was afraid of him, she’d die before she…

Well, the only dog for her was Balto, the REAL one.

She stayed where she was, because she wasn’t going to leave her children’s side again, not while she was still breathing.

“Really, who did this?” He asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, “I think he’s gone now.”

He smiled.

She remembered how funny he was a few days ago, how she’d been drawn to him.

Now…. Now she shook whenever she thought of him.

“Something is wrong with Tango,” she thought.

“Jen,” he said.

He yawned.

“I’m really tired, that last trip to Isaloosa really took it out of me.”

He looked down at the pups and smiled.

“They’re so beautiful when they’re sleeping.”

He looked back up at her.

“Just like you.”

She shivered again.

Jenna couldn’t help it; it was just something that happened now.

He yawned again.

“Come on Jen, it’s late, let’s go to sleep, or…”

He paused.

“Oh no,” she thought, “here it comes.”

“No,” he said, “I’m too tired. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be very enjoyable for you tonight.

She hoped he didn’t notice her sigh of relief.

Jenna looked outside, and though it was still pouring rain outside, she could tell that it was at least mid-afternoon.

“Late, tonight?” She thought/

But she said nothing.

At least when he was… Balto, he wasn’t violent, and he didn’t call her Silver, whoever that was.

He yawned again and smiled.

“I’m going to go to sleep Jen,” he said.

He leaned over and licked her cheek.

She shivered again, but stayed over the pups.

“Got another trip to Isaloosa tomorrow,” he said.

Tango walked over to the chair in the next

room, jumped up on it, curled up and closed his eyes.

Jenna waited until she was sure he was asleep, and sighed.

She laid back down beside the pups.

Sheae woke up again, and started crying.

“Shh!” Jenna cautioned, “you’ll wake him!”

She didn’t know who he’d wake up as next.

She licked the little pup on the head, and it stopped crying, snuggled up close to mommy, and went back to sleep.

“At least you guys are sleeping now,” she said.

Jenna looked at Tango, glad to see that he was still sleeping soundly.

She laid her head over the pups.

“I’ll keep you safe, even if it kills me,” she thought.

She thought about the ramifications of that statement and started shaking again.

“Gosh Balto,” she thought, “you were right, but then somehow you always are.”

Her leg started throbbing.

She sighed and closed her eyes.

“God I wish you were here now,”

Balto woke up, and was pleased to see Luke pulling on his clothes.

“We’re leaving!” He thought.

He couldn’t overcome the feeling that something was dreadfully wrong back home, that, and the realization that more often than not, these feelings proved to be true….

Well, he was just anxious to get home.

Balto ran over to Luke, and jumped up on his lap, hindering him from pulling on his pants.

Luke laughed and petted Balto’s head.

“You ready to go boy?” He asked.

He hugged the big gray dog, feeling like a little kid again.

Balto licked his cheek, and pushed the hat that was on his head off onto the floor.

Luke laughed again.

“Okay boy,” he said, “get off of me, and let me finish getting dressed, and then we’ll leave, the winds died down a lot, though it’s still storming pretty hard, we’ll soon be above all that.”

Balto jumped off of Luke’s lap.

Luke laughed and stood up, pulling up his pants and grabbing the hat off of the floor.

“I swear boy, sometimes I’d swear that you actually understand me when I talk to you.”

Balto barked at him.

“See what I mean?” Luke said, picking up his bag.

“Better take one last look around boy, it’ll be a while before we’re needed here again.”

“Jenna will be glad to hear that,” Balto thought.

He ran to the window and looked out.

Balto wasn’t looking forward to going outside, and if it wasn’t for this feeling he had he’d prefer to wait until it stopped raining to leave.

Balto hated to get wet.

But the feeling wouldn’t go away, and Balto wanted to be home now!

Luke walked toward the door.

“Let’s go boy!” he yelled.

Balto barked and ran toward him.

Chapter 9

Jenna was woken up again.

She blinked a few times and looked up at Tango.

He looked angry again.

“Oh no,” she thought.

“Silver,” he said, “I’ve come to a decision.”

“What’s that?” She said.

“Though it pains me to see…”

He looked into the bed.

“…them, I’ll let that go, if you’ll let me rid this world of them.”

Jenna really started shaking then.

“I can get passed the fact that you… did what you did Silver, but… I can’t have pups fathered by who knows who running around in my house.”

Jenna took a protective stance over the pups.

Tango looked almost sad.

“Silver, it’s going to happen, with or without your consent, it has to.”

“Like hell it is,” Jenna thought, but she remained silent.

He stepped up next to her.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jenna couldn’t help herself.

“What about this Tango,” she said, holding up her leg.

It hurt to even move it now.

Tango sighed.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, “I let my anger get the best of me, it’ll never happen again.”

“Then why the threat Tango?” She asked.

Tango smiled.

“If you’re still the Silver I know and love, you’ll understand.”

He stepped into the bed.

“Now, step outside, I promise I’ll make it fast for them.”

Jenna shook her head.

“I’m not moving… I love them, they’re my children.”

“But they aren’t ours,” Tango said, “if you want children… well I’m sure that can be arranged, but these two need to go away.”

His voice took on a sympathetic tone.

“Almost like the old Tango,” Jenna thought, “except he wants to kill my babies!”

“I’m not yours Tango,” she said. “These are my children, and nothing, no one, is going to harm them.”

Jenna knew what she was saying was dangerous, but she didn’t care, she was a mother on the defensive now.

Tango eyes went cold.

“If that’s the way you want it Silver,” he said.

Then he hit her, hard.

Jenna stumbled backwards, and tripped over the bed.

She went