forward and Kodi felt the animosity more than ever; but he knew that she didn’t deserve it, neither did Kirby or Ralph for that matter.
Like a sudden break in the overwhelming tension put on the team the snow lessened in depth and the team broke out onto a windswept portion that stood under their feet like rock.
“WWWWHOOOOOO!!!” Mr. Simpsons screamed as the team cleared a ridge and began to slide down a windswept hill intermitted by scrub trees that stuck out of the hard-pack in thick patches. The team began to pick up speed and Mr. Simpson let his right foot ease onto the break before the team could get away from him.
Trees began springing up all over. They were all small and stuck barely any more than four feet out of the snow; but they began to grow thicker and thicker, and the team caught up in the throws of running, weaved through the trees madly and without hesitation.
Flying down the hill they quickly dropped out of the windswept fields and into thick trees that hung high above them with a distinct foreboding. The snow under their feet also became deeper and fluffier, nothing quite as bad as they had on top of the mountain, yet knee deep and sticky. No longer did the team bolt as fast as they could. They instead struggled along at a semi-fast pace that kept them moving, but not fast.
Kodi noticed the smell of the smoke first and caught the glimpse of firelight dancing along the tops of the trees several hundred feet away and to the left.
“Haw.” Mr. Simpson said lightly.
Kirby and Ralph both turned the point of the team towards the light. “Oh, wow Kirby, do you see that?” Ralph stated suddenly.
“Yeah,” Kirby agreed.
The team moved through the trees towards the strange firelight that always just seemed out of Kodi’s view, possibly just behind a fallen log under the snow.
“Gee,” Mr. Simpson whispered as he pushed the sled forward with a single firm stroke. Kirby and Ralph both turned the team towards a stand of young willow trees.
“Whoa.” Mr. Simpson stuck his foot firmly on the break. The team stopped and all eyes peered through the jail bar branches at the fire
The fire barely burned inside a rock fortress that had been built up all around it to conserve fuel and heat. A black coffeepot sat just off to the side letting steam curl out of it’s lip and wisp away with the smoke in the gentler breeze. Nearby a two person canvas tent was tied up in a tree and a dim yellow light emanated from the inside. Back under a shaggy spruce tree a wood sled lay over on it’s side; in front of the sled eight dogs looked straight back at the team watching them, waiting for their watcher to make a move.
“Well don’t be a stranger.” Came a shockingly high-pitched voice from the tent. A figure appeared in the opening slit and stepped out into the light looking straight at Mr. Simpson. “You’re not that sneaky. I could hear you half a mile off.”
Mr. Simpson stepped off the sled and towards the person. “Please don’t take offence if I’m wrong, but are you a woman?”
The girl laughed and pushed her hand to the opening of her coat. She pulled the wolverine skin trimmed hood back over her shoulders revealing her feminine facial features. She had a very pale complexion compared to Mr. Simpson’s dark skin and blond hair that stuck out from under her beaver skin hat “Yes, I am.”
“Oh,” Mr. Simpson said with stunned denseness.
The girl bent down and picked up the coffeepot. “Do you want some coffee? I have lots”
“Uh … sure. Let me just put my dogs up and get them comfortable.” Mr. Simpson retuned to his sled.
“Just put them up near my dogs. There’s some extra boughs I cut down their.” The girl called.
“Thanks but I’m afraid we might get some fighting going on.”
The girl giggled. “Don’t worry, they won’t bite.”
“Okay then.” Called Mr. Simpson over his shoulder. He walked to the front of the team and grabbed the end of the gang-line, which rested between Kirby and Ralph, then pulled the team towards the fire. They all walked obediently past the fire and towards the other dogs resting beneath the tree. There Mr. Simpson tied the sled to the same tree that the girls sled was, and stretched his team out along the other dogs who watched Mr. Simpson work without interest or noise. As soon as Mr. Simpson had snacked his dogs and gave them all their own equal share of love, he grabbed his cup out of the sled-bag and waddled straight for the fire where the girl sat holding her own cup already watching the fire through her hood.
“So,” Mr. Simpson said coming into the brightest light of the fire. “How’s that coffee?”
The girl held out the steaming coffeepot; Mr. Simpson held out his cup and accepted the warm brown liquid. “Depends on how you like it Mr...”
“Oh,” Mr. Simpson extended his hand out. “Simpson.”
“Nice to meet you Mr. Simpson.” She said taking his hand. “My name’s Bonnie.”
Mr. Simpson grinned. “Nice to me you to Bonnie.” He took a long drink of his coffee through his hood and audibly smacked his lips when finished. “It’s good.”
“Thanks.” Bonnie patted the log next to her. “Why don’t you take a seat and make yourself comfortable?”
Mr. Simpson smiled through his fur ruff. “Well, I don’t mind if I do.” He made a groan as his weight rested on the log.
“You have a fine team there.” Bonnie pointed to the dogs resting in the snow.
“Well thanks.”
“I just have one question. What are you doing out here?” Bonnie asked quite politely.
“I’m training for the Alaska 500.”
“Oh,” Bonnie said with genial surprise, yet in some way she wasn’t surprised in the least.
“So I got a question for you.” Mr. Simpson said indicating with a twist of his coffee cup. “What are you doing out here?”
She sighed. “I’m just waiting for my husband.”
Mr. Simpson had been halfway through a long sip of his coffee when he spit it back into the cup and chocked on what was left down in his throat.
Bonnie giggled at the foolish sight. “Oh, you thought that these were my dogs.”
“Well I only saw you here so I just figured …”
“No.” She turned her body so Mr. Simpson could see her face. “They’re my husband’s dogs. He’s coming down to sign up for the same race as you are. I must warn you, he’s very good, and very competitive.”
“So where is your husband?” Mr. Simpson looked around.
“He went looking for more wood ten or fifteen minutes ago. He should be back any moment.”
Ralph groaned. “Oh that hurt so bad.” He held his foot with the broken nail up; his entire body seized with pain at the sight of the broken and bleeding nail.
“Oh come on Ralph it can’t hurt that bad.” Kirby slapped the nail with his left paw.
Kirby screeched. “Don’t do that!” He groaned in extreme pain. “You have no idea how much that hurt.”
Kodi had grown incredibly board, not that he wasn’t board before, but now he felt an extreme need to get up and go, or at the very least talk to someone. Just by chance the leader of the other team had been laid out right next to Kodi. He was laid back under the dark shadow of a low hanging branch, only his white feet stuck out close enough to Kodi for him to notice his color.
“What are you looking at?” The voice growled with a certain voice of hatred that spilled forth from his mouth in a foul breath that made Kodi clench, but not from any smell.
“Sorry.” Kodi turned away to excuse the act of cringing. “I didn’t mean to stare.”
“Only a leader of another team has the right to speak to me.” The dog accused.
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