the one that passed your sled-dog genes to all of us.”

“She’s right, Dad,” Denali added on to his sister’s comment. “Both you and Mom gave us that, but it was you that also gave us that sense of wildness that makes us different from the other huskies.” 

Balto immediately knew they were talking about his wolf genes, the ones that their eldest sister had once despised before finally accepting them. I’m glad they’ve understood their recessive wolf within, the proud father thought with a grin. And she accepted it as well once she learned about my imperfect breeding . . .

“Say, you two,” Balto called his children’s attention with a quick bark. “You’ve been around your mother in town as pups – what does she like?” The two dogs tilted their heads in confusion, telling the curious father to rephrase the question. “I mean, what things make her happy?” He lowered his head and ears in admission. “She and I promised to exchange gifts for the Valentine’s Day celebration in a couple of days, and I . . . I have yet to find the right present to show how much she means to me.” 

The two husky siblings paused for a few moments, lifting their heads deep in thought. After some time, one of them answered their father’s query.

“Well, I remember when we were little, Mom enjoyed singing us lullabies and other songs as we fell asleep,” Denali replied. “Once we were resting, she would hum the tune until she herself was asleep.” He gave a wink. “I used to pretend to be asleep – that’s how I learned about that.” 

“Yeah, Mom always said that nothing cheered her up more than hearing a beautiful song,” Yukon added. “We sang her a little song for her birthday last year, and she told us it was the most wonderful thing that we could give her . . .” She smiled, letting out a little giggle. “. . . even though Aleu tried to steal the spotlight with her howling near the end.”

“Oh, I remember that. She’s just more in tune with her wolf nature, that’s all,” Balto joined the laughter as the three of them had a nice laugh. Once they were finished, the wolf-dog invited them on deck. “Say, why don’t we finish this conversation out of this sun, huh? I’m sure Boris and the bears won’t mind.” 

“That sounds great,” Denali barked, quickly using his powerful hind legs to bounce him up onto the railing. “Ah, and the view’s just amazing from up here!”

“I thought you enjoyed the view from below, Brother dear!” Yukon joked, laughing as she leapt up and tackled her darker brother, causing him to become flattened between the prideful female and the wooden deck floor. “How’s this view for ya?” She giggled as he pushed her off of him.  

“Not exactly what I would call enjoyable,” Denali replied back as he chased after his sister. The two of them began to play-fight and laugh on the deck of the boat.

Balto only chuckled at the sight. “Ah, kids . . .” He was about to leap onto the deck himself, but a loud squawk and a flurry of feathers made him know what to do. “I think Boris can handle those two for now.” He began to walk away with another chuckle, heading for a nearby mountain to think alone. “Maybe I’ll come back after they settle down and I get some time to figure out something that’s better than me singing to her.” 

It took the quadruped about ten minutes to reach the foot of the mountain where he had liked watching the sun setting. He let out a frustrated yet soft sigh before beginning to scale the mount, traveling up the sturdy stone path up to the flattened ledge of the high summit.

I have to give her something that will stand out from all the rest, Balto thought as he paced himself up the pathway. Something that will make her feel like the luckiest girl in Nome . . . no, the world! . . . but what else is out there that Jenna would like? He allowed his mind to ponder on the subject of Jenna and his unknown Valentine’s Day gift to her as he placed one large beige paw in front of the other, carefully scaling the massive rock formation like he had done many times before in his life. 

After the ten minute climb, Balto looked out from the ledge of the mountain’s peak, peering out at the beauty and majesty of the Alaskan wilderness around and below him. The sun was high above him, heating his back fur with its soft rays. He turned to his right and looked out at the tiny town that was about a mile or so away from his present position.

Nome is so . . . so small from up here, Balto commented on his current surroundings. Everything is just . . . absolutely stunning when you look down at the world around here. Oh, this view would probably take her breath away if I brought Jenna up to see it. The inner joy that he suddenly began to feel deep within him made him cry out with a loud wail that seemed to echo against the rocky facades of the nearby mountains.  

Yes, this will be a great gift to show how much I love her . . . I’ll show her the world . . .

Within an hour, Balto returned from his private mountain trek and leapt over the wooden rail of his boat home. He smiled sweetly and tiptoed quietly past the sleeping forms of his son and daughter sleeping with a very tuckered-out Boris lying against Yukon’s side.  

Good, they’re sleeping, Balto thought with relief. I guess all that rough-housing and playing wore them out to exhaustion. Now even he began to let out a long yawn. Maybe I should get a nap in myself. I can start to sleep better now that I’ve figured out a great present for Jenna.

He let out a stretch on the deck, lowered his body on the stern area of the boat, and let his eyes close for a comforting siesta underneath the early afternoon sun. The wolf-dog had no idea how long he was going to rest, but he had a feeling that he didn’t have to worry about much anymore.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Surprisingly, Balto didn’t wake up until the next morning. He felt so relaxed and comfortable the previous afternoon that he had forgotten to wake up to wish Yukon and Denali good luck on their upcoming race and the strenuous training that they had to endure during the rest of the week.

“Oy, Balto!” The voice of Boris woke him up suddenly that morning. “Wake up, boychik! It’s morning!” 

The hybrid did his daily stretch of his legs and let out a long, loud yawn before standing and greeting the gander with a goofy grin. “Good morning, Boris. Sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye to the kids.”

“Yeah, but it’s all fine,” Boris replied. “They left before the sunset to head back to their master’s house, but they wanted me to tell you that they hope that you find the right Valentine’s Day gift for Jenna.” 

Still the half-wolf was all smiles. “Oh, I have, Boris. I took a little walk while you were babysitting those two . . . and I figured out the most wonderful thing to give her.”

“What is it?” Boris asked curiously.  

Balto walked over to the back of the grounded boat and lifted the front half of his body up onto the railing. His nose was pointed towards the nearby mountains near of the tiny Alaskan town. “There. I’m going to show her that for Valentine’s Day.”

“Mountains?” Boris scratched his head with a wing. “How can you give her mountains as a present?”  

Balto chuckled and shook his head. “No, no – I’m not giving her mountains, I’m going to take Jenna up to the top of my favorite peak.” He stepped down from the rail and lowered his muzzle bashfully. His cheeks were speckled pink as he smiled with joy. “It’s so wonderful up there . . . and oh, the view . . .” He sighed deeply, tossing his head back like a love-struck young lad. “I know she’s going to love being there with me.”

The gander sighed, realizing his own stupidity with his words. “Oh, that’s what you meant. I see now . . .” He waddled up to the stern of the ship, looking out at the peaks. “I’m sure she’d like that.” 

“Yeah,” Balto collapsed to the floor, completely out of it. “I don’t think Jenna’s been able to travel so far out since she hurt her leg two years ago, so this would be a great way for her to get away from the confined life of Nome.” He blushed again. “She deserves to see freedom a bit too. All dogs should get that chance to experience this at least a few times in their lives.”

“True, true,” The snow goose nodded his head with a bob. “You are still feeling that wild animal in you, eh?” He let out a chuckle. 

“I guess I am, Boris,” the half-wolf sighed, still smiling. “but that’s just how much I love her.”

“And that’s it? You’re just going to hope that a view of her house from a mountaintop with sweep Jenna off her feet?” Boris nagged. It was strange that he sounded so upset about an idea that he had just said was wonderful, and this truly took Balto aback with a surprise with a now-lifted head. “She might think it’s okay, but how much do you really love her, Balto?” 

The gray-brown hybrid lowered his ears at the rough comment to his relationship with the one he loved. Actually, he was too speechless to reply, but his mind raced with thoughts.

I do love her . . . Jenna’s the only dog I will ever love,Balto spoke to his racing heart. I thought I knew what would be a great gift for her, but . . . Boris is starting to think otherwise . . . I’m so confused by all of this! 

Oh, what should I do now?

The sigh of the Russian gander brought Balto back to his senses as he also felt the soft touch of his feathered palm rub his shoulder in a sign of comfort. “Oh, Balto – you worry too much.” 

Maybe I do . . . but not even I can figure out how to show Jenna how much she means to me . . . The wolf-dog didn’t feel like speaking aloud at the moment as he began to rise to his feet, his confidence in himself gone.

“Balto . . . Balto!” Boris’s honked call rang in his ears as he watched the wolf-dog