doggish howl but it was a howl all the same. He ran until he saw a white body lying on the snow in a heap. He ran to her, “Aniu, Aniu what’s happening?”

“The pups are coming,” she said, trying to get up. Amaroq stopped her.

“No, you mustn’t get up. You’ll hurt the pups,” he made her lay down again. He spent the painful night with her and waited. Finally the pups came, three healthy ones and one pup who took his first and last breathe out of his mother’s womb. Amaroq rejoiced, three healthy beautiful puppies! There were three, one as white as his mother and very strong. They called him Ber. Then, there was a tan pup, with a triangle marking under her eye. They called her Tingi. There was the runt of the litter who was brown with a lighter brown belly. They called this one Balto. Aniu was worried about Balto for she believed he wouldn’t make it another day. She protected him more than the others.

All the pups grew very well, Amaroq had almost completely forgotten about Ben and his team mates. One night, Aniu had longed to see her father again; she felt that he was sick.

“Are you sure?” asked Amaroq “Wouldn’t the wolves hurt our pups?” 

“I know father will protect us,” she said with her amber eyes begging.

“Well... if you’re sure. I will stay behind because I know I won’t be accepted.” He said nervously. Aniu looked up at him, her eyes lit up “Thank you, you don’t know how much this means to me!” she licked his face and rounded the pups up.

“Okay kids, say good by to daddy,” she said her goodbye and the pups said theirs. Then they were off. Oh, please keep them safe he said to himself.

Aniu came across the pack when the sun was at its highest. “Where is my father, Kato?” she asked. The wolves turned to her but said nothing. Then, she saw he mother.

“Your father passed away,” she said with a sad look on her face. Aniu was heartbroken, then scared. She wondered what her mother would do now that her father was dead. Her mother looked at her and sneered “You came here without protection, how foolish of you.” Aniu looked hurt “Mother?” she asked.

“No, you are a disgrace, I can not be you mother.” Her mother’s brown eyes gleaming with hate.

“You will not hurt them!” she said, lowering her head and growling.

“There is no way you can do anything about it, those pups are a sign of your sin and therefore need to be killed,” said her mother. She looked at the pack and yelled “NOW!”

A big wolf knocked Aniu out of the way, she was knocked out. The pups were frozen on the spot they couldn’t move. The wolves surrounded them. The big one slashed Ber in the neck. Aniu’s own mother delivered the final blow, killing Ber. She then turned to Tingi.

Aniu’s head was aching but she got up and howled for help. She ran toward her mother and tore at her. “NO! Don’t kill my puppies!” she yelled. She didn’t care about anything anymore, just that her pups were safe. The big wolf attacked Aniu and slashed her throat, she fell to the ground gasping for air.

Tingi and Balto just realized what was happening, they tried to run but her mother brought Tingi down, by clawing her back legs. Tingi fell; her grandma had slashed her throat twice. Aniu’s mom was just about to deliver the final blow when Amaroq brought her to the ground. He growled and said “Don’t hurt my pups,” with that he bit her in the neck. Aniu’s mom screamed and immediately the pack attacked Amaroq, he was hit in the head and blood spattered everywhere. Tingi tried to get up, her back legs wouldn’t work. She howled and for her mother. Balto stood there, too scared to move.

Aniu looked up at Tingi and Balto “Run pups run!!” she yelled. Balto looked at his sister and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. He ran somewhere, anywhere he just kept running. Tingi was struggling to keep up with him. Only her front legs worked properly. She soon fell behind.

Meanwhile, the pack left the scene and walked away, proud of what they had done. Aniu howled her anguish. She crawled beside her mate, “Amaroq... Amaroq?” there was no reply. He was dead. She gasped for air; the slashes in her neck were deep. She took her final breathe and said “I will watch over you Balto and Tingi.” It was quite a scene the blood stained snow, a white wolf, a tan husky, and a white puppy matted with blood.