Balto ran through the forest at top speed. Tears formed in his eyes as he heard his mother's finnal howl and the sound of the bear's mighty roar. Balto stopped and looked back when he reached the end of the forest. He listened hard for signs of his mother. Howling, he hoped that his mother or clan would here his call and answer it. He waited several minuets before howling again. Part of him knew his mother was dead and that it was likly that his clan had moved on to a safter place. Balto laid in the snow with his body twards the woods and started to cried himself to sleep, wishing he'd never been so careless as to walk out of the den and then play dead when the bear came by. "Oh mama, I hope your in a better place now. I promise you that bear will be killed some day and that my sibblings and our clan will some day reunite no matter how long it takes,"he said as he was falling asleep.

When Balto awoke, water was being splashed in his face and an orange bandana that smelled oddly like his mother was around his neck. Balto jumped up and growled loudly at the Russian snow goose in front of him,"Who are you? How dare you wake the son of Aniu the white wolf in such a rude maner!" The goose stepped back."Cool it kiddo, Boris means you no harm, was seeing you out by forest freezing to death and desided I couldn't let you die and Iam bring you here to Boris's boat and putting bandana that was laying beside you around you to keep you warm," Balto stopped growling and looked around. He saw that the boat was every old, broken, but some how managed to be sterdy.Balto sighed and walked to the captian's den where a soft-looking baby blue blanket lay next to an orange cat-toy and a bowl, he sniffed the iteams as the goose watched him. "I know it's not much, have been gone back to home town in Russia for bout a year now, but, is what Boris calls home," Said Boris as he grabed a mop and started cleaning up. Balto sniffed around the whole boat as though he were looking for something or someone, Boris watched the young pup and woundered himself, what the pup was looking for."So kido, you got a name?" Boris said suddenly, Balto looked up at him quickly then put his nose back to the ground,"Balto," he said quietly as he walked the plank,lifted his head, and piered out at the town. "Boris, what's that?" Balto said, his eyes foced on the town,Boris walked up behind him and looked, "That,young canine, is a town called Nome," Balto cocked his head to the side at the sound of the word Town,"Boris what's a town?" Balto asked as he walked off the boat and into the snow, twards the town. "A town is place where people and animals are living and thriving," "Oh," Balto said as he trotted onward.

When they got to the town,Balto had just finished telling Boris about his clan and how he wound up in the snow. Boris listend but couldn't help wounder about Balto's dad and why the young halfbreed looked so fimiler to him,"My mom was an artic wolf, my father an alaskan husky. As my mom used to tell me,dad looked just like me except he was bi-eyed and had scars from the many dog fights he'd had, she says he died in the snow storm we had a ways back," Boris sighed, "So you are being an orphan? Your mother is being killed by bear and your father by snow," Balto shook his head sadly and looked around at all the humans and many dogs which past them. Balto's ears laid down when he heard growling behind him, he and Boris turned to see a young all black husky with his ears and tail down, his teeth bared, and eyes fixed on Balto. "Look here wolf, I don't know what the hell your doing here but, if you don't leave my town right this minute, your dead you hear me?!" the husky growled. Balto growled at the challenger and the fur on his back roze, "I'm a wolf/dog firstly and secoundly, if you ask me I have every right to be here as everyone eles," Barked Balto. The husky growled again and lunged at Balto who did the same.

The two landed on their hind legs, scratching and biting each other then suddenly, there was a flash of black and white that knocked down the husky and stood between them growling. Balto fell and slid back a few inches in the snow.He watched as the new dog stood over the husky with it's teeth bared and growling, "Rob, what the hell is your problem?! Every new dog that comes to town you attack!" "Steel I'm sorry but-" "Listen do it one more time and I'll see to it you never see Nome again," Steel said with a growl. The husky called Rob got up slowly and ran with his tail between his legs. Steel snorted at him and turned his attention to Balto and Boris. He walked up to them and wagged his tail, Balto did the same, "Sorry about Rob he does that to everyone who comes here," "It's alright, names Balto I live not far from the town," "I'm Steel, nice meeting you Balto, if your ever in trouble you call me, I live in the black house near the middle of town and when I'm not training I'll be glade to lend you a paw," "Thanks Steel, umm training to be what?" "To be a sled dog, I'm going to be the fastest around like my father was," Balto looked at the dogs hooked up to the sled and running not far from where he,Steel and Boris where. "Think I could be one aswell?" Steel looked at Balto's body and legs for a moment then nodded, "You have the build for it, but the problem is your a stray, if you had a musher then you could be apart of a team," "Well what if I could join your team?" "My musher might let you join, I'm not sure we could see," Balto opened his mouth to speak but was interupted by Boris, "No no thankyou young pup we are being very busy and must being going now," Boris said, pushing Balto back twards the outskirts of town. Steel looked curiosly at this, "Umm....alright but, when you return if you'd like to join my team just come see me and I'll take you to my owner," Balto looked back and slowly nodded as the goose contiued to push him.

When they got back to the boat, Balto laid down and sighed. "Why couldn't I go with Steel Boris? He was nice," Boris sat beside him, "Because, he was not as plesant as he may have seemed," "Funny he smelt, alright to me Boris," Balto said sounding a little annoied. Boris sighed and looked at the young pup,"Just because he smells nice doesn't mean he was," Balto looked at Boris and frowned, "You know Boris your not my father just because you've saved my life doesn't make you my offical gardian," he growled. Boris leaned back, "This Iam knowing it's just Iam knowing also that you are being to young to fend for self," Balto's ears twitched and he stood at this, "I'll have you know that I not only know how to hunt but I've been in my fair fights in my year of living, just cause when that bear killed my mom, my sibblings and I were still living together means nothing!" Balto barked. Boris gulped hard and backed up at the angry pup,"Fine Iam not needing this agrivation if you are wanting to go then go if you do not need my help," he said, his voice sounding shaky.Balto growled again,"Fine I'll leave, I'll go find Steel, least he's a better friend then you!" Balto said. He snorted and left the boat mumbling to himself and headed twards town.

Boris dropped his wings to his side and sighed. He knew the musher wouldn't except him because of the fact he looked so much like a wolf. He laid down,closed his eyes and woundered if he should go after the pup or let him learn on his own.Suddenly a bright light showed in front of his eyes and he felt a strong arctic breez all around him.As the light faded Boris, opened his eyes to the sight of two figures, one wolf and one dog, standing in front of him. Boris mouth dropped open at the sight of his old friend and his friend's mate, "Max your....are you...?" Max nodded, "Yep, we're dead, Aniu fought the bear till our son got close to the end of the forest, she lunged at it and got it good in the neck but she was very weak and with a finnail slash in the chest,she was killed however, the bear's still alive its weak now but it'll live and you already know what happened to me," Max said (that was for thoses of you who've read the story before this and woundered what happened with Aniu and the bear) Boris's mouth still hung open in disbeif, "But....how?" "My parents and my clan know of a way to renter this world but it can't be for very long, They taught me and I had to bring Max along which is a tireing trip for two," Aniu said. "Yea which reminds me, Ani when where done here take me to our clan I wanna have a few 'words' with Nava he was sapposed to look after you and the pups not fall in love with you," Aniu rolled her eyes, "We're here to tell you that you must find our son and bring him back, he is to be raised by you," Said Aniu, Max nodded, "But Boris is goose not babysiter how am I sapposed to raise wolf pup?" "Firstly our son is a hybrid, don't you forget that and secoundliy, we trust you, I've known since you came to this country Boris. You and I grew up together, remember every spring and summer you came we'd hangout," "But raising young and being young is different," said Boris, concern in his voice. Aniu sighed,"We could debet about this forever unfortunutly Max and I don't have that kind of time so look, since the goose isn't interested in caring for our little one then I'm sure someone eles would," Max snorted and walked up to Boris, his teeth bared and was growling slightly,"Listen Boris you owe me, over the years I've saved your life countless of times now it's your turn to repay me.Please take care of my son its not like im asking you take care of he and his other five sibblings,please just till your sure he can hold his own," Boris sighed and thought for a secound, he nodded his head slowly, "Alright I am to be doing it, how hard is it be taking care of a hybrid pup," Aniu and Max looked at each other for a minuet then back at boris. "Listen goose we've got to go now, I have to check up on my other pups and my clan so come Max lets get going," Aniu said turing around and started