around and started walking with Max not far behind, the wind picked up again as the two disapeared into the mist. Boris shook his head and sighed, woundering if all that he'd seen been real or not. He desided that he'd better go after Balto, and got off the boat and started twards town.

Balto reached the town in time to see Steel walking slowly twards his home. Balto approuched the young dog and nudged him softly on his shoulder, Steel looked up at him, "Oh hey Balto desided to come with me after all?" "Yea I'd love to be a sled-dog thing," "That's good, cause I think you and I could make a great team why we could even lead a team one day," Steel said, with a smile, Balto smiled back and walked with Steel twards his house. When they reached,Balto walked behind Steel with his ears down. Steel cocked his head and looked back at his friend, "What's wrong B?" "Nothing Steel just a little nervouse is all," Steel smiled, "It'll be fine your a great guy, and you seem like a fast runner what musher wouldn't want you?" Balto smiled and walked beside him, "Thanks Steel," Steel shook his head as the two of them walked to his house and whent through the doggy-door. After a few minuets of searching the house,Steel and Balto found the musher reading the paper in the kitchen and eating. Steel yipped to get the musher's attention and tugged Balto's scruff lightly, tward the man. Balto walked up to the strange two-legged creater with his ears and head down, the man looked at him and frowned, "Steel what have you brought me now another mutt from the street?" Steel whined as the man grabbed Balto and looked him over, lifting his lips up and peering at the hybrids teeth. He moaned as he let the pup back down and stared at him,"I'm not sure but your little friend looks to be part wolf, if your sure we can trust him I'll give him a chance but just one, if any dog in this town whineds up dead hes outta here you get me Steel?" Steel looked at Balto and growled playfuly and barked at his owner. The man smiled and rubbed Steel, "Alright lil....lil....Balto lets introduce you to the rest of the team then we'll get you saddled up and see how you do on the sled," Balto yipped and fallowed behind Steel and the musher as they headed outside.

The three of them walked to the backyard where

six other dogs around their age were running and playing. The musher walked up to them and all of them gathered around him, "Guys,Steel and I would like to introduce you to the newest member to team his names Balto, now you guys introduce yourselves and be nice," The musher said before walking back into the house. Balto sat next to Steel and introduced himself to the pups,"Hi I'm Balto, I'm a wolf/dog male and I'm looking forward to umm working with all of you," "Hi Balto I'm Star, this is Kaltag,Nikki,Tom,Runt and Shadow. I'm an alaskan husky, kaltag's a chinook/husky, Nikki's a Chow and Tom,Runt and Shadow are malamutes, and you already know Steeel, hes an alaskan malamute/husky," Said Star proudly. "It's nice meeting all of you I'm glade you all trust me, my mom told me that dogs didn't like wolves every much that my father was an exception of one but see she was mistaken," Said Balto sitting proudly and smiling. Steel sighed happily and jumped over the dogs, "If we're done with the introductions, let's race!" He yelled and the pups started running around the yard.

They ran till all but Steel and Balto where so tired they couldn't move. Steel and Balto wheren't the least bit tired and kept racing each other till Steel tripped and fell in the snow. Balto helped Steel back up to his feet and he sat down panting,"Wow....wolf/dog....you sure are....fast," Steel said between breaths. Balto sat next to him,"Well, when you in the wild you have to be fast if you wanna catch your prey," Balto said, puffing his chest out and sitting proudly. "Wow Balto your not even panting," Said Runt, "That's the most fanicinating, the most unbelevable, the most stupendous...." "That's unbelivable," said Star, cutting Kaltag off. Kaltag growled,hit star on the head and watched as he fell to the ground.Balto looked at Star, "Is he alright?" "He'll be fine Kaltag and Star always do that," Said Steel after he caught his breath. The musher walked out out after a few minuets with a large bag of food in his hands and put in a huge bowl which the dogs all ate from, "Eat up boys, in about an hour I'll saddle you guys up and we'll see how Balto does on the sled,"The musher said as he filled the other bowl with water and returned to the house.All seven of the dogs ran up to the bowls and ate and drank their fill, Balto walked slowly up it and sniffed the food, "It's kibble you eat it," Said Steel. Balto tried it, "Yuck what's this stuff made of it's disgusting!" Balto yelled backing away from it and going twards the water insted, "Well it's better then nothing,"Said Shadow.Balto rolled his eyes,drank his fill of the water, then laid down next to his new team mates for a nap.

Meanwhile Boris was having a bit of troble finding Balto, he'd been asking around but surpizingly noone had spotted him. Tired, Boris returned to the boat and laid down. With his eyes closed, he started to drifted off to sleep,"I'm being sorry Maxie, mabe after a alittle rest Boris will find or better pup might change mind and is coming back home," Boris said as he fell off to sleep.

After the nap, the team was hooked up to the sled with Balto and Steel in lead. The feel of the harness was uncomfortable and Balto didn't like it one bit. Balto growled quitly and nipped at the harness as the musher hopped on the sled, "Balto calm down you'll get used to the feel of it, at least your not in back," Said Steel as he tryed to make Balto relax. "Alright boys lets lets show our little hybrid how ta run now mush!" Yelled the musher. "That means go Balto he wants us to run," Said Steel. Balto nodded and took off long side Steel, he growled as he felt a little held back. Steel rolled his eyes, "This thing must be killing you huh wolf pup?" "Yes, I can run much faster then this, this stupid thing is holding me back," "Hah you get used to it soon you'll be able to run faster," Balto rolled his eyes. He smiled as the team left the town and a burst of strength surged threw him and he started running tward the forest. "Hey slow down there guys, yous guys are pulling us," Said Nikki. "It's not me, Balto slow down I thought you weren't used to the sled yet!" Steel said as he sped up trying to keep up with Balto. The team blew past Boris's boat and bounded for the forest.

Boris was awaken by the sudden wind and looked to see a team with a very familier wolf/dog in the lead. Boris took off tward the team as Balto seemed to practily fly himself.So, flying at top speed, Boris caught up with the team's lead dogs but had trouble staying there, "Balto! Stop Balto!" Boris yelled, "Boris? What are you doing here?" Balto asked not bothering to slow down. Boris's breathing became havier as his heart pounded, "Slow down, Boris goose no eagle!" "Boris I can't the forest is to close I can smell it," Suddenly,Balto felt a tug from his harness, then something bit into his back paw and knock him down. Balto arose, teeth bared and snarling at Steel who growled in return,"The musher said stop! your dragging us! Whats the matter with you have you lost it?!" "Me lost it? Your the one who attacked me!" "Beacause you weren't listening to the musher!" "Forgive me if my hearing isn't so good but, you still have no reason to attack me!" Steel growled loudly and Balto did the same. Just as the two got ready to tear into each other,the musher walked up and took the harness off Balto, "I told you boy with me, you get one chance wolf/dog now your a fast runner and I understand that Steel can be a tad overbaring at times. I did see him bite you which is why your not being cut from the team. Insted you'll be trained with me one on one till you get the feel of the sled, the rest of the team will finish this run then I'll come back for you now till then I want you to go home ya hear me?" Balto wagged his tail and the musher rubbed him on his head and returned to the sled. Balto sat and watched them till they disapeared then turned back twards Nome with Boris at his side.

The two reached the musher's home and Balto laid in the snow covered ground in the backyard and sighed. "What do you want Boris?" Balto said annoied, "Boris here to tell you, Iam seeing vision from parents of you telling me to care for you," Balto sighed again, "I'm not coming with you, that's not my home and your not my father," "Iam not trying to be father to anyone, Iam just trying to be helping you," "You can help me by leaving me alone! I don't need your help Boris I'm my own wolf/dog alright?! Leave!" Balto stood up, growling and started chasing Boris around the backyard till he took flight and left.After he was gone, Balto snorted and laid back down,closing his eyes, he let his mind wounder back to his clan. His mom laid by the den still breathing and every much alive, watching her pups play. He laughed as he snuck up behind her and landed on her side and she gasped, acting surpised as always. He licked his mom as she rose to her feet and smiled down at him, "I love you mom," He said quietly, "My child, hum, you are ment for far more greatness and soon you will see what I mean. Never forget your heritage and that you are from the wild, you where born in the forest and so it is where your soul will always belong. Your father and I will always be watching and will always love you.When the time comes you will see us both again till then, the first journy you take will show you where your new home lies," She said as a tear came down her face. Balto licked it away and noticed that his sibblings where no longer with them. He frown as he looked at the place in the snow where his sibblings once were. Balto turned back to see his mother walking slowly into the forest,Balto cocked his head to the side and tried