apology though."

   "Apology? For what? Winning the race." Jason looked completely confused.

   "The cut on Iron's nose is from your shepard over there." John pointed out Eagle, who was tied to Tiger for a nap.

   "That's odd. Eagle is not known to be aggressive."

   "Well, I don't know why, but Iron did try to bite one of your centers here."

   "Which one?"

   "The scrawny silver one." He walked over and patted Wave on the head a few times.

   "You mean Wave. Eagle is his older brother so I'd expect him to protect his younger brother. Sorry for the inncodent."

   "That's alright. Now I understand what happened." Star was patiently waiting for her turn for attention, but she couldn't hold in her wild and reckless slef much longer. She swiftly and softly barked to get John's attention.

   "Oh, hello there Star. Good girl. You know Jason, me being 57 years old and all, I'm not very competitive anymore. Sure my dogs aren't top noche, but I love 'em to death and that's all it takes." He got up and unhooked his dogs, which went flying everywhere to get food and water from others.

    "I guess you're right. We can't make the dogs love us. They have their own free will." 

   "Good call." They paled around, which is a very rare seen to see a 19-year-old and a 57-year-old pal around after a big race. While Iron ran off. He looked everywhere, searching for Wave's scranny neck. Seeing his silverish body next to a female husky he stampeded forward. Wave never noticed until Iron was right on top of him. He snarled and growled as he ripped at Wave's fur. Star jumped on Iron's back and pushed him to the ground. She stood over Wave in a protecting motion, looking down once or twice to lick his wounds. 'He's the youngest and I need to protect him.' Iron stormed to his feet and ran at them again, only to find himself under a massive force. It was Eagle. He was snarling and growling, his canines barring down on the cowardng malamute's exposed neck.

   "Eagle that's enough!" Came a sharp bark from the crowd of dogs around them.

   "Back off Tomohawk! He tried to kill Wave!"

   "That gives you no right to take a life. Get off him. Now." Eagle looked at the fire burning in his leader's eyes. Even from a distance, you could see the glare clearly and knew what it meant.

   "Yes sir." Eagle ran over to Wave immidiately and started licking his wounds. Pearl tried to congradulate Tomohawk on his wonderful leadership, but Star slipped out of her collar and ran in front of her.

   "It's not over yet. Don'y go near them." Pearl took her advice. While she watched, the others also slid out of their own collars to get Jason.

   "Thanks mutt. Don't expect an apology or heart broken thank you." Iron replied disrespectfully as he smirked.

   "I don't want your excuses! Why did you attack Wave!? Was it because you just couldn't take his brother or was it the fact that you were out matched by an old man!" Tomohawk's fur raised up and stood like spears. He bared his teeth, and stood over Iron showing him how fearful he should be.

   "You won't hurt me. You're too soft-hearted." Iron alluded his gaze and was about to walk away, when Jason and John came pushing through the crowd of dogs. The dogs scattered, as John took Iron by the collar and smacked him a few times across the face. Jason grabbed Tomohawk, but instead of smacking him he began to hum a song.

   "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are gray..." Jason got up as Tomohawk seemed to come back to his senses.

   "Well I'll be damned, how did you do that?" Tomohawk sat down next to Jason and acted like nothing happened.

   "Actually, my mom used to sing that to me and him when I adopted him. sice dad left her, it reminded her of all of our happy time. Whenever me or Tomohawk got out of control, she would just hum it in our ears and we'd stop. Now, since she's gone I sing it Tomohawk. To remind both of us of her." He rubbed a small tear from his eye and went over to Wave.

   "I'll see what I can do on the operating table." Dr. Smith said, as he pushed a line through the crowd to the vets office. Iron was let loose away from the others. Tomohawk was surrounded by his friends, except for Eagle, who was sitting at Wave's side every waking moment of the procedure. Iron and Tomohawk glared at each other every so often. Tiger was weiry about Iron's actions so he stayed close to the others. After a few minutes, everyone decided to go see Wave.They piled intothe vets waiting room. John and Jason were waiting outside, while eagle scratched at the emergency door to get inside. Tiger sat out on the front steps, he watched as Iron came over and sat down on the other side of the street.

   "What's wrong strippy? Not allowed in there because you're a monster. You can't control your temper, can you! They think that you'll go balistick and hurt them and others, is that it!"

   "Why you...no I have to calm down, if I get angry then I can't be controled." Tiger rustled a bit and then headed inside the door.

   "Where you going! Heading back to where you belong! With that band of misfits!" That was the last straw. He had insulted the entire team, including Jason. Jason had picked him out of all the others in the litter because of his strength.

   "Do not insult any of my friends."

   "Why? You gonna hurt me? Try it!" Tiger walked out backward back through the door. He stared striaght into Iron's eyes and saw nothing.

   "I'm not going to challenge such an empty being."

   "What did you say to me, you filthy mutt!" The breaking point was broken way past its limit. Insulting his friends was one thing, but insulting him was in a whole different league. Tiger got up and raced toward Iron. He stopped laughing at the mutts disgrunted face and tried to run, but with a building on one side and a furious malamute coming striaght at you there's no where to run. Once you send Tiger into a rage, he is uncontrollable. He thrust himself into Iron, pushing him into the building. Icicles fell from the roof's edge and nearly missed them. Tiger grabbed Iron's shoulder and threw him into the street passing the crowds. Everyone gasped at the sight of the two malamutes going head to head.

   "What's that noise?" Jason peered out the door seeing the crowd surounding Tiger. He glanced down at Tomohawk, who had glanced up at him. Tomohawk torn at the leash that held him to Jason and finally freedom. He bolted out the door and down the street. He jumped through the crowd of people and onto his friend. Tiger was down on the ground struggling to get up. He had a large gash across his forehead that was deep and bleeding. John had taken Iron away from him and te crowds. The roaring commotion was too much for Tiger. His ears went blank, all the sound had been blocked out. Then everything went black. Tomohawk peered down at his friend, who had went limp and shut his eyes.

   "Tiger? Tiger! Wake up!" Tiger flashed his eyes to prove that he was okay. The towns folk held back Iron's teammates who had beaten and bruised Tiger badly. They had jumped in after the fight started. Tomohawk snarled wildly at them, as his fur on his back stayed high in the air. Jason approached slowly and calmd him down. He slid Tomohawk aside and away from tiger as he lifted the injuryed dog off the ground. He got help from John who had let go of Iron after tieing him back onto the sled. They hauled him off to the vets office quickly for help. The crowd and dogs exchanged glances as the ceremony went on. The entire team followed Jason into the surgery room. the doctor gave the analysis.

   "He's a bit bruised up and that gash on his forehead will become a scar, but i'm sure I can help him."

   "Please Doc, do anything. Anything to help him. I can't live without my dogs." Dr. Smith noticed a tear run down Jason's face.

   "Don't worry Jason. He'll be fine. If it makes you feel better, you and your team can stay here for the night."

   "Thanks Doc." Jason left the operating room and sat in the lobby in a corner near the heater. His dogs snuggled up against his legs as he sat in a chair with Tomohaw on his lap. He pat him across the head softly as Tomohawk wagged his tail and leaned his head on Jason's chest.

   "I can tell you one thing Tomohawk, you're no lap dog." He chuckled to himself as he fell fast asleep.

Chapter 4: The White Forest

   Eight months had pasted and the team had grown strong. They had won every race they were in since the inncodent with Tiger and Iron. Wave's fur was almost fully grown back, but he still didn't leave his brother's side. Tiger, on the hand, could only race if he had plenty of rest. Since that gash on his forehead gave him some damage in his right side he went deaf in one ear. Jason had worked the team hard and they practice everyday. Normally they would stop to rest and play in the forest or on the shore. Today they stopped in the forest on the outskirts of town. Jason laid out some food and water for the dogs. He rustled out some old dog toys from a bag that hadn't been used in years. Eagle played tug-o-war with Wave and Tiger rested on the sled in some blankets to keep warm. Star and B.J. had been looking for a ball they'd lost the other day and found an old fishing boat on the shore. Tomohawk intimidiated Jason to play frisbee with him.

   "Go long boy! Go long!" Jason motioned Tomohawk to move back, so he did. As Jason threw the frisbee it flew through air and into