system has been around for generations. Wolves have used it since they first settled here in Nagushka.”

“Pardon me?” said Jenna.

“It means Alaska in our language.”

“Oh.”

“Well, here we are.” Balto stopped and nodded toward Nome.

“Then, unfortunately, this is where we part. Good bye, Kaltag. I hope to see you again soon.”

“The same to you,” Kaltag replied, nodding and smiling. Just as Echo turned to go, Kaltag called after him,

“Echo, if I may, I’d like to come and, er, see Krystal again.” Echo smiled.

“I have not problem with that. Now, Treffen, her father… Just be careful. He’s a lot stronger than me, and he’ll snap you in two if you hurt Krystal in any way.” Kaltag’s face turned slightly pale and he stood speechless. Echo threw back his head and laughed.

“Don’t worry, Kaltag. I’m sure he’ll take to you pretty quick. I’ve only known you for a few hours and I already like you. You’d make a good addition to our pack if you were even part wolf.” He turned to Balto. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Balto replied.

“Well, good bye my friends,” Echo said. He bowed and padded back the way he’d come.

“I guess I should go too,” Kaltag added, “I’ll see you two later.”

“Good bye, Kaltag,” said Jenna. Kaltag smiled and walked briskly back toward Nome. As he watched him go, Balto spoke to the wind.

“He and Krystal sure seem to like each other…. I wonder if…” Jenna overheard and they both looked at each other.

“Do you think they’re falling in love?”

“It looks like it,” Balto replied, “I’ve never seen Kaltag blush before.” He looked at the sky. “We still have some daylight left; would you like to go back to my place for dinner?”

“I’d love to. It’ll be nice to have an evening together alone.”

“What?” Balto replied.

“Oh, nothing,” Jenna replied, smiling sheepishly. Balto shrugged and led her up the creaky plank to the deck of his boat. He scented the air and said,

“Muk and Luk must have left already, and Boris hasn’t been around for a couple of hours, so I guess we’re eating alone tonight.”

“Sounds fine to me,” Jenna replied. She followed Balto down into the galley and accepted two cooked fish. The two ate in relative silence until Jenna finished her meal. “Balto,” she said, “Almost every night that we haven’t been captured by a wolf pack or waiting out a storm at Echo’s den, you’ve invited me over for dinner. Thank you.”

“No problem, Jenna,” he replied, “Anyway, how else would I get rid of all these fish?” Jenna laughed and Balto joined in. When Jenna could control her breathing again, she said,

“You know Balto, I’ve never seen a female, even a wolf, fight as hard as Cloud Runner.”

“Well, you see a lot of that in the wild. Now, because I pretty much live here, I don’t know a lot of details, but females are more dominant, because they basically control a pack’s future. Pups mean more members, which mean a stronger pack. And I wouldn’t be so sure; I’ve heard that females do some pretty wild things.”

“You mean like this?” Jenna leapt at him and the two rolled over and over until Jenna pinned Balto to the floor. “Surprised you, didn’t I?”

“Well, I’d say more, but…you’re…cutting off my air!” Balto gasped. Jenna immediately lifted her front paws off his chest and stood with her paws on the floor around him.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry, Balto. I-” Before she could finish her sentence, Balto wrapped his paws around her and rolled, so that he was the one on top. Jenna looked at him for a moment and smiled. “You tricked me.”

“No, you were actually choking me,” Balto said, “but I decided to get you back.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Jenna smiled again.

“Come here, you.” She put her paws on his shoulders and pulled him back down into a kiss.

The next morning, Jenna sighed and slowly opened her eyes. She lifted her head and looked over at Balto, still sleeping beside her. I guess we stayed here a bit longer than we planned to… She kissed him gently on the cheek and his eyes blinked open.

“Jen…” He yawned. “You’re up early.”

“I get it from being with you I guess,” she replied, nuzzling him.

“Well, since we’re up so early, why don’t we go down to the shore?”

“Sure, Balto.” The two stood and climbed the stairs together. Jenna jumped down to the ground and looked up at Balto. Winking at him, she said,

“Catch me if you can!” She turned and ran, laughing as Balto followed her.

A while later, Jenna trotted back up the hill, towards Nome. Balto came up behind her and tackled her to the ground. Looking down on her, he said,

“Don’t you think this game is getting a little old?”

“Not as long as it ends this way,” Jenna replied, kissing him on the cheek. He smiled and let her stand. Just then, Rosie’s voice reached their ears.

“Jenna, come on girl, it’s time to go.” Jenna turned and saw Rosie and her family waiting expectantly on the edge of town. Balto looked at her questioningly.

“Where are you going?”

“I completely forgot! We’re going to see some of Rosie’s friends nearby. We’ll be gone until tomorrow.”

“That’s not so bad,” Balto replied, “I can wait.” Jenna smiled and nuzzled him. They both turned and trotted over to where Rosie and her family waited. Her father had already prepared the sled. He smiled at Balto and patted his head.

“Sorry boy, but you’ll have to stay here. Would you like to watch the house for us?” Balto barked and Rosie’s father laughed. “Alright, be good.” He stepped onto the sled and said, “Mush!” Eight fine huskies leapt forward, pulling the sled from a stand still to a brisk trot. Rosie and her mother rode on the sled and her father stood on the back. Jenna ran along side. Balto watched them until they disappeared over the hills. Well, he thought, I guess I better find something useful to do. He turned and padded down main street to Jenna’s house and sat down on the front porch. Well, this is about as good as anything. He lay down and put his head on his paws. Taking one last look around, he closed his eyes and let the day drift away.

A-a-a-a-a-r-r-r-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!!!!

Balto woke with a start to a far away howl. A few of the citizens lifted their heads, but quickly resume whatever they were doing.

“It’s them wolves again,” a portly man grumbled. Everyone else had already shrugged off the call, but Balto listened intently. It’s Milo… An attack! He thought, looking at the sun, already sinking in the sky. It’s already been more than a whole day? I need to get more sleep… He leapt down from the front porch and started to run toward the woods, but stopped and looked back at Jenna’s house. Should he leave now or wait? Staying might earn him a meal, but waiting would almost certainly mean more dead wolves. His mind was made up when he heard the sound of dogs barking in the distance. He looked to the hills and saw Rosie’s family on the horizon, with Jenna right beside them.

“Stay in Nome!” he barked to her, “I’ll be back!” With that, he turned and ran off into the forest.

A few moments later, Jenna and Rosie’s family came to a stop in front of their house. Jenna noticed Balto’s paw prints leading into the woods, but remembered what he had said, and followed her humans inside.

Meanwhile, Balto trotted quickly among the trees, following the sound of battle. Before long, he found it. Echo’s pack had formed a wolf barrier in front of the stone pathway, blocking the way into the den. Balto looked up and saw Milo just behind the waterfall, scanning the battlefield with his keen eyes. Balto ran up beside Echo, who stood in the very middle of the blockade.

“Balto!”

“Echo, what’s happening?”

“Vanuk and his captains are advancing. They’ve already made one attack, but they lost three while we lost none.”

“Why would they attack you?”

“They want our pups dead. If they were to succeed, they would have the upper hand in any future battle until we had a new litter.”

“Look, here they come again.” All eyes turned to the tree line, where the eyes of at least a dozen wolves glared back at them. A lone black alpha stepped out, and Balto and Echo recognized him immediately.

“Echo!” Vanuk cried, “The time has come. Surrender and I may show you mercy!”

“Are you blind, Vanuk? We will never give up! You are trespassing on our domain. It is you who should surrender.”

“Arrogant, as always, Echo. You will pay for our shame.” He turned to his wolves.

“Lead us, and we will follow!” one shouted.

“Yes, lead us to victory, my lord!” another cried. Vanuk grinned and bolted out into the open. Closing with Echo’s ranks quickly, her cried,

“You