Mr. Fridolf handed David's wife the money and like that Boomer was someone else's dog. As the man led Boomer into his vehicle by the rope around his neck, the dog looked back at the barn that held his friends. He had known them ever since he could remember, but all the time he only said two things to any of them. Boomer was born into a world where talking didn't much matter because his mother was deaf, and he never knew about his father. And because of that Boomer felt like he should've said more to his friends throughout those years together. Everyone seemed sad ever since Miksa disappeared, and he never knew what to say to make them happy. He would miss them greatly.

The vehicle eventually pulled in front of a small farm just outside of a town called Nenana. The farm consisted of only a barn and a small house. Scattered all around the property were tens of huskies tied to ropes spiked into the ground, all of them barking with excitement and wagging their tails. Mr. Fridolf took Boomer's rope and led him into the small house.

"You'll like it here, Boomer." said Mr. Fridolf. "You won't be lonely and you will have plenty of good food." The man let the husky loose to sniff around the house for a bit, which Boomer didn't do much of. He just contently watched Mr. Fridolf pick up his telephone and talk into it.

"Hello?" he paused. "Yes, this is Mr. William Fridolf...Yessir, I just picked him up today...He's a fine dog, sir, he used to be a sled dog...Yeah, I picked out a mate for him earlier in the month, her name's Marie, she's a favorite of mine...Yep, you can expect a beautiful litter in a couple of months! ...I'll call you again when the pups can leave their mother...Ok, see you then!" Mr. Fridolf hung his telephone up and looked at Boomer. "Ready to meet yer new partner?" He patted Boomer on the head and took him outside. So Mr. Fridolf was a breeder, Boomer figured. That would explain all of the huskies. He scrutinized his surroundings. Many of the dogs were the same color, but none of them were related. Boomer could tell by the shapes of their face and body. He also noticed that there were more females than males on the farm. Mr. Fridolf must've sold some males when they couldn't breed anymore.

Mr. Fridolf led Boomer behind the house where a single husky was chained up by herself to a lonely tree. The first thing Boomer noticed was that she was in heat. He'd recognize that kindling scent anywhere. She was also red like Boomer, but instead of dark brown eyes, she had bright blue eyes. She was very attractive and slim. Boomer gulped for the first time when she looked at him directly in the face. But Boomer had a good poker-face and held it expressionless for the sake of not seeming foolish in front of her.

"Ok, Boomer," said Mr. Fridolf, tying Boomer's rope near the husky. "This is Marie. She's my favorite, so be nice to her, ok?" He started walking away towards the front of the house. "You two get acquainted now." And he disappeared.

Boomer looked at Marie, respectfully nodded his head, and looked away.

He was afraid to go near her because her scent was already driving him crazy. The females he used to live with never smelled like this and he did not want to offend her, should he accidentally lose control of his urges.

"Hello there," she said kindly. Boomer's ears twitched, signifying that he heard her speak. "What's your name?" Boomer turned his head and looked at her quizically. Did she not hear what Mr. Fridolf addressed him as? He snuffed his nose. "Oh...right. Boomer." She smiled sweetly. "So, where are
you from?"

Boomer kept looking at her, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

"Can't you talk?"

He also couldn't bring himself to lie to her, but he nodded stating that he could talk.

"Then why don't you talk to me? How else are we supposed to get acquainted?"

Boomer shrugged and then there was another moment of silence.

"Oh, I see." Marie's voice turned bitter. "Not only are you the silent type, but you're ALSO the type who just come here to "get things done", aren't you!"
Boomer was taken aback by her outburst. His eyes widened and he shook his head no.

"Just want to get your minute in? Well, good luck to you because if you ever even speak to me...I'll...!" Marie snarled in both frustration and anger. She stomped off as far as her rope would let her and suddenly became more interested in the scenery. Boomer didn't want to upset her with speaking now, so he just sat in his spot and looked into the distance as well.

A few hours later, Mr. Fridolf walked around the corner with a smile on his face. He was expecting Boomer and Marie to be friendlier with each other, but what he seen wasn't what he was expecting at all. He seen the two separated from each other as far away as they could. He scratched his head at this and wondered why Boomer wasn't trying to win Marie's heart. It was already evening, so he decided to leave the two outside for the night and wait until tomorrow. When night came every husky was asleep and cuddling beside each other for warmth, with the exception of the vexed Marie and the stubborn Boomer.

That night, Boomer woke up feeling rather guilty about offending Marie. He looked up from his spot over to hers and seen her curled in the snow. Her red fur was blowing in the slight breeze, which must've made her chilled. He decided to start his apology with laying next to her in the snow to block the wind. He buried his nose into his tail, so to not pay any attention to her arousing scent. His back brushed up against hers accidentally, and he shivered, falling back asleep.

~~~

Marie awakened when the sun peeked from behind the mountain. She lifted her head and yawned sleepily. The night had been warmer than she thought it would have. She scanned the area and looked behind her. Boomer layed there, still asleep. She lifted her lip in a snarl and stood abruptly, glaring at him. His ears twitched and he awakened to look up at her towering over him with an irritated look on her face. She scoffed and trotted to the other side of the yard and sat herself down in the snow, her nose stuck up. Boomer stuck his lower lip out in a pout. Why was she being so difficult? He was only trying to keep the wind from blowing on her. Determined to get her attention, he marched up behind her and sat on the ground. Her ears flinched, but her body wasn't going anywhere.

Boomer pinched his brows together and made a single loud bark that echoed across the field, making Marie jump from her spot in surprise. She looked at him staring at her. She frowned at him, but wagged her tail when Mr. Fridolf walked outside from the back door of the house. He said that it would be a good idea to take her and Boomer out for a walk in the meadow. Marie shrugged and rolled her eyes. Boomer showed little emotion, but on the inside he was beaming. This would be his chance to show her his skills.

Mr. Fridolf led the two dogs into the meadow, far away from Nenana so that they didn't cause any trouble there. He let them run loose. Marie encircled the area nearest Mr. Fridolf, but Boomer was running all about in front of her, zigzagging and doing all kinds of jumps over hurdles of snow and holes in the ground. She still payed him no mind. Mr. Fridolf even tried getting her to notice Boomer, but his words weren't fazing her either. When Boomer came from behind Mr. Fridolf, Marie galloped away. Mr. Fridolf patted Boomer on the head and said, "Don't worry, boy, it just takes a little time." A little time was too long for Boomer to prove himself a good dog. He may have been quiet, but he was more determined than any of his team members back home.

When the three approached the land near the farm, Boomer seen the other huskies wrestling each other in the snow. That might work, he thought. Wrestling with another husky and winning would prove his strength. Before Mr. Fridolf could hook him up to his leash, Boomer took off towards one of the huskies, he looked back to make sure Marie was watching. She was, but more irrate than impressed. Boomer ran up to one dog and wagged his tail, his upper body on the ground in a playful fashion. The other dog barked allowing him to play. They wrestled each other. The dog Boomer was scrimmaging with didn't seem to put up much of a fight, but Boomer knew that he knew that he was trying to impress Marie. Boomer toppled over the dog, his teeth over his oponent's belly. He won the little match and looked to see Marie's face. She was now hooked up to the tree in the backyard, isolated from the other huskies, Mr. Fridolf talking on his phone from inside the house. Marie glared at Boomer again and trotted onto the porch of the house and looked into the house window, hoping Mr. Fridolf would notice her and let her in.

Boomer was not giving up. He was determined to somehow get her attention so he could show her that he meant her no harm, without just laying around doing nothing. He would've gotten possitively bored doing so. He figured that she was the only reason worth being here. So he marched up behind her again and tugged at her tail, playfully, and sprinted away from her. She turned her head to nip at him, but seen him a good distance away. He was still within her reach, but she didn't go after him. Boomer snorted in frustration and tried the same thing again. This time he got her to chase him, but only until the porch ended. When he tugged her tail a third time, she chased him away from the porch and returned to her spot in front of the back window. He tried a fourth time, and then finally the fifth time she resumed the chase. She chased him around the yard, Boomer struggling to not get caught by her. He ran around the tree twice, to throw her off guard, but it didn't work. She cut him off on the other side of the tree. He ran the other way, stopped abruptly and kept running around the tree in the same direction, unaware that Marie's leash was tightly wrapping around the tree.

Boomer stopped suddenly like he did before, but Marie tripped next to the