crumpled tissue. Kodi sadly sat beside Mr. Simpson, his eyes dull and his ears drooped. Mr. Simpson hugged Kodi and Kodi rested his head on the musher's shoulder. Then the vets started disappearing around the popular table, with Kodi's only surviving child on this earth. Kodi gulped when he thought of reality, he is a lone parent, Kodi grew a tight knot in his stomach of thinking of raising his child on his own. When the vets had cleared off, the receptionist came up to Mr. Simpson, "Ready to meet your beautiful female pup?" she asked kindly, knowing the sadness of the musher. Mr. Simpson smiled at the receptionist and nodded politely, Kodi sighed and stood up. The receptionist smiled back and led them to the little white table with the mysterious carboard box. Kodi gulped and started shaking when the receptionist reached inside the carboard box and picked up a tiny bundle wrapped in a grey flannel. The receptionist sat down and carefully started unwrapping the flannel. Kodi walked over to the bundle and watched when bit by bit of his daughter was being revealed.... What felt like ages to Kodi, the grey towell was placed on the table. Kodi looked at his daughter lovingly, she was beautiful. She was light grey with a strange tint of burgandy in her soft puppy fur, her underside a beautiful creme, her detailed markings had not appeared on her fur yet. Kodi gasped at his beautiful daughter, his face felt warm through all the tears that had stung his face. The puppy squealed in the receptionist's careful hands, trying to near her tiny muzzle to Kodi. Mr. Simpson smiled as Kodi returned the tiny nuzzle. Kodi, for the first time in hours, held a smile on his tear stung face. The female puppy whimpered and started to suckle on the teat of the bottle that the receptionist was offering her. Kodi took a step back, it reminded him of Dusty, just looking at his daughter it reminded him of Dusty. A tear trickled down Kodi's sore face, it was too much to take in that his mate had died. Kodi looked at his daughter, squirming around and sucking on the milk bottle, she needs a parent, Kodi thought. He sighed and looked tearfully at his musher, who was talking to the receptionist. The musher smiled at the tiny bundle that the lady was holding, squirming and making little squeaky noises, trying to suckle the teat of the bottle. Kodi frowned, and lowered his head. Kodi then heard a voice in his head, it was Dusty, Take her in, take her in, for me, Kodi gasped as a picture of Dusty formed into his mind. He widened his eyes and perked his ears, like if he just saw a ghost, which he sort of had. Kodi opened his mouth then closed it again. He brang his head high up and walked towards his pup. The puppy stopped sucking from the bottle and moved her head towards Kodi. Kodi stayed brave and he licked her lovingly on the head, Dusty in his mind, started smiling, then she disappeared again. Kodi smiled and nuzzled his pup. The receptionist and Mr. Simpson smiled as Kodi bonded with his only puppy. Kodi felt warm inside, the puppy's features looked just like Dusty. Then the receptionist interrupted the bond moment, "Would you mind moving into the reception while we sort this little madam out so you could take her home?"

Mr. Simpson smiled, "Yes we will move," he called Kodi's name and they both left and went into the reception.

After what seemed like ages, the receptionist had returned to her desk and the vets were coming through the door and towards Mr. Simpson and Kodi. They were carrying the little puppy in the warm carboard box with rugs. They reached Mr. Simpson and said, "Mr. Simpson I presume?"

Mr. Simpson replied, "Yes, that is me,". The vets handed him a paper of the puppy's date of birth, mother and father and all of that, all that was missing was a name. The vets handed Mr. Simpson a pen and pointed to the empty space on the card. Mr. Simpson looked thoughtful, "What should we call her boy?" Mr. Simpson asked Kodi. Kodi couldn't answer but he barked, trying to say Dusty. "Hope it is then!" Mr. Simpson smiled and filled in the empty space with the name 'Hope' . Kodi frowned and then thought of Dusty, she was smiling so she must of liked the name. The vets smiled and then handed him the cardboard box and four bottles."Feed Hope EVERY hour for three weeks, and a visit to us every three days for a check up," the vets emplained while they handed Mr. Simpson a card with more details. Mr. Simpson eyed it reluctantly, it seemed pretty difficult. Kodi perked his ears and narrowed his eyes at Mr. Simpson, he was determined. Mr. Simpson frowned and then smiled. "Thank you, we'll make sure Hope gets all the best treatment from us," Mr. Simpson smiled at the vets and stood up from his chair. Mr. Simpson and the vets shook hands and one of them handed Mr. Simpson a leaflet on hand raising a puppy. Mr. Simpson picked up the small carboard box, the pedigree paper, the leaflet and he put the four bottles inside the carboard box. Kodi stood by his side, he drooped his head, it was supposed to be him and Dusty and all the puppies walking home.

When they arrived at the shabby old cabin, Mr. Simpson switched on the light and put the carboard box onto the work table. Kodi sighed, he was so glad that he didn't see any dogs while they were walking back. Kodi picked Hope up by the scruff of her neck and placed her on the same hearth rug by the fireplace that Dusty used to lay on. Hope wriggled around and tried to get comfortable, she wimpered and kicked out her little legs. Kodi chuckled slightly and nuzzled Hope lovingly. Mr. Simpson's wife, Betty came through the door and she hugged Mr. Simpson. Kodi covered his ears as Mr. Simpson explained the sorrow story, his wife was reasonably shocked. When Mr. Simpson finished the sad story, Betty had tears in her eyes. She ran up to Kodi and hugged him and then had a peek at the puppy resting on the hearth rug. She had tears on her face, Dusty was her favourite out of her husbund's sled team. She looked at the tiny bundle and smiled, carefully, with her little finger, she stroked Hope. "Hello Hope," Betty said gently, carefully caressing the little bundle of fur's tiny head. When she and Mr. Simpson had gone into the next room to chat about it. Kodi sighed and nuzzled his daughter lovingly. Hope wimpered and fluttered her little legs out playfully, she hadn't opened her eyes yet but it seemed like she could see perfectly. Kodi layed down next to her and nuzzled her, then they both fell asleep.....

Kodi couldn't remember how long it had been but he woke up with Mr. Simpson shaking him awake. "Come on Kodi, time to feed little Hope," Kodi stretched and yawned, he looked out of the window, it was only slightly darker before he fell asleep. Kodi stood up and stood next to Mr. Simpson who was filling the bottle with special milk. Kodi followed Mr. Simpson as he went into the main room, where Hope was. Mr. Simpson picked Hope up very carefully and cupped his warm hands around the tiny bundle. Hope woke up and wimpered, Mr. Simpson got the bottle and placed the teat of it in front of her mouth. Hope sniffed the teat and then sucked it greedily. Mr. Simpson laughed and Kodi smiled, she acted so much like Dusty. When Hope had finished the bottle, she let out squeaky burp and fell back asleep again. Mr. Simpson laughed again, gentler this time though, Kodi's smile had spread to nearly up to his eyeballs. Mr. Simpson placed Hope carefilly back onto the hearth rug and set up the fire. When the fire had started blazing, Kodi sat next to his sleeping daughter. Kodi looked down at her like he was God and Hope was Jesus. Kodi perked his ears when he heard scratching at the cabin, it was his other teamates. Kodi's eyes went shiny with tears, he really didn't want to explain the sorrow tale to them. Mr. Simpson came through the main room and opened the door. Kirby came bounding in first, then followed by the others. They were expecting to see Kodi and Dusty hurdled together with a litter of tiny pups, but what they saw came as a real shock to them. They all stared puzzled at Kodi, questions rattling through their brains. They decided not to say nothing until they thought the time was right, but their main question was, Where is Dusty? The other dogs quietly padded over to the kitchen, leaving Kodi to lay next to his daughter, feeling sad and awkward. Kodi huffed and sat upright, accidently waking Hope in the process. Hope squealed, like a human baby. Kodi looked alertingly at his daughter and perked his ears. He widened his eyes and stared down at his daughter, What would Dusty do? Kodi thought to himself. He quickly nuzzled her, hoping it will calm her down. The nuzzle was warm and loving, it felt like warm swarm of air on his heart. Hope quietened down and soon became silent, shifting closer to Kodi, before falling asleep again. Kodi grinned and shuffled closer to Hope, feeling very warm inside. Soon, Kodi's eyes had started to droop, he huffed and fell asleep, right next to Hope.

Chapter 3, Upbringing

After a night of several encouters of squealing and bottle feeding, it was finally morning. Mr. Simpson and Betty had bags under their eyes from waking up every hour of the night to feed Hope. Kodi was tired too, from waking up in the night several times for Mr. Simpson and Betty to feed Hope. It was about 7:00am and all the other dogs were still asleep. Kodi slowly got up and stretched, while having a very long yawn. Kodi finally stood upright on all four paws, his eyes and ears drooping. Hope was still peacefully sleeping on the warm hearth rug. Kodi didn't want to wake her so he stayed beside her, watching over her carefully. Kodi was sitting beside Hope, his eyes drooping, he then heard two voices inside the other room. Kodi perked his ears and sighed, his ears twitching back again. He yawned and stood up,