yawned and stood up, silently as not to wake up Hope. Mr. Simpson entered the room, with a bottle of warm milk in hand, his hands were shaking due to tiredness. He ruffled Kodi's head and tiptoed up to Hope. He gently caressed her smooth but thin puppy fur, waiting for her to stir. Hope eventually whimpered and kicked out her legs. Mr. Simpson smiled and raised the teat gently to her small muzzle. Hope opened her pursed lips and greedily sucked the teat. When she had finished, she let out a small hiccup, then a few seconds later another. Mr. Simpson chuckled and tickled Hope under her chin. Kodi smiled and carefully nudged his daughter with his muzzle. Hope whimpered, slightly playfully this time. Mr. Simpson smiled and stroked Hope behind her ear, with only one finger though. He carefully cuffed her into the palms of his hands and slowly placed her back down on the rug. He left to go into the kitchen, leaving Hope with him. Kodi sighed and laid down next to Hope, sighing again as he rested his head on his paws. He flattened his ears slightly as a picture of him and Dusty nuzzling with a litter of puppies beside them. His eyes started sparkling, tears in his eyes. When he was about to drop the tears, Hope squirmed up on his paws, cuddling them like they were a cushion. Before the tears could go anywhere, Kodi felt warm inside. He smiled and carefully placed his paw over her body, keeping her warm. Hope whimpered lazily and snuggled into the big paw. Kodi bit his lip and smiled, laying his head next to Hope.

About half an hour later, Kirby, Ralph, Pheonix, Earl, Mary and Yoyo all came bounding into the front room, where Kodi was. They all stopped laughing as they saw Kodi, they stared at him, puzzled, they obviously didn't know what had happened. The light tanned one, Pheonix broke the awkward silence and coughed. The other dogs nodded and ran out of the room, without giving Kodi a second glance. When they had disappeared out of the dog flap on the door, Kodi sighed and mumbled. Hope snuggled even closer into Kodi's paw, Kodi couldn't help but bring out a grin.

About another half an hour later, Betty came through the door, bottle in hand. Kodi sighed and looked at her sadly. Betty frowned and ruffled the tuft on his head. Kodi rolled his eyes and sat upright, keeping his paw snuggled next to Hope. Betty smiled warmly and picked up Hope, who was squirming and squealing in Betty's fairly wrinkled hands. Kodi glared at her and turned the other way. Betty sighed and said, "We're never going to get to you now," Betty looked worriedly at Kodi, while holding the teat of the bottle at Hope's small muzzle. Kodi grunted and rolled his eyes, pretending to ignore Betty's comment. Betty gave an awkward glance at Kodi then focused on Hope. Kodi shifted uncomfortably and sighed, narrowing his eyes at the kitchen door. Kodi perked his ears as he heard the soft suckling noise from behind him. He turned his head curiously, without turning his whole body. Kodi frowned curiously and twitched his muzzle. Betty smiled at Kodi, then looked back down at Hope. Kodi slowly turned his whole body round and looked at Hope with a tint of kindness. Hope finished her bottle and turned her head towards Hope. Even though her eyes had not open yet, you could tell she was indicating Kodi. Kodi perked his ears at his daughter and looked at her keenly. He shifted from the hearth rug until he was a foot away from Betty and Hope. Kodi looked up at Betty, then down again at Hope cuffed in her hands. Kodi moved his muzzle towards Hope. Hope squealed playfully and let Kodi nuzzle her face. Betty smiled, and then followed by Kodi, who's smile was the biggest. Hope gurgled and kicked out her legs. Betty chuckled slightly and ruffled Hope's fur, Kodi was still staring at her proudly. Kodi sighed when Hope was put down on the hearth rug, asleep. Betty smiled and left the room, empty bottle in hand. Kodi curled his tail up and paced the room, his face filled with mystery. After a few minutes of pacing, Kodi looked at Hope. He bit his lip and looked at the ceiling, like they were the answers of his prayers. He then curled up to Hope, like he would never let go. 

A couple of weeks went by without Kodi leaving the house, never, he was starting to get lazy and fat. Hope had started to walk and run about more often, but still spent large amount of time sleeping. Kodi looked out of the window longingly. Balto and Jenna knew about Dusty, but they had never seen Hope before and they came pretty much every day, but were always turned away. While Kodi was still looked out of the window, Hope gurgled playfully and came bounding up to her father. She had grown proper marks now. She still had a light grey coat with a rusty red tinge blended into it, her front legs were rusty red and her back legs were white. She had a burgundy diamond shape on her nose. She had the same face markings as Dusty had, which were white, that ran all the way down her chest, then disappeared just about her front legs and then continues burgundy up to her tail and had big, bright violet eyes. Hope jumped onto Kodi's back and howled playfully. Kodi smiled and turned his head round, looking at her. Hope gurgled and nuzzled Kodi, then jumped down and started to run across the room, towards the hearth rug. Kodi smiled as she snuggled into the wooly rug, quickly drifting off to sleep. Kodi sighed and walked towards the door, knowing his parents would come any minute, today, he felt like introducing them to Hope. Kodi paced the room nervously, curling and uncurling his tail. About a few minutes later, Kodi heard a scratch at the door. Kodi sighed deeply and slowly walked towards the door. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes, his paw on the dog flap. Kodi poked his head through, staring at his father, Balto. Balto looked at him and sighed, thinking that he would turn him away again. Just as Balto and Jenna turned around to leave, Kodi shouted in a weak voice, "Wait, mom, dad!"

Balto and Jenna turned at their son puzzled, "Pardon son?" Balto asked curiously.

"You may come in, meet your grandaughter," Kodi said, clearing his throat.

Balto and Jenna looked at eachother, gobsmacked, "Yes son, we would really love to!" Jenna answered, excited.

Kodi nodded and undid the handle on the door, opening the door completely. Balto and Jenna looked at eachother and slowly followed Kodi inside. Kodi sighed and showed from the door Hope, who was sprawled on the hearth rug. Balto and Jenna gasped, then smiled. Hope finally opened her eyes and looked at Balto and Jenna, puzzled. Kodi smiled and trotted over to Hope, gesturing for Balto and Jenna to follow. Balto and Jenna followed actively, obviously excited about meeting their first grandchild, supposedly. Kodi stopped beside Hope and sat beside her, curling his tail up and down. Balto looked at Kodi wisely and stepped forward, just inches away from Hope. Kodi nodded and bit his lip, he backed away gratefully. Balto smiled and looked at Jenna, Jenna was gazing at her, "She's beautiful," she whispered. Kodi smiled as his mother and father gazed at her. Hope was still asleep, unaware that she was the one who was the centre of attention. Balto smiled warmly and gazed at Hope, then followed by Jenna.

When they had to leave, they nuzzled Kodi and gave Hope a quick nuzzle goodbye. As they finally exited, Kodi sighed with relief, "Don't worry girl, no more worrying," Kodi nuzzled his daughter. Only him, Balto, Jenna and his team knew about what had happened, they crossed their heart not to tell anyone, hopefully they obeyed. Kodi sighed again as Betty strode into the room, holding Hope's bottle.

Chapter 4, Old memories, new confessions

One year later and a few months later.....

Hope leaped into the air and howled joyfully as the raven squealed in the air above her. Her violet eyes twinkled with delight as she looked up ahead at the grassy tundra. The raven overtook her as she reached the top of the cliff. Hope howled and reared in the air, the wind ruffling her fur. Kodi came up from behind her and smiled, "You know that racing with that bird is dangerous, you could of fallen off of the edge and.... and...." Kodi frowned and looked at his daughter.

"Pop, first of all, Blackfill is a raven, secondly, I highly doubt that with me running at around twenty miles per hour and suddenly stopping will make me fall, I'm not dumb," Hope rolled her eyes and smiled.

Kodi frowned and replied, "Enough of the cheek talk, thank you Hope Elizabeth Dusty."

Elizabeth Dusty is Hope's second name, chosen by her grandparents, Balto and Jenna. She had never realised why her middle name had Dusty in it, she didn't even knew she had a mother, she had never thought about it before.

Hope rolled her eyes, "Dusty, what kind of name is that?!" Hope chuckled.

Kodi glared at her, "Don't you EVER say bad things about that name, Hope!" a serious frown spread across his face.

Hope backed away, startled by her father's reaction, "Sorry pop, I never thought that name meant so much to you," Hope joked slightly, big mistake.

Kodi's eyes narrowed and a tear fell down his cheek, "Please Hope, drop the subject," Kodi said in a serious tone.

Hope bit her lip and nodded, she didn't dare ask why she wasn't allowed to mention 'Dusty' around him. Kodi sighed and said, "Come on, Betty must of served up dinner by now."

Hope nodded, unsure, but scared her father would cry again, she walked home, not a word uttered the whole way back.

After a long time, they finally arrived at the old shack they live in. They were greeted by a warm smell of a sunday roast and the kind pats on the head. Hope smiled and twinkled her violet eyes and curled her tail, she reminded Kodi so much of Dusty's personality, she was his build but somewhat looked like