her tears away, turning to face the opposite way to him. Earl closed the door behind him, then looked at Hope. He sighed and frowned.

Hope turned around and sniffled, "What do you want?" she asked very rudely.

Earl looked taken aback, "Alright Missy! I was only here to tell you that Balto's team won the race, that's all."

Hope looked at the window and smiled, she didn't get to watch the end of the race, she had been ordered to return home. "Yes, that's good news......."

Earl nodded but didn't smile he looked at Hope, "The Kodster is in a MAJOR bad mood with you, I'd hate to be in your shoes."

Hope glared at him and then looked back out the window, "I don't care."

Earl looked at her and sighed pathetically, "He's gonna come in and 'talk' to you in a minute......" a pause..... "Good luck." Earl patted her on the shoulder and scampered out the dog-flap.

"That's all I need," Hope muttered to herself. Just then, a very angry looking Kodi stepped into the room. Hope turned to face the window, totally avoiding his angry gaze.

"Hope Elizabeth Dusty! I want a word with you....." Kodi shouted.

"What?" Hope asked, rudely.

"Don't you DARE use that tone with me," his face stern.

Hope rolled her eyes and looked at him, "What about?" she asked less rudely, not curious.

Kodi frowned at her attitude, "You have scarred our family for your actions, 'befriending' a family enemy!"

"Pop, listen, STEELE is the family enemy, ZAQ is his grandson. He has never done anything to this family, and the one I love is entirely up to me, and I don't care what you say." Hope replied, standing up for herself.

Kodi looked at her like somebody threw a iron ball at his head, "Look," a frustrated pause, "The final word I'm having in this conversation is that you are grounded for two weeks AND you're never ever allowed to see that dog again, clear?"

Hope looked at him pleadingly, but she knew that he wasn't going to change his mind. She turned to face the window again, her head stooped low. Kodi looked at her and then went back inside the bedroom. A few minutes later, Hope stood uprght. "Nobody tells me what to do," she muttered angrily under her breath. She looked at the dog-flap and considered it. She turned to face the bedroom door and shook her head. She faced the dog-flap again and crept outside. She walked up to the low fence and stopped. She turned round and faced the house.

"Goodbye.... Family......" tears caught her eyes and she jumped over the fence. She looked down the street and ran towards Zaq's house.

She looked at Zaq's house and sighed. She put her paws on the window ledge and looked in. Zaq was laying down on a rug beside the fire, he was alone, he looked like he had been crying. Hope tapped on the window and pressed her face up against the glass. Zaq looked up urgently, then calmed down slightly to see that it was just Hope. He got up and scurried over to the window. He gestured with his head to wait outside the door. Hope nodded and hopped over to the door. A few moments later, Zaq emerged very silently through the dog-flap.

"Zaq......" Hope nuzzled him, tears in her eyes.

"Shhh......." Zaq replied, nuzzling the tears away.

"I've had enough of my family. I'm going. You will come with me?" she cried, eyes wide.

Zaq considered for a moment and nodded, "Of course lovey, my family weren't very pleased either, especially Steele." he shuddered.

Hope, under the tears smiled, "Let's go."

Zaq smiled and stopped nuzzling, "This way," he started to walk to the pet graveyard, you have to go through there to reach the safest part of the wood. Hope nodded and followed. When they actually reached the graveyard, Zaq swiftly jumped over the moss covered low wall and waited for Hope the other side. Hope jumped over, less swiftly than Zaq, but still swiftly.

Zaq walked up to Hope, "Follow me," he nuzzled Hope and walked down the dusty path in the middle of the tombstones. Hope gulped, she hated stuff like this. She ran up to Zaq and nuzzled his neck as she pressed sides with eachother. Hope looked at the names and a shiver was sent down her spine. Zaq nuzzled her neck back and Hope looked away from the tombstones.

"Hey! My great grandfather is buried somewhere round her, let's go find it......" he walked down the crackling yellow grass and towards a fairly large tombstone. Hope followed scared out of her wit. Zaq looked at the tombstone and read the name aloud. "'Maxwell, the brave Husky, father to the great Steele and mate to the beloved Crystal.'"

"Yes....." Hope replied, even though he wasn't asking a question.

He looked at her, "Let's look at the others," he then searched the tombstones beside his grandfather's. Hope rolled her eyes and watched him, but didn't look at the names.

"Pft. Look at this name. Dusty...." he read the inscription.

Hope's heart skipped a beat, "What?!" she looked down at the large name.

"`Dusty. You left us too soon. Beloved mate of Kodi........"

Hope literally stopped breathing, she widened her eyes and her jaw dropped.

"And never to forget mother of young Hope and her deceased siblings. We'll miss you......." Zaq's jaw dropped, "Oh my........."

Hope didn't say anything, she was much more than very surprised, there wasn't a word to describe it.

"Hope? Darling. I'm so sorry..... Why didn't you tell me before?" Zaq queried mournfully.

Hope was too stunned to even move her mouth, "She must of been my mother........" a stunned silence, "That explains it....."

Zaq glanced at Hope worriedly, "Babe...." he attempted to nuzzle her.

Hope didn't even look at him, her eyes were transfixed onto the name on the tombstone. Her eyes welled up with tears, "Pop..."

Zaq looked at her respectively, "Maybe running away isn't such a good idea afterall......" he was cut off by a large snapping of a twig behind them. Zaq span around, soon followed by Hope. There, a female white wolf stood, her face half mixed with toughness and 'whoopsiness'. She had barbed wire round around her back leg, two rips in her ear and a perculiar army tag necklace slung around her neck.

Zaq snarled, "Hey, wolf! What are you doing here?!" he growled.

The female bared her fangs at him, "Hey! You can't tell me what to do!"

"You do realise there is a town of wolf haters down the road? Pft.... Wolves...." Zaq sniggered.

The female wolf thought for a moment and then said, "This place is deserted, I know," she paused, she thought about all the people she killed, "I could easily sort them out."

Zaq rolled his eyes, "I guess that's where you got that necklace from," he glanced down at the army tag necklace then looked up, "What's your name wolf?"

The wolf snarled, "Storm, don't wear it down!"

Zaq snarled backed away, then walked forward, "Well, Storm, I strongly suggest you move down, or else." he snarled.

"Hmm......" Storm muttered, "How about no?"

Zaq opened his snarl more, "Look wolf, I didn't want to come to this, but I can easily signal the humans to come over here and kill you as fast as you can say sorry."

Storm smirked, "I don't think so." she even laughed slightly.

Zaq looked at Hope, who had turned back around and was staring at Dusty's tombstone. Zaq sighed, "Look wolf-Storm," he stuttered, "If you can help us find a safe place in the woods like a deserted den or something....."

Storm laughed, "What's in it for me?"

"Ummm......" Zaq thought for a moment, "Well...... We will........ Er....... We will.... Well what do you want?"

Storm considered, "Well......." she curled her tongue in thought, "If you don't tell any dog or human I hang around here, I'll help you."

Zaq nodded in agreement, "Alright. But I don't shake with a wolf," he looked worriedly at Storm's well sharpened claws.

Storm chuckled slightly, "I don't shake with a DOG either." Storm smirked.

Zaq frowned, "Right. Let's go." he muttered.

"Wait a moment," Storm glanced at the silent Hope, "Hey, girl, you coming as well?"

Hope didn't answer at first and reluctantly nodded.

Storm looked at Zaq, "What's your name then? Dog."

"Zachary, Zaq for short....." he looked at Hope, "And that's Hope." he smiled warmly even though he knew Hope wasn't looking at him.

Storm nodded, "Before we go. She must get rid of the collar." she frowned at Hope's frilly flower collar.

At this point Hope turned towards Storm with her bloodshot crying eyes. Storm looked at her and sighed understandingly, even though she didn't know why she was crying. Zaq nuzzled her and whispered, "Come on darling, take off the collar." he smiled. Hope acted like he never said that, she stared into space. Storm pretended she had a watch on her wrist and looked at it and sighed impatiently. Zaq glared angrily at Storm.

"This whole time...... He lied to me...... He never told me......." she whispered, barely hearable.

Storm cleared her throat and Zaq snarled at Storm. "Come on dear. Let's take that collar off..."

Surprisingly, Hope roared angrily and ripped the collar off of her neck. Zaq widened his eyes at Hope as she breathed in and out hoarsely. Zaq bit his lip and sighed sadly. Hope's eyes were still transfixed onto the grave, breathing in and out loudly.

"Well that's that sorted!" Storm said above the awkward silence. "Come on, we've got places to go."

Zaq sighed. "Come