"Dad. Please don't make me do this. I really don't want to do this. Why can't Jenna?" Star asked. "Because Jenna isn't allowed to participate and also if you make it, you could be on Steele's team." After this remark, Star jumped up and down. She and Steele had been going out for awhile now. Jenna's friends on the other hand, hated Star for going out with him. "What are we waiting for?" Star exclaimed. "Balto smiled as he watched Star jump up and down with excitement. "Ok. Now when I say mush. You run. You don't stop running until you hear me yell, break and hook. Am I clear?" Balto asked. "Yep." Star said. Balto helped Star get into the harness. He watched as she pranced around and ran in place. Balto jumped onto the sled and yelled, "MUSH!" Star jumped up and ran so fast that Balto could feel the cold air rush past his face. The wind blew the fur away from his face. "TURN RIGHT!" Balto yelled. Star could barely hear him because of the screaming wind that she was facing. Star took a sharp turn right and the turn was so sharp that Balto flew off the whipping sled. He screamed, "BREAK AND HOOK!" Star just heard him and made a quick stop. She turned around and laughed when she saw Balto on his butt. "Sorry Dad." "That was good. I think you will do as a great sled dog." Balto nuzzled her. Star asked, "You think so?" "I know so." Balto smiled. Star looked at him. Something about her father's smile. It was a warm, comforting smile. When she was younger, when Balto smiled it helped Star get out of difficult situations. Star tried to look serious but she burst out laughing. Balto said, "Here. I will pull you back to Nome." "No. I will pull YOU back to Nome. I need the practice. Right?" Star answered. Balto looked uncertain for a minute, but then he agreed, "Ok."

When they entered back into Nome, Steele was waiting for them. "Hey Steele." Balto said as they pulled up infront of him. "Dad. Help me get out of this harness. I promised Steele that I would go out to dinner with him tonight." Star whispered to Balto. Balto hopped off the sled and helped tar out of the harness. As soon as she was free from the scratchy harness, she ran up to Steele. They nuzzled and Steele asked, "Are we ready to go?" "Yep. I will be back later. Bye Dad." Star said as they two left for dinner. Balto's lips curled into a smile as he watched Star go with Steele. "Aww. They are so cute together." said a voice. Balto turned around and it was Jenna. Balto touched noses with her and whispered, "My babygirl isn't my baby anymore. She is a full grown dog. And the most beautiful. I just don't know if I still want her to try out for the dog team." "I know how you feel. But you should let her choose if she wants to be in the tryouts our not." Jenna said. "I know but I didn't want her......." Balto trailed off. "Balto....." Jenna whispered. Balto didn't know what to say. "Tomorrow are the tryouts. We will see if my girl made it." Jenna nodded and the two walked into Rosie's house.

Late that night, Star came home. She was gleaming. "Star. Where were you?" Balto asked sharply. "I am so sorry dad. It is just that Steele took me to the boiler room. It is so amazing down there. We held off dinner till we got there." Star whispered. "Well get to sleep. We see if you made the team tomorrow." Balto whispered. Balto and Star's eyes closed in a dreamy sleep.

Jenna was first up the next morning. Balto was second. "Ok. So the plan is is that after breakfast we will head to the race grounds. We will hear who got on the team and the dogs that did stay after and take a few runs with their new teammates." Balto listed as he ate his food hungrily. Star woke up and she dragged her feet into Rosie's kitchen. Rosie sat at the breakfast table and she reached down and dropped a piece of bacon on the floor for Star. Star gobbled it down. After Jenna, Balto, and Star were done eating, Balto was first to leave the house. When they got to the race grounds, they were shocked to see the turnout. Everyone showed. Including Dixxie and Sylvie. But then again, they always came to hang out with Jenna and watch Steele run. After an hour, Rosie's dad, Jerard came and stood at the front of the crowd. "DOGS. IF I CALL YOUR NAMES! COME UP AND SIT INFRONT OF THE SLED!" Jerard yelled. All the dogs in the crowd looked up. All their eyes were on him. "STEELE! TONY! DANDY! RALPHI! KIRBS! FAUX! AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, STAR!!" Star's ears perked up as she heard her name. SHe jumped with excitement as she ran to the front of the crowd. Everyone was cheering. And 50% of it was for her! She was so proud. Balto barked so loudly that it made everyone else's cheering go a bit quieter. When everyone left, Balto stayed behind. Jenna went home to get dinner started. Balto ran up to Star and nuzzled her. "I am so proud of you Star." Balto said excitedly. Star laughed and said, "Thank you dad." Balto walked over to Steele and said, "Congratulations Steele." He held up his paw and Steele held up his. Their paws touched and it was a doggy handshake. Balto sat back and watched as Jerard hooked the dogs up. He was surprised when Jerard knelt down and looked directly in Steele's eyes. He whispered something to him and Steele nodded. Jerard yelled, "Star!" Star ran up to him and he sent Steele down to Star's spot. He hooked Star up to the front. Star was going to try being lead dog! Jerard yelled mush and the dogs took off. Well Star did anyway. She yanked all the other dogs and they ran after Star. Balto watched.

3 hours later, the team came back from their 2nd run. Jerard said, "Enough for today. Star girl. You are our lead dog. Just wait for the race tomorrow." He walked off. The dogs were unhooked and Steele and Star walked over to Balto. "I am very proud of you Star." Balto said to his daughter. Star beamed. Balto took Star from Steele and said, "We will see you tomorrow Steele." Star touched noses with Steele and Balto and Star walked off into the distance. When they got to Rosie's house, Balto and Star fell asleep as soon as they got inside. Jenna touched Balto's nose and whispered, "Nighty night Balto." They all fell asleep.

When Jenna woke up the next day, Balto and Star were already gone. She ate and ran to get Dixxie and Sylvie. Then all three ran to the race grounds. The gun went off right when they got there. When Star heard the gunshot she jumped up and zoomed out of the starting line, leaving the other teams in the snow. Dixxie, Sylvie, Jenna, and Balto all watched as Star and her team got smaller and smaller until finally they disappeared. Into the horizon. The deep Alaskan snow. But the look on Balto's face made Jenna uneasy. Dixxie and Sylvie didn't even notice. All the dogs sat still. All of a sudden, the sky went dark. Someone yelled, "It is the storm that wasn't expected until a week!" Everyone screamed and Balto jumped up. "Jenna. If I have to. I am going to go after them. The storm is going to hit them from the back so they aren't going to know about it!" Balto was determined. But before Jenna could answer the winds picked up. The trees swayed and one fell over onto a telephone wire. Every ran for their lives. The winds were howling now. Jenna screamed. "It is too late!" Jenna followed as Dixxie and Sylvie ran for safety. Balto started to follow but then he remembered that Star was out there. He thought about going for a minute. Finally, he took off! Jenna looked out the window and saw Balto running in the direction one of which that Star ran. "Balto..." She muttered.

But Balto was going to be too late. The storm had to travel about 4 minutes more and it would hit the team. Balto ran with all his might. He saw something small way up ahead. It looked like a tiny dogsled with 7 tiny dogs pulling it! Balto howled.

"Keep it up guys!" Jerard yelled over the howling wind. Then Star heard something. It sounded like a howl. She turned her head but kept running. She saw a teeny dog way far behind. It was running towards the team. It howled again. Star realized somethig. "I know that howl anywhere." She said to herself. "DAD" She screamed. "She howled. But it was drowned out by a crash of thunder. "KEEP IT UP STAR!" Jerard screamed. Oh how Star wished that Steele was up there with her. All of a sudden, Star hit a hidden rock. She pummeled over and the sled crashed. All the dogs went head over heels and crashed into different places.

Balto saw a big crash. "OH NO!" He screamed. He ran so fast that in seconds he was at the place where the team crashed. All the dogs were in different places. Balto searched for Star. "Star." He yelled. He found her and whispered in her ear, "Star. All the other dog teams turned back." Star looked up and she tried to get up but she couldn't. "I hurt my leg." She yelled. Then all the other dogs got up. They were hurt but not seriously. Jerard was hidden under the sled. Balto went over there and flipped the sled back to normal position. Jerard wasn't hurt luckily. Balto brought him over to Star and he screamed over the twisting winds, "SHE CAN'T RACE!" Jerard unhooked Star and covered her with blankets and set her on the sled. He hooked Balto up and the team was soon back on he track.

After an hour, Balto finally saw the shining lights of Nome. He gave all his extra energy. They broke out into the streets of Nome just as the storm died down. When Jenna saw Balto running with the team back into town, she ran out of the shed she was hiding in. Dixxie and Sylvie followed. "Balto!" Jenna exclaimed. Jerard yelled, "Break and Hook!" The dogs stopped immediatly. Jerard unhooked them all and Balto and Jenna nuzzled. Steele ran over to the sled. "Star? Baby you okay?" Steele nuzzled Star and Star weakly looked up. Balto then remembered her. "Star." He went away from Jenna and went to see Star. "Are you okay?" Just then Jerard picked up Star and carried her to the hospital. Balto, Steele, Jenna, Dixxie, and Sylvie followed. Balto waited right beside Rosie who had