then.”

Miah motioned for Balto to follow her. Balto gladly followed. Miah lifted the vent open and Balto followed her out.

“Look Gracy, Miah’s got herself a mate.”

Gracy was too busy listening to Spitz’s latest epic.

“Gracy? Gracy!” Princess knocked Gracy on the head with her paw.

“What? What!” Gracy said, “I’m listening to Spitz!”

“I said, Miah’s got herself a mate.”

“Oh big deal- what!”

Miah waited for Balto to crawl through the hole at the base of the hospital. Balto squeezed himself through the small hole and shook the dirt off himself. Miah turned her head away and raised her paw to block it from hitting her face.

“Sorry.” Balto said.

“It’s all right.” She said. Balto covered up the hole like it was supposed to be.

The couple started walking down the street in the moonlight.

“Ah, the moon, it’s so beautiful.” Miah said, “I love it.”

“Yeah.” Balto said, “Beautiful.”

“Balto,” Miah said softly. Balto turned towards her, “Why’d you come to the boiler room?”

“To tell you the truth, Rusty wanted me to come. Said that I should come to meet… new dogs.”

“Females?” Miah asked.

“I’ll tell you one thing: I’m very glad I came.” Balto moved closer to Miah. He didn’t want to touch her unless he was sure it was OK with her. Balto looked over her elegant, beautiful body. He wanted to comment but couldn’t find the words.

“It’s OK.” Miah followed Balto’s silver eyes and instantly knew that he wanted to feel her fur against his.

Balto felt excited and nervous at the same time. Balto was afraid that he would touch her in the wrong place or in the wrong way and she would get angry at him. Balto lowered his head to her shoulder and rubbed his neck and head against her body.

Miah enjoyed the affection for a minute or more and she started rubbing her own neck against his body.

Balto finally stopped after a long time and just held his head against her body, “Balto?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah?”

“Think it’s love at first sight?”

“Something like that.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Miah whispered into his ear.

Chapter 3 Gossip

January 5, 1925 Nome, Alaska

Miah’s home was much like Gunnar’s except it was larger in area. The bottom floor was split in two for Miah and the fireplace and the storage room. Upstairs were the kitchen and the bedrooms. Miah wasn’t allowed upstairs by Mrs. Giaui. She was slightly allergic and a little conscientious about Miah getting fur on all her good furniture, although Jenna and Andrew keep trying to sneak her upstairs.

Balto followed Miah’s instructions to her house and nudged the unlocked door open with his nose. He walked inside and looked around, fireplace, table, sofa, Miah’s bed. But where was she?

There was another doorway with some stairs leading up. Balto saw Miah walking down them.

“Hi.” Balto said.

“C’mon in.” Miah trotted towards Balto, “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”

“Well, just thinking of your face changed my mind.”

Miah smiled at his joke.

Balto nudged the door shut and walked with Miah who was leading him to her bed, “So, why are we doing this in your master’s house? In the day time?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Wouldn’t they get a little shocked seeing a very… wolfish-looking dog in their house?” It was the first time Balto had ever referenced wolves with himself. However he was fully aware of his appearance.

“Only Mrs. Giaui is here. Jenna and Andrew are at school and Mr. Giaui is at work at the butchers. And Mrs. Giaui is taking her afternoon nap. I just checked.”

“So… we have the whole afternoon to ourselves?”

Miah laid down on her bed in one movement and turned her ears back.

Balto walked so he was directly over her and lay down on top of her. Balto licked her face and rubbed his neck with hers.

Spitz paced back and forth, waiting for Rusty to get home. Gunnar was gone somewhere. Molly and Jude had both told him that hthey didn’t know where he was. But one way or another, Spitz was going to find him. 

It was noon by the time Rusty came walking into Gunnar’s house. He completely ignored Spitz’s angry look and trotted up to Molly.

Spitz bit on Rusty’s shoulder and pulled him away from the other husky, “Beat it, Molly.”

Molly trotted away slowly. She stopped behind the doorway to listen in to what Spitz was going to say.

“All right, punk. I want to know why you brought Balto to the boiler party last night.”

“Why do you want to know?” Rusty asked calmly.

“Because I might break your neck.” Spitz responded.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m Balto’s friend. But since this more relates to me, I brought him to meet females. Why else would I?”

“Meet females? What for?”

“You are stupid, aren’t you?”

Spitz barred his teeth and said through them, “I’m on to you.”

Balto and Miah caressed each other for an hour and a half. Until they finally reached a satisfying position: Miah lay on top of Balto’s side while she licked his ear facing her.

Balto let out a heavy sigh. He turned his head a little and enjoyed Miah’s kiss.

“Miah?” he asked.

“Mm?” she never stopped kissing him.

“You think it’s a little odd that we’ve only known each other for less than a day and we’re already in bed together?”

“You’re not saying that this is too much? Are you?” she stopped kissing him.

“No, no, no. I love it, I’m just saying, most dogs it seems that they spend more time with each other before a more… physical relationship develops.”

“Do they? I’m your first mate right?”

“Yeah.”

“So how would you know?”

“Good point.” Balto whispered into her ear: “I hope I’m your only mate.”

Miah smiled and rolled over onto her back. Balto gladly stood over her body and lay down on top of her. he crossed her neck with his and filled himself with her scent.

“Come back tonight, ok?” Miah whispered.

Balto didn’t want to leave but he knew as much as she did that he needed to go.

“I really wish I didn’t need to.”

“I know, but I’ll need to make tonight special.” Miah rubbed his neck one more time before trying to stand up. Balto got off his mate and took a step towards the door.

He looked back at Miah one more time before continuing through.

Rusty waited across the street from Gunnar’s house so he could catch Balto before Spitz did. Rusty really didn’t know where Balto really was but he was guessing (and hoping) that he was at his sister’s house romanticizing with Miah.

Molly walked outside the door at Gunnar’s house and headed out back. A minute later, she was back. She took a sweep of her surroundings and caught a whiff of Rusty’s scent.

The white husky followed the trail across the snow covered street and caught Rusty lying down in the snow at the steps of the neighbor’s house.

“Rusty, what are you waiting for?” She asked.

“Balto.” He sighed.

“Oh, he’s at your sister’s.” she said confidently.

“He what?”

“Yeah, he’s at Miah’s house.”

“How would you know that?”

“Gracy, she knows everything.”

“The Samoyed?”

“Yeah, her. I don’t know how she does what she does but she does. I just hope Balto and Miah don’t mind having their relationship go public. Knowing Gracy, it probably will.”

“Knowing Balto, I have no clue.” Rusty said.

A black figure flashed before Rusty’s eyes. Too fast for him to see, “Balto!?”

The figure slid to a stop and fell on the ground from all the momentum.

It was Balto

“Balto! What happened? Where were you?” Rusty ran up to Balto and almost tripped on his own feet. Molly followed close behind.

Balto’s tongue was hanging off his mouth limp as a string of cooked spaghetti. He was panting hard with his lips raised to a smile. His huge fangs could be seen easily.

“Were you at Miah’s?” Molly asked.

Balto’s smile faded and his fangs disappeared. His tongue slipped back into his mouth. He scrambled to his feet and said, “Who told you about that?”

“Gracy. She knew somehow and I guess she decided to make it go public.” Molly answered.

“She’s gonna tell the whole