"Sergeant... and who-"

    "White is dead.. and few other guys, too. And dogs.. I suppose they are okay. At least your one didn't want to leave your bed." The sergeant pointed down at Renna who was happy her master was talking again. She whinned and licked Kinley's face.

    Wolf was lying on a blanket outside of the tent. His neck was roughly bamndaged, but he was okay. Anyway, Mutt was looking after him and still, refused to explain where he had been... or why he had done it. Wolf was sure it had something to do with the thing even Rein didn't have...

----------

    Germans had casualties, too. But nobody counted them. They were regrouping in another camp, ready to leave the area. Ghost, rescued by her master, was sitting near the machine gun emplacement, which served as a guardpost for the main entry. She was waiting... waiting for someone who had been left behind. For someone, she had to admit, she had feelings for. But... but he wasn't coming. And she wanted, oh, she wanted to tell him something. Maybe he wouldn't come... She bowed her head and lowered her ears. "Rein... please... come back to me..." she whispered. And then an unusual noise disturbed her. When she realized it was just a tank, she closed her eyes and whispered Rein's name again. The tank was passing by... "Ghost?" the tank said, doing its best to be louder than its engine. Something jumped down. Ghost looked up and finally... finally... "Rein... You... you scared me... I thought that you... you bad dog," she tried to smile, but her voice was to shaky. Her feelings, her emotions were gaining the control over her. Over a cold and vicious shepherd. Feelings like love and compassion. "Rein... I must tell you something I should have done before... I love you," Ghost whispered and hugged him. He was there... he was real... and he answered: "I... I love you too, Ghost..." He was crying. She knew it, because his head was dived in her soft fur... So here he was. Wounded, covered by blood but alive. She hugged him tightly, inhaling his scent. "Will... will you... stay with me, love?" he finally asked and Ghost shivered with pleasure and ecstasy that couldn't be described. Her Rein asked, so she had to reply. "Of course," - smiling and enjoying his presence.

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    Home. Those four letters came quickly. And they meant much more than a simple word. They were going home... again. But this time they were sure it was for real. Quick goodbye to their brothers in arms, looking at the battlefield many of them died on... staring at the distance... and waiting for ride home.

    Wolf and the rest of dogs were parting with Danny who wasn't able to say a single word. They were going away, leaving him here... the same as the first time. They really didn't know what to say, either. It wasn't fair, but war is war. Only Mutt could bear the look of Danny's eyes. Eyes without hope and joy... eyes filled with sadness and fear. He saw too much and he was dying inside. But there was nothing they could do. Danny's master had to stay, so Danny had to, too. After a while, Danny turned back and walked away. "Will... will he be okay?" Wolf asked, but Mut shook his head.

"He? There are just two things that would do..." he sighed heavily. Wolf knew those two things - death or going home... and it was hard to tell what was going to happen first.

      And then... a long, really long cruise home. But... it wasn't the end. The true end came, when they found themselves on the outskirts of Nome.

"Kinley... we made it again," Napper remarked and scratched his chin. "And hopefully, nothing has changed. At least nothing we should be interested in..." Kinley nodded and overlooked the landscape and shivered. He just tried to imagine how it would look if the was was right there. "I hope so..."

    Renna barked as she spotted her home and nuzzled her mate wildly. Safe and alive... like Mut and Wolf. And they were heroes again. Oh... it will be a great night! Everyone will come and ask... and be happy... Especially her parents. Wolf nodded and bit her ear softly. Mut just sighed. He didn't want to return. Yes.. he was a hero, he was their bold, dashing and awesome hero, but the last time he'd asked a girl for a date, she'd just laughed. He didn't get it. It seemed everyone wanted to be his friend, but nothing more. "Awesome...," he hissed.

    Balto didn't know his daughter and her companions would come. No one did. Anyway, his mind was somewhere else. He felt kinda guilty,because the most of his thoughts was occupied by someone wh was closer than his daughter and her man. It was Wilhelm. He was spending days just lying and being alone. He claimed he was fine, but he was mad. It was so obvious, but when Balto asked him why, he told him because of himself. Balto knew it wasn't true. He was so mad at Eily who had fallen for Steele's lies and who had believed that he, Wilhelm, had been cheating on her and wanting her as is trophy. Balto had told everything to Jenna, who was trying to help Eily. She, unlike Wilhelm, was acting like nothing happened, but she couldn't hide her sadness. It wasn't Eily like the one before. This one would walk like a body without the soul with the heart torn apart. Of course, she had tried to talk to Wilhelm, but he'd never listened. She had hurt him... she had failed him... and she hadn't trusted him. And despite her trying, he had ignored her completely. And the worst was that Eily still had feelings for the doberman. She cried a lot, she wanted him so much and still, he didn't even want to see her. But she wasn't the only... even Wilhelm whispered her name from his sleep.

    So Balto was on his way to Wilhelm, when he noticed something big happening. He couldn't tell exactly, but.. he was almost sure the bark he heard belonged to Renna. In that moment, he forgot about the doberman and ran to the source of barking. And he was right. "They are back!" he called happily. "They are back!" Other dogs were joining him and soon, everybody was running towards their heroes who returned safely. The fuss was so great even Wilhelm woke up and decided to go and see. He walked out from his house, but his steps weren't sure. Long days of despair and starvation wanted the bill to be paid. After few more steps the doberman fell down to the ground gasping. And no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stand up. And there was nobody who would help him... he closed his eyes. So, that was the end. He, once a commander and a proud soldier, was dying in the land he didn't know, far from the home he had had to leave.

    Eily was interested, too. She wanted to forget about things she had been thinking about all the time. She was one of the latest who went to greet their soldiers. Well, honestly, she didn't want to hurry. Instead of it, she was thinking about something funny and heart warming she could use when facing them. She didn't know them, but she wanted to make a good impression. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by someone familiar lying in the middle of the street. She gasped... it was Wilhelm. And he was... he was not okay. Eily's eyes became wet when she realized it was her fault... her own stupidity. She ran to Wilhelm and lay next to him, warming his body. Her tears were dripping at his fur while she was whispering comforting words into his cropped ears. He noticed her but he was too weak to do anything but to listen her words: "Will... I.. I know it is my fault. I know I hurt you... I know that. But please... I beg you: don't die. Not because of me. But because of you. Your love you'll find. You'll find someone who will be better than that ungrateful b*tch you met before... please... live." He just whined and whispered her name. The husky yipped and barked for help, although he doubt somebody would come. She barked again, but nobody was paying attention. She coiled around Wilhelm's body and laid her head near to his. She snuggled closer hoping somebody would come and... and she felt his tongue on her nose. He kissed her! But... what did it mean? She was puzzled and she barked again.

    It was maybe because Napper disliked long talks (or he just wanted to be home and chat later), so he headed to his house. But he froze when he noticed two dogs lying in front of it. One was a husky he didn't know and the other was his... well, 'his' doberman. Mut had the same sentiments. But 'his' doberman meant maybe more to him than Napper's doberman to Napper. He jumped forward and bowed his head, so his nose was toching Wilhelm's. He began to lick it. "Kraut... tell me, what is it about? Why are you... why are you lying here like you were... no. Get up, please. I don't know what happened... but please... get up, Will..." The first time he called the doberman by his true name. And he wanted to say more, but Napper grabbed the dog and rushed inside his house. He laid Wilhelm at the table and looked at the wife, who accompanied him. "He... We.. well, the vet doesn't know what's the matter with him. He's not ill; he just seems to-"

    "I don't care. I have seen a lot of men dying in front of me! And I am fed with it! This damned dog will live, okay?" Napper hissed, ready to do everything. One would have laughed because of such a scene when someone treats a dog like a human, but Kinley didn't. He knew the sergeant too well. And sometimes, even a drop is enough to make the cup of your anger and frustration full. Obviously, Wilhelm's death would be that drop.

    Eily was watching the whole scene with eyes filled with fear and tears. She knew it was her fault... well, yeah, Will