it goes.

 

 

 

Niju: Balto, when I first met you I didn’t give off the best impression.

 

 

 

            Balto nodded in agreement. He remembered the first time he met him, at the side of the water when they were fighting with Nuk, Yak and Sumac.

 

 

 

Niju: I was rude, no… I was cruel to you, your daughter, and everyone else in the clan. I thought that my way of doing things was the best way. I had no confidence in anyone and I cared about no one besides myself.

 

 

 

            Alright. Balto thought. He’s taken the first step, admitting what he’s done wrong.

 

 

 

Niju: But most of all… I was afraid. I was afraid that if the lifestyle that I had known for so long changed, nothing would ever be the same, and I didn’t want that.

 

 

 

            There you go, Niju. Balto thought. That’s the big one. Niju had finally admitted his wrong, and now he just had to realize what he had to do.

 

 

Niju: But then something came to me… and I realized something…

 

 

 

            Niju made direct contact with Balto.

 

 

 

Niju: I don’t want to be afraid anymore… I don’t want to live the same lifestyle forever. If I didn’t have any change in my life than nothing would ever happen to me. I would never learn anything. All that fear, it-it was getting me no where.

 

 

 

            Wow. Balto thought. He’s on a role. Niju was really putting scores on his apology. Though he didn’t realize it, he was doing an excellent job.

 

 

 

Niju: That being said, what I want to do is become the very thing that I was afraid of. I want to right every wrong that I’ve ever done in my life, no matter how hard it is and no matter what it takes… I want to fix it… So I plead for your forgiveness, Balto.

 

 

 

            Niju walked up to Balto and bowed his head below him as a sign of respect. Balto’s heart brightened as he heard these words. He was so proud of Niju for wanting to turn everything around. He had indeed become the very thing that he was afraid of. He had become change, and he was happy for him.

 

 

 

Balto: (smiling) you have already earned it, Niju…

 

 

 

            Niju raised his head and looked at Balto. He was shocked. He would have expected a lot more from Balto than he did from Aleu. But despite it, he felt a sense of inevitable hope in his heart.

 

 

 

Niju: Really?... Why-I mean.

 

 

 

            Balto laughed.

 

 

 

Balto: You’ve earned my forgiveness because you have admitted your wrong and are willing to fix it. 

 

 

 

Niju: But, I… I don’t-

 

 

 

Balto: It takes real change in order to make it, Niju. That being said, I think it’s already made.

 

 

 

            Niju was filled with Hope. He almost couldn’t believe it was happening. Balto was really forgiving him!

 

 

 

Niju: (smiling) you really think so?

 

 

 

Balto: (smiling back) I know so…

 

 

 

            Niju couldn’t help but express his happiness. He ran up to Balto and hugged him. Balto was a little surprised at first, and he thought it was a bit awkward, but he had to imagine how happy Niju felt, and hugged him back.

 

 

 

Niju: Thank you, so much, Balto… You have no idea how much this means to me…

 

 

 

Balto: (pretending to suffocate) I think I do. (cough) I could feel it.

 

 

 

            Niju backed off quickly, realizing he was probably squishing the poor guy.

 

 

 

Niju: Sorry, about that.

 

 

 

Balto: (laughing) its fine.

 

 

 

Niju: Oh, and… one more thing.

 

 

 

Balto: What is it, Niju?

 

 

 

Niju: Aleu…

 

 

 

            Balto began to feel a little curious, even a little worried. The way Niju said his daughter’s name didn’t really imply a positive vibe.

 

 

 

Balto: (concerned) What about her?

 

 

 

Niju: Oh, nothing bad. It’s just…

 

 

 

            Balto figured that Niju wanted to talk to Aleu and try to apologize to her as well.

 

 

 

Balto: Oh, don’t worry. I can come with you when you go to talk to her.

 

 

 

Niju: I already have…

 

 

 

Balto: (confused) what?

 

 

 

Niju: That’s the second thing I came here to talk to you about… You see, I apologized to her about a week or so ago…

 

 

 

Balto: And… how did she take it?

 

 

 

Niju: Not so well at first.

 

 

 

Balto: I could imagine.

 

 

 

Niju: Yeah… but… the day after, she apologized to me.

 

 

 

            Balto was pretty taken back. That was the last thing he expected to know that Aleu apologized to him when she didn’t even do anything wrong, or so it seemed.

 

 

 

Balto: Why?

 

 

 

Niju: She said she knew that she hadn’t give me anything near a warm welcome when she saw me that day, and she wanted to make up for it… I practically told her that it wasn’t her job to apologize, that I was the one that needed to say sorry.

 

 

 

            Balto continued to listen. This was getting intriguing.

 

 

 

Niju: So we both forgave each other and… well, we became friends after that.

 

 

 

Balto: (smiling) well, that’s good.

 

 

 

            Niju became a little nervous. He knew that there was more to it than that. He was afraid how Balto would take it if he told him that he and Aleu were in love with each other.

 

 

 

Niju: But, that’s not all that I came here to tell you…

 

 

 

            Balto was pretty concerned. What else was there to say?

 

 

 

Niju: I need to ask one more thing of you…

 

 

 

Balto: Go on…

 

 

 

            Niju took a deep breath and prepared himself. He had to say it, no matter what the outcome might be, he had to say it.

 

 

 

Niju: We’re in love, Balto…

 

 

 

            Balto was in shock. This was the last thing he expected. He would have never thought that they would fall in love. In a sense, Balto felt happy for them, but he also felt a little worried about his daughter. Was she even happy with him?

 

 

 

Balto: (in a low tone) are you now?

 

 

 

Niju: Yes. We just recently realized we had feelings for each other.

 

 

 

Balto: …How long did you plan on hiding this from me.

 

 

 

Niju: I didn’t plan on hiding it from you at all, Balto, I swear. In fact, we both decided yesterday that this needed to be discussed with you…

 

 

 

Balto: Did you really?

 

 

 

Niju: Yes. Friendship was one thing we did keep secret, I admit. But I knew that we couldn’t keep from you the fact that me and her were in love…

 

 

 

Balto: And what did Aleu say about it…

 

 

 

Niju: At first, she insisted that she talk to you about it. But I told her that it had to be me, that talking to you was a task that I had to complete on my own…

 

 

 

            Balto had to think for a while. He started to realize something. All those times that Aleu went to take a walk were to see Niju. How could she hide this from him, and from her pack?

 

 

 

Balto: How could she do this?

 

 

 

            Niju really didn’t want Balto to think that it was all Aleu’s fault. He knew deep inside him that it was partly his fault to.

 

 

 

Niju: Please, don’t blame it all on Aleu, Balto.

 

 

 

Balto: Is there a reason I shouldn’t.

 

 

 

Niju: Yes… I admit, part of it was my fault. I didn’t take the time to tell you in the first place, I know. That was my wrong doing, and I hope you’ll forgive me for it… but there’s something you need to know.

 

 

 

            Balto really felt like he could care less about what Niju had to say now. But he had a feeling in his gut that Niju was telling the truth. Although he looked like he wasn’t listening, Balto tried to paid attention.  

 

 

 

Niju: There was

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