His legs weakened, but his eyes brightened as he seemed to really see me for the first time. Fire Eye stumbled towards me with a hungry look in his eye. I backed away, and that just made him more excited. He dragged himself towards me as his breathing came louder and more labored. He started whimpering with anticipation, and continued stalking me.

THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP. I hadn’t felt this afraid in months. Fear pressed me against the wall and froze me as I watched Fire Eye draw closer, closer. I had seen hunger before, but never like the greedy look spinning inside his wild eyes. Only when he collapsed to the snow quaking and wheezing did I realize: He’s insane. He’s dying.

I thought I would choke on my heart’s fear right then. I took a few steps towards the nature of running away, but Fire Eye didn’t want to go peacefully. Oh, no.

He raised his trembling head, and threw himself at me. His hot breath burned my leg, and I let out a cry and kicked snow in his face before running running running away.

Fire Eye’s last, dying howl of anger followed me as I pounded over the tundra, panting as hard as any rabid wolf. The howl cut me deep, and to my horror I felt a scalding tear slide down my cheek. I never cried. I never cried. 

The surprise was so great I skidded to a stop as the echoes of Fire Eye’s last breath disappeared down the wind. I tried to steel myself against his mournful cries, but it was no use. Another crystal tear slipped down my face.

‘It’s got to be the shock from being so scared,’ I reasoned, but it wasn’t. I was genuinely sad. I  hadn’t felt that…in a long time.

Fire Eye’s death hurt. To think the last thing he saw on Earth was a hard, dirty, lost soul of a wolf-dog kicking dirt in his face was sickening. He didn’t deserve that. No one deserved that. I was a living picture of how horrible this world could be.

The next tear glided over my mouth, and I tasted its salt. It seemed to heal.

Whether Fire Eye had been my brother, I would never know. And if Balto wasn’t my brother, I was truly alone.

I stood tall and faced into the western wind. My tears turned cold and froze on my muzzle. I didn’t feel them. I would not give in. My journey wasn’t over. I wasn’t over. Balto was my last chance for family. I would take that chance.

So here I am at the edge of Nome, bewildered and afraid and wondering what Balto will be like compared to Shadow and Fire Eye. Fear creeps up my spine along with the cold. Night is falling fast, along with my courage. I have to act now before I completely lose my nerve.

I steel myself with a deep breath that makes my head whirl, and I step quickly into the town and dash along the streets. People are calling their dogs in and locking up for the night. I search wildly for a dog who looks kind enough to give me directions to Balto’s house. But who am I kidding? I just need to pick someone before I’m left out here all alone.

A dog slips past me in the growing dark. I jump. “Hey!”

He turns around. “Yeah?” I can’t see his face in the twilight, but he doesn’t seem mad, just…surprised.

“Where can I find Balto’s house?” I ask.

I think the dog raises an eyebrow “Balto’s house? What are…Oh. Are you new in town? You mean Jenna’s house. If I know Balto, and I should, he’ll be there now. Go up this street, and keep going until you reach a house that’s a little separate from the others. That’ll be it. You know, Balto doesn’t get many visitors. Are you, what, his long-lost sister or something?”

“Hopefully,” I mumble, and scoot down the street as I hear the dog’s owner call: “Kaltag!”

The houses rush past in a shadowed blur. After a few steps I realize I should have thanked Kaltag, but it’s too late now.

I find the house. It sticks out of the town, like a wolf-dog among wolves. This is my last chance to go back. I can avoid all the pain of a third disappointment by just walking away now.

I scratch the door so hard some of the paint chips off and the flakes fly away on the cold wind. Human voices rumble inside, and suddenly the door swings open to reveal a man standing at the door with a dog beside him. A wolf-dog.

My heart hits the inside of my chest so hard it almost stops. Balto’s kind eyes grow a little concerned.

“Well…normally I wouldn’t let a stray in,” the man says. Balto seems to read my mind and paws at the man’s pant leg. The man looks down, and his face softens. “But I guess you’re right, Balto. Tonight’s too cold for any dog to be out. Come on in.” The door opens a crack wider, and I stumble in.

My surroundings become very alien to me. I step into a long white tunnel with a ceiling high above my head, and hard, flat wood squeaks beneath my paws. The man closes the door and walks into an opening in the right side of the tunnel. Balto stands beside the opening and sweeps his paw out in front of him in a little bow. “After you.”

I step through quickly with my eyes downcast.

The opening leads to a cozy little cave. A swath of what looks like unnaturally colored fur covers the floor over where two soft chairs rest, and a small fire burns inside an alcove in the white wall. I am led to the fire and dried off by the man, and he sits in one of the soft chairs while Balto sits down beside me.

I can feel Balto studying me, probably wondering why I’m here, or how I got here. I jerk my head up and shoot my gaze straight into his eyes…and immediately some of my fear melts away. He just looks so caring…

“I’m glad you…dropped by,” he murmurs, “What’s your name?”

My throat tightens. That’s another thing I had forgotten to decide. “I…I don’t have one. Well, actually I’ve had two, but neither of them really fit me. I mean…” I stop, frustrated. I sound like such an idiot. Why won’t the story come out? “Are you my brother?” I say in a rush.

Balto looks taken aback. He stares at me, then recollects himself. “I was never told I had a sister.”

I freeze. My insides turn into an arctic wasteland. I can feel the cold wind screaming through my mind. I haven’t found my brother. I am alone.

Balto seems to consider something. “Though knowing my mother…” He looks at me carefully. “What was your mother’s name?”

“Aniu,” I breathe, “She was a white wolf, and she had me and my brother with Scout, a husky. Th-These two other wolves, Roan and Soran, hated her for that, so they kidnapped me, but they couldn’t get my brother because Aniu knew what they were going to do, and she protected him. But I was taken…” The whole story spills out in an ocean of words, and I can barely hear myself over the memories that come with the words. I don’t know where I’ve kept all these words, but they all come tumbling out of my mouth for Balto to hear. I tell the whole story, leaving nothing out, and I can feel the relief spreading over me like warm water as I talk about Roan, Soran, Kalim, Jaydor, Ice Moon, Crystal, Cyan, Mark, the fox, Shadow, Fire Eye, and on and on and on… “And now I’m here,” I finish, “looking for my brother.”

Balto’s mouth and eyes are both very wide, and I would have laughed and made a snide comment in any other situation. Instead, my relief plunges down to an emptiness that leaves me broken and drained. Judging by his silence, Balto thinks I’m a nutcase. I need to get out of here.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Balto cries.

I stop, but I don’t bother turning around. “Somewhere. Anywhere but here.”

“Why?” Balto says, “You’re just going to leave after you found your long-lost brother?”

That makes me turn around. “What?”

Something sparkles at the edge of Balto’s eyes. “My mother was Aniu. My father was Scout. Mother told me stories about Roan and Soran, but she never mentioned…”

“Me,” I whisper, “Why?”

Balto shrugs. “I guess she thought I had suffered enough with my own heritage without knowing I had a sister who was much worse off than I was.” A smile lights up his face. “I…don’t know what to say…Welcome home.”

Without thinking I run to Balto and hug him as hard as I can. He hugs back, and I feel wetness on my shoulder. Tears. I have to hold back some of my own. All I can think is ‘I’m not alone. I’m not alone.’

Suddenly an image flashes in front of my eyes. I hear my gasp at the same time as Balto’s as we both step back, startled.

I see a beautiful white wolf staring at me with love in her amber eyes. She smiles, and smooth words flow from her mouth: “My son. My daughter. At last you have found each other. I want you to know, while in life you have my blessing, and while in death I will be waiting for you. Never forget the pride of the wolf…I love you both.” She lifts her head, and a ringing silver howl sings through my ears. The image fades, and I find myself face to face with Balto.

“Mother?” I say slowly.

Balto grins, though his eyes betray raging emotions beneath the surface. “Yep. That was our mother.”

I don’t even try to understand what just happened. I’ve found my family.

“Sorry I pounced on you like that,” I mutter with a smile.

“That’s OK,” Balto replies good-naturedly, “What’s family for?”

Out of nowhere a song flies from the corner of the room. I look over to see a pretty red and white husky curled around something with her back to us. She’s singing quietly, and the song washes over me like a forgotten memory, even though I’ve never heard it before in my life.

“That’s my mate, Jenna,” Balto tells me, “She’s trying to get our pups to go to sleep. It’s been an ongoing battle, but I think she’s starting to win. Thank goodness!”

I barely hear him. One verse in particular sticks out for me, and as I listen it feels like I’ve just plunged my head into ice-cold water:

There’s no turning back

Your destiny is calling

Listen to the thunder roll

And let your heart break free…

Everything snaps into place. I face Balto with what I know is fierce determination in my eyes. “You know how I told you I don’t have a name? Well, that’s a lie now. I’ve found my name.”

“What is it?” he asks.

“Destiny,” I say, the finality of it ringing in my ears, “My name