“I love you Balto… So much…” Jenna whispered, “And if tonight is the last night I have with you, then I want to make it last…” Balto kissed Jenna back and pulled her into the bed, rolling so he was on top of her. Jenna slowly undid her robe, lying in nothing but her scarlet and cream coat. The young wolfdog leaned down and kissed Jenna once more, slowly losing himself in his passion.

Kale lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, barely awake. He was just about to fall into slumber when he heard the door to his bedroom open and instinctively raised his revolver to the intruder- only to sigh and lower the hammer when he saw Kira.

“Kira, you just scared the hell out of me…” Kale replied, taking a deep breath to calm down, “What brings you here?” Kira shut and locked his door, giving him a sly grin as she let her lavender sleeping robe fall to the wood floor. Kale suddenly understood and merely uttered a stunned, “Oh.”

Kira chuckled softly and walked over to Kale’s bed. She slowly climbed up onto his belly as he sat up on his elbows, his ice-like eyes locked with her bright orange eyes. The two lovers leaned forward until they got their wish and kissed once again.

“I love you Kale, and since I don’t know what tomorrow will hold, I wanted to prove it to you before it was too late…” Kira said in a hushed whisper. Kale kissed her passionately again, holding her close to his body.

“Kira… After all I’ve ever been through, dodging bullets, running from the law, dropping dogs like flies, I can safely say this is the most exciting moment of my life…” Kale replied in the same tone Kira had.

Kira grinned and giggled softly, running a hand across Kale’s face. The two dogs kissed once more before Kale grabbed Kira’s shoulders and reversed their positions. Both of them had a sly look on their faces and in their eyes, passion burning like a fire in Kale. Kissing Kira once more, Kale fell into his love and desires.

Out of the five, only Kaltag got much sleep that night.

Chapter 4

            Kale was woken the next morning by the bright orange dawn sun streaming through his curtains. He blinked a few times as everything began to come into perspective. He felt someone stir beside him and glanced down, smiling as his icy eyes fell upon the sleeping form of Kira, her head resting on his chest and her arm wrapped around him.

Memories of the night before came back to him and the young outlaw’s smile grew wider. He’d never experienced such a strong feeling like love before. It easily topped everything else. He then heard a horse whinny out front and sighed softly. He gently moved Kira so he wouldn’t wake her up and climbed out of bed, pulling on his pants. He walked to the window and pulled open the curtain, expecting to see Steele and a handful of dogs, but instead saw about 30 armed dogs, ready to fight.

Kale blinked several times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things, his eyes widened with surprise. He closed the curtains again and stood there for a moment, still trying to grasp what he’d just seen. He opened the curtains again and saw a bunch of dogs leveling their rifles to his window.

“Shit!” Kale shouted and leapt to the floor as a hailstorm of bullet tore through the glass pane of his window. Kira quickly woke up and looked around, startled and confused.

“What’s going on?” she asked fearfully as Kale got up and ran round to the side of his bed.

“We’re under attack! Balto! Kaltag! Get ready!” Kale shouted, his voice echoing through the house as he pulled his shirt on and strapped on his bandolier. He grabbed his hat and quickly ran downstairs as Kira ran to her room to get dressed.

Balto’s eyes shot open as he heard the gunshots and Kale’s shouts. He jumped out of bed and was dressed in a flash, Jenna dashing into her room and following suit. Balto made sure his pistols were loaded as he headed downstairs, spotting Kale beside one window and Kaltag beside another, rifles in hand. Jenna and Kira came down the stairs a moment later and knelt beside the dogs they loved.

“Can you scope anyone out, Kale?” Balto asked, crouched beside Kaltag. Kale risked a glance out the window and nodded.

“Yeah… There’s Steele and his deputies… There’s Kira’s father…” Kale said, naming a few of them, “I can see the barkeeper… And it looks like that Shepherd from the gun store and about ¼ of the town…”

“Damn it… Figures, knowing our luck…” Kaltag said, shaking his head, “So, shall we fight now or wait to see if they have any demands?”

“First, we need to get Jenna and Kira to the back of the house so they won’t get hurt…” Balto stated, getting an angry look from both girls.

“What?!” they both cried out in unison.

“Look Kira, you’ll be safer if you’re not fighting…” Kale said calmly.

“I don’t care! I’m staying here and fighting!” Kira protested.

“This is no time for arguing! Now please just get to safety!”

“I’m not leaving you three out here without us!”

“Yeah, you are!”

“No I’m not!”

            Outside, Steele smirked as he watched Kale’s window get shot to oblivion. He then looked to the lower floor, waiting to see his enemies. He pulled out his silver Peacemaker, checking to make sure it was loaded before looking back to the house. Samuel McMahn and Frederic Thesher rode up beside him, Samuel tapping the sheriff on his arm.

“Pardon us, but our daughters are in there…” Samuel explained, “Mind if we try to get them out before it gets messy?” Steele shrugged and nodded.

“Be my guest…” he said blandly, looking back to the house, “All I really want are those three outlaws, after all…”

Samuel looked over to Frederic and nodded. He then looked back to the house and shouted,

“Jenna! Jenna, dear, can you hear me? If so, please come to the window!”

“You too Kira!” Frederic shouted, “Let me know you’re alright and come to the window. I just want to talk.”

Back inside the house, the heated debate still hadn’t been resolved at all. If anything, it had gotten worse.

“Kira, listen to me, you saved my life, now let me save yours. Go to the back of the house!”

“No, I won’t! I’m going to fight beside you!” Kira snapped back.

“Jenna, please just listen to me for once and get to a safe place!” Balto argued.

“I’m not gonna leave you, Balto. Not now, not ever!” Jenna argued back.

Just then, the voices of Samuel and Frederic rang out. Jenna and Kira gasped softly, looking to Balto and Kale. Both of them nodded, clutching their rifles tightly. Both females moved so they were in view of the dogs outside.

“Oh thank God you’re alright!” Samuel shouted, “Now Jenna, come on out… That place is about to get shot straight to Hell, so quickly, come on! Get away from those vicious outlaws.”

“No!” Jenna called out, glaring fiercely, “Balto and his friends aren’t evil! And they didn’t kidnap us! I’m not going anywhere!”

“What? Jenna! I’m not asking anymore! Get out here right now!” Samuel ordered, glaring back at her.

“No Dad. I’m staying right here! I’m fighting on the side that my true love is on!” Jenna said, placing her hand on the butt of her revolver tucked in her jeans. She slowly pulled her pistol out and kept her glare on her face. Samuel growled angrily.

“Let me try…” Frederic said before shouting to Kira, “Kira sweetheart, why don’t you come outside? If you’re not being held against your will, just come out the door… You’ll be a lot safer than in there…”

“No father! I love Kale and I’m not going to leave his side!” Kira shouted defiantly, drawing her pistol as well. Frederic sighed heavily, knowing what they had to do.

“Sheriff, go ahead and open fire…” Frederic said, getting an approving nod from Samuel.

“With pleasure…” Steele replied, grinning evilly, “Prepare to fire on my mark! Ready… now!”

Bursts of gunfire tore through the lower floor windows just as Jenna and Kira moved out of the way. Kale gritted his teeth and looked to Balto, who had an irritated look on his face. The three outlaws exchanged looks before looking to Jenna and Kira.

“Alright Jenna, Kira, you two can stay, but be very, very careful. Understood?” Balto said, getting a nod from both dogs, “Alright, let’s show these bastards why this trio has yet to be beaten!”

Kale and Kaltag cheered before looking out the windows again. Kale popped out and fired off two shots from his rifle before ducking down again. His shots found their marks and two dogs dropped dead. Kaltag repeated this action, but only managed to kill one of his foes, the other shot missing. Steele growled angrily and fired at the house along with his men. Wood splintered and glass shattered underneath the hellfire of bullets shot at them.

“Damn it…” Kale muttered, “We’re severely outnumbered and out-gunned…”

“Just keep up the fight…” Balto said over the gunshots, firing at the dogs outside and felling another enemy, “We’ve had worse odds before!”

“To Hell with this!” Kale shouted, tossing his rifle to the ground and pulling out his twin revolvers. Grinning widely, he glanced out the destroyed window and rose, rapidly firing off every shot he had in his guns, dropping nine dogs before ducking down again as the air above him was ripped apart by more bullets. 12 down… Kale thought as he