Kaltag returned down the stairs, shortly followed by a worried Jenna and a nervous Kira. Kale handed the three dogs rifles as well and took one for himself, pulling the shotgun sling across his shoulder, sticking a few sticks of dynamite into his bandolier as he stared at Steele’s army, then out the window at Bill’s.

“We’d have a better chance at getting away if we fight Steele instead of Bill…” Kale stated, “I’ve known Bill for a long time and I know he’s much better than Steele is… Let’s fight that bastard of a sheriff…”

“Right…” Balto said, nodding understandingly, “Time to take down one sheriff… Jenna, Kira, take to the upper floor and see if you can get any from up there…”

The two females quickly ran back up the stairs, leaving the trio of outlaws to the lower floor. The group grinned at one another and took their positions, Balto and Kaltag by windows and Kale by the front doorframe. They made sure their rifles were ready to fire and took careful aim.

“Gents… If we don’t live through this battle… I just want to say that it’s been an adventure and I regret absolutely nothing now…” Kale said, not taking his eyes away from Steele.

“Likewise, pal…” Balto said coolly, “I know it’s probably not the best time to say this, but I’m glad Sandy broke your heart… Otherwise we probably wouldn’t have had a life like this…”

“And there are no two dogs I’d rather fight and die beside than you guys…” Kaltag said, “You guys are the best, the most fantastic, the greatest friends I’ve ever had…”

“Amen…” Kale replied, taking aim at one of the advancing dogs and pulling the trigger, sending the dog flying off his horse. Balto and Kaltag repeated that action, killing two more dogs. The attackers swiftly dismounted and took cover, but not before Jenna and Kira took out two more.

The group of outlaws fired out another round each, hitting nothing but nature. The men Steele had assembled began to peer out, returning fire to the opposing side. The battle turned from one-sided to a fiery exchange of bullets. The air was torn apart by flying shots and the sounds of gunfire. Smoke took the place of most of the air. Steele himself fired off all six shots in his revolver, splintering the wood near Balto’s head. As the wolfdog came up to fire, a stray bullet scratched him across the side of his muzzle. Balto cried out slightly and fell back in surprise.

“Balto! You alright?” Kale asked, peering out and felling the dog that managed to hit his friend.

“Yeah… Yeah, I’m fine…” Balto answered back, returning to a crouching position, “Just a graze… I’m still alive!”

“Good… Didn’t want to lose ya to these bastards!” Kale said, grinning and firing again, hollering as he watched another enemy drop to the grass.

Steele growled furiously as he watched his dogs drop like flies to the five outlaws holed up inside the house. He glanced up at the second floor, grinning evilly as he saw Jenna and Kira. His mind began to formulate a plan as he reloaded his pistol. Around the back, Bill’s men fired at nothing but the house. One of his deputies approached him and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Sheriff Inago, why aren’t we movin’ in?” he asked, confusion in his voice and eyes, “We could be slippin’ in around back while that other sheriff guy fights from the front.”

“Because I want that sheriff to lose… He’s much too arrogant for his own good…” Bill answered, chuckling at the even-more confused look his deputy got, “Look, he recruited us to help fight… We are- by keeping them around the front… That’s all we were told to do, so that’s all we will do…”

The deputy nodded slowly, continuing to fire at the empty back of the house. Around front, a few more of Steele’s men dropped under the fire of the outlaws. Kale laughed with glee as he watched them kill dog after dog after dog. A shot just barely missed his head, ripping the air next to the right side of his head. Kale gritted his teeth and quickly took better cover. Kaltag jumped up and received a bullet to his right shoulder. The tan husky cried out in pain and fell backwards, hitting the wooden floor.

“Kaltag!” Kale shouted, dropping his rifle and crawling underneath the hailstorm of bullets to get to his friend, “You alright pal?”

“Yeah, I’ll live… Just a bullet-wound…” Kaltag said, trying to sit up, but his right arm had gone dead and he couldn’t move it very well. Kale propped him up against the wall and took his rifle from him, popping up to fire twice, killing another dog.

“Just rest here… Don’t do anything foolish…” Kale said, moving back to the doorframe and pulling out his pistols, “HEY SHERIFF!! LOOKEE HERE!!”

Steele and Nikki both turned to look at Kale as he called out to the evil husky. Kale’s bullet missed Steele by an inch and struck Nikki right through his eye, killing the deputy instantly. Steele stared down at the bloody corpse that was once his best deputy. Growling with a burning fury and hatred, Steele lit a stick of TNT and tossed it at Kale.

“Shit!” the husky shouted and leapt out the way just as the doorframe exploded, sending wood flying everywhere.

“Kale!” Kira shouted out, not noticing him leap out of the way in the nick of time. She quickly ran downstairs, Jenna following behind her to try and get her to stop. As Kira ran through the smoke, she saw Kale lying face-down in the rubble. He slowly stirred and sat up, looking at her for a few moments.

“Kira? What the hell are you doing down here?!” he asked, irritated, “You’re in grave danger being down here! You could get killed!”

“I told you before, I’d rather die beside you than anyone else,” Kira replied calmly, “Now let’s finish this and get out of here!”

Kale grinned and stood up, crouching next to Kaltag, Kira crouched next to him. Balto looked out over the edge of the window and counted the number of enemies left. Seven dogs… Roughly seven dogs left… he thought to himself, popping up and firing three shots off, Six dogs now…

One of the very familiar dogs grinned as he glared at Balto. Take my daughter, will you? He thought bitterly to himself. Samuel turned and fired two shots at Balto, growling as he missed once again. He was determined to kill that wolfdog; he despised him for taking Jenna away. He turned once more to fire, ready to kill his enemy.

As Samuel turned around, Balto noticed him and raised his pistol first. Mentally praying Jenna would forgive him, Balto fired first, striking Samuel McMahn in his knee and sending the crimson and cream husky to the ground. The dog shouted loudly in pain and collapsed to the grass and lying still, no longer able to fight though still alive.

Jenna watched her father fall and sighed heavily with relief, thankful that he hadn’t been killed. Kale went to take a shot at the few remaining dogs opposing their escape and received a bullet across the side of his torso. He cried out as a sharp pain ripped through his abdomen and the husky fell to the ground. Kira went to help him up as another dust cloud was kicked up from one of Steele’s explosives.

“Kale! Are you alright?” she asked, picking the wounded husky up.

“Yes… Nothing to- argh- worry about, just…a little cut…” Kale answered, grinning determinedly as he sat up. A gunshot rang out and Kira winced, her face contorting with the pain as she fell forward onto the floor beside Kale. “KIRA!!!”

Kale gently lay her down on the wood floor, just out of reach of the fighting. The jet-black wolfdog coughed softly and opened her orange eyes weakly, giving her love a small smile. Kale’s hand moved down her body until he felt a thick liquid on her stomach, just below her chest, and closed his eyes, feeling like throwing up. He didn’t have to look to know what he felt or what had happened. Kira had been shot.

“Oh God Kira… Why’d you have to help me out?” Kale asked in a soft whisper, “You’d still be alright if you didn’t… I told you not to try and help us if it got too dangerous…” Kira chuckled softly before groaning in agony. She winked at Kale and trembled slightly.

“People always do crazy things…… when they’re in love……” Kira replied weakly, her soft voice barely audible over the numerous gunshots.

“Oh Kira…” Kale whispered back, tears now streaming like two mighty rivers down his cheeks, “I should never have let you stay down here… I knew it was dangerous; this is all my fault!” Kira placed her hand gingerly over Kale’s lips, stopping him from speaking anymore.

“Kale… None of this is your fault… I’m glad I met you and I’m grateful for every moment we spent together…” she replied quietly, struggling to even breathe now as her profuse bleeding continued, “If I could do this all over… I wouldn’t change a thing… I- love you Kale…” Kale sniffled slightly and carefully took Kira in his arms, holding her closely as she gripped onto his shoulders.

“I love you too Kira… and I will forever…” Kale responded, kissing her passionately for what he knew would be the last time.

“I’ll see you again soon, Kale…” Kira whispered, her voice nothing more than that, “I’ll be waiting…”

Kira’s grip on his shoulders loosened gradually until it was nothing anymore. Her chest heaved inward as she exhaled for the last time in her life. Her bright orange eyes dimmed and her body went limp in Kale’s strong, loving arms. Trembling with sorrow, Kale simply stared at her for a moment before bursting into sobs of complete despair. For the second time in his life, Kale felt as if his heart had been ripped out and he’d been shot through the stomach. He gently lay the corpse of his lover on