base.

Aleu stopped, exhausted and shaking on all body. She turned her stare on running pack. She was counting companions with terror in her heart but then she saw than no one left behind. She moaned with relief and from her eyes floated tears of nervous joy. The defeat hadn’t turned into total disaster and she was praising ancestors spirits for that.

They were sleeping on ice but she ordered to keep sentries. Through whole night at least two wolves were awake and listening if dreadful rumble of plane wasn’t heard. But flying monster was definitely gone. Aleu awoke few times, with cold sweat on her neck. She was dreaming that lighting from human’s rifle hit her or someone from pack. Once she even dreamed about father (how he got there), who was rammed by metal monster of Red People. She opened sleepy eyes and took a look on pack. She noticed that no one was sleeping peacefully. Even Owi, who proved his courage during the retreat, was lying with paws holding his muzzle. He looked as terrified pup.

“That was happened to us... it couldn’t be real.” Through wolfbitch. “World is much too beauty place for that horror.”

Two days later, exhausted and hungry, they saw distant shore of Alaska. In the same time pack was hasted by recent threat – they heard a distant sound of plane’s engine and noticed a profile of vehicle over horizon. There was nowhere to run so Aleu in moment of genuine clarity howled only one rational order: “To the ground!” and wolves fell on ice, trying to cover themselves with snow and firn. They waited for about half an hour, long after winged devil flew away.

“Nice view, isn’t it? How do think Balto?” asked Duke, reclining the plane to get better sight. “This is the Bering Strait. Farther is only Soviet Union. We’d better not to fly there – they rather don’t like guests. Take a look on ocean and lets go back.”

Nether human nor dog didn’t notice hidden pack, quietly shivering on ice. Aleu had no idea that hellish machine could not only kills the wolves but also can transport the mail or – such in that case – convey her father. Greyfurred bitch looked on the sky and when she saw no sign of plane, called to her pack.

“Get up! Follow me, quickly. We must reach the land before it would be back.” She started to run on east to showed beach of Alaska.

As we already know, Balto didn’t notice her daughter, hidden in snow, nor saw another four-legged silhouette, standing on shore. And even if he did, it’s rather doubtful that he would recognised old rival from sled – Steele.

Former leader was waiting for wolves return. How he knew it? Partially he was led by instinct but also by cold analysis. Few days earlier he spotted herd of caribu returning through straight and was expecting that predators would follow shortly after. He knew nothing about Red Wave and thought that trek was caused by common hunger. He was wrong – Red People were killing also caribu, whose from definition were almost so counter-revolutionary as wolves.

Running pack didn’t surprise him. He was just worried that encountered whole group at once. This meant that he wasn’t able to survive nor even fully apply the act of revenge. He decided that he was most concerned abut getting Owi – second direct murdered of Sky – and his companions he would kill if it possible. Then he would be torn to pieces by rest of those brutal savages and reunite with sister in Land of Eternal Hunting. This perspective was warming him up, giving strength and joy. In icy ocean of dog’s heart more and more cracks appeared. He was so close to fulfil his quest. He failed his owner, failed mother and beloved sister. But that time he was about to regain his honour, avenging Sky’s blood. “I will make everything that my defeat won’t turn into catastrophe.” Whispered to himself.

Hidden under the snow, he started to examine enemies. He was sure he was seeing former Nava’s pack. But on lead of the group was running some strange silhouette he didn’t recognise. Female, fair and strong-looking was reminding him someone. “I didn’t see her when Sky died.” Thought malamute. “I won’t attack her... at least at once.” But anxiety in Steele’s mind was growing. “I know that... wolf... But no.... I have seen someone so similar before... And she is so beauty!” Then some voice in his mind screamed with both fear and some kind of hope. “She is running from them! I must save her! I won’t let anybody to share Sky’s fate...”

He stood up and run to the shore. There an ice-layer was scattered and had numerous gaps due to earlier storm. Only narrow bridge of whiteness was leading to beach. And exactly there stopped former leader, wanting to let refugee through and block the way for chase. “Ow, Owi!” smiled gentle. “I will throw him under ice and win without a fight. Thanks to that I will survive longer...” For one second he was considering idea of running after Owi’s death, but he was tired of running. “I will join you today, sister!” decided with desperate bolt of joy.

Female was closing fast on lead of pack, smiling with clear relief. Maybe that was caused by view of saviour-to-be but malamute wasn’t sure. In fact he wasn’t sure of anything, because with every step that muzzle was becoming more and more familiar to him. Fur slowly was erecting on dog’s neck and ear dropping with amaze and uncertainness. Female looked straight in his eyes.

“No... that cannot be!” whispered Steele. She was just at paw, looking with her beautiful blue eyes. Looking with eyes of... “Jenna!” sighed shocked avenger.

“What?” wolf... halfwolf stopped in place. “And who are you?”

Then former leader’s body split in two Steeles – one, looking in charming eyes of stranger and second, watchfully observing the closing pack. That first one lowered his muzzle to the ground but the second made sure to still have in sight incoming group and was looking for Owi. First one murmured something incomprehensible, second tensed his muscles for incoming fight. First dropped his ears even lower in front of old love’s living shadow, but second bared his teethes, seeing running enemy.

“Jenna is my mother.” Said stranger. “But who are you?” And the last piece of puzzles came to right place in malamute’s mind. Wolfbitch had grey fur of Balto of Nome. So she had to be...

“Balto...” gasped shocked avenger.

“Who the hell are you?” repeated she almost amazed in the same degree. Steele was so shocked that Owi’s charge avoided in last moment.

“Aleu, this is an enemy!” shouted wolf, wrestling with malamute. Dog prevailed first surprise and shunned adversary’s attack. Then they exchanged quick series of hits of paws and jaws and stopped, looking in each other’s eyes. “Get them!” called wolf to incoming pack.

“Owi, wait!” ordered wolfbitch but it was already too late – predator was charging on enemy. Unfortunately he underestimated him. Steele instantly tripped his paw and struck with body’s mass. Adversary faltered and was pushed to the ice’s edge. Malamute jumped on him with spread paws and opened jaws. He pinned muzzle of murderer and was reaching his throat when Nuk fell on him. Former leader agile shocked off the new enemy but missed with another strike on Owi. Meanwhile several other wolves run to them, surrounding malamute and growing dreadfully. Acting instinctively, Steele pushed Owi to cold water and jumped up, above circle of persecutors. He rebounded on Nuk’s and Yak’s back and landed farther. In few another jumps he was on beach, stopped by cliff. Cursing own stupidity, that allowed him to waste a change of vengeance he turned to the pack. Wolves could get him in spot, without even casualties.

“Sky, I’m coming to you!” whispered, growling at the same time on advancing wolves. But female’s view still was burning in his mind. “Jenna...” he sighed one more time.

Owi swam to shore and with rage in his eyes went out on beach. He run to the pack, who was slowly pressing the aggressor to cliff. He stood in second rank, so he wasn’t endangered by sudden pounce of Steele. With wagging his tail encouraging companions to attack.

“Owi, wait! Everyone, wait!” called Aleu and she stepped few steps before wolves line. “I’m Aleu, daughter of Balto and Jenna. I ask you for the last time: who are you?”

“Step aside.” Panted dog. „Not you killed my sister.”

“Why did you attack Owi?” inquired she with decisive voice.

“Because it’s North.” Replied former leader with malicious smile. “I said it to Nava, before I ripped his throat.”

He had limited chance but succeeded. Owi pounced in fury on enemy, jumping beside shock and paralysing cold. Steele greeted him with opened jaws and with one bite he squashed his shin. Bone crackled and predator fell motionless on rock. Malamute run to him and almost reached his neck... but stood in place. In his side someone’s claws tucked. He turned his head ready to kill new enemy, but then he froze. That Aleu was holding him. Her neck was so beautiful and so uncovered that dog saw even shivering muscles of nape and pulsing aortas. But he just couldn’t his Jenna’s daughter. He wasn’t able to.

Wolfbitch stopped him for almost minute when wounded Owi crawled to circle of wolves. Rest of the pack was silently looking on each other uncertainly what to do. So they waited for leaderess instructions. She released malamute and stepped back. With eyes full of amaze she was staring on dog.

“I will be damned!” whispered Steele. “I’m too weak even to die with honour. Forgive my, Sky!” said and pointed his muzzle somewhere above head of wolfbitch then he looked on Aleu. “You are as beauty as your mother.” Said with serious voice.

Growl of wolves muffled the response of greyfurred. Pack, seeing Owi’s condition and understanding what had happened with Nava, just in that moment went into rage. Aleu had to howl aloud to repress swirling mass