say: the Bears Mountain’s foot or Cape Prince Wales. There is not many wolf packs between us and Galena. Or maybe she went farther, but then we can’t determinate where exactly...” suddenly he stopped and examined sister with curious stare. “Cher... are you sure that you’ll make it? Well it’s...”

“Too dangerous for a weakling like me.” Finished cherry-furred. “I know it well.”

“No, I don’t mean that...”

“But I mean it, Kodi.” She interrupted. “Believe me: I’ve thought about everything.” She lied. “Just try to learn more about Aleu’s route and I will take care about rest. If you find out anything more, just come to my owners. Right?”

“Right.” Agreed Kodi, looking with amaze on his sister. It was definitely a different person he had known before. Cher had changed much and that change was both wonderful and dreadful. “What has happened to her?” asked husky in mind. She only steeped to him and gave him a quick lick on forehead.

“Don’t fail me, bro. It’s really important.” And just a second later she left the yard via backgate in kennel fence and started to run in house’s direction.

In her mind was burning with excitation of new adventure. But that feeling hadn’t disturbed her reason. She knew she had to prepared for journey. With or without Jack a trip outside human’s civilisation was difficult. Cher understood that no experience from earlier life could had prepared her on what she would go to in forest. But she had to try imagine how it would be.

When she returned home, she demanded a meal. Such request was expressed only with body language, but it was straightforward anyway. Clara quickly filled her bowl with cocked meat. Cher ate it with nervous appetite, thinking that possibly it was one of her last cocked meals before the journey. “Raw meat!” she thought. “It’s disgusting, but I must accustom to it.” Then she almost forced Clara to take care about her fur. Girl was amazed, because her dog had been unwilling to such a procedure earlier. But she took a brush and a sponge and started to nurse her favourite. “It’s probably for the last time.” Comprehended bitch. “I mean... until I’ll back!”

Kodi came to her on early evening but without any good news. Balto was very mysterious about disappearance of daughter. Cher suspected that he, as well as Kodi, felt guilty about that loss. So she learn nothing more, that she had to go north.

“How do you think... how long it could take you?” asked her brother.

“No idea.” She replied. “It depends rather on Aleu. If she is really on Cape, we will be back in... Werk!” she cursed. “I even don’t know how long such a journey takes.”

“Well.” Kodi nodded his head with concern. “That why I’m anxious. Could you tell me, with whom you are going? It’s Jack?”

“Look, it doesn’t matter, with whom. The point is, I’m going.” Said honestly Cher. She didn’t mentioned about finding Aleu, because she wasn’t able to say that she was the aim of journey. Sister became just a pretext of escape from parents care.

“No, I don’t...” replied embarrassed Kodi. “I mean: you could go with anyone you wish...” added uncertainly. “Indeed. Almost anyone, if that is a male.” Thought Cher. “I really like Jack and I think...”

“Don’t think too much.” Interrupted Cher. “I can assure you I care more about Aleu than him.” Said and finished silently. “...but <more> doesn’t mean <very much>. Ow, God – as I said: I’m really selfish... and I’m using to it!”

“Good luck, sis.” Said Kodi and licked her forehead.

“I hope I won’t need it.” Replied cherry-furred.

*

But Cher and Jack set off six days later. It was Cher fault, although Jack thought opposite. Bitch got a minor but quite painful injury in her paw and vet’s intervention was required. So there was almost end of August when they started theirs journey. Jack was quite anxious, due to closing autumn. First snow could fall easily in late September (or even earlier, farther from sea or in mountains) and dog knew that Cher wasn’t born to travel in winter conditions. For fragile female even ordinary trip in warm fall could be a serious challenge. So Jack understood that he had to be extraordinary guide and assistant. But he had also some others reasons to be hurry.

January Sled Race was coming and dog wanted to return early enough to participate in trainings. He was a key-member of team and beside personal pride he felt an responsibility for team mates and his owner. But, of course, those matters were distant and insignificant comparing to will of Cher.

They were marching (soon after set off, husky decided to walk instead of run, when he saw how fast his partner is running put of breath) in midday sun, few hours after leaving Nome. Dogs entered North Route and directed due north, according to wide and easy way.

“But we have to leave it soon.” Said Jack. “Wolf pack unwillingly hunt in proximity of human’s roads.”

“Yes, I know.” Agreed Cher. “But I believe that I sense Aleu.” She lied. In fact she was completely lost and even barely she could point the four quarters of the globe, although they still were close to her home. “Something drives me and whispering to go ahead.” Added. “Watch the route with your senses. I will seek it with heart. I hope that our combine ways would show us where Aleu is.”

Until evening they made just about twenty miles, an average range that Jack makes in sled with heavy load, of course, during winter. But dog praised her for well going. “Maybe it isn’t so bad?” thought cherry-furred, didn’t knowing how bad it was indeed. But because she had no experience to compare, she was proud of her steps.

They stopped on the night under the trunk of fallen tree. Jack prepared Cher a comfortable bedding from fir branches and laid nearby on moss, maybe hoping that Cher invite him on more snug place. But he wasn’t disappointed too much, when she just felt asleep alone. “Finally, I’m so close to her.” He thought. “I love her and she needs me. What I could want more?” and with that pleasant thought he submerged into slumber.

*

After next four days, they were on latitude of Cape Prince of Wales and had to leave the comfortable human’s route. Only there – it was a distance that Jack’s team could make in three days in the snow. But dog said nothing about it, especially that Cher started to complain. Her gentle paws covered with blisters and stretched muscles slowed down bitch significantly. Jack was doing what he could to help her – he was massaging her aching paws with jaws and licking broken blisters.

“You are doing well” lied countless times. In fact he was quite glad of that. It was making eventual journey longer also it was giving him opportunity to caring about his queen. But apart of that love-stupefaction, he was quite intelligent dog and he decided to facilitate their journey in any way he could.

In begging he was hunting alone, just bringing preys to Cher, hidden in their temporal shelter. But when they entered deeper forest, he started to teach her hunting-technique. They began with small and easy game, like hares and other rodents. It was quite hard for both dog and bitch, because Cher was rather lazy student and Jack had also to seek the real preys for solid meals. But after two weeks of common road, he judged that cherry-furred was no longer completely helpless in the wild. She could survive at her own, of course in summer conditions. “I hope we will before snows.” Thought husky.

“Jack, look!” exclaimed Cher, carrying something in jaws. “I got a rabbit!”

“Excellent!” smiled Jack but in the same time he was thinking about some real preys for actual dinner.

*

“No, she is not here.” Said Cher, looking on the sea and setting sun. That wasn’t too revealing statement, because Jack was sure of that too. They searched whole cape with detective’s scrupulousness and found no trace of wolf pack. It was about middle of September and theirs searching was still ineffective.

“So... will we check the Bears Mountain?” asked Jack uncertainly.

“I will.” Said Cher. “But I can’t demand that you accompany me. I took you almost month, maybe that trip would take another one. Just... let back on Northern Route. We will split there.”

“No way!” opposed Jack, as Cher wanted him to. “If you still want to search, I will go too. There is winter coming. I can’t let you wander alone.”

“I know...” said Cher, faking touched voice. “I just have no idea how I would return you that favour. I don’t want to make debts I can’t afford.”

“That is not a debt.” Opposed husky. “I’m glad to help you, and I’m happy to be with you...” added with uncertain voice.

“So I have to find some way to make you satisfied of our journey.” She gentle nestled to his side. “But now, let take some rest. Tomorrow we will set off due west.”

They went to small cliff-cave and laid to sleep side to side. Jack was convinced that was an expression of bitch’s fondness or even something more. Maybe, but it’s good to remember that night was very cold, and hug of warm dog was also pleasant just due its warmness.

*

Late at September night, the Elder of Buckland – Ice, was returning Tazaku’s house. Human doctor was also a local vet, so every sick or wounded dog was under his care. Ice was visiting Arrow, who got nasty cut in her paw. Greenland was responsible for her due to his office as an elder and being team leader. Arrow – five years old sepala/chinook mix, little and gentle female, however she was full-time member of John Ash sled. Ice was anxious about her health both as a friend but also as a leader. After tragic events of previous winter, when his sister Sky and brother-in-law Steele were killed by pack of wolves, Ash’s sled was looking for replacements for dead members. Three mackenzie sisters, bought by doctor Tazaku turned out to be extremely lovely creatures but also complete unskilled pullers. So ice decided that their reserve – smaller but