Balto 20yrs Later: Forgotten, yet Inspiring.

Note: - This is fiction,, so all the events that happen in the story are not true. If this story is somehow similar to something that happened in real life, well it is a pure coincidence.

…Nome, 1946, is not the best place to be for the people neither for the dogs. The 2nd World War that has just ended, had invaded everyone’s minds. Although Nome was relatively not much affected by the war, it still had a big impact on the town…

   “Gather round, gather round!” a voice was coming from the boiler’s room.

   It belonged to an old husky with white mushy eyebrows and light-brown coat. Because he was much older than most of the dogs in Nome, he knew a lot things including life in Nome before the war has started. Once a week he would gather round the young generations in the boiler’s room and tell a story from the “old times”.

   And possibly, the tradition to gather round in the boiler’s room was just as old as the husky, because no one really knew who started it off. All the dogs of Nome, no matter the breed, would come to the boiler’s room to socialize with the others or just to hear the gossip.

  “Gather round (he coughed a few times). Our town is not going through its best times. Over the last five or so years many things had changed. One of them is our lifestyle. Your grandfather would have been doing different things at your age, but most of you don’t even know your grandfathers. Some of them might have been killed, some may have starved. Probably none of you remember the heroes of the “old times”, because their names and their tales were buried with the dead over the last years.

   The story I want to tell you this evening is about one of the forgotten heroes and the savior of Nome. His name was Balto and his story took place in the middle of the 20s when a horrible disease was killing children of our owners. At that time Balto was an outcast and no one liked him. Apparently he was part wolf. As it turned out, the only way to get the medicine to the dying children was by sending the sled team to Nenana, so they will receive the medicine and take it back to Nome.

    Balto tried out for the sled team, but even though he was faster than the others, he didn’t get in. That was because the best race dog in the town that was going to lead the team, hated Balto and made sure he doesn’t go with the sled team.

   And so Balto stayed in Nome. He was very frustrated and upset that he is not there with the other dogs saving Nome. However, the news had reached Nome that the sled team got lost on their way back. Balto realized that he finally got the chance to help the dying children. So he left Nome and went out to find the sled dogs. Balto left Nome by himself, but he returned with medicine and the sled dogs. After that Balto was not an outcast anymore. In fact, he became known as the hero and the savior of Nome.” The old husky finished his story.

   The dogs began to leave the boiler’s room. Each one of them had to be back home before the dark. Only one dog stayed behind. Her name was Liennah and she was a malamute. She was quite small for her breed and had chocolate-brown coat with pale-yellow markings.

    “Liennah.” the old husky noticed her. “What are you after then?” he asked her.

    “Oh, nothing. I just want to say that I liked the story about that dog Balto.” Liennah had a very sweet and gentle voice.

    “Did you? Well, I’m glad that someone is interested in the heroes of Nome.” The old husky coughed at the end of his speech.

    “No, it’s not that I’m interested or anything, but I just want to ask if you know anything else about Balto.” She smiled.

    “I told you most of my knowledge already. But I also know that Balto died in the early 30s. He had a family and I believe his descendants are still among us.” The old husky went past Liennah and left the boiler’s room.

    That night Liennah was thinking about Balto and his story. She has never been out there, where the snowy expanses of Alaska are. The wilderness outside the town was covered with mystery. Her life began in Nome and had never left it.

    So Liennah was imagining Balto who looked like a wolf, but with a mind of a dog, leading the sled team back to Nome.

    Morning came suddenly and unexpectedly for Liennah. Noisy arguing and dialogues got her up. Liennah looked in the window and saw that every single person that lived on her street was outside.

    “Can’t you see that we have to at least try and send the dogs to the nearest town! I don’t know how more days my family can last without food. I’m sure that many of you are in the same position. The hunger strike can last for months.” A young woman in black said.

    “True. We don’t know when the provisions will reach Nome. But the problem is, our dogs are not good at being sled dogs.” A tall man said.

    “Oh, who cares about the dogs?! They are all huskies anyway. My son can be the musher. He used to work with the mail dogs. I’m sure many of us have relatives in the other towns. We are going to report them about the situation here, and see whether they can help.” A fat man said.

    In 1946 there was a big hunger strike for the lower class in Nome. There was not enough food, so the prices were very high.

    A few hours later a sled team consisting of five dogs and a musher was standing in the middle of the street. Those dogs were considered as the best racing dogs that lived on that street. The team leader was a tall dark-brown husky with creamy markings. His name was Tiddo and he was very proud to be the leader.

    Liennah and her best mate Kifty were standing by the side.

    “I wish I could be in the sled team right now. But, they didn’t even look in my direction when they were picking the dogs.” Liennah was saying to Kifty.

    “C’m on, they were lookin for good, healthy strong males to be in the team. Besides, you ‘n’ I ain’t even sled dogs.” Kifty tried to comfort Liennah.

    “How do you know, Kifty? Maybe I can be a great sled dog, but they didn’t even give me a chance” Liennah was getting annoyed. “You know what? I am going to come up to Tiddo and ask if there is space for me!” And she did what she said.

    <I’m sure Balto was just like me> Liennah thought. <He was doing his best to be in the sled team. They refused to take him because he was part wolf, they didn’t bother trying me out because I am a female and inexperienced in this kind of thing.>

     Liennah went up to Tiddo. Kifty was running after her.

    “Hi, Tidd”. Liennah greeted the sled team leader. He was busy chatting to his team mate.

    “Oh, hi…Liennah.” He stopped his conversation and looked at her. Those two would barely talk to each other, so Tiddo was kind of surprised that Liennah had addressed to him.

    “You think you can do it?” Liennah asked.

    “Of course, honey.” He said and smiled at Liennah.

    <Piss off> Liennah thought, but she knew that at that moment she had to be nice to Tiddo.

    “Erm…I’m just wandering if there is a spare place in your team for me?” She finally asked Tiddo. He gave her a strange look. “I mean, I just feel as though I have to be there with the sled team, rescuing my owner.”

     “Think twice, darlin. We need you, and I dunno what I’m gonna do if somethin happens to ya.” Kifty was saying as she followed Liennah.

     Both Tiddo and Liennah turned around and looked at Kifty as she approached them.

     “Your friend is right. There is no place for such a pretty girl like you out there in the cold.” Tiddo said. Liennah felt like slapping him.

    “Why on Earth are you flirting with me?” She gave Tiddo a dirty look and walked off.

    “Your friend is too stressy. Why so?” Tidd asked Kifty.

    “Forgive ‘er, Tidd. She told me that she really wanna be like that hero, Balto, from the yesterdays story that the old one told in the boiler’s room.” Kifty explained.

    “Great.” Tidd said sarcastically and turned away from Kifty.

    Liennah was staring at the sled team running away from Nome and leaving her behind. She knew they were going to the nearest town, Council, but she didn’t care. She hoped they will get lost so she can rescue them and prove to everyone that she is the best sled dog.

    <What did Balto do?> She thought. <He had probably wandered off to his home that was located in the outskirts of Nome. Just like me, he knew that he was better than all that bunch of dogs that got his place in the sled team. Just because he was part wolf…Just because I am anything but sled dog…>

    On the next day a miracle happened. A ship with provisions reached Nome’s harbor. Again, people that lived on Lienna’s street gathered round and decided to send a dog that will take a letter to the musher. The letter will tell that the sled team doesn’t need to continue its journey and can return back to Nome.

     “I think that this time the dog has to be female. Females are better at finding stuff.” The fat man said. Liennah heard his words.

     She barked and ran up to the fat man, hoping that he will pick her.

     “Hey, sending her will be nice.” He