rocky what so ever. He laid down and slowly slipped away into sleep.

=======================

More images of violence found its way into Steele’s dream. He didn’t fight it, he wanted it, he embraced and enjoyed every moment of it. But this dream was not the one he wanted, this was a nightmare.

"What’s going on? What’s happening?" Steele said.

He was back at Nome, every one had a blunt object and was beating him like a drum. Steele looked in between the crowed over the pain that was being inflicted to him. He saw Balto, and he was laughing.

"YOU!? Ill kill you! I swear ill kill you!" Steele yelled. But Balto did not seem to hear.

Steele managed to escape the crowed and ran. With angry people following him, Steele stopped, and saw a familiar body, he looked up. His mother stood before him, Steele wanted to say something, but nothing came out.

"You disappoint me Steele." She said "for the shame you have brought to our family, you must be punished!"

Before he could do anything, she grabbed his throat, and tore at it until blood came running down his fur, turning the snow in to a maroon blood color. Before anything else could happen he awoke. Steele was panting hard and swallowed a gulp of air, trying to regain his sanity. He thought about what happened, what his mother said.

=====================

"I will not disappoint you mother, I will spill his blood for you, the blood of the heretic. He’d better pray that death will find him, before I do!"

Steele then remembered yesterday, he remembered Niska. He got up and stretched and was on his way back. It wasn’t to late, it was probably only around 10 a.m. or so. He found that little building and saw the familiar body of Niska. She was laying down in the snow, waiting for him, as he approached her, she saw him out of the corner of her eye.

"There you are! I’ve been waiting for you." She said happily and excited.

"Im terribly sorry. I didn’t get a lot of sleep." He always played as a gentleman around her.

"Lets go!" She said nudging him to walk with her. "I need to show you one more place."

They were walking together down the street for awhile. She couldn’t help but to keep looking at him. Every time he went to look at her back, she turned her head and blushed. As they were walking, another male dog called out "Niska!" Both Niska and Steele turned to see who it was. Steele did not recognize him but Niska seemed to. She gave him a scorn and kept walking, the male dog followed them.

"Hey Niska, looking good today....like you always do." He said.

"Get lost! I told you we were through." She growled at him.

He seemed very confident on what he was saying. "Don’t worry, ill take you back, if you make it worth my wile, eh?" He smiled like he was smoother than ice.

As soon as he said that, Steele jumped in front of the other dog and gave him a warning.

"She said get lost, mutt." He said.

Niska gasped to see his reaction to what he said. It showed her that he cared.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Im the alpha male around here, and you’d better show me some respect. Or I will teach it to you."

Steele had enough of him. The dog walked past him like he was no threat. That was a mistake. Steele rammed his head as hard as he could into the dogs body. The male, flew a couple of feet from where he was standing. Steele now pinned him down with his paw, it reminded him of another mutt he wished was there.

Other dogs watched as their "Alpha male" was so easily taken down.

"Let me teach you something, you come near Niska again, ill kill you. That is, if your lucky enough that im in a good mood and make it quick." Steele growled, bearing his fangs, and ready to kill him on the spot.

The male had enough. He tried to act tuff, but everyone could see that Steele was stronger and more dangerous.

"Ill be back for you, you bastard! And be ready to die, Niska will be mine, I own her!" The male shouted.

He left limping away. Steele was still standing there, the other dogs talked amongst themselves about what happened. Steele then moved towards Niska, she was shaking and had tears in her eyes. He decided not to ask her who he was, he didn’t want to upset her even more.

"Come on, lets go." Steele said.

Steele said they should take a rest by the forest, they did. She laid down and hid her head in her arms, so he couldn’t see her cry. At that time Steele wasn’t Steele anymore. He actually did care for her. He laid down by her and whispered encouraging words to her. She then nuzzled him, he was surprised, this has never happened to him before. He did the only thing he could do, he nuzzled her back. Steele asked her what she wanted to show him, when she felt better she took him to a house, she was right, this was the only place she did not show Steele.

"Where are we?" Steele asked

"This is where I live, if you ever need to find me, ill be here waiting for you." Niska said while she nuzzled him.

Steele felt something, a feeling he never had before. Was it love? He didn’t know, it was new to him. He then thought to himself.

‘Even before, when I had all the fame, the glory, even all the females I could want. Im so much happier here.’

Steele and Niska were together the whole day, when darkness fell upon the town, he knew he had to part, just for today. Steele walked her back to her house, he asked her a question....

"Who was that male from before?" He asked.

She gave out a sigh and replied.

"His name is Conwell and...." she was silenced by Steele’s words.

"That’s all I needed to know. No need to go back to bad times, im here for you now."

She felt so protected by him, and she was. Steele still did not know the feeling of love, but the feeling he was having now was better than anything he ever experienced. They began to nuzzle one another, as they said their goodbyes. Then nuzzling turned into kissing.

"Same place tomorrow?" Steele asked.

"Every day." Niska said.

As Niska made her way into the house she smiled at him until the door was closed. Steele was now someone else, he had a clean slate, a new life, and he hasn’t thought of Balto in a while. He made his way back to the forest. He was in no hurry, when he found the spot where he slept last night, he immediately feel asleep.

=====================

He had no dreams, for they all came true, his mind was at peace, he slept without a single image of Balto or any other nightmarish hell. He couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come, to see his Niska again.

As the sun rose from its sleep, the warmth hit against Steele’s body. He awoke shortly after the sun rose. He knew today was to his beautiful Niska, but it was still to early to see her. He feel back asleep. He felt his body become warmer, he opened one eye slightly, he saw Niska resting on top of him.

"How did you find me way out here?" He said.

"Your not as complicated as you think." She giggled.

They both got up, Niska looked around.

"I’ve never seen this place before. Have you been here this whole time?"

"Yup." He said.

Steele knew that the northern lights were going to be close to the town, so he was going to take Niska here. Hopefully the lights would come off the hill. They both walked back to the town and everything was the way it should be. Steele was worried that Conwell would show his mongrel face again. He was not worried about himself, he was more worried about Niska.

‘If he even tries, if he even comes near her, ill kill him where he stands!’

Steele thought this to himself keeping an eye out for him but not a trace, not even his scent was near. Steele tried not to worry but....theirs always that chance.

Niska took Steele to the bakers shop.

"My master wants us to keep an eye out for his store while he’s gone to go run errands." She said.

"I didn’t know your master owned the bakery shop." Steele replied.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you."

they both laid together on the porch, Steele couldn’t be more happier. They both took a short nap

together until Steele woke so suddenly and quick, Niska woke up as well. Steele knew this scent, it was one he wished that would go away. But it came closer.

"Steele....what’s wrong?" Niska asked not expecting an answer.

Steele didn’t answer, he was to alert, he stood up and growled, but he didn’t know where the scent was coming from. He felt himself fly to the ground, into the cold hard snow. He looked up. There were three dogs growling and showing their fangs. Steele returned the favor, they stood there for a few moments. Niska watched in shock to what was happening.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Steele asked.

"Don’t worry, this will be fun.....for us." someone snickered. Steele saw between the three dogs, it was Conwell. Steele was furious.

"What’s the matter Conwell? To scared to fight one on one? Of course you are right, you should be scared." Steele said while giving him an evil smile.

Conwell did not answer, but the three other dogs pounced on Steele.

"Conwell I beg you, please stop!" Steele could hear Niska cry out.

Conwell turned around and slammed her to the ground. "You made your choice! You chose a fool over me! After he’s dead, you’ll satisfy my needs."

Steele knew what this meant, he was going to rape her, if he had the chance. He had to get the other dogs off him. All the weight was heavier than Steele, he struggled to get up. The dogs were tearing at his flesh, he grabbed one by the muzzle, until blood was drawn. One of them yelped and let go, Steele took this advantage, and kicked one of the dogs that sent one of them flying into a crate that shattered like glass as the body smashed into it. The last dog left went for Steele’s throat, Steele turned him over and pushed his paw as hard as he could into the others chest, until he heard a few ribs break. The other with the bloody muzzle, threw itself on him, but Steele moved out of the way and grabbed him by his hind leg. Steele swung him until the dogs head hit the building. None of the dogs got up, Steele did not care if they were dead