Aniu replied.

Scout sat down.

'I won't be coming back until tonight.' he said.

'That's ok!' sighed Aniu, 'I'll just have to put up with my brothers and sisters a little longer.'

The two of them smiled at each other and Scout left. Aniu watched him run down the hill. She walked back into the forest and soon came nose to nose with a dark grey wolf. It was Nanu.

'What do you want?' asked Aniu.

'Nothing much!' replied Nanu, a sly grin on his face.

'Then go away!' snarled Aniu jumping out of his way.

Nanu walked oof and Aniu walked towards her pack, muttering to herself. She finally got to her pack and saw Nitti with the hunting group. Aniu quickly ducked behind a tree. Nitti wasn't often kind to Aniu. She told the hunting group about all her embarrassing moments and Aniu felt like squeezing her older sister's head until it popped sometimes. But now the hunting group teased her as well. The only other person to know about it apart from her and them was her brother Achak. He was an outcast to the other wolves in the pack. He was said to be the black wolf who would bring destruction to the pack and Aniu was said to be the one who would show them the way. She didn't believe it and was teased for haging around with the 'black wolf'. She quickly ran off to where she knew he'd be. She could trust him with her life.

'Heya, Aniu!' Achak said, 'What's wrong?'

'Hunting group!' sighed Aniu, luing down, 'And Nitti's with them!'

'Again!' replied Achak.

'Hmm.' was Aniu's reply, she had her head resting on her paws and her eyes closed.

Scout's team was all together and ready to leave. They had two replacements in Bingo and Ranger's places and the other two dogs were staying in the hospital in White Mountain.

'Mush!' yelled the musher.

Scout took off and Danger, Daisy and Maxie ran after them. The two replacements weren't used to Scout's speed and had trouble keeping up.

'Come on, you couch potatoes!' shouted Maxie, 'Getcha butt in gear!'

The other two dogs glared at him but Maxie took no notice.

After a couple of hours, the team arrived back in Nome. They were unhooked and given something to eat.

'We had to leave two dogs there.' Scout heard the musher say, 'We've got replacements for now.'

He quickly ate his food and walked off through the town. His dark red collar was a little loose and kept flopping around. But Scout didn't care. He carried on walking until he smelled some fresh meat. He sniffed arounf and narrows his eyes at the butsher's shop, a sly grin on his face. He crept round the back and unhooked the doorhinges, letting the door swing open. He crept inside and pulle the sausages off their hook and ran out. He ran down the street and into an alley with alot of piled up boxes and sat down to eat the sausages. He was halfway through eating when he heard Maxie's worried voice calling out.

'What's wrong, Maxie?' asked Scout, coming out from behind the boxes.

'It's Steele!' Maxie panted, 'We can't find him!'

Scout ran out of the alley, his sausages dangling around his neck and found Marie. bShe was sitting on the porch with her other three puppies crying.

'Oh, Scout!' she sobbed, 'Please help us find him!'

Scout nodded and ran back to Maxie. Danger and Daisy were there as well now and they'd made a plan to search a different part of town. Scout ran off to the edge of town and sniffed around. Nothing. He walked out a bit more and found the reckage of an old ship. Then he caught a scent. It was Steele's. He sniffed around until he found it and followed it to the forest. Then there was another smell. The smell of something wild and large. It was the smell of the wolf. Scout quickly ran along the trail until he came to a clearing. He heard voices.

'Aniu!' shouted a voice, 'How dare you run off like that! You know humans will kill us on sight. And what's worse, you're looking after a pup!'

'I am not!' shouted Aniu's kind voice, 'I was...looking for someone! And besides he seemed scared enough with you and the others growling at him!'

Aniu was sitting with Steele between her paws. He seemed terrified of Aniu and the others but also glad that someone was protecting him. An older wolf was standing glaring at Aniu with a whole pack surrounding them. Scout spotted a black wolf amongst the rest and thought that it must be Achak. Scout jumped in growling.

'Leave the pup alone!' he snarled, staring the older wolf in the eye.

'Yours is he?' asked the wolf, an angry expression on his face.

'No but I know his parents and they're worried sick!' replied Scout, 'Now give him to me!'

'You want to fight about it?' growled the wolf, in an attacking position.

'Of course not!' replied Scout, 'Just give me the pup!'

The other wolf nudged his head slightly and some of the wolves pounced on Scout. They were ripping and tearing at him. Aniu gasped.

'Uncle Scout!' squeaked Steele.

'Come on!' Aniu urged, 'I'm sure he can look after himself for a moment. But you've gotta get home!'

She pushed him and motioned to Achak to help Scout. Achak did as his sister had asked and Aniu ran off with Steele. She took him down to the old reckage.

'Can you get home from here?' she asked. Steele nodded but didn't move.

Aniu ran back up the hill and shot through the forest to find the battle had stopped. A very worn out Scout and Achak were lying in the middle of a group of wolves.

'Go home, dog!' growled the older wolf. Scout pulled himself up and looked for Steele.

'He's gone home!' came Aniu's voice.

'Aniu1' yelled the older wolf.

'What were you planning on doing to him, father?' asked Aniu, 'You would've killed him wouldn't you?'

Her father didn't answer. Aniu ran to Scout and helped him up.

'Run!' she whispered and Scout ran.

'Get back here!' roared the older wolf. Schak got up and blocked the wolves path but they knocked him aside. They ran after Scout. But Scout had run back to town after Aniu had said he was home. Maxie, Danger and Daisy were together.

'Scout!' gasped Daisy, 'What happened?'

'Wolves!' cried Scout, 'Where's Steele? Is he here?'

'No.' replied Maxie.

'But Aniu said!' cried Scout. He ran back away from town followed by his friends. They ran to the old boat and saw the wolves climbing on.

'Steele!' gasped Maxie, 'I'm coming Steele!'

They ran after the wolves and Maxie jumped in just before they could reach his son. He grabbed Steele by the scruff of his neck and threw him over the edge of the boat out of the wolves way. There was some barking and then the sound of a gunshot. The wolves ran and Daisy appeared with her master.

'Pretty good, huh?' she said, grinning. The four dogs all went round the back of the boat while Daisy's master followed the wolves.

'Steele!' whispered Maxie, 'It's ok now. Don't worry!'

Steele ran to his dad and wouldn't leave him.

'Let's go!' said Daisy as the dogs walked back to town.

The next day, the dogs were ready to go on their mail trip to White Mountain again.

'Daddy!' whimpered Steele, 'Please don't go!'

'Don't worry, son!' replied Maxie, 'Just stay with mum and you'll be fine!'

He licked Steele and his daughters and got ready to leave.

'Mush!' cried the musher and the dogs left.

They ran across the snow, and woods until they reached White Mountain. Maxie seemed worried as they were put in the boiler room again.

'Don't worry, Maxie!' said Danger, 'I'm sure he'll stay with Snowbelle and his owners for now!'

Maxie sniffed and sighed.

'But he'll be getting his own home in three weeks! I don't want him to be scared of the outside!'

Scout sighed as he listened to Maxie.

'He'll be fine!' he said and went off to sleep. The two replacements dogs stayed away from the others. They were still wary of Scout's speed.

Scout got up in the night again to see Aniu. He wanted to know why her pack were down by Nome and also why they were after Steele. He waited for her on the hill and fater a while she appeared.

'What happened yesterday?' he asked, not even giving Aniu a chance to say hello or sorry. Aniu looked hurt which immediately made Scout feel sorry.

'I was, well... you left your tag up here!' she said, 'So I followed your scent to that little town and my pack must have followed me We're not allowed to go off by ourselves really, in case of hunters.'

She took a breather and looked at the ground.

'Oh.' was all Scout could say.

They sat there in silence for a while before Scout spoke again.

'What tag?' he asked. Aniu got up and rummaged in the nushes before pulling out a little gold tag.

'This one!' she said, 'It fell off when you ran down the hill so I thought I might as well returnit to you!'

'Thanks.' replied Scout, smiling at Aniu.

Every night since then, Scout would visit Aniu when they went to White Mountain. One day, Maxie broke his paw while running and the team had to stop in the forest. The dogs were all unhooked so they could get some exercise while they were there. Scout slunk off into the forest. He ran back to White Mountain and up onto the hill.

'Aniu!' he called. Aniu bounded out and pounced on him.

'Gotcha!' she giggled. Scout pushed her off and grinned his cheeky grin.

'Yeah, yeah!' he laughed. Aniu wasn't laughing anymore though. She nuzzled him and Scout's eyes widened when she did.

'Well!' he said, 'That was unexpected, I must say!'

'Sorry.' Aniu sighed, 'I...' She didn't know how to finish her sentence so just shut up.

'I know!' replied Scout, softly, licking her forehead. They sat nuzzling for a moment before Aniu pushed Scout over. She ran a few steps away from him, giggled and ran off into the forest. Scout smiled and chased after her.

Scout woke next morning but he wasn't with his team. He was lying in the forest. Aniu was next to him, her body pressed against his for warmth. Scout smiled and licked his face. She opened her eyes and smiled at Scout, nuzzling him.

'Morning.' Scout whispered with a yawn.

'Morning.' Aniu replied. She looked around and sat up. Her smile turned to a frown.

'What's wrong?' asked