asked.

'Conan, you'll come with me!' said Aniu.

'I'll take Isha with me!' said Scout, 'She deserves a good home. And I don't think she'd survive as a wolf the way she looks!'

'Then it's settled. We must leave here!' said Nilak, his voice nearly back to the way it was. He poked his head out of the den and gave the all clear. Aniu and Scout nuzzled their children and each other. Tears fell from Aniu's eyes.

'I'm sorry it had to end this way!' she whispered into Scout's ear, 'I'm sorry!'

'It's not your fault. It's those wolves who... your brother destroyed. I watched them once. They were teasing him. That's why he's the way he is!' said Scout, licking her face.

'If you don't leave now then you won't be able to leave at all!' hissed Nilak.

'Right!' Aniu and Scout both said. Scout picked up Isha is his mouth and Lakota climbed up onto his back.

'Goodbye, my love!' he said to Aniu, 'I hope I will be able to see you again one day!'

And then he left.

'You'd better go as well!' said Nilak. Aniu nodded and kissed all of her family and told her daughters to stay safe. Then she picked up Conan and rushed out.

Scout ran in and out of the trees, hoping to get to the closest town soon. He ran and ran and for a little while was scared that Achak was following them. Soon, Scout and his children had got to the edge of White Mountain. He knew that even though Achak had lost it, he still wouldn't be dumb enough to come all the way into town. So Scout ran into the town and bumped into the mail team. They growled at him when they saw him.

'Get out of here, wolf!' growled Daisy.

'Daisy!' Scout gasped, putting Lakota and Isha down.

'Who are you?' asked Daisy.

'Scout!' replied Scout, 'It's me! Remember?'

Daisy, Danger and Maxie all looked at Scout before seeing through his new self and into the real Scout.

'Oh, Scout!' cried Daisy, nuzzling him, 'Where'd you go? After our musher made you leave we tried to run after you but he held us back!'

'I was staying with a wolf pack.' replied Scout.

'But, how?' asked Danger.

'I'll tell you everythign that's happened!' said Scout sitting down and nuzzling his two pups, 'After the musher got rid of me, me and the white wolf, Aniu ran back to the wolf pack. I came down to say goodbye because I had promised Aniu's father I'd never leave her. You see, the reason I didn't come home was because... me and Aniu mated the night before. i knew she'd have a tough time raising hybrid pups by herself and I loved her. i had done for a long time. That's why I disappeared at night. So we stayed in her pack and they taught me what the life of a wolf was all about. I was put into the hunting party and just iver two months later, Aniu had our puppies. We've been looking after them as wolves and teaching them what i was taught. Aniu's brother is a black wolf and as you know there is supposed to be a black wolf who will bring chaos and destruction. Some other wolves wanted to make sure of that and teased him whenever he was alone. Today, he just lost it and killed most of the pack. Me and Aniu had tosplit up and take our pups elsewhere. Two of them are staying in the remaining pack and Aniu took my other son away.' he stopped and tears rolled down his face, 'I do hope Aniu is ok!'

Daisy, Maxie and Danger stared at him before rushing over and telling him they were sorry.

'So are these your pups?' asked Danger, bending down to Isha and Lakota. Scout nodded.

'This one's Lakota!' he said, nudging the dark grey male, 'And this one's Isha!' He nudged his husky-looking daughter.

'Hello!' said Daisy, softly, 'I'm Daisy.'

'I'm Maxie!' said Maxie.

'And I'm Danger!' said Danger.

'Daddy, what will happen to us?' asked Isha.

'Well,' said Scout, 'Humans will find us and then you will be adopted. That means you get a new home!'

Isha and Lakota looked fearful.

'Oh.' they said.

Scout stayed in the boiler room with his old team and pups until morning when the musher came in, After taking a good look, the musher knew who it was.

'Is that you Scout?' he asked, just to be sure. Scout barked and ran up to the msuher, licking his hand.

'I'm sorry, pal!' said the musher, stroking Scout, 'Wanna be on the team again?'

Scout barked again and led the musher over to his pups.

'Oh!' said the musher, 'I see you have kids now, huh? We'd better find homes for them!'

He opened the door to the boiler room and let the dogs out. He scooped up the puppies and him and Scout went to get them checked out at the vets.

Aniu ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She weaved in and out of the trees. Turning back she saw Achak. He spotted her and ran after her.

'No!' cried Aniu. Aniu was running out of breath and she was tired. Achak got closer and he punced on her, pinning her to the ground.

'Please, Achak!' pleaded Aniu, looking up at her brother. Conan was terrified.

Schak looked at Aniu and Conan, then looked at them again. He got off of her and stepped backwards. He shook himself.

'I'm sorry.' he whispered, 'I've done a terrible thing. I don't deserve to live!'

It was as if he wasn't talking to Aniu but trying to tell someone else. Trying to tell everyone he'd killed to forgive him.

'Achak!' said Aniu stepping towards her brother.

'Don't come near me!' Achak yelled, 'I'm too dangerous! Take Conan and run!'

'Aniu knew that she couldn't just say know. She picked up her cub and ran. She'd gotten about halfway to Nome when a new threat came up. The hunters. Aniu could hear them. There feet pounding across the floor and their guns shooting at animals. Aniu ran faster than she had ever done before. She ran so fast it was like she wasn't touching the ground beneath. There was a gunshot and she barely missed it. Then she saw lights. Looking up she saw saw Nome. She ran as fast as she could. Hunters wouldn't shoot in a town. She knew that she couldn't go in herself but remembere dthe reckage from months ago. She ran up to it and collapsed when she'd got into the captain's room.

'Mama!' squeaked Conan.

'Don't worry about me!' said Aniu, 'Listen to me Conan. You have to stay here. I will come back for you soon but from now on you must stay here on your own. You know how to hunt so you should be able to feed yourself.'

'Are you going away, mama?' asked Conan.

'Yes!' replied Aniu, 'But I will be back. I promise!'

She nuzzled her son and left. Conan whimpered but stayed put just as his mother had told him.

A few days had passed and the musher had got Isha and Lakota checked out. A lady came to collect Isha.

'Come now, Poppet!' she said, picking Isha up and calling her by her new name, 'Don't worry, you can see your daddy whenever you want!'

'Bye, Lakota!' Isha called, waving at her brother, 'I'll miss you!'

'Bye, Isha!' called Lakota, 'I'll miss you too!'

Isha was carried out of the room.

'Don't worry, son!' said Scout, 'I'm sure you'll see her again soon!'

Then the musher answered the door and a man walked out. He walked in.

'Yes, sir! He's very healthy. We think he's about two months old!' the musher was saying, 'Here we are!'

The other man bent down and let Lakota sniff his hand.

'There, now!' he said as Lakota licked him, 'What shall we call you? I know, I'll call you Togo!'

He patted the pup on the head and picked him up.

'Here's you rmoney then!' he said with a smile, handing over the money for the pup.

'Goodbye, Lakota!' said Scout, 'I hope you have a good home with your new human!'

Lakota nodded as his human left with him. He was taken to Nome. Scout sighed as he watched his son being carried away and put onto the back of a sled. He hoped the other dogs wouldn't give him a hard time. He walked back into the house.

Now I've lost all of them. he thought.

Conan spent the next few days, trying with all his might to get food to eat and to try not to think of his mother and father. He wandered off onto the beach one day to play. There was no one to play with though and Conan felt very lonely. Soon he tsrated to run, just like Scout had taught him to and ran up and down the beach. That is until he crashed. He looked up and saw a feathery lump.

'Hey!' Conan cried, 'Are you ok?'

He helped the feathery creature up and noticed that it was a bird.

'What are you?' he asked.

'Who, me?' said the bird, standing up, 'I'm a goose!'

'Oh!' said Conan, 'What's your name?'

'I'm Boris!' replied the goose, trying to smooth out his feathers. He looked up and saw the other geese laughing and flying away.

'Huh? No! Wait, come back!' he cried, running along the beach.

Conan laughed and ran after the goose.

'Since we're both alone now, wanna stay with me?' he asked.

'Hmm? You're alone?' replied Boris, feeling some sympathy for the pup, 'Oh, alright!'

'Yay!' cried Conan, jumping about. He led Boris to his boat.

'Hey, kid!' said Boris, 'Ever been into town?'

Conan shook his head.

'Well, come!' said Boris walking off the boat, 'Let me show you!'

Conan followed and was soon in the little town of Nome. Some of the other dogs looked at him with disgust. Partky because he looked wolfish and partly because he had a goose tour guide. Conan saw a black and white malamute pup, quite a bit older than himself, but decided to go play with him. He was with an older female dog.

'Hiya!' said Conan.

'Hey.' said the other pup, sounding sad.

'What's your name?'

'Steele, and you?'

'My name's Co-' He was stopped when a man ran up to him and grabbed him.

'A wolf cub, in the town?' he said. Conan wriggled in his grasp and jumped out. He ran down the street and round a corner. The over-powering smell of meat was in the air and Conan followed it to a door. But he couldn't get in. Then he saw the latches and he unconsciously hooked his tiny nail under the latch and pushed it up. He jumped onto the boxes and did the same to the top latch. The door swung open, slightly on it's side and Conan ran in. There was meat everywhere. The closest thing to him was a string of sausages. Conan pulled and the sausages fell down