Night's slim figure slid between the trees, quickly but silently. Her puppy body easily wound itself through the trees. The moon shone above her.

  "NIGHT! BED!" Night turned around. Her mother, Sunset, was standing behind her. "Whoo! How can you stand it? It's freezing!"

 "I just can," Night shrugged.

 "Well, come on," Sunset said. Night sighed and followed her mother back into town.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Night galloped around the curve and across the street. Her paws plumented through the snow, leaving a deep paw print in the white slush. She had definatl grown larger than before. Night was still a puppy but was nearing adulthood. She was quicker than she used to be.

 Night slowed to a stop, hearing a howl. She glanced toward the woods. Was that her father? Her father, Max, was one of the most respected dogs in town, wolf or not. He ran a team that delivered medicine. Max was Balto's nefew.

  "Night!" Night rolled her eyes as she recognized her sister's call. Rose approached her, panting.

 "What?" Night asked.

  "I-I heard that dad's coming back!"

 "I heard his call," Night sighed. Night tipped her head back and howled. A strong smell of wild dog entered her nostrils but it wasn't her fathers scent. Night pushed herself toward the smell.

 "Night!" Rose called after her. Night ignored her and ran toward the forest. Her paws beat against the snow-fallen earth as she approached the smell, more carefully now.  A dark gray dog, about her age, crawled from a bush. He was built like a dingo.

  "Help," he wheezed. Then a white husky burst through the trees, followed by a dingo.

 "Storm?" the white husky asked.

  "Mum?" the gray dog whispered.

 "I'll lead you to Nome," she said.

 "Thank you." The white husky picked up her son.

   The dingo stared at his son. "Yes. Thank you." Night nodded and rushed towards the town.

 "Hey, Night," Rose began.

 "MOVE!" Night howled, running past her, further into town. Her heart was pounding. Where was her mom?

  "MOM!" she cried. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Her mom apeared infront of her and Night slid to a hult.

  "There's this pup and he needs help!" Night gasped.

 Sunset studied the unmoving pup. "I'll take him to the vet." She took the pup and galloped away, the dingo racing after her.

  "Thank you," the white husky sobbed. "I'm Sky."

 "Night." Night studied the white husky. "What happened?"

 "I don't know," Sky cried. "My son just appeared like that!" Sky didn't know why she wasn't giving the whole truth.

  "You're lucky," Night sighed. "Who's the dingo?"

 "My mate," replied Sky. "His name is Mountain."

  "Oh." Night pawed the snowy ground. "I hope your son's alright." Sky nodded.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 "He'll be fine," Sunset reasured them, later that night. "He was in a fight by the looks of it." Sky sighed.

  "I have to find my owner. Will you be alright, Mountain? I know you don't like indoors but it's safer since-" Sky broke off. "Well, she likes you." Mountain sighed but nodded. They walked away, together. Night glanced at Sunset.

  "Will he really be okay?" she asked.

 "Yes," Sunset replied. "You should meet him. Coem on." Sunset lead Night to the vet's office. The vet was Sunset's owner. Sunset brought Night to a dog bed. On it was the dingo/husky mix. His eyes glowed when he saw her.

  "You helped me." He smiled. "I'm Storm."

  "Night." Night liked this dog.

 "Thank you, too, Sunset," Storm told her mom. Sunset nodded.

 "Sunset, Night?" Max entered the room. He saw Storm.

  "Woah!" Max whistled.

 "This is my father, Max," Night said.

 Storm nodded. "I'm Storm." Max looked at Sunset.

 "Excuse us," Sunset said to Storm. She and Max walked out of the office.

 "How did you get like this?" Night asked, shocked.

  "How did you get your face?" Storm retorted. Night glared and he glared right back.

  Finally, Storm laughed. "I like your attitude." Night shook her head, slowly.

  "I don't get you." She could feel Storm's gaze piercing her fur.

 

 

 "No one does," he replied. "I don't need them to. You're pretty hard to figure out, yourself."

  "It's how it goes around here." Night avoided his gaze. "No one tries." She looked at him. "And I don't need them to." Storm laughed agian.

  "You're not bad." Storm shook his head. "Not bad."

 ---------------------------------------------------------------

 Time passed and Storm healed. He could play but catching him playing was rather rare. He'd play with Night though. One afternoon the two friends were walking through the forest.

  "How far have you wandered?" Night asked.

  "Too far," Storm sighed. Night opened her mouth to ask what he meant but he cut her off by swishing his tail over her mouth. "Look!" Night looked where he was pointing his muzzle. There were goose prints!

  "BORRIS!" Night howled, laughing. She launched herself after the goose's path, Storm following.

  "Borris?" he asked.

 "Yeah!" Night laughed. They reached a pond. A pond that had Borris bathing in it. Night skidded to a stop, laughing. Behind her, Storm gasped.

  "Night, let's leave!" he cried.

  "What?" Night asked. "Why?"

 "Trust me!" Storm's voice was shaking uncontrolably.

  "Borris!" Night called, strictly. The goose turned.

  "OY!" He ran at them. "No privacy, eh?" Night shrugged. The smell of wild dog overwhelmed her nostrils.

 "NO!" Storm's voce cried. "Night, now!" Night was rooted to the spot.

  "S-Storm?" Night called. "What's going on?" Dingo's appeared from very direction. There were at least 8.

 "Well, half breed," one growled at Storm. "Come to end it?" Storm growled and stepped infront of Night.

  "The question is," Storm grinned, "who will win?"

  "ME!" the dingo yelled.

 "Sure," Storm mimicked. "All the stupid dogs win, eh?" Not your back talking! Night begged silently.

  "Dogs?!" the dingo roared. "Your father's the traitor!" Storm growled angrily.

 "Watch it!" he snapped.

  "You watch your old man," the dingo laughed.

 "Don't," Night hissed to Storm but it was too late! He had thrown himself at the dingo!

 "STORM!" she howled. The other dingo's joined in the fight. Night threw herself into the fight and ripped at fur until she saw the shape she was looking for. She pulled on Storm's scruff and felt him trying to move himself. Night dropped him and began to bite the dingo's that approached him.

 "Part wolf!" one dingo snarled. Night growled.

 "Back off." Night began to run with Storm by her side. Borris was following them.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Max thundered.

  "She said what she said," Storm snapped. More back talking! Night thought.

 "We went into dingo teritory," Night told her dad.

 "Why?" Sunset asked.

  "Acccident," Night replied, averting her father and mother's eyes.

  "Look at me!" Max roared. Night looked at Max.

  "What?" Night hissed.

   "Never do it again!" he growled.

 "What if we do?" Storm challenged.

  "Your mother will speak to you soon, Storm." Max sighed, heavily. "Granted your parents are furious." Max shook his head.

  "Night." Max seemed to be begging her. "Night. Daughter. Please don't send yourself to an early death. One day you'll start a family and you'll understand what I'm trying to say."

  Night made a noise of disgust. "Bluch! I'll never have a mate!"

 Max howled with laughter. "That's what I said at your age!" Night sighed. There was no hope of convincing her father. He sudennly gave her his look. The look that could make you feel bad even if you didn't do  a thing!

  "However, you have to learn that life isn't a piece of tissue paper that you throw away!" Max looked at his gigantic paws.

  "I won't," Night promised. Sky and mountain rushed in the room at that moment.

  "Storm!" Sky cried. Apon seeing that he was alright, Sky ran to him and nuzzled him again and again. Mountain walked to Night.

 "Thanks," he said gruffly. Night nodded, as she and her best friend exchanged "you know parents" looks.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

  "Night! Do ya smell it?" Storm ran up on top of Balto's boat. "Whoo! It will be some storm!" Night smiled.

  "You two seen Jenna?" Balto asked, standing up.

 "On the beach," Night and Storm replied.

  "Thanks." Balto ran towards the beach.

 "Bye!" Night and Storm called after him.

  "So do you smell it?" Storm insisted.

  "Yep," Night replied, jumping up beside her friend.

 "I can't wait," Storm sighed. A farmiliar smell reached Night's nostrils.

  "No!" Night gasped.

 "What? You don't like storms?" Storm asked. Night groaned.

  "There's a dog named Cream who hates me because I'm different," Night growled.

  Storm clicked his tongue."Well, there are idiots in the world. She must be one." Night sniffed the air again.

 "She's with her group of prissies," Night snorted. "Again. And oh no!"

  "What?" asked Storm.

 "NO, NO, NO!" Night howled. "Fireball. He's some hotshot dog that likes me! But he's fowl to other dogs!"   

  Storm sighed. "Jerk." Sure enough, Cream appeared followed by her group, Fireball, and Rose appeared.

 "Rose is my coppy cat sister," Night muttered to Storm.

  "Well, this is new," Cream said, circling around Night

1 2

Next page