ears, “It’s ok Saba, calm down he’s gone now,” Kaleny said. Saba sat and looked at her paws as her anger subsided. “I heard what happened, is everyone alright?” Balto asked Kaleny. “Everything’s fine, Saba attacked Peter before he could get either of us,” he said. Balto smiled a bit of pride welled up inside of him when he heard Kaleny say that. They looked at Saba who’s eyes focused on the waves, she needed more time to cool off which her father and Kaleny knew as they slowly headed back for the boat.

Saba joined them on the boat an hour later, the two hybrids looked at her with soft smiles, “I’m sorry dad, I should have controlled my anger better,” she said quietly. Balto shook his head, “As long as you’re both alright Peter can tend to his own wounds, what I would like to know is what you were doing out by the shore in the first place?” he asked. Saba looked at Kaleny and the two smiled, “Well dad…. We were watching the sunset together,” she said as she lightly blushed. Balto smiled, “Well I’m glade to see you to getting along,” he said. Saba looked down at her paws as she felt her cheeks growing even redder. “I am to dad,” she said. Kaleny looked at her, his heart raced in his chest as her scent waffled through the air. She smiled warmly as her girl’s voice echoed through their ears. Saba’s ears perked at the sound of her and she slipped past the two males, nuzzling each gently before reaching the plank and speeding off.

Balto smiled as he heard Kaleny sigh, “You really like her don’t you?” he asked. Kaleny turned to face him, “There’s just something about her. I can’t understand it, she drives me crazy in the best way,” he admitted. Balto chuckled softly, “I know the feeling, why don’t you ask her out?” he asked. Kaleny walked father into the captain’s den and slowly lowered himself to his belly, the day’s events had left him sorer then the day before and he was in need of some rest. “She would never go for a guy like me, I’m skinny, weak and couldn’t even beat her in a race today,” he said, he grunted as he made himself comfortable. Balto walked over to him, “Firstly, you’re not weak, you’re hurt, you’re skinny because it’s hard to live off the scraps of garbage from these stupid trashcans and Saba would have beaten you in a race either way because she’s pretty fast,” he said. Kaleny put his head between his paws and sighed, “If weights one of your problems I can help you with that,” Balto said. Kaleny cocked his head to the side. Balto smiled slyly, “Saba’s owner may be the butcher but his meat isn’t all that fresh,” he said. Kaleny looked on, confused at the hybrids meaning, “Tomorrow Kal, I’ll you show what I mean, for now rest up you’ll need it,” he said.

As the sun rose the next morning Balto unleashed a howl that was all to wolf-like for Kaleny’s liking. He walked out and looked up to see the old hybrid standing the highest part of their home howling his heart out. “Balto!” he yelled near the top of his lungs. Balto looked down at him with a smile, “Oh good you’re up,” he leapt from the top of the boat and landed in front of Kaleny, “Come on Kal, time for your first hunting lesson,” he said as he walked past him and off the once seaworthy vessel. Kaleny followed close behind, “Balto I’ve been hunting before, but why do we have to go so early? The sun is barley up for crying out loud,” he protested. “Food’s not easy to come by in the surrounding forest we may be out for a while,” he said. Kaleny sighed, “Well at least if we’re lucky I won’t be so thin when we’re done,” he said. Balto smiled, “That’s the spirit,” he said.

Saba yawned as the afternoon sun hit her eyes, she hadn’t meant to sleep so late but the events of yesterday left her more tired then she realized. She found her heart longing for Kaleny as she awoke. Saba sighed, she’d never felt this way about anyone before. She rose to her paws and jumped off the bed, with her head held high, she intended on visiting her new favorite hybrid.

Honey ran to meet her friend as she spotted Saba walking, “Going to check on our new boa are we?” she asked. Saba smiled, “We’re not dating,” she said, “Not yet anyway,” she continued. Honey smiled, “You really like him don’t you?” she asked her friend. “This morning when I woke up I found myself missing him, that’s never happened to me before and I often find that he’s all I think about, I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she said. Honey laughed, “It’s called love Sab and it sounds like you’re in it,” she said. Saba blushed, “have you been…” she began to ask. “Once, we were no older then you are at the time. He was the most handsome dog I’d ever seen golden brown fur, amber eyes, a soft voice, an oh-so-sweet personality, but he was in love with another dog,” she said sadly. “What was his name?” she asked, Honey laughed lightly at the thought, “It was….Your dad,” she said. Saba’s eyes widened in amazement, it was all most unbelievable that another dog was interested in him, “Why didn’t you ever tell him?” she asked. Honey sighed, “I tried but between the fights he got into and all the dogs picking on him I never got the chance, then he saw Jenna and I knew I wouldn’t get to,” she said. Saba licked her friend’s cheek, “I’m sorry Honey but well there are plenty other guys in this town, I know Kaltag is always staring at you as well as Star and Nikki,” Saba said. Honey smirked, “Well Kaltag is a sweet heart and he is smart I guess I could ask him if he’d like to watch the sunset sometime,” she said. Saba smiled as she saw Kaltag watching them from the corner of a nearing ally. “Speaking of the devil,” she said, Honey wagged her tail at him, “Well guess now’s as good as ever I’ll catch ya latter Sammy,” she said as she sped up to catch Kaltag before he left. Saba rolled her eyes and continued heading toward her father’s boat.

When she finally reached, she found the vessel vacant and lifeless. Saba took a few deep whiffs of the air but found the scent of her father and good friend a tad stale as though they had not been there for several hours. Worried, Saba decided to follow their scent and see if they were in need of help.

Kaleny licked his chops happily as a dead hare lay in his paws, “Wow it’s been a while since I’ve hunted like this Balto, thank you for reminding me how good it feels,” he said. Balto smiled, “Well I’m glade I could help. You know these hares will last you a lot longer then….” He was cut off by the sound of branches breaking in the distance. Kaleny stood and perked his ears to where the sound was coming from. He growled low toward the sound and watched a few trees shake as the unknown figure ran by. Balto to rose to his paws and watched wearily as the creature circled them from a distance. A snarl sounded through the air as a medium sized red and white figure busted through the trees and landed on Kaleny.

Kaleny gasped as his eyes met his attackers, “Saba?” he asked still trying to recover from the fact that she’d just pounced on him. She smiled and licked her friend, “What are you doing out here?” she asked sweetly. “Us?” Balto asked, “What about you, you shouldn’t be out here alone, what if a wolf attacked you?” her father said. Saba snickered and got off Kaleny, “I can take care of myself dad you aren’t the only one whose part wolf ya know?” she said confidently. Kaleny got to his paws and stood in between the two relatives, “Well you’re father is right Sab, you’re fine alone but if faced with a whole pack how would you defend yourself?” he asked. Saba grimaced, “I’m no better off then the two of you, an injured canine and an old one against a pack of young wild full blooded wolves,” she protested. Balto sat he knew she was right but he wouldn’t admit that to his daughter. “Listen we can argue about this for hours, for now I think Saba should go home and let us get back to hunting,” Balto said. Saba frowned, “Why should you guys have all the fun? I’m a quick learner dad teach me how,” she barked. Kaleny smiled, “I’ll teach ya if you’re willing to learn,” he said. Saba nodded in agreement and the two walked ahead of Balto as they entered another part of the forest.

By the end of day the three found themselves exhausted and decided it’d be best if Saba stayed with them for the night since her house was at the farthest end of town. She agreed and rested between her two favorite hybrids, falling asleep within seconds. Kaleny and Balto soon followed and three quietly slept with full bellies.

Kaleny sighed as he watched the stars begin to slowly fade that morning. Though he’d been tried from hunt, near midnight that same night he’d found himself restless and full of unknown energy. His only choice was to spend the night wondering through the town which he’d called home. He’d found it quiet and relaxing nearly romantic, that is if he’d had someone to share it with. He thought of Saba but figured she’d be too tired and feared a sharp nip to his paws or nape of his neck if he’d tried to wake her.

He smiled as the evanescent twinkle of stars began to give way to the fast approaching sun. “Beautiful isn’t it?” A voice quietly said beside him. Kaleny smiled, “That it is,” he said his eyes still scanning the scenery. Saba sighed beside him, “I come here every day just to catch a glimpse of it,” she said her voice barley above a whisper. “I see why,” he said. Saba moved closer to him so that their bodies nearly touched. “How long have you been up?” she asked after several minuets of silence. “A few hours, since midnight, what about you?” he asked. Saba smiled, “Woke up just as you came back from town,” she