around the wolf.

"Boris, it's alright, they're with me." Boris looked confused.

"What?! Balto, what are you doing bringing a wolf here?! How do you know him, and--" he paused, now just seeing Hokee, or rather, heard the pup giggling from his place beside Achak. "...his puppy?" Balto chuckled a bit, while Achak remained unimpressed, if slightly annoyed at the reaction.

"I'll explain later, I'm heading back to town for a bit, they're going to stay here in the mean time and wait."

With that, Balto trotted down the boat and ran towards town. Achak watched him go and decided to rest while he waited, so he went to the bow of the boat and lay down, watching the others.

Hokee crawled towards Muk and Luk, who approached him with less caution, since they've had plenty of experience with puppies.

"So you guys are bears?" Hokee asked. He was timid because of the grizzly bear attack. However, that bear was big and dark and vicious, and these two were small and white and actually seemed quite friendly.

"That we are!" exclaimed the smaller bear, Muk. "I'm Muk! This here is Luk! He don't talk none, but he's great at playing Slosh!"

The pup cocked his head to the side. "Slosh? What game is that?" he smiled and wagged his tail. He was happy to know that other animals liked playing games just like wolves.

Luk whooped excitedly and bounced his way down to the beach.

"C'mon! We'll show you!" Muk followed after his brother and Hokee ran right behind him with his tongue lolling.

The wolf watched the three of them run down the boat, until he felt a pair of eyes watching him. He turned to look at the goose, which caused him to honk in fright and continue about his mopping.

Balto ran to the boiler room where most of the dogs were kept. If he ever needed someone, they were always there of all places. He was in too much of a hurry to be stopped by anyone on his way there; he didn't want Achak to be impatient.

As he predicted, there was the dog he wanted to see. It was Kaltag, the descriptive chinook, and he was there with his two comrades, Nikki and Star. When Balto walked inside, he was immediately greeted by the three dogs.

"Nikki's son is on his way to being a sleddog, just like his Uncle Kaltag! He is the most competent, the most skillful, the most capable, the most--"

"He's a chip off the ol' block!" Star interrupted, soon after getting slugged in the face by Kaltag's large paw. Nikki and Balto rolled their eyes at the two. Kaltag was a little too excited about his "nephew".

Balto chuckled. "I'd like to stay and chat, but I need to borrow Kaltag for a minute."

The three dogs exchanged glances and Kaltag followed Balto out of the boiler room.

"What's this about, Balto? Whatdya need?"

"Well, my daughter Kiona? Her mate is here." he explained. "And he has a pup with him that is not his own. And he looks alot like you. Only...more wolflike." He chuckled.

Kaltag's eyes widened, but he didn't loko at Balto, he just continued to look forward as they both walked towards his boat.

"He looks like me?" the chinook asked.

"Yeah. But I wasn't sure, because I've never kept track of any girlfriends. Did you have any that were part wolf?"

"Something like that." Kaltag smirked. "But I don't think he's mine. If I had a son, I would know! Otherwise--" The dog continued chattering about until the two of them finally made it to the abandoned boat, where the truth would be revealed.

Achak heard them coming. Well that was relatively quick... He got to his paws as the wolf heard them walking up the ramp. He couldn't help but be curious about this now. What made Balto think this dog could be related to Hokee?

Kaltag didn't know what to expect as they got up the ramp. But as he turned to greet the form he saw there out of the corner of his brown patched eye, he froze at the sight of the huge wolf, stopping in his tracks. A wolf! Balto hadn't said anything about a wolf! He'd mentioned his daughters mate, but no details! The wolf standing there was a beast!

The alpha couldn't help but smirk a bit at the dog's reaction. He knew he was intimidating, and sometimes used it to his advantage. But those thoughts were soon replaced by intrigue at the dog's appearance. It was amazing the resemblance. Especially the face. They both had the same brown patch. While Hokee bore more brown markings, it was still a shock just how similar... It was then Balto interrupted the wolf's thoughts.

"Achak, this is Kaltag. Kaltag, this is Kiona's mate Achak." Kaltag's gaze shot from Achak to his friend, then back, less shocked though if anything, still nervous. But he cleared his throat, trying to seem relaxed.

"Hi there. So Aleu wasn't the only one to follow their wild side I guess." The blonde Chinook stated trying to start conversation, break the ice and awkward silence. But the alpha's bright blue eyes only narrowed at that.

"Don't compare her with Kiona." Well that was unexpected. Not only did the wolf seem to know who he was talking about, but Achak didn't seem to have any liking to Kiona's sister. It surprised Kaltag and he blinked, confused at it. What was that all about? Glancing to Balto, the hybrid looked just as confused.

"O-Okay. I won't." Kaltag was usually never speechless, but this Achak was so intimidating, he couldn't think of what to say next. Balto could easily sense the tension between the two now.

"So, where is Hokee?" Balto asked.

"Hokee?" Kaltag looked at Balto, then back at Achak, who looked over the side of the boat. The pup looked like he was fitting in just fine. With the bears anyway. It was nice to see tho. For various reasons.

The chinook looked over the same side as the wolf. He was amazed himself. The pup looked almost exactly like him. It had to have been...

"He must be...hers." Kaltag said.

Achak looked at the dog. "Who?"

Kaltag's eyes shifted, looking about space. "This..wolf I met a few months ago. She was the most gorgeous, the most good-looking, the most fascin--" Kaltag paused catching himself ranbling when Achak glared at him harder than before. "Ahem. Anyway. My team and I were stranded. And she told me she'd help us leave. She showed me the way and I fell in love with her. But I couldn't stay, there was no way I belonged with wolves, she was the leader of a pack and I was just a--"

"Just a dog aiming for some fun?" the wolf sneered.

"No! Not at all! It wasn't like that! I didn't even know that I--"

"Really, Achak, he isn't like that at all." Balto added in, trying to get him to understand.

Achak scoffed then calmed at the sight of Hokee again. He had to be. This was for the best. "What was her name?"

Kaltag felt a bit more relaxed once Achak was. He thought for sure he was going to get him angry. "Kayiya." He paused. "I tried to find her again once my team and I took the same trail as before. But when I tried to get her to talk to me she... well, long story short, she never wanted to see me again." He continued to watch the pup. "I've never had a son before. But it'd be nice, seeing that I'm excited about Nikki's son all of the time." He chuckled.

"Hm." The dog sounded heartfelt. And smart too, for knowing that he didn't have a chance with a pack of wolves. But speaking of chances, there was Hokee again. This was now about him. Achak didn't know any Nikki, but what Kaltag said about having a son sounded like something he really wanted. Or even needed. From what he could tell, he would've been a good father to Hokee.

"Well, Hokee seems to fit in here very well." Balto mentioned. Achak nodded in agreement and summoned the pup.

"What is it, Achak?" the pup called back, still playing with Muk and Luk. He had Luk pinned down in the snow, while Muk was busy laughing about it. They were having such a good time, none of them wanted to stop.

"Come here."

"Huh? Oh okay..." Hokee slid off the bear's large tummy and scurried up a fallen plank to the deck of the boat. He stopped just before reaching Achak when he saw the new blonde dog to meet.

Seeing Kaltag, the blonde hybrid paused, blinking and cocking his head. Wow he looked like him! It made him smile, his tail wagging. "Hey we have the same colors! What's your name?" It was fun to see the other dog, since none of the other wolves looked anything like him.

The blonde dog grinned down at the pup. He was still getting over how much they looked alike. Who would have thought that one night with Kayiya would lead to all of this. Never did Kaltag think he would have a son! It was no wonder Balto had thought of him. And the Chinook may not have had too much time yet to think over everything, but as of right now, he was pretty excited.

"I'm Kaltag, kid! I'm uh..." he glanced questioningly at Balto and Achak. Was he suppose to say or no? He didn't see why not though, right? the large black and silver wolf interrupted though, his sharp blue eyes looking at Hokee seriously, who seemed happily oblivious, looking between the three olders around him.

"Hokee, he's your father. That's why he looks like you." that seemed to do it. Hokee's expression fell slowly as the facts sunk in, his yellow eyes looking back to Kaltag, widening. His... Father? Well it made sense, but... then did he know his mother? It was a lot to take in for the young hybrid and was rather dumbfounded. Inside he was a full range of emotions, while his head was filled with questions.

Achak continued, drawing his attention back. The wolf had been thinking about this possibility recently, even more now, since he'd seen and met Kaltag. "I know its a lot for you to take in at once and you must have questions...." He paused a moment, glancing at the Chinook, then Balto. Curious, Boris had walked up closer to listen even. "So I'm going to ask you.... Would you like to stay here with them and be with your father?"


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