“You let her go without me saying goodbye... I’m never gonna see her again am I?”

Balto looked down at the ground, he couldn’t bare to look her in the eye when he said this...

“No... We’re never gonna see her again”

Jenna began to cry and turned away from Balto who was still facing the ground. He raised his head and began to walk to her side. Jenna then looked at Balto and simply leaned next to him.

“What happened to you Balto?” she asked. “I want to know what happened to you... and Aleu.”

Balto then looked up into the morning sky and simply replied...

“So do I...”

“It’s amazing! Wonderful! This is everything you’ve ever hoped for Balto!” said Boris with excitement; dashing all over the deck of the boat while both Balto and Jenna where sitting down in a very mellow manner.

“It’s wonderful I know” said Balto.

“Oh come on Balto, you’ve been granted a wish, how many can say that?” said Boris.

“I didn’t wish for this to happen, don’t get me wrong it’s not as if I want to go back to the way I was. But I want to find out what has happened to me before I celebrate anything.”

“And how are you going to do that?” asked Jenna

“I don’t know... but the past several days have opened my eyes to new possibilities, that maybe what’s happened cannot be explained by an exact science, also I’m starting to think that this was no accident since it happened right after I encountered one Wolf shaman and made another wolf very annoyed at me” explained Balto.

“I thought you said they were friendly” said Jenna.

“Well for the most part...” Jenna simply stared at Balto “Look can we stick to the matter at hand” said Balto.

“Well what about your mother?” asked Jenna “You said you saw, if only briefly. Couldn’t she explain all this?”

“But how would I find her, the last time she found me and well... I don’t exactly have any wolf senses anymore so I can’t track her”

Balto paced up and down the deck for a few moments and then continued to talk...

“What does this mean for me now? Am I like this forever? Do I just carry on like nothing happened...? I just want answers”.

Balto simply stood still and took in the view of Nome from his boat, although he meant the questions he’d asked part of him wanted to ignore the questions and get out there and be the 100% Husky Dog he had always dreamed of being. It seemed for the first time in his life, he was happy... or so he thought.

The midnight sun was now in the sky burning with its orange glow whilst the town of Nome was asleep. Balto had decided to get some rest, whatever had happened he felt weak because of it, but his sleep was restless again like it had been since Aleu and the other puppies were born...

Balto found himself walking across the same icy plain like before, but it was different this time as it was all quiet with nothing in sight. Balto felt un-easy, despite it being quiet he could feel that someone was there watching him. He crept forward in a defensive posture hoping to get the upper hand on who ever it was watching him... but WHACK! He was hit across the face by something and was knocked to the floor... Balto was dazed but determined to get his own back on whoever it was, so he turned to face his attacker... to see a large wolf looking down on him. The wolf was coloured a light grey and was nearly twice the size of Balto, the wolf looked disgusted at Balto like he was he was a great disappointment to his eyes. But Balto felt like he knew who this wolf was somehow, although they had never met before.

“Look at you!” said the Wolf. “Just look at you now... it’s pathetic”.

“Who are you?”Asked Balto who had now stood up to stand up to his attacker.

“Don’t you recognise me? Then again I shouldn’t get my hopes up since you’ve virtually ignored me for most of your pitiful existence”

“I don’t understand... ignored you? I’ve never met you before” stated Balto.

The Wolf quickly struck Balto again giving him no chance to defend himself, the wolf then pinned Balto to the icy ground.

“Do you remember when we where both just a tiny pup, we where so alone, so scared that we couldn’t find mommy... we ran and ran until by chance meeting we met daddy... and well... we knew exactly how he felt...” said the wolf.

“I don’t want you in my life anymore! You understand that kid? You’re on your own, beat it! Get lost! I wish I hadn’t met your mother!” said a male voice from the surrounding darkness.

“He didn’t want us... so you gave up on me all together and tried to be the best little Husky Dog you could...” continued the Wolf. “But the ‘struggle’ was far from over”

“Out of my way lobo! ... Hey Balto I got a message for your mother... You honestly think any musher would put you on his team? You’re even more mixed up than I thought” said a very familiar voice from the darkness.

“Are... are you me?” asked Balto.

The wolf then let go of Balto and began to circle around him.

I was you, a very big part of you. But I’m gone now... I was your strength, your courage the only thing you had going for you. With out me... you’re nothing... you need me!” shouted the wolf.

“No! I don’t need you! I don’t want you! Leave me alone!”...

Balto then woke up with a fright, his heart was pounding and he was almost in tears. He was shaking so badly that he needed some fresh air to calm down so he went outside. All  he was doing was marching up and down the same spot mumbling to him self, but then what he was saying to himself became clear...

“This is what I want... relax Balto your fine, you don’t need him... You’ll show him...!”

Balto wanted to look at his reflection once more to further convince himself that what he was saying was true... he found a tub of water and went to look at his reflection... to see at first his old face, he shook his head and then saw his new face, the dog he ‘always wanted to be’.

Balto was sitting along the shoreline just outside Nome watching the fishing boats coming into the port. As he was watching he was joined by a familiar face.

“Hey dad” said Dingo.

“Hi son, how’s things?” Balto replied.

“How’s things? Your the one who has had a life changing experience, and your asking me what’s going on in my life... that’s just you in a nutshell isn’t it”

“Well you know, my kids always come first. So answer the question, how’s things?” said Balto.

“I just got back from San Francisco, the family I’m living with went down there for a reunion... We went by boat... and I discovered not only am I sea sick but eating Lobster doesn’t agree with me. I may never look at sea food again.”

“And Kodiak?”

“He’s fine, still dreaming about... well everything. You heard the latest career choice after the ‘guard dog’ fiasco fell through, he’s wants to work the mail run... yeah right that will happen...”

Balto was silent still watching the boats coming in, Dingo was really concerned about his father’s well being.

“Your turn dad, what’s the matter? You should be happy?”

“ I am... at least I think so...”

“ Dad, whatever is that’s on your mind... get over it” said Dingo

Balto turned to look at his son, Balto was caught off guard by what his son had suggested.

“What?” replied Balto

“I said get over it, whatever it is that’s stopping you from enjoying the thing you’ve always wanted. Screw it up into a little ball and throw it away dad, all what matters right now is what you want. Maybe it doesn’t matter why this has happened, you should just enjoy the fact that it has. Just this once, think about what’s best for you... that’s my advice” said Dingo.

Balto smiled at the advice he was given, he realised that his son had grown up a lot since the last time they had spoken all those months ago.

“My, you’ve grown up from the pup that used to chase his own tail in hopes of catching it” said Balto.

“ Well I learned from the best” replied Dingo. “Go into town, do something fun today”.

Balto thought he was right, and hugged his son for the advice. Then Balto started to walk away towards the town. Dingo watched his father, his hero go. Dingo then turned towards the horizon and started to think about things, and then said to himself...

“Huh... I nearly caught the darn thing once... I wonder??”

Meanwhile in town things where going as they usually do, especially for the now jobless and terminally bored trio of Nikki, Kaltag and Star. Although their unemployment was a temporary thing due to the summer, all they where doing was just sitting and staring at the passers by in the street. Until...

“How long is it until winter?” asked Star.

Kaltag glared at Star and simply replied...

“For the 15th and final time... another three and a half months to go”

“This is so boring! I hate summer! No snow, there fore no sled team, and not to mention the fact that...”

“SHUT UP!” interrupted Kaltag “Oh for the love of God shut up! You have done nothing but complain all summer and it’s starting to irritate me now!”

“Well if you find me so irritating then why are you still here!” snapped Star.

“I have no where else to go! And neither do you! So I guess we’re stuck with each other!” shouted Kaltag.

Both of them went silent for a few moments...