the finish line. Dan started to get tired, but kept running. Kodi and Kirby weren't seem to be getting tired, since were used to long distances, and kept their speed constant. They slowly started to leave Dan behind as the first house approached. When they were a few feet away, Dan pushed himself further, in a last attempt to win in first place, but it didn't work. Kirby won, with Kodi right behind him, followed by Dan. They halted, fighting not to slide on the snow. Dusty and Ralph soon joined them too. All of them started complimenting Dan for his skills.

- Wow, great work, Dan. – Dusty said.

- You have some talent! – Ralph said, also impressed.

- You really deserve a place in our team. – Kodi assured, making Dan feel proud of himself.

- No doubt. – Kirby nodded.

- Thanks, guys. – he said, appreciated.

After some moments of talk, the group decided to go to the boiler room to get some rest. They raced their way there, and the result wasn't different. Dan arrived third. They sat in their own places in the room, and started talking randomly about things in Nome and in nearby cities.

Dan was distracted, looking into the boiler. That vision was letting him drowsy. An image came to his mind, involuntarily. The face of a white wolf, with shining golden eyes. Surely that was Aniu. Suddenly, he just fell asleep.

Dan had a weird dream; he was standing in the middle of a world completely covered in mist. Apparently, he was the only person there. He looked around that fog sea, but it appeared that no one was there.

Suddenly, he felt like being watched, and turned back. There was a white wolf, standing there, with mysterious golden eyes. It was no one less than Aniu.

- I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, Daniel. - her voice was deep, and sounded like a distant echo, though she was close.

Dan walked closer.

- Aniu… then you're one of the great spirits. – he said, intrigued.

- A spirit guide. – she said. – I help people, mostly wolves and dogs.

She looked like a nice and wise person.

- Aniu… - Dan remembered the question that had bugged him ever since he had started walking on four legs. – What’s the point of all this? Why did the spirits do something so drastic like bringing a normal boy to Nome in the past and turning him into a dog? It just doesn’t make any sense.

- You're not what you think you are. - she answered. - Your story is much more complicated.

- More than this?

- Before you were born a human, you were a wolfdog, like now. You lived here, in Nome. After that you were born as a human, many years later, but you never stopped being a wolfdog inside. So much that you never got to be a true human, and your connection with this place was still very deep. So, we brought you back here, so you could experience what your soul was asking, and decide if you wanted to stay or to go back.

Dan thought. Then he was a dog all that time. That would explain why he felt so out of place in the human world he was in. He knew many people felt like that, but his case was special. He felt like not being what he was meant to be. It did make some sense.

- Who was I? - he asked.

- I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. You will have to find out that by yourself. - she answered. - Spirits can't interfear in one's destiny. Bringing you here was interference enough. But I can do something for you.

- What?

- I can bring you back to Olney. You could come back for good, or just tell your family and come back here. - she offered.

Dan thought. He couldn't leave forever. He had Luna now, and he realized, that was his true home after all, and that was who he truly was. He wanted with all his heart to stay there.

- I'll talk to my parents and then come back. - he said.

Aniu smiled.

- Very well. Go to the top of the mountain where you were transformed, next week, by the end of the afternoon. - she told him. - I will go with you to make sure your parents believe and understand.

- Thanks. - Dan said with a smile. Finally things would get completely solved.

- You didn't ask many questions, I noticed. - Aniu said.

- Some things it's better to learn alone. - the hybrid said. - Besides, you're a guide, not a manual.

The she-wolf smiled.

- There’s much about you that you still don’t know, Dan. – she said, apparently hiding deeper meanings. – But I'm sure you will be able to find out. The spirits already did their part. When it’s all over, it will be up to you. – she finished, and made a respectful bow. – Good luck.

The mist swirled around Dan, blocking his sight. Suddenly he was back in the physical world. He was laid in the boiler room with the rest of the sled team and some other dogs from the town sleeping around the place. Dan’s mind was spinning with all that had just happened. He got up, silently opened the exit door, and then rushed to Balto’s boat. It was already night. In his destination, when he finally walked up the wooden board to the boat’s deck, he saw Balto and Boris, sat, already waiting for him.

- Where have you been?! – the goose asked yelled. – Do you know what time it is?! We were worried about you!

Dan grinned at him.

- You’re not gonna believe it.

To be continued...