It was early November in Nome Alaska.  People and dogs were going about their business in the twilight during the sunless months of winter.  The darkness cast a sense of calm and tranquility over the town, as if the sun’s sleep had descended upon everyone whether they were really asleep or not.  People were enjoying themselves as they thought of Christmas approaching, and even the dogs (who could not understand the full importance of this time) were much calmer and happier than they usually were.

Suddenly the peace was shattered by a howl that filled the morning air.  Several people stopped to listen, wondering what was going on.  A moment later, a speeding blur shot down the street.  It dashed past dogs and people, bowling several of them over.  Shouts of confusion and a few angry words followed it, but the dog responsible was hardly aware of the chaos.  All he cared about was that howl.

“Higuys!” he called to the mail team as he ran past them.  It was more a habit than a greeting.

“Hi…” Kodi started to say, but by the time “Toby,” came out, the mixed-breed was long gone.

“Was that Toby?” asked Dusty.  “I could barely tell it was a dog.”

Norik shook his head in amazement.  “Where was that speed when he was on the team?” he wondered.

Toby ran faster and faster, with his feet flying and his heart pounding like a jackhammer inside his chest.  The run was hardly more than a block, but to Toby it felt like a mile.  Screeching to a halt, he found Luna sitting on her front porch and apparently in no trouble whatsoever.

“Luna?” asked Toby, panting.  “Are you alright?”

Luna just smiled.  “I’m fine, Toby.  Just fine.”

Toby looked around.  “Where’s Arrow?” he asked, wondering if the pup had disappeared.

“ Eugene went to visit a friend and took Arrow with him.”

Toby was confused.  “Well, then why did you howl?  You sounded like you were in trouble.”

“I was happy,” she replied, turning to lead him inside.  “And I wanted you to get here so you’d be happy, too.”

“Luna, what are you talking about?”

In answer, she turned around in a circle.  “Do you notice anything different about me?”

Toby looked her over, but didn’t see anything different.  “You’ve had a bath?” he ventured, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Luna gave him one of her trademark “What am I, as lame as my sisters?” looks.  “Since when do I howl like that over a bath?  Besides, I said I was happy about it.”

Toby shrugged.  “OK, bad guess.”  He thought a moment longer.  “New collar?”

She shook her head, a definite smirk growing on her face.  “Wrong again.”

“Okay, I give up.”

Luna turned so her side was facing him.  “Toby, I want your honest opinion.  Do I look like I’m putting on weight?”

Toby blanched.  His father had warned him a long time ago that there was no right answer when a female asked any question about her appearance.  Well, maybe “right” wasn’t the right word.  “Safe” would be more accurate.

Luna read the expression on his face.  “Come on, this isn’t a trick question.  Just tell me, and don’t worry about how I’ll react.”

Toby studied her.  “Well,” he finally admitted, “you do look a bit on the large side.  Now why do you want to know?”

Luna’s secretive smirk grew.  “Remember when you were taking care of Loki and I told you that you’d make a wonderful father someday?”

Toby nodded.  “Yes, I remember that, but what…?”  Then his mind ground to a halt as what she was saying hit home.  “Luna, are you telling me that you’re…?”

She rubbed her nose against his.  “No, I think you figured it out just fine.”

Toby’s brain was frozen like an icicle.  “But… but I thought you said that your back problem…”

 “Hey, I know what the vet said,” she interrupted.  “The vet also said you should have died in the dogsled incident, and that the same accident that messed up my back should have killed me or at least left me crippled for life.  Remember?”

“Luna, are you sure this is for real?” asked Toby.  He knew how badly Luna wanted to be a mother, and in the back of his mind he was worried that all that wanting had convinced her it was happening, even after adopting Arrow.  He’d heard of cases like that before.

 She nodded.  “It’s not my imagination.  Arrow told me this morning that my stomach was ‘kicking’ her all night.”

Toby laughed and nuzzled her.  “That’s great!  I can’t tell you how wonderful this is!”

Luna was beaming as she rubbed her head under his chin.  “You don’t have to, because I feel the same way.”

“Did you tell her what it meant?” asked Toby, pushing his neck against hers in a canine embrace.

She shook her head.  “No, not yet.  I wanted to surprise you first.”

 He laughed again.  “Well, you sure did!”

She shrugged as they pulled away.  “It’s a hobby.”

“Hobby?” echoed Toby.  “Seems to me like you make a full-time job out of it.”  Then he winced as his own words reminded him of something.  “I just hope Dad doesn’t need any backup anytime soon, because I’m not going anywhere this time.”

Luna giggled– not a little girl kind of giggle or even a teenage giggle, but the soft giggle of a full-grown lady.  “Kind of ironic that we tied the knot so you wouldn’t need an excuse to take me on trips like that, isn’t it?”

“Oh, come on, Luna.  You know that wasn’t the real reason.  I just said it that way because I couldn’t think straight at the moment.”

Luna tilted her head to one side.  “Refresh my memory.  When did you learn to think, period?”

“Hey,” he protested, “I’m putting a career with my dad on hold, setting aside a life of adventure, and all you’ve got are insults?”

She furrowed her brow and studied him with a serious look on her face.  “Okay, who are you and what did you do with my mate?”

“Huh?”

She burst out laughing.  “Come on, Toby.  You?  No more adventures?  After everything we’ve gone through, I was beginning to think you’d never have enough chaos.”

Toby chuckled.  “Well, if our kids are anything like you, we’ll have more than enough trouble right here in town.”

“Eh-hem,” Luna countered dangerously.  “I believe you are the number one troublemaker around here, Tobias, not me.”

Toby raised an eyebrow.  “’Tobias?’” he echoed.  “Luna, you sound like my mother.”

“Under the circumstances, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Both of them laughed.  “We’ve had some hairy escapades, haven’t we?” asked Toby.

Luna made a face.  “Hairy escapades?  That was bad even for you.”

“Hey, I’m gonna be a dad.  I need to practice my bad jokes.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.  Was that a joke?”

Toby pretended to wince.  “Touché.”  He laughed softly and then let out a quiet sigh.  “We’ve done just about everything, haven’t we?  Tracking down criminals, babysitting a wolf cub, raising Arrow, getting rid of Steele…” he stopped when he saw the hurt expression on Luna’s face.  “Sorry,” he amended.  “Sensitive subject, I know.”  Luna looked at the floor.  “Hey,” Toby went on, “what your grandpa did has nothing to do with you, remember?”  He brushed his tongue against her cheek.  “And it’s definitely got nothing to do with us.”

She nodded.  “Yeah, I guess so.”

Toby smiled reassuringly.  “You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.  It won’t matter to them any more than it does to me.  You are who you are, and what more could they want?  Besides, they’re stuck with you anyway.”

Luna smiled, then turned and padded over to her basket.  “I guess now I’ll have to use this dumb thing,” she muttered with contempt in her voice.  “No way Connie’s going to let me on the bed once I start ballooning.”

Toby sat down next to her with a chuckle, and Luna rubbed her nose under his chin.  “So, any ideas for names?” she asked.

“Hmm…” Toby considered.  “Well, whichever girl looks the most like you, we’ll call her Eris.”

“Eris?”

“From Greek mythology.”  Charlie had been reading Greek myths for his homework, and Toby had picked up a story or two.  “She was the goddess of chaos and discord.”

Luna gave him a playful whack.  “If you weren’t my mate, I’d bite you,” she warned him.

 Toby chuckled.  “Well, I guess that makes me even luckier than I