been gone a few days...Was he ok? Had something bad happened? She also had heard Dusty was gone. All she knew was that Balto and Dingo had agreed that they'd go look for him, and that she should stay home and rest.

Jenna padded by her side. "Something wrong?"

Shila sighed and put her head on the windowseal. "Just worried, like the rest of you."

"I'm sure Kodi's fine," Jenna nodded. Shila could tell that she was worried too, she could see it in her eyes.

That's when they heard the barking. Both dogs looked back out the window, and saw Dusty pacing outside the boat, while Aleu was skidding around the front of the boat, and finally halted under the window.

"I'd geeeet out here if I were you, Mom! We've got news!" She wagged her tail happily.

Jenna exchanged a glance with Shila, and they went outside.

Dusty was flattening her ears, looking somewhat embarassed.

Jenna ran forward, flattening her ears as well, but in small action of anger. "Dusty! Where have you been? The whole sled team has been looking for you, and Shila has had to take over both you and Kodi's spots!" Jenna looked outraged, and Shila sat down.

"By the way, where is Kodiak?" Jenna growled. "I want to have a nice, long talk with-"

"He's just confused." Dusty muttered, and looked up.

"Why?" Jenna wondered, and started softening up.

Alue jumped up in the air. "Oh, go ahead and tell them before I do, Dusty!"

Dusty hesitated, and finally looked up. "I think I'm...I think I'm going to have Kodi's puppies."

Alue was the first to speak after a deadly silence. "Well, aren't you going to congratulate her?"

Jenna thought for a moment. "That's...wonderful, Dusty. Congratulations!" Then she seemed to make sense of what she'd just said, and wagged her tail. "I'm happy for you."

Shila merely nodded, partly in confusion. The two had seemed angry at each other not long before...what had changed their minds?

Not only was this confusing, it was heartbreaking. Shila had actually grown attatched to Kodi in that one sled ride. But then again, she'd also grown that way to Dingo too.

Dingo seemed as ready as ever to declare his feelings for Shila, but Shila just didn't feel any sparks between them. To her, they were best friends. To Dingo, they were more, much more.

While the family went inside to celebrate, Shila could control herself no longer and ran off to search for Kodi, or Dingo, or just anyone who she could talk to.

 

She went down the alleyway. She had picked up Kodi's scent, and it led to here. She sniffed the air again, but couldn't seem to pick anything else up anymore. She was getting tired.

Finally, she sighed and let her tail droop to the snowy ground. Shila sat down, and pondered some thoughts for a while.

Even if she did find Kodi, what was she going to say? It wasn't like they could spend all their time together...especially if he was a father-to-be.

She lay down on the ground and put her head on her paws. Just then, a wolfdog padded infront of her and sat down. She looked up, and saw Kodi.

Shila jumped to her paws. "Kodi!" She exclaimed.

Kodi smiled. "Hi..." Soon his smile faded. "I suppose Dusty told you?"

"Yeah, she came by this morning. Alue was siked." Shila replied calmly.

Kodi jumped to his paws and padded further towards her, looking a bit nervous. "Listen, I need to know and I need to know now. Do you feel...something between us?"

Shila couldn't lie, and nodded slowly. "Something stronger than I've ever felt."

"Can...When can I see you again? I mean, alone, without everyone staring at us." Kodi flattened his ears.

Shila thought for a moment...was this right? In truth, she knew it wasn't. But she loved Kodi...didn't that make it right? "I suppose we can meet at that old cave you showed me the other day."

There was a nice, cool, private cave up and a few miles away from Nome.

"Great! Can...can I meet you tonight?" He shuffled his paws.

"Sure, Kodi-" She broke off when he put his muzzle to hers. When he stepped back-after what seemed like minutes-he was smiling and his gaze was softened.

Shila smiled back, and nuzzled him quickly. Then he left, and she sat there, gathering her thoughts. After a while, she got up and headed home.

 

Scene 10-Pregnant, Distracted, and Lonely

Over the next few weeks, Shila and Kodi met every night. Kodi used the excuse everytime he had a break from the sled-team. Shila did it whenever she could, using the excuse that she really liked this river where she could gather her thoughts.

Everyone bought it, and so far, everyone was happy.

All but Dusty and Dingo.

 

Dingo tried many times to catch Shila's attention, but it never worked. She was always too busy taking care of Emma, or joking around with Kodi. He didn't get it...

Kodi was a father to be, and Dingo was free and a real sweet, cocky dog.

So what did Kodi have that he didn't?

 

Dusty was getting angrier and angrier, as she pups inside her began to grow. Kodi was spending too much time with Shila, and the truth would come soon enough...Soon, Kodi would be stuck with her.

One day, when she was near to having pups, she padded over to Dingo's house. She scratched on the door, and Dingo poked his head out of the dog door.

"What is it, Dusty?" He yawned, and stepped out onto the front porch.

Dusty shuffled her paws, looking pitiful. "It's Kodi...I think he doesn't love me anymore...He likes Shila way better."

Dingo felt sorry for Dusty, but anyone could tell that Kodi liked Shila...

The thing was, Shila acted like she couldn't stand not being around Kodi. Kodi however, tried to hold his feelings in. But when Dingo saw how they looked at each other...it made his skin crawl.

"I'm sure he loves you too-" He began.

"But that's not it, Dingo!" Dusty finally cried, breaking in.

"He's been sneaking off every night and I don't see him anywhere else but on the mail runs!" She sat down and looked at her paws, tears running down her cheeks.

Dingo was shocked. "You mean...?" His brother was most likely cheating on his pregnant mate? That didn't make Dingo very proud at all.

"I-I came here to ask if you could find out if they really are...you know." She sniffed.

Dingo thought for a moment, and never replied. He left her on the porch.

 

Scene 11-Forbidden Meetings

Dingo saw Kodi slip out of his house, and look around to see if he was being watched. Dingo had hidden himself perfectly, so when Kodi went, Dingo followed.

He waited in the trees while Kodi sat outside an old cave, many miles from Nome. Dingo prayed in his heart that his brother wasn't doing what he thought he was...

Then Shila turned up, and Dingo's heart broke when she nuzzled Kodi.

They entered the cave, and Dingo stepped out from the trees. He sat down in the snow, and stayed until he was quite numb.

His dreams...hopes...had all been crushed. Kodi was breaking the law, and Shila wasn't making it any easier.

What am I to do? he thought.

He could turn them in easily, and then Kodi would have a choice; he could die trying to stay with Shila, or spend the rest of his life with Dusty.

But Dingo wasn't like that. Though he may have been jealous, he would never get Shila, or his brother, hurt.

He finally stood up, and slowly padded home. His paw pads hurt, but he ignored the frozen pains.

When he got to Nome, it was nearly dawn, and someone was waiting for him.

With the whole family.

END OF EPISODE.

Be on the lookout for a new one soon!

 

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