Run.

Iron ran, his chest heaving with the effort. His tan fur bristled in the winter winds, and as he ran, his tail waved in the sky, even though it was curled.

"Hey, speed up, Iron!" An impatient fae shouted from behind him.

The husky rolled his eyes. "We'll get there soon enough, Mags, it's not too far away. Look, I can even see it!"

The lead dog smirked and ran harder, pressing his team to go just a bit further. He knew Maggie was anxious about getting to Nome early. Everyone was.

The dogs had come back from a delivery trip. They came from Nome, Alaska, to Juneau, the capital. It was a long trip, and the dogs had missed their homes.

Like soldiers coming back from the military, the sled dogs would be treated with the utmost respect upon their return. They were delivering supplies, so of course they were thanked. Iron smiled as he even thought back to females stopping him on the street, asking him if he wanted to "hang with them in the boiler room". He chuckled aloud at this.

"Hey!" Maggie exclaimed behind him, "We're here!"

Iron's chest swelled with pride as he entered the town, seeing the beach first, and the beached ship. He ran harder now, and the team yipped out of pure joy. They, too, ran much harder than expected.

Too hard.

Maggie was pushed by Hunter behind her, and, of course, Iron was pushed ahead, too, and soon found himself skidding on his backside into the town. Not a very graceful entrance.

Iron found his feet in time, just as the humans and dogs peered out from their homes. At this time, the musher, Mark, yelled the command for them to halt, and the dogs skidded on their paws to a stop.

Iron's tongue lolled out of his mouth as he panted, and he smiled widely as the town dogs crowded around him, bringing up piles of the winter slush that lay undisturbed-well, until now-on the ground.

"Iron! Oh, you're so strong!"

"Iron!"

"Iron!"

The muscular husky kneaded the ground with his paws as the rapid voices called him, mostly the females. He looked up and smiled as best as he could, and mustered to say, "Thanks, all of you. But I couldn't have done it without my team."

Mark got off of the sled and unhitched the dogs. He patted Iron on the head gently, shaking hands with other humans who had gathered near them. Iron accepted rubs and pats while they congratulated them on a good delivery.

A crimson dog came running through the crowd, a smile on his face. Iron smiled as he recognized Gunner, one of his best friends. Around his crimson-furred neck was his usual red bandana, tied just enough so it hung loosely on his neck.

"Where's Maggie?" the husky asked impertinently, his tail wagging as fast as it could.

"Gunner!" The female ran to her mate and nuzzled him, and Iron smiled at the two. They were lucky to have one another.

Iron broke away from the group, ready to have a good night's rest in his favorite spot; a warm blanket in the boiler room. Not too many dogs went there, and if they did, they'd take a corner and gossip or do their own business. Iron was usually too much in a deep sleep to care about the build up of noise form dogs talking, and he chuckled at this as he entered the warm building.

The red blanket lay where it usually did, right near the fire. He yawned, stretching his paws and spine out, muscles contracting as he did so.

Iron laid on the blanket, letting the scents of it drift him to sleep.

***

"I disagree, Father. We can't steal from other packs, it's not right. Plus, spring is nearly here, and the caribou will come back."

Aniu lifted her chin boldly as she stated this, countering her packmate, Nanook's, statement. The black male lifted his brow questioningly, but said nothing to his superior. The white female lashed her tail as her father looked at her with unblinking red eyes.

"Good counter, Aniu," the Alpha said, his grizzled white coat matching his daughter's, "but Nanook is right. The caribou will come back, but until then we need..." he pondered the word, furrowing his brow, "...help from the other packs, unless you have another idea."

Aniu flattened her black-tipped ears, defeated. She looked at her father with narrowed eyes. "But stealing is against our beliefs, even if we're desperate," she said defiantly, hearing scowls from around the large cave, "and we cannot change our ways just because we're getting a little bit thinner."

"I agree, Aniu. The packs have a pact to not steal from eachother, lest there be a war between the packs. We do not need this, we're weak enough without as much food. Risking wars for a few bites of rabbit isn't worth it."

Aniu smiled and tipped her head to Nava, the tan male who backed her decision. "Thank you, Nava," she said, and she made her voice louder as she looked at the pack, "stealing is wrong. Can't you all see?"

The wolves looked to one another, disbelief in their eyes. Aniu looked to her father hopefully, but the male just turned his head away.

Looking to his daughter, Kuman said, "Unless you have another idea as to where we get our food, Aniu, we must get our food elsewhere-from other packs."

Aniu's fur bristled, she was stubborn to keep the pact with the other packs sacred and true. Defeated once more by her father, she looked away from the iron stare from other pack members. Nava touched his tail to her shoulder in a signal of friendship, and Aniu calmed down.

"I'm leaving," she said to Nava, "I cannot stand this wrong doing." The white fae got to her feet, and left from the huge cave, tail lashing furiously.

Aniu reached her den, kicked away the snow that had gathered in front of it, and squeezed inside. She curled into her nest, wanting to be alone as she slept.

***

Iron awoke from his long slumber to a lightened boiler room. Shaking his head of the drowsiness, he got to his feet and sat on his haunches, observing the place. Gunner and Maggie were asleep in one corner, and a few dogs who were there when he fell asleep were now gone.

He stood up now, feeling as if he should run. He always ran. It gave him lots of time to think, and some time to keep to himself without being disturbed by girls.

Heading to the beach outside of town, Iron's big paws tingled with the change from warm, wooden floor to the cold, outdoor stone of the street. He trotted briskly, but seeing doors opening and wanting to be unseen, he broke into a run.

His breath was a mist of white before his eyes as he neared the boat. Smiling, he decided to head to the woods beyond the known outskirts of Nome. Of course, he knew it-he'd been spending a week there with his team, heading back-so he knew how to get back. At least, he hoped he knew.

A rush of air and a prick of pines underfoot came as he entered the dark forest. Pine trees were abundant, and streaks of light from gaps in the trees made the ground shine.

The perfect place for keeping unseen and hidden, Iron thought.

A flash of white came at Iron's right. He swiveled in his step, sliding a little. He skidded on the snow, but regained his footing.

"Who's there?" He said gruffly, puffing his fur, as if to seem bigger. Inside, he was scared, but he wouldn't let that show.

A growl came from behind him. "Foolish dog, this is wolf territory..."

***

Aniu curled her lip at the sight of the dog. Smells of humans were thick on it, as was the smell of food. She raised her chin curiously, her teeth still bared.

"Well? Are you leaving yet?" She persisted the dog. Male, she could also tell from the scent, and he was around a lot of dogs. Especially females. Aniu wrinkled her nose.

The dog turned around, and Aniu could see his face.

Where he was standing, the light shone perfectly on his brown/tan fur. His hazel eyes shone brilliantly with the light as well. His face had a mix of bravery and fear on it, and Aniu laughed aloud. He was afraid of her. Afraid! Of HER! Most males wouldn't think twice about her, let alone pay attention to her.

"Umm...er..."

"Speak if you have a tongue for it!" Aniu snapped as the husky stuttered. She smiled inwardly as she remembered her father saying exactly that to her once.

The husky shook his head. "I had no idea wolves were here. My team went through here yesterday-we didn't see any wolves."

Aniu rolled her eyes, not understanding such "teams". Maybe such things were similar to packs, but she would never know.

"That's because you need to use what you were born with, prey-brain. Nose. Ears. You know, the things you sniff and hear with?"

The husky shrugged and rolled his own eyes visibly. "I'll just get out of your way, alright? You can forget about me now, okay?"

Aniu looked after him, then scenting food on him, she stopped him with a gruff bark of, "Wait."

"What? Are you going to humiliate me more? Or make me seem stupid?"

Aniu shook her head and laughed harshly. "Fortunately for you, no. I have to ask you of something, dog."

The dog looked interested for a minute as he raised a brow. "I'm listening."

She smirked. "I can scent on your fur that you have access to food, am I right?"

The dog nodded.

"If you want to roam these woods, give me meat. My pack is in need of food, we're starving. The only other option is stealing from other packs, and that's against our beliefs-well, against mine-are you up for it?"

The dog smiled. "I thought you looked a bit skinny. Yeah, sure, I'll do it. And by the way-my name's Iron, not 'dog'."

Aniu smirked. "My gratitude goes to you, Iron. I am Aniu, daughter of Kuman and Evyn."

Iron visibly relaxed, his tail curling. As if knowing Aniu's name really helped him. But that didn't matter. The pack wouldn't have to steal, and that alone made Aniu happy. She promised him rights of freedom, on the farthest area of their territory! Who would notice him there?

"Alright, I've got to go, Aniu. If you want meat, you've got it." Iron ran off, his tail curled and his legs pumping.

Aniu smiled a bit now, and thought, For a dog, he is quite handsome.

***

Iron stopped running and

1 2 3

Next page