Pages: 286

Words: 45,341

Started: 02/10/05

Finished 03/12/05:

Note: This story was inspired by Balto, (copyright 1995) and Balto 2: Wolf Quest (copyright 2000) by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. The character’s Blaize, Jadze, Shadow, Dash, Melody, Shasta, Max, Flash, Timbre, Sheik, Lima, Jeuke, Gia, Euean, Tyruoe, Baeowe, Kilu, Raminou, Jiurus, Niejus, Raeona, Bundae, Hiluck Knidu, Hiakue Meko, Julic, Raye Gemini, Drake, Jamie, Tim, Tycha, Balto Junior Tango, Shairry, Tiru, Raize, Jadze and, Yukon, and the events of this story are copyright 2005 by Anthony Rotramel. The other characters are copyright by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.

Chapter I

Aleu stumbled through the blinding snow.

“My gosh,” she thought. “This storm picked up fast.”

She had been on her way back to the cave. She’d gone hunting.

“By myself for once,” She thought.

It had taken a lot of convincing, but Shadow had finally agreed to let her go it alone, after all. There weren’t any other wolf packs here, that would try to attack her.

She smelled something strange.

“A child?” She thought, perhaps it had wandered away from the cave.

“I am getting close,” she thought.

She decided to investigate.

It was a little while before Aleu stumbled onto the young pup. She didn’t recognize her as one of their own. So she knelt down, and sniffed it.

She took a step back in surprise. The pup bore the scent of the Onasie clan.

She looked at it; the pup was so small.

“I wonder how she came to be out here, she’s a long way from home.” Aleu thought.

Her first inclination was to turn around and walk away, which she started to do, then the mother in her kicked in.

Aleu sighed and looked back at the pup.

“I can’t just leave her here, can I?” She asked herself.

She sighed again.

She knew what she should do.

“But what are you going to do?” She thought.

Again she stared at the pup.

The Onasie clan was the only real threat that Aleu’s pack, the Talbourne clan, had at the moment. In fact the conflict between them was reaching full out war.

“What do you care, if one of their pups wandered away… and is…. Freezing to death…”

She stopped thinking, and walked over to the small wolf’s side. She took another step back. It was Raye.

“This is the successor to the entire Onasie clan!” Aleu thought. “If Raye goes, then eventually the entire clan will as well. Walk away, it’s not your fault that she wandered out like.... this.”

She started to walk away; then she turned back around, looking at the young pup.

“What if it were Sheik, or Lima and they had wandered off, into another clan’s territory.

She sighed, walked over to it, and picked the pup up.

“Aleu, you’re back.” Shadow said, “I was worried, cause of the…”

He stopped.

“Aleu, what… who is that?”

Aleu looked at Shadow.

"Shhh," Aleu said, dragging him over to the corner.

"It's Raye," she whispered.

"RAYE!" Shadow yelled.

"Shhh," Aleu said.

"Aleu, what went on out there?" Shadow asked.

Aleu hung her head.

"I couldn't just leave her out there in the storm, could I?"

"Well I would have," Shadow said, "you know bringing the daughter of a clan that we are barely, and I mean teetering on the edge of war with, back here.... it's asking for trouble.

"Well, no one else needs to know she's here, I'll get in contact with the Onasie clan, and get her back before anyone notices."

"Aleu," Shadow said, "that's harboring the enemy, that's a deadly game to play."

"Yes, yes," Aleu said, "but she's so small.... she doesn't need to be affected by things she cannot control right now, who knows? Maybe she will come to power in twenty years and end this little dispute. I don't think her father will stop, until his entire pack is dead. "

"I agree," Shadow whispered, "which is why..."

"Who's the little one?"

Aleu looked at Shadow.

He shrugged and they both turned to face whomever had discovered them.

Aniak stood behind them.

Aleu breathed a sigh of relief.

"Aniak is my best friend," Aleu thought. "My secret will be safe with her."

"So...?" Aniak asked.

"Oh.. umm Aniak this.... this is Raye." Aleu said.

"Why is she here!?" Aniak almost yelled.

Aleu had never seen her get this upset before, she was always so calm and cool....

She marched over and grabbed the pup, which woke up, and seeing all the strange faces around, began to whimper.

"Aniak?" Aleu said," Stop, Aniak she's... she's only a baby."

"Only a baby of a rival pack," Aniak said, as she walked angrily up the shelves of rock, that lined the inside of their home.

Aleu looked at Shadow and he nodded, though a little hesitantly.

Aleu took off, running after Aniak, who had made it to the third shelf.

"Of about twenty." Aleu thought.

She followed Aniak all the way to the top, sometimes having to dodge other wolves as they streamed about.

Aniak had stopped at the edge of the shelf, and looked down.

Then she held the young pup over the edge.

"Aniak no!" Aleu screamed.

Aniak sat the whining pup on the ground.

She actually growled at Aleu.

"What is wrong with her?" Aleu thought.

"She is the enemy!" Aniak hissed.

"She's just a pup," Aleu said, "she can no more change the blood that flows in her veins any more that you can stop the moon coming out at night. She has done nothing to harm us. Why? Why are you acting like this?"

Aniak smiled at Aleu, a familiar kindness showing through, but only momentarily.

She glared at Aleu.

"That is something that a wolfdog would not, could not understand." Aniak said flatly.

This remark struck Aleu harder than any blow she could have received, and she took a step back.

"Did I just hear what I think I heard?." She asked herself.

Aniak picked up the young dog again, and it started whining again.

"Aniak please," Aleu said, "Please don't."

Aniak swung Raye over the edge of the shelf, holding her by the scruff of her neck.

The pup began to scream and kicked its legs.

Raye understood heights.

"Aniak," Aleu said.

She was about to play a card that she didn't really want to.

"I order you to let her go."

Aniak just laughed and shook the young pup over the edge so that it started crying even louder than before.

Aniak was about to let the pup go, to drop it to its death.

"No." Aleu thought, "forgive me Aniak!"

Aleu ran at Aniak and she let the pup go... but it didn't fall. Instead it caught onto Aniak's face with it's claws.

She screamed in pain.

The pup fell to the shelf, and scrambled out of the way as Aleu slammed into Aniak, knocking her backwards.

The wolf seemed to catch her balance… then she fell over the shelf.

"Aniak!" Aleu yelled as she snapped at her friend.

Aleu 's teeth sank into Aniaks paw, and she growled in pain, but Aleu began to pull her up.

Finally Aniak was back on the shelf.

Aleu let of her friends paw.

Aniak stared at the blood that ran out of the wound.

When she looked back up at Aleu, there was fire in her eyes.

“You… you attacked me?” She asked. “Over that little thing, over the enemy?”

She marched by Aleu, bumping into her shoulder and knocking her down as she did.

Aleu was left on the shelf, alone.

Raye walked over and nuzzled Aleu’s leg. She seemed to understand that Aleu had saved her.

Aleu looked down at the little pup.

“I hope I’ve done the right thing,” she thought.

“Then she attacked me, one of her own clan, her own pack! I could not believe it.” Aniak finished saying.

“Something must be done indeed,” one of the wolves around her said.

“Aleu seems to grow weaker each day with anything that involves violent action on another pack or clan,” said another.

“Maybe it’s time for a change in leadership,” said the first.

“Maybe…” Aniak said.

Chapter II

That night, Aleu stood out on the cliff, overlooking the mountain that the massive cave was dug into.

She came out here to think, and to be alone, when she needed to make decision's or even just to get away from the pack for a while.

"I wonder what my life would have been like had I not run away all those years ago," she thought. "I'd probably be at home now, living with Mom and Dad, not a care in the world."

She sighed.

"Sometimes I wish...."

Shadow walked out of the cave, and up beside her. It was still snowing quite