laughed.

“We’ll take care of them next time we get the chance.”

“When I’m leader of this pack.” Gia thought.

She smiled at Aniak and walked out of the chamber.

“I don’t like her,” Aniak thought, “there’s something about her, I.. I don’t like it.

“She nodded to Lightning.

“Take her down below,” Aniak said.

Lightning hoisted Aleu up on his shoulders, and moved out of the room.

“No, I definitely don’t like her”

Chapter VIII

“Uncle Balto,” the young gray dog whined, “When are we going to be there? We’ve been walking for hours.”

Balto looked down at the young pup.

“He sounds like me,” he thought, “when I was that young, man where did the time go?”

He smiled.

“Balto,” we’ve only been walking for like ten minutes, and besides, did I keep my end of the bargain? I got you out of the boat, did I not?”

“Yeah,” the pup said dejectedly, “I guess you did, but you always do, don’t you Uncle Balto?”

Balto laughed.

“I try, I try,” he said.

“Hey watch this,” the young pup said, as he ran at the edge of the building.

He jumped off of the roof.

Balto snatched him out of the air, saving him

from a fall that probably would have broken his neck.

“Junior you’ve got to be careful,” Balto said, as he dropped him on the roof.

“Your dad will kill me, if he figures out where we are, we’re supposed to be at the boat remember?”

“I remember,” the pup said.

“But what did I do,” Balto asked.

The pup looked at the ground.

“You said you’d take me to the race.”

“Yeah,” Balto said “and your dad is going to kill me if he finds out, now what do you think he’s’ going to do if I have to tell him that not only did I sneak you out of the house, but you also broke your neck jumping off of a building?”

The pup kept looking at the ground.

“Come on now,” Balto continued, “what were you thinking, you think you can fly or something?”

“No,” The pup said, looking back up to Balto. “I just want to go on an adventure I want to... to live a little, I hate staying in that boat all the time. I’ve been there my entire life.”

Balto laughed.

“Kid you’ve been alive for what, a whole six months?"

"Eleven," the pup corrected.

"Okay, okay," Balto said, "Eleven months, that's still not very long, you're only a year old, you’ve got plenty of time to live, besides living is not jumping off of a roof, you’ve got to be smarter than that.”

“You want my advice kid,” Balto said.

He sighed.

“enjoy the time you have, cause you can’t get it back.”

The young pup didn’t want to listen to anymore of this, so he started running down the rooftop again., and Balto followed.

Down on the sidewalk, Jenna too was at the race; she was hoping to see Balto here. He’d told her to meet him here, but then he’d been called away to watch Balto Junior

“She looked through the crowd, trying to find Balto.

“Oh great, she thought, “Jamie.”

The black and white husky walked up to her.

She smiled.

“Hi Jenna.”

Jenna kind of smiled, and looked at the ground.

“Hi.. Jamie.”

“Hey where’s Balto?” Jamie asked.

“Uhh, ya know Jamie I have no clue where he is.”

“Oh,” Jamie said, “well you want to watch the race with me?”

“I’d rather die,” Jenna thought.

“”You know,” Jenna said, “I really need to find Balto.”

She started to walk away.

“Well… can I help?” Jamie asked.

“Well, actually Jamie, I kinda need to tell him something that is kind of… um private, so you know, um..

Jenna turned and started to walk off.

“Yeah,” Jamie thought, she looked at the ground/

“I know.”

"Balto?" Jamie asked, as she ran up to him.

"Hey Jamie," Balto said, "good day?"

"Actually..." Jamie started, "...actually no."

"What's wrong?" Balto asked.

Jamie sighed.

"It's Jenna... actually."

"I don't know Balto, I keep trying to be her friend, but she... she won't let me. I don't know..."

Jamie noticed Balto kept looking around.

"..Balto are you listening?"

"What?" Balto asked.

Jamie looked at him and sighed.

"Never mind," she said, hanging her head.

"I'm sorry Jamie," Balto said, it's just that I'm watching my friend's kid today, and he keeps running away from me."

Jamie sighed again and turned to walk away.

"It must be blow off Jamie day today or something." She thought.

"Who am I kidding? Everyday is blow off Jamie day. I must have been crazy...I should just leave. I don't even feel like watching the race anymore."

Jamie turned around, and ran away.

Balto just watched her, confused.

He called after her.

"Jamie."

Jamie didn't stop, just kept on running.

"Huh," Balto said to himself, "wonder what's gotten into her?"

"She was acting kind of strange today, wasn't she Junior?"

There was no response.

"Junior?"

Then he looked around him.

"Dang it, again," Balto said, as he ran off to find the young pup.

Balto had found Junior in a dumpster.

The pup had told Balto that he’d climbed in the dumpster to see if he could get out, but then he couldn’t get out.

Balto rescued the little pup and gave him another speech about being careful, especially in town; where upon the pup disappeared again five minutes later.

Balto was looking for him, when he looked up and saw the most beautiful dog in the entire world.

“Jen?” he said.

Jenna turned around, and smiled as she saw him approaching,

“Balto? I thought you were supposed be watching Jr?”

“I was..uh am.” He stuttered.

Jenna smiled again.

“Balto, you know how Tim and Tycha feel about Junior coming into town.”

“I know, I know,” Balto said, “they think he’ll get hurt because he looks like a wolf, but.. but I feel sorry for the little guy, he never gets to get out of that boat, it’s not a good way to live.”

“Yeah Jenna,” said, “but Tim and Tycha are his parents, and they think that town is dangerous for him. Tim’s gonna kill you when he finds out.”

“Don’t worry Jenna,” Balto said, “I’ll tell Tim, I’m not gonna get Junior in trouble over this, it was my idea/”

Jenna smiled at him again.

“Balto, where is the little guy?”

“Umm.. well,”

Jenna was somewhat alarmed.

“Balto!?”

“Well, I’ll find him,” Balto said, “don’t worry, it’s me right?”

Jenna smiled at him again.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Balto grinned back at her.

“Hey, I’ve got to go find him, but I’ll talk to you when I get home tonight.”

“Alright,” Jenna said.

“Balto turned around and walked away.

Jenna watched him go.

“That’s the happiest I’ve seen him since the accident. “

A tear slid out of the corner of her eye.

“The accident,” she thought.

Then she turned and walked down to the sidewalk to watch the race.

Junior looked around the sled barn.

"Wow," he said.

He ran over to the lead of one of the teams.

"Hey there Balto," the big dog said.

"How'd you know my name?" Junior asked.

"What?"

The dog looked down.

"Oh hi there little fella, actually, I was talking to your friend here."

Balto grinned at the dog.

"What's up Kaltag?"

"Not much Balto," Kaltag said, punching him playfully in the shoulder.

"How's Max?"

"Oh she'll be better soon," Balto said, "you should hear her, she's pretty ticked off about missing the race today."

"I can imagine," Kaltag said, "I still want to know why you're not here."

"It's ah... family... issues."

"Oh Kaltag," said quietly, "sorry buddy.

"You and Jenna still doing okay?"

Balto nodded, and sighed.

"Yeah... but... but every time I think about it... I..."

He stopped talking and looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry Balto," Kaltag said. "I... I shouldn't have brought it up..."

Balto raised his head, and looked back up at his friend.

"No," Balto said, "I need to talk with someone about it, I.. I need to talk to Jenna about it, but...:"

"I understand buddy," Kaltag said. "Come on now, cheer up, let's think about better things, like sledding."

"Yeah Kaltag, um.. would you mind watching the little guy for me for a little while. Balto said quietly.

"Well I've got to race in an hour," Kaltag said, but until then I can, I'll show him around, might even give him the fever."

"Good," Balto said, "I'm... I'm just going to go think for a while."

"Okay," Kaltag said.

He sighed as he watched Balto walk away.

"Poor guy, he blames himself, he shouldn't, but he does No one