he said, dropping the now dead husky, "I...never expected to kill him.  It was an accident...But I couldn't help myself, after what he did to you...I couldn't bear to see you..."

"You...you were...worried about me?" I said, shocked.  Scince when did he, of all dogs, care about me?

"Of course I was.  Why do you think I attacked him?"

I frowned.  "It's just that...you never acted like you...like you cared about what happened to me."

Oso blinked twice. "Are you saying you would rather have had me not save you?"

"No, it's not like that...But...I just can't explain it.  I'm very grateful that you saved me.  Really."

He squinted at me, searching my eyes.  He sighed.  "So...where are your owners?  It's unusual for you to be out here all by yourself."

Inside I was relieved at the change in subject, but outside I let no emotion cross my face.  "They're inside the store.  I'm not sure when they're coming out."

Oso nodded, looking at the husky's carcass.  "I suppose I'll have to hide this."  he then picked up the body, and looked at me.

"Du yu wand do cum wish ee?" he said through the fur.

I was preparing to say no, but then I thought about what the husky had nearly done to me, regardless of the empty street.  I nodded, and was preparing to follow when the shop door opened.  Oso grinned at me before running off, turning a corner as soon as Rey ran out of the shop, apparently glad that she wasn't in the shop anymore.  I stood up, wagging my tail and panting, despite what had happened in their absence. 

When we got back to the house, the sun was beginning to sink lower and lower into the sky.  I ate my dinner of stale kibble, then laid down on my bed, thinking about Oso and how he had saved me.  I was still confused about why he had rescued me from...I didn't permit myself to think of that.  Eventually, a few hours after everyone else had gone to bed and were well asleep, my battle with my heavy eyelids was lost, and I drifted to slumber.

When I awoke, nobody was up yet, so I went outside, not expecting to see anyone.  But, as I shook my fur, I saw Oso sitting not too far away, smirking at me as if he had been waiting for me to come out. 

"Hello." he said, his smile brightening when he saw me.

"Uh...Hi." I said, surprised, "Um...What're you doing here?"

His smile faded slightly, not by much, but enough for me to notice.

"Would you rather have me leave?" he said, his eyes hurt.  I stumbled for the right words.

"No, it's not that...What I meant to say was...Ugh!" I was beginning to get frustrated with him.  I tried pushing my way past Oso, but he just stepped in my way.  I sighed, defeated, as I tried to pass several more times, and he continued to block my path.

"All right, what do you want?" I said, scowling at him.  He grinned, then shrugged.

"I dunno.  What're you doing today?"

"Well, if you keep getting in my way, nothing."

He snorted, then took a few steps to the left, finally clearing my path.  I didn't remove my scowl, however, and shoved past him.  I felt his gaze as I walked farther and farther away, not really sure where I was going, until I crashed headfirst into a wooden pole.  I heard Oso snigger behind me, and (once again) I snapped.  I whirled around, my fangs bared.  Oso's grin immediatley vanished, and he leapt out of my way.  I slid to a stop, then whirled around to face him.

"What is your freakin' PROBLEM!?" I exploded in his face, "Can't you act like a decent person for five seconds?"

He frowned back at me. "I waited for you, didn't I?  And besides, I'm a dog, not a human."

"UGH!  You.  Are.  Impossible!" I yelled, stomping back into the house.  I threw myself on my bed, muttering curses about Oso.  Eventually, I exhausted myself, succumbing to sleep.  That was the first night I dreamed of Oso.

A German shepherd lies in a huge clearing, blood running out of a serious wound.  The snow around her is stained red, and she can barely move.  Snow turns to water in her pelt, which his rapidly losing body heat.  Her breathing is shallow, rattling breaths, as if she's clinging on to life.  Suddenly, a warm body is next to her, warming her, and giving her strength.

I woke up panting, as if I'd run a mile in my sleep.  Why in the world was I dreaming about-I shuddered as I thought of his name-Oso?  Why should I, after I hated him so much? 

~*~One Month Later~*~

It had nearly been half a year since we had moved to Nome, and I still didn't like Oso.  He waited for me outside every day, perking up as soon as I came out of the doggie door.  Maybe it was because he was so nice to me, and me alone (I once saw him growl at another husky for no particular reason), but I began to feel sorry for being so mean to him.  After all, he had saved me from a lifetime of sadness.  What right did I have to treat him like I did?  I was even beginning to look forward to seeing him in the morning.

One morning I came outside and was about to apologize for being late (I overslept that morning, something I rarely did) when I saw Oso snarling at a black husky that looked strangley familiar, but different in a certain way.  The husky's ice-blue eyes were aflame, hatred and rage overflowing in them. 

"What-?" I began, but I was cut off by Oso, who was pointing his tail at me.

"That's her.  That's the dog that your father tried to...to..." he said, seeming to become angrier with every word.  The husky then snorted.

"I don't care what my dad tried to do to her.  I only care that you murdered him!  My dad may have been really messed up, but I still cared about him!"

"How could you care about him, after what he nearly did to Lucy, and probably did to hundreds of other dogs?" Oso snarled back.

"Look, I'm sorry that he did what he did, and if he traumatized her or something, but you still killed him.  I can never forgive you for doing something like that."

"So you decided to wait a whole month to tell me this?"

"It took a while to find his...his body, okay?"

Oso snorted, then turned, pushing me away from the husky. 

"Oso, what-?" but I was silenced once more by the look he gave me.

"Be quiet for a minute.  Please?"

I nodded, walking in the way he was pushing me.  Oso's body blocked my view of the husky, but I could hear him snarling, much more than was probably needed.  When I was a few feet away, Oso turned, snarling back at the husky.

"At least let me avenge my dad's death." the husky whispered, his voice barely reaching my ears.  Oso snarled even more, accepting his challenge.

"I warn you, though.  You won't leave unscathed." Oso said to him, taking a few steps forward.

"And neither will you!" the husky yelled back, charging forward.  The two dogs clashed together with a sickening crunch.  The husky snapped at Oso's neck, while Oso grabbed on to the husky's ear and pulled.  Really hard.  The husky yelped in pain, and grabed Oso's neck, the tip of his muzzle lost in the shepherd's thick fur.  Oso growled, shaking his head violently, the husky's ear nearly ripping off.  The fight was so gruesome, I found myself not being able to breathe.  The husky responded to Oso's attack by biting down on his neck.  Oso yelped, letting go of the husky's ear, which now had a huge chunk of it missing.

Blood began spilling from both Oso's and the husky's wounds.  Despite of his injury, the husky held on, shaking his head like Oso did.  Even more blood spilled, staining the snow with splashes of deep red.  Oso yelped, and tried to grab on to the husky again.  But the dog was quick.  He dodged Oso's jaws again and again.  The battle went on like that for several more minutes, but it seemed like hours. 

'I have to go and help him!' I thought.  I lifted my paw to take a step forward when I remembered how Oso had pushed me back.

'He knew that the husky wanted to fight him.  So he moved me to a safe area.  He didn't want me to get hurt.' I realized.  But, still, I didn't want to see him get hurt!  What I wanted to do and what I knew was right clashed inside of me.  After a few seconds of fighting with myself, I came to a decision.  I couldn't bear to see Oso in pain.  I would have to help him.  I raced forward, and clamped down on the husky's back leg.  He let out a surprised yelp, and Oso managed to free himself.  The husky whirled around, preparing to bite my neck.  I shut my eyes and braced for the impact.  But instead of pain, I felt something furry brush against my body.  A loud scream of agony erupted from what seemed to be everywhere. 

I opened my eyes to see Oso, his neck in the jaws of the husky.  Oso was the one yelping, blood pouring down his fur. 

"Let him go!  He never meant to kill your father;it was an accident!  He doesn't deserve this!" I screamed at the husky, tears sliding down my cheeks.  He looked at me for what seemed like years.  He sighed, and dropped Oso to the ground.  He turned and walked off, his figure getting smaller and smaller.  I watched him leave, then crouched down to look at Oso.  His injuries didn't look too serious, but enough to have me worry. 

I remembered a place that I had stumbled upon a couple of weeks ago; a large, warm room that most dogs called the Boiler Room.  I slid my muzzle under Oso's belly, putting him on my back, then started walking to the boiler room. 

About halfway there, I felt Oso stir, and I heard his voice, weak from the battle he had just had.

"...Lu...Lucy?"

"I'm here, Oso.  It's okay, the fight's