“

“Yeah,” Gemeni said. “We just got here, I’m a sled dog, that was my team and..”

Jenna interrupted her. “You’re a leader, my mate is a leader.”

“Who Balto?” Gemeni said, “yeah I know.”

“How do you know Balto?” Asked Jenna.

“Every sled dog knows about him,” said Gemeni.

“Every sled dog?” asked Jenna.

“Oh yes,” Gemeni said, “he’s an inspiration to all of us, I’d very much like to meet him, is he around?”

“He’s gone,” Jenna said, :but he should be back soon.”

“Oh, Gemeni said, business?”

Jenna nodded. Then she had an idea.

“I’m on my way to the old mill,” she said.

“It’s where all the dogs get together and talk. I need to tell them about Steele. Why don’t you come with me? I can introduce you to the other dog’s, since you’re new.”

“That would be great… I don’t believe I caught your name.” Jenna smiled,

“It’s Jenna,” she said.

“Okay Jenna,” responded Gemeni, “lead the way.”

There were a lot more dogs in the old mill than usual and they were all talking at once. Jenna couldn’t understand anything they were saying. She just heard mumbling. She stopped.

“Something;s wrong,” she said, “follow me.”

She led Gemeni through the mass of dogs, working her way up front. There she saw a brown dog named Drake talking to several others. She walked up to him.

“Jenna,” he said when he saw her. ”How’re you doing, we haven’t seen much of you since Roger moved into that cabin.”

“Hey Drake,” it’s good to see you too; we’ve been a little busy, lately.”

“Oh I understand,” Drake said, “you know last week we had to stop three thieves in the town?” “Really,” Jenna said, “that’s a lot.”

“Jenna?” Drake said, “what happened to you.” He had just noticed her wounds from the fight with Steel, if you could call it a fight. She had her side turned to him, so her friend wouldn’t see her shoulder.

“Who did this to you,” he said, “I promise I’ll find them and,,,”

Jenna interrupted him.

“Drake, I ran into… Steele.” She said.

Drake stepped back in surprise.

“Steele?” he said, “but that doesn’t make any sense.” Why, after all these years…”

he trailed off in thought.

“Oh no,” he said.

“What?” Jenna asked.

“Well recently we’ve had..”

A black dog walked up and cut him off.

“Drake,” he said, “we’re ready to make the announcement. “

“Alright,” Drake said, “well you’ll hear it soon enough.”

Jenna watched as he walked up on the platform the dogs used as a stage.

“Everyone, please be quiet for a moment,” he said.

The mumbling ceased. Jenna could feel tension in the room, could see it on all of the dogs faces. Jenna looked down, There was a small puddle of blood on the floor, dripping from her shoulder. She looked back up at Drake as he began.

“I know you have probably all heard the news,” he said, “Tristan is dead. He was killed… murdered yesterday afternoon, as best as we can tell.”

The room was instantly full of whispering again.

“We have no idea who did it, or we didn’t. Jenna,” as he said her name he looked down at her, “has just told me that on her way here she was attacked…”

The whispering increased.

“Don’t worry;” she’s alright, “a little worse for wear, but okay.”

He paused here

“She was attacked by Steele.”

Everyone forgot about whispering and just started talking then. “A few of them left the building.

“Now,” Drake said, “I have no evidence to prove that these two are connected, but I feel something is there. In the years since I took over for old doc as town judge, I’ve developed a kind of second sense about things, and my senses tell me that it was Steele who killed Tristan.” “I’m sorry that we don’t have anything else to tell you at this time, however as the situation develops, we’ll let you all know. Thank-you for coming, and be careful on your way home,” He finished.

Drake stepped down from the podium.

“When did you hear about Jenna?” The black dog said, as he walked up to Drake.

“That was her I was talking to when you walked up,” Drake said.

Jenna walked towards Drake, and fell as her injured shoulder gave out on her.

“Jenna!” Drake said, as he rushed over to her. He saw her shoulder then.

“Oh Jenna,” he said. “We need to get you to doc.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jenna said.

“No,” Jenna you won’t,” he said. “Come on I’ll take you.”

“Okay,” Jenna relented. She stood up slowly.

“By the way,” Jenna said, “I’d like to introduce you to someone.” Drake saw Gemeni then. His heart almost, stopped, time sure did.

“Drake?” Jenna asked, smiling, because she knew that glazed look.

“What?” Drake said, shaking his head,

I’m sorry, what was it that you said?”

“This is Gemeni,” Jenna said.

“Hello,” Gemeni said.

“Hi,” was all that Drake could think of.

“This is Drake, he’s our town judge. It’s his job to right all of the wrongs that go on here.

He shook his head again. Gemeni smiled.

“Jenna let’s go,” he said “Uh.. Gem..men ni?”

She nodded,

“It’s Gemeni,” she said, smiling at him again.

Jenna grinned at him too; it was funny to see her normally cool headed friend stumble over words.

“Right,” he said, “Gemeni, do you want to come with us?”

“Oh, I’m coming,” Gemeni said, “I wouldn’t abandon my new friend.”

“Let’s go then,” he said.

He led the three of them out of the mill.

Chapter X

It didn’t take them long to reach doc’s. He took a look at Jenna, and fixed her up nicely. He was good to take care of animals if they came to him. If a dog got into a fight and needed help, as Jenna did, they knew that they could always count on doc.

He put a bandage on Jenna’s shoulder and put some stuff in her mouth that really stung at first, but gradually she felt a little better. He talked to her as he worked

“What I’d like to know,” doc said to her, “is who would beat up you? Usually it’s the strays and more rambunctious types who come to me, Balto’s been in here his share of times, but why you? You never get into fights, at least, judging from the way you look now, you shouldn’t. I bet Balto going to kill someone when he gets back, huh?”

Jenna barked at him.

“I don’t know why I talk to you guys,” he said, “I guess it just gives me something to do while I work, I know you can’t understand me.”

He stopped working for a moment and thought about what he’d just said. He laughed and started working again.

“Look,” he said, “now I’m telling someone I know can’t understand me that they can’t understand me. He laughed again.

“Well girl, that should fix you up pretty good.”

He patted Jenna on the head and she stood up. Doc reached down and picked her up and grunted as he set her on the floor.

“Wow Jenna,” he said, “you’re not a puppy anymore, are you?” “About broke my back. I remember when you first came here, Rosie brought you in for some shots, and she was just sure you were gonna die. She was so worried. Heh, then I could hold you in my arms, you weren’t very big. You’ve grown up pretty good. Well girl I guess that’s all,” he said. “Stay out of trouble,” he said, he bent down and patted her on the head one more time and she licked his hand. Then he stood up and opened the door into the alley.

Jenna limped outside, she felt a lot better, but she wouldn’t be getting anywhere quickly for a while. She saw Drake and Gemeni talking. She smiled, she was glad Gemeni had made a friend.

While Jenna was in Doc’s, Gemeni and Drake waited outside.

“So,” Drake said, “you’re a sled dog?” He said gesturing to her harness.

“Yeah,” she said, “we’re probably going to be here for a week or so.”

“So you’re leaving then.” Drake said.

“Yes,” she said, eventually. I live in Groone. It’s about,” she turned until she was facing the sun. “sixty miles that way.”

“Sixty miles,” Drake said.

“Yeah, kinda far huh?”

“Yeah,” Drake said.

“Who is this Steele, and why is everyone afraid of him?” Gemeni asked.

He lived here a little while back,” Drake said, “when I was just a pup. Steele was the fastest sled dog around…”

“Heh, I bet I could take him” Gemeni said.

Drake continued. “He ran with a man named Smith, there was him and three other’s, Kaltag, Nikki and Star, they’re with Balto now.”

“On the mail team?” Gemeni asked.

“Yes,” said Drake, “but then they picked on Balto incessantly. “All Balto really wanted was to be accepted by them. See he wanted badly to be a sled dog, but since he was part wolf, the humans wouldn’t give him a chance. He used to