waiting.

“What was it?” she asked.

“Steele again,” Drake said, “I’m almost sure of it.”

“Poor guy,” Gemeni said, “he was so young.”

“Jenna,” Drake said, “I am walking you home, and I don’t want to hear another word about it, understand?” Jenna nodded. The three then continued to the shed.

Chapter XI

Drake and Jenna were walking on their way to Jenna’s house.

“Drake,” she said, “why do you think that Steele has decided to attack me?”

“I don’t know Jenna,” Drake said. “It’s a mystery to me too. He may be trying to draw Balto out, or he might’ve come for Balto and found you instead…

I don’t know.” He looked up and saw the cabin there. “Come on let’s go, this is probably the only place you’re safe in Nome now. Steele doesn’t know about it.”

They entered the yard, and walked over to the back of the cabin, where the pantry was. “Jenna, Drake said, “I want you to stay here, until Balto gets back, he’ll know how to handle Steele , okay?”

“Yeah,” Jenna said, “you’re probably right.”

“Well, I better be getting back to town, they’ll be looking for me to help find that kid’s parents.”

“Be careful,” Jenna said.

“I will,” Drake said. He turned and left Jenna watched him for a while thinking how different things might be if she’d stayed with him, instead of…

“No,” she thought, “don’t think of that, it’s been so long since any of that happened. Just leave it in the past.”

She nosed the doggie door open and hopped through. She walked to the window and looked out at the beautiful snow. She remembered her dream.

“I hope you’re wrong Balto,” She said quietly.

Then she turned around.

“Nice to see you again Jenna,” Steele said.

Jenna was extremely frightened. She didn’t have anyone to protect her this time.

“Steele,” she said, panicking, then an idea came to her.. “Why don’t you come over here?” She tried to keep her voice calm, but knew she must be shaking. “She turned around, “Balto’s gone and…”

She had a hard time saying it, even if it wasn’t true.

“I’m lonely…”

Steele smiled.

“So you’ve finally come around huh?” He said, “took long enough.”

Jenna batted her eyes at him and hoped he couldn’t tell she was about to cry. Steele grinned again and started forward. Jenna shook her head and gestured for him to follow her. Then she lifted her tail slightly and walked into the house, she hoped no one was at home. She walked to a corner and sat down. Steele followed.

“You know,” she said, “Balto’s no fun, he likes to stick to the rules too much.”

She stood up and walked past him, brushing his face with the end of her tail.

“But you… you don’t mind bending a few of them, do you?”

He laughed softly and followed Jenna with his eyes.

“Like what you see?” She asked.

He nodded, transfixed.

“Well so does Balto, she said, changing the tone of her voice sharply and narrowing her eyes, “and I’m waiting for him.”

“What?” Steele said.

Then Jenna leapt straight up in the air and hit a lever that was sticking out of the wall. An ironing board came crashing down on Steele’s head. It hit him with a ThunK! and he sagged to the ground.

“Yes!!” Jenna yelled, as she jumped in the air. She yelped as she came down o her hurt leg.

“That was dumb,” she thought”, that hurt.,”

Jenna hoped she’d killed him, but she could see that he was still breathing. She kicked the unconscious Steele. Then she ran out of the house.

Jenna caught up with Drake just before he reached Nome.

“ Jenna,” Drake said, “I thought I told you to stay at home.”

“ Steele was there,” she said gulping down air from her run. Drake stopped walking.

“Steele? At the house?”

“Yeah,” Jenna said, “I lured him into the kitchen and dropped the ironing board on his head.”

“You did?” Drake said.

“I told you I could take care of myself, Jenna said smiling.”

“Then why are you here?” Drake asked, smiling back at her.

“It only works once,” Jenna said.

“ “Okay, maybe you should come stay with me till Balto gets back…”

Jenna cut him off. “No,” she said. “

But, why?” Drake said.

“ Drake,” she said, embarrassed “it wouldn’t look right.”

“Oh yeah, “sorry Jenna,”

“What if I stayed with Gemeni,” Jenna said.

“That’d be good,” Drake said.

“Let’s go” Jenna said. The two of them started running toward the shed.

“Of course she can stay with us,” Gemeni said. “Come on in.”

Jenna stepped into the shed. “Well come on I’ll introduce you to the team,” Gemeni said.

She led Jenna into a large room, where the team was staying. There were eight dogs there, two gray ones that were lying on a bale of hay, a brown one who was lying on his side, an orange one who was talking to a red one, another red one standing beside it and two that were as white as the snow, who were just looking at her.

“Jack,” Gemeni said.

One of the two grey ones raised his head.

“Come here.” She said. Jack got up and walked over to them. “

What is it Gemeni?” He said, “Hellloo who is this?” He asked when he saw Jenna.

“Down boy,” Gemeni said, “this ones already spoken for.”

“Oh, well I am sorry miss.” He said, “name’s Jack.”

“Hi,” Jenna said.

“Jack,” Gemeni said, “Jenna here is in trouble, and needs to stay here for a couple of days. I met her out in town.”

“The one who was getting attacked?” Jack asked.

“Yes,” Gemeni said.

“Hey,” one of white dogs said, “I wouldn’t mind attacking that.”

This made Jenna feel extremely uneasy.

“Gus, Gemeni yelled, “what the hell was that?” The other white dog gave him a slap on the face. Gus realized that this had not been the time to voice his opinions on their new roommate. “

Sorry,” he said.

“I’m sorry about that Jenna, they’re just guys,” she glared at Gus. “And really nice ones when you get to know them.”

“It’s fine,” Jenna said. The orange dog got up and walked over to Jenna.

”Don’t mind these creeps,” she said, “they think of two things, sledding and girls.” She leaned over and whispered in Jenna’s ear. “A bunch of idiots, if you ask me.” Jenna smiled.

“My name is Charlene,” She said,.

“Hi Charlene, Jenna said. Charlene smiled

“All my friends just call me Char.”

“Okay Char, Jenna said.

“You’ve already met Jack and Gus, the red ones over there are Mitch and Dix, they’re mates.”

As if on cue the two red dogs leaned over and nuzzled one another.

“The brown one over there is Heran and the two white ones are Gus and Lucky…”

Here Jack interrupted her. “And the grey, lazy son of gun that I was next to is my twin brother Mac.”

“Hello,” Jenna said.

Some of the dogs looked up at her and nodded, two were asleep and the two red ones stood up and walked over.

“Hi,” The male said. “I’m Mitch and this is my mate Dix.”

“Glad to meet you,” Jenna said.

“Don’t worry,” Dix said looking up into her lover’s face, “they may seem a little rough around the edges, but they’re a well meaning bunch. She smiled and looked back at Jenna.

“You’ll be safe here.” “If there’s anything we can do for you, let us know.” Mitch said.

“I will,” Jenna responded, “thanks.” The two then turned around and walked back down into the room.

“Like she said,” Char continued. “They’re a good bunch, you just gotta get to know’em. Come on I’ll show you around. Jenna followed as she walked down to the team. Gus walked up to her, followed closely by Lucky.

“Hey…uh Je..,” he stopped. “What was your name?”

“Jenna,” Jenna answered.

“Oh yeah, well my mate…, Ow! He yelled as Lucky hit him in the side with her paw. “Okay, geez… I’m sorry, about what I said,” Gus said, “it was out of line.”

“Thank-you,” Jenna said. He turned to Lucky.

“Now can I get some sleep?” He asked. She hit him again and they both walked away. Jenna smiled.

“Hey come on,” Char said, “I’ll show you where we get fed.”

She led Jenna into another barn. In there were nine food bowls with the dog’s names on them.

“You can share mine,” Char said. “I get more than the other’s anyway.”

“Why is that?” Jenna asked.

“Well the musher’s kinda mad about it, but… I’m going to have puppies soon, well,,,,, I think it happened during our last stop.”

“Oh Char,” Jenna said, “that’s wonderful. Is it your first?” Char nodded.

“So who’s the dad?” Char was silent. “Is something wrong Char,” Jenna said to her new friend.

“Well… actually… I don’t know….