“Your first action, do you remember?” She winked.

Of course! Oh, how he could forget! Mushing! Yes, he pulled sledge few times before and was in harness, too, but today... it was his first real ride!

“Oh yes,” he licked her maw as always. But he realized now it wasn’t like few weeks ago. Now, it wasn’t puppy’s affection. It was kiss... And she knew, too. She blushed slightly.

“We should be quick... Don’t let the others waiting...” She licked his maw, too.

Steele got up slowly. Today, he had to prove he was worth that $80 that had been paid for him almost year ago. He followed Flann outside.

Connell sighed as he spotted them. All he wanted was Flann’s love, but she kept claiming she didn’t like him. And the worst thing was Connell thought it was because of Steele. He smirked and pushed Steele away hissing: “Our little Steele… I will make sure you will mess it up! And… stay away from Flann!” Steele growled, but it was all he could do, because master called him.

“Connell… one day, I will kill you…” He swore as he was running to his master.

Connell didn’t hear this and brushed his body against Flann’s. “Flann?”

“Connell… I thought it was over. But you are still the same! I said NO!” Flann snapped.

“You won’t regret it… I am better than that scum…” Connell continued, licking his maw and tickling her under her chin with his tail.

“His name is Steele and I don’t love him!” But fro loving part, she wasn't so sure...

“I see…” Connell licked her back.

“And what if? It’s not your business!” Flann shouted and knocked Connell down, although he was stronger and larger. She scowled and trotted away.

Connell stood up. “We will see, Flann… we will see…”

Steele felt great. He knew being sledge dog is something he was born for. And he thought his mother and father would be proud. But there was something disturbing. Although his master knew he is new and inexperienced, he placed him right behind Connell, by Flann’s side.

Suddenly, he felt so nervous. He wanted to show off; he wanted to prove to Flann she didn’t give her care to somebody who didn’t deserve it. And… he didn’t want to fail. Connell would make hell from his life, if he did so…

He looked back nervously. Other team members were in a good mood, chatting with each other and joking, but his heart was shrunken, especially when he saw Flann. Her face wasn’t happy and cheerful as always but when she saw Steele, she smiled.

“Hope you will do your best…” she nuzzled him. Steele gasped. Connell was coming. And his look… He had never seen Connell like this.

“Remember, scum,” Connell growled when he took his leading position, “you will be always the second!”

**********

“Always second…” Steele sighed.

Balto smiled. “He was wrong. You were… I mean you are great. And you are the champion-”

Steele growled. He couldn’t forget that diphtheria matter. He still thought Balto ruined  his life, took Jenna away from him and … and… of course, it was his own mistake, but he was still angry because nobody even noticed that he, Steele, made more than a half of the journey for serum. If Balto wasn’t his half-brother, he would at least hurt him so much.

And Balto realized it, obviously.

“Sorry, bro,” he whispered silently. “You did great work on the serum run, too…”

Steele shrunk. “No… Connell was right. I am and I will be always the second… lemme continue…”

**********

Sled was riding through the outskirts of the city where Steele lived. He did well… or he hadn’t been told he was doing something wrong yet.

But Connell didn’t forget. He suddenly slowed and changed the rhythm. Steele was inexperienced and didn’t expect anything like this. His legs betrayed him. He tripped and fell down. And the rest of the team went with him. Clouds of snow raised by the fall hid whole scene. Just barking and howling showed something unusual was happening.

When snow fell down again there wasn’t single dog that was standing or was all right. Just one furry pile of bodies, imprisoned in harnesses and each member of this pile tried to get out desperately barking and biting everything around him or her.

And musher was down too. He got up sighing and set each dog free.

Connell looked at his team: “Everybody is all right?” He asked with well-pretended care. And when he saw nobody was hurt seriously he scowled. “And… I have one question…who, the hell, did this?!”  He didn’t wait for answer and pointed at Steele. “Steele! Do you realize you could kill somebody because of you ignorance a total lack of caution? You put whole team in danger!” Connell shouted and bared his fangs. “And therefore you will be punished…”

“But it’s not-“ Steele yelped, but Connell grabbed him by scruff and threw aside. As Steele hit the ground, Connell jumped on him and bit him in the flank. Steele yelped again. Another bite was for his tummy. Steele cried with pain.

“Connell! Stop it!” Flann yelled as she saw this. But others stayed calm and watched the whole scene without any expression on their faces and without interest.

Connell was their leader. And he was right. At least according to them. “Help him!” Flann shouted, but when she saw no interest, she jumped between Steele and Connell.

“Leave him be, Connell!”

Connell smirked and kicked Steele hardly. Then he turned away acting like he had achieved great victory. Flann looked into Steele’s blue eyes. They were full of pain and despair. It was the look of one who was betrayed. Steele couldn’t believe it…

“Flann… but… it was Connell’s mistake…” he cried. Flann’s eyes were full of tears, too.

“Steele… I am so sorry…” she nuzzled him. If she hadn’t liked Connell before, she hated him now. Then she noticed Steele was bleeding. It wasn’t anything serious. But his psychical injuries were much more painful and greater than few wounds on his body.

It was the first time in his life he was betrayed, accused of something he didn’t do and punished wrongfully and unjustly. And the most painful thing was Connell planned this and nobody stopped him. Nobody but Flann.

The ride home was something terrible for Steele. It was his worst ride he had ever had.

When they arrived home, he jumped to his bed, curled up under his blanket and sobbed. Nobody paid attention. Connell smiled and he was so satisfied with himself. He showed Steele who was the leader. And he knew nobody would dare to speak with Steele. Because then the one, who would do this, would risk his anger. And nobody wanted to be Connell’s enemy. But there was somebody who didn’t care at all.

Flann curled up around the blanket which was roughly shaped like Steele’s body and whispered.

“Steele… are you all right?”

No response.

“Steele… come on.” She nuzzled him, but nothing happened again. She was full of compassion and sorrow. And she wanted to comfort him so much.

Flann carefully raised the blanket a little and put it over her body too. Now, she was with Steele under the one blanket like it was their little shelter from Connell and the outer world.

He looked at her with same expression he had right after Connell’s attack.

She lowered her ears and whispered: “I am so sorry…”

Her little… no, her Steele went through such great pain. Her muzzle was so close to his…

She kissed him. “My Steele…” she cried kissing him. She suddenly realized she loved him not like before. She loved him as a man… not as her ‘son’ anymore.

“Flann…” he whispered. “I need you so much…”

**********

Steele turned his head away. All these memories were too much for him. And he didn’t want Balto to see him crying. “Flann…” He whispered. “I miss you so much…”

Balto sighed quietly. This part of Steele was completely unknown to him.    

**********

Few days passed. Connell seemed he forgot and everything was going well. But things turned to be really interesting when annual dog sled race came. Mushers and their dogs traversed to White Mountain, where they were comparing their skills and speed of their teams. And John Sorley decided to go there.

Steele got closer to Flann more than ever before. He liked… no, he loved her.

“Flann… I swear I’ll be the fastest and greatest sledge dog on the whole world. I want you to be proud of me and I want to be good enough for you, because you deserve only the best.”

He whispered as Flann was lying by his side in his bed. He didn’t know how much these sentences would change his life.

He began to work really hard. Now, he was the first who was ussually up and the last one who went asleep. He spent his free time not as the others lying and resting. He ran around the house till he felt the pain and was almost completely exhausted every day. He worked hard and the results came. His body went stronger, his muscles grewth and he was satisfied when he heard other dogs saying things like: Oh, look at Steele, now, this is what I call determination! He is doing really hard! And he will be great, I have to say…

But Steele was happiest each evening he could sleep near his love. He overgrew her soon and now it was Steele who was curled around Flann.

But still… there was someone. Someone who wanted Flann and who hated Steele. Connell.

He knew great race was coming, but he couldn’t make any good plan. When he saw Flann with Steele his mind was full of anger and hatred. So he decided to wait for Steele’s or Flann’s mistake. And he knew it would come now or later.

Finally, the day of the race came. Weather was really fine sky was like from some cheap picture. Almost clean and these few clouds were cruising it like they hadn’t got anything better to do. And maybe it was thanks to the weather and expectance of something really big that everyone was eager and restless. Mainly Steele, because it was his very first race. He swore he would do his best. And he didn’t want to fail Flann… and of course his