what are you saying?”

“I am saying just the truth!” He growled. “You never loved me! And guess what! I don’t need you! I’ll find someone whom I deserve! Not a scum like you!”

Flann wanted to say something but her throat was suddenly so tight. These words killed even the last bit of love for Steele she had. “Steele…” she whispered but He turned away. “Get out of my sight!” He just snarled and left the room. He decided to go outside and meet his ‘friends’. Or to be exact, admirers. Flann gasped several times. And then she felt somebody nuzzled her. She turned her head… and it was Connell. Since fight with Steele he had been lying in his bed all the time. He’d stood up just for really important matters. And this was important. It was the most important thing he had seen in last few weeks. “Connell…can you tell my why Steele acts like this?” She whispered.

**********

Balto noticed Steele’s voice trailed off.

“You don’t need to continue if you don’t want to, Steele.” Now, Balto felt so sorry for his step-brother. Yes Steele had made a lot of mistakes… but he was sorry for him.

Why didn’t I know it before the serum run? Everything would be much better! Balto thought while watching his brother fighting with memories.

Steele just whispered: “No… I’ll tell you even the rest…”

**********

Later that day, Flann was desperate… and she needed help. She was passing Connell when she heard: “Flann… do you see now? Your Steele is … isn’t your Steele anymore…” Flann stopped and looked at him. She sat down: “He isn’t, Connell… but… but why?”

Connell sighed. “Maybe you gave your love to the one who didn’t deserve it…”

Flann lay down near Connell. “I don’t know… since that race he has been acting like… like the best sledge dog in the whole world.”

Connell nuzzled her. “It’ll be better, you’ll see.”

“I wish…” Flann nuzzled him back… and that was the mistake. Steele came in and when he

saw Flann and Connell he scowled. “Flann… I wanted to give you a second chance, but as I can see you don’t want it! Well then! This is the end, you b*tch. Flirting behind my back with… this!” He shouted, pointed at Connell and dragged his bed away from Flann’s. “This is the end!”

Flann didn’t say a word. It’d be pointless. She just cried, hiding her head in Connell’s fur.

And now… Connell was the god guy whereas Steele hurt her more and more.

Soon, Steele became very famous and Sorley was getting amazing offers for his dog. But he kept refusing them until one meeting. This meeting changed Sorley’s and Steele’s life.

Sorley was sitting in the pub. The one who was interested about Steele was skilled musher. And Sorley heard he was very good.

“So mister Kaasen, at first, you should know I have no need to sell Steele. Honestly I am afraid you’re wasting your time.” Sorley spoke to the man.

Gunnar Kaasen looked into his glass and smiled. “It’s not about money, is it? I mean I can offer hundreds of dollars and you will not accept.”

“Well… and?” Sorley raised his eyebrows. Maybe this man was different than the others…

“Well and you don’t care about money. You care about your dogs. Dogs are much more important to you. And that’s good. So therefore I will offer money and this: I’ll help Steele to be even better, even more famous and I promise he will have a good living.”

Sorley nodded. This man was really different. And Sorley knew Steele was young dog at the beginning of his racing career and he didn’t want to hold him back. Steele was known in White Mountain and surrounding area… but this Norwegian was able to make Steele famous in whole Alaska, whereas he’d already done all he could.

“You said I care about my dogs… so… mister Kaasen, how much do you offer beside a good and happy life for Steele?”

“What about $250?”

Sorley nodded. He would accept any amount of money. The only condition he had was fulfilled. And Gunnar Kaasen was the first who offered more than money.

Parting was quick. His team mates took it as something usual. Steele was leaving them because of his own career. And the truth was he was becoming more and more unpleasant and egoistic. Connell just watched and knew Steele got what he, Connell, wanted. And there was no way to get it… because he wouldn’t race again… he just closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. Flann was lying near Connell. No, she didn’t love him. But she needed a friend… and Connell… well… Connell was different. Now, he was different for good.

Although Steele kicked her away, Flann was near to tears when Norwegian was taking Steele away. She recalled Steele as a puppy… Their love… and… that was too much. She sobbed.

“My Steele… my Steele...” she whispered, “I promise I’ll find you when you need me. When you have nothing,… when you are mature enough,… I’ll come…” She hid her head under Connell’s paws, because she didn’t want Steele to see her crying for him now. 

But Steele knew his road to be the best and the most famous. He looked back but just once.

With his golden collar around his neck, he trotted out ready to meet his new team.

And the next stop?

Nome.

And tomorrow?

Maybe Anchorage. Maybe whole Alaska!

Steele smirked. That was the true beginning.

**********

“And then… you know it already…” Steele sighed. “It was just racing, racing and racing… but master Kaasen did what he promised. I had a great time there… until… you know.”

Balto nodded.

“Of course I can’t blame you. You didn’t ruin my life. I did it…”

Balto was full of compassion. “Steele… I am sorry for you…”

Steele’s look slipped on the golden collar. “Flann was right. It strangles me.” He grabbed the loosed end of the collar and after few tries he managed to get rid of it. He took a deep breath. “I wish… I wish I could tell her she was right… I wish I could say sorry to her…”

Balto smiled. “So what’s the problem? Go to White Mountain, find her and tell her, no?”

Steele gave him a look full of sorrow. “I heard master Sorley moved from White Mountain week after he sold me…”

Balto nuzzled him. “Steele… I am sure she would forgive you.” Steele sobbed but he didn’t say a word. And Balto realized this had been the main reason why Steele had wanted Jenna. Because Flann was almost the same as Balto’s mate.…

“Please… leave me alone, Balto…” Steele whispered in silent request and left the boiler room. He didn’t think much about his past until this meeting. He remembered just few moments, but now his past got him. He was lost. He was lost in place he didn’t visit for a long time. Lost in his past. He looked at the sky and sighed. It was usual cold evening, like each evening here.

“Oh darn…” Steele cursed when he realized he had no place to call home. He had to sleep in boiler room. Again. So he headed back.

“Hi, I just-“ He tried to sound like he was talking about the weather when he was entering the boiler room. But these words weren’t heard by anybody but Steele. Balto had left before Steele returned.

Black and white husky curled down in the corner and hoped in escape from his thoughts…

If there is something fair, it’s a sleep. It doesn’t matter how bad or good are you… It’ll come… and put you into the unreal world of dreams. But tonight, Steele had no dreams. Actually, in the middle of the night he thought: ‘Man, it’s just my feeling or it’s suddenly warmer here?’

Morning came. It looked like snow decided to take a break and not to show itself. Sun was dancing on glass in windows, snow lying on the ground and everyone woke up in pleasant morning. So did Steele. He opened his eyes, made few blinks and… wait… he could swear that reddish brow fur hadn’t been there before!

“What-?” He wanted to ask, but familiar voice made him to stop.

“Steele… Steele… I said I would find you when you would need me, when you would have nothing… when you would be mature enough… so… I am here…” Flann whispered into his ear. She had had to come in the night… but how had she found him?

“Flann?” Steele yelped.

Flann didn’t respond, just sobbed with happiness.

“Flann…Flann… do you think you can forgive me? I know I don’t deserve-”

She silenced him with a kiss and whispered. “I am here… and that means... I forgave you.”

And this kiss brought back the thing Steele had forgotten. Love…

“But how?” Steele wondered. Flann smiled and pointed at the door. There was Balto in it. He just nodded and walked away.

“Your brother told me everything… It’s a long story. Well… master Sorley decided to move fromWhite Mountainbecause he got a job here, in Nome.But he was just afraid to come when Diphtheria spread out. So… we just waited and then we came here…

 I didn’t know I’d meet you here… I thought I lost you… I just lived in hope to see you once more. I asked everybody, I was trying to find you for a long time… and now… I… I am finally with” Once again, her tears became stronger than her will and she began to cry. “I love you, Steele…”

Steele licked her tears down. “I love you too, Flann…”

Balto knew Jenna was waiting for him, but he looked back and smiled

‘So… this was a story of my brother...’

THE END…

(Maybe)

So… The end. Well… actually there is one person I would like to thank. It’s Taka_PL. His guidance and ideas made whole story much better. And of course thanks to everybody who read this and gave me their opinions.

I guess I will take a break for now… and then? There is still one story I’d like to tell… Story which will explain a lot of things… Conell’s…