the matter, and he finally sat down, looking uneasy at the thought.

Kodi looked shocked at the sudden privilege, and he thought about it as he gazed at his nieces and nephews. His gaze paused on the lone white pup, the one that most resembled Sitka. His mind began wandering back to how this whole fiasco started, when he dared Tovah to race in the wilderness. Then the blizzard blew in, allowing Sitka to find a lost and half froze Tovah, and then fall in love with her after that meeting. If one really thought about it, it had all started with a storm. Storm. That has a nice ring to it… Leaning close to the white one, Kodi smiled. “How does ‘Storm’ sound to you, little guy?”

The pup was too new to the world to have any other opinion then to snuffle a little before yawning. “I’m guessing that means he likes it.” Balto quipped. He grinned then. “Since Boris isn’t here to say it, I’ll say it for him. Mazel Tov, you two!” His grin turned into a smirk. “With puppy rearing for the first time, you’ll need all the luck you can get.”

******************************************

The sun was up by the time everyone left the den. As they left the den, Balto and Jenna led the way while they spoke softly to each other about being grandparents for the second time, Doc trudging after them, talking about his own grandpuppies at intervals while Kodi trailed slowly at a distance behind them. “I guess everything worked out great,” he said to himself. “So why do I feel like a fifth wheel? Everyone ended up together except me. I wonder if I’ll ever find someone?”

Balto looked over his shoulder. “Kodi, you coming?”

 Sighing, Kodi trotted to catch up with the others. His time would come, he consoled himself. He just had to wait for it.

***************************************************************

Standing in the shadows was a single figure, watching Kodi. She stepped forward, then thought better of it. She would get another chance to talk. Dusty turned and headed back to Nome.