true.”

                Jenna looked over at her son with a curious expression. “What do you mean? Your father said he just told him that you were busy and would be around later. What did you think he said?”

                The younger dog cursed inwardly. Another prediction borne out. Hearing his own secrets had caused him to slip up. He attempted to act casually, trotting up to his parents. “I’m not sure. I mean he just spouts off whatever he thinks. He’s probably spreading all kinds of rumors through town. Dad’s met him, he knows how he works.”

                “Exactly! No wonder he’s worried. That fox was talking about all kinds of things. Aleu, Kodi, Steele…” Both dogs winced a little at the last name, looking away from each other and down at the deck of the ship. “So, he’s probably just around here to spread tales and make sure everyone is suspicious of…”

                “Kodi! Wait!” At exactly the wrong moment, Kirby came bounding up and over the side, followed by the silent, smiling fox. “You can’t do this! You can’t say what you’re going to say. You can’t because…”

                “Kirby! No!”

                “I love you, Kodi. And if you ever meant all those times you said you loved me you wouldn’t deny it to your parents.”

                Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. Nobody dared. There was a pall cast over the scene. A dark chill wound its way around the gathered canines. Only Virgil remained active, his omnipresent grin as wide as it had ever been, his reddish eyes looking from one stunned dog to another. Kirby realized too late that his statement had been unnecessary; Kodi was dreading the reaction to his forced outing; Balto was considering what Jenna would do; and Jenna was unable to believe that her son was… “How DARE you? Coming around here, saying things like that in front of us all! You lying, deceitful, sick creature! That’s disgusting! How can you dare to think that my son is… Get out! Go away and…”

                “Mom! Don’t you yell at him.” Kodi set his face in a snarl, matching his mother more perfectly than ever before. His hackles rose, his eyes shone with passion and his teeth gleamed as he stood nearly nose-to-nose with Jenna. “I’m not going to deny him in front of you anymore. Want to know why I don’t have a mate? Why I don’t date, and why I talk about big, strong, handsome Kirby all the time? Because big, strong, handsome Kirby IS my mate. I love him. More than you can know. And please, for once in your life be HAPPY for me. Don’t treat me like a pup. I’m not. And you can’t just send me to the whelping box for being bad.”

                Jenna staggered back, stunned by her son’s daring. He stood up to her. He had never done that before. She trotted back in, teeth bared more broadly than before. “No! You’re just confused. Kodi, you’re not like that. You can’t be. You’re not sick. It’s all his fault. He tricked you into it.”

                “I’m NOT sick, mom. It’s not sick to be in love. And I am in love. Please, be my mother for once in my life. Be happy for me, be proud of me. Be something kind.”

                “You want me to be PROUD of you? Proud of what? Proud that you’re an invert? Proud that you’re happy underneath another man? Proud that you’re never going to give me grandchildren? Oh yes, Kodi. I’m proud of you. So very proud of you. You’ve become every mother’s dream. You submit to the attentions of another man, ignore any females who may like you, and make a mockery of the natural order. I’m just so happy you’re like this. Now be reasonable. Why not see that nice Dusty?”

                “Mom, Dusty is with Ralph. Everyone knows it. Everyone has seen it at least once. She’s very unavailable. Even if she wasn’t, it wouldn’t change anything.”

                “Then it IS all Kirby’s fault.” The red husky turned on the muscular sled dog, eyes burning with hate. “What did you do to him? You worked some kind of evil over him. Did you rape him and tell him to like it?”

                “That’s enough!” Balto leaped into the fray, teeth bared, halting Jenna less than a hairsbreadth from Kirby, who had been retreating, unwilling as he was to harm his lover’s mother. “Stop this, Jenna. If Kodi says he’s in love, I think we should believe him. He seems sincere about it. And he’s always been a good boy. I don’t think this was Kirby’s fault at all.”

                “Even if I had never met him, I’d still feel drawn to men. There’s no way to change that, mom. Kirby was there, and he felt the same. It was a miracle. He’s a miracle. He’s MY miracle, mom. Someone who could love me, like I wanted to be loved. That’s the truth of it.”

                “You… You can’t be. It’s not right.” Jenna shook her head, eyes closing tight.

                “Neither is loving a wolf. Can you imagine that? The scandal. The horror. Imagine, falling in love with a wolf. Being with a wolf. Having a wolf’s children.”

                “That’s different, Balto. You’re only half a wolf.”

                “Half a wolf is too much for most. Look at me, Jenna. Long, powerful limbs, shaggy gray coat, unsettling yellow eyes. I look like a wolf. I could very well act like one. I could turn into a slathering killing beast at any moment. I’m dangerous. I should be locked away or killed.”

                “No! You wouldn’t, Balto. I know you wouldn’t. You’re a good dog. A wonderful mate, wonderful father. You’re a hero to all these people. To Rosie, and me. Even if you look like a wolf, you’d never act like that. I’m certain. Because I…”

                “Know me?” Balto finished for her. “That’s right, you know me. You knew me before I was a hero. Trusted me even then. Even with a proper mate courting you. But you didn’t give in to him. You remained faithful to me, long after everyone believed I had died. You saw something in me, that cut through what you have been taught. Please, Jenna. Try to see something in Kodi. Try to see the beautiful good in your own son.”

                There was a heavy silence for a long, long while. The cold wind blew through the listing ship, and around the waiting canines. “This isn’t going to be easy. It isn’t going to be quick. But your father is right.” Jenna turned to Kodi, her hackles down, her face softened, sad-seeming. “I have to learn to see you as my son, my wonderful son. No matter what.”

                “Oh, mom…” Kodi slowly approached his mother, pressing his neck against the side of hers, while Kirby stood back and watched with a smile.

                The situation defused, Balto quietly slipped away, to take a walk in the snow and reflect on what had happened. And to think about certain things which had been said to him. It had been a very strange day, but one that held a lot of promise for the future. His son was no longer a mystery, and his mate would get a chance to work on her relationship with him. His family was coming closer. All thanks to the truth-telling of a mysterious stranger.

                “Seems things worked out very well.” Virgil white appeared beside Balto, striding casually at his pace. “Your family is the better for all the truth I told, and what they finally admitted to.”

                “I guess you’ll be off, then. You did what you came here for, right?”

                “Not at all. There are still many others who need to hear their truths. Besides, how could I even think of leaving, when there’s such a big matter about to happen?”

                “And just what is going to happen that’s such a big deal?”

                Virgil stopped dead in his tracks, and looked conspiratorially around. Balto wandered back to him, curious. “Can you keep a secret? I mean, just for a little