Balto (New Adventure)

Chapter 4 – First Strike

 

Walking among the trees, a brown wolf was looking through many bushes to the quiet town, surrounded by the fallen snow. Even the forest was silent at night, his evil grin made a significant difference, making a scary feeling. Slowly, his grin then faded away, hearing a sound behind him.

"Is everything has been prepared?" he asked, still looking forward.

By the time he was speaking, three black wolves appeared from the shadow of the trees, camouflaging with the night. They began moving closer to him.

"Of course…," one of them answered, "Everything has been prepared."

"Good…," he replied, "Now, we just have to wait."

"And…," another black wolf said, moving forward, "When we will attack?"

"Later…," he answered, looking to the sky, "I will give a signal, and then, you can attack as much as you want."

There was a moment of silence before he turned around, facing them.

"Just focus on Balto," he continued, "I will handle his guardian."

With that, all of them scattered away, going to the different direction. They were running and running until disappeared through the darkness, leaving no sound. Again, the night seemed to be quiet.

"Soon…," he thought deeply, "Soon, you will be finished."

As he was thinking back, the past came to his mind, a few days ago when it happened. He still could feel the scratch on his face, four red lines across his fur. He began touching it with his paws. He could remember it completely, still fresh on his mind. But, instead of thinking further, he stepped back, leaving that place with an evil grin.

Slowly, he disappeared into the darkness, through the deep of the forest. The sounds of his steps began fading away, missing from the surroundings. But still, his evil laugh could be heard, even it echoed around it.

 

"Hey, Jenna…," Balto called, looking at her, "Thanks for giving it back."

"It’s alright," Jenna replied, "Anyway, it’s yours."

"I guess so," Balto smiled.

Jenna smiled back, reminding her how though he was to get his bandanna back. She knew every detail of it, from the accident until the promise they had made. Everything was caused by that bandanna.

"Let’s go meet Kodi!" Jenna started, trying to get out from the conversation, "I’m sure he wants to see us."

"Yeah…," Balto replied, "He hasn’t seen my bandanna, right?"

"Balto…," Jenna sighed, "We just come to greet him, not to hold a show."

"Oh, okay…," Balto replied, smiling, "I understand."

They began walking, heading to the boiler room. Even the day became afternoon now, still, some people were doing his job, opening their stores in order to get some money.

"Even we just greet him…," Balto started, still walking, "He surely will see it, right?"

Jenna just gave him a smile.

"You never change," she replied, nuzzling him.

While they were talking each other, both of them didn’t realize they had already at there, the boiler room. Noticing the crowd of dogs, they started to worry, afraid of something bad had happened. Whether it was true or not, they decided to check by themselves. Through the crowd, they were having a difficult way to know the truth. Closer and closer, they crept slowly until finally, they were free from the crowd.

"Kodi!" Jenna screamed.

 

Laying down at the floor was Kodi. He looked terrible by having four scratches across the side of his back, moreover, he laid motionless.

"Kodi!" Jenna screamed again.

Jenna entered the boiler room quickly, making her way to Kodi who was still laying at corner. Nuzzling, she called his name, hoping that he would wake up soon.

"Hi, mom…," Kodi said weakly, opening his eyes slowly, "What are you doing in here?"

"What am I doing?" Jenna seemed surprised, continuing to nuzzle him, "Kodi, you make me so afraid."

"Mom!" Kodi replied, "I’m not a pup anymore."

Jenna knew what he meant, but she kept giving all of her attention to him. She was doing that because she cared so much about her family.

Balto then began moving closer, checking his wound. As much as he could see, he knew Kodi would be fine. Turning around, he started watching the crowd, seeking some explanation from it.

"What did happen?" he asked to everyone, looking thorough them.

For the moment, everyone was silent, closing their mouth not because they weren’t brave enough to explain, but they didn’t know at all. So, instead of speaking, they just hung their head, hoping that somehow, someone could explain the truth.

 

"We don’t know, Balto," Kirby started, getting out from the crowd, "It just suddenly happened."

"Yeah…," Ralph added, looking at Balto, "We just know that someone has attacked him."

"Attacked him?" Balto looked shocked, "What do you mean?"

"We were just playing back then at the outskirt," Ralph explained, "At first, we did the race along the side of the beach. Kodi, as usually you know, always became the first one, while we were left behind."

Ralph stopped, gaining some guts to continue it. As much as he spook again, everyone began listening thorough him.

"When we lost the sight of him due of his speed…," Ralph continued to explain, "We heard he was screaming then."

"So…," Balto seemed curious, "How did you know he was being attacked?"

"We heard someone except Kodi at there," Dusty answered, starting to explain more, "But, when we took a look, it was gone, only Kodi at there."

Balto was thinking for a while, glancing at Kodi. He couldn’t imagine the attacker. Who is it? Why it attacked him? The question was swirling around, making his head wanted to blow due of unknown identity.

 

"Dad!" Kodi called from the distance, making his father looked at him, "I saw him."

"Huh?" Balto seemed confused.

"I saw who did attack me," Kodi explained, making everyone fell in agape.

"You saw him?" Balto asked, "Then, who?"

"I don’t know," Kodi shrugged, "All I know is he was a wolf."

"Wolf!" someone from the crowd looked surprised.

There was a panic then. Everyone began whispering each other, worrying their life and safety. Watching, Balto knew he must do something or they would become so terrified.

"Calm down, everyone!" he shouted.

Calming down, the crowd fell in silent, looking at Balto. Balto, by the way, was trying his best to be patient, even his mind was still racing.

"Dad…," Kodi called again, continuing his story, "He also told me that he wanted to meet you near the beach."

"Huh?" Balto looked confused, "Why?"

"Balto, don’t come…," Jenna suddenly interrupted, "Maybe, it’s a trap."

"Yeah, dad…," Kodi added, "He attacked me, remember? So, I’m sure it’s completely a trap for you."

Balto was thinking for a moment, admitting they were right after all, but still, he felt curious inside. But, instead of finding out, he chose to stay for his safety and his family.

 

At early evening, dark began to rule as soon as black had invaded the sky, converting the blue. Balto just came to home after taking care Kodi, trying to make him felt better. Even of it, his mind insisted to know, trying to investigate the whole incident. He tried hard to find the answer, but his head just made him dizzy. Not wanting it happened, he tried to forget it all.

"Hello, Balto…," Alex greeted him, "You sure have an important business to come late."

Glancing, Balto felt a little happy inside, knowing Alex would show up to greet him. He slowly climbed up then, walking towards the blanket in his lovely boat. Hiding within it, he didn’t want Alex and Lani knew what he was facing off now.

"What’s the matter?" Alex suddenly asked, "You don’t look like you used to be."

Balto chuckled, realizing he couldn’t hide his problem well. He then began turning around, gazing at them.

"Well…," he sighed, "My son, Kodi, had an incident this morning. He said he was attacked by a wolf."

"Wolf?" Lani seemed surprised, "Then, what about Kodi?"

"He is fine," Balto answered, "He just had a little wound."

Lani was thinking for a moment, deciding to see him or not. Then, her decision finally had been made.

"Okay…," she said, starting to leave, "I will go to see him. Just to make sure he is alright."

With that, she left, making her way through the snow towards him. However, Balto still remained silent, thinking of his son.

"Don’t worry, Balto," Alex started, trying to comfort him, "I will make sure that isn’t going to happen again."

Balto fell in silent. He really didn’t know what it meant, but for sure, it made comfort in his heart. Laying down, he tried to sleep, struggling to wipe out the incident.

 

Alex, instead of joining, he began to climb down, walking at the snow below. Every step he took made a soft sound, echoing the outskirt. He stopped then, looking far to the forest.

"Did he come back again?" he thought.

The incident today reminded him to the past even a few days ago. He could remember it, feeling every moment that almost became a great fighting.

"If he was around here, I would make sure he couldn’t touch him," he thought with determination.

With that, he started to go back, to the place that he called home now. As he was walking, he was starting to look around, making sure that there wasn’t someone behind the shadow. When he thought it was clear, something was attracting his eyes. Glancing and turning around, he scanned the area, looking everything that looked suspicious. Then, it happened again.

"Oh…," he thought, looking to something which was blown by the wind, "Just a grass."

Continuing to walk, he finally got to the boat. But however, his thought of grass was different from the fact, the truth that hidden behind. Even the darkness had recovered everything, his brown fur still could be seen.

"So close…," he thought, backing away.

He then went away along with the darkness to the forest, away from the sight. By the time of it, his grin was appearing, thinking evilly as he used to be.

 

"Where is he?" Lani thought.

Wandering around, she took every single of sight during walking. Even she didn’t

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