quickly turned around, facing the other one, making the wolf backed away just like his friend did. Suddenly, the other one before that was still in behind Kodi, lunged forward in full speed. Kodi then quickly turned around again as soon as he realized that they were taunting him while looking the chance to attack, but he was too late. The wolf bashed him hard to the ground, making his anger decreased in significant way. Falling down, he felt his anger was missing, away from his mind. He tried hard to stand up, rising at his own feet, but it was useless because the pain from the impact was too hard to him. Watching the wolves moving closer, Kodi could only remained silent, hoping this was just a dream.

"Can’t move again?" one of black wolf asked, snickering, "Too bad for you."

"Yeah…," the other one added, "You should know your anger can’t always help you."

Heading forward, they became closer to Kodi, ready to end his life. Every step they made was making Balto became furious. He tried to move, but unfortunately, the pain still could hold him longer than he thought before. Using his paws, he pulled himself, making his effort to be useful to reach his unconscious son. From what the wolves could see, they thought it was just useless effort from someone who had lost his spirit. They were just laughing, mocking their victims only to have a little fun before the final. They began rising their paws then, preparing the last strike to Kodi, but suddenly, a voice was heard by them.

"Stop there!" someone shouted from the distance.

Surprised, the black wolves looked at the direction, trying to find the source of that sounds. They began turning around, gazing at somebody who dared to disturb them after the last one. Balto, by the way, was trying to know it too. Looking around weakly, he found it was so difficult to him to see due the pain that almost reached the limit. Slowly, his eyes began to close, only hearing the mysterious sounds, and then, it was black.

"Not bad," the brown wolf started, gazing at Alex.

The battle just began in couple of minutes, but it seemed like a couple of hours. He and Alex, both of them had used their fighting skills well for all this time. Alex, by the way, wasn’t concentrated well during of worrying Balto’s condition, wondering if they made it or not. But, what he supposed to worry now was his enemy, right in front of him.

Gazing carefully, they started examine each other, scanning to get new strategy for facing in next battle. All of sudden, the brown wolf was rushing forward, approaching Alex in full speed. By the time he was doing it, Alex quickly backed away, realizing it might just a trap. True to what he said, the brown wolf unleashed a slash, but not quite strong because suddenly, he used that attack before for stepping the ground and turning himself around to kick Alex.

Seemed to have a little chance to avoid this one, Alex chose evading it by moving side instead of backing away again. The enemy, by the way, had predicted this before. He quickly pushed his paws before at the ground to Alex’s direction, giving him a momentum to attack once again by using his legs. Surprised, Alex then quickly responded it by crouching down, hoping it would miss just like before. The attack seemed could be anticipated by Alex, but without warning, his enemy used his tail, swinging and smacking hard to Alex’s face. Alex then couldn’t do anything, except accepting the attack.

Alex fell off then, accepting the attack made his face in pain. He struggled to open his eyes, seeing what the next of his enemy, but the impact made it difficult to do. Knowing it might be a good chance, the brown wolf suddenly running towards, rushing to attack again. He jumped then, lashing a slash right to Alex’s face in order to make him more difficult to see. Following the instinct, Alex knew he must avoid this one. He quickly backed away a few feet from his enemy, making sure he could get a clear vision before doing battle again. Shaking his head, he finally made it, gazing clearly at his enemy.

Though of what happened before, it seemed the brown wolf had made some advantages during this fighting, making Alex more difficult to defense himself. The situation became calm again, only the sea that was making the sounds.

"I have to use it," Alex thought, preparing something.

He slowly closed his eyes, started to crouched low, ready to do something while his enemy was wondering of it. But, instead of thinking further, the brown wolf just lunged forward again, leaping to Alex who was still crouching.

"Die!" the brown wolf shouted loudly.

"Not this time…," Alex replied, opening his eyes quickly.

All of sudden, Alex leapt, bashing in full power while his enemy was still in the midair. Shocked, the brown wolf didn’t have time to protect himself, making him thrown high to the sky. Alex, by the way, quickly shifted his position, crouching very low in this time. He then was running, rushing faster than before to his enemy. By the time of it, his enemy just could see Alex was approaching towards him, not knowing what he would do next. The only thing he could do now was trying to block it by using his paws, but unfortunately, it was useless.

Alex knocked him hard, right before he touched the ground below, making him spinning around due of it. The brown wolf, by the way, didn’t know what happened to him. The world seemed to spin around until he crashed to the ground hardly, making a loud sound of it. Once again, the silent appeared.

Checking, Alex moved closer, examining his enemy. From what he could see, the brown wolf looked unconscious, seemed lifeless in this world. Slowly, he circled him, scanning if there could be any movement. He then stopped, ensuring himself that the danger had passed. But, he couldn’t relax now because he must save Balto. His effort would be in vain if he couldn’t protect him just because he was too late to appear. Running fast, he quickly rushed, trying to know of what happened to Balto and Kodi. Only miracle that could save them from the killers now.

"Kodi…," Balto thought, "Kodi, where are you?"

Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking around while still dazed from the pain of his legs. Glancing, he could make sure he was still alive, gazing at his boat that he called home. Even his head was still spinning, he insisted to stand up, examining everything of what happened after he collapsed.

"Kodi?" Balto thought again.

Panic in his mind, he quickly shook his head, trying to get a clear vision. After remembering back, he knew he must find Kodi, afraid of losing him. Running around the boat, he tried hard to find his son, even he was still weak, but his feeling was stronger than his body.

"Balto…," someone said from behind, "You should take some rest."

Turning around, he saw Alex, standing in front of him with smile as usual. Balto then quickly moved closer to him, demanding of where his son would be.

"Alex…," Balto started, still in panic, "Where is Kodi? Where is he now?"

"Calm down, Balto," Alex replied, trying to calm him down, "He is outside now with Lani."

Hearing what Alex said, Balto slowly took step by step until he could see clearly at outside, looking both of Kodi and Lani that were talking each other. Suddenly, the panic was gone from him, relieved to see Kodi was just fine. He then laid down, trying to get some rest from what happened today.

"So…," Balto said, gazing at Alex, "What happened?"

Alex just gave him a smile, knowing he might want to know everything that happened before. Slowly, he laid down too beside Balto, sighing for preparing himself to explain everything.

Meanwhile Alex and Balto were sharing each other, both of Kodi and Lani were sitting down, gazing at the moon that seemed so beautiful tonight. There was a moment of silence between them, not knowing how they would start to speak. Slowly, Kodi looked at her.

"Umm…, Lani," he started, looking at her, "I’m sorry."

"Sorry?" Lani seemed confused, "For what?"

"For yesterday," Kodi replied, explaining to her, "That night when you came, I shouldn’t mad at you. I just…"

Kodi was stopping for a moment, trying to find some reason of what he talked about, but it seemed he couldn’t lie to her after how he treated her yesterday. Lani, by the way, was still looking at Kodi, trying to know what he was thinking about.

"Yes?" Lani demanded the rest of him.

"I just hate to be weak…," Kodi answered, looking at the other direction, "When the incident happened, everybody looked after me, and it made me felt helpless."

"Huh?" Lani seemed didn’t understand, "Why did you feel like that?"

"I don’t know for sure, but…," Kodi answered, trying to explain, "It just make me feel like a little pup when someone cares too much for me."

Lani then just gave him a smile, chuckling a little for hearing the reason while Kodi was feeling embarrassed due of it. He knew it looked like ridiculous, but after all, he was honest in this time.

"So…," Balto started, gazing at Alex, "That’s what happened before."

"Yeah," Alex replied, "I and Lani brought you and your son here."

"Well…," Balto smiled, "That’s good to hear after all, but I still don’t understand how Lani could beat them."

"Me too," Alex replied, smiling too, "When I came, the wolves just fell to the ground. Nothing else."

"She sure has a lot of strength inside," Balto added, wondering something.

For a moment, they were just laughing, happy to know that the danger had passed. Still, Balto felt curious inside about something. He had already knew what happened before when the black wolves almost got him from Alex, but in his mind, there were much question that needed to be answered. He then slowly looked at Alex, gazing him seriously.

"Alex, I wanted to know something…," he said, demanding the explanation, "Something about me."

Alex just gave him a serious look, knowing what he meant. After all, he must know the truth sooner or later.

"I mean why they