Then he’s still here?!

Dan got angry and revolted. That dog would have let all children in town die just for his status. How could he still be around there after that? Kodi stopped, noticing his reaction. 

- Don't worry, Dan, he's not gonna be a problem. – the husky tranquilized him.

Dan wasn't convinced, but decided not to argue about the subject.

- Uh... Dan, do you think… you'll ever be human again? – Kodi asked, reluctant, when they restarted walking.

- I don't know. - Dan answered, lowering his head. He didn’t know if he should feel sad. All he could feel was confusion. – It’s not like I really miss home, but I can’t let it all behind.

- Why? - Kodi asked, curious.

- Let's just say I'm as treated there as I was part wolf. But my family is there, and though they don’t treat me how I wished, they’re still family. - the ex-human explained, raising his head again, with an annoyed expression on his face.

Both stopped walking when they were near the beach. They sat on the snow, from where they could see the landscape. Kodi stared at Dan, unsure of what to think.

- How do they treat you? - he asked.

Dan sighed.

- Mom and Dad just ignore me. It's like I'm not even there. - he explained. - I just wished I didn’t have to live somewhere I don't make any difference. 

The husky turned his gaze to another direction, confused.

- But hey, let's not think about that for now. - Dan broke the tense mood, smiling.

Kodi smiled back, happy to see that his friend was feeling better.

- Race to Dad's boat! Three, two, one, go! – Kodi said quickly, rushing to his father’s boat, leaving behind a confused Dan.

- Kodi! Wait! – The younger canid yelled. - I'm not used to run like this!

Kodi wasn't listening; Dan would have to run after him. He started running. He found it hard at first, but then he started to enjoy that, and suddenly he was at a speed he never reached at his human form. With some time, he was only some feet after Kodi, who seemed to not have noticed that he was so close. It was a good sensation, to feel the wind on his face, the speed, like no one could catch him. They kept running like this through the beach for some minutes. The ex-human noticed that dogs surely had more endurance than humans about some things, and surely running was one of them. Dan tried to go faster, but he started to lose his breath. He then decided to invest all of his last energies on trying to at least tie with Kodi. It was harder than he thought, Kodi was used to run his all life, and Dan was running in four legs for the first time. Dan got behind, fighting to keep breathing, his throat burning, and Kodi arrived first at the boat. The red and white husky leaped inside the boat, and landed skillfully on the deck. Dan, panting, climbed up the boat to find that Kodi, though a little bit tired, was not as exhausted as he was.

- Not bad for a first time. That's a good start. - the husky complimented.

Dan, though a little flattered, was still annoyed that he was so tired while the other was not, so he said nothing, still catching his breath. Kodi looked outside the boat:

- Hey, there they are. - he said, chuckling.

Dan stood up on the deck, and looked to what was calling Kodi's attention. Muk and Luk sat nervously on the snow away from the boat, with Boris yelling at them, while Balto was trying to intervene.

- It reminds me of when Aleu used to live here. Pity she had to leave with the wolf pack. - the husky remembered.

- Wait a second. Wolf pack? - Dan exclaimed, an idea coming to him. - Of course! Nava! He was some kind of spirit expert or something. He might be able to help me!

Kodi turned back, serious.

- How?

- Well, if Aniu was there when I was transformed, it surely has something spiritual involved. - the hybrid thought for a moment. - If the spirits are responsible for this, they probably did it for a reason, and I have to find out what.

Kodi agreed with those suppositions. They told this to Balto and Boris when they got back to the boat. The goose stopped being skeptical like before, and just got thoughtful about the subject. Balto thought for a moment too.