the ground and knocked him on the side of the head with his muzzle.  Then he faced Decem.  “Decem Head Stallion, all is well.  We just came to see you and June to check on you.”

Decem nickered.  “All is well-“

Balto watched the two stallions talk to each other then walked over to his son, who was talking to Baltheis and Laren.  A paint mare joined them as Balto neared.  Baltheis smiled at the hybrid.  “Well, Balto, today has been an interesting day.  We meet, then you meet Laren, then the Whenian herd, then you see my sword play with my shoulder friend, Curn, wielder of Jerec” he pointed to the man in the black cloak who was picking up his sword.  “And you meet your son as well.”

Balto nodded.  “The day has been filled with many unexpected events, I must say.” he said.  He looked at the paint mare who was putting her muzzle on Baltheis’s shoulder.  “Who is she?”

This is my war horse and closest friend, June, the paint mare.” said the man nuzzling the mare affectionately.  June whickered and knocked him to the ground with her firm muzzle then nodded to Balto.

“Aye, that’s my name,” she said.  “Your son is a good shoulder friend, hybrid.  I like his speed and endurance and agility.” 

“The only thing I do not like is that he led me on a merry goose chase for half of the day!” exclaimed Laren, though she actually seemed delighted to meet the son of Balto the hybrid.  Never in her life had she seen a husky of Kodi’s hue before.  She couldn’t wait to tell her father about the days events.

Balto turned to Baltheis who was getting up off the ground from June’s ‘playful’ buffeting.  “Are you sure you are friends with the other man?” he asked.  “You were fighting as to the death!”

Baltheis reassured him with a smile.  “Balto, Curn and I fight that way so if we do face an opponent to the death, we can over come him with at ease.”

  June rubbed her head against Baltheis then cantered over to the Whenian herd where Decem and Lyon were waiting.  Curn staggered over to them.

“You fought well.” He said.

“So did you, my friend.” replied Baltheis. 

With a whinny, Decem reared and galloped out onto the plains.  As the two humans and three canines watched them go, a soft breeze blew around them, forcing Curn’s cloak to flutter like a banner and Baltheis’s hair to dance on his face.  \

The sun, now dying, slowly went to its rest and when darkness fell across the land the stars began to shine their light for all to see. 

To be continued…

The end of Balto’s Jenikian Journey Trilogy Part Two