probably make it back by himself now, he figured it wouldn't hurt to try. He was pretty tired and wouldn't be able to last trying to find a way around without losing the trail again.
The two of them put their shoulders to the log and rolled it to the edge of the cliff. Balto had to leap over the log and hold it off from rolling off the side, but couldn't do it on his own. Luckily Steele did the same thing and managed to cease the rolling. They pushed it around until it was perpendicular to the gorge and pushed it again. It fit across, tho it had little slack on the other side, it had plenty of room on their side. Steele decided to go first again. It was an icy log, and the heat from his paws was making it more slippery with each step. He made it across, but had to latch on to the hill with his front legs to keep his balance.
Then Balto tried to make it across. He hadn't realized how narrow the log was until he saw that the crate's sides were wider than the log itself. He kept dragging it, with his tail leading the way and Steele, oddly enough, urged him to keep going. Balto was almost there when his back leg slipped from underneath him and he fell. His front claws dug into the log and he grunted trying to pull himself back up. Steele cursed, but didn't dare touch the log in hopes of not moving it to the point of it falling. He was almost there.
Steele thought around reaching for Balto with his teeth to pull him up, but Balto said through his fangs, "Take the medicine!" The malamute reached with his neck as far as he could and took the rope in his own teeth. He pulled it back an inch, making the log move a little more. Steele kept pulling it, but before it reached the other side, the box slipped from the log, nearly taking Steele with him. His head and the crate were hanging off the edge of the cliff and he was holding it as best as he could while the rest of his body sank into the earth so to not barrel over the border. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Balto still dangling from the log, struggling to get back up. He even tried swinging his legs to get a grip on the cliff, but he couldn't reach without his upper body slipping. He looked so helpless and Steele couldn't do anything. He was wrapped up trying to lift the box with his head.
"Steele," Balto said. He didn't look, but Balto knew Steele heard him. "Promise to take care of Jenna." Steele objected with his teeth still tightly clenched.
"You can reach it!" he said. "Keep swinging!" He finally managed to get the box onto the ledge. He made sure it was propped up enough to not fall into the gorge.
"I can't reach it and I'm slipping, so promise me!" Balto seemed desperate, as if deep down he wasn't even sure that Steele would keep a promise. Even a promise this great.
"I promise! But you don't--" Steele said.
Before Steele could even finish, Balto's claws escaped him and he fell down into the gorge, the log rolling enough to fall with him. Steele quickly grabbed the bandanna, dangling Balto from the edge.
*end flashback*
"And then..." Steele sniffed, pulling the vermilion bandanna from his shoulder, showing everyone and letting them know that the underestimated Balto gave his life to bring back the medicine.
Jenna's breath escaped her, realizing what that meant. "My bandanna..." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked down, taking note that Steele dropped it to her feet.
"He...made me promise to take...care of you, Jenna." he said, the pain hurting him as well, seeing her like this for the first time. Neither of them paid attention to the others looking at them in awe, they too understanding what this meant. Jenna looked up into Steele's eyes. She tried searching for any hint that he was lying, but for the first time in her life, she couldn't find any. His pupils were enlarged, like the night she "made her moves" on him. Would this mean that he was willing to keep his promise? Did this mean that Balto would never come back? What about the fate of Rosie?
Sniffling, Jenna calmly took her bandanna in her mouth and limped out of the boiler room, everyone looking after her. Steele was the only one who followed her. He watched Jenna make her way to the hospital, looking towards the outskirts of town for any sign of Balto. She knew he was following her, but didn't pay him any mind, because if he meant her harm, he would've done it by now. She had to check on Rosie.
She looked through a few windows to see which one Rosie was in. When she finally found her room, sure enough her parents were embracing her happily. Jenna beamed, happy tears forming. She could also see the doctors and nurses injecting the medicine into other children. She looked back and saw Steele looking up at her from the bottom of a wood pile she was perched on. Her face slowly changed from relieved to grieved.
"Balto made you promise...?" she asked. She still couldn't help but feel that Steele somehow got rid of Balto, however, there was an innocence about him. Usually she'd be able to tell when he's lying, but now...
Steele nodded. "He really liked you."
"...I know..." she replied. Right now she wished she had been a bit nicer to him. Trusted him more. But now it was too late, and the only thing she could do was hope he forgave her for it.
"I'll keep it." he continued, turning around to go away. He wanted to stay with her, but she would need time alone.
"Thank you," she said urgently. Steele turned around and looked at her, nodding. He went to leave again, but stopped when she said, "Wait." He turned to look at her again to see her standing right next to him. She nuzzled his shoulder softly for a moment. "You've done so much for me already."
She left him and headed for the hospital entrance to be let in to see Rosie, leaving Steele pretty amazed that she did that. He smiled to himself, feeling rather accomplished through his exhaustion. He noticed that it wasn't snowing as much, but he headed towards the boiler room to sleep.
To be continued...
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