The decision

            In the next morning, Dan was walking in the woods close to Nome's limits, thinking about his last conversation with Balto. He tried to pretend there was nothing about him and Luna, but Balto told him that he should not be keeping that inside, especially in the complicated situation he was already in. Dan told what he was feeling about her, but not getting too much into details. He assured Balto that it wasn’t a problem, that he was already with a solution in mind. Of course, he was lying, but Balto decided to let Dan solve that alone, it was too personal though they had become good friends. The young dog couldn’t help but remembering Luna. Her sweet voice, her blue sapphire eyes... He suddenly snapped out of that, and decided to pay attention to his surroundings to distract his thoughts. He admired the pine trees around him. He had already seen trees like that, but he loved seeing them in winter. They were tall, and their branches were completely covered in snow. Dan was already used to the cold of the place, because of his fur coat, and his both species (wolf and dog) were naturally used to that. He always like cold and snow.

The happenings of those days were just getting crazier. He had been taken to Nome from the year of 1928 (he found out by looking at a calendar hanging in a wall of a shop), had been transformed into a wolf-dog hybrid, and there was no apparent idea of how he could go back to the future or to turn back into a human. And surely there was a reason for which those spirits had done that to him, and there was no clue of what it was. His only hope was Stella. But despite his confusion, deep inside, he didn’t even really know if he wanted to go back. He liked that life. It felt like he was supposed to be like that, and only now he could break free. Was that the reason for which he was brought there? But why in the past? Why with Balto and the others? Why in Nome? There should be answers to that. Would it be stupid to tell his family, if he could, that he wanted to stay there? Who cares, Dan thought, there was no way to talk to them, at that time, they weren’t even born at that time!

His daydreaming was stopped when Dan heard someone walking at a certain distance behind him. He turned back, but the trees were too close to each other, and his enhanced hearing made him think the creature was closer than it really was. There was a different scent in the air. He sniffed, and recognized who it belonged to. Only Luna could have such sweet scent. His shivers returned. It would be too confusing to be with her again, so he decided to leave as quietly as he could. But he stayed standing there. A part of him wanted to see Luna. It was irrational, taking in count all the reasons he had to avoid her, but he just wanted to stay and see her again. Before he could make a choice, Luna appeared from behind the trees. She saw Dan there, sat on the snow, looking at her. He fought to keep his expression neutral. Being stared at by her was disconcerting. She then, realizing what she was doing, smiled friendly.

- Hi, Dan. - she greeted, trying to hide her nervousness as she could.

Dan gulped.

- Hi Luna. – he returned the greeting, sounding just friendly. – I didn’t expect to see you here.

Luna, though not showing it, was just as nervous as he was. Both were hiding their true intentions from each other, afraid of each other’s reaction. Dan especially, because of his unnatural situation.

- What are you doing around here? – Dan decided to ask, trying to start a conversation normally.

Luna felt relieved that they could talk about something; it would make her less nervous.

- I use to walk around here. Nome gets boring sometimes.

- Yeah, I like this place too...

Dan was reluctant to take that further, afraid that it would just end bad. But finally, he thought, why all that? They were just talking.

Luna gathered some courage to speak.

– Uhh… Luna... – the male started.

- Do you have plans for today? – both asked at the same time.

They looked at each other and chuckled.

- You first. – Dan said, smiling.

Luna smiled too.

- Well, it looks like our answers are the same. There’s a place I love to go. Wanna join me? – she asked, forgetting her nervousness, noticing Dan was interested too.

Dan felt happier inside. Just having a reason to be some more time with Luna was great.

- Sure. – he answered, not helping but smiling, and wagging his tail a little.

Luna looked as happy as he was, and though she was able to hold her own tail, he found Dan’s gesture cute.

- Great, you'll love it, the view is beautiful. - she said, and starting walking, now with Dan beside her.

- Where is it? – Dan asked, curious.

- It’s a surprise. – she answered, with a smile.

She leaded him through the woods, refusing to give more details about the place they were going to. Dan, though still reprehending himself, couldn't deny that he was happy to be with her. Luna was really interested on him. The conversation got easier. Dan started to act more naturally with her, and so did she. Luna started telling him about her story.

- I was born in Nenana. I’ve past most of my childhood there. My parents lived with a breeder. – she started explaining. – I loved them. But when I was old enough, I was sold to Annie, my current mistress. It wasn’t a bad thing, Annie is a great mistress, she never neglected me, and we are great friends. My parents still visited me sometimes. But then, Annie’s father got a job in Nome, and we had to move here. – she sighed. – I never saw Mom and Dad since then.

Dan felt sad for her. He couldn’t imagine how it would feel to get away from the family, but then he remembered he was running that risk himself.

- I’m sorry. – he said.

- It’s okay. I got over that. – she looked at him. – What about you? Tell me about your family.

Dan got apprehensive. That was a dangerous subject. He needed to tell her the story he invented for himself, in a convincing way.

- I was born in Fairbanks. I don’t remember much. – he decided to give it some more details. – My father was a sled dog. My mother was a wolf. I still don’t understand what happened, but I was separate from them for some reason, and no one would adopt me because of my wolf heritage. I traveled from town to town until today, and now I decided to stay here.

- Wow. – Luna said, surprised. – You traveled from Fairbanks to here? That’s far!

Dan remembered a map he saw on the internet when he was a human. She was right. Fairbanks was far.

- Well… - he started, but was fortunately interrupted by the vision they had in front of their way. They were out of the woods, and on their left, there was a frozen river, and on the right, a tall cliff. Dan looked up to see its top. They could really have a nice view from there. But how to get up there?

- Follow me - she said, keeping walking towards the cliff.

She leaded him to what looked to be a cave on the rocky wall. Inside, at first, Dan couldn’t see anything, but then his dog eyes adapted to the dark, and everything got clearer. He kept walking after the gray husky through some divisions and detours. After some moments, she called his attention.

- This way. – she said, entering a small tunnel at the left side of the cave. Dan followed her.

- Looks like you know this place very well. – he commented.