- Dan, I'm sorry. – he apologized, lowering his ears. – But do people there depend on you?

The younger hybrid sighed.

- Technically yes. They all love me, though some of them made some mistakes, I owe them all I am today. – he said. – Nobody’s perfect.

Balto remained silent for a moment, but then formed his opinion.

- Dan, if you want to stay here, we will find a way to tell them, it's their choice to believe or not, and if there isn’t a way to tell them, it won’t make any difference anyway. – Balto said. - You're just choosing your own path in your life. Your parents wouldn’t like to know that their son if afraid to get on with his life because of them.

- But I'm a human... – Dan said, confused. – I shouldn’t be here, and most of all, I shouldn’t be with Luna!

- Dan, you are what you chose to be. – Balto said, getting clear that conversation was over, and walked out of the boat, leaving behind a thoughtful Dan.

Balto had a point. He couldn’t be bound to his family. He should make his own decisions, and both he and his family should be strong enough to say goodbye. He had been taken there for a reason. What if it was because that was his true self? He was always out of place as a human, and not just because of social tags in school and solitude. But his opinions and ideas were so different, so detached… Even some common human customs were purposeless to him. He always found so many things in human life futile. He felt so great as a dog… Just living off what he needed, and not doing harm to things around him like humans did and do. Having to fight for what he wanted and being free to do whatever he wanted and go wherever he wanted… And Luna, he would have never met her if nothing of that had happened. He knew it was something special, and didn’t want to let go of that. He loved his family, but he was mature enough to let go of them, but he didn't know if they would do the same. They would be devastated if he just abandoned them like that to live a weird and unbelievable life. And Luna, if she ever knew about that, what he was, she would turn away from him. He couldn’t really blame her. Imagine the shock of falling in love with someone and discovering that they weren’t even the same species you were. He felt like he was influencing her. He couldn’t hide the truth from her. She had the right to know.

Suddenly, the hybrid heard wings flapping over him. He looked to the up just in time to see Stella landing on the deck, in front of him, exhausted.

- So? Did you find him? - Dan asked.

- Hey! Let me catch my breath here! - she complained, panting. She looked to have been flying for much time.

She finally recovered herself, and turned to look at him.

- I’ve found the wolf and I past him your message. He asked me to tell you to meet him on the mount where your transformation happened before sunset. – she said.

Dan had never told in the message where his transformation happened.

- How did he know where it happened? – he asked, curious.

- How do you want me to know?! Wolves are weird creatures, now for goodness’ sake I need some rest! – she said, cranky, and flew away.

- Thanks! – Dan yelled to her at distance, seeing her flying farer above the woods.

Dan had no time to call Balto; the afternoon was at its end. He quickly ran out of the boat and headed alone to the mount where he had gained paws and fur.

- Hey! Wait for me! – an accented voice called behind him.

Dan looked back and saw Boris running after him.

- Are you coming with me? – he asked, with a smile.

- Of course! I have to know the reason of all this too! – the goose replied, anxious.

- Why? – Dan asked.

- Oh, do you still think you're smart? Because you're one of us too now! Your problem is our problem. – Boris answered, reluctant in showing he was befriending the young canine. – Besides, I’m curious to see how this is going to end.

Dan smiled, appreciated, and kept his run to the mount with the goose after him. After a couple of minutes, they reached the base of the mount, and started walking up. Dan found it pretty easier than before, now he had four legs. He sniffed the air to track any different scent. There was one. No dog would have that scent. And seeing that it was a little similar to his, it surely was Nava. They finally reached the top, and climbed to the plain ground above.

There he was, Nava, sat near some rocks, looking to the sky. Like many of the persons Dan had met there, Nava was just like in the film. His fur was gray, with some more volume on his face, looking like a beard, passing the feeling that he was very old. His eyes were light brown. He noticed their presence, and turned his head to them. He politely got up and bowed his head, as a signal of respect.

- Greetings, Young Dan, and Master Boris Goosenoff. I'm Nava, ex-leader of the clan of the river territories. I received your message, and I'm here to help you as I can. – the old wolf greeted, politely.

Dan bowed his head too, showing respect.

- Thanks for coming, sir. I'm confused, and I thought that no one would be better than you in this kind of business. – he said. – How did you know the place where I was transformed?

- I sensed a great disturbance coming from this place some days ago, in the exact moment that night had fallen. I sensed someone with a wolf's soul was in confusion, passing through a great internal conflict. Now I know it was you. – Nava said, calmly.

Dan got surprised with all that.

- How could I have a wolf’s soul? I mean, I was a human before that transformation happened. – the hybrid said.

Nava sat back down. Dan did the same.

- Everyone is born as one kind of creature. Wolf, dog, human, bird... But not always the person's soul form corresponds to the physical form. Sometimes, the person's soul form’s influence is so strong that it may influence the person, in a way he or she feels imprisoned, like their true self couldn’t break free. – the old wolf explained. - Apparently it's your case, so you were always a wolf or dog inside. This is how you are inside. It is your true self.