doc said.

Balto turned and headed for Jenna’s.

“Shot!?” Jenna asked. “How did that happen?”

“Well,” Balto said, “the pilot thought I was a wolf. He actually shot at me, but Kodi jumped in the way.”

Balto paused.

“He saved my life Jen,” he said.

“That’s it,” Jenna said, “you two can’t ever leave again.”

Balto laughed.

“Come on Jen, you know Kodi won’t quit the mail team.”

Jenna sighed.

“I know, and Balto, there’s… there’s something I need to tell you about the mail team, and I think you should be the one to tell Kodi. I don’t know how he’s going to take it.”

Balto noticed a change in Jenna’s demeanor, as she got very quiet and she looked down at the floor.

“What is it Jenna?” He asked. “Is something wrong?”

Jenna sighed.

Then she looked back up at him.

“Balto it’s… it’s about Dusty…”

Kodi walked out of the hospital and down the steps.

His shoulder didn’t hurt anymore, due to the shots the doc had given him. He was sure it would later, but for now, he was grateful for the reprieve.

He looked around for Balto, but didn’t see him.

“He probably went to mom’s house,” Kodi thought. “She’s probably worried sick about me.”

Then he turned and ran toward his mother’s.

Jenna started to walk away from Balto, as the implications of what she’d just told him started to sink in.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“I’m going to see my son,” she said.

Just then Kodi walked in.

“Oh Kodi,” Jenna yelled, “you’re alright! I was so worried about you!”

“How’re you doing son,” Balto asked.

Kodi smiled.

“Well I’ve definitely felt better dad.”

Jenna walked over to him.

“Well, what did doc say?”

“He gave me a couple of shots and wrapped it in a bandage. He said the bullet didn’t penetrate very well and that I’d be fine. He just said to take it easy for a few days, and that was that.”

“Well you are going to take it easy,” Jenna said, starting to lead Kodi into the next room. “You’re staying right here with me. Come on, I’ll show you where you can lay down for a while.”

“Actually mom,” Kodi began, he looked at his dad, “There’s someone that I have to talk to.”

Then he turned around and started to walk away.

“Kodi….” Balto said.

Kodi turned around.

“What is it dad?” He asked.

“Kodi come here for a minute.”

Kodi smiled at him.

“Dad, I’ll be right back, I’ve got to go talk to Dusty.”

He turned and started to walk away again.

“Kodi,” Balto said, “son come here…. and sit down.”

Kodi turned and saw the distressed look on his father’s face.

His smile faded.

“What is it dad?”

He walked slowly over to his father.

“Kodi, it’s….”

Balto stopped talking and looked at the ground. “…it’s about Dusty.”

He looked back up at his son.

“What?” Kodi asked, “what happened, did she

get sicker or something?”

“Kodi…” Balto said, “she… she went out into the storm.”

“What?” Kodi said,

He was silent for a minute and thought about it, then he looked back up at his father.

“She went out looking for me, didn’t she?”

Balto nodded.

Kodi’s head drooped.

“Kodi,” Jenna said, “she… she left three days ago, now I know what’s going through your head, and it’s…. it’s too late, you probably wouldn’t like what you found if you did find her.”

“Out in the storm?” Kodi said. “That’s… that’s so stupid, she was sick and… and injured….”

He trailed off, then he looked back up at his dad.

“I’ve got to go after her.”

“Balto help me.” Jenna said.

Balto sighed.

“Your mother is right, Kodi, it’s been so long, and in her condition…. well it’s just been too long.”

“No,” Kodi said, “I… I can’t just leave her out there.”

“Kodi,” Balto said, “it’s too late, you’ll just endanger yourself by going out there now.”

“You don’t know that!” Kodi almost yelled.

He didn’t say anything else for a while.

Dingo walked in then.

“They’re right Kodi,” he said.

Kodi just shook his head, still looking at the floor.

“What were you thinking?” he said quietly.

He looked back up at the three of them.

“I don’t care what you guys think, I’ve… I’ve got to go after her, I…”

He sighed.

“I love her.” He said quietly.

Kodi then turned and ran out the door.

“Kodi!?” Jenna yelled.

Kodi didn’t stop.

“Balto?” Jenna said, as she turned to face him. “Dingo,” Balto said, “see if you can talk to him.”

Dingo nodded and followed Kodi out the door.

“Hey Kodi,” Dingo said, “wait.”

“Don’t try to stop me.” Kodi said, as he kept walking away from the house.

Dingo ran up in front of him just as he reached the gate.

“Kodi, will you at least listen to what I have to say, please, brother?”

Kodi sighed.

“What Dingo?”

“Just relax for a minute bro, okay?”

Kodi sat down.

Dingo sat beside him.

“I… I know what you must be feeling, but… but you’ve got to listen to us, please Kodi.”

Dingo sighed.

“I… I tried to stop her, and I did, the first time, but then… well she just left, and see where it got her?”

“Dingo…” Kodi said.

“We care about you bro, we just don’t want anything to happen to ya. It’s not that we don’t care for Dusty, mom hasn’t even known her that long, and she was all tore up about it when I told her.”

Dingo looked at his brother.

“Bro, I… I don’t want to have to tell her that you won’t come home.”

“Dingo…” Kodi said.

“No Kodi,” Dingo continued. “That’s what I’m gonna have to do if you leave.”

Kodi sighed.

“Bro, you know we’re right, I don’t know… maybe you just don’t want to accept it, but don’t let that make you make stupid decisions.”

Kodi stood up and started to walk slowly away.

“Kodi please?” Dingo said.

Kodi turned around.

There were tears in his eyes.

“You’re right,” Kodi said, “thanks bro.”

“Hey, I’m Dingdong to you remember?”

Kodi half smiled.

“Yeah….. look, I’ll be at the shed, I… I need to think…”

Then he turned and ran away.

Kodi ran all the way to the shed.

The other dogs weren’t there.

“I wonder where they are at two in the morning.” He thought, “probably out celebrating.”

He walked over to his bed.

“I feel so tired,” He thought.

Then he saw Dusty’s bed.

“I can’t believe she’s gone.” He thought.

He smiled.

“I remember….”

Chapter 13

Kodi walked down the sidewalk.

He was thinking about how great life was.

He’d been adopted by a caring family when he was a pup, and though they loved him, he had a lot of time to himself.

It was perfect for Kodi.

His thoughts turned to more unpleasant things.

“Like Hyler,” he thought.

The girl had been so nice to him lately, he found it hard to believe, almost impossible that what his dad had told him a week ago was possible.

“She sure cared for you a lot,” Kodi thought, “she dumped you like a load of garbage.”

He didn’t know how he was going to live without her.

“In fact, I might not.’

He had thought about it, what he was going to do.

Then all of his thoughts slammed to an abrupt halt.

“Holy cow,” Kodi thought. “That is the most beautiful husky I have ever had the privilege to lay eyes on.”

The husky was gray, dark body with light markings. She had piercing blue eyes that caught Kodi’s attention even across the street.

He stopped walking.

“I’ve got to talk to her.” He thought.

He walked towards her.

“Hi,” he said.

“Gosh that probably sounded dumb.” Kodi thought.

The husky smiled.

“Hello.”

“What’s your name?” Kodi asked.

“I’m Dusty, and you are?”

“My name is Kodi,” he responded. “Do you live around here?”

The husky nodded.

“What do you do here?” Kodi asked.

Dusty laughed again.

“Well, I’m wearing a sledding harness, that must mean that I pull a sled, hmm?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Kodi answered.

“Stupid!” He thought/

“So, what is your cargo,