who’s going to take your place until I’m better, for the race.”

“Well, Herash is second point, it’s his.”

“Kodi, do you know that all the time you were gone looking for me, Herash wanted to leave you. What kind of dog is that to leave in charge of us?”

“Leader’s don’t leave anyone behind, I heard that from you once, and you didn’t.”

Kodi looked away from her.

“Kodi look at me, you may have made the decision that got me here,” she said, holding up her injured leg, “but you also made the decision that brought me here.”

She smiled at him.

“Thanks.”

Kodi smiled back at her.

Thank you Dusty.

“Why don’t you just run, and see what you think, give it a chance?”

Kodi nodded.

“I think I will.”

“Good,” Dusty said.

They both smiled.

“Come on Dusty let’s go home.” Kodi said.

Dusty started coughing.

Kodi looked concerned as he trotted back over to her.

“Dusty, you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, “I think I’m getting a cold or something, come on, I’ll follow you home.

The two of them started for the dog shed.

Chapter 4

Balto went to meet Kodi the following morning.

On his way, he stopped and picked up Jenna, so they could both see off their son.

Today was the big day, the race between the flying machine and the sled dogs.

The sled and team were all hooked up, but Kodi wasn’t there.

A large crowd had gathered to see the start of the race.

“Hmm,” Balto thought, “I wonder where he could be?”

Kodi was at that moment inside the sled barn, talking to Dusty.

“I wish I was going with you.” She said.

“I know,” said Kodi, “so do I.”

Dusty sighed.

“I know that Light will do a good job, she’s pretty good, but… but I don’t like you going out there without me beside you.”

She laughed.

“Actually behind you now.”

“Yeah,” Kodi said quietly.

The two of them just stared at each other, and for a few minutes noting was said.

“Well,” Dusty said, finally breaking the silence, “you should probably get out there, quite a crowd has built up out there to see you off.”

“Yeah,” Said Kodi quietly.

He paused.

“Well, bye then.”

“Bye,” Dixie replied.

“Kodi began to walk out of the shed.

“Good luck!” Dusty said.

Kodi stopped and turned.

“Thanks,” he said.

Then he resumed walking.

“And be careful!” Dusty added.

Kodi smiled as he walked out the door.

“I will.”

Then he was gone.

A tear came to Dusty’s eye.

“You’d better be.” She said to herself.

Then she curled up on her bed and closed her eyes.

Balto and Jenna were standing outside when Kodi walked out of the shed and over to the waiting team.

Balto ran over to him, followed closely by Jenna.

They stood back and waited as the musher hooked their son to the guideline, and the team.

When the musher was finished, he stood up and walked away.

Balto and Jenna moved to stand beside their son.

“Hey Mom, Dad,” Kodi said.

He smiled.

“You’ll do great son,” Balto said,

“Thanks Dad,” Kodi responded. “I hope so.”

Balto stepped back and Jenna walked up next to her son.

“Oh Kodiak,” she said, “be careful. It’s dangerous with that storm now.”

“Aww,” Herash snickered from behind Kodi.

Jenna looked at him, a look of anger and sadness on her face.

Kodi had seen that look many times during his puppy years, it meant that she was about to blow up on someone.

“Aww mom,” he said, “please don’t call me that here and don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

The musher climbed on the back of the sled.

“Heyah,” he said.

Kodi started walking forward.

“Well bye mom, bye dad,” he yelled, “see you in a few days!”

“Hike! Hike!” the musher yelled.

The team surged forward, as the plane began taxiing down the street.

The plane took off, and the team vanished from view.

Balto sighed.

“I wish I was going with them,” he said quietly.

“Well then why aren’t you?” Jenna asked. “You could have, they needed another dog.”

Balto sighed again.

“You’re right, but this is Kodi’s time, his time to shine. He needs to do this without me.”

Jenna’s face took on a worried look.

“I just hope he’s careful, with the storm and all… I mean, I don’t like watching either of you just disappear over the horizon, but especially in this.”

“He’ll do fine,” Balto said.

He smiled.

“He’s my son, isn’t he?”

“True,” Jenna said smiling.

“Come on Jen, let’s go find something to do.”

The two of them walked through the dissipating crowd.

Balto and Jenna had spent the whole day together, and now he stood outside her house, and watched as she trotted up the steps, and through the dog door Rosy’s father had had installed recently.

“It beats the window,” Balto thought.

He started home.

Balto sighed.

“I feel so helpless,” he said to no one. “I wish that there was something I could do.”

Then he thought of someone who was probably feeling the same way he was.

“If not worse,” he thought.

“The sled barn was on his way home, if he cut through town again.

“I’ll stop in and see how she’s doing,” he thought.

Balto switched directions, and headed back towards town.

Chapter 5

Balto pushed open the barn door, and stepped inside.

Though it was night, it was bright in the barn, as the musher had left a lamp burning.

Dusty was in her bed, sound asleep.

“Better not wake her,” Balto thought, “she needs her rest.”

He turned around, and started to walk away. Then he heard a cough.

He stopped and turned around.

Dusty’s eyes were open, well half open anyway. She looked terrible.

She coughed again and yawned.

“Balto?”

“Yeah,” he said, “it’s me, just thought I’d check in on you, but I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll just go now so you can rest.

Dusty stood up.

“No, please stay, it gets pretty lonely in here.”

Balto smiled, and walked over to her/

“Man, you don’t look good, are you okay?”

Dusty nodded and coughed again.

“I think I got too cold on the trip back from Glory Canyon.”

She laughed.

“First I break my leg, now I’m sick, I’m just starting to fall apart.”

She coughed and sighed.

“Still, I wish I was with him.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Balto said, then he thought about what Dusty had said.

“With him? Not them?”

Dusty smiled slightly.

“Yeah,” she said.

She looked at the ground, a little embarrassed.

Balto smiled.

“So is there … something I should be aware of between the two of you?”

“Well,” Dusty said, “nothing official, but well, we’re very good friends.”

Balto nodded.

“That’s how it starts.”

Dusty sighed again.

“He’s so worried.

“Worried?” Balto asked.

Dusty nodded, and coughed again.

He loves his job.”

“I know that,” Balto said.

“The first time..”

Dusty coughed again.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Balto asked.

Dusty took a deep breath and nodded.

“Sorry.”

“The first time we ran as a team, Kodi was worried because we were going to be late. No one else really cared, heck, I didn’t even care really, it was just the mail? I mean.. *cough* ..I mean it’s not like we were carrying anti-toxin to save the town or anything, right?”

She smiled at him.

“You know Balto, he looks up to you an awful lot.”

Balto nodded.

“I know he does.”

“It’s because of you he’s worried right now.” Dixie said

“Me?” Balto asked.

Dusty coughed and nodded.

“Everyone here looks up to you, but especially Kodi.”

Balto sighed.

“I know they do; I wish they wouldn’t, especially the little ones. I’m always afraid that I’ll mess up, do something wrong, and they’ll follow me.”

“A little bit a pressure, huh?” Dusty said.

Balto nodded.

“I suppose that’s good though,” she continued.

She smiled.

“Keeps you in line.”

Balto nodded again.

“I suppose that it does.”

Dusty coughed again.

“But back to Kodi, that first time we weren’t late, close, but we made it.

She smiled.

“That wasn’t good enough for Kodi though, he got the team together afterwards, back in this shed, and asked them all to come in on the weekend, so we could practice our starts and stops, and run the route a few times. They all laughed at him and