could feel the anger bubbling within her even before Balto had spoken, but now that she knew the truth her rage cut through her heart like white flames and set her eyes on fire. Tumak took a step back in fear of this new Jenna, and she stepped forward right along with him. “So, you lied to me,” she growled as she stepped forward, Tumak backing away from her inch by inch. “You tried to murder my mate. Then you tried to take me as your prize.” She glared at him with contempt. “And to think I actually felt sorry for you, that I even let you come near me–!”

          Tumak tripped with his back legs as he stepped away from Jenna’s wrath, and scrambled back up. “But I wasn’t lying,” he pleaded, “I-I was just so taken with you. I am. That’s why I did all those things. I love you so much, Jen–”

          “It’s Jenna,” she spat, and Balto smiled.

          Tumak’s face was bitter. “Jenna, then. I–”

          “No,” Jenna snapped, “Shut up. I don’t want to hear another lying, scheming, sweetened, sugary word from your mouth. I am so sick of everyone taking advantage of me just because I’m pretty! I am so tired of being used, and manipulated, and-and betrayed beyond anything my heart can take.” Her eyes felt like they were burning, she was so angry. Any trace of tears had vanished. Tumak looked at her in awe, in love with her even now. She looked so fearsome, a beast within the beauty. It was like nothing he had ever seen before.

          But Jenna wasn’t finished. She glowered at Tumak with unwavering hatred and spat, “I don’t care what happens to you…” She slowly brought her paw up, and then slashed at his face. Tumak’s head cocked to the right, and he gasped in pain and surprise. Even Balto was looking a little scared.

          Jenna snarled, “As long as you die…” Her paw flew up again, and Tumak’s head cocked to the left with a louder gasp.

          He panted, and tried to appeal to her gentler nature one last time. “Jenna…”

          Her eyes fairly crackled as she growled, “And join your precious Khara forever!” She pushed Tumak against the house with all her might, and Tumak hit with a pained gasp and sank to the ground.

          Balto heard a familiar snapping noise. All three looked up in time to see an icicle crack off the edge of the roof. It plummeted through the cold air and plunged into Tumak’s back.

          Rosy wouldn’t let go of Balto’s neck the whole time they were in the waiting room, waiting for news of Tumak’s condition. She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his fur and whispered his name while she cried silent tears for Tumak, who she had discovered when she had gone to the door to see what was banging against the house. Jenna sat away from Rosy, staring straight ahead with fighting emotions broadcasted on her face.

          Rosy’s parents stood as soon as the doctor re-entered the room.

          “How is he, Doctor?” her father asked.

          “Yes, will he be all right?” her mother chimed in.

          “Well, I…” The doctor glanced at Rosy and hesitated, and then sighed. “I’m afraid not. He has severe internal and external bleeding, and frankly this is a very unique situation, and nothing much can be done. My best guess would be that he went after Jenna there, and Balto tried to protect her, and the fight threw him up against the house. All I’m saying is, he doesn’t have much time left. So if you want to say goodbye to him, that is, if you’ve grown attached to him at all, you need to do it now.” The doctor tried to say it gently, but Rosy gave a high-pitched gasp and buried her face in Balto’s fur. Balto nudged her head with his nose sympathetically, and then looked over at Jenna. Her head was hanging in shame, and the look in her eyes was stormy.

          Rosy’s father looked at his weeping daughter and put a hand on her head, muttering, “That animal shelter! They can’t keep one mutt inside…! I’m going to…to do something about his when we get back…” He trailed off, muttering angrily and shaking his head.

          Rosy stood and wiped her tear-streaked face with the back of her hand. She shuffled forward, and then when Balto’s eyes followed her mournfully, she stopped and asked, “C-Can Balto and Jenna come with me?”

          “Rosy…” her mother chided, but the doctor seemed to consider it.

          He eyed Balto questioningly, and then said, “Well, if you’re sure Balto’s under control…it can’t hurt now.”

          Jenna gave a bitter laugh that only Balto heard. No one even suspected her of savagery and abuse.

          Rosy, Balto, and Jenna solemnly filed past the doctor and into a room filled with resting patients in kennels and cages, past them to another white-walled, quiet room where Tumak lay on a small cot, covered in bandages with a teal sheet covering the worst of the damage.

          Rosy stood frozen in the doorway, her lower lip trembling, but she set her jaw determinedly and strode towards the bed. Tumak turned over slightly at the sound of her footsteps, but he yelped in pain with any movement.

          Rosy bit her lip, and her hand hovered over his back. “Goodbye. I’m sorry about…everything. I didn’t think Balto would do something like that to anyone. I don’t know what happened, but…I’m sorry. I didn’t even get to name you. I would’ve kept you if my mom let me. I promise I would have! But it’s too late. So…goodbye.” She gently touched his back and stepped away. She stopped just inside the doorway to wait for Balto and Jenna, and before she was halfway there Tumak moaned as if his heart were breaking.

          Jenna gave Balto a look, and they both crept hesitantly to the edge of the cot. Tumak’s green-gold eyes were glazed as if he were already fading. He focused on Balto, blinked, then focused on Jenna, and his eyes slowly closed.

          Balto exchanged another nervous glance with Jenna, and cleared his throat. “Uh…Tumak?” he whispered.

          Tumak’s eyes snapped open in an instant, and when he looked at Balto in them Balto saw the deepest, darkest grief of anyone he had ever seen. But there was something about Tumak, something about his eyes; they were too bright. He was in another time, another place, buried in the ghastly memories of his past.

          “Soenor,” Tumak choked out, his throat constricted with sadness, “Brother. Oh, just kill me, just kill me now.”

          “Why?” Balto stammered, “What’s wrong?”

          Tumak heaved in a breath, his eyes glistening wet. “She’s gone…She’s dead, gone…Khara…And our pups. If only Death would be merciful and take me, too…”

          Balto realized with a twisted pang that Tumak was about to get his wish. “It’ll be all right, Tumak,” he mumbled, “It’ll be okay.”

          Jenna stood staring at Tumak’s agonized face. Her eyes were little darts of furious fire, but as she clenched her teeth as she watched his grief, they cooled a little. Finally, when he faced the deepest hell inside his soul, she murmured quietly, “I can’t forgive you yet for what you’ve done, and I’m not sorry for what I did. But I am sorry…it had to come to this.”

          She leaned down and kissed his cheek, and Tumak relaxed, and was gone.

          A few weeks later, when Balto and Jenna had a rare night alone, the radio played classical music softly while all but two of the lamps were gently blown out. Normally classical would have bored them both, but this piece seemed to harmonize with the song of the wind outside, the violins soaring over everything while the cellos seemed to disappear within their own deep thrumming.

          Balto turned to Jenna with a twinkle in his softly-glowing eyes. Everything was ready. He knew they both needed this, after the past couple weeks.

          “Shall we dance?” he asked her with a knowing smile.

          Jenna’s eyes sparkled in the semi-darkness. “Yes,” she whispered with delight, and before she knew it he had pressed his cheek to hers and they were revolving around slowly in the