surprised to see him here. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she came closer. Crystal stopped two feet from him.

"Crystal, you’re in danger! Demon is gathering a small force to kill you. My friends will be here soon to help." Pirate spoke quickly.

Crystal looked at him with a nonchalant expression. She sighed as she looked at her home. She turned her head back around to face the red husky. "Enough blood has been spilled on this ground. Demon may kill me for his last battle."

Pirate’s jaw dropped. "No he can’t kill you!"

She barked sharply. "I’m tired of living. I have nothing to live for. I have lived in fear my whole life."

Pirate spoke, "There is always something to live for Crystal. You may not know it, but people do care for you. And when this is done, we’ll find you a new home." Crystal just looked at him with a blank stare not about to say anything. Pirate looked away and watched Nome. His eyes spotted a pack of dogs running up the hill toward them. Crystal growled but Pirate did not look concerned. His nose told him it was the mail team. Crystal stopped her growling as she noticed his calm attitude.

Kodi was the first to them. He panted as he looked at Crystal. Kirby with Shasta soon followed. The rest of the team joined up on the hill. Crystal became uneasy and she stood behind Pirate. "What is this about?" Blaze asked.

"It’s her!" Kirby called out. Pirate barked loudly to gain their attention. They snapped to attention.

"This is Crystal." She just gave a small smile. Pirate stepped forward. "She’s the one keeping Demon back. Remember him?" Whispers floated through the pack. "Anyway, he’s causing the mishaps not Crystal. But Demon has set Crystal up. Demon will do whatever he can to kill Crystal."

"Why?" Ralph asked.

Shasta stepped forward and explained Demon’s reasoning. Before everyone could voice their own opinion, barks from the bottom on the small hill grabbed their attention. Everyone looked that way to see a small troop of dogs led by Kaltag. Pirate smiled. When Kaltag neared, Pirate gave him a smile. Kaltag smiled back. As the canines gathered around, enclosing Pirate and Crystal in the middle, Crystal whimpered. Pirate touched her shoulder in comfort. She gave him a weak smile. "Alright everyone quiet! Listen to Pirate!" Kirby bellowed. Silence blanketed the now large pack. Yet again Pirate told the real deal to the dogs.

"Is that clear to everyone?" Pirate asked. Most heads nodded. "Good." Now Pirate took the time to look around at everyone. At once he spotted Balto and Jenna. Nikki and Star were waiting with a red Balto which Pirate thought that was Dakota, Balto’s other son. Most of the dogs he saw them around town but never really talked to. He made a checklist in his mind to at least meet them some time. Then he spotted a strange sight, a glum Jay. Pirate walked closer to his friend. "Jay what’s wrong?" He asked.

Jay looked up at him and sighed. "May joined up with Demon. I’m going to have to go against her when we fight."

Pirate sighed, "Don’t worry we won’t let it get that far. We’ll try our best to prevent blood shed." Jay smiled a bit. The white muzzled husky rose to his feet and Pirate smiled at him. Then Jay saw her. Crystal was speaking to a few dogs, her voice steady.

"That’s Crystal?" Jay asked. Pirate nodded. Crystal closed her eyes, brought her head around to face them and reopened them. Jay’s bottom jaw dropped as her eyes locked on his. She smiled. Pirate chuckled.

"Why don’t you go up and talk to her?" Pirate asked his friend with a smile. Jay gasped at him.

"Are you crazy? I can’t talk to a beauty like her!" Jay’s head again faced Crystal and now Jenna was talking her to. Jay smiled at the white crossbreed. Pirate was right about her eyes. But they were beautiful, like little jewels in pure white snow.

Pirate smirked. He said as he was walking away, "You know you want to." Jay growled a bit and sat, watching Crystal the whole time. Every time she looked at him, he quickly looked away. As Jay was looking away, he was acting like he was scouting out the hill bottom with his eyes.

"Hello there." Jay nearly jumped from the sweet melodic voice. He faced the source only to find Crystal. He cleared his throat and sat in the position of a gentleman, hoping to impress her.

"Hello there to you to." Jay replied. Crystal smiled.

"I spotted you standing over here with Pirate. You looked sad. What is wrong?" Crystal asked.

Jay sighed. "My sister joined up with your enemy, Demon. I hope we don’t have to fight."

Crystal gave him a nuzzle, "I hope for your sake we won’t have to fight." When she touched him, Jay was not sure how to react so he just gave her a quick nuzzle back. He could feel himself blushing. She withdrew her muzzle from under his chin and she looked into his brown eyes. They stood there, looking at each other so close that Jay could nearly smell Crystal’s breath.

"Hey you two lovebirds!" Jay and Crystal looked to the call. Nikki barked. "They’re coming!"

Crystal looked at Jay one last time and he at her. "We heard Nikki." Jay spoke and he walked closer to the pack. Crystal stayed back. She felt warmth and it wasn’t just from her bandana. She sighed before she weaved her way to the front of the 17-dog pack.

There was Demon, his eyes seemed more frightening under the light of the near full moon. He was leading his pack up the hill toward them. He was a black leopard striding toward them closer and closer.

"There’s only 12 dogs with him." Dusty spoke as she had finished counting his troops. "13 against 17." She added. Even though they had more canines, Pirate still felt uneasy.

Demon’s pack stopped at least 100 yards away from Crystal’s pack. Demon stepped forward. The wolf dog grinned a wicked smile. Crystal stepped forward and held her head proud. "Well looks as if you heard." Demon spoke loudly. Crystal just growled. He gave a snort. "Well then you just made my night even more enjoyable." Demon started to advance slowly and his pack followed. Jay tried to find his sister and then he spotted her. May was walking next to Demon. Jay then realized the brown husky next to his sister. Matt? There was no lie about who it was. Crystal looked at the dogs that had come for her. They were about to lose blood over her.

Crystal sighed. Her mind was trying to think about the situation and then Jay had found his way into her mind. Crystal’s eyes flew open and laid on Jay but Jay was focusing on a brown and white husky. "That must be May." Crystal thought. She then stepped forward another step and let a lone song flow from her throat. Soon others joined her song with their own. Their song rippled across the ground to Demon’s pack. Some of the dogs stopped their walking as they realized some of their friends were on the other side. Demon stopped and gave a puzzled expression. He chuckled. "Your songs can’t stop me Crystal!" He shouted.

Crystal stepped closer. "I know but I also know that I’m about to challenge you in a one on one fight." Gasps and whispering ran wild through both packs.

Jay stepped closer to the white husky cross. "What are you doing?" He hissed.

Without looking at him, she answered "Doing what’s right." Crystal strode forward out into the open between the two groups. She stopped and spoke to everyone, "Enough blood has been spilled on this haunted ground. No more is needed. Head back to your cozy homes if you believe this is foolish. Do it if you want to live and if you want to die out here on this forbidden ground, that is your problem." Crystal waited. For a minute no one moved and then two dogs on Demon’s side came out into the middle. They looked around before starting to head back home. Three more from Demon’s side followed the first two.

"Wait! Where you going you whimpering cowards! Get back here and let’s finish off this spirit once and for all!"

"Demon you are the evil spirit! Now come out here and finish what you started!" Crystal yelled. She stood firm not showing any fear. Canines on both sides waited to see what would happen next. Eagerness or nervousness tugged at each of them.

Demon snarled and walked forward. Crystal smirked. Demon stopped two feet from her and for a moment they glared at each. Jay was tensed. Why was she doing this?

"One shall stand…" Crystal started.

"And one shall fall." Demon finished it. The wolf dog lunged at her and Crystal fell to the ground. He bit at her leg before she slashed at his face. Demon let out a yelp. He was shoved to the ground but he quickly knocked the lighter dog off him. Crystal crashed on her right side and snarled loudly at Demon. Demon responded with his own and snarl and took a bite at her leg again. He missed as she scrambled to her feet and lunged at his back. Crystal bit down hard on his shoulder. Demon growled and threw Crystal off of him. She gave a yelp as she hit the ground again.

Jay whimpered as he watched the fight. Pirate wondered why Crystal was getting herself bruised up when her group of 20 dogs could have helped her. With Crystal’s back to Demon’s group, they fought each other and Crystal’s strength was not as great as Demon’s. Shasta was watching the two brawl then her eyes spotted movement on the other side. One of Demon’s dogs was creeping quietly behind Crystal. Shasta jumped forward.