The snow fell on his head like little balls of fluff. Balto walked around looking for his dad. Tuck, Balto’s older brother, was watching him and Makyaa. They were only pups at the time. Balto felt a slight breeze circle around him and jumped frightfully. Tuck looked at him and laughed.

“What’s your problem?” he smirked.

“Nothing, the wind just scared me…” Balto replied in a pouty voice.         

            Tuck rolled his eyes and gazed off the back porch into the mountains, looking at the evergreens. Balto stumbled over to his older brother and looked up at him.

“Tuck? Do you miss mom….?” Balto asked softly and then too gazed into the mountains.

Tuck sighed. “…Yeah….”

            Balto looked down sadly. All he could remember about his mother was that she was as white as snow and had a soft, warm voice. Makyaa never even really thought about her mom. They were never close.  Makyaa was always “daddy’s little girl” and loved sled races. However, Balto was always curious about his mother. He always wondered why it was that she never lived with them, or why they only saw each other every other day. You see, Buck was a lead dog on the number one dog sled team in Nome. Buck, the pups’ father, only had little time open to walk his pups out into the dangerous forest so they could bond with their mother.

                        “Tuck, whatever did actually happen to mom?” Balto curiously asked him.

                        “…..Bear. Dad had left you and Makyaa home because you both needed to be at the vet. When we got deeper in the woods, a large black bear approached us. I wanted to help but Dad told me to hide in a log that was nearby. So, I did. Then saw this bear take his paw and swipe dad into a tree. He struggled and fell to the ground. Mom tackled the bear, and bit its neck. That’s when I heard the gun shot. The bear fell along with Mom. The bear was dead and Mom was hurt bad. Dad stood up and ran to me. I then watched as Mom struggle to get up. He went to her and tried to help. She looked at him and nuzzled him. And then…..” Tuck stopped. He looked at Balto, tears falling from Tuck’s eyes. “…she fell. Mom collapsed to the ground dead. Blood came from her back and stomach where the bear had swiped at her…”

            Balto sadly looked down. Tuck looked back out into the mountains. Eyes watering, tears falling.

                        “But Balto, even though we cannot see her, she’s still with us. In our minds, hearts, dreams, her spirit roams with us.” Tuck spoke softly still watching the forest and mountains. A breeze blew into him. He closed his eyes.

                        “I can feel her…” Balto said slightly happier.

            Tuck smiled at his little brother. He was glad Balto understood what he meant. All Tuck really though about was Aniu.

            Later on that afternoon, Buck came home. Balto and his twin both tackled him playfully. Tuck didn’t do anything. There relationship wasn’t close at all. He blamed Aniu’s death on Buck; therefore, he showed no respect for him at all. Buck walked passed his stubborn son. Tuck ignored him.

                        “Hello Tuck” Buck said while reaching to nuzzle him. Tuck rolled his eyes and dodged the nuzzle. He began to walk outside.

                        “You better quit disrespecting me! Or else you’re going to be homeless!” Buck yelled at him. Tuck paused and looked at him.

                        “Id rather be homeless than be killed by a bear” Tuck smirked.

                        “Look, you need to get over this “its Dad’s fault Mom’s dead” thing. I know it’s hard to face her death but you need to quit blaming it on everyone” Buck growled at Tuck. Tuck ignored him and went outside and lay on the lawn chair.

            Buck watched him walk away and sighed. He then walked over to a cabinet and slid out his dog food bowl. Balto and Makyaa walked over to him and plopped down.

                        “Daddy, do you think they will ever let girls be in on a dog sled team?” Makyaa asked lovingly.

                        “They already do sweetheart, but no girls ever stay on the teams, and most mushers don’t pick girls. You have to be really good. Why do you ask?” Buck smiled.

                        “Well, because I want to be a lead dog just like you, daddy.” She said proud.

 do you think I could be a sled dog even though I’m part wolf?”

                        Buck hesitated. “Most likely, or at least I hope so by the time you and Makyaa can start racing.”

                        “I want to be a lead dog like you, Daddy.” Balto yipped and then glanced at Makyaa. “I would be much better than a girl.” He smirked.

                        “Girls are better than boys because boys are stupid” She smirked back and pounced on her brother. They began to wrestle. Buck rolled his eyes and continued eating.

            The owners finally came in later that night. There was a happily married couple, their teenaged son, and little daughter. Tuck’s owner Evan, the son, came home that night off his crutches. He had been injured in a football game 2 months ago, and had just got his cast off today. When he walked in through the door, Tuck barked and happily ran up to him. He jumped up and rested his front paws on Evan.

                        “Come here buck,” Evan’s dad called. Buck came walking up to him and sat in front of him. “Good boy,” he said while petting Buck’s head.

            The dad walked into the living room to turn on the TV. He then grabbed a t newspaper and sat on in his recliner. Buck followed him and laid down next his master’s feet. Evan then ran upstairs o his room with Tuck happily chasing him. The mom went to the kitchen to start dinner while Marie, the little girl, played with Balto and Makyaa.

            Up in Evan’s room, Tuck laid on the bed while Evan played video games. He put his head in Tuck’s side to use him as a pillow. They stayed like that for about an hour and then the phone rang. Evan got up and answered the phone in his room.

                        “Hello?”

                        “Hey Evan.”

                        “Oh, hey Marcie,”

                        “Are we still going to the movies?”

                        “Yeah, we’re still going. I’ll leave in 5 minutes.”

                        “Ok, see ya