tundra, hunting.

Suddenly, a snow shoe hare darted across to a pile of snow. She crouched down, and waited. Watched. An hour passed. Suddenly, she thought about Balto. "The little scamp is fine." She said. Then the rabbit shot out like a bullet, Midnight linged catching the white rabbit in her jaws.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked.

Midnight quickly turned with the rabbit hanging out of her mouth. "Noffing." Midnight's voice was muffled by the hair and flesh of the rabbit. "Let's go home."

While they were walking back to the boat, Midnight started sucking at the rabbit. She noticed she almost took too much, so she stopped. She would have to chew for Balto like he was her pup. When they got to her boat, she would do it the wolf way. He probably still had to drink milk. But she had none. "What could he drink?" Midnight mumbled silently to herself. Then it hit her. The only thing she had was... Blood.

"Balto? Balto, do you eat meat yet?" Midnight asked. "Yeah, I do. My mom was trying to make me eat meat." Balto said. Midnight was puzzled. Why hadn't he been sad about his mother? Midnight had been sad when she found out her father died. "You don't seem sad. Why?" Midnight asked.

"Because she abandened me! Why would she do that? Can you answer? NO! Nobody can. She knew she was going to leave! I could feel it! She always had this weird look, and I could feel it burning into my sides. And since I was alone with all the other wolves they would have ripped me to shreds!" Balto screeched, tearing up the rabbit.

The emotion that he let out was first horrid anger, streaming saddness that the world seemed to carry, and finally, precious calmness that made everything around them seem so okay. Rain poured from dark clouds all around.

                August 10, 1920    8:46 A.M.

Midnight stretched her long body, and slunk over to Balto."Hey little buddy, wake up." Midnight said. Balto yawned and stretched his back paws, fore paws, and shook hisself.

"Hello, Middy. How did you sleep?" Balto asked. "Fine, thank you." Midnight walked over to the door. "I have to, uh, well... stay there okay." Midnight went to make dirt.

"Midnight, I have to go potty!" Balto said in his sweet babyish voice. Midnight came and found no Balto. "Balto? Where'd you go?" Midnight asked. Suddenly she tripped over a small, metal box. It made soft music when she opened it.

Balto hopped out of a box that smelled like urine. "Oh, Balto!" Midnight said. "You didn't! Did you?" Balto gave a cheesy smile. "I had to go potty."

Midnight gave an exasperated sigh. "Balto, do you know what this is?" Balto shook his head. "Nuh-uh. I don't know, do you?"

"No." she said. "But it seems so... Familiar."

 And so the story begins...