You'll be a delight for Mr. Simpson to have with the team."

The young male swelled with pride.  His dream had come true.  He was finally a member of the main team.  He almost couldn't believe it, but he knew it was true.

"Right now the only big thing you need to know is the team members," Niya continued.  "I see you've already met Dusty, Kirby, and Ralph."  She looked around and spotted the other members of the team.  One was a brownish male husky that looked similar to Balto and the other was also a male and bit darker than Kirby.  "This," Niya said, looking at the brownish male, "is Rok.  And this," she continued, turning to the other dog, "is Sem."

Rok and Sem bowed their heads.  "Welcome to the team," they both said.

"We are glad to have you," Sem continued.  "You are sure to be as great as your father."

Kodi smiled.  Then the thought of his father crossed him mind.  He winced as he remembered their conversation earlier.  I'll go apoligize as soon as I'm done here, he thought.  "I'm glad to be on the team," he told them, wagging his tail.

Niya smiled, then started to look Kodi over.  "Yes... You'll be very good as a wheel dog."

The red husky nodded.  He had been hoping for lead dog, but he knew that it wouldn't happen that quickly.  Kodi knew he would have to prove himself first.  He was just happy to be on the team and have the second more important position.

The group talked a while longer before Sem and Rok went off to go to the boiler room.  Kirby, too, left followed by Ralph.  It was only Dusty, Kodi, and Niya now.  The red male smiled.  He hoped his father would be proud of him.  Just as he was about to say something, he turned and saw Balto walking up to them.

"Hey son," he said, his voice somewhat stiff.

Kodi hung his head slightly.  "Hello Dad."

Niya and Dusty looked at the two males.  Sensing the tension, they said their good-byes and left the father and son to talk alone.

"Dad," Kodi started. "I'm... sorry for this morning."

Balto nodded.  He gazed at his son.  "It's not be you have to say sorry to.  It's your mother."

The red male looked up.  "I tried to talk to her yesterday, but she didn't want to see me."

"No," Balto told him.  "She's hurt and just needs to know that you still care.  She is your mother after all.  Don't you at least owe her that?"

Kodi sighed.  "Is she at home?"

The older wolf/dog nodded.  He smiled slightly as Kodi walked toward Jenna's home.  He was glad that Kodi was finally going to patch things up with her.  He walked to his boat and laid down, letting his thoughts soar over the recent events, letting sleep finally take him.

Chapter 5

Kodi walked up to his mother's home.  "Mom, are you there?" he barked.  He perked his ears up a little, not hearing anything.  After five minutes, he went up to the window.  Even when he looked in, he couldn't see Jenna. 

As he got down, a scent caught his attention.  Kodi followed it to a pool of blood.  "Mom," he gasped, fear flooding his thoughts.  He could tell there had been a struggle.  Gathering his thoughts, he ran toward Balto's boat as fast as he could.

"Dad!" he howled.

Balto quickly leapt to his feet.  He could tell by Kodi's tone that something was wrong.  "What happened?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Mom..." Kodi panted, trying to catch his breath.

"What about Jenna?"

The red husky looked toward the town.  "She... blood... fight."

Balto jumped down from the boat and ran into the town and straight to Jenna's home.  He could smell the blood getting stronger and stronger the closer he got.  Finally he found a large blood trail leading to a dark ally.

"Dad, let me go," Kodi told him.  He was still panting, but he had almost caught his breath.  "It's my fault and I have to try to fix it."

Balto nodded reluctantly and watched his son bravely walk down the dark ally.  He held his tail high, but it started to drop as he spoted a red figure laying at a werid angle in the blood soaken snow.

"Mom?"  Kodi crept near her body, perparing himself for the worst.  His heart leapt when he saw her move.  His joy, however, was cut short.

"Hello pup," Ren snarled, steping out from the shadows.  "Come to save your mom?"

Kodi snarled.  "Leave her out of this bastard!"

The black husky laughed.  "You just don't stop, do you?  I kicked you tail and you come back for more."

The red husky growled again.  "You had no reason to attack her!"

"Didn't I?  You embaressed me today.  I had to pay you back."

With that, Ren lundged at Kodi's throat, missing it.  Kodi leapt at him, knocking the larger husky to the ground, snarling.  He put his paw on Ren's throat, pushing down.

"Kodi!" Balto barked from a few feet away.  "Kodi, don't do it.  You're better than that.  Just let him up and I'll take care of him."

The red husky looked up at this father and then back at Ren.  He looked at his foe with such venom and hatred, it even suprised him.  Finally he took his paw off and ran to Jenna's side.

Kodi didn't look back as he heard a yelp.  But as he heard a loud and savage growl, he did.  Balto had forced Ren to the ground and stood over him, his deadly teeth inches from the black husky's muzzle.

"Leave Nome now and I'll spare your life," he growled.  "Got it?"

Ren nodded, fear flowing from his eyes.  With a snort of aversion, Balto let him up, watching as he ran to the forest starting at the outskirts of Nome.

Kodi turned back to his mother and nuzzled her neck.  "Mom," he said gently.  "I'm here."

"Kodi?"  Jenna's voice was weak.

Kodi nodded.  "Yes Mom.  It's me."

She smiled.  "I love you Kodi."

"I love you too Mom," he told her.

Kodi looked to his father who was now walking towards them.  Turing back to his mother, he licked her.

"Hey Jen," Balto said, smiling a bit.

Jenna laughed.  "There you are tough guy."  Kodi noticed her voice was already a lot stronger.

The female tried to sit up, but fell back down again.  Leaning down against her, Balto helped her up.  "Kodi has something to tell you," he said.

Jenna looked to her son.  "Yes," her eyes seemed to lookin into his very soul.

"Mom," Kodi started.  "I know I was being a jerk and I'm sorry.  I just got so wrapped up in this sled dog stuff that I forgot what was more important.  Family."

Jenna's eyes shone with tears.  She looked from her mate to her son, smiling.  "It's alright son," she said, her voice flowing with emotion.

Kodi let a grin spread across his face.  Looking from Balto to Jenna, he realized that the three were now as close as they had ever been.