The following characters are copyrighted © by me and cannot be used without my permission:  Deema, Taya. The following characters are copyrighted © by Universal Studios: Balto, Jenna, Boris, Aleu, Saba, Dingo, Kodi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A slender red female husky gazed around at her pups jumping over each other on the ground.  Playful yips escaped the little group of six every few seconds.  She smiled and shook her head slightly, almost longing to be a pup once again:  to be able to play with her two siblings.

 

“Come on pups,” her sweet voice called out.  “It’s time to go visit your father.”

 

The six pups stopped what they were doing immediately and scampered up to her.  They gathered around their mother, their tails wagging fiercely.  The red husky laughed slightly and turned, making sure they were following her.

 

Jumping on each other, the young pups scrambled to get to the front of the group.  The tan female wagged her tail as she made it to the front, smiling smugly at beating her siblings.  From the back, a red male pup with a red bridge down his nose glared at his sister. 

 

A few minutes later, the pups rushed excitedly toward the washed up boat on the beach, barking happily.  They scrambled over each other to get to the boat where they knew their father was waiting for them.

 

As they reached the beach, they played around in the sand, waiting eagerly for their father to come out.  It only seemed like a few seconds had gone by before they heard his voice behind them.  Spinning around, they ran up to him, tackling the older hybrid. 

 

From the deck of the boat, the sound of laughing was heard.  The tan female looked up and saw the snow goose that was often around her father.  Transferring her attention back to playing with her father and siblings, she laughed. 

 

Standing to his great paws, their father ran slowly away, letting his young pups catch up to him.  He laughed and almost felt like a pup again himself.  Falling to the ground from the pups and his own laughter, he rolled over, letting the tackle him.

 

After a few minutes of the playing, the pups ran back off, playing with each other.  He sat up and watched them, not noticing the goose walking up beside him.

 

“Cute,” the goose said, his voice covered in a Russian accent.  “Do you vish you could be young again Balto?”

 

Balto laughed and looked at his friend.  “Don’t you Boris?”

 

The two friends sat there quietly for a few moments, watching the pups.  The red male with the red bridge, separated himself form the group and watched, his eyes narrowing whenever he glanced at the one tan pup.

 

“Deema,” Balto called, watching his son walk over. 

 

“Yes father?” he asked, sitting in front of his father.

 

The brown hybrid smiled slightly down at his son.  “Why don’t you go play with them more?”

 

The young pup just looked at his father blankly.  He did not know why he had been called over just to be told to go play.  Nodding so he wouldn’t have to be given a lecture, Deema walked back over to his siblings.  As he did, his father and Boris’s voice came to his sensitive ears.  They were talking about the tan female, Aleu.  He shook his head with slight anger as he heard how she was the most wolfish.

 

Slowing his pace, he watched his siblings.  With a leap, Aleu positioned herself atop of a wooden stump.

 

Deema glared at his sister. Her tan fur blew in the wind as she sat atop the wooden stump as she howled. Sure, he pretended to want to be just like her, but he didn't. Deep inside himself, he knew he was more the wolf at his young age then his sister would be even full grown. After getting tired of hearing her howl, he walked away, glaring at the rest of his siblings.

How can they look up to her so much? he thought to himself, rolling his eyes. There is nothing special about Aleu.

 

He glanced over at his father, hoping he wouldn’t want him to go back over to where his siblings where.  The only one that even came close to feeling the same way as him about Aleu was Taya.  But that’s because she hates Aleu’s howl, he thought to himself.

 

Sighing, he looked around, boredom starting to overtake him.  The red pup looked at the ocean, filled with wonder at how anything could be that big.  Slowly scanning the horizon, he saw the line of trees leading into the woods.  As he gazed at them, he realized that in a way, he would be happy out there.

 

I’d be able to live like a wolf, he thought. 

 

Laying his head on his paws, Deema feel into a slumber, momentarily forgetting that he was just a pup.  That he wasn’t a pure wolf, but only part.  His dreams where his only escape from the reality that would meet him once he woke back up.

 

“Wake up son,” Balto’s voice said, gently nuzziling Deema from his sleep.

 

The red pup looked up at his father and sat up, looking around.  “Why did you wake me up?” he asked, glad he was able to keep his displeasure out of his voice.

 

Balto smiled.  “It’s time for you guys to head back home.  You’ve got a big day tomorrow, you and your siblings.”

 

Deema nodded, standing to his paws.  “I'll see you tomorrow, then,” he told his father, walking toward his siblings, who were gathered around their mother.

 

The hybrid followed behind and walked up to the red female, nuzziling here.  “See you in the morning Jenna,” he said quietly.

 

Jenna nuzzled him back and nodded, slowly leading her pups from the sandy beach to the warm shed they slept in.

 

The walk back to their home was a lot calmer then to the beach.  Deema couldn’t help but snicker to himself as he looked around at his siblings, most of them tired from the day. 

 

As they entered the shed, the pups found their spots and laid down immediately, putting their small tails over their nose.  Deema laid closer to his mother, not wanting to be as close to his siblings.  Jenna smiled and nuzzled her son.

 

Soon, all six of the pups feel asleep for the last time together in the shed.

 

“Come on little ones,” Jenna’s sweet voice called, waking the pups.  “It’s time for a few start.”

 

Deema looked around, noticing the worried looks on the other pups’ faces.  In a way, he was slightly uneasy, too.  This was the only life he had ever known.  But he also knew that it would be nice to have a family of his own.  He would finally be able to get away from Aleu. 

 

Trying to hold back her feelings, Jenna led her six pups outside of the shed.  Making sure they stayed close behind her, she brought them to a box with a paper sign hanging over it.  The red husky looked around, waiting for her girl, Rosie, to come and put the pups in the box.  Though she did not want that to happen, she knew it must.

 

After waiting for only a few minutes, the young girl rounded a corner and walked up to her dog and the puppies.  Just by looking at Jenna, she could tell she was sad.  As Rosie picked up and placed each pup in the box, the red husky let out a longing whine.  

 

“It’s okay girl,” Rosie told Jenna, hugging her.

 

Jenna wagged her tail half heartedly and watched as the young girl placed the last pup in the box.  Rosie gave them all one last pat on the head before turning to walk away.  Jenna looked into the box, watching her pups play with each other for the last time.

 

As she looked up, she saw Balto walking toward them.  She gave him a small smile, trying to mask her pain at having to let her pups go.

 

Deema looked up at his mother, wishing there was some way to comfort her.  He glanced around as some young children came up to the box, eager looks on their faces.  The red pup wagged his tail and tried to look cute, almost hoping he would be picked first.

 

After a few moments of deciding which pup he wanted, a little boy reached in and picked up Deema’s brother Dingo.  The remaining five pups jumped on the side of the box as they watched their brother being carried away. 

 

Backing away slightly, Deema made himself comfortable until the next human came to look at them and choose one.  To his surprise, it did not take long.  Two children came to the box and peered in, petting the five pups.  Deema glanced at both and walked up as close as he could to the little girl.  Licking her hand, she giggled happily.  With a wide smile, she lifted him out of the box and gave him a hug, carrying him away.

 

Deema stole one last glance at his family.  He knew he would miss them just like he knew they themselves would miss him.  The red pup looked up into the face of his new owner and smiled.  He finally had his own home.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1