Author's Note : This fan-fiction takes place a few weeks after the original Balto movie.  It mostly surrounds yet another conflict between Balto and Steele.  If you do not like somewhat "strong" violence, blood, or character death, do not read.

Steele, Kaltag, Star, Jenna, and Balto are all copyrighted © by Universal Studios.

            Silence surrounded the small town as a large black and white husky traveled among the shadows of the woods.  His keen blue eyes peered into the quite streets, most of which had been deserted except for the occasional dog making his way home for the night, most likely coming from the boiler room which was the most popular area for the local dogs of Nome to hang out.  The large husky crept closer to the outskirts of the town, keeping a careful eye on everything around him, knowing that being caught would only ruin what he had been carefully planning since he had been chased out of the small town a few months ago.

            The chilly Alaskan wind picked up slightly and a scent caught the large husky’s attention.  He turned his nose in the direction the wind was coming from and snorted in disgust.  The husky shook his head wildly, trying to get the scent out of his mind, but he was all ready visualizing the brown wolf-dog standing before him.  He growled softly and turned his head away, trying to get is anger under control.  Even though he was trying as hard as he knew how to, however, it did not work.  All the problems the wolf-dog had given him flooded the large husky’s mind.  His movements slowed as he allowed the memories to all come back to him, the ones he had been keeping back until the time was right to let the anger flow.

            “No,” he finally growled to himself a few minutes later, barring his white teeth.  The fur on his neck was raised and he shook himself slightly to help it lay back down.  He turned briefly back to the direction of the scent, but knew that if he started that way, it would ruin everything.  He wanted it to be a surprise.  He did not want the wolf-dog to see it coming.  And he knew no one would, either.  Everyone in the town thought the husky was dead.  Most of them had probably forgotten all about him.  He smirked slightly, thinking of how everything would play out.  “Time for my fun,” he said to himself.  “But not yet.”

            The husky wandered slowly closer to the town, watching out for anything littering the ground to give him away.  He knew that he wouldn’t be able to do anything tonight, but he wanted to see just how close he could get.  His large paws made soft indentations in the snow as he walked onward.  The warm light of the lamps on each house illuminated his black and white fur, almost reminding him of when he was still a part of this small town. 

            Once he had left the safety of the outskirts, the large husky kept toward the shadows.  Slowing his steps to a halt, he closed his eyes, trying to imagine every ally-way in the town.  It made him frustrated that he was not able to remember it all without trying.  After a few moments, he opened his eyes and in a gentle dash, made his way towards the house he had been looking for.  Slowly, the husky made his way up to the window and lay under it, perking his ears to listen to all the different sounds around him.  It did not take too long to hear what he had been waiting for.

            The soft sound of small paws walking across a wooden floor reached his ears, causing the large black and white husky’s fur to stand on end in anticipation.  He had to keep himself from leaping through the window, which he knew was something he really wanted to do.  Instead, he simply stayed completely still, hoping to hear the other dog speak.  In a way, he was hoping it would find him out under the window.  But at the same time, he knew it would just be something that would end up causing a problem in his carefully laid out plan. 

            After only a few moments, he heard the other dog scratching at the dog lightly, giving her humans a soft bark to let them know to open the door.  A shuffle of feet came, followed by the creaking sound of the door opening.  The large black and white husky pushed himself back into the shadows, making sure he would still be able to see the other dog.  Sure enough, it was the one he had been hoping it would be. 

            The other dog was a dainty red and cream husky, a billowing red bandana hanging around her neck.  The female was almost never seen without it save for the one time she had arrived, injured and in company of two polar bears, after saving the wolf-dog from an almost certain death by bear.  The husky almost let a snarl escape him as he thought about it, but held it back, not wanting to let the female know he was there. 

            She stood by the door a few seconds, almost seeming to glow as the light of the moon danced across her soft and beautiful fur.  The dimed rays of light seemed to show a whole different world in the female’s gentle amber eyes.  She sighed lightly and padded into the snow towards the edge of town where the large male knew the wolf-dog’s home was.

            “We’ll meet each other once more soon enough, Jenna, my dear,” the large male said softly, glaring after her with a smirk displayed across his face.  He stood to his own four paws and started to creep back towards the woods.  He did not think anything of being caught until he heard the sound of two dogs’ pads walking through the snow right behind him.  Slowing, he turned his head back slightly, not being surprised at all when he saw a small grey Alaskan husky in the company with an almost orange husky.

            “Steele…?” the smaller of the two asked, cocking his head in confusing, moving forward a few steps to get a closer look at the large black and white husky.  “What… where did you come from?”  He spoke fairly fast. 

            The large husky chuckled.  “What?  Did you almost not recognize your old friend?” he sneered, turning fully to look at them both, staring them straight in the eyes, a feeling of pleasure running through him as he saw the fear starting to fill them.  “Has it really been that long?  And here I thought you would have remembered me, with it only being a couple months.”  He stopped, almost laughing as the smaller of the two dogs started to retreat back a few steps now.  “Then again, it has been months too long.”

            The larger of the two stepped forward in an attempt of bravery, which even he knew he was lacking at the present moment.  His normally relaxed features were tense as if he were ready to break into a fast sprint at a seconds’ notice.  “You were banished.  You were exiled.  You were never supposed to come back.  You’re supposed to be dead.”

             Steele laughed.  “Oh, dead now?  Why didn’t anyone tell me of this?”  He started walking towards the two, a menacing look across his muzzle.  He pulled his lips back, showing his white fangs.  In many ways, Steele knew it was too soon.  He knew that he should just ignore the two dogs, but then again, he knew he would not be able to do it.  He had never backed down from any form of confrontation and was not about to start now.  “See, I’d only be dead… if I were you.”

            The grey and orange colored huskies looked in confusion at one another, trying to understand Steele’s words.  They looked back at him, confusion still flooding their expression.  Steele simply returned their gaze, but instead of confusion showing through his eyes, it was malice.  He grinned, his form almost seeming to get larger than it all ready was.  Staking a step forward, he could tell how frightened the other two dogs were, but that didn’t stop him.

            Before the two huskies could do anything, Steele leapt at them, grabbing the larger of the two by the scruff, dragging him onto the ground.  The taste of blood reached the large black and white husky’s throat and he noted that the blood of another dog had a slight different taste than that of rabbits and other measly animals that lived in the woods.  He smiled slightly, feeling the husky beneath him quiver with the fear of what would happen. 

            The small grey husky jumped around the two, trying to find a way to help.  He could not bear to see his friend, and a dog that used to be his