curiously, “So, where do you come from?”
“The Yukon, southern part of Yukon.” Sandy answered smiling.
“Must be pretty cold over there.” Dusty replied. Sandy dipped her head, still smiling and answered kindly,
“Yes, but not much of a difference from here.”
“Where in the Yukon did you live?” Dusty then paused and continued, “I mean what community?” She explained more thoroughly. Sandy smiled again and answered,
“Well… I first lived in Whitehorse down south, and then moved up to Old Crow, then now to Nome.”
“So you’re really from up north.” Dusty added on suspiciously. Sandy looked down guiltily at the ground.
“Well, yes, but I lived in Whitehorse longer, so I just keep thinking that I moved from Whitehorse to here.” Sandy explained now more happily, Dusty nodded now understandingly. Bounce suddenly rushed to the door of the boiler room, his upper ear cocked to the side upward listening. Then he panted happily, his tongue hanging low.
“Hey guys, that was Mel just calling us. The mail sled is all set!” He barked. All the mail dogs and Sandy got up. The mail dogs all went outside, except for Kodi who stood waiting for Sandy.
“Sandy you coming to come and watch us leave?” He asked. Sandy smiled at him, but then her smile faded, as she stared at the wall in front of her beside Kodi. Kodi puzzled, asked Sandy, “Sandy? Sandy you okay?” He asked again, now he padded beside her, staring at the wall. He became even more puzzled. “Sandy? What you staring at?” He asked. Sandy shook her head.
“Huh?” She asked still shaking her head.
“I was wondering if you were going to come or not?” Kodi responded. Sandy smiled at him again. “Why were you standing at the wall anyway?” Kodi asked again.
“I was just thinking about… old memories.” Sandy’s voice was steady but yet trailed off at the end of her sentence.
Kodi gave her a mischievous smile as he nudged her with his paw playfully. “C’mon. You’ll get to see how fast I am.” Sandy smiled at him thoughtfully, because she knew he was trying to cheer her off. They bounded out the room together racing towards the entrance of town, where the other mail dogs were, getting ready for their daily run to White Mountain and back.

Chapter 3

Sandy and Kodi panted heavily as they made it to the mail sled. Sandy gave Kodi a nuzzle underneath his chin and told him, “Good luck, wonder dog.”
“Thanks.” Kodi thanked her still panting. He felt special for some reason every time Sandy said or did something with him.
“Just be careful.” Sandy warned. Kodi gave an naïve smile back to her.
“I’ll be fine, besides getting to White Mountain all the way and back is my job.”
“Yeah, but accidents happen every day.” Sandy argued calmly. Kodi depressed a sigh, then he brightened up as he told her,
“Sandy, as a mail dog we have a little saying that goes like this,” Kodi cleared his throat and spoke, “’Neither rain nor sleet nor snow and add nor hail can stop the US mail.’” (Universal quote ©).
Sandy smiled at him. “Fancy words.” She replied smiling at Kodi thoughtfully then they both heard a human sounding whistle.
“Kodi! Come on, or we’re going to be late!” Mr. Simpson the musher of the mail team called to Kodi.
“You better go, you don’t want to be late.” Sandy told Kodi. Kodi then barked goodbye to Sandy.
“See yah, Sandy!” Sandy jumped up barking dog like sounds in excitement to wish him farewell.
“Good boy Kodi, we can’t be late.” Mr. Simpson encouraged him for coming. He patted Kodi’s head as he helped Kodi get into his harness. Kodi stood beside Kirby, who was still thinking about Sandy, love-struck. Ralph then started joking,
“Hey Kodi, did you guys go howling at the moon yet?”
“Huh? What?” Kodi asked back confused.
“You know....” Ralph paused looking around and then continued. “You and Sandy.”
“Sandy and I are just friends.” Kodi defended himself, then he gave a murmur/gasp as he heard Dusty conclude to Ralph’s comment,
“That’s what they all say at the beginning.” Ralph laughed at Dusty’s own comment, and she joined in. Kodi felt red hot in his ears and cheeks with embarrassment. Then he and the others got ready into action as Mr. Simpson shouted,
“Mush!” Kodi and Kirby led the dogs through the snow onward towards White Mountain.

Chapter 4

Kodi kept running as he and the others ran the sled towards White Mountain through the thicket of trees and shrubs covered with snow. He started thinking about Sandy once again, when they reached the entrance of White Mountain. I hope Sandy’s okay. Kodi thought. The dogs on the mail team, still geared up to the sled, waited patiently as Mr. Simpson dropped off the mail from Nome to the White Mountain post office, where the White Mountain postmaster gave Mr. Simpson another load of mail that would go back to Nome.
Mr. Simpson came on out of the post office with a heavy load of mail. “Okay guys, we’re going to be having more loads of mail starting today, because the 4th graders from Nome and White Mountain are starting a pen pals group, every Monday, Wednesday and Tuesday.” Mr. Simpson explained to the dogs as he placed the large bag filled with the new mail upon the sled.
“Yee Ow!” Ralph yowled. “This hurts my back!”
“C’mon Ralph, it’s not that big of a deal.” Dusty told him.
“How do you know?” Ralph asked her angrily.
“Because like you I’m also hooked up to the sled, and I’m right next to you!” She explained. The dogs felt a tug at the sled reins, and Mr. Simpson shouted out to the dogs.
“Okay, now mush!”
“Seems like the argument will have to wait.” Kodi joked, and he and Kirby took the lead once again, and headed back towards Nome.

Kodi reached the entrance of Nome happily, eagerly glancing around for Sandy’s brownish sable colored coat, and tail. Once he got out of his gear, he skipped his reward for doing the mail, which was usually a bowl of warmed up wet-dog food with small amounts of kibble; and to his surprise found Sandy chatting with Kodi’s parents, Balto and Jenna!
He inhaled and exhaled before he went on over to join them.
“Hey Mom, Dad, seems like you’ve met Sandy already.” They all looked at him, now smiling noticing that he had arrived.
“Kodi! You’re back! I was worried sick that something happened to you!” Sandy breathed sounding exhausted with worry, as she bounded up to him.
“I’m fine.” He sounded pleasant and happy that she cared for him that much. Balto and Jenna waited patiently smiling.
“We were just telling Sandy, not to worry.” Jenna spoke softly.
“They were- are, very kind to me, Kodi.” Sandy told him. Balto joined in on the conversation.
“You should’ve seen her earlier, she was running all over the place around the post office. We’re all just glad that you’re okay though.” Balto finished. He and Jenna smiled proudly at Kodi and Sandy.
“Uh… do you guys want to… go on a walk with us?” Kodi asked. Balto was about to answer but was interrupted by Jenna.
“Sorry Kodi, your father and I have our own plans already. About going on a stroll into town.” Jenna spoke a little demandingly at the end of her second sentence, and gave Balto a look. Balto’s expression at first was confused, but then he realized that Jenna was trying to let Kodi and Sandy have a little bit of ‘alone time’ together.
“Oh- yeah, I forgot about that.” Balto replied and then he and Jenna both smiling, barked their goodbyes and left walking side by side.
Kodi and Sandy chuckled with each other. “Your parents really bring the core of the dog bone to this place.” Sandy told him, smiling thoughtfully.
“Thanks.” Kodi replied smiling. He was still tired from the run to White Mountain and back, especially since he didn’t eat his reward. Sandy’s tail raised, whisked her tail to his tail. Kodi felt red hot with embarrassment.
“So what’s the main attraction, you were goanna show me?” Sandy asked curiously, as they walked on. Kodi smiled and answered guiltily,
“Well…. My Dad was the main attraction.” Sandy stopped suddenly, as she asked puzzled.
“You’re dad?” Kodi chuckled. She must’ve heard of my Dad’s legacy. He thought.
“You know, ‘Balto rescue dog of Nome, the all dog luminary’.” Sandy shook her head, telling him that she didn’t follow what he was saying. “You’re kidding, right?” He asked in disbelief. Sandy shook her head again. Kodi gave a sigh and proposed, “Well, then I’ll tell you about it.” Sandy’s eyes and her entire expression upon her face and tail, including her ears, all brightened and piped up.
“I hope I like it.” Sandy told Kodi almost in a flirty tone. Kodi responded happily,
“You’ll love it.” Sandy just closed her eyes softly with a flirtatious mummer. They started walking together towards the end of town, near the wilderness of and beach of Nome, without them evening realizing it as Kodi began the story.

Chapter 5

Kodi and Sandy were walking across the beach, which was covered in snow because it was earlier fall. Snow started falling a little more, so it could get through the fall and get ready for the large storms and blizzards ready for winter. Kodi had now finished the story, and was telling Sandy about the confusion between ‘aurora’ and the ‘northern lights’ as the lights’ name, while they appeared in front of them as nightfall also shown.
“They’re so… beautiful.” Sandy replied breathlessly as she watched the colors twine and shift together, like a bunch of crystals taped together on a projector slides that were moving back and forth.
Sandy sat on the cold snow and they laid down, watching the bright lights, Kodi laid down beside her. Sandy turned toward Kodi. “Oh, Kodi.” She sighed longingly. “When I move to a new place, I’ve always had to face the first few months on my own. And I thought when I moved out of the Yukon, that I’d be an outcast here in Nome. But then you appeared on my third day here, and changed some of my thoughts about this place. I think… what I’m trying to say… is that well…” Sandy paused and inhaled and exhaled before continuing. “I think Kodi, that…I….love you. Even though I’ve just met you, I feel as though you and I have a bond. A bond stronger than just friendship.” Sandy finished and then asked

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