❄ Kodi’s Surprise ❄

All of characters from Balto, Balto 2 Wolf Quest, & Balto 3 Wings of Change belong to Universal Studios. Other characters, like Sandy, belong to Stormer23 (me)! (Except for the Balto 4 One Year Later, title is not really a balto 4 in progress on film). © for all!
   

Nome, Alaska 1929

Chapter 1

Kodi stretched his legs. It was the middle of winter and the temperature had started to get freezing cold again. He yawned. “I wonder how Sandy’s doing?” He asked himself out loud. He wanted to go see her.
He had been so busy lately with the mail run, because of the 4th graders pen pal group notes, and because the bush plane couldn’t drop off and pick up the mail during the weekends and on Fridays like it usually did, because of the harsh weather. So Kodi and the mail team had to run every week on everyday. Since this was hard on all the dogs, they now took shifts. Instead of having two lead dogs, (which were usually Kodi and Kirby), they now had one lead dog up front, and had the other lead dog go in the second or third row, so one of the dogs could have that day off. Kodi had his day off today, since Kirby would be leading the team out to White Mountain and back.
Kodi walked on over to the kitchen, where the front door was and started scratching at it with his paws. Mrs. Brooks had just put little Susie down to bed upstairs in her small room, (which used to be a small attic). Mrs. Brooks came down the stairs and had her stained apron on, and took off her cooking gloves as she went to go pet Kodi, and open the door and praise him,
“Alright Kodiak, you can go. I bet you’re going to visit Sandy,” She told him. Kodi panted happily as she scratched behind his ears. “That’s very nice of you to want to drop by. I just hope Old Mr. Grand is in a good mood. His cousin, Jiminy is always in a good mood though, that’s a good thing.” Mrs. Brooks told Kodi, then she shook her head and opened the door for him. “Alright, now shoo! Shoo!” She rushed Kodi off in a playful tone. Kodi raced out the door happily. His head turned to look back at the doorway as Mrs. Brooks cleaned her hands on her apron. She saw him looking back at her and told him. “Now get a going! It’s rude to keep ladies waiting, don’t cha know?” Kodi smiled, he kept forgetting how Mrs. Brooks was 1/3 Irish. He raced into town, onward to Sandy’s house.
Kodi was feeling great, as he made his way to Old Mr. Grand’s house. Old Mr. Grand unfortunately was almost always in a foul food being the third oldest citizen of the town, but Sandy’s told Kodi of when she’s seen Old Mr. Grand and Jiminy (her owner) laugh together when drinking a couple of beers together with the warm fireplace going nearby.
Kodi remembered he couldn’t believe Sandy the first few times she told him about those moments. But she always insisted that Old Mr. Grand still had a good side to him, like everybody else had.
Kodi arrived at the old house that belonged to Old Mr. Grand and his cousin Jiminy who worked as the town’s cook for the General Store and also delivered supplies and merchandise for Old Mr. Grand’s antique shop; and where Sandy also lived. Kodi had only been in the house a few times, most of the time he and Sandy would go out into town together, or go in the woods on a hike, or take a walk on the beach, which Sandy loved.
Kodi went up the two steps that led to the front porch. He looked at the screen door. It was old and sometimes if you looked through the holes in it, you could see the window door behind it and sometimes you could see the inside of the house. Kodi’s eyes squinted as he tried to look hard through the screen door. It was dark inside. That meant nobody was home, except maybe Old Mr. Grand who might be asleep. Kodi sniffed towards the doggie door. Locked. Kodi was confused. So he went to the backside of the house, where the porch became a veranda. In the small fenced yard, there was Sandy’s doghouse.
Kodi got off the veranda and padded on over to Sandy’s dog house. She wasn’t there.
“That’s strange.” Kodi said to himself, but shrugged as he thought out loud. “Maybe Sandy’s with Jiminy at the General Store. She’s probably there helping out Dipsy.” Kodi decided and went on over to the General Store.

When he arrived he found only Dipsy munching on some food that she had sneaked out of some of the ripped bags filled with human foods. Her owner was at the cash register with his assistant and that was it for human help. Jiminy and Sandy weren’t there.
“Hey, Dipsy have you seen Sandy at all?” Kodi asked her. Dipsy kept munching on her treats and then swallowed her first mouthful.
“Nope, haven’t seen her.” She answered and then went on to her next batch of stolen treats.
“Oh…okay. If you see her, would you tell her I’m looking for her?” Kodi asked disappointed. He was about to walk off when Dipsy said,
“The mail team came back early about an hour ago. Dusty might know. I heard from Mel that she was planning on seeing her today.” Kodi’s face brightened.
“Thanks Dipsy!” He thanked her and rushed out the door, not hearing her say,
“Anytime. No where did I put those peppermint sticks?”

Kodi rushed on over to Dusty’s house. She was sleeping on the front porch. Kodi lifted his front paws up towards the floor of the porch. “Hey, Dusty?” He whispered. She moaned sleepily. “Have you seen Sandy at all?” Dusty opened an eye, and then lifted her head yawning. Both eyes opened wearily as she yawned,
“She said, she had to go to the vet.” Kodi felt alarmed.
“Do you know why? When?” He asked seriously almost panicked.
“Keep your fur on. I think she was supposed to be there at twelve. I don’t know why though.” Kodi smiled relieved.
“Thanks Dusty.” Kodi bounded off now towards the vet’s not hearing Dusty’s sleepily reply back,
“Sure.”

Kodi arrived at the vet’s. He went inside the waiting room area. Many pets and strays were there, and so was Ralph.
Kodi sat next to him. “Hi Ralph, what are you doing here?” Ralph turned, and answered.
“I’ve got fleas, and a sore ear. Dr. Heron is busy with Sandy right now.”
“You’ve seen her? Is she okay? Do you know why she’s here at all?” Kodi asked excitedly, and nervously all at the same time. Ralph shook his head.
“She wouldn’t say.”
Then out came Dr. Heron. She was holding onto the end of Sandy’s leash. Jiminy stood next to Dr. Heron. Dr. Heron took off the leash to let Sandy join Kodi and Ralph. Kodi relieved, Sandy looked healthy and happy, but his ears shifted in suspicion when he heard Dr. Heron tell Jiminy. “Don’t worry, Jiminy. She’ll be fine.” Jiminy just gave a brief nod.
Sandy trotted towards Kodi and nuzzled him with her muzzle underneath his chin. “You okay Sandy?” Kodi asked her. Sandy smiled calmly.
“I’m fine.” She sounded breathless as if something exciting had happened.
“You sure?” Kodi asked suspiciously. He smiled mischievously at her. She smiled kindly back.
“Absolutely. How about we take a hike, up towards Bear Rock? It’s short, which I know you’ll appreciate, and it has a great view of the beach, even your father’s boat from there.” Sandy proposed. Kodi then asked not trying to complain.
“Right now?” He asked. Sandy nodded, but then Jiminy whistled to Sandy. “C’mon girl. Kodi can come too if he likes. But you’re not going out anywhere tonight. I need to get you set up in the house. Dr. Heron says it’s best we get started now, than later.”
Kodi was confused. “Set up?” He asked. Sandy kept smiling and whispered.
“I’ll tell you later. But let’s go with Jiminy.” Kodi nodded a little confused, but still thought it would be good to go, anyway. “Bye Ralph. Good luck.” Sandy told him politely. He just gave a nod, a little nervous for his appointment.


Chapter 2

Kodi followed Sandy to her house. He was still confused. What planning? What needs to be set up? And why is Sandy in such a joyful mood? How come she didn’t tell me why she was at the vet’s in the first place? Kodi’s thoughts anxiously raced through his mind. Sandy was now humming. Kodi never heard her hum before, but she was very good at it.
Jiminy opened the screen door, and unlocked the window-panned door behind it. Jiminy called out to Old Mr. Grand. This made Kodi nervous. Old Mr. Grand hated dogs, except for Sandy because she listened to him, and knew how not to get in his way. But Kodi was going inside, how would Old Mr. Grand react to that? Sandy saw how nervous Kodi was and just told him, “Kodi don’t worry, just stick with me, and we’ll both be fine.” Kodi smiled at her reassuringly. But then Old Mr. Grand came down the stairs. He looked sort of similar to Jiminy, except not as fat, and much older, even though Jiminy was old too. Old Mr. Grand’s fingers tapped on his cane, which had the crest on the handle of it, which was wood painted black, was the shape of an angered cat’s face. Jiminy went on over to his cousin and explained to him about why he had been gone with Sandy, and why Kodi was here.
Sandy whisked the tip of her tail across Kodi’s face. “Kodi follow me, please.” She instructed him, and led him to her ‘den’ downstairs in the cellar.
Down in the cellar were a stock of wine and beer bottles, and packages of store supplies for Old Mr. Grand’s store that was the Art & Antique shop, the only one in the whole town. It was cared for partly by Jiminy, and partly by another younger couple who worked for Old Mr. Grand.
Other things in the cellar were old ripped and torn blankets and towels piled together and some had been spread out where, Sandy led Kodi to where she now lay. It was very close to the boiler in there that heated most of the house, and half of that part of town.
Kodi laid next to Sandy as she smiled and spoke softly. “Kodi. The reason why I was at the vet’s was because, well remember when we went on that night hike, a few weeks ago?” Sandy asked. Kodi smiled and nodded.
“Yeah how can I forget? I stuck my muzzle through what I thought was a raspberry bush which turned out to be a porcupine.” Sandy chuckled but then stopped herself and said,
“Kodi.” He

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