The past few days had been full of chaos. More things got broken, more furniture had to be replaced and more cherished family arilooms found thier way to the trash. All the pups had gotten bigger, each had grown into happy, healthly, rowdy, eight week olds. Aleu howled more, Dingo fought harder, Saba cried less, and got a major girly attitude, and Kodi discovered the art of breaking things more offten, while Adele got into more mischef. It wasn't that they didn't love eachother, or things were purposely introduced to the garbage cans, but it was time for the pups, to expierence the world for themselves, and the time came for Jenna and Balto to make the decision every parents hates, but every parent knows can not be avoided. It just so happens it was on a warm summer night as they tucked the pups in the time came.

     "All done" Balto said falling agianst the wall as he walked out of the finally silent bedroom.

   "Really" Jenna said with a happy sigh of relief "That two minutes earlier than last night"
  

   "Yea I know, looks like we have a little time to oursleves" He grinned getting up and nuzzling her with his warm body, Jenna nuzzled back.

  "What do you say to a quiet evening " Jenna said prancing around him as she rubbed her tail under his chin and walked toward the room Roisie let them sleep in.

  "O your bad" Balto grinned following her with a smile as Jenna laughed and walkd with him. Just as they got to the bedroom though Balto stopped as his paw caught in yet another sticky substance an apparant evidence that one of the pups had been around.

   "Yuck" Balto said lifting his paw from the gooey mess.

  "Dingo" Jenna said bluntly with a sad sigh, the moment was now over.

  "Yea, peanut butter" Balto rolled his eyes as he wiped his paw against a rag on the floor.

  "You know Jenna I've been thinking"  Balto began

   "I know, so have I" Jenna said sitting down next to the window.

   "Its for the best honey" He said licking her cheek to cheer her.

    "I know" She smiled  "When should we tell them?"

    "Tomorrow, the sooner the better they will be so excited" Balto grinned.

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    "What!" Saba burst out

    "But Mom, I want to stay here with you" Dingo said in an uproar as he fell down the plank of Balto's boat.

    "Don't worry, Believe me, you will all love your new homes, and we will still see eachother all the time" Jenna re-assured as all the pups gathered around, Adele was the only one who remained silent, the thought of meeting an owner of her own excited her, but at the same time it worried her. It was no secrect what she was, she was a wolf, mostly when people with kids went out looking for a cute dog to get they go looking for an adorable fluffly tailed pup, but Adele was all the opposite, people took one look and saw one thing, wild, would anyone be willing to trust her?

   "You promise?" Saba asked coming to her Mother's side

     "Yes dear I promise" Jenna smiled

  "That goes for all of you, we will check in on you all the time, and you don't have to be afraid, its just another adventure" Balto's eyes lit up.

   "Really" Kodi asked becoming excited

 "Yes my dear little chicks" Boris said coming onto the boat.

   "Uncle Boris" Adele screamed as the pups gathered around him.

  "So is finding a home really like Dadddy says?" Ding said

   "O yes, let me tell you a story" All the pups breathing hushed and it became quiet it was just what they had wanted. Boris seemed to be the only one who could grab thier attention so.

     Then next day the pups spent the entire day getting ready for the big moment ahead. Jenna made them all get baths agian Rosie brushed their  fur till it literally shined and they all got a lot of doggie breath mints weather they wanted them or not. Balto set a box outside close to the shop windows and put a soft pillow in it and fixed the sign that Roise had made just right, it read Free Puppies.

       "Alright that about does it" Jenna said tying the last of the bow around Adele's neck and standing back to admire her beautiful daughter.

  "Mom do I really have to where this thing" Adele asked

   "Honey you look absolutely gorgeous you need to keep it on" Jenna smiled

   "Alright you pups ready to go?" Balto asked placing each one into the box.

          The day went fast, soon the town awoke and people stopped and gathered around the puppies petting this one and fawning over that one, it was no suprise when a prissy little girl came to the box with a little pink collar and picked Saba up giggling happily as she licked her small round cheeks. The little girl headed quickly aross the street with her mother and Saba waved good bye over the girl's shoulder. The other pups sighed but gave up no hope they were still anxious to find where they had a place to call home. 

    Soon though one after the other people came. The next to go was Dingo, a jolly man with red cheeks and a happy smile petted each pup but soon his gaze fell to Dingo and he picked him up and walked a ways up the street and handed him to a little boy who was more excited than ever as Dingo squirmed in his hand happily. The next to go was the hardest for Adele, it was Kodi. Adele stayed close to his side, but it was evident he was next when a little boy in a green jacked with a toy train in hand walked up and his eyes immediatly hit Kodi and then he was gone too. 

  "Don't worry Adele, keep your chin up" Kodi yelled back

  "And my eyes on the prize" Adele finished with a smile as Kodi winked a good job at her. Adele fell back down in the box with a tired sigh it was just her and Aleu  now.

   "It will be ok" Aleu smiled  laying on top of her sis and tilting her head in her care free way. "Some one will come, its just like Dad says everyone is meant to have someone" She said Balto grinned, but Adele only sighed and lay her head down in a tired deisplay of defeat.

      The shops were closing and people were hurring about to get home and out of the cold breeze. Though suddenly Aleu pushed Adele forcing her to stand and soon both pups were whining over the attention of a little girl that had came to the box of pups with her Father.

  "There so cute"  The little girl said as she laughed as the puppies fought for her attention. She picked Aleu in the air and laughed as the puppy bit her hand playfully. Adele fell back in the box watching with a broken heart as the little girl walked off happily with Aleu, leaving her alone with a rejected feeling agian.

     "Adele honey" Jenna said gently looking at Balto who had his head down, he knew why she had been left it was the same reason he had once been an Outcast in Nome.

   "It's late honey, we'll come back tomorrow, there will be alot more people out then" She tried to sound cheerful.

   "May I stay out here for a little bit?, I just want to watch the sun set" Adele said faking a smile as she lied. The truth was she just wanted to be alone.

    Jenna started to hesitate. "Alright but don't be long sweetheart, its getting a little chilli" Balto said with a shutter as he stayed close by Jenna's side.

   "Yes sir" She smiled. Soon the street was clear and the shops dark. Adele, pulled the half fallen ribbon of her neck and crawled out of the box. She sniffed the paths of the many people she had seen go by that day. Out of all the places she had been, one spot smelled familiar, and then she realized what it was, it was from Kodi. Adele fell down crying under one of the shop carts. It was too much to handle, all she had ever known as family was gone, they had thier own homes, thier own lives, and her she was, what had she really expected a life? No that was impossible, no matter how much she ran from it she couldn't get away from the truth she was w

      Something suddenly interrupted Adele's cries, she looked up and she saw someone's feet, her heart beat fast, it was a stranger, what if he wanted to hurt her?  She was to far away from home to run to the door of safety now. She stayed quiet, knowing her best chance was to be quiet and hope that he just went away.

  "Here puppy" A small voice whistled. Adele held her breath, they sounded nice but how could she be sure?

  "Here puppy it's ok, I won't hurt you" The voice whistled, but even though the voice was convincing and kind, Adele did not move. Balto had taught here there were two kinds of people in the world, those who were kind and gentle with a little time, and those who were horrid no matter what, and sometimes things were never as they seemed.

           Adele watched carefully and soon to her relief, the person began to walke off, with what seemed a disappointed sigh, but Adele noted the way in which he walked,he had a bad limp and it seemed a choir for him to walk straight. Just as Adele thought the cost was clear and she could make it home, a loud thud stopped her. She looked back to the north of the street and saw the little boy lying there, he had apparantly tripped over something, what Adele couldn't tell. She listened closer and heard a pitiful sniffle break from him, and though he thought no one heard, Adele had. He reminded her of when she was little, she remebered