walked slowly around Adele.

  "A little far from your terriotory don't you think?"  Tyler growled.

  "A little far from your brood don't you think" Adele snapped coldly.

   Tyler laughed "That hurts, that rellay hurts" He said pretending to cry, it only drove Adele to more fury, but she hid it, thats what Tyler wanted, what he lived off of. No way she was about to let him get the satisfation of knowing he had won.

             "Why don't you go howl at the moon wolf" He said sharply circling her so closly she felt his hair agianst hers as it bristled. "You know I think its real nice that you live here" He suddenly said, every action changing as he actually sounded sincere.

   "What?" Adele asked carefully, she knew better than to trust him.

   "Yea, I mean after all where else were you going to live, you apparantly weren't good enough for your parents, if that half breed Balto hadn't found you you'd still be out in the woods but then again thats where wild things like you belong" He growled as a grin crossed his face.

  "What" Adele yelled fury driving her.

   "You heard me, why don't you just get out of here you trash"  Before Tyler could get another thing out of his mouth, Adele lunged forward throwing her small body over Tyler and biting down on the first thing her teeth touched. Tyler growled in pain and fought back. Even though Adele was larger than the average pup, Tyler, like his father had a build and he was strong. He threw her down and she slid across the sand with a yelp. As she regained her sences, Tyler rushed at her and she was helpless. Just as he lunged though, a red figure knocked him down and he landed barely on his feet. Adele looked up and through her tears she was thankful to see Kodi.

   "Why don't you pick on some one your own size you coward" Kodi growled trying to hold back the anger that drove him to attacking Tyler then and there.

    "Like you half breed?" Tyler demanded

   "Yea" Kodi said boldly not an ounce of hesitation.

     "Willing to take on a pure husky"  Tyler flaunted

    "Yea haven't you heard, its been proven wolf can kick some real mean husky...." Before Kodi finished and another fight began a bold warning voice was heard and as Adele looked she saw Balto coming down the shore.

     "Kodi" Balto said, but Kodi and Tyler kept thier angered gaze on eachother.

  "Son, whats goin on?" A different deeper voice yelled also coming from the other end of the beach and heading for them, it was Steele. Tyler gave one last defying grin at Kodi and turned to his Father as he came to his side.

   "Dad, I was playig on the beach and Adele attacked me" He said faking it trying to hide the laughter from his eyes.

     "What, is that what happened to you ear?"  Steele asked in a rage of his own fury. It couldn't be denied there had been a fight, Tyler's ear was bleeding a bit from where Adele had, hardley attacked, but tried to defend herself.

  "Yes sir" Tyler said some how managing a tear.

 "Daddy it did not" Adele said runing to Balto's side.

   "He came over here to me and then Kodi saved me"   Adele pleaded, Balto just stood close to both his pups and nodded.

  "Nothing happened here Steele just another argument it seems" Balto glared at him, this had happened before, but Balto couldn't always be everywhere at once, no matter how much he wanted to be. 

     "Don't even go there Balto" Steele said coldly "I told you too keep your pups and that mangy wolf you found away from my family AND I meant it! If it happens agian I'll be forced to take matters into my own ways" He said

  Balto lost it he stood his ground firmly and growled "I'd like to see you try"

    "Balto" Jenna said coming with the other pups following after her as she stopped at the site of Steele.

   Steele looked taken off guard for a moment and Adele held her breath the last thing she wanted was for her Father to get into a fight with such a brute, but Steele wasn't as brave as he seemed. He grinned then stuck his nose and the air, and shoving Tyler on, walked away.Balto breathed heavy but soon his gaze went from the temepered Steele to his pups, Kodi and Adele.

  "Are you ok?" Jenna asked as they all began talking at once, all except Adele, Kodi, and Balto.

  "Are you sure your ok?" Balto asked Kodi, nuging him seriously.

  "I'm ok Dad" Kodi smiled briefly as he looked straight into his Father's eye in a language only the father and son knew. "Adele what about you angel" He said turning to her, Jenna was nuzzling her gently as Adele got rid of the tears only Kodi had seen.

   "I'm ok"  She tried to smile

  "You sure darling?" Jenna asked

   "Yea mom I'm ok" She said standing to her feet shakily.

   "Wo there sis" Dingo said as he and Aleu came to her side to steady her.

   "Just a little off balance thats all" She laughed it off.

   "Heres your bandana mom"  Saba said picking it up from the sandy doon.

  "Thank you" Jenna smiled pulling all her pups close.

  "Mom now can we go home?"  Adele asked, leaning close to Kodi. Jenna smiled "Of course, whose ready for a bath"  Jenna laughed lightning the mood for most of the pups as they protested, all except for Saba that is.

  "Me, me, me" Saba yelled excitedly

  "Aw, come on Saba" Aleu rolled her eyes.

     Adele walked on in sielence as Kodi stuck close to her side. Out of all the pups, Adele an Kodi had the strongest bond. He was her big brother, and he took the job serious. He watched out for her, protected her, listened to her  every problem and made sure she was always happy. No matter what she knew she could always turn to him, but somehow things these past few months had only gotten worse. Before when she was young none of it mattered, the other pups next door that her and her sibilings alway played with never asked why she looked diferent, why she acted and smelled differnent, why natural characteristics of the wild still came to her with such ease whie the other feared the unknown, but one can not stay little forever, as time goes on one begins to grow and experience the world and questions begin to be asked. Soon everyone relized Adele wasn't just like everyone else and soon the word was around she was a wolf, and the secret was out.

           When they got home, Jenna immediatley rushed all the pups into the bathroom where Rosie walked with soap and towel in hand as Saba followed. Adele snuck away from everyone and went out side to the back porch, finally all the well hidden tears flodded her eyes. She was confused, upset, all she wanted was to be like everyone else, at least part dog, that way she would be more excepted. Had she really not been good enough, is that why her real Mom and Dad had left her, was it true, was she really un-lovable?

  "Adele"  Balto said in a gentle whisper at he came outside. Adeled turned her head quickly with a sniffle.

  "Adele angel are you ok?"  He said coming to her side slowly. Adele shook her head without turning. "I know better, whats goin on" He said settling down"  Adele turned to him her white fur matted with tears.

  "I just don't understand" She burst out  "What was so wrong with me, I mean did I mess up was I bad, why didn't they want me was I really not good enough so they left me, I just wish I was like everyone else but all everyone sees when they look at me is a wolf a horrible wolf wild and mean" She sobbed rubbing her head into Balto's shoulder as he covered her.

  "O honey, it was nothing like that, there is nothing wrong with you, your perfect" He smiled looking into her bright eyes.

   "Then why did they leave me"  She asked hopeless

   Balto sighed "I don't know, but I do know that the day I foud you was one of the greatest days of my life" He grinned thinking back. "Being a wolf is nothing to be ashamed of, its an honor you were born wild and free into a world so great dogs travel for years just to get a glimpse."

  "Then why does everyone take look at me and say well shes a wolf stand back" Adele asked

    "Everyone dosen't" Balto said lifting Adele's head to his.  "You know what I see?" He asked his brown eyes suddenly lighting.

  "What?"

   "I see a beautiful dog, strong willed and kind, strong and wise beyond her years, just waiting to get out, one day you are going to accomplish great things, you just have to be willing to run the mile"  Balto smiled

   Adele didn't quite no what he meant but she had the feeling she would one day and she decided to take it to heart, she smiled as Balto nuzzled her.

     "All that matters is I love you now, and I'll love you always your part of the family little one" He grinned.

    "I love you too Dad" She said giving his nose one last nudge. The Father and Daughter looked at the setting sun and took a moment. Then a yell made them both laugh.

   "Adele it's time for your bath! Hurry up before it get's cold" Jenna said as  Kodi and Aleu playfully argued in the back ground.

  "Dont do it Ding, if you touch one paw" Saba thretend

   "Come on Aleu your it" Kodi yelled as a vase crashed in the background.

   "That would be my cue" Balto smiled getting to his feet with a roll of his eyes playfully. "Come on" Balto nodded toward the door.

  "Dad"