"When's Aleu coming back?" Flint asked sleepily when he woke

up. Kodi sniffed and scanned the horizon. "Beats me. She's been

 gone the whole night, and we're leaving soon. You'll have to

find somewhere to hide when Mr. Simpson gets up." Flint still

looked nervous. "Okay, I guess."

"Um, ty hiding in those trees.  They look like good cover," Kodi

 suggested. Flint nodded and left for the trees. Kodi still felt a

little worried for Aleu, though. Where is she?

 

Aleu sat alert outside of the den. Shale was still sleeping away,

and she let him be. Besides, yesterday he'd almost gotten

himself killed; he really did deserve to sleep in after that ordeal.

 But, Aleu couldn't help butfeel worried about this 'Galeth' trying

to harm a pack member, or two including Flint. When she gazed

dead ahead, she still saw the pawprints and upturned snow

 from the day before. What about Flint? How's he doing? A grunt

 broke into Aleu's train of thoughts. She snapped her head

backwards to see Shale trying to climb out of the den. 

"Shale! What do you think you're doing?"

Dumbfounded, Shale  stared back at Aleu with wide eyes.

 "Ummm..."

"You were trying  to sneak away," Aleu said with a sigh. Shale

mustered up a dry grin. "You guessed it." Aleu rolled her eyes

 and trotted over to Shale, grabbing him by the scruff and

 pushing him back into the den. "Does anything still hurt?" she

questioned him. Shale paused then shook his head side to side,

 obviously lying. "Tell me the truth," Aleu persisted. "Well...my

leg sort of---darn it, you got me." Aleu smiled slyly. "Stay in the

 den, I'm going to go find Flint." Shale nodded, snorted, and

rolled his eyes. Aleu left for Kodi's team once again.

 

Galeth's two bumbling scouts; Defti and Hukka walked through

 the forest, looking for a little gray pup named Flint. "I'm tired,"

 Hukka said"and my paws hurt."

"Oh, quit your whining, crybaby, it's just a little further 'till we

get the twerp and scram." Defti let an exaggerated sigh out and

caught the scent of something.

"Hey! What's that?"

"What's wh-" Hukka drew in a deep breath.

 Yep, definitely the pup. He exhailed, a crooked grin winding its

 way along his mouth. "Time to kidnap this sucker."

 

Kodi smelled danger in the drafts. Kirby, Ralph, Dusty, and the

other dogs had scented it too. "Something smells funny, and it

isn't Ralph," Kirby said. Ralph's eyebrows arched. "He-e-ey--"

"Guys!" Kodi broke in, "I don't want you two--" A howl

interrupted Kodi in mid-sentence. All eyes turned to Flint, who

 was begging to grow red in the face. "Oops. Sorry."

"Sheesh, kid! You gave me the heebie-jeebies! That just makes

 my skin crawl, even when Balto does it," Kirby said, looking

 alarmed. Another howl came again. Flint held his paws up.

"Wasn't me." Mr. Simpson came to straighten the dogs on the

team to get going. Kodi gave Flint a few last words of advice.

"Stay hidden, and keep on lookout for Aleu. Tell her I said 'bye!"

 Flint yipped a response and lay hidden, watching Kodi's team

leave. He hoped Aleu would come back soon enough.

 

Aleu didn't know why, but she felt uncomfortable, like someone

 was trailing her. She whipped aroundonly to meet her shadow.

Aleu paused before turning to leave. She'd learned to trust her

instincts, but sometimes her surrounding could play tricks on

her. That's when it hit her; what if that someone was hiding in

thr shadows, trying to keep out of sight until the right moment.

Shifting her eyes, she saw something in the shadows of the

trees flit past her. Aleu jumped, hackles raised and ready to fend

for herself. The figure circled amongst the trees, it looked much

bigger than her, and more muscular. Aleu started to feel like

running. "I don't want any trouble. I'm just passing by," she said

 casually. The wolf spoke for the first time. "Well, well, well. If it

 isn't little Miss Aleu herself. How does he know my name? She

growled, not actually meaning to, it just popped out with the

wolf's comment. "Okay, fine. I'm leaving; happy?" The wolf

smirked, then stepped into the light. "I'm Galeth. And what a

pleasure it is to meet you, since, by now, your packs' now under

my control." Aleu blinked. What's going on here?!

 

Flint swirled his claw in the snow, thinking of nothing better to

 do. He was practically bored to tears. What could he do but

wait for Aleu? And what could he do to pass the time? Exploring

was out of the question, since he had to stay put, and running

was a big 'no-no'. Suddenly, the bushes behind him rustled. Flint

 turned on his heels to face them. Two mangy-looking wolves

stepped out. "Make any moves and your toast, puppy. Got

that?" Flint stiffened. "Who're you?" The gray wolf who'd spoken

first waltzed closer to Flint. "Do you recognize the name

'Galeth'?" Flint's heart sped up. "I...um...no. I've never heard of

him." Hukka caught Flint's stuttering, and used a new tactic. "We

have a wolf by the name of Shale held captive in--"

 Flint started growling. Now Hukka knew this was the right pup.

"Get him Defti. He's the one." Flint stumbled backwards, falling

right on his behind. Grinning from ear to ear, Defti grabbed Flint

 by the scruff of his neck and ran off with Hukka. Jostled with

Defti's running, Flint was terrified out of his mind. What're they

gonna do to me?

 

Shale lied with his head on his paws, wondering where Aleu

was. She sure is taking her time at this. It had been the whole

afternoon, and yet still she hadn't returned with Flint. Shale

 undoubtedly began to worry. What if Galeth or one of his scouts

 got to her? Or worse, if a hunter shot her. Shale shivered,

shaking that horrible thought out of his head. He did feel a bit

nervous for her welfare. Maybe I should go look for her... He

decided to go out and find her, even if it meant straining his

tender spots that had not yet healed. Shale got up, with effort,

and started out of the den.

 

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