immediately alert, muscles tense and bracing himself for the worst. The familiar face of a young girl peered passed the door. It was Ashley. Relaxation seeped through every inch of Michigan’s body.

“Kiro, you’re hurt! Your shoulder’s bleeding!” Shouted Ashley, sounding devastated. She fell to her knees, in shock. The hybrid crawled closer to her. Michigan tried to comfort her by resting his head on her lap. The wolf/dog whined in happiness, he was so glad  and relieved to see her.

 Sadly, the moment couldn’t last. “Dad told me what happened. But, I know those teenagers were drunk. Those guys always are. They hurt you, so, you defended yourself. I know you did this for a reason Kiro.” Stated the young girl, determined to believe in her beloved pet.

 She paused and looked at my wounds. “I knew you would be hurt, so, I brought some bandages.” Ashley told the hybrid. She tapped the bandages on my shoulder and chest carefully.

 “There you go, it should help stop the bleeding,” Ashley said as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. I licked her cheek to comfort her. The hybrid’s wounds weren’t all that serious anyway, if only he could tell her.

 “But, you can’t stay here boy. Dad…Dad wants you dead…He wants to shoot you! He told me!” She sobbed. She immediately hugged me around my neck. In return, Michigan pressed himself into her hug

“Come Kiro. I know where you can go.” Ashley said, whipping away her tears, even though they kept coming. “But, first I know you want to say bye to Jenna, Simarra and Balto.” Ashley said.

  The two friends searched the town for Michigan’s mother, father and sister, but only briefly and discretely. They found them all in about fifteen minutes, thankfully Simarra was with Balto at the time, so they had only mainly needed to search for Jenna. Michigan explained what happened to them on the way to where Ashley was bringing him.

 “Ok Kiro, say your good byes…” Ashley said with a smile and a few tears, and backed away to give him room.

Michigan walked up to his mother and pushed his face into her neck fur, and her bandana. “Bye mom, I’ll miss you and don’t worry, I’ll be fine…” He told her softly.

 Next, he turned toward Balto, his father. “Good-bye dad, I’ll be ok. After all, I am part wolf.” Michigan teased with a smirk.

 So far, no one had said anything to the wolf/dog. They were all too shocked about what had happened. Then, lastly he slowly padded towards Saba, the snow crunched beneath the heavy weight of his massive paws. Saying bye to her hurt the most. The hybrid pressed his face on his sister’s cheek.

 Surprisingly, he still managed to let out a whimper to her. “I will come back…I promise you. You will see me again.”


Michigan backed up slowly from his parents and sister. He turned around to face Ashley. “Ok boy, you seem like you're done...Let’s go…” Ashley sobbed, patting his head.

 She led the wolf/dog far from the small town of Nome. He glanced back every so often and watched his birth town fade away behind him as the two pushed through the snow. The thought of leaving his parents and Saba just didn’t seem real to the hybrid. Still, they walked until they reached the beginning of the forest that surrounded Nome. Ashley then came to halt and turned to face Michigan.

 “Ok boy, this is now our good-bye…Please just go, I can’t bear to a long good-bye!” She cried, misery cracking her voice.

  The long banged wolf/dog didn’t understand what the girl was saying, but, he did understand her body movements. Ashley wanted him to leave. He licked her face, backed away and ran to the mouth of the forest. Then, stopped. Michigan starred at her with grief. She starred back at him, his grief reflected in her gaze.

The hybrid summoned his courage and did something Ashley never, nor even himself, saw him do. He howled. He howled the most in tune wolf-song he could sing. His song consisted of many things. It wasn’t just a sad melody, but, it was also happy. It was a compilation of all the time they had spent together; from when she adopted the wolf/dog, all the way up to this moment, his departure. It lasted awhile, then, came to a slow, steady stop. Even though Ashley didn’t want a long good-bye, she stayed to listen to his song their song.


She didn’t understand it, but seemed to enjoy the lovely song anyway. She whispered, and it was carried off in the wind, like her long brown hair, “Good-bye, Kiro.”


Michigan stood in the icy snow, until Ashley was out of sight. The only thing the hybrid wanted to do was run home, but, sadly he couldn’t, at least not yet. So, he made his way into the forest, alone, lost and heart broken…




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