smiled. "...I don't know that she can do that by herself. She's awful small."

As if they'd rehearsed it, Shanaea let herself slide a little, dropping the dog down another few inches.

"No!" the dog called. "Please don't let me go, please pull me up, please! You can't do this! You're the Keeper of the Law, you're the good guy, you can't just drop me man!"

Blaize smiled. "I don't think anyone will question me when I tell them you fell, do you Shanaea?"

Shanaea shook her head, which caused the dog to drop another few inches.

"Okay man, okay, pull me up and I'll help you!"

Blaize smiled. "You don't think I'm going to fall for that one do you?" He asked. "...tell me now, then I pull you up."

"How do I know you won't drop me after I tell you?" The dog asked.

"...because, as you said, I'm the good guy, my word is better than yours." Blaize said. "..but you better hurry, I think she's getting tired."

Shanaea slid forward another few inches.

The dog screamed. "...okay..." The dog said. "...they're in the old docks building... the tuna cannery over on Joyce, it's in the outskirts, now will you please pull me up?!"

Blaize smiled and looked down at Shanaea. "...need any help?"

She shook her head and began to pul the dog back onto the deck.

Once he was up on the deck he leapt to his paws. "You guys are crazy!" He yelled. "What's the deal, hanging me out there like..."

Blaize silenced the dog with a quick strike to the side of the head.

The dog collapsed, unconscious.

Blaize turned to Shanaea. "Let's get out of here."

She nodded and the two of them headed down the gangplank.

Once they were down Blaize looked back toward town. "Shanaea, go to the Old Mill, stay with Astarre until this is over. You'll be safe there."

Shanaea shook her head. "...not on your life." She said. "Tiembe is my mate, if he's in trouble then I'm going to help him."

"It could be dangerous Shanaea." Blaize said.

Shanaea nodded. "I know, but I can handle myself."

Blaize nodded. "Well that much is evident, but... can you handle yourself against your own brother?"

Shanaea sighed. "I love Tiembe." She said.

Blaize nodded. "All right, let's get out of here then, but be careful. Kodi will gut me alive if I let anything happen to you."

She smiled. "You're probably right." She said.

Blaize frowned. "Hey, you're not supposed to agree with me." He said.

Shanaea laughed. "Let's go." She said.

Blaize shook his head. "...alright." He said.

The two of them sprinted off toward the outskirts.

 

Balto had been standing on the sidewalk on Second Street for the last twenty minutes. It was snowing a bit here and there, but the wind made it look like a blizzard. Balto could barely see the darkened hulls of the buildings in the outskirts of Nome.

"Blaize said that Gemeni was killed near the outskirts." He thought . "...that means Jenna is out here somewhere..."

He sighed and looked around. "...but where to begin?" He asked himself.

He stood there a moment later and then shook the snow off his back and started across the street. "I've got to start somewhere..." He thought. "I'm not doing Jenna any good just standing there wondering where to look." He stepped across the sidewalk on the other side of the street and then trotted into the alleyway between two burned up buildings.

Balto glanced around, trying to keep an eye out for possible enemies in the blowing snow. It was hard to see and the snow stung Balto's eyes. "If I'm right he's most likely alone." Balto thought.

His thoughts were jolted to a stop by a clanging noise to his right. He whirled around and growled. "Who's there?" He asked.

Another clanging noise came from within the blowing snow and Balto barked and growled again. "...show yourself or I will attack." He said.

Laughter echoed out of the blowing snow and Balto paused.

"Do it dog, you'll have your paws full it you do." A female voice said. Presently a young gray and white cat stepped out of the alleyway.

Balto sighed and stopped growling. "It's alright." He said. "I'm not going to attack you."

"Pfft, go ahead, try it." The cat said. "I've taken dogs bigger than you before."

Balto laughed. "...is that so?" He asked.

The cat nodded. "Yeah, that is so." She said. She got a little closer to him and then her eyes opened wide. "Why you're... you're Balto aren't you?" She asked.

Balto nodded. "...sure am." He said.

The cat smiled. "Oh, my goodness I'm sorry, my upbringing has been less than... well... civilized." She said. "I had no idea I was speaking to a great hero."

Balto laughed. "Well I don't know if I'd put it quite like that." He said.

"Why not?" The cat asked. "...everyone else does."

"Yeah but..." Balto fell silent.

"...but what?" The cat asked.

Balto smiled. "Well... I don't know." He said.

The cat shook her head and laughed, then she straightened up and became serious again. "You should be careful here Balto." She said. "The outskirts isn't a nice place."

Balto laughed. "...no offense, but if a little kitten like you can make it I'm sure I can."

The cat frowned. "Who're you calling a kitten?" She asked. "I'm two years old. I'm just small."

Balto smiled. "Oh... well I'm sorry." He said. "It's just that... you're so small."

The cat nodded. "I know, I know." She said. "...everyone says that, and everyone thinks that too. I was the runt of the litter, mamma even abandoned me, guess she didn't think I'd survive." The cat spit on the ground. "...but screw her, I did, I had to scrap and fight my way through life from day one, but dammit I'm still here."

Balto laughed. "...like I said I'm sorry." He said.

The cat smiled. "No problem." She said. "What brings you to the outskirts?"

Balto sighed. "...looking for someone." He said quietly.

The cat tossed her head toward town. "...someone from over there?" She asked.

Balto nodded. "...yeah."

The cat shook her head. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this Balto, but the outskirts is a nasty place. ...isn't often a townie lives very long when they come through here."

Balto smiled half-heartedly. "...if anyone could it'd be Jenna."

"...Jenna?" The cat asked. "...that the name of the dog you're lookin for?"

Balto nodded. "She's my mate." He said.

"Oh..." The cat said. "I'm sorry to hear that Balto." She fell silent for a moment, her ears hung low. Then she perked her ears back up and smiled. "Hey, I get around these parts a lot, maybe I've seen her. What's she look like?"

Balto nodded. "Yeah, maybe you have. She's red and white..."

The cat nodded. "...and got a red bandanna around her neck?" She asked.

Balto smiled. "Yeah, have you seen her?"

The cat beamed. "Yes I have." She said. "...not long ago actually, a few days maybe."

Balto laughed. "Ha ha, imagine the luck." He said. "...was she with anyone?"

The cat nodded. "Yeah, there was another female with her, she was limping pretty badly."

Balto nodded. "That'd be Alyse." He said. "...Jenna's new friend. Was there anyone else?"

The cat nodded. "Yeah, three others."

"...three?" Balto asked."

The cat nodded. "I didn't get a good look at the first two, I know they were males, but outside of that I couldn't tell you what they looked like because they stuck to the rubble and debris... but there was a female with them, she was hurt too, she was black. Reason it stuck out in my mind is your Jenna and her friend didn't seem to like their escorts very much."

Balto nodded. "...they kidnaped her."

"Oh..." The cat said. "...I'm sorry... again."

Balto half smiled. "It's alright." He said. "Do you happen to know which direction they were headed?"

The cat smiled and nodded. "...not only that, but I now which building they went into. ...and I haven't seen them leave it yet."

Balto grinned. "...great." He said, where is it?"

The cat smiled. "...going to rescue her huh?" She asked.

Balto nodded.

"Well there's three of them, do you have any help coming?" The cat asked.

Balto shook his head. "...no, just me."

The cat shook her head. "...you're going to need help." She said. She grinned and looked up at him. "Hell, it's been a while since I've scrapped with a couple of dogs, think I could tag along?"

Balto shook his head. "I'd hate for you to get hurt." He said. "...and you're so..."

"...what, small?" The cat asked.

Balto sighed and nodded sheepishly.

The cat scowled. "Look here Balto, I may be small, but as I told you, I can hold my own."

Balto nodded.

"...besides..." She continued. "...it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

Balto laughed. "...but you're a cat." He said.

The cat laughed. "...whatever." She said. "You know what I mean."

Balto nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean, and I guess... I'd be glad to have your help..." He paused and smiled. "...what is your name?"

The cat grinned. "They call me Kate." She said.

Balto nodded. "...glad to have your help Kate." He said. "...thank you."

Kate smiled. "...not a problem Balto." She said.

"...so where did they go?" Balto asked.

"...down on fifth street, the old post

office."

Balto nodded and turned. He started running down the street.

"Hey, come back here!" Kate yelled.

Balto stopped and trotted back to her. "What is it Kate?" He asked.

She smiled. "Well... being small does have it's disadvantages." She said. "...think I could hitch a ride?"

Balto laughed. "Ha ha, sure." He said. He ducked down and the Cat jumped on his back.

Balto started to run and Kate extended her claws into his back slightly to hang on.

Balto winced.

"...sorry." She said. "...I have sharp claws."

Balto nodded and laughed. "Yeah, ha ha, yeah you do. ...but don't worry about it."

Kate smiled and Balto increased his speed.

 

 

 

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