what he is. He may be only half, but he’s still a wolf,” Spitz snarled.

“Yeah, well that wolf just saved several kids, not to mention our championship team,” Dixie replied.

“Yeah, Balto doesn’t deserve this. At least a thank-you would be good,” Kaltag said.

“Fine, thank you wolf, for helping us. You can get out now,” Spitz replied, albeit sarcastically.

“I don’t believe it. He comes to us in our time of need, and despite that, you still can’t see beyond your prejudice,” Jenna exclaimed. “If you stopped for a moment, you’d see that he is a kind-hearted soul who only wanted to help.”

“Oh, a kind-hearted soul eh? I had a feeling you’d say something like that Jenna,” he replied coldly.

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” Jenna shot back.

“Oh, I’ve heard the stories about you. I’ve heard how you run with this wolf, sneaking off to be with him. Or maybe it’s more than just running hmm? Maybe you like to get a little cozy with him too eh?” This was more than enough for Balto to handle. He would not stand by while Jenna was accused like that. He snarled at the husky, baring his teeth. The rest of the team followed suit - they wouldn’t stand for those insults either. “Oh, did I hit a nerve wolfie? Well come get me,” However, Jenna would be the first to act, as she raised her paw and smacked him across his face, knocking him to the ground.

Kaltag jumped at Spitz, and held him down. “Look pal, Balto is with us now. If you don’t like it, then you can take off!” Kaltag let him up, and he glared at the chinook.

“Fine. I don’t want to be in a town that’s infested with wolves anyways.” The husky got up and was followed by about half a dozen other dogs. They all shot nasty glances at the team as they left. One female Samoyed even whispered ‘lobo lover’ to Jenna, causing her to growl.

“I have a feeling that I’m the cause of all this,” Balto said.

“No, it’s not your fault Balto,” Jenna replied.

“Yeah, it’s their own fault that they can’t get their heads out of the snowdrift,” Kaltag continued.

“But I almost caused a standoff by just being here. Maybe I should go.” The others dogs all called out ‘no’. They wanted him to stay, but Balto didn’t listen, and walked out the door.

“Hey, Balto come back!” Kaltag called out, “Balto!”

“I’ll get him,” Jenna said, and ran out the door after Balto. The other dogs felt badly; they knew that they also had a hand in making Balto who he was now. They had all made him feel like he didn’t belong before, and they would have to take responsibility for that.

----------

“Balto, wait!” Jenna cried out as she ran to catch up to the brown wolfdog whose head hung low as he walked along. “Balto, please. Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on. Please.”

“It’s never going to end is it? The hate towards me for what I am?” he asked in a low voice.

“I - I don’t know, but you shouldn’t let those dogs get to you,” Jenna replied.

“I know I shouldn’t, but they still do. Even worse, you got dragged into it too. All because you’re my friend,” Balto stopped and sat down, while Jenna sat beside him. “It’s not fair,” he said. “Nothing’s changed.”

“That’s where you’re wrong Balto. A week ago, the dogs on the team would have joined in with the bullying, but now they’re sticking up for you,” Jenna replied. “If that’s not a change then I don’t know what is.”

“I guess…”

“Balto, you have to give them a chance. Not everyone will like you immediately, but if you give them time, they’ll come around,” she said and rubbed into his shoulder to reassure him.

Balto rubbed her head with his cheek, and for a while, they were both silent. Jenna had always been there when he needed a friend, and for the longest time, she was the only dog that talked to him without insulting him. He had known her since they were small pups. In fact, she was his first friend after his mother disappeared. If it wasn’t for her and her human girl, Balto might not have gone out to find the medicine at all.

Jenna knew that it would take time for Balto to adjust to his new status and she resolved to stand by him through it all. She rubbed into his thick fur and took in his scent. From the start, she had a bit of a soft spot for the lonely wolfdog. Her belief was that everyone should have at least one friend, and when she first heard that he was on his own, she resolved to be his friend when no one else would. Even when everyone else had given up on him and the team, she remained vigilant, setting up a signal light on a hill to guide them home.

Balto looked up and saw the aurora, still shining against the hillside outside of town. “Thanks Jenna. I guess I’d be lost without you,” he said.

“Oh don’t you start too,” Jenna replied. Her owner had sad the same thing to Balto when he had returned with the medicine.

“No, really, I mean it. Without that light there, I might have missed the town entirely.”

“Well, I did use your trick,” she sheepishly replied. “Want to take a closer look?”

“Of course,” he replied. The two dogs walked together out the town and towards the hill were Jenna had set up her beacon. The lamp had been tilted by the fierce winds, but it still shone brightly through the glass, projecting the northern lights on the hillside. Balto and Jenna took a moment to admire the dancing lights. Balto in particular seemed captivated by the display.

“I remember a story my mum once told me about the northern lights,” Balto started. “She said that the lights in the sky were the spirits of those who had passed from this world. They would dance around in the sky and watch over us, protecting us in times of need, and guiding us when we had lost our way.”

“I guess she was right,” Jenna replied.

“Yeah. She was also the one who showed me how to create the lights with glass. She said that she had learned it from someone special to her, and that when I was older, I should show it to someone who was special to me.” Balto said and looked over at Jenna. “And I’m glad I did.”

Underneath her fur, Jenna was blushing, but it wasn’t entirely a surprise to her. She knew that Balto had a bit of a crush on her, but he had never said anything openly. Until now, at least. “Balto, how long have we known each other?’ she asked.

"Two, maybe two and a half years, I think. Why?” he replied.

“Do you remember back then, when we first met?” she asked.

“How could I forget…”

----------

Two and a half years earlier - Summer 1922

Balto had been alone on the boat for three days. His mother, a snow-white wolf named Aniu had left to go hunting, but she had not returned. For three days, the two-month old pup waited for her, and for three days, she did not return. He whimpered and howled in his tiny puppy voice, but there was no reply. The only sound he heard was the water splashing against the shore and birds chirping in the sky. Finally, desperation drove him out of the boat and towards the town. He had been there once before with his mother, but this time he was alone.

He entered the town and cautiously looked around. The buildings looked so big to him and there were so many humans and dogs walking around. It was frightening to the small pup, but his need for food was stronger than his fear, and he pressed on. He may have been a small pup, but his nose worked just as fine as any adult dog's, picking up every scent that came his way. The strongest was the smell of the dogs and humans but underneath those, Balto could smell traces of meat. It took him a while to sort it out from the rest of the town’s residents, but soon, he was able to find his way to the back of the butcher shop.

When he got there, he found what he was looking for - several scrap pieces had been left outside the shop. Three days without food had made the small pup ravenous and he dove in, gulping down piece after piece of the meat. However, his feast would be cut short by the arrival of a large, black and white husky.

“Hey kid! The meat is for the town’s dogs, not mangy little strays!”

Balto turned around and came face to face with the larger dog. He towered over Balto, his ice-blue eyes locked on the pup.

“Please,” he whimpered. “I was really hungry and-“

“I don’t care. It was supposed to be mine, and you took it!” he bellowed. Balto was terrified of this dog. He could easily tear the small pup apart if he wanted to. “You’re gonna pay you scrawny ball of fur!” The dog grabbed a hold of the pup and tossed him down the alley. Balto barked out in terror as he hit the ground five feet away. He looked around and saw the dog rushing towards him, so Balto ducked in between two nearby crates. He was small enough to fit in the gap, but the other dog couldn’t. He snapped at him and tried to get at him with his paw, so Balto tucked himself deeper into the gap. Finally, the larger dog gave up and trotted away fuming.

Balto was still terrified from his ordeal. Barely five minutes in the town and he had already gotten on the bad side of one of the dogs. He stayed there shaking in fear and heard