in fear and heard another set of feet approaching. He stayed in his hideout, terrified that whoever was coming would hurt him as well. He saw a small human pass by, followed by a small husky pup. The girl didn’t notice him, but the husky did. She had red fur with a white underside, and looked at Balto with a pair of dark brown eyes. She gave out a small bark and alerted the human to Balto’s presence.

“What is it girl? Did you find something?” the small human asked. She came over and looked in the gap Balto was hiding in. Like her dog, the human had red hair, but had green eyes instead of brown. She tried to reach in to grab Balto, but he shrank away from her hands. “I can’t reach him. Jenna, why don’t you go in and get him?”

The husky pup squeezed into the gap towards Balto. “Hi there. Who are you?” she asked. Unlike the bigger dog, her voice was kind and she wagged her tail in a friendly manner. Despite her friendly gesture, Balto was still scared of this strange dog.

“P-please don’t hurt me. I-I just wanted some food,” he stammered.

“I won’t hurt you, and neither will Rosy. She’s my girl and she’s very nice,” Balto was still shaking. “Why are you so scared?” the red pup asked.

“I just came in for some food. My mom didn’t come back and I was really hungry. I found some food, but this big dog came and said it was his. He got really mad and tried to beat me up.”

“Well, he’s gone now, so you don't have to worry. My name's Jenna. What’s yours?”

“I - I don’t have a name,” he stammered.

“Don’t have a name? But what do your owners call you?”

“I don’t have an owner. I used to live with my mom, but she vanished. I’m on my own.”

“Well that won’t do," she replied. "Rosy and I will be your friends. You just have to come out.”

“I don’t know…”

“Please. You can trust me. I just want to be your friend.” The husky pup smiled at him warmly, and Balto could feel that she didn’t want to harm him.

“O-okay,” Balto said and he slowly came out of his hiding spot. Rosy reached out a hand to pet him, but Balto scampered away from it.

“No, it’s okay,” Rosy said. “I just wanted to pet you, like this.” She scratched behind Jenna’s ears, and the small pup wagged her tail. “See, Jenna likes it.” Balto came closer and let her do the same to him. It actually felt good to the small pup. Rosy was seeming less and less scary to him. “Hmm, no collar. Are you on your own?” she asked. Balto whimpered a little in response.

“Well, why don’t I give you a name first? Every dog needs a name, even the strays,” she started. “Let’s see, what would be a good name? Bill? Maybe, but it’s a pretty common name. Felix? No, you don’t look like much of a Felix. Kevin? No, that’s more of a people name. Bill? Tom? Another maybe. Bill… tom… Bilto… no, no, that sounds a little weird. Bilto… Balto!” She picked the brown pup up and looked at him. “Jenna, do you think Balto’s a good name for him?” Jenna barked happily, which Rosy took as a yes. “Alright then, I’ll call you Balto.” Balto liked his name; it made him feel like he belonged to this girl. He sniffed her face and licked her with his tiny puppy tongue.

“Hehe, that tickles Balto,” she giggled.

“Rosy! Where are you! It’s time to go home!” a voice called out from the street.

“I’m coming dad!” Rosy replied. “Sorry boy but I’ve got to go,” she said as she put him down on the ground. “I’ll try to find you again okay?”

“Bye Balto,” Jenna said, and she followed her girl out of the alley. After they left, Balto went back to his boat, all the while thinking about that nice girl who had given him a proper name. Maybe Jenna was right, maybe they could be friends……

----------

Present Day

Balto remembered how Jenna’s kind face had convinced him to come out and meet Rosy. That smile would be the first of many that she would give him that would always make him feel better. Even though she had grown from a small pup into an adult husky, her smile remained the same, and Balto loved it.

Jenna too remembered how Balto was as a pup. She had been separated from her parents when she was young too, but she had always had Rosy to take care of her. Balto, however was on his own, something that she thought would mean certain death, but somehow, he had made it through.

“It’s been so long, but I still remember everything. It’s hard to imagine that at one point, we were barely higher than your kid’s boot,” Balto said. “And she gave me my name.”

“Yes, and since then, I’ve always thought it suited you,” Jenna replied. “But what I’ve always wondered is what your mother would call you when you were little.”

“Oh, she would say ‘my son’ or something like that. At least, that’s all I remember of her. I was so young when she vanished, I barely got to know her,” Balto said. “Why did she have to leave me? She was all I had.”

“Maybe it wasn’t her choice. Maybe she had an accident?” Jenna suggested.

“Maybe….”

Jenna could tell that the separation was still heartbreaking for Balto, as he looked like he was fighting back tears. She nuzzled the side of his neck to try to cheer him up and he returned it, putting his front leg around her in an embrace.

“Thanks Jenna,” he said while holding her. “I may not have my mom, but at least I have you.”

They heard the snow crunching behind them, and turned to see Kaltag leading a small group of dogs towards them. “Uh, I’m not interrupting anything am I?” he sheepishly asked.

Balto let Jenna go. “No, it’s okay,” he replied, a little embarrassed.

“Good, ‘cause we want you back Balto.”

“Yeah Balto, come back with us,” Star continued.

“I - I don’t know,” Balto replied.

“Who cares what those other dogs think. We know you’re a good guy, and you have been all along,” Kaltag said. “This was all because of how we treated you before and I feel terrible about it. I’m sorry Balto, for everything we did to you. And I’m sorry too Jenna. You didn’t deserve what you got back there either. I may not be able to undo what we did, but I’m willing to make a fresh start - wipe the slate clean. What do you say?” he asked.

“Well, when you put it that way… I want a fresh start too. If you can put your mistrust away, then so can I,” The other dogs cheered in celebration, and some even started howling. Balto and Jenna joined in with them, with Balto letting out the loudest howl of all. Finally, after all these years, he felt like he truly belonged.

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Chapter 2: So Close and So Far

Two and a half years earlier - Summer 1922

Balto was eager to see his new friends as soon as possible, and the next day, he woke up at the crack of dawn to find them. He entered the town and found the alley where he met them before and waited. And waited. And waited. He had started to pass the time by counting the hairs around his nose and was up to two hundred and thirty-one before he heard footsteps approaching. Thinking it was Rosy, he bolted towards the sound, but instead crashed into a set of dog legs. He looked up and when he saw whose legs they were his heart skipped a beat. It was the black and white husky from yesterday.

“Watch where you’re going you little furball! Hey wait, I remember you,” he growled. Two other dogs, one who was grey and white, and another who had brown fur accompanied the husky. Balto tried to scamper away, but the husky he crashed into stomped down on his tail with his paw, preventing his escape, “Hey, what’s the rush little guy? I’d love to continue where we left off yesterday.”

“Hey Steele, you’d better be careful. That pup looks like a wolf, he might get ya,” said the brown husky, causing him and the grey husky to laugh.

“Wolf eh?” Steele snarled, as he bared his teeth. “I don’t like wolves in my town!”

“I’m not all wolf. I’m half-wolf, half-husky,” Balto replied as he tried to break free from Steele’s grip.

“Ohhhh, so you’re a half and half eh?” the grey husky taunted. “Where’s your mommy kid? Is she a dog out sledding, or a wolf out howling at the moon?”

“I -I don’t know where my mom is. She went out one day and didn’t come back,” Balto cried. “I don’t know what happened to her.”

“Hang on kid,” Steele said. “I think I might know what happened to her.”

“Really, what? Is she okay? Is she coming back soon?” Balto asked.

“Oh she’s fine. But she’s not coming back. You see, she left you because she doesn’t want you anymore.” The three dogs laughed cruelly at him.

“What?” Balto cried.

“Yeah, who would want a half-breed mutt anyways?” the brown husky replied. “You’re not a dog, but you’re not a wolf either. You’re nothing, and your precious mommy knew that!”

“THAT’S NOT TRUE! MY MOM LOVED