distracted today boitshick?” he asked.

“I saw her again. I saw Jenna again.”

“Jenna? Jenna who?” he replied. Balto told him how he used to live with Jenna and Rosy as a pup, and how Jenna became his best friend.

“And she had the warmest smile - it always made me feel… better,” Balto trailed off as the memories came back to him. “And her voice was the way it’s always been; so soft and kind.”

“Hehe, you sound quite taken by her. Was she a pretty girl?”

“… Yes. She was more beautiful than anything I’ve seen,” Balto replied.

“Ahhhhhhh, I think I know what’s going on. I’ve seen this before with those who are - in love.”

“Love… me… and her… but we… and she… it can’t be.”

“Oh it can boitshick. Trust me.”

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Chapter 5: Friends Reunited

Summer 1923

That night, Balto tossed and turned in his sleep. Every time he shut his eyes, her image filled his mind. Could what Boris said be true? Could he have fallen in love with Jenna that quickly? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Jenna out of his mind. She seemed to be calling out to him, wanting him to be with her.

Balto snapped his eyes open. The moon hung high above him, bathing the area in its pale light. It seemed like Jenna’s face was on the moon as well….

Balto got up and left his boat for the town, figuring a walk would help clear his head. All the residents had long fallen asleep, leaving the town deathly silent. Balto actually enjoyed the peace - no one was there who would pick on him.

“Maybe I should come out at night more often,” he thought as he trotted down the street. As he did, he heard another set of footprints crunching in the dirt. Automatically, he ducked behind a barrel to hide. As the steps came closer, he peeked out and saw that the footsteps belonged to Jenna. She walked past his hiding spot and he could hear her muttering to herself.

“I can’t believe him! That pompous glory hound, thinking he can treat me like that. Why did I even think of going out with him in the first place? I don’t think he even knows the meaning of ‘no’. No means no Steele! God, he is so thick! I should’ve just bitten him in the rear and be done with it. He’s too much of a defective lunatic to realize what a defective lunatic he is!” Jenna’s voice was no longer its usual sweet tone; it was bitter and angry. Balto peeked around the barrel and could see tears running down her face. She was feeling a mixture of anger and sadness - wanting to scream out and cry at the same time.

As she walked farther away, Balto leaned out more to continue watching her, but in doing so, he accidentally stepped on a twig. He saw Jenna’s ears perk up at the noise and ducked back behind the barrel but it was too late; Jenna knew someone was there.

“Who’s there? Whoever you are, I know you’re here. Show yourself.” Jenna started walking back towards the barrel Balto was hiding behind. Balto thought that maybe he should give himself up, but what if she thought he was spying on her. That would only make her angrier. “Steele, if that’s you, I told you I’m not interested so go away!” She came in closer to the barrel. “Alright, if you don’t come out in three seconds, I’m going to wake the whole town up!” That was the last thing Balto needed, to be surrounded at night. “One! Two!”

“No, Jenna wait!” Balto cried as he came out. “It’s just me.”

“Balto? You scared me!”

“I’m sorry Jenna,” Balto said holding his head low.

"It's okay Balto," she replied and both of them were silent, unsure of what to say to each other. Balto couldn't understand why he felt so nervous around her now. He had always been okay with her as a pup, so why was it so hard for him to talk to her now? "Could it be because of what Boris said? No, it can't be. I can't be in love with her already."

Finally, Jenna broke the silence. "Well, I've got to get home Balto."

"No, don't go. Not yet," he thought as she turned away. He had just found her after almost a year apart from her and didn't want her to leave after only a couple minutes. "Jenna wait!" he called out. "Can-can I walk with you?" he nervously asked.

"Well... " she hesitated. "Okay."

Balto padded up beside her and they started walking together down the dark street. At first they were quiet, but Balto wanted to say something - anything to her. "So, what happened that was causing you to rant like that?" he asked. It may have been a very personal question, but it was the only thing that came to his mind.

“I take it you overheard me there huh?” she said.

“Yeah, I kind of did. But if you don't want to tell me-”

“No it's fine Balto," she cut in. "It all started when I agreed to go on a date with Steele tonight. Biggest mistake I’ve ever made. All he did was show off how buff he was and brag about his various trips. But when I tried to tell him my own story, he said it was boring. I sat through his moronic stories so the least he could do is pretend to enjoy mine. He was so rude!”

“Oh, sorry about that,” Balto replied.

“Thanks, but you don’t need to say that Balto. Besides the stories weren’t the worst part. Soon after, we went to the beach and then he said ‘Jenna I’ve had my eye on you for a long time. I was wondering if you’d like to get a little… cozier with me, if you get my drift.’ I just about lost it then! All this time he just wanted to… ugh, I can’t stand the idea of doing that with that… that-”

“Defective lunatic?” Balto quipped in.

“Yeah! He’s a defective lunatic for thinking he can trick me into sleeping with him! I don’t care how much he claims to like me; I don’t like him at all!” she growled. “After I found out what he was really up to, I stormed off.”

After she finished her story, there was an awkward silence. Balto wanted to keep talking, but his brain didn't seem to be working properly. All he could do was look over at Jenna; he couldn't resist admiring her. Finally, she noticed this. "What? What are you looking at?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

“Um, your... bandanna,” he replied. He didn't want her to think he was ogling her. "Uh, where did you get it?

“Rosy gave it to me this Christmas," she replied

“I think it looks good on you,” Balto said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it seems to suit you,” Balto replied, and that made Jenna smile. Even though her body had grown and matured, her smile remained unchanged. It still provoked the same warm feelings that it always had. Soon enough, they had reached Jenna’s house.

“Well, goodnight Balto. Thanks for keeping me company.”

“You’re welcome Jenna,” he replied and she walked towards her shed, pausing at the doorway to say one last thing.

“Oh, and Balto… it was great to see you again.”

“Thanks Jenna,” he replied and she turned in for the night while Balto made his way back to his boat.

He barely felt the ground beneath his feet as he walked home, all the while thinking of what had just happened. "I talked to her. After all this time, I finally got to talk to her again, but why was I so nervous this time? I was never like that as a pup." Once he climbed onto his boat, he curled under his blanket. “I hope I get to see her again. I loved being around her. Wait, love? What are you thinking Balto?” As he started to doze, she began to fill his mind again, but instead of resisting Jenna’s image, he surrendered himself to it. Before long, he was fast asleep, dreaming of her.

"Could I be in love with her? Maybe, but would she feel the same if I told her?"

----------

Present Day

After Balto dunked his head into the freezing water, he slowly lowered his body into it. He had found a patch of thinner ice near the shore and broke through by slamming it with his full weight. He stayed in the water only for a few seconds - not enough time to let the cold get to him, but enough to let the water soak in and wash out any dirt. After that, he stood out of the water and shook himself off.

“Balto, what are you doing? That water is freezing!” Boris cried out from the boat.

“I’m just taking a quick bath,” Balto replied as the goose came down to the ground.

“I’ve never known you to take a bath in the winter. Can’t you wait until the water is less freezing?”

“Not really. I want to be a little neater for tonight,” he replied.

“And what’s so important about tonight eh? You’re acting like you have an important date.” Balto didn’t say anything. He only looked over at Boris, grinning. “Wait, you do have a date?”

“Yep,” Balto replied. “Jenna and I are going to have a little evening stroll.”

“That’s great boitshick! My little pup is going out on his first date. Oh, they grow up so fast,” Boris said jokingly.

“Oh come off it. I’ve been grown up for a while now,” Balto replied. He turned back towards the water and examined his face. He tried to push down a stray patch of fur on