never forget you.”

Balto padded down the ramp. Boris watched sadly as he left.

Suddenly Balto stopped and turned. “You’d make a great father to someone Boris. I just wanted you to know that.”

Then Balto was gone. Boris sighed. “Good luck kiddo.”

Balto padded into the old mill. There weren’t many dogs there. But Togo was one of them.
 

Togo smiled when he saw him. “You’ve thought about it?”

Balto nodded. “I’m leaving. I just came to say goodbye.”

Togo nodded. “You know you endured a lot as a pup. I always thought after what you went through nothing would get to you.” He shrugged. “Guess I was wrong.”

Togo extended his paw. “Good luck out there kid.”

Balto took a look at the town. He was thinking of what Togo had said. He had endured worse in his life.

Though he had tried to bury the memories, he could still see the slaughter of his siblings, the sacrifice of his mother, the insane look on the wolf’s face when he killed them.

It all flooded back into his memory. Tears trickled down his muzzle. It was without a doubt the worst moment in his life. He suddenly realized. He had endured worse. If he could stand to see his family die, he could endure a life in Nome.

 

Steele padded arrogantly through the town. He sniffed the air and frowned.

“I thought you were leaving town.” He hissed.

Balto padded out of the shadows. “I was thinking about that. I decided not to.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, so I’m gonna be here…forever.”

Steele gestured to the old mill. Suddenly three dogs appeared.

“Guy’s? Our friend here doesn’t want to leave. Let’s teach him to leave.”

Balto turned to run but found that he was surrounded.

The dogs pounced. Balto was pinned to the ground. The dogs held him up.

“You got a good hold on him?” Steele asked.

Kaltag nodded. “He’s all your’s.”

Steele punched him in the stomach. Balto gasped in pain. Steele hit him again.

“You still want to stay in Nome?” He snarled. Balto nodded.

Steele hit him in the stomach again. Blood trickled out of Balto’s mouth.

“Please…stop.”

“Get out of my town!” Steele snapped back.

“It’s…not…your…town.” Balto replied. “I’m… not scared of you… Steele.”’

Steele chuckled. “Then you’d better learn to be scared of me.”

He punched Balto in the face. Balto began laughing.

“Something amusing?” Steele snapped.

“Yeah. No matter what you…do…you can never make me leave this town. I can take everything you throw at me. You are...so pathetic Steele. You're out of ammunition."

Steele shook his head. “This isn’t all I can throw at you.”

He grabbed Balto’s neck. “Will you leave?”

Balto shook his head. Steele’s grip on his neck increased. Balto struggled to breathe.

Steele whispered into Balto’s ear. “All this can end. You can leave or you can die.”

“What is going on here?” A familiar voice demanded.

Steele looked up and put on the most innocent look he could manage.

“Jenna! How great to see you again. Your family settled in yet?”

Jenna nodded. “What are you doing?”

Steele smiled and gestured to Balto. “We’re just…practicing for that race tomorrow.”

Balto snorted. “Sure Steele.”

Steele’s look turned to anger. “Hey hybrid, was I talking to you?”

“He looks hurt.” Jenna said worriedly.

“Oh well, lobo fido here uh…enjoys it!” Steele sneered.

“It doesn’t look that way.” Jenna replied. “Do you enjoy it?”

Balto was about to answer when Steele clamped his paws down on his muzzle. “He can’t talk.”

Balto shoved him off. “No I don’t enjoy it.”

Jenna frowned at Steele. “Let him go.”

Steele chuckled. “Why should I do that?”

“Because I told you to.” Jenna snapped back.

“But he is a wolf dog.” Steele whined.

“And?”

Steele sighed. “I’m just gonna hit him a little bit more.” He turned. Balto was gone.

 

Balto snapped awake. It was 2:00 in the morning. He breathed heavily.

Tears streamed down his bruised muzzle. He got up. He angrily smashed his paws down on the deck.

Boris snapped awake. “Vhy do you vake me up boychik?” He demanded.

Balto let out a cry of sorrow. He continued pounding his paws on the boat.

Boris waddled over. “Please! Do not take it out on boat! Is fragile enough!”

Balto could feel tears coming. He was shaking. “I’m forgetting them Boris.”

“Vhat? Forgetting who?”

“My…my family. All these years I’ve been able to hold onto their memories. Now I’ve even forgotten what they look like!” He collapsed to the deck. He couldn’t stop shaking. “But I...I saw him Boris. I saw the wolf that killed them."

“Calm down!” Boris said. “You are okay.”

Balto lay back, panting for breath.

Boris changed his strategy. "Tell me about zem."

Balto sighed. Then he began his story.

　

 

 

 

Chapter 8

 

Balto spent the next month on the boat. He had angered Steele greatly. He knew Nome had become even more dangerous because of this.

Eventually he summed up the courage to enter the town. As usual the streets were crowded with people.

Balto tried to avoid the main streets as much as possible. When he was forced to use the streets he attracted fearful glances from adults, who immediately eyed there wandering children. Balto sighed.

He gotten used to the humans distrust of him. But that didn’t make it any less frustrating.

He noticed Jenna on a walk with her humans. One of them was a little girl. She couldn’t have been more than three. She looked as though she was filled with energy. She was jumping up and down excitedly.

Jenna smiled when she saw him. “I haven’t seen you for a while.”

Balto nodded. “I’ve been uhh…healing.” He gestured to the bruises.

Jenna nodded. “Is Steele always like that?”

“With me? Always. Thanks for what you did that night.”

Jenna smiled. “No problem. I still don’t understand what he was doing that for.”

Balto chuckled grimly. “You don’t?” He sighed. “He wanted me out of town. I stayed.”

“Why did he want you out of town?”

Balto frowned. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m a uh…wolf dog.”

Jenna stared at him unconcerned. “Why does that matter?”
 

Balto smiled. He was startled by that. “You’re one of the few people who think that.”

“Well I have to go. Nice to see that you’re recovering.” Jenna gave him one last smile then padded off with her family.

This was one of the few days in which no one appeared to be around. Balto was, for the first time in years, bored. He had always had someone chasing him during his time in Nome. Now the streets were empty.

Balto had managed to stay fit because he was constantly on the run. He was overcome with boredom.

Suddenly a mischievous grin spread across his face. He padded up the ladder to the roof of the building. He ran at the edge and leapt over to the opposite building. It was just as exciting as the first time, if not more so.

He jumped onto a slanted roof. Suddenly his paws slipped.

His cries of excitement turned to terror. He was sliding down the roof. There was a drop to the street below if he didn’t stop himself.

He failed to notice the large glass ceiling that the roof had turned into. He dug his claws into the glass to slow himself down. The glass shattered beneath him. Balto cried out as he fell into the room.

He looked around him. Humans were standing all around him. He realized he had landed in the middle of a dank, dark, bar.

The people there were staring, open mouthed at him. He let out a cross of a whimper and a bark.
There was a  clicking. Multiple rifles were pointed at his head.

“What is that thing?”

“Sir that is a wolf.” A man barked.

“Wolf dog.” Balto muttered irritably.

He ran for the door. The hunters fired. Bullets ricocheted everywhere.

Balto ran into an alley. He realized with horror that the alley was a dead end.

The humans were closing in on him. Balto could see that some were carrying revolvers.

Balto backed against the wall. Suddenly there was a sound of glass breaking in another alley.

The humans turned in the direction of the sound. Balto breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re welcome.”

He turned to see Togo. He was looking angry. “What the hell was that? You think you can pull a stunt like that and not get shot at?”

Balto smiled. “I was bored.”

“Are you freakin kidding me? You nearly got shot because you were bored?” He sighed. “Listen. This wolf came to the old mill the other day.”

Balto’s ears perked up at the word 'wolf'.

“Yeah?”

“He says he’s looking for his nephew. Someone named Balto. Sounds like you kid.”

Balto was off running in the direction of the old mill before Togo could finish.

Balto was filled with excitement. He had been alone for so long. Now he would finally meet someone who cared.

He padded into the old mill. In the middle of the mill was an old looking wolf. Balto shuddered. He was covered in stitched

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Next page