for.

It started getting colder, Antara started running away all giddy and happy while JT started chasing after her. Antara wanted nothing but to be around JT, but she wanted to make JT make an effort to catch her, to make him catching her worth it.

She decided to make it tricky, she played hide and seek, but JT always ended up finding her, she wanted that, but catching her wasn't easy.

Antara jumped and hid in Balto's boat. It was empty, possibly no one lived there anymore. She was tired, so she just hid inside the cabin, JT quickly found her, she was on the ground curled in the floor smiling at him, like a pup. JT came closer, but didn't expect the smaller dog to sprang up and tackle him. Both rolled on the floor. JT nuzzled her and she pressed herself against him, forgetting how horrible those last days were, it was all happiness from that moment.

As Antara woke up, she smiled happily. Even if she had no clear memory of what happened, she was happy. Once she was more conscious she realized she wasn't in the house's basement. She was...on a boat. 

"Oh gosh!" Antara stood up scared "M-m-my parents are gonna be furious!" She immediately bolted out of the boat, forgetting absolutely everything. Even if JT was there or not.

 That night was considered the most surprising for Antara, but the surprises didn't stop there was more to come.

And they came way too fast...

It is a fact that there's a moment your body starts to give you hints that mean it's time for you leave. Eventually some days later Amelieh recieved them constantly, she was always a very strong dog, but she eventually had to say goodbye. She didn't have much of a happy life, but her last days were quite a blessing, and she left with a smile in the end.

Antara now relied on Charles as her only paternal figure, the old Harrier found himself thrilled with the young pup Mihaella and started paying her the attention Antara used to.

As now Antara rarely left the house, she was always anxious and sick. and not to mention a very bad mood as well. 

Eventually one cloudy morning Antara rested peacefully on the frontdoor, it was o those cloudy snow days of late autumn when she enjoyed spacing out and think.

"Hello lonely~" Antara recogniced his voice.

"Oh great" she snorted "Seems like a rotten rat just came by..."

"I have been called worse" Gibson muttered with a cheesy grin "Much more worse"

"Seriously Gibson, don't you have some poor defenseless pup to bully?" Antara growled "What brings you here scumbag"

Gibson snorted at Antara's insult "Hmf just passing by you know, after having some fun y'know" he smiled.

"Fun?" 

"You know what kind of fun I'm talking about

"You mean...you found a mate?"

Gibson's face turned dark

"Why would *I* get a mate you idiot" Gibson retorted "It's not my style"

"Not your style" Antara led out a sarcastic smile "Or not your thing anymore"

Gibson's eyes widened "W-w-w-what do you mean b-b-by that!?"

"Oh Gibby everyone knows about it" Antara rolled on the floor "Everyone knows you've been quite different ever since you were taken to the vet, besides you are gaining some weight.

"Shut up you stupid cow!" Gibson snarled "I'm perfectly fine"

"You are perfectly BROKEN Gibson" Antara said with coldness "No one wants a dirty bully, especially a broken and fixed one like you"

Gibson no longer looked furious, instead he looked miserable, he walked away out of sight.

Antara entered the house, even if she crushed Gibson once and for all, she just couldn't feel more guilty. Gibson was fixed not long ago and he was miserable for it.

Before she went down the stairs she heard paws scratching at the door.

"Now what's is it!" she snorted as she walked toward the door again, as she came out she froze.

"H-hi sister" 

"Moun...Mountaineer!?" Antara's eyes widened, what was her brother doing here.

"How you've been..." Mountaineer smiled.

"What do you want" Antara's tone was harsh.

"I...I need a favor..."

"Humf a favor!?" Antara looked even more defiant "You need a favor...from me?"

"Yes...I'm afraid...It's about my daughter" 

"I don't give a damn about your daughter"

"Please I'm desperate, someone could die!"

Antara narrowed her eyes "Go on..."

"You see my daughter, Nikolasa"

"I don't know her" Antara's tone was stern.

"Okay then...she is my daughter and well she was born having a striking resemblance to...you"

"Me?!" Antara's eyes widened 

"Yes, she got her looks from you...and apparently Muffy's mother as well" Mountaineer said"Muffy isn't quite happy about it. Nowadays she has been pretty violent toward Niko and I'm afraid she might kill her one day..."

"Mountaineer thats something YOU and YOUR mate must settle down" Antara "Not my problem"

"Please, I just need to find Nikolasa a safe place to live"

"...I think I might know someone who would be glad to take care of your spawn" 

"Really?!" Mountaineer's eyes went bright, still he looked miserable "Oh thanks Antara"

"Don't thank me" She faced her brother "You could make me change my mind"

"Sorry..."

"Bring your kid here tonight" Antara said "Late night, when Muffy is asleep, we will make a little journey to a friend's house"

Mountaineer nodded.

"I'll see you then" Antara said

Mountaineer tried to nuzzle her sister, but Antara growled.

"Now go away"

That evening Mountaineer aprached the front door and let out a howl, a pathetic one. Antara came from the backyard with a frown, Mountaineer was waiting for her, a little lump of fur the pup wide awake.

"Let's get going" Antara said "Follow me"

"Where are we going?" The puppy squealed

"Nobody said you could talk!" Antara growled at the child, the puppy looked down scared.

"Meanie..."

As the group kept going they started to find themselves farther from town and into dark alleys.

"We are close" Antara said

"Antara this place at night is dangerous!" Mountaineer exclaimed "I've heard lone wolves and gangs of dogs like to roam this place"

"Whoever told you is right" Antara said "This is a hostile territory, many gangs of dogs prowl this area."

"Gangs of dogs?!" Said Nikolasa "Are those like sled-teams?"

"No, youngster" Antara said "Gangs consist on a group of feral dogs, even tho sometimes pets join them. This groups are known for breaking havoc around town and harrassing other, having cats,human cubs, and pups, very elderly or female dogs as their main victims. We need to be carefull or we might-"

Antara's ears perked, she felt her fur bristle as she heard several laugher comming from many sides.

"Oh look what I just found" A voice sneered "Three brave little travelers"

"W-w-who's there!?" Mountaineer said as he placed Nikolasa on the ground.

"Or very stupid travelers." The voice laughed "Didn't your humans told you it's dangerous to roam here at night?"

Antara was pretty sure she knew that voice.

"Not just any travelers" a figure came trough the darkness "If it isn't Antara."

"Gibson?!" Antara was shocked "What was he doing here?"

"I have not forgotten what you said to me earlier" Gibson smirked "You did a terrible mistake by going here."

Then Antara remembered what she said earlier that day, even if Gibson now looked dark and cold as he has never been before, she could still notice the pain when he talked about it. It was too late for apologies tho, she looked at Nikolasa whimpering in fear, and Mountaineer's legs trembling uncontrollably didn't help either.

Antara heard another laugher mixed with growls comming through, she stood back as Gibson looked in anger.

"An enemy gang!" He said.

A larger group of dogs came out of the same darkness as the others.

"Oh but if it isn't old Jagger and his goons" Gibson spat, at the larger dog in the front 

The large dog let out a growl "Get out of my territory you pest"

"You think you and your pups can take me alone?" Gibson stood defiantly "I'm staying here"

"I believe I can take you" Jagged growled "You stinky neutered piece of-"

Gibson quickly lunged at Jagger as both dogs started to wrestle, the remaining dogs cheering.

Antara crept closer to Mountaineer "Let's get out of here at once...!" She pushed her brother, and started to get farther away from the quarrel. 

As they left the territory they reached a large house which Nome could be seen from a distance.

"Is it here?" Mountaineer said "The place?"

"Yes" Antara said "Wait here" 

Antara entered the doggy door. Leaving Mountaineer and his daughter outside.

"Father?" Nikolasa said

"What Niko dear?" He said

"Are you sure she is my aunt Antara?" Nikolasa said "You told me she was nice, gentle, and that she liked pups, but she's nothing like that"

Mountaineer looked down "I don't know what's wrong with her dear. She hasn't been herself lately."

 Nikolasa looked in disbelief, she just couldn't believe it.

"Mountain" Antara called "I'm back" Antara said as she brought another dog with her.

"Ohhh Mountain~" A young dog came by "Hi