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I can sure understand that; I only managed three short stories this summer. So we understand; just keep up your good work!

Not this again, she groaned as she felt herself running once again. It was on the ice, but unlike real ice, she never once felt her tiny paws slip.

Why am I running? She asked, panting wearily. The sky was dark as evening, and the world that surrounded her was like one she had never seen before. What is this? I... I don’t understand...

Still, the large bird hovered close over her, cawing out shrilly. Its shadow painted everything underneath it dark, including her lithe form.


Jenna gasped awake, still not used to waking so suddenly. The dream had been haunting her since the day her pups were born, yet the husky had no idea what it was all about.

Why am I seeing this? She asked herself, going through the images that filled her night’s eye with confusion. The ice, the running, the bird... and the wolves... what does it all mean? She sat up, catching her breath and seeing her mistress already dressed up in a light outfit of long sleeves, pants and boots. Noticing her red husky’s presence, Rosy smiled.

“Jenna, it took you a while to wake up, huh?”

It was then that Jenna realized that the pups weren’t by her side... and how brave of a mother she was going to have to be on this one day – ADOPTION DAY.

Today’s the day... She let out a sad whine, one close enough to the point of crying. Jenna’s ears fell, and her body felt as if she didn’t want to get up from her bed. I don’t want to let them go... not yet...

“Aww, cheer up, girl!” Rosy placed a glove-covered touch against Jenna’s head, rubbing in her warmth. “Mom says that they’ll have owners that are in town – I’m sure my friends will be allowed to bring them over to see you for a visit when we play.” Rosy giggled a little before sighing, turning a bit sad for a change. “You know, I’m gonna miss having them all around too, but I don’t think Mom and Dad will let me have another dog around here.” Again, another chuckle came, filling the air with some encouragement. “Come on, Jen! If I can manage, you can too!”

Jenna slowly stood up from her bed, sighing again. Balto seemed worried yesterday too when I told him about it... Now I understand what he meant... Oh, if only she could speak their language! She wanted so badly to prevent this from happening to her own children... but Jenna knew that there was nothing that could be done. It was a normal time for every pup at that age to be weaned from their parents, but could no one understand how hard it was for the mother that brought them into the world?

I look forward to seeing your writing again, Juuchan17. Frankly, it's something I've missed when looking over the fanfics authors' list

"Then we are alike. Mothers, the both of us," The gold eyes of the wolf closed as she nodded in slight, short nods. "It has been a long time since I birthed a pup... so long that I have forgotten when and where."

"That long?" Jenna was surprised. She looks like a lone wolf, she noted to herself. Where's her mate, her pack even? She doesn't seem like one that could defend her territory alone. "...Have you always been alone?"

"Not always." She replied with a sort of mellow tone. "Other loners join me sometimes, but they come and go."

"Oh... oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Jenna scooted a little closer. "It must be hard to live alone like this."

"It is, but I'm never truly alone though." She looked up at the ray of light from above. It seemed as if she was saying something inaudible into it, but Jenna couldn't make it out. "The spirits... they are all around us, guiding us through our lives as we follow our destined paths."

"Spirits?" That was something new that Jenna hadn't really gotten into, but it definitely piqued her attention. "Do they guide everyone? Even... those that aren't wolves?"

"Ah, they do. Not many know that though - it is not a part of the world they know - but every creature has one that walks with them."

A spirit that walks with you... Something about that made the husky curious. "...What if it doesn't walk?" She gasped a little, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry... That must sound ridiculous, doesn't it?"

The wolf nearly smiled. "Not at all. Perhaps you have seen your guiding spirit. A bird, I'm guessing?"

"Yes." Jenna admitted. "An eagle. It was a... golden eagle, actually. I first saw it yesterday and it eventually led me to your cave."

"Ah..." The wolf looked upward as a silhouette of the majestic avian suddenly appeared into the light, flapping its wings as if it were a real being. "The eagle is a strong spirit, one that reflects you more than you realize."

"But I'm not strong," Jenna whined, though she was in awe of the shadow.

"Not physically, but mentally." The wolf clarified. "The eagle is a symbol of courage, wisdom and grace..." Her yellow eyes went back to the husky, intensely gazing into her own. "...and the ability see the big picture of everything."

"The... big picture?" Those words were repeated, murmured even as her mind's eye flashed images of those she loved dearly - of her girl, Rosy, of her mate, Balto, of her six children... of Aleu running into the wilderness with Balto on her trail... Were they connected to her dreams of the bird and the ice? She wasn't sure. "I don't think I understand."

By the Monday sunrise, the brown-gray shadow ran like wildfire from the forest and back into Nome. He didn’t tell anyone where he was going for no one was even awake by that hour. Fueled on the love that was growing in his heart, he didn’t sleep at all that night since he left Jenna’s.

I will marry her... The young wolf thought as he ran with a slight skip to his step. He’ll have to join us in matrimony for sure! He smiled as he turned into the back doorway of the largest building in town, the cathedral of Nome, and knocked on the door with his large clawed paw.

“Father?” Balto whined as he scratched gently on the door. “Father Doc, are you there?”

“Who... who goes there?” A deep low voice replied, having no fear of the young lupine’s eager voice. “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Balto!” the wolf answered back happily, leaping up in place with joy.

He had known the elder canine for over a year, since he was a naïve youngling roaming the streets. Doc was one of the neutral parties that became friends with both the dogs of the town and those wolves of the nearby wild, but also as the Canine Chaplain, he had no problem with befriending those of the wilderness – he was a holy creature, protected and blessed by the powers of God Himself.

“Ah, Balto,” The dark hound, who looked more like a brown and tan Saint Bernard to the eyes, came close to the wolf-child without fear, nuzzling him out of friendship. “How are you, my son? You seem quite happy – have you had a good dream this night?”

“Oh, I haven’t slept at all tonight,” Balto admitted to the cleric, spinning around with delight in his heart. “I can’t even be still to fall asleep, I feel so happy!”

“So, was it that girl that you have gone out with recently... er, I believe her name is Daisy?” Doc asked him, calming the youngling down from his light-headedness.

“Daisy? Oh, no, Father,” The wolflet shook his head, still smiling as bright as the sun. It had been only a day since he was reminded of the female last, but instead of disappointment, Balto was relieved to cast off Daisy from his mind. “To me, she is nothing, gone from my memory forever.”

“Ah, so you lament no more on her, eh? Good boy!” Doc patted him on the shoulders like a father praising his son. “If it’s not her, then who is this new mystery girl that has tugged on your heartstrings?” The cleric pondered, not knowing of who else this wolf could have fallen for to make him act this way.

“Jenna, the daughter of the Capulet family,” Balto let out a slightly swooning sigh at the sound of her name from his lips. “My friends and I snuck into the party last night, and we... we met...” He chuckled at each pause, remembering each moment that flipped through his mind’s eyes. “...oh, I had never felt like this before, Father, but when we kissed and kissed again, ...it was Fate! No, it is Love! Love, I tell you!” Balto fell to the ground, rolling with chuckling laughter. “We even proposed marriage, despite our differences...” His laughter began to fade, turning his face to a look of seriousness. “Please, Father... Can you join us in marriage?”

The large hound was shocked speechless by Balto’s confession of love, but he soon found words to respond to the young wolf. “What?” He paused, thinking over the words the youth had spoken only to stumble in his own speech. “You... she’s a... but you’re a... Surely, you can’t be serious about this, Balto... right?”

The wolf bobbed his head, but inside he was smiling at the memory of the beautiful red husky. “Of course I’m serious! We love each other, Father... and we only wish to be joined as one!”

“Joined... as one...?” Doc repeated the words, softly slipping them from his lips. He looked at the boy, seeing him pleading with large, golden eyes of longing before turned his old gaze at a beautiful portrait of the Holy Mother, hanging on the wall near them. The visage of the picture caused the Saint Bernard to close his eyes in prayer, murmuring only one simple question into the air. “Oh, shall I join them – a Montague and a Capulet?”

Balto sat, knowing that Doc needed silence at this time, but in his mind... and in his heart, the wolf wished for nothing but to be married to the beauty that entrapped him only hours ago. Oh, God... I pray only for this... to be married to Jenna for eternity... my only true mate that I shall love...

The visions clouded the hound’s mind as he spoke to himself – Could happiness surely come out of this matrimony? He saw the two of them, silhouettes of the red female and the gray-brown male kissing with their noses as their families barked and howled in harmony.

Will peace come to their families because of their joining? He could see the two couples of the heads of each household greeting one another with smiles and nuzzles before greeting their children and walking into the sunset, all tails wagging in happiness, no longer in hatred or scorn.

Is this God’s divine will for them to be together?