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oh man that was a ride I loved it good job keep going

Ha! I'm still here! Bet you thought that you'd gotten rid of me, huh? Well, guess again! Haha.
Anyway, sorry it's taken so long for the next chapter. I've been so busy thes past two weeks....
Oh well, on to the story!

Chapter Five

“He’s still alive! Here, help me move him.” Balto felt the sensation of being dragged slowly and gently through the snow. He opened his eyes to see the concerned faces of Echo and Kaltag above him.
“What… Where am I?” he mumbled.
“You’re still with us, thank Aniu,” Echo replied.
“We thought you were dead at first,” Kaltag added, “With Je-” Kaltag cut off abruptly, not wanting to continue, but the last word, or part of a word, caught Balto’s attention.
“What’s wrong with Jenna?” Kaltag sighed, unable to put off what he was going to say any longer.
“Balto, she… she’s disappeared.”
“Wh- What?”
“We lost her scent by the old log over there,” Echo said, nodding at a fallen tree, “The place reeked of wolves, very unfriendly wolves.”
“And… there’s something I think you should see.”

“By Aniu!” Balto exclaimed, “He was just a pup!”
“Look at his fur, Balto,” Echo said, sweeping his paw in an arch over the body. Balto looked the young wolf from head to tail and stood speechless for a moment. He glanced at Echo, and then back at the body.
“He… He looks just like me,” he said, almost in a whisper. Echo nodded. “Do you think it’s a message?”
“Most likely a warning,” Kaltag put in.
“A warning…” Balto repeated, his eyes fixed on the corpse at his paws, “Who would…” The thought had hardly crossed his mind when he had the answer. “Steele.” Echo and Kaltag nodded in agreement. Balto walked a short distance away and sank to the ground. “How? Why do I keep letting this happen? I should have been next to her.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Balto,” Echo said, putting a paw on his friend’s shoulder, “We’ll get her back.”
“No,” Balto said, “I can’t ask you to risk you lives again. With all that happened…” He trailed off, not wanting to renew his friend’s suffering, but Echo quickly replied.
“That’s why I’m coming with you. They took away my mate, and my pack, so I plan to give them what’s coming to them.”
“No,” Balto replied, standing up and looking Echo in the eye, “Your children need you alive. And going in there is suicide.”
“Then why are you going in?” Echo demanded, raising his voice.
“Because my only reason for living is being held captive by a band of crazed wolves that follow a raving lunatic who happens to be my worst enemy,” Balto shouted, his mind in no doubt as to what Steele would probably do to the love of his life. “Ever since Jenna and I had pups, I guess he’s gotten more jealous than ever,” Balto continued in a lower voice, his brow still arched in anger.
“Balto, there’s something else you should know,” Echo replied, “when you were still unconscious, Krystal volunteered to risk a journey to where Steele’s pack had last been…” Echo trailed off.
“Oh my… Did we loose her, too?”
“No, she’s back there with the pups,” Echo said, nodding back the way they had come, “but she found their old den site.”
“Wait, did you say old den site?”
“Balto, they’ve picked up and left. They’re gone.”

“Attention!”
“Yes sir!,” they shouted, their muzzles lifted just high enough to reveal the pride filling their chests, but just low enough to appear different than when they howled. For that, that lifted their muzzles skyward and let go a wild victory howl. Steele grinned. Of all the wolves under his command, Sadera’s unit was the one he called on time and time again. They were loyal, sometimes to the point of insanity. He nodded in approval.
“As you were.” They obediently resumed their former positions; some stood, while others sat down. “You have performed magnificently, and you’ve done everything I’ve asked with perfection. You soldiers are everything a leader could ask for, and more. So as of today, the third unit of the Dark Mountain Pack is no more.” He paused and looked for any response. Seeing none, he continued. “Every single one of you is now a member of Dark Mountain’s Elite Guard.” He paused again to let his statement sink in. “And you are all being promoted to lieutenant. As for you, Captain…” He looked at his most trusted officer, and saw the scar across his left eye twitch. “I don’t suppose you have any objections to a promotion, do you… Colonel Nemec? You’ll be assuming command of this unit. Sadera will be promoted to my second in command.” The former captain sat speechless as all eyes turned to him. Steele laughed and said, “Well, don’t just sit there. How about some applause for your new colonel?” The clearing quickly erupted in cheers and howls as Nemec’s soldiers congratulated him on his promotion. “Colonel, why not go on a hunt to celebrate? I’m sure some of us haven’t eaten a decent meal in days.” Colonel Nemec nodded and Steele watched as he led his troops out into the forest.
Well, he thought, that should keep them busy for a while…
With that, he turned and padded over to a young white female sleeping in the clearing and nudged her with his paw. She blinked awake and looked up at him.
“Sena, would you please come with me for a moment? I thought you might want to talk…about the son you lost.”

Balto had taken point, leading Echo, his three pups, Krystal, and Kaltag through the woods. Every now and then, he would stop to mark a tree inconspicuously, but he never stopped thinking about Jenna, and what Steele might be doing to her. Earlier, he himself had gone to Vanuk’s old den site, in the caves along a rock face, but the only trace of anyone was several weeks old. Now, Steele and his pack could be anywhere.
Echo sensed sorrow in his friend, but made no attempt to console him. His own hopes of finding Nevia and Resco, once optimistic, were fading with each passing hour. Visions of Vella, the love of his life, lying in a pool of her own blood continued to haunt the white wolf, and his pups were still just beginning to understand what had happened. He sighed as he looked back at them, sleeping soundly on his back again. They would never be the same now, and neither would he. Echo absent mindedly cast his eyes to the sky, and nearly gasped when they fell upon a very familiar face hanging in the clouds and mist.
“Vella...” The wolf apparition looked back at him, but before he could say another word, a gust of wind dissipated the image. Echo lowered his gaze, wondering if she had been trying to tell him something…
Krystal and Kaltag walked side by side, drawing strength from each other’s presence. Krystal, still filled with grief because of her parents’ deaths, was now worried for Jenna’s safety. Though she still questioned Aniu’s existence, she prayed that the wolf goddess would protect her, wherever she was.
Kaltag was beginning to worry about Krystal. Physically, she was fine, but mentally, she had very likely been changed forever. Still, they were together, and he would always be there to support her whenever she needed it.
Balto’s ears suddenly shot forward. Some one was approaching on four swift paws.
“Echo…” he said.
“I know,” Echo replied, “I hear it, too.” He set his pups down behind him and stepped up beside Balto as Krystal and Kaltag formed a protective ring around his children.
“Who’s there?” Balto said, his voice echoing through the forest.
“I should ask you the same question,” a voice replied. Balto and Echo turned to see a tan wolf emerge from the trees. “What are you doing on our land?”
“We mean no harm. We’re only passing through. If you’ll allow us, we’ll be on our way and out of you paws.”
“I can’t allow that. You’re in our territory without invitation, and now you face the consequences.” As if on cue, four more wolves of varying shades of black and brown stepped out of the forest on either side of him. Balto and Echo held their ground, determined that if these new wolves were to attack then they would be the only ones to die. As they approached, though, another voice called out to them.
“Stop.” The five wolves turned and lowered their heads as a silver female appeared from behind a tree.
“My alpha,” one of the five began, “they crossed onto our land without permission. Shouldn’t we…?”
“Just let them pass through, I heard their story. If they…. Wait…” She narrowed her eyes and peered closer at the group. “It can’t be…. Echo? Balto?” Both instantly recognized the female.
“Cloud Runner.”

Sena cried out as Steele’s blow sent her to the ground.
“I gave you a chance, Sena, and this is how you repay me?” Steele demanded, “Now I hear rumors of a murdered black husky. Who have you told?”
“I haven’t told anyone!” she cried desperately.
“Liar!” he replied. Sena screamed as his claws left a deep gash in her side. “Who have you told?” he yelled.
“By Aniu’s breath, I’ve told no one! I swear- AAAA!” Sena screamed louder than ever as Steele tore at her chest. As her precious life blood seeped out into the snow, she tried desperately to crawl away, but Steele pounced on her, his claws digging mercilessly into her shoulders and neck. She choked and gagged beneath him, but Steele felt no remorse. “Who…have…you…told?” he said. Sena, however, was beyond hearing him, the air cut off from her lungs far too long. Enraged, Steele swung his paw down with all his might, crushing her skull in an instant. The last breath of life had left the silver female, but her eyes suddenly glowed bright yellow and she spoke in a voice not her own.
“The blood you may wash away, but their deaths will never leave you. Do not think that you will not suffer for those you have murdered…Steele.”

Well, things have been kinda slow with school and all, but the next chapter should be done soon.
But will I post it... or wait until the entire thing is finished....?

So many heartstrings, so little time...

Okay, I lied, it wasn't very long to wait, but here is chapter 6...
Though I do suspect this one will leave you with more questions than answers.
MUAHAHAHAHA!

Chapter Six

Cloud Runner sat back as Echo finished his story. Though the sun had long since set in the Artic sky, a flash of anger reflected in her eyes.
“This Steele is a murderer, a lesal. I cannot begin to say how sorry we all are for your loss, Echo. Their lives were cut short needlessly.” Echo bowed his head. “You all are welcome to stay as long as you need.” She stood and padded over to the entrance to the cave and addressed one of the guards. “Lieutenant, gather the pack. When they are here I’ll make my speech.” The brown wolf nodded and padded out into the forest, passing the word to each family’s den. Before long, the pack had assembled outside her cave, lying in a rough arch. Cloud Runner looked to Echo and the others. “Would you follow me?” Echo, Balto, Kaltag, Krystal, Laila, Kantu, and Kemen stood and gathered behind her as she spoke to her pack,
“Friends, brothers, sisters, a dark day has descended upon all of wolf-kind, for a terrible tragedy has befallen the pack of our friend, Echo.” She looked back at him for a moment, then turned and continued. “His mate…and most of his pack…are dead. He, his three pups, Krystal, her mate Kaltag, and Balto are all that remain.” At this, several wolves gasped and whispers began to make their way among the startled pack, but were quickly silenced when Cloud Runner held up her paw. She then nodded to Echo, who stepped slowly forward.
“When I returned from family business, I found Gunther dead at his post outside. Kikki and Milo were killed in their sleep. Rorek was killed even after he surrendered. And Treffen gave his last breath to defend my mate, Vella…” He paused as tears welled up in his eyes. “They wanted to know where our pups were, but she wouldn’t tell them. They tortured her, but she never gave in. She gave her life for our children.” Overcome with sadness, he turned away. As he walked back to his place, there was not a wolf in the crowd whose heart did not go out to the silver leader. Then, Cloud Runner again stood before her pack.
“There were two who may have eluded this massacre. Their names are Nevia and Resco. You are all advised to keep an eye out for them.” She paused again and nodded to herself. “If there are any questions…?”
“Who did this?” someone demanded.
“Yes, who?” another added, “Who could be so heartless?”
“A husky named Steele now leads a very strong pack of wolves which includes some of Vanuk’s captains.” Now, the whispers broke into angry chatter, as Steele was called a coward, a murderer, and much worse.
“Where is he? Where is the coward’s pack?” a lieutenant shouted, “We’ll send him and every one of his low-life followers to meet The Great Aniu. Then they’ll know true punishment!” The crowd roared in approval.
“I understand your concern, but we can’t risk sending you against them until we know just how many wolves we’ll be up against.” The crowd started to protest, but Cloud Runner held up her paw again. “Enough. From now on, we are in a heightened state of readiness. I’m going to split the pack 50-25-25. Fifty percent will be on active guard duty or patrols, twenty-five percent will hunt, and the other twenty-five will either watch the pups or rest. We will rotate the percents through every family evenly, so everyone patrols, everyone hunts, and everyone rests. Are there…any questions?”
The crowd was silent. It was only for that reason that she realized Echo was standing beside her. She looked at him with a mix of pity and questioning. His lips moved, and she inclined her ear toward him. Her eyes widened in surprise and horror at what she heard. She looked back at Balto for confirmation, and his sorrow-filled eyes were more than enough. She turned back to face her pack once more.
“There is more sad news… It seems that two nights past, Jenna, Balto’s mate, was kidnapped by Steele and is now his prisoner…or worse.” Again, whispers rippled through the startled pack members. Many of then still remembered the kind red and cream husky, and were shocked that anyone would take her. “We must do our best to locate his pack without him knowing. If he does, he may kill her.”

Jenna looked up and met the eyes of a familiar silver female. Sadera had come to see her from time to time, but her conversations were usually very demoralizing. This time however, Sadera was too busy trying to hide the tears in her eyes to start a conversation. Jenna lay silent for a while, but soon curiosity over came her.
“What happened?” she asked quietly.
“None of your business, naghu!” Startled, Jenna turned and laid her head down. After a moment, though, Sadera spoke again, “I’m sorry, I’m not usually like this.”
“What do you mean? You’re always trying to get me to forget about my so-called ‘old life’ and accept a place here.” Sadera shook her head.
“No, that’s just an act I put on for Steele and his goons. The truth is I don’t like the way he treats us.”
“But didn’t you just get promoted?”
“How did you hear of that?”
“I hear the guards talk sometimes.”
“Well, yes, I was promoted, but that’s not the point. He sends his spies to listen to our conversations, and directs how we live. We can’t even mate without his permission. Since he took over, no one has dared to couple.” There was silence for a few moments, and then Jenna spoke up.
“Why were you crying?”
“My sister is dead. Both of my sisters are dead.”
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“They were murdered, on Steele’s orders. Sena didn’t deserve to die. And Vella wouldn’t have died if I hadn’t left.” Jenna’s eyes opened wide.
“Wait, Vella…was your sister?” she asked in astonishment. Sadera nodded.
“We used to be such good friends… We would play together; me, Sena, and Vella would all go and run around by the river.” Jenna, who had only a day earlier hated this female, now felt a strong pity and compassion for her.
“How did you two become members of different packs?”
“Well, a few years ago, when my sisters and I had barely reached adolescence, a neighboring pack met briefly with us to discuss territory boundaries, and Vella ran into a fine young silver male.”
“Echo,” Jenna said. Sadera nodded.
“Soon they started to court each other, and finally decided to become mates. Of course, I was overjoyed and congratulated her. The odd thing was that both leaders agreed, but our father would hear nothing of it. Apparently she was too good for him. So, in the middle of the night, they both slipped away from their respective packs and headed off into the forest together. Needless to say, our father was quite mad when he woke up and heard the news, but he never had time to go find her. That very day, Vanuk took over, and my father was among the first to die; he fell defending our former leader, Toren, and his family.” She sighed and blinked back tears. “After that, it was either join or be killed, so Sena and I had no choice. But just before we pledged ourselves to the new pack, I swore to Sena that I would protect her with all of my power, and until yesterday, I thought I had kept my word.”
Jenna tried to speak, but no words came. This female, who had been demoralizing her all along, had gone through more heartache than most could handle. Sadera continued, not seeing the look of incomprehension on Jenna’s face.
“Our neighboring pack, the one Echo had been part of, abandoned their land and fled to the north-east. And since that day I haven’t see head nor tail of any of them.” She sighed and looked over at Jenna, noticing for the first time the appalled expression on her face. “You must understand that this conversation never happened,” she said. Jenna nodded.
“But what about the guards? If I can hear them talking, then can’t they hear us?” Sadera shook her head and seemed to brighten slightly.
“No. I gave them a short break. They should be coming back any minute now.”
“Oh…” Jenna suddenly felt as though she owed something to her ‘captor.’ “If we ever get out of here, I’m sure there’s an opening in Echo’s pack…” Sadera looked away in shame.
“Or what’s left of it,” she replied solemnly, “Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll find a place there after what I did.” She turned and padded out, leaving Jenna to think of Balto.

That night, within the territory of Cloud Runner’s White Mountain pack, groups of five to seven wolves patrolled the perimeter as many returned to their dens to rest. Among those still awake, though, was Cloud Runner herself.
She padded softly through the snowy grass and looked into another den. A dark brown male came to meet her.
“Good evening, my eva,” he said respectfully, using the traditional title of leader. Cloud Runner smiled and put a paw on his shoulder.
“Please, Kur, call me Cloud,” she said warmly. The male nodded. “How is everyone?”
“They are all sleeping peacefully, Cloud.”
“Do you need any more meat?”
“Thank you, Cloud, but no. We are all quite content.” Kur looked over at his mate and four pups, curled up together in the middle of the small den. Cloud smiled and nodded, turning to leave.
“Alright. May Aniu protect you.”
“And you as well, Cloud.”
Cloud Runner nodded again and left. Throughout the evening, she had gone to every family, and every pair of mates, to check on them. Very few had needed more food, and not one wolf had voiced any bad feelings, or even appeared that way. Cloud smiled to herself and returned to her den, where Echo and the others were resting. At least it seemed that way…until Kaltag came padding swiftly out to meet her, a look of grim worry on his face.
“Kaltag, what is it?” she asked him.
“It’s Balto, he’s gone.”

Passing the guards with a nod, Steele went inside. Jenna was curled up against the wall, and watched him warily as he lay down in front of her.
“Have you given any thought to my offer, Jenna?” he asked expectantly, but knowing what the answer would be.
“Yes; my answer still stands. I’m not coming with you, Steele.”
“You don’t have a choice in that, but I will allow you to run with me instead of being my prisoner.”
“I don’t see any difference,” she replied.
“You just don’t know what you’re missing, Jenna.”
“Yes I do; Balto. And nothing you can do will change that.” Steele stood up and walked over to her. Jenna flinched, waiting for the blow. Suddenly, Steele leapt on her and clamped a paw over her muzzle.
“I have other means of persuasion,” he growled.

Well, the seventh chapter is done.....
but I think I'll wait untill the entire story is finished to post it!
Ha! Have fun wallowing in suspense!

Is it ready yet...?

Well, thank you to all of my readers who endured this horendously long wait. I hope this story is worth it.
Enjoy!

Dark Eyes, Cold Heart
Lone Wolf_fanwriter

Chapter One

As he walked back into Nome, Balto felt as though his heart would burst. His daughter Aleu, the only full wolf in his and Jenna’s first litter, had left him, but he was glad. Eager to find her place in the world, Aleu had ventured into the wilderness far beyond Nome and he, concerned, had followed her. Once they had reached a rocky coastline further north, they had run into a wolf pack guided by a wise, almost mystical, gray wolf named Nava. Nava had told them of his visions of Aniu, the wolf goddess, and that he and his pack were destined to follow the caribou over a treacherous bridge of ice flows…with Balto as the leader! He had been surprised to say the least, but could he really leave Jenna to lead a wolf pack he’d known for less than a day? Balto sighed as he thought about it. That might have been the hardest decision of my life…

“Aniu said it would be the one who is wolf and does not know it,” Nava told him, “I thought it was you, but I was wrong.” He looked over at Aleu, who was staring after the rest of the pack, which was slowly drifting further and further away on an ice flow. “It is your daughter.”

Well, Balto thought, she’s where she wants to be. No sooner did his mind close to Aleu than another memory took her place. My mother…is Aniu. He ran the idea through his mind a few times, but still found it hard to believe. He had hardly gotten over letting his last daughter leave when a white wolf, none other than Aniu herself, had appeared and revealed her true identity. One question kept repeating in his mind: how? How could Aniu, the wolf goddess of the North, be his mother? Just then, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts and a grin spread across his face.
“Balto!” Jenna came walking up to him and nuzzled him. “I’m so glad you’re home safe. I honestly thought I wouldn’t see you again.” She looked past him for a moment and then turned back to face him. “Where’s Aleu?” Balto’s eyes lost focus as he remembered what his daughter had said to him.
“She told me to tell you…that she finally found her place.” Jenna looked up and smiled as tears of joy flowed freely down her cheeks. “She’s leading a wolf pack.” Jenna looked surprised, almost shocked.
“She…she’s leading a wolf pack?” Balto nodded. Jenna stood where she was, nodding after a moment. “Well, she did look like a wolf,” she said, smiling, “more than you do even.” Balto nuzzled her to ride her of her apprehension.
“Now let’s not start that again.”
“Come on, Balto, its getting dark.” Jenna started to walk towards her house, but turned and saw Balto looking at the sky. Then he met her eyes.
“Jen, would you-”
“Uh-uh, tonight you’re coming to my place for dinner.” Balto chuckled.
‘I wasn’t going to say that.” Jenna smiled back and batted him playfully on the shoulder.
“Yes you were. Don’t you lie to me.”
“I never could, not convincingly anyway. You know what I’m going to say before I even open my muzzle.”
“True, true.” They both laughed and headed toward Jenna’s front door, where Rosie waited. Balto and Jenna followed her inside and waited in the living room by the fire. A few minutes later, Rosie reappeared with two bowls of food.
“Enjoy, you two.”
A short while later, after hunger had been turned away, Balto and Jenna lay side by side in front of the fire. Jenna looked at Balto.
“Did I miss anything while I was gone?” he said.
“Kodi decided to try out for the mail team.”
“That’s great!” Balto said, smiling broadly.
“Other than that, it was pretty quiet around here.”
“That’s good, I suppose?”
“One would hope so.” After a long while, Jenna sighed and thought out loud. “Imagine that. My daughter, the leader of a wolf pack.”
“She’ll be fine, Jen, don’t worry. She did inherit my wolf side, remember?”
“Oh you…" she sighed, nuzzling him lovingly.

The next day, Balto woke up with Jenna curled up against him. He sighed and gazed at her out of the corner of his eye. He thought of all they had been through together, and he smiled. They had, of course, fallen in love and enjoyed countless dates together, been captured by a pack of wolves who served a deranged tyrant… and then there was Steele…
Perhaps it had been luck that Steele hadn’t made a move on Jenna while he had been gone, but Balto had a hunch that Steele might actually have decided to leave them alone. Yeah right, he thought sadly, and then my dad will come back…. Just then, Jenna woke beside him and yawned.
“Good morning, Balto,” she said, nuzzling him again.
“Good morning, Jenna,” he replied.
“Well, should we go visit Krystal and Kaltag?”
“Why not?”

Milo yawned as he stepped out onto the ledge behind the waterfall. He had been up all night because he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him and thus had gotten very little sleep, so pulling watch duty was not high on his list of preferred activities. Milo sighed and looked out through the shimmering cascade of water. As his keen eyes scanned back and forth across the snowy forest, he suddenly caught sight of two sets of paw prints. As he was about to turn and alert Echo, he sensed someone behind him, and his breath caught in his lungs. Whoever was behind him had his muzzle around his neck, and was slowly tightening their grip. Milo forced himself to remain calm and not scream as he mentally prepared for what he knew was coming.
“Gotcha Milo,” a voice said in between laughs. Milo spun around and to his relief saw Gunther, Balto, and Jenna. Despite how close he thought he’d come to death, Milo managed to regain his composure.
“Don’t you ever do that again,” he said still shaky from his close encounter, “or I’ll kill you.”
“You should have seen the look on you face!” Gunther interjected.
“Does this mean I’m off guard duty?” Milo asked hopefully.
“Normally, no,” his twin brother replied, “but I think you deserve it after that. Go on in, I’ll take over.” Milo gratefully led Balto and Jenna into the den and collapsed on a small pile of leaves. As he drifted off to sleep, he said drowsily,
“Go ahead and make yourselves at home, Echo and Vella are sleeping…” He paused and yawned. “…but Krystal and Kaltag are back there.” He nodded toward the cave furthest back in the den. “G’night.” Balto and Jenna nodded to him and padded quietly to the mouth of the back cave and looked in.
The two lay sleeping peacefully side by side. Krystal, however, scented a new presence and opened her eyes. She spotted Balto and Jenna and smiled. Gently nuzzling Kaltag, she whispered,
“Wake up, dear, we have visitors.” Kaltag blinked and looked up.
“Oh Balto, it’s nice to see you again.”
“The same to you buddy,” Balto replied.
“Thanks.” He turned to Krystal. “Are you ready to leave?”
“Mm hmm.”
“Leave?” Balto repeated, “Where are you going?”
“Krystal and I have agreed to try and convince my owner to let us live with him. He’s a kind old man, and I don’t think he’ll mind.” He looked down at his mate. “I just can’t keep going back and forth like I used to.” Balto nodded. He knew what Kaltag meant.
“We’ll come with you then,” he replied.
“Alright then, it’s settled.”
“Not quite,” said a voice from the behind Balto. The foursome turned to see Treffen padding toward them with Echo close behind. “
“Just when were you planning on telling me about this trip?” Treffen demanded. Krystal looked him in the eye and replied.
“I wasn’t. Dad, I think I’m old enough to make my own decisions now.” She shifted her weight, suddenly unsure of how to continue. Treffen took quick advantage of the situation.
“I can understand that you love Kaltag, and I think he’s a fine mate for you, but you’re putting you life in danger!”
“Dad,” Krystal replied, trying very much to contain her annoyance, “you don’t have to worry,”
“You’re going into a human town and you don’t want me to worry?”
“Kaltag said I would be safe.”
“And you trust him?” Her father’s last question ignited Krystal’s bottled up impatience and she snapped back at him angrily.
“Do you think I would have agreed if I didn’t trust him?” she fumed, “You act like I was born yesterday. I’m not a pup anymore, dad!” She tried to storm past him, but he put a strong paw on her shoulder and stopped her where she stood.
“You are my daughter and you will listen to what I say!”
“No!” she growled, “This is my life! I’m going with Kaltag. One way or another, we’re staying together!” She pushed her way past him, and Kaltag followed silently in her wake. Balto and Jenna watched them go, and then padded out after them.
For a long moment, Treffen stood speechless; amazed that his daughter had that much fire in her heart. He sighed with content as he remembered when he had first met Kikki. Then he glanced in the direction Krystal and the others had gone.
“Echo,” he said, “would you follow her? She’d be furious if she caught me stalking her like a caribou.”
“Of course, my friend,” Echo replied, turning to Gunther as he padded toward the den entrance, “Keep watch while I’m gone. I won’t be long.”
“As you say, Echo,” Gunther replied, straightening his posture. Echo nodded in acknowledgement and set off toward Nome.

Meanwhile, Kaltag caught up with Krystal as she padded quickly toward Nome, muttering angrily about her father.
“…he’s got no right to control my decisions,” she was saying, “Who does he think he-?”
“Hey,” he interrupted, “Are you alright? You got pretty mad back there.”
“I’m fine; I just don’t like it when he treats me like that.”
“I know how you feel,” Balto replied as he caught up to her, “I got the same thing from Boris.”
“The Russian goose? He’s worried about you?”
“Yep, but now that I’m settling down with Jenna, I think he’s gone home to Russia. I haven’t seen him around here for a while.” Balto looked up as they drew close to Nome. “Hey Kaltag, isn’t that your human?”
“Yeah,” Kaltag replied, turning his muzzle back toward Nome, where he spotted an old man hunched over a sled, putting the dogs in their traces.
“Why is he loading a sled?”
“I don’t know, maybe he’s going out of town or something?”
“When was the last time someone left Nome and came back?” Kaltag swallowed as the answer crossed his mind: Never. The foursome padded slowly up to the sled as the man looked over his shoulder turned around.
“Well now,” he said to Kaltag with a quick smile, “so this is where you’ve been. Out with your girlfriend, eh?” He patted Kaltag’s head and sighed. “Well, I think it’s time I got this over with.” Then, to everyone’s surprise, he leaned down and unclipped Kaltag’s collar. The former wearer looked up, quite confused. The old man sat on the sled and looked him right in the eye. “It won’t be long until I pass on to the next life, boy, and then what would happen to you?” He shook his head. “No, you can go where you want now, boy. Be good.” He patted Kaltag on the head one last time and went back inside his house. The four canines looked at each other with raised brows. Kaltag, bewildered, stared after his former owner.
“Well,” he said finally, “I guess I’ll really be spending the rest of my life with you.” He and Krystal nuzzled each other and began to laugh. As they did, Balto caught a familiar scent on the wind just as a faint howl reached his ears. He put the scent out of his mind and inclined his keen ears toward the direction of the howl, but before he could make out what the message was, the howl was abruptly cut off. A chill went up his spine as he turned toward the tree line, where the scent had come from.
“Echo?” Jenna overheard him and padded closer.
“Balto, what is it?”
“Something’s wrong, I can feel it.” He turned to face her. “C’mon, we need to get back to Echo’s den….now!”


Chapter Two

They had come without warning. Without sounding an angry howl to announce their presence as they usually did. And they came without mercy. Just moments after the attack had begun, it was over. Vella felt as though she would faint. Sprawled before her and covered in a crimson liquid that could only be his blood was Treffen. As he felt his life flowing swiftly out of him, he used his last ounce of strength to look up and say,
“Forgive…me…Vella…I couldn’t…stop them….I’m sor…” Before he could finish his dying gasp, the strong black wolf’s head fell as his body stiffened and went limp. Treffen was dead. Vella looked down at him and then at the wolves that stood before her. Their eyes glowed with malice and they began to advance toward her when a silver female stepped through their ranks. Vella prepared herself for the worst, but the silver female turned to the gathered wolves and said,
“Stand down, that’s an order.”
“As you say, Sena,” they replied, stepping back respectfully.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen…” Sena muttered, looking around the cave in horror. Everywhere she turned there was another mangled wolf, and not one of them was from their pack. They were all Echo’s wolves. She looked back at the wolves gathered behind her. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” she shouted to them. Just then, a dark brown male came from behind Vella and saluted Sena.
“We have found your son,” he sneered.
“Bring him to me.” On cue, a young black male was pushed roughly to the cave floor at her paws. She dropped down beside him and helped him back to his paws. “Nemec, what is the meaning of this?” she demanded.
“He betrayed our pack, Sena,” the dark brown wolf continued coldly, “He is one of them.” Sena looked in shock at the black wolf that lay before her. Putting a paw on his shoulder, she led him out of the cave. Captain Nemec stifled a laugh and looked at Vella, who looked back at her with no expression on her face. “Your pack was much less of a challenge than I thought they would be. I’m very disappointed.” Vella remained silent until another silver female stepped through the ranks of her wolves, looking around with an odd expression on her face.
“Vella,” she began.
“You had no reason to attack us, Sadera,” Vella interrupted, as her eyes glowed with hate, “I am ashamed to even know you. Your actions disgrace Aniu herself, and I hope that you will be punished.”
“Your words wound me, Vella,” Sadera replied, feeling an odd emotion rising in her chest. Confused at this but not wanting to show it, she continued, “But you must admit that I’ve done much better than you. While you ran off with Echo, I rose through the ranks and gained more loyal soldiers than you whole pack put together.”
“At least I was happy,” Vella replied, “but now…” Sadera began to tear up, but turned and quickly left so as not to embarrass herself in front of everyone else. Captain Nemec watched her go and then looked back at Vella. “Well, since she left, that puts me in charge,” he said, “I seem to remember you having pups. Where are they?”
“I’ll never tell you,” Vella replied. Nemec gave an evil grin.
“We’ll see about that.”

Minutes earlier, Echo had watched quietly from the trees as Krystal and the others padded up to Kaltag’s human. As the old man leaned down toward Kaltag, a desperate howl had reached him. Gunther’s voice, though faint in the distance, had rung clearly in his attentive ears. There was no message, only a pleading cry for help. As Echo had been about to howl in reply, Gunther’s voice was suddenly and unnaturally cut off. Feeling a twinge of fear in his heart, he had leapt to his paws and ran as fast as his legs would carry him toward his den.
When he reached the waterfall, he paused briefly to catch his breath and look around. He expected to arrive to the sounds of battle, but what he heard frightened him much more.
Nothing. Complete silence.
“Gunther? Gunther, are you there?” Still no reply. Echo ignored his fear as best he could as he padded quickly up the stone pathway…
…and nearly screamed. Because he had found why no one had replied to his calls. Gunther lay dead and limp against the rock where he had last stood scanning the forest with his keen eyes. Now those same eyes stared blankly back at Echo, shocked to be dead. Echo felt a new panic take hold of him and he dashed into his den to be confronted by a scene of almost surreal drama and slaughter.
Both Milo and Kikki had been caught sleeping, and were killed outright, with no chance to defend themselves or even know what was happening. Rorek lay slumped against the cave wall, a sharp rock protruding awkwardly from his chest. Though nothing betrayed his last moments, his mouth hung open in pain and agony, an eternal scream frozen on his face. Echo felt himself going faint, but fought it off and forced his eyes to travel around the den. Sprawled in a pool of blood in the middle of the floor was Treffen, and behind him…
“Vella… No!” He ran up to her and collapsed by her side. To his great surprise, she lifted her head and managed a smile.
“Echo…” she whispered.
“Vella? Who did this? Who was it? I swear by Aniu’s breath that I’ll kill them.”
“There was a brown wolf. Captain, they called him. He, he killed Rorek, even though he surrendered. His wolves killed everyone.” Her eyes filled with tears, but Echo’s eyes filled with rage at this news. “But,” Vella continued, “They….didn’t find…the pups.” She reached out with her front paw and gestured. Echo followed her gaze and saw a small pile of rocks. He padded over and pulled a few away to find a tiny cave. He looked back at Vella in surprise. She smiled and whispered, “Ever since Vanuk tried to get to them, I was scared for their safety. So I cleared out that fissure a few days ago.”
Echo turned his eyes back to the small crevace and stuck his muzzle inside. Though it was nearly pitch dark inside, his nose detected three small beings huddled against the far wall. One of them began to whimper.
“Laila?” Echo whispered. A shadow moved within.
“Papa?” a small voice replied.
“It’s alright, children, I’m here.”
“Papa!” His three pups bounded out and nuzzled him.
“Papa, what happened?” His white coated daughter Laila looked up at him and started to avert her eyes, but Echo quickly covered them.
“Don’t look, Laila.” He turned to his two sons. “Kantu, Kemen, you too.” Both pups obediently closed there eyes. “Now follow my voice. That’s right, keep walking.” He led them down the stone walkway to the clearing by the river just as Balto, Kaltag, Jenna, and Krystal came running up.
“Echo, what’s going on?” Krystal asked between breaths.
“Stay here with Krystal, alright?” Echo said to his pups.
“Yes, papa,” they replied obediently, lying down and huddling close together.
“Echo, what is it?” Balto said. Echo looked back at him, and without a sound turned and sprinted back up to the den. Balto and Kaltag followed. When they reached the den entrance, their breath caught in their lungs.
“Oh my god!” Kaltag exclaimed. He leaned to the side and threw up. “I have to tell Krystal.” With that, he turned and padded quickly down the stone pathway to where she and Jenna sat watching the pups. Balto, on the other paw, looked inside...and nearly fainted. Never had he seen so much death in his life. His eyes finally rested on Echo, who lay beside Vella. Remarkably, he saw that she was still alive, but he could tell by her voice that she didn’t have much time left. Slowly, hesitantly, Balto padded closer as Echo nuzzled Vella. Tears streaming down his face, he was saying,
“I’ll find him, Vella, I promise you!”
“No, Echo. You must…get…out of here,” she whispered, “They’re sure to… return.”
“I won’t let you die, Vella!”
“I’m dead already, Echo.” She suddenly gasped as her heart began to give out. “Echo, I love…ah…I…love you.” Just then, her last breath left her and her head fell to the floor.
“Echo?” Balto said quietly. Echo replied without taking his eyes off of the body of his mate and friend.
“She’s…dead.” He nestled his muzzle into Vella’s neck and began to cry.
“Papa?” came a small voice from the den entrance. Echo turned to see Laila staring innocently at him and Vella. Before he could say or do anything she spoke again. “Won’t Momma get up? Is she sleeping?” Echo looked from his lifeless mate and back to his snow white daughter. Standing up and holding Laila close, he whispered,
“Yes…Momma’s sleeping.”


Chapter Three

“None were left alive,” Sadera replied as she concluded her report.
“Well done, Sadera,” Steele continued, “You and your unit will be commended tonight.” Sadera felt a something tug hard at her heart at this statement. It wasn’t quite guilt, and yet… Commended? She thought, You, Steele, must have the most twisted, sick mind Aniu could put in an animal!
“Thank you…Steele,” she said forcedly, although Steele could tell no difference. She saluted him and walked away. Rather than return to where her unite lay resting, she found a private grove of trees, lay down, and sobbed, thinking that if she had only stayed rather than leave Captain Nemec in command, her sister might still be alive. “Nemec,” she growled, “someday, you’ll pay for this.”

What remained of Echo’s pack, Krystal, Kaltag, Echo himself, and his three pups, along with Balto and Jenna, gathered by the river as Echo stepped up onto a high rock.
“We are here,” he began, “to bid farewell to many friends…and family members…” Echo blinked back tears and swallowed again before continuing shakily. “…whom Aniu saw fit to call home. Would you please bow your heads as we pay our last respects?” Jenna, Krystal, Laila, Kantu, and Kemen cast their eyes to the ground as Balto and Kaltag approached the line of bodies along the riverbank.
“Gunther and Milo were two of the best wolves I could have asked for. Always ready and willing, always cheerful. They will not be forgotten.” He nodded solemnly, and Balto and Kaltag lifted each of the brothers onto their backs and waded out into the water. As soon as they could go no further, they dipped their heads and let the bodies float away before turning back toward the shore. Echo sighed half-heartedly and continued.
“Rorek was a fine son, and an excellent hunter. A leader could ask for no more. I only wish he could still be with us.” Rorek was set adrift in the same way that Gunther and Milo were.
“Kikki and Treffen were a wonderful couple, kind wolves, and dear friends of mine.” Echo shed a few tears at this. “I miss them already…but I suppose it is best that they died together. And so shall they remain for all eternity.” Krystal began to cry as the bodies of her father and mother were swept slowly out of sight on the watery wings of the river. She lay down in the snow and put her paws over her head; Kaltag lay down beside her and held her close. Her sobs only made Echo feel worse, if a worse emotion could be imagined.
“And last…Vella. You were my mate and friend for many happy years. Together we started a family….and I pray that Aniu will grant me strength to continue alone on what we started together.” Balto and Kaltag stepped forward to lift Vella together, but Echo stopped them. “Don’t. I’ll do it.” Echo padded slowly up to Vella’s body and lifted it up onto his back. Once he was out in the river, he felt tears stream down his face as he whispered. “I’ll miss you” and let her body drift away.
On the shore, Kaltag held Krystal close as she sobbed into his shoulder.
“I can’t believe it. The last time I ever saw him alive I yelled at him. I screamed in his face.” Her sobs grew louder as new tears found their way down her cheeks. “I hope he’ll forgive me.”
“It’s alright, Krystal. Fathers never stop loving their children, no matter what. He and Kikki are with Aniu right now, I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks Kaltag,” she replied, wiping her tears away, “but I don’t know if I believe in Aniu anymore. If she’s really all-knowing, understanding, and kind, why did she let this happen?”
“I don’t know, Krystal. Sometimes she works in mysterious ways, but she exists, believe me.” Krystal sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
“There’s no way we’re going to be able to withstand another attack, Echo,” Balto said grimly, “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll stay here,” he replied, “If they come for me, I’ll fight to the death. If not, I’ll sit here until they do.”
“Echo, that’s suicide,” Balto said.
“So?” Echo replied. Balto looked back at him in shock. He had never heard this usually wise leader speak so irrationally. Echo caught the look in his eyes and lowered his head. “Forgive me, my friend, but after today I barely have a reason to live anymore.”
“Don’t say that,” Balto scolded, putting a paw on his friend’s shoulder, “Look at me, Echo.” The white wolf raised his eyes to meet Balto’s. “Think of your children.” With a pang of guilt at his own self-centeredness, Echo looked over at his three pups. “Take a good long look,” Balto continued, “They are your reason to live; don’t ever forget that.” Overcome with sorrow, Echo sank to the ground.
“How am I going to raise them alone?”
“We’ll help,” Jenna put in, “They need food and so do the rest of us.”
“Then we should find some,” Kaltag added.
“Kaltag and I will watch them,” Krystal offered.
“And we’ll find the meat,” Balto continued.
“Well,” Echo said, “I can’t very well sit here and do nothing, can I?” All of those present smiled. “C’mon, we’ve got a meal to find.” As Balto and Jenna started toward the tree line, Echo looked one last time at the river and his voice dropped to a whisper. “My entire pack, six fine wolves.” He closed his eyes as he felt tears coming again, but suddenly opened them again. “Six…” He looked back at the river and ran the names through his mind. “Rorek, Treffen, Kikki, Gunther, Milo, Vella… By Aniu…” His voice rose suddenly to a shout. “They’re still alive!” All eyes turned on him in surprise. Balto was the first to speak.
“What are you talking about, Echo?”
“Nevia, and Resco, they’re still alive!”
“Echo?”
“Don’t you see? We never found them. They might have run away.”
“Or they might have been taken captive,” Balto added grimly.
“Look, we don’t know what happened,” Kaltag put in, “but we have to find out.”

Meanwhile, in a clearing near the mountains, an army of wolves was spread in groups of three along the tree line while others lay resting in the middle of the open area. Several yards away from their sleeping comrades, two wolves stood on either side of the entrance to a small earthen cave dug into the side of a hill. They chatted nervously with each other, but snapped to attention when a silver female padded up to them. Their eyes shone with pride as they stood on three legs and raised their right front paw at an angle to their right ear. She returned their salute and went inside. Rather than sloping downward, the tunnel had been burrowed up, following the rise of the hill. This would have been the pack’s whelping den, the silver female thought, if Steele had allowed any mating. She sighed as she finally stepped onto level ground. A young black wolf lay against the far wall, and she nudged him gently with her paw.
“Wake up,” she said. The wolf jumped in surprise and only calmed slightly when he saw Sena standing above him. While his eyes searched her own, she focused on a four-clawed cut on his cheek. “What happened?”
“I was captured defending my pack.” Sena flinched unwittingly at this. How could he have switched packs so easily?
“I meant your face,” she continued.
“Steele hit me…hard.”
“Why on Earth did he do that?”
“He doesn’t seem all too pleased with my return.”
“Well, you were with another pack,” Sena replied, “What did you expect?”
“It was the pack I served; and I expected to die defending it.” Sena flinched again, and could no longer hold back her curiosity.
“Why did you join them?”
“They accepted me.”
“Do you realize that our leader sent his best unit to get you back?”
“He sent them to wipe out my friends!” he replied in a low growl, “They didn’t capture me! Our ‘glorious leader’ left my friend and me to die!” After a brief moment, Sena whispered urgently,
“Don’t let him hear you say that, or you may not live to see the morning.”
“I don’t care.” Sena twitched for the third time. Her son had never been so bitter. She searched for any trace of meaning in his eyes, his dark brown eyes. She leaned back in surprise; her son didn’t have brown eyes.
“Who are you?” she whispered, a mix of anger and surprise in her voice. The black wolf just kept staring at her with no expression on his face.
“The friend,” he replied, “Your son is missing. I honestly don’t know where he is.” Sena sighed as a single tear slid down her cheek. Will I ever see my son again, she thought.
“This conversation never happened. Do you understand?” The black male nodded, and Sena padded out. As she left, she barely noticed her sister waiting silently along the tunnel wall. She passed her with a nod and went out into the clearing. Sadera, on the other paw, stood where she was, deep in thought at what she had heard.

The young wolf ran as fast as his legs would carry him, his brown fur rippling in the wind, but his pursuers were still gaining on him. Just as he felt his lungs would give out, he spotted a break in the trees and leapt for it. Bad decision. He suddenly found himself face to face with ten growling wolves. He turned to run the other direction, but as he did, he saw a wolf charging at him. Before he could move, he was up on his hind legs and pinned against a tree.
“Please, don’t hurt me;” he gasped desperately, “I didn’t do anything!”
“That’s not why we want you,” a new voice said. The young wolf looked behind his captor and saw that the figure approaching him wasn’t a wolf at all, but a black and white husky, or was it a malamute? “We want you because of what you’re going to do for us.”
“W-what do you want from me?”
“It’s a surprise for a couple friends of mine, but I don’t think you’ll mind, will you?” The pup shook his head frantically. “Let him down.” The wolf that had the pup pinned dropped down on all fours and the brown pup collapsed in the snow, gasping and panting for breath. “Come on, get up.” The malamute nudged him rather hard in the stomach and the pup obeyed. As they lead him away, the pup looked around fearfully at his captors. What had he gotten himself into?

Echo led Balto and Jenna back toward the den in single file. He and Balto each carried a large chunk of a caribou while Jenna carried a small part of a leg. When they got inside, they presented their kill to the group. Once hunger had been turned away, the group laid down to rest. Kaltag and Krystal fell asleep almost immediately, while Balto and Jenna talked softly to each other. Echo curled up near the small hole that Vella had dug, just to be safe, and let his children nuzzle into his chest fur and fall fast asleep. Or so he thought.
As sleep was beginning to close his eyes, Echo heard a familiar small voice from beside him.
“Papa,” Laila whispered, “are you going to leave us too?”
“I’ll never leave you, Laila,” he replied softly, reaching over and holding her close, “I’ll protect you for as long as I can. And I’ll always love you.”
“Thanks, Papa,” she whispered, nuzzling her father and curling up against him. Echo looked once more at his three children and faded off to sleep.


Chapter Four

Sena padded softly through the trees and nodded to one of the sentries in the forest. To anyone else, it would have seemed that she was nodding to a patch of bushes, and in a sense she was. Even Sena herself had not seen the sentry, but she knew he was there. She had needed the time by the river to think. What the black wolf had said about Steele abandoning him had shaken her slightly. It was not uncommon for a leader to mistakenly leave fallen members of the pack in the heat of battle, but it seemed that Steele had done it on purpose. And that alone was reason enough for a new leader.
She needed to talk with the black wolf again. Perhaps there was some vital detail that she had missed, or that he had withheld. When she returned, though, she was mildly surprised to find the earthen cave empty. She padded back into the clearing and spotted one of the wolves who had been on guard duty the day before. He saluted her and she returned the salute.
“Where is the one we captured during the raid on Echo’s pack?”
“He went out with a few others on a hunt. Seems he changed his mind.” Odd, Sena thought, why would he do that? “Look, that’s them now.” The guard’s eye twitched and he looked closer. “Sweet mother of creation!” He rushed past her toward the returning hunting party. Sena followed him, and as they neared the band of wolves, she noticed that one of them was carrying another. It was only when they laid him on the ground that she recognized him. There before her lay the body of the black male whom she had spoken with just a day before. The right side of his head, near the ear, was depressed greatly and covered in blood.
“What happened?” she demanded, concern evident in her voice.
“A caribou caught him in the head,” one of the group supplied, “he was dead before he hit the ground.” Sena looked the victim over and was about to turn away when something caught her eye. Something was wrong with his throat. Not that it was malformed, but it just didn’t seem right to her. Not wanting to attract unnecessary attention, she ordered the rest of the hunting party to prepare for his burial. As soon as they had left, she looked closer. Again, everything looked normal, but she just had this feeling…
She reached out and felt his jugular, and blood flowed out from beneath her paw. Inadvertently holding her breath, she pulled her paw back and found to her horror that part of the skin came with it. Exposed for her keen eyes, the wolf’s throat had been nearly torn away, something no caribou could ever do. His Now shaking visibly, Sena quickly replaced the blood-stained fur where it had been and walked away as fast as she could without arousing suspicion.
“I’ve got to tell someone about this…” she muttered, struggling to control her short, panted breathing as she looked around,
“But who can I trust…?”

“Echo, are you serious?” Krystal said with a mix of confusion and awe.
“We have no choice,” he answered, “Until we have substantial strength to repel an outside attack, we must leave this den.”
“Where will we go, then?” Kaltag added.
“Somewhere else, anywhere else… Keep them guessing.”
“Are you sure, Echo?” Jenna inquired.
“Yes. It’s what is best for our safety. I’ll understand if you don’t want to come with us, Balto. You and Jenna have a more permanent life in Nome.”
“We’ll come with you for at least a day or two, just in case,” Balto replied. Jenna nodded in agreement.
“Alright then, let’s move out.”

“He will not be forgotten,” Steele finished, as the body of the black male was cast into the smooth watery hands of the river. It took all she had for Sena not to slap her leader as he stood in front of her, addressing the rest of the pack. Could he be so naïve as not to see the blood caked on the wolf’s throat? No, she answered herself silently, he’s covering it up. Disgusted, she turned and padded back toward the clearing. As she passed a trio of females talking, part of their conversation found her ears.
“He makes seven, if we consider him part of our pack,” one said.
“Once a member, always a member,” another interjected.
“The caribou have gotten so much more aggressive than last year,” the last one said, “Why could that be?”
“I don’t know, but if we’re to survive the winter, our hunting parties have to start coming back with meat instead of corpses.”
How could I have been so stupid? Sena thought, I had the same feeling when I saw the others’ throats, but I didn’t think enough of it to check. Then, another question flashed through her mind.
What made this one different?
As she debated with herself, Sena absent-mindedly wandered to the entrance of the same den where she had last seen the mysterious black wolf. Paying no mind to the guards, she went inside, and only snapped out of her trace-like state when she noticed that she was not the den’s only occupant.
Curled up near the wall and crying softly to himself lay a young brown wolf. He vaguely reminded her of someone, though she couldn’t quite place a name with his face. The pup looked up at her, exposing a bruised and cut muzzle, and inched away from her.
“Don’t worry,” Sena said, “I won’t hurt you.”
“That’s what the other guy said,” the pup whimpered, backing up even further against the den wall.
“Who?”
“I don’t know his name. He was black and white.” The pups suddenly whimpered as his eyes looked past her. Sena turned just in time to see a white paw connect with her face. She hit the wall. Before she could make sense of what had just happened, a growled voice answered her question.
“You just can’t help but mess with other people’s business, can you?” A paw pressed her muzzle to the ground and she began to whine softly when she recognized Steele’s voice. “The only reason you’re not dead too is because I wouldn’t be able to pass off your death as an accident. If you want to keep it that way, I suggest you keep your muzzle shut.” With that, he released the pressure on her muzzle and walked out. Sena slowly lifted her head and tried to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. Getting to her paws, she whispered to the pup,
“I’ll do my best to get you out of here.” The pup nodded and she left to find a soft place to lie down and clear her head. Curling up near a bush on the edge of the clearing, she fell into a troubled sleep.

As the sun rose above the Alaskan tundra, a small band of wolves and huskies walked single file among the trees. The leader, a strong white male, was beginning to regret his decision. He was worried, not just for those following him, but for the three pups he carried on his back. When he and the others had set out the night before, it had been hard enough. Abandoning his pack’s traditional home and land had weighed heavily on his mind, and for the first few hours they had walked in no particular direction.
Thankfully, Balto had marked their trail in the same way he had when he went out to look for the lost sled team. Then, another thought had hit Echo: Their adversaries could follow their trail just as easily. So he had asked Balto to make his marks more sparsely, and Balto had agreed.
They had stopped to discuss where to go when a clap of thunder signaled a coming storm. Rather than fight their way through it and risk not finding a safe haven, Echo and the others had curled up close together to wait out the storm. The next morning, a new challenge awaited them.
Though the storm had blown itself out, the snow was now far too deep for the pups, and almost to the top of the adult’s legs. Echo had considered stopping where they were, but Balto, Jenna, Kaltag, and Krystal all urged him to continue; they would follow him anywhere.
Now, many hours later, he plowed his way through the waist-deep snow with all three his pups sleeping on his back. Echo his muscles beginning to tire. One glance behind him at the others was all he needed to see that they were also becoming exhausted.
“We’ll stop here,” he said as they reached a small grove of trees, “This should hide us very well if need be.” The others nodded and curled up in a small circle; Balto beside Jenna, Krystal beside Kaltag, and Echo between Kaltag and Balto with the pups safely surrounded in the middle. The eight member pack slept for most of the day and into the evening, when Echo jerked awake. Balto’s place in the circle was empty. Worried at this sudden disappearance, Echo got to his paws and followed Balto’s scent to a clump of bushes near a young tree. “Balto?” he whispered. There was flash of movement, and then Balto stepped out of his hiding place to meet him.
“What are you doing?” he enquired
“Someone has to keep watch.”
“Let me, then,” Echo said. Balto shook his head from side to side.
“After what’s happened, you need sleep more than any of us.” Echo started to argue, but he had to admit that his friend was right.
“Alright,” he said, “but then wake me when the moon comes up. We’ll do this in shifts. We’re still a pack.” Balto nodded and crept back into the bushes while Echo padded back to the others and lay down once more.

Jenna’s ears twitched as she woke with a start. She could have sworn that she’s heard a yelp. Everyone else is still sleeping, she thought, I must have imagined it. As she laid her head back down on her paws, a voice she knew well floated through the trees.
“Jenna,” it moaned, “help me. Help me.” Jenna sat up straight and spun her head toward the sound.
“Balto…” She glanced quickly down at the others, but then padded quickly off into the forest. “Balto, where are you? Balto?”
“Over…here…” the voice replied weakly. Jenna stopped for a moment. That almost didn’t sound like him, she thought, I hope he’s not hurt bad. She followed the voice and sure enough, there he was. Both his back legs were trapped under a fallen tree and his back was to her.
“Balto?” she said, padding up to him. As she neared him, she stopped again. Something about him seemed unfamiliar. “Balto?” she said again, putting a paw on his shoulder and turning his body to face her.
It wasn’t Balto at all.
The stranger’s throat was torn wide open and his fur soaked with blood. She felt someone tackle her from behind and hold her muzzle shut before she had a chance to scream. Then came a strong blow to the back of her head, and she faded slowly into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw were the wide eyes of the wolf she had thought to be Balto, but who was only a young brown pup.


Chapter Five

“He’s still alive! Here, help me move him.” Balto felt himself being dragged slowly and gently through the snow. He opened his eyes to see the concerned faces of Echo and Kaltag above him.
“What… Where am I?” he mumbled.
“You’re still with us, thank Aniu,” Echo replied.
“We thought you were dead at first,” Kaltag added, “With Je-” Kaltag cut off abruptly, not wanting to continue, but he had already caught Balto’s attention.
“What’s wrong with Jenna?” Kaltag sighed, unable to put off what he was going to say any longer.
“Balto, she… she’s disappeared.”
“Wh- What?”
“We lost her scent by the old log over there,” Echo said, nodding at a fallen tree, “The place reeked of wolves, very unfriendly wolves.”
“And… there’s something I think you should see.”

“By Aniu!” Balto exclaimed, “He was just a pup!”
“Look at his fur, Balto,” Echo said, sweeping his paw in an arch over the body. Balto looked the young wolf from head to tail and stood speechless for a moment. He glanced at Echo, and then back at the body.
“He…he looks just like me,” he said, almost in a whisper. Echo nodded. “Do you think it’s a message?”
“Most likely a warning,” Kaltag put in.
“A warning…” Balto repeated, his eyes fixed on the corpse at his paws, “Who would…” The thought had hardly crossed his mind when he had the answer.
“Steele.” Echo and Kaltag nodded in agreement. Balto took a few short steps before sinking to the ground. “How? Why do I keep letting this happen? I should have been next to her.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Balto,” Echo said, putting a paw on his friend’s shoulder, “We’ll get her back.”
“No,” Balto said, “I can’t ask you to risk you lives again. With all that happened…” He trailed off, not wanting to renew his friend’s suffering, but Echo quickly replied, saving him from having to.
“That’s why I’m coming with you. They took away my mate and they took away my pack. I plan to give them what’s coming to them.”
“No,” Balto replied, standing up and looking Echo in the eye, “Your children need you alive. Going in there is suicide.”
“Then why are you going in?” Echo demanded, raising his voice.
“Because my only reason for living is being held captive by a band of crazed wolves that follow a raving lunatic who happens to be my worst enemy,” Balto shouted, his mind in no doubt as to what Steele would probably do to the love of his life. “Ever since Jenna and I had pups, I guess he’s gotten more jealous than ever,” Balto continued in a lower voice, his brow still arched in anger.
“Balto, there’s something else you should know,” Echo replied, “when you were still unconscious, Krystal volunteered to risk a journey to where Steele’s pack had last been…” Echo trailed off.
“Oh my… Did we loose her, too?”
“No, she’s back there with the pups,” Echo said, nodding back the way they had come, “but she found their old den site.”
“Wait, did you say old den site?”
“Balto, they’ve picked up and left. They’re gone.”

“ATTEN-SHUN!”
“Yes sir!,” the small army of wolves shouted, their muzzles lifted just high enough to reveal the pride filling their chests, but just low enough to appear different than when they howled. For that, that lifted their muzzles skyward and let go a wild victory howl. Steele grinned. Of all the wolves under his command, Sadera’s unit was the one he called on time and time again. They were loyal, sometimes to the point of sheer insanity. He nodded in approval.
“As you were.” They obediently resumed their former positions; some stood, while others sat down. “You have performed magnificently, and you’ve done everything I’ve asked with perfection. You soldiers are everything a leader could ask for, and more. So as of today, the third unit of the Dark Mountain Pack is no more.” He paused and looked for any response. Seeing none, he continued.
“Every single one of you is now a member of Dark Mountain’s Elite Guard.” He paused again to let his statement sink in. “And you are all being promoted to lieutenant. As for you, Captain…” He looked at his most trusted officer, and saw the scar across his left eye twitch in a rare display of fear. Steele grinned. It was good to keep everyone in the pack afraid of him, especially Nemec.
“I don’t suppose you have any objections to a promotion, do you… Colonel Nemec? You’ll be assuming command of this unit. Sadera will be promoted to my second in command.” The former captain sat speechless as all eyes turned to him. Steele laughed and said, “Well, don’t just sit there. How about some applause for your new colonel?” The clearing quickly erupted in cheers and howls as Nemec’s soldiers congratulated him on his promotion. “Colonel, why not go on a hunt to celebrate? I’m sure some of us haven’t eaten a decent meal in days.” Colonel Nemec nodded and Steele watched as he led his troops out into the forest.
Well, he thought, that should keep them busy for a while…
With that, he turned and padded over to a young white female sleeping in the clearing and nudged roughly her with his paw. She blinked awake and looked up at him.
“Sena, would you please come with me for a moment? I thought you might want to talk…about the son you lost.”

Balto had taken point, leading Echo, his three pups, Krystal, and Kaltag through the woods. Every now and then, he would stop to mark a tree inconspicuously, but he never stopped thinking about Jenna, and what Steele might be doing to her. Earlier, he himself had gone to Vanuk’s old den site, in the caves along a rock face, but the only trace of anyone was several weeks old. Now, Steele and his pack could be anywhere.
Echo sensed sorrow in his friend, but made no attempt to console him. His own hopes of finding Nevia and Resco, once optimistic, were fading with each passing hour. Visions of Vella, his soul mate, lying in a pool of her own blood continued to haunt the white wolf, and his month-old pups were still just beginning to understand what had happened. He sighed as he looked back at them, sleeping soundly on his back again. They would never be the same now, and neither would he. Echo absent mindedly cast his eyes to the sky, and nearly gasped when they fell upon a very familiar face hanging in the clouds and mist.
“Vella...” The apparition looked back at him, but before he could say another word, a gust of wind dissipated the image. Echo lowered his gaze, wondering if she had been trying to tell him something…
Krystal and Kaltag walked side by side, drawing strength from each other’s presence. Krystal, still filled with grief because of her parents’ deaths, was now worried for Jenna’s safety. Though she still questioned Aniu’s existence, she prayed that the wolf goddess would protect her, wherever she was.
Kaltag was beginning to worry about Krystal. Physically, she was fine, but mentally, she had very likely been changed forever. Still, they were together, and he would always be there to support her whenever she needed it.
Balto’s ears suddenly shot forward. Some one was approaching on four swift paws.
“Echo…” he said.
“I know,” Echo replied, “I hear it, too.” He set his pups down behind him and stepped up beside Balto as Krystal and Kaltag formed a protective ring around his children.
“Who’s there?” Balto said, his voice echoing through the forest.
“I should ask you the same question,” a voice replied. Balto and Echo turned to see a tan wolf emerge from the trees. “What are you doing on our land?”
“We mean no harm. We’re only passing through. If you’ll allow us, we’ll be on our way and out of you paws.”
“I can’t allow that. You’re in our territory without invitation, and now you must face the consequences.” As if on cue, four more wolves with fur colors akin to those of the surrounding trees stepped out of the forest on either side of him. Balto and Echo held their ground determined that if these new wolves were to attack they would not be allowed to reach the pups. As they approached, though, another voice called out to them.
“Stop.” The five wolves turned and lowered their heads as a silver female appeared from behind a tree.
“My eva,” one of the five began, “they crossed onto our land without permission. Shouldn’t we…?”
“Just let them pass through, I heard their story. If they…. Wait…” She narrowed her eyes and peered closer at the group. “It can’t be…. Echo? Balto?” Both instantly recognized the female.
“Cloud Runner.”

Sena cried out as Steele’s blow sent her to the ground.
“I gave you a chance, Sena, and this is how you repay me?” Steele demanded, “Now I hear rumors of a murdered black husky. Who have you told?”
“I haven’t told anyone!” she cried desperately.
“Liar!” he replied. Sena screamed as his claws left a deep gash in her side. “Who have you told?” he yelled.
“By Aniu’s breath, I’ve told no one! I swear- AAAA!” Sena screamed louder than ever as Steele tore at her chest. As her precious life blood seeped out into the snow, she tried desperately to crawl away, but Steele pounced on her, his claws digging mercilessly into her shoulders and neck. She choked and gagged beneath him, but Steele felt no remorse.
“Who…have…you…told?” he said. Sena, however, was beyond responding, the air cut off from her lungs for far too long. Enraged, Steele swung his paw down with all his might, crushing her skull in an instant. The last breath of life left the silver female, but her eyes suddenly glowed bright yellow and she spoke in a voice not her own.
“The blood you may wash away, but the deaths will never leave you. Do not think that you will not suffer for those you have murdered…Steele.”


Chapter Six

Cloud Runner sat back as Echo finished his tale. Though the sun had long since set in the Artic sky, a flash of anger reflected in her eyes.
“This Steele is a murderer, a lesal. I cannot begin to say how sorry we all are for your loss, Echo. Their lives were needlessly cut short.” Echo bowed his head. “You all are welcome to stay as long as you need.” She stood and padded over to the entrance to the cave and addressed one of the guards.
“Lieutenant, gather the pack. I’ll make my speech when they are here.” The brown wolf nodded and padded out into the forest, passing the word to each family’s den. Before long, the pack had assembled outside her cave, lying in a rough arch. Cloud Runner looked to Echo and the others. “Would you follow me?” The remains of Echo’s pack stood and gathered behind her as she spoke to her pack,
“Friends, brothers, sisters, a dark day has descended upon all of wolf-kind, for a terrible tragedy has befallen the pack of our friend, Echo.” She looked back at him for a moment, then turned and continued. “His mate…and most of his pack…are dead. Those you see behind me are all that remain of Echo’s pack.” At this, several wolves gasped and whispers began to make their way among the startled pack, but were quickly silenced when Cloud Runner held up her paw. She then nodded to Echo, who stepped slowly forward.
“When I returned from family business, I found Gunther dead at his post outside. Kikki and Milo were killed in their sleep. Rorek was killed even after he surrendered. And Treffen gave his last breath to defend my mate, Vella…” He paused as tears welled up in his eyes. “They wanted to know where our pups were, but she wouldn’t tell them. They tortured her, but she never gave in. She gave her life for our children.” Overcome with sadness, he turned away. As he walked back to his place, there was not a wolf in the crowd whose heart did not go out to the white leader.
Then, Cloud Runner again stood before her pack.
“There were two who may have eluded this massacre. Their names are Nevia and Resco. You are all advised to keep an eye out for them.” She paused again and nodded to herself. “If there are any questions…?”
“Who did this?” someone demanded.
“Yes, who?” another added, “Who could be so heartless?”
“A husky named Steele now leads a very strong pack of wolves which includes some of Vanuk’s captains.” Now, the whispers broke into angry chatter, as Steele was called a coward, a murderer, and much worse.
“Where is he? Where is the coward’s pack?” a lieutenant shouted, “We’ll send him and every one of his low-life followers to meet The Great Aniu. Then they’ll know true punishment!” The crowd roared in approval.
“I understand your concern, but we can’t risk sending you against them until we know just how many wolves we’ll be up against.” The crowd started to protest, but Cloud Runner held up her paw again. “Enough. From now on, we are in a heightened state of readiness. I’m going to split the pack 50-25-25. Fifty percent will be on active guard duty or patrols, twenty-five percent will hunt, and the other twenty-five will either watch the pups or rest. We will rotate through every family evenly, so everyone patrols, everyone hunts, and everyone rests. Are there…any questions?”
The crowd was silent. It was only for that reason that she realized Echo was standing beside her. She looked at him with a mix of pity and questioning. His lips moved, and she inclined her ear toward him. Her eyes widened in surprise and horror at what she heard. She looked back at Balto for confirmation, and his sorrow-filled eyes were more than enough. She turned back to face her pack once more.
“There is more sad news… It seems that two nights past, Jenna, Balto’s mate, was kidnapped by Steele and is now his prisoner…or worse.” Again, whispers rippled through the startled pack members. Many of then still remembered the kind red and cream husky, and were shocked that anyone would take her. “We must do our best to locate his pack with the utmost stealth. If he discovers any attempted rescue, he may kill her.”

Jenna looked up and met the eyes of a familiar silver female. Sadera had come to see her from time to time, but her conversations were usually very demoralizing. This time however, Sadera was too busy trying to hide the tears in her eyes to start a conversation. Jenna lay silent for a while, but soon curiosity over came her.
“What happened?” she asked quietly.
“None of your business, naghu!” Startled, Jenna turned and laid her head down. After a moment, though, Sadera spoke again, “I’m sorry, I’m not usually like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“The truth is I don’t like the way he treats us.”
“But didn’t you just get promoted?”
“How did you hear of that?”
“I hear the guards talk sometimes.”
“Well, yes, I was promoted, but that’s not the point. He sends his spies to listen to our conversations, and directs how we live! We can’t even mate without his permission! Since he took over, no one has any freedom anymore.” There was silence for a few moments, and then Jenna spoke up.
“Why were you crying?”
“My sister is dead. Both of my sisters are dead.”
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“They were murdered, on Steele’s orders. Sena didn’t deserve to die!” she shouted, “And Vella wouldn’t have died if I hadn’t left!” Jenna’s eyes opened wide.
“Wait, Vella…was your sister?” she gasped in astonishment. Sadera nodded.
“We used to be such good friends… We would play together, Sena, Vella and I; we would all go and run around by the river.” Jenna, who had only a day earlier hated this female, now felt a strong pity and compassion for her.
“How did you two become members of different packs?”
“Well, a few years ago, when my sisters and I had barely reached adolescence, a neighboring pack met briefly with us to discuss territory boundaries, and Vella ran into a fine young white male.”
“Echo,” Jenna said. Sadera nodded.
“Soon they started to court each other, and finally decided to become mates. Of course, I was overjoyed and congratulated her. The odd thing was that both leaders agreed, but our father would hear nothing of it.” Her voice took on a tone of sarcasm. “Apparently she was too good for him. So, in the middle of the night, they both slipped away from their respective packs and headed off into the forest together. Needless to say, our father was quite mad when he woke up and heard the news, but he never had time to go find her. That very day, Vanuk took over, and my father was among the first to die; he fell defending our former leader, Toren, and his family.” She sighed and blinked back tears. “After that, it was either join or be killed, so Sena and I had no choice. But just before we pledged ourselves to the new pack, I swore to Sena that I would protect her with all of my power, and until yesterday, I thought I had kept my word.”
Jenna tried to speak, but no words came. This female, who had been demoralizing her all along, had gone through more heartache than most could handle. Sadera continued, not seeing the look of incomprehension on Jenna’s face.
“Our neighboring pack, the one Echo had been part of, abandoned their land and fled to the north-east. And since that day I haven’t see head or tail of any of them.” She sighed and looked over at Jenna, noticing for the first time the appalled expression on her face. “You must understand that this conversation never happened,” she said. Jenna nodded.
“But what about the guards? If I can hear them talking, then can’t they hear us?” Sadera shook her head and seemed to brighten slightly.
“No. I gave them a short break. They should be coming back any minute now.”
“Oh…” Jenna suddenly felt as though she owed something to her ‘captor.’ “If we ever get out of here, I’m sure there’s an opening in Echo’s pack…” Sadera looked away in shame.
“Or what’s left of it,” she replied solemnly, “Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll find a place there after what I did.” She turned and padded out, leaving Jenna to think of Balto.

That night, within the territory of Cloud Runner’s White Mountain pack, groups of wolves patrolled the perimeter as many returned to their dens to rest. Among those still awake was Cloud Runner herself.
She padded softly through the snowy grass and looked into another den. A dark brown male came to meet her.
“Good evening, my eva,” he said respectfully, using the traditional title of leader. Cloud Runner smiled and put a paw on his shoulder.
“Please, Kur, call me Cloud,” she said warmly. The male nodded. “How is everyone?”
“They are all sleeping peacefully, Cloud.”
“Do you need any more meat?”
“Thank you, Cloud, but no. We are all quite content.” Kur looked over at his mate and four pups, curled up together in the middle of the small den. Cloud smiled and nodded, turning to leave.
“Alright. May Aniu protect you.”
“And you as well, Cloud.”
Cloud Runner nodded again and left. Throughout the evening, she had gone to every family and every pair of mates to check on them. Very few had needed more food, and not one wolf had voiced any negative feelings. They all seemed content. Cloud smiled to herself and returned to her den, where Echo and the others were resting. Or so she thought, until Kaltag came padding swiftly out to meet her, a look of grim worry on his face.
“Kaltag, what is it?” she asked him.
“It’s Balto. He’s gone.”

Passing the guards with a nod, Steele went inside. Jenna was curled up against the wall, and watched him warily as he lay down in front of her.
“Have you given any thought to my offer, Jenna?” he asked expectantly, but somehow Jenna could tell that he knew what the answer would be.
“No: my answer will always stay the same. I’m not coming with you, Steele.”
“You don’t have a choice in that. But, I will allow you to run with me instead of being my prisoner.”
“I don’t see any difference,” she replied.
“You just don’t know what you’re missing, Jenna.”
“Yes I do: Balto. And nothing you can do will change that.” Steele stood up and walked over to her. Jenna flinched, waiting for the blow. Suddenly, Steele leapt on her and clamped a paw over her muzzle.
“I have other means of persuasion,” he growled, tightening his grip. Jenna whimpered in pain. Steele smirked and released his grip. “I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to use them, but you leave me no choice…” With that, he turned and left, but as he stepped out into the brisk night air, he smiled in a way that would have made even the strongest wolf shudder.


Chapter Seven

As the moon rose against the cold Artic sky, a white wolf padded out of the leader’s den and climbed to the crest of the hill in which it was nestled. Lying down, he looked to the sky and sighed. Two of the shimmering orbs seemed to shine brighter than all the rest.
“You’re up there, aren’t you?” he whispered, “You’re running with Aniu now. Well, the children are alright, and we’re safe now, but I sure wish you were here with us.” He kept looking as tears filled his eyes. “God, I miss you Vella.” Then, the wind changed, and he scented a familiar wolf behind him.
“Talking to your mate, Echo?” Cloud Runner said softly, lying down beside him, “Sometimes I see my parents in the sky. I think Aniu wants us to know our loved ones are safe and in good paws.” She looked over at Echo, who smiled despite his tears.
Suddenly, a howl broke the silence, and Cloud Runner looked up in surprise. “It can’t be…” She howled in response and then listened intently as she whispered frantically under her breath. The reply came faster than she had expected, and her breath caught in her lungs.
“There’s a large group of hostile wolves heading our way,” she said, “It’s them.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Wake them up…” she whispered. Her voice suddenly rose in determination. “Wake every single family up now!” She turned and ran from den to den, calling quickly to those inside and then moving on to the next. The last den she visited was Desai’s.
Desai was Cloud Runner’s first lieutenant, in command of the White Mountain pack’s only unit of professional fighters. Many of them were young, some only three seasons. He himself was very young for a commanding officer, being only six seasons, not far below Cloud Runner’s age.
“Quick,” she said, “gather your troops and meet me by the south border.”
“Yes, Cloud Runner,” he replied, running out into the clearing.
“Desai!” she called after him. He stopped in mid-step and looked at her over his shoulder.
“Be careful,” she said. He nodded and resumed his flight.
Desai quickly gathered his unit from the pack and lead them to the southern border, where the forest gave way to a wide clearing. He stepped up beside Cloud Runner, who was looking intently across the expanse to where the trees reclaimed the land. Among the trees, she could see what was most certainly a military band of wolves at least the size of Desai’s unit, if not larger.
“They’re being bold,” she said to Desai, “These wolves could have easily slipped in from any other direction, but they chose here. They’re trying to intimidate us. They think we’ll run.”
“Then let’s show them how wrong they are!’ he replied.
“If you need help,” Cloud Runner said, “my guards and I will be right behind you.” Desai nodded and turned to his unit, which was lined up expectantly along the edge of the tree line. He took up his position in front of them and whipped his head back in a howl.
“FOR-WARD!”

Jenna lay huddled in the corner of her cave. Though many emotions flooded her mind, the tears on her cheeks revealed the most prevalent one. Steele had tried twice to take her, but both times she had managed to keep him away, once giving him a sizable claw mark on his cheek. Her black, swollen right eye and bruised chest were her rewards for defending herself. She thought often of trying to escape somehow, but more often than not, she gave in to the hopelessness of her situation. The den let out onto a wide open clearing, so she would be easily spotted if she tried to run, and behind the den was an entire pack of wolves that would likely kill her rather than simply try to stop her. To them, she was just an unneeded object, and Steele’s opinion of her was not much higher. She sighed and set her eyes on the puddle of water collecting from a hole in the roof. Seeing her own image in the water, she wondered, if I ever get out of here, will Balto even recognize me?
Just then, she saw another face behind hers, and she closed her eyes. Why doesn’t he leave me alone?
“Well Jenna?” Steele said expectantly, “have you decided to leave your heart behind?”
“What kind of sick question is that?” she replied, “I’m not your property, Steele. You can’t control me.” No sooner were the words out of her mouth than she was forced onto her back and pinned there, with Steele glaring down at her.
“After everything I’ve offered you, Jenna, why, why do you continue to resist?”
“Because no matter what you do to me, I’ll never love you.” Steele pressed both front paws down on her throat at this remark. Jenna gasped for breath and tried in vain to push him back. Steele kept choking off her air.
“Why did you pick that wolf-dog, that half-breed, that mangy moon-howler over me?” he demanded. Jenna summoned every ounce of courage she had to look into his eyes and said in a gagged whisper,
“I guess my taste runs more toward…wolf.” Steele had had enough. He released one paw from her throat and then swung it down across her face. Jenna barely had time to scream before her body connected with the wall, where she stayed, suspended against it for a moment, before sliding to the floor. Steele walked calmly over to her unconscious form and looked down in jealousy and disgust.
“So your taste runs more toward ‘wolf,’ eh? Well then, I guess that’s what it will take to convince you.” He turned and padded away, but then looked back over his shoulder and said, “And if not, it’ll still be fun to watch.”

“Pull back!” Nemec couldn’t believe it. That order couldn’t have come from him It must be someone else talking. It had to be the other pack he was hearing. No, it was him, and he was ordering his wolves to retreat. A few of them looked at him in surprise. Then, everyone was looking at him. Wanting to avoid this awkward situation, he shouted, “Don’t just stand there! I gave you an order! Move!” There was stunned silence for a few moments, and then his call was taken up by his subordinates.
“You heard him! Fall back!”
“Pull back, it’s no good!”
“Fall back!”
Soon Nemec’s unit was in full retreat.
How did they overpower us? he thought, we outnumbered them! After a short while, Nemec turned to his troops again.
“Rest here, we’re far enough back,” he said. While his unit took a short break, one of his own officers came up to him and whispered,
“What are we going to tell Steele?”
“We’re not going to tell him. That pack is too focused on defending its own borders. He won’t notice any difference.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, sir.” Nemec froze and turned to say something to the officer, but he had already gone back to his group.

Jenna panted and sank to her paws. There was no way she would be able to resist Steele any more. Three wolves, ignoring her cries of pain, had assaulted her all afternoon, laughing the whole time. If there was a hell, she was certain that she was in it. Her whole body ached and burned from bruises and gashes, and her mouth was desert-dry from lack of water. Even the departure of her tormentors did little to cheer her, because she was certain that Steele would not be long to follow. Choking back tears, she turned and looked at the pool of water on the floor. At least, what had been a pool of water earlier. Now she could only see her eyes in the puddle of bloody, tear-filled liquid. Reluctantly, she leaned toward it and tasted some on the end of her tongue. She quickly spat it out in disgust. Dirt would do more to ease my thirst than that, she thought.
Just then, a shadow fell across the floor, and she slowly turned her head to look. Sadera, who had been about to speak, backpedaled upon seeing the horrid condition her ‘prisoner’ was in. Jenna sighed half-heartedly and muttered,
“Where’s Steele?” Sadera didn’t seem to hear her. “Sadera?”
“Our ‘glorious leader’ is busy congratulating Colonel Nemec and his troops,” she said, her voice turning to a growl, “They’ve massacred an entire pack!”
“What!”
“It’s true! I just heard the news myself.”
“Who’s pack!”
“The leader was a female named Cloud Runner.” Jenna felt as though her heart had dropped into her stomach.
“No…” she whimpered, “not them too.”

Meanwhile, Cloud Runner, who was very much alive, was ecstatic from the victory over Steele’s troops. Even better was the casualty count: Four dead and seven wounded out of more than one hundred and fifty wolves. In the face of overwhelming odds, the single fighting unit of the White Mountain pack had beaten back the best troops that Steele had to offer.
As soon as it had been confirmed that there were no unfriendly wolves, Cloud Runner had given a speech calling the four fallen ‘heroes of the White Mountain pack.’ They had been carried to the river bed and set adrift as a pair of young warriors sang The Prayer for the Dead.
Soon after, and long into the night, the pack celebrated with a midnight howl. Cloud Runner was congratulating her troops when Desai came up to her.
“We did it! I don’t believe it!” he was saying, “We won!”
“You were wonderful, Desai.” Desai’s eyes twitched. Usually, Cloud Runner would compliment an entire unit, or at least a group of individuals, but this time she was talking directly to him. More than that, he noticed a peculiar look in her eyes as a smile crossed her face. The troops, guessing at what would happen, chuckled softly and moved away. Desai, not knowing what else to do, smiled back at her, and for reasons he couldn’t know, a slight blush appeared on his cheeks. He looked away, embarrassed, but glanced back and saw that Cloud Runner was still watching him, and her smile had grown. Turning back, he struggled with words for a moment before he managed to say,
“Th-than-thank you.” Cloud Runner laughed and he smiled sheepishly and watched as her fur rippled in rhythm with her laughter. Somehow, it held more meaning, more feeling, now. For a while, he had secretly admired her in a personal way that exceeded his loyalty to her as a leader. At first, he was sure it was just friendship, but now, it seemed to be something more… Could it be love?
“What’s come over you, Desai?” she asked him playfully, walking past him toward her den, but keeping her eyes on him, “Losing control of our emotions, are we?” Desai could only follow her with his own brown eyes.
“N-no.”
“Oh please, Desai,” she sighed, shaking her head, “You don’t think I’ve seen you watching me?” Desai blushed more than ever. “I think you’re a fine wolf, Desai, and we’ve been friends for a while... And I was hoping you would be my mate.” For a moment, the breath caught in his lungs, but then Cloud smiled at him, and his anxiety left him.
“Really?” he whispered. She nodded. “I-I don’t know what to say…”
“Say yes.” Suddenly overcome with happiness, Desai burst out.
“Yes, Cloud Runner, I love you, and I would die for you.”
The two walked briskly toward each other and nuzzled for a long moment, sealing their union. Then, they slowly pulled apart, and gazed into each other’s eyes, smiling and tearing with joy. Their moment was interrupted when one of Cloud’s lieutenants shouted,
“Look! Across the clearing.” At once, all of those present turned their heads toward the opposite tree line and saw two wolves approaching. A black male and a white female. Cloud Runner gasped.
“It can’t be….”


Chapter Eight

Three days. It had been whole three days since Jenna had last been given food, or had even caught a scent of it for that matter. She had once gone without food for five days, before she and Balto had met, when Rosie and her parents had gone to Anchorage for a week and the boy who was supposed to care for her never showed. She had survived; she had nearly knocked Rosie over when she came home, but she had survived. But that was when she had been merely an adolescent, and in better physical condition. Now, she wasn’t sure how long she would last.
“Balto,” she whispered, “please come soon.”
“Your hero isn’t coming for you,” said a cold, triumphant voice, “Not this time.” Jenna turned to look at the entrance just as Steele padded in. She tried to stand, or at least face him with dignity, but her body was just too bruised and weak to do much of anything. So she remained where she was, lying prostrate on the dirt.
“Get away from me, Steele,” she said. This time, however, her usually determined voice sounded more like the complaint of a hurt child. Steele laughed.
“No, I don’t think I will,” he replied, lying down beside her, “I like the view from here.” Jenna drew a shallow breath as he leaned closer and prayed that the glint in his eyes was just a trick of the light, a vain hope. Suddenly, Steele leapt on top of her and held her there with his firm paws. Before she could cry out, he clamped his muzzle roughly over hers, silencing her. All she could see were his piercing black eyes…

“How did you escape?” Echo said, looking with a mix of excitement and joy at the two wolves seated in front of him. He, Cloud Runner, Kaltag, were lying in a semi-circle in Cloud Runner’s den and listening intently to the story of two friends who, until that very night, had been presumed dead. Cloud Runner’s cry had brought them all running, and before long the two had been introduced and fed.
“Well,” Resco began, “when the attack started, Nevia and I were coming back from the east, up the steep hill. We heard screams and came running, but when we looked in through a slit in the wall, it was already over.”
“Then we heard voices approaching, so we ducked back into a small opening in the outer wall that lead to a crevice just big enough for the two of us,” continued Nevia, “We waited there until the voices and even the foreign scents were gone. And when we looked in -- by Aniu, I’ll never forget the sight! -- we thought we were the only ones left.”
“So we turned and ran off into the forest,” finished Resco, “and we’ve been hunting small game ever since.”
“All this time…why didn’t you try to find us?”
“After the massacre, we just tried to disappear,” Resco said, lowering his head in shame, “We weren’t thinking. We were tired, alone, scared. We didn’t know where to go or who to turn to. We just sort of depended on each other for support.” He cast a sideways glance at Nevia and she blushed. Cloud Runner, however, was the only one to notice. She smiled.
“For more than just that, I think,” she said. Her smile faded.
“What is it?” Nevia asked.
“Jenna has been taken by Steele and his Dark Mountain pack. Balto went out after her. We haven’t seen head or tail of either of them for almost five days.”
“She’s- She’s been taken? What could they want with her?”
“Yes. And now, if he gets a hold of Balto too, there’s no telling what will happen.”

Jenna gagged and threw up on the cave floor. Silently, she cursed Steele for what he had done to her, and for what was sure to happen. This, she thought, is just the morning sickness. It won’t belong before they start growing, and then what? He’s already taken me twice! What’s going to stop him from doing it again? Her mind filled with despair, Jenna started to cry.
“Balto…” she whispered.
Suddenly, a warm, mysterious voice filled her ears.
“Be strong, my child, for deliverance is coming.”
“Wait, who are you?”
“A friend,” the voice said, “Have faith, for though you may walk in the shadow of death, I will always be with you.” The voice faded, and Jenna lay in silence, drifting quickly off to sleep.
Outside, the two guards shifted their weight and cracked their necks in boredom. Despite their keen ears, they had heard nothing.

Morning came without event for the White Mountain pack. Two couples, Kaltag and Krystal, and Desai and Cloud Runner, lay curled up together and sleeping peacefully in Cloud’s den. Elsewhere, Kur woke his mate with a kiss and went out to inspect the borders. On his way out, he spotted Echo up early and once again and gazing at the sky. With silent respect for this wolf who had gone through so much heartache, Kur padded on, and left Echo to his thoughts. Echo looked over at Kur and smiled slightly. He’s a one of the good ones, he thought, as he resumed his conversation with an unseen friend.
“I can’t stay here anymore, Vella,” he said, “There’s too many nice young females, a lot of them single, and I’m afraid I might forget your sacrifice and go with one of them.” He sighed and continued. “I wish I could see you again, be next to you.”
Suddenly, as if an answer to his prayer, the wind whistled through the trees, and a white lupine female sat before him, but it wasn’t Vella. Echo’s eyes widened in recognition and he bowed his head low in respect.
“Aniu…!”
“Hello Echo. Lament not the death of those you loved. Rejoice, for it is they who will soon be the messengers of faith.” Echo, with his head still bowed low, shed a few tears in remembrance.
“I understand.”
“Stay strong; though someone has been lost, they can still be found.”
The wind blew again, and then all was quiet. Aniu had vanished.

Jenna woke with a start and once again strained forth the meager contents of her stomach. As she coughed up the last bit, her malnourished body began to shake. This isn’t just the day-after-sickness, she thought, something isn’t right. Just then, her nose twitched at the scent of meat. Sadera stood before her, a fresh section of caribou side in her mouth. She set it down and nudged it toward Jenna with her nose. Jenna clamped down hard and began tearing ravenously at the meat.
“Thank you,” she said, after gulping down a sizeable section. Sadera nodded silently, her ears already focusing on someone behind her.
“And just what do you think you’re doing, Sadera?” Steele demanded as he pushed his way past her. Swatting the meat out of Jenna’s reach, he turned to face Sadera, expecting to see her quivering as most others did when he unleashed his anger on them. To her surprise, she was holding his glare with just as much intensity.
“I’m bringing her food. She hasn’t eaten in days, and some of us still have honor in our hearts.” Steele’s lips curled back into a snarl and his canines glinted in the dim light that filtered in from outside.
“She is not to receive any more sustenance of any kind,” he growled, “Do you understand me?” Sadera straightened
“I will not stand by and watch as one of our sisters is starved to death!” she growled.
“You’re coming dangerously close to the cliff your sister found herself on, Sadera,” Steele warned menacingly, “but I’m still giving you a chance to change your ways.”
“I’m not the one that needs to change, Steele. You are.”
“You will mind your place!” he shouted, striking her hard across the face. Sadera simply took the blow and turned back to face him.
“If you are wise, Steele, you will leave this pack now,” she snarled, “In doing so, you may retain an inkling of your honor, if you ever had any to begin with.”
Steele was stunned speechless. No one had ever stood up to him before, certainly not when he had the power of an entire wolf pack behind him. He had done away with Vanuk and a few others, he had even eliminated Sena, but Vanuk had been hated by everyone, and the others had been covered up. There was no way he could get rid of Sadera without attracting a lot of unwanted attention. Angry and frustrated, he shoved his way past her and snarled over his shoulder,
“I’m not finished with either of you. You’ll be seeing me.” Sadera snorted in response and padded up to the discarded section of meat. After picking it up and placing it back in front of Jenna, she lay down a short distance away and waited as Jenna gobbled down every last morsel.
“So,” she said finally, “who is this mate of yours?”
“Balto?” Jenna replied, “How did you know?” At this, Sadera hung her head.
“Sometimes I, uh, hear you crying for him when Steele isn’t with you.” There was a long moment of silence before Jenna replied.
“Well, a while back there was a terrible sickness in a human town called Nome, where I live with my girl and her family. It wasn’t long before she caught the disease, and I was scared to tears for her life! On the night she went to the hospital, Balto came and offered to help me find out what was wrong…”

It was late that night when Jenna finally finished her tale. She sighed and laid her head down to rest.
“I should go, before I’m missed at roll call,” Sadera said, getting to her paws, “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try to occupy Steele tonight. With any luck, he won’t come to you.”
“Thank you,” Jenna whispered, “for all the risks you’re taking.” Sadera nodded and left. Outside, she was slightly surprised to find two guards sitting quietly on opposite sides of the entrance.
“This female doesn’t sound so bad,” one of them said softly.
“Yeah,” agreed the other, “what’s Steele want with her anyway.”
“Hold your tongues!” whispered Sadera. They obeyed, and she listened for a moment to detect anyone who might be listening. Hearing nothing to arouse her suspicions , she replied hastily under her breath. “From what she’s told me, he’s jealous of her mate, that’s all you need to know. Now don’t ever let Steele hear of this.”
“Yes ma’am,” they whispered in response, straightening their posture and regaining their composure.
“Good,” she said softly, “May Aniu protect you.” Sadera crept out into the clearing and, curling up amongst the off-duty members of her Nemec’s unit, fell fast asleep.

The next morning, she rose with the sun and went to the river for a drink. As she bowed her had and lapped at the rippling water, she scented six of her wolves behind her. She spun around and, sure enough, there they were a few steps behind her. Slowly, they made their way toward her.
“What is this?” Sadera demanded, backing away.
“On Steele’s orders,” one of them said, “you are to be killed.”
“On what grounds?” The six were silent. “I know you, all of you. Why are you doing this?”
“Forgive us, Sadera,” another said with a tone of regret, “We didn’t want to, but Steele will have our families killed if we don’t.” Sadera felt cool water lap against the back of her rear paws and knew that she had run out of room. The six wolves advanced further, baring their teeth as they formed a wall between her and escape. Sadera’s heart pounded as she glanced behind her at the swirling waters of the over flowing river, and then looked back at the six grim faces as they moved closer.
“Aniu, grant me strength,” she whispered, turning on her heels and leaping head first into the river. Immediately, she felt the strength of the current begin to pull her under, but somehow she fought her way to the surface. Her would-be executors were already well behind her, but through the trees she could still see them. Their heads hung low, they were already on their way back to the clearing, too full of shame to even look back.
Sadera turned her attention back to her fight to stay above water. Tree limbs and rocks jutted out into the river every now and again, but each time she thought she had a grip on them they would slip from beneath her paws. In no time, her body began to ache and she could barely remain afloat. With no strength left even to panic, she was certain that in a matter of moments, the water would consume her.
Suddenly, a warm female voice echoed in her mind.
“Fear not, my child. Let the water carry you.” Then, just as quickly as it had come, the voice was gone.
Though her entire body was close to collapse, she felt her strained muscles relax and her mind fill with peace. As her eyes were about to close, she suddenly felt earth beneath her. Lifting her head one last time, she found herself on the opposite river bank, more than an hour downstream from where she started.
“I’m alive,” she said weakly, lifting her muzzle to the heavens, “Thank you.”
With that, she fell into an exhausted sleep.


Chapter Nine

Steele stopped and surveyed his pack, gathered before him and looking expectantly back at him. He cast a glance at the sun, already dipping low in the sky, and then turned back to his pack.
“The reason I’ve called you all here,” he began, “is to inform you that Sadera is dead.” The crowd was silent for a moment, and then everyone began shouting questions at him. Steele chuckled softly to himself. “Now, now, calm down. I’ll take your questions one at a time.” The crowd quieted down as he pointed to one of the guards.
“You. What’s your question?”
“How did she die?” he boomed.
“She committed suicide by jumping into the deepest part of the river,” Steele supplied, “And you?” He pointed to another warrior.
“Who’ll take her place?”
“An excellent question. Until we can find a suitable replacement, I am assuming direct command of our Elite Guard as well as our new recruit corp. Any other questions?”
No one said anything.
“Very well, you’re dismissed.”
As the rest of the pack left to resume their previous tasks, Captain Nemec walked briskly up to Steele.
“They don’t suspect a thing,” he reported obediently.
“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, there is a pressing matter that demands my attention.” Nemec snickered and nodded as Steele padded off and disappeared into the prisoner cell. The privilege of power, he sighed to himself, He always likes to take his time with her. I wonder how long she’ll last. He found a soft spot place to lie down in the clearing and for a moment tried to sleep.
Just then, a wolf with dark brown fur padded up to him, and he instantly recognized one of those who had dealt with Sadera earlier that day.
“Yes Ishmael,” Nemec grumbled, “What is it?”
“Sorry to disturb you, sir. I wanted to speak with Steele,” the young male replied, “Do you know where I could find him?”
“No, now let me sleep,” Nemec grunted, laying his head back down.
“Yes sir,” Ishmael nodded, walking past him toward two wolves that seemed to be just coming off-duty. “Excuse me,” he said, “Could you tell me where Steele is?”
“He’s in there,” one of them supplied, nodding toward the cell,” but I’ll warn you he doesn’t like to be disturbed. He always sends us away when he goes in to talk to her.”
“This can’t wait,” Ishmael responded, setting off at a trot toward the cell. As he neared the entrance, he thought he heard someone crying inside. He stopped and inclined his ear toward the sound and sure enough there it was. Some one inside was in intense pain. He raised his brow and continued forward, but slower now. He padded up to the entrance and listened again. Now, there were two voices, and one of them was Steele’s, but Ishmael still could not make out what they were saying. Intrigued, he moved closer and looked in. What he saw made his muzzle drop open in surprise.
After a moment of stunned observance, he quickly turned and left without a sound. He looked around franticly, and finally saw his lieutenant sitting on the other side of the clearing. Ishmael quickly made his way to him.
“Lieutenant Ryder,” he said respectfully, saluting his superior, “could I speak with you alone, sir?” Ryder returned the salute and nodded.
“What is it, Ishmael?”
“Sir, our leader is taking advantage of his power. He’s abusing the female we found last week.”
“Ishmael, you can’t just say things like that without proof-”
“I saw it myself, sir!” At this, Ryder held up a paw for silence and looked around slowly. He then led Ishmael to a secluded place on the edge of the clearing and turned to face him.
“Tell me everything.”
Once Ishmael had recounted everything he had seen in the prisoner den, Ryder leaned close and lowered his voice.
“Now listen and listen well. This can not be allowed to stand. I’ll form a corps out of those who will follow us. Tomorrow at first light, we will remove him.”

As the sun rose on a new day, Jenna was woken by a rough nudge in the ribs. Steele stood in front of her with no expression on his face.
“Get up,” he growled. Jenna obeyed and found her legs weak from lack of use and malnourishment. Steele snorted and nodded toward the small earthen tunnel that lead out to the clearing. Slowly, reluctantly, Jenna walked out, and Steele followed her. Once they stepped out into the clearing, a small band of wolves approached and encircled Jenna. At this, one of the lieutenants stepped forward and asked what was happening.
“Steele’s decided to release the prisoner,” one of the guards replied without turning. Just then, Steele inclined his head toward the woods, and the guards marched Jenna off as he lead the way.
The lieutenant nodded and walked over to the wolves under his command and told them, but as they dispersed, he called for a dark brown male to stay with him.
“Follow them, Ishmael,” Ryder said, “I don’t trust Steele.”
“Yes, sir,” Ishmael replied, slipping into the shadows among the trees.
On Steele’s orders, the herded her to the riverbed, where there had once been a hill, but now all that remained was a cliff, rising precariously over the churning waters. At the base of the cliff, the guards broke away and formed a line behind Jenna. There was only one way to go now, and Steele quickly herded her to the top of the cliff. Sensing what was happening, Ishmael, who had been hiding in the bushes nearby, turned and ran as fast as his feet would carry him back to the clearing. In a matter of minutes, he was there. He signaled Ryder, who in turn signaled the rest of his warriors to follow him. Ishmael spun on his heels and dashed back toward the cliff with Ryder and the rest close behind him. As the cliff came into view, though, Ishmael looked up and saw Jenna crumple under Steele’s blow.
“Nooooo!” Ishmael cried as he and Ryder’s warriors fell mercilessly upon the startled guards. In a moment’s time, all of them lay dead at his paws. Just then, Steele’s voice rang out.
“Ryder! I should have guessed you’d be the one to betray me!”
“Give up, Steele,” Ryder shouted back, “It’s over!” He advanced toward the incline, but Steele suddenly hauled Jenna up with one paw and lifted her throat to his muzzle.
“Make one more move,” he growled slyly, “and I’ll tear her throat open.” Ryder stopped, and seemed to be weighing the consequences of obeying or attacking. Seeing this, Steele grinned and continued, “You wouldn’t want the blood of another innocent on your paws would you, Ryder?”
That sealed it. Ryder stepped back and bowed his head.
“You win, Steele.”
Steele burst into laughter that made Ishmael and Ryder shudder.
“This is why you were never promoted Ryder. You always made the mistake of not killing first and thinking later.” He wrapped his teeth around Jenna’s neck and was prepared to end her life when suddenly he was knocked off his paws and sent sprawling on the grassy cliff.
As he had been confronting Ryder, Steele had never once looked toward the woods from which he came.
After a moment, he regained his feet and looked toward his attacker.
There stood Balto.
“So, wolf-dog,” Steele snarled, “you finally decided to show yourself.”
“You should have known from the moment you took her that I would find you, Steele,” Balto growled, “This ends now.” With that, wolf-dog and malamute leapt at each other.
The two dove at each other again and again sinking their teeth and claws into each other’s flesh. Balto was quick and light on his feet, and Steele was stronger but slower. Thus, they were quite evenly matched. Ryder and his warriors watched in a trance of awe as both canines evaded death again and again as they came closer and closer to the peak of the cliff.
When the two combatants were a safe distance away, Ishmael ran up the hill and lifted Jenna onto his back, carrying her quickly out of harms way. As he set her down next to Ryder, her eyes blinked and she slowly sat up.
“What-Where am I?”
“You’re safe,” Ryder assured her. Then he turned to his warriors. “You all, prepare to-”
Just then, Ishmael gasped.
“Look!” he shouted, and all eyes turned toward the cliff.
In an attempt to dodge a neck blow, Balto had stepped quickly to one side only to find soft wet earth beneath his paws. He had faltered and tried to regain his footing, but Steele had already taken full advantage of the change of fate. He leapt forward and seized one of Balto’s paws in his teeth. Balto surged toward him to try to free his paw, but Steele slipped on the smooth rocky edge and fell backward off the cliff, dragging Balto with him. Hero and villain plunged into the river.
“Baltoooooo!” Jenna screamed. Her face livid with shock and fear, she bounded past Ryder and his startled warriors to the river’s edge. Even as the roaring current dragged them underwater, Balto and Steele continued to lash out at each other. Jenna turned and ran along the riverbank, keeping her eyes on Balto.
Suddenly, they came to a series of rapids, and both canines were immediately pulled under by the river’s power. A minute passed. Then two. Then three. Jenna ran a few leagues downriver and looked out onto the water. Nothing. Just as she prepared for the worst, Balto burst to the surface, gulping a huge draft of air and lunging toward shore.
By this time, Ishmael and Ryder had caught up with Jenna and ran to the riverbank as Balto’s paws touched dry land. He collapsed, exhausted, and they dragged him up next to a hollow log and leaned him against it. Noticing that he shivered in the cold air, Jenna laid gently on top of him, using her body as a shield from the wind.
“Jenna,” Balto murmured, “you’re hurt.”
“We’ll take care of that later,” she whispered, resting her head on top of his, “For now, sleep.”

The very next day, the two stood guest as Ryder was named leader of the former Dark Mountain pack, now the Ice River pack. Seeing their leader perish in the river, Steele’s few loyal supporters had reportedly dispersed and fled into the forest. As the ceremony ended, though, one of the border guards shouted that a band of wolves was approaching. Ryder’s first thought was that Steele’s loyalists had regrouped and were returning to take their former land.
“If it’s a fight they want,” he growled, “they’ll get one.”
“Wait! Look!” cried the border guard, “It’s one of ours!”
“What? How?” Ryder sprinted forward to join the guard and peered into the group of wolves advancing on them. Sure enough, in the lead was a white female, flanked by a familiar silver female. “It’s Sadera!”
Ryder burst into a run as did the border guard, and soon the entire Ice Mountain pack was racing to meet their lost friend. The two packs meet with mutual greetings as Sadera padded among her comrades.
“I see I’ve arrived a little late,” she said jokingly.
“So you have,” Ryder replied likewise, “But no matter, I believe introductions are in order?” Sadera gladly turned and acknowledged the white female behind her.
“This is Belle, the leader of the Silver Wind pack.”
“I don’t believe I’ve met you before,” Ryder said, nodding respectfully.
“It’s likely you haven’t,” Belle replied, “We’ve come nowhere near this river for more than nine months.”
“Well, now that will change,” Ryder assured her, “Come. We’ll discuss territorial needs in the clearing.” Belle nodded and followed him through the crowd, greeting those she passed. When she came to Balto and Jenna, she stopped in her tracks.
“Have we met?” she said.
“Not likely,” Balto replied, “This is the first time I’ve come this far from Nome.”
“Nome? The human settlement?”
“Yes. You see, Jenna and I live there.”
“Oh,” she said, nodding, “but you do not look wolf.”
“I’m only part. My father was a husky.”
“I see,” she said, “Well, I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you both again.”
“Likewise,” Jenna replied. Belle nodded and walked off after Ryder. As she left, Jenna turned to Balto.
“Balto?” she said.
“Yes?”
“Let’s go home.”


The End


Alright, for this one, I have a few people to thank.

My editors, for putting up with my chapter by chapter installments and cliffhangers, as well as all the blood, sweat, and tears you both put into this. I won’t mention names. (This is on the internet, duh!) You both know who you are.

Rotramel USMC for the use of his burial technique for wolves.

And, of course, all of my readers. You all are the reason I write: to entertain. And how could I when I have no audience?

Thanks again to everyone!

Stay creative, fight the boredom, and keep writing!

Wow, did I really loose everybody? The last review was in September.
Any opinions? Anyone?

ZZZZZZZZZZZ *Woke up* Huh...? Did I miss something...?

Good job.

Well, I'm not sure just how to say this so I'll just come right out with the truth; I found this piece to be very well written, with all the characters attitudes nailed down completely. I astonished at the amount of work both you and your editors put into this...well, let me rephrase that. I understand the time and energy it take s to make something this good from almost absolute scratch - believe me, I of all people should; the first chapter in addition to my as yet unposted chapters in 'Newcomer' has so far amounted to a length of 130 pages (I know what you're thinking; ' 130 pages! HOLY CRAP BATMAN!!! ) and I'm not even sure if I've reached the half-way point yet - with the way I write, the fic will probably end up being somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 or so pages long. 'Newfound Emotion' will probably tapper off at about 70 - 75 pages.

Whoops, sorry. Got carried away by self-promotion - I hate when that happens, don't you? Back to the review.

There are only a few odd nick nacks here and there that sort of momentarily threw the story out of whack:

1.) The 'Love' factor. Okay, okay, I admit it's probably just me - for I am and most likely always will be a bit of a romantic of sorts - but the whole thing between Cloud Runner and Desai seemed...I dunno...rushed maybe? Of course, I read the seqeul before having even glanced at the original and there may be a bit more banter between the two of them within its pages.

2.) And this is only curiousity (plus bearing in mind that I haven't read the first one yet) but...just how did Steele - a Malamute, and an exceptionally strong Malamute no doubts there, but still just in essence a dog - gain control over a wolf pack? I'd think that, what with their being sort of superior in the areas of strength and all that, they'd be able to resist him? Again, please remember that I've yet to read the first one.

Other than that, I'd have to say that this story pretty much ROCKED OUT LOUD!!! And don't put yourself down; were you to write an original piece, I'm pretty sure you could sell it to someone and get some cash. Even if it was just a magzine or something, that'd still be a start. (That's how it works for most of the great writers in their humble beginings anyway...well, at least as far as Stephen King's concerned). Don't lose faith in yourself my friend! Keep it up and soon your writer's skills should be sharpened to a razor's edge! (Kinda like mine...oh darn! There I go with self-promotion again! I've really got to get a lid on this problem...maybe I need to see a specialist?).

In short; Loved the fic. Hope mine can be as good as yours - or at least hold a candle to it. Chpt. 2 of 'Newcomer' should be up and running by tonight, along with a whole truckload of 'Newfound Emotion' chapters (most likely from number 3 all the way up to number 7).

LoL, your friend, admirer and fellow writer,

BaltoLuver63

Thanks for the awesome review BL!
Yes, I admit the Cloud Runner/Desai thing was a little rushed. I should have given it more details, not to mention time! However, they will play a part in my next fic.
As for Steele's dominance over the wolves....
Well, he won them over, and found a good number of loyal supporters before everyone's opinion of him went south. You would have to read A New Life to see just how he got in to begin with, but that aside I completely understand your confusion.
I just thought it would make an awesome plot twist.

Well, thanks again, and keep writing!
-LWf