Animation Source Forums

Nice job so far!
What really caught my attention was your vivid use of descriptive imagery in Kodi's dream. I could picture the whole thing very well, which means you did a great job!
Now...*ahem* I'm waiting for the beat-down. Kill of Forest, and his mangy friends too!

All in good time my friend. (You're a bit anxious are you? I can't blame you as I myself can't wait to kick the crap out of him when the time comes.) But Kodi and Dusty haven't even kissed yet so it might be two or three more chapters before we see anything like cought@$$kickin'cough going on if you catch my drift. Thanks for the support!

Hallo? Anyone home?
Where's the next chapter? Don't give up!!

I saw this on Fanfiction.net and loved it and I LOVE THE OTHER CHAPTERS!!! YOU ARE AMAZING AT WRITING STORIES I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT

Since I know I owe you all major league for not updating in…god-knows how long, allow me to explain; I haven’t been updating because this last grading period, I spent too much time on IM talking to Eagle205 and Nighteyes and not enough time on my schoolwork. And…my grades fell so my parents put me on ‘house arrest’ if you will. And, as if that weren’t enough, my beloved dog Shadow (my faithful furry companion of 10 years) passed away last month and that weekend, I was involved in a car accident where the vehicle fishtailed, missed a telephone pole by about five inches and ended up in a ditch – no cause for alarm; no one was injured and we were all wearing out seatbelts. In short, I’ve been having a rather rough time of it as of late… I’ve just gotten back on for the first time in about a month and a half and now I’m trying to make up for all the lost time. Thank you all so much for bearing with me! Sorry to all those whom I have caused to go through KodiXDusty fulliness withdrawal! I hope these chapters are beginning to appease you!

Oh, and just so you know; Kavik is a character from my second fanfic on here entitled 'Newcomer'. Read it if you want to know who he is.

Chapter 6

The Guide

Kirby huffed and puffed, struggling to keep up with Kodi as he continued to lead them on at this crazy pace. He found himself wondering – and not for the first time since they’d set off – why the young rookie who’d grown to become Lead Dog was so set upon reaching Nome in what would surely be record time? He mulled it over in his head, considering all the possibilities and the most likely one of all. The big pup was in a hurry to get to Dusty, of course…. Youth was wasted on the young…. Then Kirby suddenly stumbled over a rock buried in the snow and nearly fell, hearing Ralph give an undignified little grunt behind him. He regained his footing almost at once but internally moaned at the comment he knew was coming.

“You’re pulling to the right again, Kirby!”

“Will you please…do us all a favor…and keep your…ugly mouth shut for once?” Forest snarled in between strenuous gasps for air from behind the dark gray husky, making Kirby feel even less happy.

“Don’t tell him…what to do…Tree-Hugger!” Growled the dog behind Forest. Nova was his name, one of the sons of Kaltag and Tricksey. He’d come up with the infuriating and amusing nickname himself and used it whenever the opportunity was presented, much to the displeasure of Forest and the delight of Kodi and the rest.

He was golden furred with a white underbelly and had large, dark eyes the color of German chocolate. The eyes themselves usually shone with the lightheartedness of a carefree spirit coupled with a deep admiration for his job. But, in light of their current situation, the burnished glow had gone out and his murky orbs were narrowed in irritation as he pushed on, moving with that seemingly tireless endurance possessed by the young.

“Don’t tell me…what I can…and can’t do…Goldilocks!” Forest spat back, making Nova call Forest something Kirby wasn’t quite able to catch. It sounded something like ‘Snowflake’ but Kirby wasn’t completely sure. As he caught Ralph preparing to defend Nova out of the corner of his eye, their oldest member decided enough was enough. At this rate, a fight would be inevitable and God knew what would happen if it did and they were still moving at this speed!

“Ralph…don’t waste your breath,” he called back, “And Forest…will you kindly…shut your…” Nova let out a short bark of a laugh as Kirby resorted to using four or five choice words his mother never taught him. “ – Mouth…so we can concentrate.” Kirby finished; feeling much better now that he’d finally used the words that actually applied to the replacement dog, the russet Husky returned his gaze to regard the snowy horizon.

Forest seemed eager to retort, his eyes flaring up at Kirby’s insult but said nothing; he’d either decided not to push his luck or was simply unable to conjure the spare oxygen needed to engage in verbal communication. Either way, Kirby’s dirty little sentence had done the trick and the team was once again silent save for the frenzied rasp of their breathing as they struggled to keep up with Kodi’s seemingly suicidal pace.

((()-()))

Kodi increased his speed, pushing his sore body beyond his usual limits, never minding the way it seemed to cry out in protest at this harsh treatment. Mouth hanging open, his breath a steaming furnace in the crisp, cool spring air, the rust-colored canine was oblivious to all but the throb in his chest as his heart beat faster with his need to see Dusty, to feel the contact of their furs together, to be drowning in her scent…. So intent was Kodi upon reaching his home, not to mention his (hopefully) soon-to-be-lover, that he hardly noticed the argument brewing between Forest and his teammates until his ears caught the white furred Husky’s snarl of “Goldilocks” to which Nova retorted with a reply that the wind ripped away before Kodi was able to catch it.

As he was about to slow up a bit to be better suited to put a stop to the bickering – God knew what would happen if he or somebody else didn’t and a pile-up was the absolute last thing they needed at the moment – Kirby took charge. He was unable to repress a snort of laughter as he heard the older dog’s short but heated stream of curses at Forest, who was apparently silenced by this show of verbal abuse, because the team quieted soon after and Kodi once again felt them moving as a single unit which signified their renewed concentration on the run.

Their speed automatically decreased a bit as they ascended the final steep array of low mountains that were all that was left separating them from Nome. This was partially due to the understandable – and potentially harmful – strain that would’ve been piled on their already worn-out bodies had they attempted to keep their rapid pace on such a sharp incline, but it was by no means the only reason for their slight let-up. That morning, Kodi had been hell-bent upon covering the remaining distance in as little time as possible for reasons already known not only to us but to most of his team as well – you couldn’t really blame Kirby for spilling the beans on Kodi’s feelings for Dusty; the rest of the Mail Dogs had practically begged to hear what was going on with their leader. But as they approached their destination, that feeling of doubt, of self-insecurity had crept up on him again and now he was reconsidering his decision to tell Dusty how he felt….

‘I’ll just tell her how I really feel.’ Side A of his mind said, the part that was completely sure of his newfound feelings.

‘That’s crazy! She doesn’t even like you!’ Side B of his mind shot back, this one being the part that feared rejection.

Side A, ‘No it’s not!’

‘Yes it is,’ Side B insisted, clamoring for his attention, ‘she never even – ’

‘She was the first one to follow along after you when that Bush Plane pilot was stranded in the woods.’ Side A interjected calmly. ‘She got the rest of them to follow you…’

‘Coincidence!’ Side B roared, but it sounded slightly panicky in Kodi’s opinion.

‘She’s been working her *** off to get farther up the harness…just to get closer to you.’ Side A shot back. ‘What more proof do you need!’

He sighed in frustration as the two factions in his brain continued to war helplessly, each now in equal standing. Why did life have to be so complicated? He wondered, shaking his head slightly, nearly growling in irritation.

‘I’m gonna’ go crazy before I tell her!’ he mentally cried, and heard a humorous and full-throated laugh inside his head.

‘Ah, don’t worry about it,’ a voice, that of his Uncle Kavik said, and Kodi could almost hear the grin in it. ‘You won’t go crazy…. Not for too long, that is.’

Kodi rolled his eyes. ‘Thanks for the encouragement, you sly white furball…’ he thought back, but was helpless not to smile the tinniest bit. It would all turn out right in the end…or so he desperately hoped.

((()-()))

Dusty stopped, her body poised a mere five feet from the rectory’s oaken door. That was weird. It almost felt like…. She swung her head around, sweeping the road with her blue-eyed gaze. She’d had the strangest feeling of being…watched. But that was stupid! It was the crack of dawn! Nobody was awake at this hour except her, and hopefully Kavik…. Right? Less convinced than she would’ve liked, she closed the distance between herself and the wooden barrier, and began to scratch gently at the wood, whining softly down in her throat.

She didn’t have to wait long. Kavik appeared after not even ten seconds, coming to the door so quickly that for a moment she had the absurd notion that he’d been just inside the adjoining room, waiting for her summons. His face said otherwise. His head came poking out of the doorway, blue eyes blinking and squinting slightly like a mole exposed to sudden sunlight. He looked down – he actually had to, seeing as he was almost a head taller than she – and his look of slight confusion vanished to be replaced with a smile that lit up his face.

“Hey, Dusty! Been a little while since you came to visit me! Please, come in, come in!” He pushed the door open wide enough for her to slip past him and into the small entry room beyond.

After closing the door, he turned around and she couldn’t help but smile in the face of that cheery expression. “Hi uncle Kavik!” she replied giving him an affectionate nuzzle as he leaned his down and returned the gesture. She may not have been related to him by blood like Kodi was but that still didn’t change the fact that he was like a second father to both her family and Kodi’s. The two had grown up under his watchful blue eyes, and he’d held them captive for hours on end with many a great tale in addition to playing and romping with them practically every day. He’d even once gone so far as to risk life and limb for the two of them and had nearly been killed in the attempt. If that didn’t make him family than nothing else did in her book!

“It’s been almost a month! I haven’t seen you or Kodi for more than three minutes in one sitting.” He laughed and she found she still loved the sound of it when he did. It was something you just could never get tired of hearing, she’d discovered a long time ago. “They’re working you pretty hard!”

Dusty joined in, her laughter pealing off the walls to echo around the room. “Yeah, Kodi’s one dedicated Lead Dog!” She grinned slyly. “‘Neither snow, nor rain – ’”

Kavik’s smile grew into a grin as he took up the slogan; “‘nor sleet, nor hail – ’”

“‘Shall stop the US Mail!’” She recited, and giggled.

“Catchy…quite possibly irritating after a while.” He said, still grinning. “Kodi come up with it?”

She nodded, her own grin surfacing. “He’s made it into our motto…” she said. “And once he said it so much that Ralph claims that was all he heard in his dreams for a whole week!” They both laughed.

“Yeah, that sounds like something only Kodi could do!” He chuckled and then something about him changed. It might’ve been only a subtle shift in his facial expression or perhaps the way his eyes flicked momentarily from hers. Either way, when he spoke again, his voice sounded less happy. “So…how are you feeling? Any better since…since what happened a few days ago?” He asked, after a short and slightly awkward pause.

“Better, much better than I thought I would after what happened yesterday when…” She broke off suddenly, cheeks flaring up at the remembrance of Muk spilling the beans about Kodi’s confided words in them regarding her, and she fell suddenly silent.

“I…I feel so sorry for you….” Kavik said suddenly, and all thoughts of her own embarrassment instantly vanished as Dusty saw a tear fall from the corner of his eye. “You didn’t deserve what happened to you at all…” He suddenly gave a little chuckle and there was only the barest flicker of humor in it. “When I heard…I was absolutely furious.” A corner of his mouth quirked, “Ask Balto when you get the chance. He and I were in the Forest together with my brother Kemo when we all heard. I tell you, we were so angry, and I just about went on a nuclear rampage back to Nome. But thankfully Balto and Kemo managed to dissuade me from doing anything too rash …”

Dusty couldn’t help but give a small smile in light of this statement. The thought of Kavik on the prowl through the woods, wanting to kill – or at least horribly maim or maul – the animal or animals responsible for his Niece’s unjust thrashing was somehow comforting. She was rewarded with a fit of giggles as she further imagined him forced to reduce some piece of wood to splinters when unable to vent his frustration upon the culprit.

He gave her the sort of look that she could read all too easily; amusement mixed with slight annoyance. “Oh sure, you think it’s funny now, but Balto, Kemo and I were spitting mad when we found out…” Kavik let out a long, low whistle and shook his head slightly. “Man, Kemo…Well, at least now I know for sure we’re really brothers…I didn’t think anybody but me and Balto could get so pissed, but he was all but foaming at the mouth…” Kavik paused, seeming to consider something. “Actually, now that I think about it, we all were. I’ve never seen anyone so mad before…with the possible exception of Jenna and your Mother, of course.”

This only caused Dusty’s giggles to bloom into laughter that in turn, caused Kavik to join her. It felt good, being able to look back on what’d happened to her and know that so many others were as mad, just as concerned as Kodi had been. “Yeah…I could tell Kodi was really mad too when he found me in the alley…it was kind of scary…” she broke off again, cursing herself for possibly revealing her reasons for coming here in the first place to her already intuitive companion.

“That was quite an…‘interesting’ little transaction yesterday evening…” Kavik ventured. He’d been looking distractedly off in the direction of the congregation chamber where his owner, a kind-hearted Priest named Maverick Lupus, could be faintly heard reviewing his sermon for Sunday morning mass. Now, she saw his eyes flick to hers for an instant, and was suddenly and impulsively sure that he knew why she’d come here and she felt her heart flutter in her chest.

‘Okay, okay, don’t panic…just be calm and natural, don’t make yourself look like a ditz…’ she told herself, gulping and feeling a familiar lump. “…You could say that…” she managed, pointedly not looking at him. This was so awkward…

“Dusty…” he said softly, and she could tell by his tone that he was smiling. “…Is there anything you want to talk about…?” He made the question sound incredibly casual, even though she could tell by now that he was fully aware of her predicament. She fidgeted slightly, searching for words to begin and finding none. This was turning into a disaster and –

“It’s okay,” he said, and she somehow found the courage to look at him. His face was the picture of gentleness itself, and he wore a very kind little smile. “I know what’s bothering you…you love him, don’t you?” He didn’t use Kodi’s name but then again, what was the point? He didn’t need to anyway…

“…Well…I…that is…uh,” she stammered, heart beating furiously. She could actually feel the blood pulsing in her face. “…Yes…” she finally managed, “I…I do. I love Kodi…”

“And…you’re afraid that he might not feel the same about you?” Kavik pressed gently, after a brief pause to let her gather her wits. His smile grew as she nodded, and she again averted her eyes, still embarrassed despite her trust in him. She’d though he might laugh when she did, but he never so much as sniggered. Instead, he rubbed her gray head with his own white one, reassuring her that it was okay, that all was well. “I understand,” he said, and she felt a smile rise to her lips despite her still burning cheeks as his eyes sparked and he went on. “I know how strange this must feel to you, believe me, I should; I was in love myself a long time ago…” he chuckled and her smile grew, some of the heat draining from her face as it did. This wasn’t so bad…it was actually a relief.

“What…what if Kodi doesn’t feel the same way…about me?” she asked, knowing she was being repetitive, but not really minding; she had to tell this to someone or it would drive her bananas. “What should I do then?”

“I don’t think I’m the right one to answer that question…” Kavik replied, and when he saw the way her face fell, he continued. “The only person who could really do that would be…”

“Kodi…” she finished for him, looking at her paws again.

“…But,” Kavik said, and Dusty’s head snapped up, her eyes alight with hope. “If it’s any consolation, I’d say you don’t have much to worry about….”

Dusty’s heart leapt in her chest and for an instant she thought she was about to pass out. “W-what do you mean?” she asked, heart beating very fast now.

Kavik let out a small cluster of amused chuckles before replying. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you out of the corner of his eye when he thinks nobody’s looking…. And he always gets a far-off sort of look in his eyes when he tells me about how much he admires your spirit….” Her Uncle’s smile suddenly bloomed into a grin. “He even let it slip once he thinks you’re more beautiful than the sunrise on the first day of spring and that you smell like Wild Flowers mixed with milk and honey.” He chuckled again as he saw her face turn thirteen different shades of red.

“He…he didn’t say that…did he?”

“Not exactly,” Kavik admitted, still grinning, “but then again, I’ve known the both of you since you were pups…” He laughed. “I can read you like a couple of books!” He nuzzled her affectionately once more and the feeling of his fur was wonderful in its old familiarity as he pulled back and looked at her, pride blazing in his eyes. “I can’t tell you for sure how he feels, that’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself. I can tell you this, however; I know he cares for you, and very deeply I might add…”

She returned his nuzzle, her smile beaming out at him. “Thanks Uncle Kavik…for everything.”

He chuckled and shrugged. “Hey, it’s what I’m here for…” he replied. “Now, you’d better get going…I imagine there’ll probably be a certain Lead Dog pulling into town soon in an hour or less…” He gave her a wink. “Go get your man, Dusty. Show him what you’re made of….”

With one last nuzzle followed by a quick lick to her Uncle’s cheek, the young Husky turned and trotted off out the door, her pace giving not even the slightest hint of how her recovering body was starting to ache from all this unaccustomed and strenuous movement. She smiled. The world suddenly looked much brighter than it had before and there was a slight spring in her step, despite her injuries. “Kodi…” she sighed, and her heart skipped a beat. Her crafty Uncle may not have come right out and said it, but he’d given her the answer she’d been seeking nevertheless.

She could now only wait, and hope that what Kavik had told her was accurate.

‘But no matter how you feel, Kodi…I’ll always love you…’ Her heart murmured and she continued on down the road back to her house. Little did she know, she was not unobserved in her coming and going from the church, nor in the matter of her conversation with Kavik either; A pair of maliciously bright golden eyes had watched her every move…and the ears had recorded every word that had passed between the two of them…

((()-()))

Sabbath held his position, waiting until the Gray Bitch had disappeared around the corner and even then he did not shift until a full minute had ticked by. When he was certain neither the Bitch nor her wolfen Uncle were going to make another appearance, he slithered out from under his hiding place and began working his way back to the shed where he, Pride and Forest usually stayed. He grinned devilishly, eyes burning, very pleased by his own cleverness. Oh, Forest would LOVE this; he’d eat it up like it was chocolate or the very waters of life.

He’d followed the Bitch’s scent from a distance, being sure to keep to the shadows. In truth, he’d been both very confused and utterly furious; forgive the bluntness, but when he killed someone – or at least thought he did – he was used to them staying down for good. He’d gotten around her and had watched from a distance of perhaps twenty feet away in an alley as she prepared to enter the church. He’d felt a momentary twitch of unease when the Bitch had looked around but wasn’t too worried; he knew the ways of camouflage well and she wouldn’t see him unless he wanted her too. He’d watched her go inside and, after waiting perhaps thirty seconds or so, had worked his way towards the church, finding the hidey-hole that led under the floorboards of the old structure with ease.

That half-and-half mutt Balto might think he knew where all the little nooks and crannies in this town were, but long experience had taught Sabbath that there was always a veritable maze of passages under almost all structures. It was simply a matter of knowing where to look and how to gain access without detection. There he’d lay, contentedly listening to every word that had passed between the two friends, though he’d had to strain his ears mightily to make out their conversation owing to the absence of floor gratings in the place that would’ve allowed sound to be more easily conducted.

He’d grinned with malign pleasure as the wolf – or so Sabbath assumed him to be, judging from the smell – named Kavik had told the Bitch about how angry he and his brothers had been when they’d found out. Oh goody! It was always so much more satisfying when you could hurt and enrage so many people by abusing just one of them. The rest would always follow suit, like dominos aligned in a complex system, setting off a delightful chain of events.

In most cases that was, and now the system had been fudged up. Sabbath had known Forest would be none too pleased to discover their troublesome victim had survived – if he wasn’t aware already, and that in itself was very likely. So he had listened with greater intensity, his intuition already whispering to him of the probability that his white Husky friend would want to finish the job, and sooner rather than later…the sooner, the better as the old saying went.

After perhaps half-an-hour, the Bitch and the Wolf had parted ways, and Sabbath for one had been very relieved. Their talk had been an extremely dull and utterly nauseating discussion dealing with Love, Emotions, Rejections and a whole lot of other bullcrap that just listening to had made him want to vomit up anything and everything he’d ever eaten. Thank God it was over now….

The snowy Samoyed gave his head a brisk shake, temporarily ridding himself of these thoughts so as to be better suited for the task at hand, namely getting back home whilst avoiding all detection or contact. Couldn’t be seen wandering the streets in the wee hours of the morning, now could we? No, that just wouldn’t do, wouldn’t do at all! It might look mighty suspicious to some prying eyes…especially if that Balto mutt or any of his do-gooder friends happened to catch sight of one of the new dogs slinking around town…. Some didn’t trust the three of them already, and it would not be wise to increase their suspicions and perhaps rouse those of others who had until then remained neutral. No, that would leave the wrong impression, and Sabbath had a feeling that if something wasn’t done in the matter of Little Dusty, a.k.a. ‘Gray Bitch’, then the three of them might soon find themselves in hot water, VERY hot water at that. Water that might be hot enough to boil them alive…

‘Ah, but now there’s the matter of the Boyfriend as well,’ he reminded himself, spitting a guttural curse into the snow at the realization. ‘Yes, Pretty-Boy, Mr. Hero…’ The ******* who’d spoiled his fun with the young dog, in other words. Yes, now that he thought about it, Sabbath decided that one more body wouldn’t hurt…it might actually turn out to be pretty entertaining. His sadistic mind reeled and his golden eyes glinted as he mulled over all the possibilities….

Draw them out into a secluded place somewhere…or, maybe they wouldn’t have to. From what he’d just heard, the two of them were practically dieing to screw one another and what could possibly be more romantic than a little passion in, say, the field out near the woods? Yeah, he liked that. Liked it very much in fact. Lure – or perhaps follow – the two out of town, ambush them while they were at it, maybe break Kodi’s legs and force him to watch as they took her…. Yes, somewhere along those lines.

Had Sabbath been a mortal man instead of a dog, he could’ve easily been the precursor of such well-known serial killers as Ted Bundy, Albert Fish, Charles Manson and maybe even the Son of Sam. Such was the state of his warped mental recesses. He loved to kill for pleasure, and did it at his leisure whenever an opportunity equipped with a clear getaway was made clear to him. He’d always wanted to butcher a couple – the idea of two lovers dying in a bloody embrace had always seemed to portray some sort of ironically poetic type of justice in his eyes – but had never gotten the chance…until now, that was. He’d talk to Forest about it, although he knew the Husky would have no problem with taking out Kodi as well. Besides, having Pretty-Boy there would give Pride something to play with while he and Forest worked on Dusty…yes, that would be grand…splendid even.

“…And, maybe, before we kill her, we could finish what we started back in the alley…” Sabbath muttered to himself as he rounded the last corner and came upon the tiny shed that served as their home. He chuckled, and the sound was as twisted and crazy as mind from which it had come forth. ‘Oh, this is gonna be so much FUN’ he thought, and slipped inside the shed to fill in Pride…

((()-()))

Kodi picked up the pace as the town drew ever nearer, now running so fast that he was almost dragging the rest of the team in his powdery wake (as it was, it was all they could do to keep up with him). The sled was bouncing and bumping along behind him, the harness taught against his flexing muscles, the leather making subtle creaking noises with the amount of strain born upon it.

Forest was mentally and physically spitting curse after curse, each dirtier and more vulgar than the last, his chest heaving with the effort needed to keep up this crazy pace. His lungs were aflame and his heart felt ready to burst. It was beating so hard that the albino Husky thought he could actually feel the fist-sized muscle hammering away against his sternum. Oh, he would get Lover-Boy for this if it were the last thing he did! ‘I’ll fix him, but good!’ he mentally snarled, ‘I’ll see him go down, groveling in dirt like the filthy piece of trash he is, him and his little Dustykins as well!’ He suddenly felt an involuntary surge of relief as he saw Nome come speeding into view. They were almost there, by God! Perhaps just another half mile and then he was free!

Reenergized by this knowledge, he found the strength to simply – forgive the expression if you will – ‘dog it out’ with the rest and keep going, his tongue now lolling from his red maw of a mouth, his eyes bulging with effort. Finally, when he though he would be able to stand it no longer, they pulled into town, scattering pedestrians and strays to and fro, the sled now transformed into something that resembled a long, irregularly shaped bullet pulled by several smaller blurs that were emitting harsh barking sounds. They gradually slowed, the sled coming to rest directly in front of the Post Office.

The dogs fell, literally dropping into slump-shouldered heaps and gasping for breath, all with their tongues hanging out, their chests rising and falling with amazing rapidity as they struggled to slow their furiously racing hearts. There was none of the usual banter between them; they were all so fundamentally exhausted that it took almost a full ten minutes before they began to acknowledge the presence of others in addition to themselves.

Forest was aware of the Postmaster come striding out onto the porch, his jaw hanging open as their Master handed him the week’s sack of mail, but felt not even the barest flicker of interest at his appearance. The two men began a conversation to which the albino Husky paid absolutely no heed as the Musher bent and began unhitching the team from their harnesses, beginning with Kodi, who looked, despite his obviously great reservoirs of stamina, like he was both suffering from an asthma attack and ready to simply pass out where he had just managed to gain his footing. Even though his condition was no different, Forest felt a surge of satisfaction at the sight. ‘Oh, how the mighty have fallen…’ he thought smugly, and felt a smile spiteful smile grace the corners of his mouth.

Turning a disinterested eye to his left, he noted with something like horrified disgust that Little Miss Bitch was standing off to the side in an alley, looking like she was ready to yark or something. Forest usually would’ve sent her a growling snarl of hatred, but under the circumstances, all he could manage was a low ‘woof’ that was barely audible even to his own ears. And, judging from the way Dusty’s head did not so much as twitch, his show of hatred went unheard by her as well.

Then he saw Pride and Sabbath skulking around the corner of the General Store and his attention suddenly peaked, causing him to sneak a furtive little glance towards the rest of the mongrels just to make sure he was still unobserved in his actions. Kodi was being greeted by a furiously blushing Little Miss Bitch, not to mention Mom and Dad; Mr. Cocky and Mush-Brain were too busy messing with each other to notice anything, and Nova was being nuzzled by his own parents. There was a rather large white wolf/dog lying on the porch near Pride and Sabbath, but his eyes were closed, and he looked to be currently engaged in a nap. Excellent, the coast was clear then.

Having caught most of his breath, he gained his feet – not without considerable struggle- and padded over to where his two fellow conspirators sat, sparing a single, hate-filled glance back over his shoulder at Kodi, who it seemed, had been called off to the side and was walking away, so he of course didn’t notice. Good. The albino Husky took up a seat before the other two, and was immediately verbally assaulted by Sabbath, who seemed very eager to tell him something.

“Slow up for a minute, will ya?” he growled, and Sabbath at once quieted. “Now,” Forest went on, after taking another look around for potential eavesdroppers, “what the hell’s so bloody important?”

“Well,” Sabbath said, his voice low and silky, signifying that whatever he was about to entrust was very juicy indeed, “you won’t believe what I overheard Gray Bitch and that white Wolf” – he tipped his snout in the direction of the canine asleep on the porch not ten feet away – “talking about…” he grinned.

“Really? Well, why don’t you fill me in and then I’ll tell you what I managed to snag off of Lover-Boy.” Forest listened, his heart rate once again soaring as Sabbath recounted the conversation he’d overheard. This was the best, even better than what he’d expected! This would make things much simpler by far!

“Very good my ingenious little buddy, I should’ve known I could count on you.” Forest complimented him after his tale had come to a halt. “You did very well. Do either of you have any idea what this means?” Pride was the only one to shake his head, but looked just as excited as Sabbath and Forest himself did. “Well then, allow me to fill you in on my little excursions…” In the span of fifteen minutes or so, the Husky’s tale was spun out, and he saw that Sabbath at least, immediately grasped the implications of their now vastly improved situation.

“So…” Pride said, speaking up for the first time, “we’re gonna’ snuff em’ both out now, are we?”

“Yes sir, you bet you *** we are.” Forest replied, almost laughing now. “We couldn’t have little Dustykins living long enough to possibly remember something and then spill her guts to her new Boyfriend, now could we?” Sabbath sniggered. “If he found out, he’d tell the other dogs, and then – oh, how can I put this? – Our gooses would be very cooked. No, we’ve got to get rid of them both now…but that shouldn’t be a problem as far as we’re concerned, right boys?” He grinned and the other two shook their heads, identical serial killer’s grins spread across their faces.

“It shouldn’t be any problem at all…in fact, with what I’ve already thought up, it could turn out to be very entertaining indeed…” Sabbath replied, his eyes gleaming murder-bright. And with that, he leaned in and relayed the beginnings of his plan to Forest, whose grin grew larger with every word spoken by the Samoyed. Oh yes, this would be a Grand-Daddy of a blast, you could take that to the bank…
_______________________________________________________

Hope the extra long-ness helped move me a bit out of some of your doghouses! Please forgive me! I feel so bad! But now I'm trying to keep you all satisfied...so please, read on!

LoL

BaltoLuver63

Chapter 7

The Misgivings

Kodi’s head lifted as his breathing started to return to normal. He was bushed; his lungs no longer burned with each respiration, but his heart was still beating relatively fast within the confines of his chest all the same. His eyes followed suit, and his tired but triumphant gaze was met with that of his parents, who beamed and looked upon him with pride blazing from every aspect of their being. In fact, so much pride could he see in their regard, that it made him feel a little embarrassed. Still, he would not shun them simply because he felt somewhat conspicuous, and so he moved forward on the hard-packed snow and met them halfway. He smiled with contentment as they each nuzzled him in turn. “Hi Mom, Hi Dad,” he said, not without enthusiasm, returning their shared nuzzle of affection and feeling his embarrassment slip away.

“Good to have you back son.” Balto said, pulling back and taking in Kodi’s state of weak-kneed exhaustion, his face growing distorted with surprise as he did so. “My goodness Kodi,” he said, staring at the way his son’s muscles were all but thrumming beneath his fur (so tired was the red Husky in fact, it was a wonder he could stand upright at all). “You certainly made it here in record time…but I think you might’ve pushed yourself a bit too much,” he concluded, voice laced with concern.

Jenna’s own smile faded somewhat as she too took in Kodi’s (forgive the expression if you will) dog-tired condition. “You shouldn’t push yourself so hard, Kodiak.” She said her voice edged too with worry. “I know you’re proud of your job and you’ve probably set a new record for the fastest delivery time, but still…” she chanced a glance over Kodi’s shoulder to observe Kirby and Ralph, who were, of course, at it again and messing with each other. “That’s a good way to get yourself hurt…”

“Oh Mom, stop worrying so much all the time!” Kodi replied, helpless to say otherwise and unable to suppress the smile that formed on his lips even as he spoke. He just couldn’t help himself; she was just so overly concerned sometimes… “We’re all fine.” He assured her, his smile broadening into what could almost be called a grin. Jenna still seemed a bit worried but her thoughts regarding his physical state of well being – whatever they may’ve been – were assuaged (or more accurately, interrupted) with the arrival of Dusty, who, despite her no doubt painful circumstances, looked as happy and chipper as ever she had in the good old days.

She walked over, smiling almost as broadly as Kodi himself was. He noted the slight limp in her gate, cause being the right hind leg, but other than that, she gave absolutely no indication that she was in any kind of pain whatsoever. Did he think she was the toughest female sled-dog he’d ever met? Brother, you’d better believe it.

He admired her strength and…well, it was the truth wasn’t it? Yes indeed, can’t deny it now. He admired her strength…and he loved her all the more for her spirit, which burned deep inside her heart with such a fiery passion that not even the direst of situations could faze her. The fact that she just happened to the most beautiful dog he’d ever laid eyes upon – Husky or otherwise – wasn’t bad either.

Wait.

Scratch that. Dusty was not merely beautiful; she was a vision, a queen who made canines whom before he’d viewed as red hot angels from Heaven look like nothing more than shabby posers by comparison. In short, she was absolutely gorgeous now that he finally took the opportunity to observe her properly…which was to say, in a romantic light.

“Hi…Kodi.” She said, her voice sounding beautiful beyond description.

He blinked, and then suddenly realized that he must’ve been staring at her for a space of at least a minute or so, and his cheeks flared up and he tried to tear his gaze away from the sight of her. He found the action to be amazingly difficult, but he somehow managed it and then simply stood there looking at the snow for perhaps five seconds before remembering how to form words and thereby communicate. “Hi…Dusty,” he said, his voice sounding lame even to his own ears, knowing he must be making himself look like the world’s biggest fool right about now but helpless to do anything about it. He risked stealing a glance at her…and saw a curious thing; Dusty’s face was as red as his own must’ve been, judging from the amount of warmth he could feel baking out from his fur. Her eyes were likewise distracted with something of apparent interest, for she only met his gaze for that single instant when he had chosen to look upon her before hurriedly averting her eyes once more.

‘Hello, what’s this I spy?’ Kodi thought dimly in a small section of his mind, the only part left that wasn’t currently engaged in resisting the urge to simply stand there, ogling Dusty like the goddess she was; that was something an idiotic pervert like Forest would do, and he wasn’t about to sink that low – not that he ever had, as far as he could remember. Something was up…but what?

‘Oh comeon’ That annoying voice exploded in his head again, momentarily destroying any and all coherent thought. ‘Don’t tell me you’re such a dullard that you can’t figure it out for yourself!’

A curious thought occurred to Kodi just then. Well, it couldn’t really be classified as a thought if you stopped to consider it really; it was too brief. A more accurate description would be that what Kodi experienced was more a flash of misguided intuition. How unfortunate for him… His mind suddenly concocted a – at least to us – ludicrous idea, summoning a mental flash of images from his half-remembered dream-fantasy with his Love in the field. He saw himself on top of Dusty again, saw himself leaning down to kiss her, but this time, instead of meeting his furry lips with her own, Dusty promptly jerked her head violently to the right. At the same time, he saw her pivoting her body, struggling and succeeding in wrenching herself out from where she’d lain beneath him, her body having been pinned between himself and the ground. She shook herself, trying to rid her fur of the reeking musk that had been Kodi’s. She then promptly trotted out of the clearing, pausing only once at the summit of the hill they’d rolled down only moments before. There, she looked back, and Kodi imagined seeing a mixed look that was part regret and part shame. Their eyes met for only a second and then she turned and was gone from view.

The feeling – or rather fear – that Kodi was imagining was one shared by most if not all who have ever experienced the insistent prod of Cupid’s arrow in the hollow of their breast. Not for the first time in his life, the fear of rejection, of being turned away, gripped Kodi’s tender young heart like a vise. The fear of feelings left unrequited and being shunned to forever dwell upon what could’ve been but was not destined to be. Simply put, Kodi’s newly acknowledged fear was that Dusty, having realized his romantic intentions, did not return his feelings and was therefore made uncomfortable due to what he was trying to press her with.

“Kodi?” she asked suddenly, causing him to blink in slight shock – for he had been in deep thought before roused by the melody of her voice. He risked looking into her face, and saw her eyes were alight and shining with some indescribable emotion, ears turned to face him and pointing to the sky, eyebrows slightly raised. Disillusion turned her look of concern into one that said, ‘What’s wrong with you? Don’t you get it yet? I. Don’t. Love. You. What are you still doing here?’

Misreading her facial expression and the love and hope burning behind her eyes for a look of embarrassed pity and discomfort, Kodi thought, ‘She’s right; what AM I still doing here, staring at her and drooling like an idiot? I’d don’t stand a snowball’s chance in Hell with Dusty.’ Accepting this false realization, Kodi’s face fell slightly, and his head lowered as if in placation. “Yeah…Dusty?” he replied in a low rasp, striving to make himself sound uncaring but only succeeded in making himself sound slightly exasperated at her query.

“How did it go?” She asked. Kodi couldn’t see her face because he was currently concentrating with all his might on the snow-covered ground before him, but she sounded slightly hurt…close to tears in fact. ‘She’s upset because she didn’t want me to take it this way,’ he thought and felt guilt settle into his bowels like a lead weight. ‘I’m causing her to feel this way. I’m responsible, me. She deserves better than this…She deserves better then me...’

Still in that low, now slightly depressed-sounding voice, Kodi replied, “We…we had a good run. Made it back in record time….” He drifted off, uncertain and then went on, “I’m…kinda tired and…I don’t want…to keep you out here longer then necessary; you’re…still hurt.” With that, he turned his back on her and walked off, oblivious to the shared look of concern that flashed between his parents as he passed them. Dusty’s face crumpled into a look of utter shock mingled with deep sorrow, a few tears trailing their way down her cheeks as she watched her beloved depart. But Kodi, with his head lowered, his own tears of anguish slipping from his eyes did not see…He merely plodded on aimlessly down Main Street…

He passed by his teammates, who noted his condition with shock. Ralph moved as if to try and console his young leader, but Kirby barred his way with a forepaw, raising it against the dark gray husky’s chest like a tollgate. When Ralph gave him a look that asked ‘What in the name of all that’s Holy is wrong with you? We’ve got to help him!’ Kirby merely replied with a slow shake of the head, his wise brown eyes stony; ‘No. It’s not our place. It’s something Kodi has to deal with on his own. It’d be wrong to interfere.’ For a minute, Ralph looked as if he was considering just saying to hell with what was and what wasn’t their place, but then realized the wisdom in Kirby’s simple statement, and he subsided.

So, left unhampered by family and friends, the russet husky continued on, deaf to the semi-indignant calls roused by those he bumped into on his blind path. He knew not where he was headed, nor did he care. He was oblivious to everything except the pain he felt inside himself, beating with a steady rhythmic pulse in his heart …

((()-()))

Kodi’s newfound emotions may’ve being roiling within him, vying at once for control and immediate attention due to his idiotic fear that one wrong move would leave him with his undying love forever unrequited, but the same could be said for Dusty, in a way.

((()-()))

As she continued down the street from Our Lady of Serenity, Dusty tried to contemplate what she would say to Kodi…and then quit; just thinking about it made her feel slightly nauseated. Her face clouded as she tried to work out possible scenarios based upon her words nonetheless. She saw herself met with acceptance, flushed embarrassment and shock (maybe – and somewhat hopefully – all three). As she neared the main road, her resolve faltered, and for a brief instant, she considered blowing the whole thing off, just leaving everything the way it was. After all, what she was about to confide in him had the slight – but nonetheless disastrous – off chance of destroying the bond of friendship she shared with Kodi. Above all else, her worst fear was that she would somehow severe their bond of friendship, all for the sake of love.

Just think…all connections between the two of them might be lost by the mere utterance of the four simple words ‘I love you, Kodi.’ Her heart shuddered at the thought and she once again considered the easy way of simply turning around now and slinking back to her Master’s cabin, thereby forfeiting all hope of Kodi’s love.

She shook her head violently, trying to clear her mind of these stupid and useless thoughts. She was only partially successful as a nugget of unease still clung to her heart like a booger you can’t flick off the end of your finger. Reminding herself that nothing worthwhile was obtainable without some element of risk, she straightened herself, wincing slightly at the pain now spreading through her leg. It was getting worse, and she knew it, but sometimes you just had to grin and bear it, as she knew from her experiences pulling the line with the others.

Pausing only long enough to take a few steadying deep breaths, she strode out into the street which was currently flooded by both human and canine alike; it was what passed for Rush Hour in Nome. Walking though the mass of bodies – most headed in the opposite direction – Dusty moved steadily towards where she knew Kodi to be, hailing those who shouted cheerful greetings and adding a thanks to any who also wished her a speedy recovery. She finally emerged to stand just a few feet from where Kodi and the rest were gasping and laboring for oxygen, chests and sides heaving like of bellows.

Trying to ignore the suddenly consuming pain that flared in her right hind leg, Dusty winced and tried to bear it as she forced herself to move forward, all the while desperately trying not to let on about the amount of pain this was causing her; by the time she reached Kodi her grime determination was the only thing keeping her from simply collapsing in a heap. ‘I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up,’ she thought, in a slightly shaky voice that didn’t sound like her own in the least. ‘My legs feel like rubber.’ Kodi hadn’t noticed her yet. Maybe she really should wait for him back at the house…. It would be better for her, she knew that; she’d already used the leg far more than was healthy in her condition and Kodi would be so pleased to see she’d been taking care of herself…. This idea was so powerfully persuasive that she nearly turned and limped away but then she suddenly though of how Kodi’s face became that of an angel’s when he smiled, and her strength was multiplied tenfold. The pain would be worth it, if only for just one of those heart-melting smiles of his…

She felt a smile of her own creep over her face as Kodi turned to her and she had to work mightily in order to control an emotion she couldn’t quite put a name to as Kodi turned to regard her, that angelic smile she remembered blazing out at her, despite his obvious exhaustion. She felt as though she could’ve suddenly confessed her love for him right there and then, regardless of the crowd of spectators that would’ve been present. But, luckily – or perhaps it is not so luckily; you will have to form your own opinions on that subject when all is said and done – she managed to suppress this compulsion and instead searched for something to say. Anything would do, even the most mundane, the most idiotic query would suffice.

But she couldn’t; her mind temporarily short-circuited as she grasped what her eyes were telling her.

She was not blind; never think it. She saw how the mere sight of her smiling face brightened Kodi’s countenance, and her heart immediately flared with hope. Dusty, it is fair to say, was elated and yet at the same time still plagued by self-doubt, even then. She told herself that she was fine; she was whole and pure, and not tainted and spoiled. She heard Kavik’s voice saying, ‘Go on Dusty; go get your man. Show him how you feel’. Yet…she hesitated. It wasn’t as though she doubted her uncle’s words – her trust in his judgment was absolute (he was, after all, family). The true cause of her uneasiness was caused by the reoccurring thought that, not matter how much she might try to console herself, Kodi would never find a dog so plain and unattractive as she to be even remotely interesting. But Kodi’s attitude seemed to suggest otherwise…didn’t it?

Still slightly unsure, she decided that enough was enough; if she was going to act, there had never been a better time. “Hi…Kodi.” She said, trying to sound smooth and melodious, but feared her voice came off as one of a person who was reduced to utter helpless when confronted by someone as cute as Kodi was. Horribly flustered, she felt her cheeks flare up and she found herself unable to meet his eyes.

“Hi…Dusty.” he replied, also sounding somewhat embarrassed. Dusty’s heart soared and she felt light-headed. God…if just the sound of his voice was enough to cause her to feel like this, then there was absolutely no point in denying her feelings for him (not that she had been, anyway). She realized she had been staring and quickly averted her eyes to the white powder beneath her paws, feeling her face light up like a bonfire all the same. What was wrong with her, why was she acting like such a love-struck pup? ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself,’ Triksey’s voice reprimanded her in the midst of her self-accusations. ‘You’re not very far removed from puphood yourself, you know; you’re only three…’ Okay, so she was…no, don’t start that up again. It’s not helping anyone. She risked a glance up at Kodi to check and see if he’d seen the way her face had rapid undergone it’s rapid change in color.

“Kodi?” she asked, and felt her heart stop as their eyes met…and then felt strangely wilted as Kodi looked away…almost guiltily, it seemed.

That was really all it took to start those troublesome wheels turning in her head; she saw Kodi, late at night, crack open an eye to see if anyone was watching. She watched as he crept around their sleeping forms to slip out the doggie door and once clear, run off down the road at a full-on sprint. She kept pace with him and soon they stopped at an alley. She watched as Kodi stuck his head in and called softly out to someone, and a figure began to materialize from the shadows thrown by the two buildings. Her jaw fell open as she saw a female Husky with radiant black and white fur come stepping gracefully out to meet him. They nuzzled and licked each other…and Dusty watched it all.

((()-()))

She suddenly knew that this vision of their midnight lovemaking was infallibly and inarguably true and her spirit simply crumbled and fell with the crash of a china cabinet that has been tossed from a sixth story window to shatter on the concrete below. Mustering what was left of her willpower, she tried to force her voice into sounding chipper and carefree as she asked; “How did it go?” meaning, of course, the mail run. She succeed only in part, for though her tone sounded convincing enough to her own ears, it could not stop the slight treble she detected in her voice, nor could it banish the tears that wanted to fill her eyes and go streaming down her cheeks.

She hoped and prayed with all her might for what her heart told her not to be true…but in the end, it seemed to be of no avail. Still in that low, now slightly depressed-sounding voice, Kodi replied, “We…we had a good run. Made it back in record time….” He drifted off, looking uncertain and then went on, “I’m…kinda tired and…I don’t want…to keep you out here longer then necessary; you’re…still hurt.” His tone had gone from depressed to guilt-ridden in the span of only a single sentence.

Then, the single most devastating that could’ve happened at that moment did; Kodi, with ears and tail still lowered, turned…and began to plod slowly away. ‘He…he…he turned his back on me…’ she thought and though she tried to fight her tears, she could no longer hold them back, and a few slipped down her cheeks as she watched her one chance at happiness – one chance for love – reject her, practically in front of the whole town.

And suddenly, just like that, she didn’t care anymore. Not just in regards to Kodi but everything, even herself. Nothing mattered. She didn’t even twitch as her Master, who having recognized his dog came forward to whisk her off back to the house. What was the point anyway? Weary, heartbroken and now in a lot of pain, Dusty allowed herself to be snagged tenderly by the collar and lead back to the house under her Master’s alert gaze. Her tears fell in rapid succession, staining her beautiful coat but she no longer minded. After all…what would be the point?

((()-()))

Balto watched with a sort of shocked fascination as Kodiak, his son, Lead Dog of the Mail Team walked past. His expression – which had, up until that fateful moment, been one of boundless joy on Kodi’s behalf – abruptly changed to one of perplexed concern. Something wasn’t right about this…and it was a big something. Instead of the proud and content young dog he had been expecting, he saw a young dog who looked as if he’d just been told he had what the vet called ‘cancer’ and had only three days to live. His once broad smile had been replaced by a grimace of pained anguish and his head and tail sagged limply, as if in defeat or placation. What struck his father most, however, were the tears he saw trailing down Kodi’s cheeks. Kodiak had almost never cried in his life; even when he was a pup and crying had so often been a response from his siblings in certain situations, he himself had only stood or sat with downcast eyes and ears whenever he had needed to be scolded or – worse – punished. Yet now…here he was, shedding tears as if he’d been doing it all his life.

Whatever – or whoever – had hurt Kodi enough to cause him to revert to such an extremely advanced state of misery must’ve been very near to his heart. In fact, it would almost certainly have to deal with someone he cared for deeply or even…

Balto’s eyes widened in shock as the realization hit him like pure dead weight in the pit of his stomach. Yesterday evening…at the Trawler…he had run into Dusty and she had had a good playful romp in the snow with the two ‘special’ polar bear brothers, Muk and Luk. They had been playing leapfrog and one of the two bears had forgotten himself and let something slip about what Kodi thought of a certain young female on his team…

‘Dusty…’ he thought with rising trepidation, his heart sinking even lower as he turned to scan the crowd for her. ‘I don’t get it,’ he thought, mind working, brows knitting together in confusion. ‘I thought Kodi loved her…well at least that’s what Kavik and Jenna said…’ he thought and then his mind suddenly went from a confused jumble to an utter blank as his found Dusty. He saw her being led away back to the house by her Master… And her face was almost a mirror of Kodi’s own. Their feelings could’ve – heck, probably were – identical for he saw that she too had her head and tail submissively lowered and, although he couldn’t get a good enough look at her face to be able to see if she was crying, he had no need to; he could smell her tears from here…which could only mean that she wallowing in the deepest depths of sorrow.

Utterly flabbergasted and temporarily out of sorts, he looked towards Jenna, intending to explain the situation and ask her opinion on what they should do – if anything at all – about what had transpired. But, as their eyes met, he saw that his words would be in vain; he could not tell her anything she herself did not already know from the looks she saw on both his face and Kodi’s.

“Oh Balto…” she sighed and he could tell she herself was close to tears, which was a rarity even for her these days, “what are we going to do?” her eyes shone with love and sympathy for her forlorn son as she watched him depart. “I don’t understand…why would Kodi…?” She trailed off, seemingly unable to find the words to finish.

The Hero of Nome offered his condolences with a comforting nuzzle. “I’m not exactly sure…” he replied, stealing his own glance at Kodi’s retreating figure. “But…I think it might be best…if I talk to him after he’s had some time alone to think.”

“But how will you know where to find him?” she asked.

“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea where he’s headed…” Balto said with a sympathetic of his own for the emotionally traumatized canine. “…He is my son after all…” he concluded. With a comforting lick and nuzzle from Jenna he set out with a heavy heart towards the Old Trawler…
__________________________________________________________

Author’s Note:

Ohhhhh! Bet none of you even dreamed you’d see something like THAT come up! I’m so twisted! Sorry if you’re miffed about the whole thing, but we all know it’ll work out in the end (and besides, the whole ‘Kodi comes back, busts Forest and Co. and Dusty melts into his arms just like that with nothing else happening’ just isn’t me). As I said before to Eagle205, I am and probably always will be a bit of a romantic…

I’m in the process of working on Chapter 8: The Lovers at this time – about ½ way done, maybe – and I’ve a bit of bad news; the story is beginning to draw near its end. There are probably only two or three more chapters after this one! I really hope you guys liked this! Don’t forget to REVIEW PLEASE!

LoL

BaltoLuver63

You are evil, and therefore must be destroyed. Have a nice day.
Seriously, this is not fair. You've left me on a bigger clifffhanger than before! What's the deal?
While I wait for yours, I'm writing my own ending to this in my head...never mind, it deleted itself. Pleae write more!! This story rocks!

Sorry about the whole cliffhanger thing...but it's sometimes the only way to keep you people loving this story (and to keep you from lynching me for taking so long, LoL). It shouldn't be long now. I've got about 1/2 of chapter 8...now I'm just waiting for a chance to talk to Eagle205 so I can get some advice from him. Just be patient a little longer my friends. I know that's asking a lot considering how long I've already forced some of you to wait but I swear it will be worth the wait!

LoL

BaltoLuver63

P.S. Thanks for the support from all who love this fic and voted 'good' for it! It means a lot to me!

I completely agree with Lone Wolf. All you writers with your suspense. Seriously though, great job. I just hope it has a happy ending.

Yesterday I read all 7 chapters in a row... I REALLY have to say: THIS is one of the BEST Fanfic I've EVER read!

Keep up the good work!

This chapter was very hard to write…probably the hardest yet and the rest should come to me quite easily I think (I’m a bit of an old hand when it comes to Romance fics…with a splash of action/comedy here and there to spice it up.) I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter a lot…sorry for the really long delay, but I’ve been very busy with Track practices (they take quite a bit out of me) and it’s become a bit hard to find time to get this all written down what with School, Track practices and Church Youth Group meetings to attend to. Oh, and I’m also in the midst of producing an independent film with a few of my good friends. I’ve been drafted to write the screenplay, select the musical score, draw up the storyboards, direct, co-edit AND act (and the screenplay isn’t even complete yet…but that’s my problem, not yours so just forget everything I said, okay?) Sorry…my ramblings have gotten away with me again! Just read on I say! Oh...and review as well! Please!?

Chapter 8
The Remedy

Dusty’s head hung low as she allowed herself to be led away at a timely pace by her Master toward the small shed where the team spent their nights sleeping under its solid roof. She knew but didn’t care where he was taking her; he could’ve been taking her to be euphemized and she’d have gone quietly. She was beyond caring at this point. How could she? Her mind was still reeling, still attempting to make sense of what had just happened. Kodi had…had…had rejected her… Was it possible? Could all this just be a bad dream that she would wake up from at any moment, only to discover that Kodi had not yet returned…? The actual likelihood of this foolish idea was made very plausible by her still grief-racked mind…and for a while, after her Master had made her comfortable in her little basket with her soft blanket draped over her trembling form, she considered that this might be just the explanation…

She tried to sleep, knowing that all of this would evaporate in the fantasy world occupying her dreams…but such a peace would not be so easily attained. Still she tried, rolling over and over in her small basket, squeezing her eyes shut against this cruel world that had seen fit to curse her with so much pain and misfortune… few minutes later, she discovered that this action had the opposite effect of the one she’d intended to achieve; instead of peacefully escaping her present condition of sorrow, she was forced to relive the look in Kodi’s eyes every time she tried to close hers and drift into a silent slumber…

Finally, it became too much for her heart to bear and she simply lay there and started sobbing, trying to rid herself of the pain she felt in both body and heart. Her tears flowed like two identical rivers down the angelic slope of her cheeks to stain the wooden floorboards beneath her. ‘Am…Am I not good enough for him? Is that it…?’ she asked herself, looking through red-rimmed eyes out at the noonday sun, which was just now beginning its descent into the western edge of the horizon. She racked her brains feverishly…No, she decided, that couldn’t be it…at least not on the whole….

Was it because Kodi was concerned that if they admitted their feelings and then let their emotions get the better of them and they started a family before proper plans were made, it would interfere with their jobs on the Mail Team? Her head sunk to the floor as she considered this newest possibility…Was his job really so important to him that he would sacrifice the one who loved him for just one more day to ‘pull the line’? Storm clouds gathered on her brow. If such was the case…then she had made a serious mistake in judging his character! Was he…? Could he be so cruel as to do such a thing…?

‘Stop it, Dusty,’ she suddenly chided herself, ‘you’ve no right to judge…as you yourself decided that you’d prefer to wait until you were through ‘pulling your line’ before you started looking for someone to settle down with…’ And Kodi…she suddenly felt a flare of resentment spark in her heart. Who was he to make such a decision!? Who was he to decide when their hearts should be open to one another!?

The flash of anger that rippled through her wall of grief cleared her frazzled mind somewhat…enough for her to force her unwilling body to assume a sitting position so as to enable her to see out of one of the small windows facing the avenue of the main street, to check to see if Kodi and the others were coming…they were apparently still either celebrating or had not yet caught enough of their wind yet to start off for either the house or the boiler room, for she saw no one on the team coming in either direction. She sighed, hanging her head again, retreating into herself. What was she supposed to do? She felt like she was dying inside and she knew she was in the grips of a serious depression…

What should I do? She questioned herself once more. And, to her immense surprise, an answer actually came to her; talk to someone. But who was left to turn to? Any dog she trusted enough to discuss something of this magnitude was still celebrating with the team…except perhaps her mother. She hadn’t been conscious of much when she was led back to the house…but now she remembered that her brother Nova had left only a few minutes before the ‘falling out’ between her and Kodi…so maybe they were home by now.

She felt a tiny, sad smile rise to her lips. It was worth a shot…besides; she needed to get this off her chest. And who better to talk it out with than her mother? Who better to understand where she was coming from? Well, with the exception of Uncle Kavik, but he was probably still napping in front of the General’s Store and that was too far a trip for her to make at this point, all else aside. So her Mother Tricksey would do just as well – if not better than – anyone else…

With her course of action decided, she forced her tired limbs to support her slender weight once more – hopefully for one of the last times that evening – and began her slow journey to call upon her mother for guidance…

((()-()))

Kodi trudged on down the street, never mind where his paws were taking him, as long as he was going somewhere…away from everyone else. His tears continued to course slowly down his russet cheeks. Why? Why, in the Name of God did the world have to be such a heartless place?

He had at first tried to forget Dusty immediately, to put her out of his mind; to dwell upon what had passed would only prolong his suffering, this he knew to be true. But…he couldn’t. He tried to tell himself that it wasn’t true, the he was better off, that it would’ve complicated his life far too much…but he knew all that to be bull$#!+ even as he began to ascend a sizable snow-covered hill on the very edge of Nome.

He couldn’t deny it. He still had feelings for her…Dusty. He still loved her, even if she didn’t return his love….

His footing suddenly slipped and he had time for a single yipping curse before he tumbled, end-over-end down the snowy mound, sending the white powder flying in all directions as he did. He whined in frustration as he finally stopped. The world was a spinning mass of gold, orange and pale blues…he shook his head, trying to clear it, but this only made things worse and he was forced to simply lie there whilst he waited for his vision to focus again. When it at last did and he managed to roll over and pull himself into a sitting position, he saw that he was only a hundred yards or so from the Old Trawler, a decrepit naval vessel that had long ago grounded itself on the beach. He simply sat for a moment, contemplating the thing. This had been his Father’s home for six years…this ragged, weather-beaten hunk of rotting lumber had served as housing for him up until he had met Kodi’s mother. The whole story of his saving the town and becoming a legend had followed of course, and his dad had gotten his girl in the end too. The two had fallen in love and upon discovering that Jenna was pregnant with Kodi and his siblings, Rosy’s family had adopted Balto.

Kodi scowled at the old place as he began to move towards it, meaning to take refuge from the world within its craggy interior – it had served his father well enough in such times as these, had it not? True, he had spent his fair share of nights sleeping on the derelict with his brothers and sisters during the summers when they were but yearlings and he had a bit of a soft spot for it….

However, all that had been wiped from his mind when he and his siblings had been but four months old. Following Star’s – an old friend of his father – narrow brush with death following an encounter a mysterious wolf pack, there had been a meeting called by his Uncle Kavik and Balto. He, Kodi – along with his five other siblings and all six of Kaltag and Tricksey’s own pups – had been left aboard the boat during the meeting in the care of Uncle Boris and Miss Sylvie.

Then, in the blink of an eye, members of the pack that had terrorized Star had captured their group. They’d fought as much as they could – which wasn’t much at all; they’d been far too young – but had eventually been overpowered by the larger group who had then herded them into the bowels of the Trawler whereupon they were locked up. They had been rescued by the concerned canines of Nome…well almost all of them, he corrected himself as he paused on deck to survey the view of Nome from his new vantage point. He and Dusty had been forced to remain the captives of an evil and nefarious wolf named Juji, who had hoped to use them as a means by which to lure his hated enemy Kavik into his seeking paws. He had been thwarted of course, but not before his angelic Uncle had paid with a grievous wound which proved nearly fatal, courtesy of the iniquitous lupine….

Kodi smirked a bit in spite of his heartache as he padded into the splintered wreck of the ship’s cabin and lay down in one far corner. Now this old wreck served only as a reminder of those dark days…and of the friends lost during Juji and Kavik’s long and agonizingly brutal game of cat-and-mouse. His thoughts snapped back to Dusty again as he remembered those first terrifying moments with Juji’s pack…he still couldn’t believe any animal could do that to one of their own…such unbridled animosity… He unknowingly shivered as he recounted the fate that had befallen one of the wolves assigned to guard himself and the rest onboard the boat….

Dusty…she had been there too, hadn’t she? Yes…she had. The two of them had watched with horror and had then buried their faces in each other’s downy fur, trembling with fear and shock at the briefly witnessed execution. He could still remember how she had clung to him…and how he had clung to her for that matter. His eyes slipped closed as he tried to recall her scent back then…had she still smelled of vanilla and wild roses? He shook his head. …Nay, her scent had not yet ripened to such a heavenly aroma; back then she had still emitted the fragrant reek of wild flowers and…and something else…something sweet…sweet and somehow exotic…

“…Honey…” he breathed as he lay with his eyes closed. Yes, that unusually pleasing scent had still been hers…mayhap was hers still, though now less potent. He suddenly found himself remembering how she had looked at him back in Nome, the way her eyes had flashed…and how she had cried, how he had made her cry…

“Oh…Dusty….” He sobbed, his voice hitching and cracking as he began to cry once more. His eyes felt hot and prickly, the tears like liquid sulfur in his eyes before they streamed down his furry face. He curled himself into a small, shaking ball of fur, covering his face with his long bushy tail as his grief and depression took hold of him. Finally, when merely crying ceased to satisfying the pain within his heart, he lifted his head and voiced a long, truculent howl of despair which rang and carried on the wind towards Nome and the surrounding forest…

“Dusty…Oh God…Dusty…I…I love you…”

((()-()))

Balto had felt his heart twist and his soul cry out at the sound of Kodi’s lamentations…Such sorrow…God, but in that single rolling howl of grief, Balto had heard and sensed more despair and unhappiness than he himself had ever felt. The only thing he could’ve compared the feelings he’d interpreted from that agonized wail of self-pity was how he himself had felt when his mother had died when he was just a pup…But Kodi had sounded (if it was even possible) worse than that…

He began to question his decision to come as quickly as he had; mayhap Kodi hadn’t yet enough time alone to himself…only a few hours had passed since he’d gone lopping away from his team after the mysterious incident involving him and Dusty… As for himself, Balto would’ve preferred to have let Kodi alone for a longer period of time (maybe as long as two full days) before confronting him…but Jenna, having heard the sound made by her beloved son, had implored Balto to seek out the young canine and give him what counsel he could and, upon having heard a second howl of the same variety as before not ten minutes ago, Balto had agreed and followed Kodi’s trail with both ears and nose to where he now stood before the gangplank leading to the poop deck.

Even from here, he could smell his son’s tears and their salty scent stiffened his resolve somewhat. He was now glad that Jenna had insisted so earnestly; if ever there was a time when Kodiak needed him, now was it. He padded slowly up to the poop deck, following the paw tracks strewn over the snowy boards to where he found his son, curled in a ball in one corner of the old ship’s cabin. He wasn’t sobbing anymore…but the scent of his sorrow as still fresh and strong.

“…Kodiak?” he asked gently, slowly sticking his head into the cabin. “Son…? Are you-”

“Please…Just…leave me alone…” came the expected reply from the distraught young canine.

“Kodi…listen, I know how much pain you must be in right now…believe me, I understand-” He faltered as his son suddenly cut him off.

“Dad…Please!” Kodi cried, exasperated and grief-stricken voice cracking violently as he spoke, “can’t you just…just leave me alone…”

“I just want to talk…”

“Well, maybe I don’t!” his son suddenly ejaculated, turning to glare at his father with red-rimmed eyes through which tears were still seeping.

Balto sighed. “Fine then…have it your way…sit here in this dark, cold little room, feeling sorry for yourself…but just know, if this is the kind of dog you really are, then I just can’t understand what Dusty sees in you for the life of me….” The heroic hero of old shook his shaggy head sagely, eyes downcast. “Are you just going to give up on her that easily?”

“What the hell’s the point?” he retorted, glancing embarrassedly to the side for an instant. “I…I love her. I love her with all my heart, I’d die for her, but none of that matters because she…she doesn’t love me.”

“This doesn’t sound like my Kodiak at all…” Balto said, and despite his son’s request, he padded into the cabin and laid his great shaggy bulk upon the floor a few feet from Kodi. “That…sounds like a quitter to me….”

Kodiak’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in anger just as quickly. He, Kodiak, son of Balto and Jenna, a quitter!? The nerve…! He would be ***** before anyone – even his own father for that matter – ever got away with accusing him of ever giving up on anything! “What’s that supposed to mean!?” he growled defensively. “I’m no quitter!”

“Sure doesn’t look that way to me.” His father replied in that maddeningly calm and sensible tone that had always drove Kodi crazy when he was younger and had lost none of its effectiveness. “Quite the opposite, in fact.” he said, getting up and moving a bit closer to his son, “I must say…I didn’t expect something like this from you Kodi.”

“I’m not giving up! I’m just…” Kodi started, then trailed off, realizing the truth in his father’s words. “I just…I just don’t know what to do!” He cried out, whining in frustration, his eyes screwed tightly shut in silent agony.

Balto allowed himself a small smile. Kodi might know a lot about running and pulling a sled but he had quite a bit to learn in the ways of Romance. “Kodi…” and when the hybrid received no answer, he repeated himself, his voice gaining a slightly steely edge to it now. “Kodiak!”

Kodi’s head flew up and he jumped, literally jumped, his body hovering an inch or so above the deck upon which he lay. He looked at his father with alert, yet somewhat fearful eyes. Long experience had taught him when his father took that tone, you shut up and listened, and you did it in a hurry. “Yeah dad…?” he asked, his grief seemingly forgotten for the time being in light of the elder’s abrupt change in attitude.

“What’s you job?”

“Huh?” This question was so backwards from any he had been expecting that for a moment, Kodi found himself unable to do anything but sit an gawp at his father’s expectant face. “My…my job?” he asked feeling his cheeks flare up as he realized that he was actually being forced to search his memory banks for the answer to a question the response to which said answer should’ve been inbred by now. “My job is to deliver the mail to Nome…” he replied. He had absolutely no idea where his father was going with this but decided to hold his peace for the time being.

Balto nodded, seemingly very pleased by this. “That’s right. Your job is to deliver the mail to Nome…. Now, what do you have to do in order to complete that task?”

Kodi squirmed uncomfortably. “Uh…Run? Pull a sled?” he answered, his voice rising a bit at the end, turning the statement into something that was almost – but not quite – a question. His brain felt murky, his mind clouded, like he had given a wrong answer to a disapproving teacher.

His smile broadening the slightest bit, Balto raised a forepaw and twiddled it from side to side in the universal gesture for ‘sort of’. “Close, but no cigar. What must you, as the Lead Dog of your team, do in order to see to it that you and your teammates do everything within their power so that your job is done properly? Think carefully…”

Kodi shook his head. He was now more confused than ever, and if this didn’t start making sense soon, then he would be hard-pressed to simply make a bolt for the door to find a more private place. “Dad…I’m sorry…I don’t – ”

“You were almost right on you first guess. You’re right, you must run…but” Balto added, again holding up one paw like a witness taking the oath, “you must also race, race against both time and yourself. That is what it takes to see that you do your job.”

Kodi couldn’t take it anymore. He groaned in exasperation and got to his feet and began pacing around the cabin like a caged beast. He shook his head, looking to his father with utmost befuddlement. “I don’t get what this has to do with me giving up on Dusty? What’s – ” he began, but was gently interrupted by the older and more experienced canine.

“Think about it. When you started off, were you the best from the start? Did they make you Lead Dog on your first day on the job?”

“No, but – ” Again, Kodi found himself cut off, albeit gently.

“Exactly. You had to work at it, let your muscles get stronger, let your body get used to some much movement for such a long time, didn’t you?”

“Yes, of course I did, but I still – ” For the third time, his father’s cool, levelheaded tone cut the rest of his sentence off.

“And on one of your first runs, you were late on a few of your deliveries weren’t you?”

Kodi let out a moan of annoyance. “Yes but – ”

“Did you give up?” his father asked, and Kodi – who had been on the verge of simply walking out the door – froze and simply gazed at his father.

“What? No, of course we didn’t!” he retorted, in a somewhat indignant snort. “What sort of sled dogs would we be if you just decided to quit after missing one time?” He felt a small, thin smile slide onto his tortured face.

“My point exactly.” Came his father’s brisk reply, and when the flummoxed dog in front of him did nothing but continue to stare, eyes narrowed in confusion, the wolf/dog went on. “Kodiak, there’s something you have to understand; love is a lot like what you and your teammates do; you race yourselves. When you fall down, do you just give up? Do you say ‘Oh, well, I tried my best but I guess I’m just not cut out for this,’ and go home?” Balto paused for a moment, giving his words time to sink in, to get through to his love-stricken son. “No, you most certainly do not. If you fall, you get up and you start over. If you fall again, you get up again. If you still fall, you get up on your paws and you do it as many times as you have to so that you get it right.”

Balto rose to all fours and strode over to where his son now sat, starring at him, understanding just beginning to dawn in his chocolate orbs. “You try and you try and then you try some more, if that’s what it takes, son.” He allowed himself a brief grin. “Me, I was lucky; my first and only love was your mother, so I guess you could say that I really don’t know what it’s like to be rejected, to be told to get lost by a woman you love – ”

“Dusty never told me to get lost…” Kodi interjected softly. He was suddenly looking very ashamed. How could he have been so stupid?

“What?” Balto inquired, inclining his ears towards Kodi “What do you mean she never turned you away?” His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Isn’t that why the two of you looked so…well, so depressed when you left each other?” Now it was Kodi’s turn to have the advantage over his father.

“Well…not exactly.” Kodi replied, almost in a mutter, his cheeks burning high. “She…she never really said anything to me except to ask me how our run went…” He couldn’t even bring himself to look at his father’s dumbstruck face.

“You mean to tell me,” Balto said, speaking very slow so as to be sure that his words were quite clear, “that you turned your back on her and she didn’t even tell you she wasn’t interested? Kodi…” he trailed off, at a temporary loss for words. “I can’t believe you’d be so foolish…”

“Well, she was…she was giving me this look.” Kodi replied, intensely aware of how lame this sounded, attempting to defend his integrity without being consciously aware of his actions.

“Did you…did you make any sort of move towards her? Something she’d take – ”

“No, no...I know I didn't do anything like that.”

“So she doesn’t even know how you feel about her?” Balto asked. He half-sighed, half-groaned in disbelief as his son gave a short shake of his russet head. “Kodi, how can you even know she has no feelings for you if you haven’t even told her how you feel about her?”

“I…I guess I don’t.” Kodi said, as he himself reached this same conclusion within the confines of his own head. A change had been rippling through Kodi during this last part of their conversation. The burning sensation in his cheeks began to retreat, his eyes widening as they shone with newfound hope and joy. By now, his entire demeanor had undergone this slow but astonishing transformation and he now jumped up, tail wagging from side-to-side, his muscles jumping and twitching in anticipation, ready to be off in search of his love. “But, there’s only one way to find out….” He said, risking a quick look back towards Nome. His composure suddenly slipped, and his face fell slightly.

“But…but what if she still doesn’t feel the same about me?” he asked, looking to his father again.

Balto offered him a wide, comforting smile once more. “If you fall, you just have to learn to get back on your paws and start over…but I don’t think there’s much chance of you having to worry about that, son.” He finished, giving the newly reassured Husky a loving nuzzle. As he pulled away, he looked deep into Kodi’s eyes, trying to tell him everything was going to be okay, even if what Kodi had for a time feared became true. “Now, go get you girl, Kodi.…”

Kodi returned Balto’s nuzzle with one of his own, along with a quick lick. “I will Dad, you can count on it…” And he turned and started off towards Nome…and his future love, not bothering with the gangplank but simply leaping over the side of the Trawler to land in the powdery snow below before he sent it flying in all directions as he began to run with all speed towards Nome, following that heavenly scent of vanilla and wild Roses…

((()-()))

Dusty plodded ever onward, continuing despite the now steadily increasing blaze of pain in her leg. She didn’t have much further to go, in any case. The home of her parents’ Master loomed ahead, a large two story home composed of wood and brick, with a spacious front porch and large, inviting windows scattered throughout. As she began making her way to the backdoor, her leg gave a particularly nasty twinge that forced her to stop and lie in the snow, shivering in a mixture of both pleasure and discomfort as the snow cooled the white-hot appendage and began stealing much-needed heat from the rest of her. With an effort, she managed to gain her feet once more and began to trudge towards the backdoor again. She was unable to suppress a yelp of alarm as she nearly slipped and feel on a patch of ice that had collected adjacent to the welcome mat and was saved from a nasty tumble only by seizing the wooden doorframe with her teeth. When she was sure enough of her footing once more, she released her hold on the wood and half-stumbled through the doggie door and into the snug little room where her mother and father were kept.

She let out a sigh of relief as she allowed herself to sink to her belly before the woodstove, relishing the blaze of heat as it spread over her fur and into her body, warming her wonderfully. She had actually begun to doze – it really was that comfortable – and would’ve no doubt fallen asleep had not Tricksey come back from her little scavenger hunt in the adjoining kitchen to see her daughter lying in her midst.

Needless to say, Tricksey was – as can only be expected – extremely surprised. She’d been home for perhaps an hour or more and had seen her daughter’s dreadful encounter with Kodi, having been spirited away by her master only minutes after the heartbroken youngsters had misled one another so badly. She gasped in shock, causing Dusty’s head to jerk violently around, her own astonishment as great as her mother’s. The two of them stood or lay in utter silence for perhaps ten seconds before Dusty gave a small smile and said, “Hi mom…”

“Dusty…” Tricksey breathed, coming forward to inspect her daughter, “You…what on earth are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be back with the others or at home? You’re not nearly well enough to go – ” The silver female found herself suddenly cut off by her daughter’s somewhat earnest voice.

“I know…but I just…really needed to talk to you, that’s all.” Dusty said, looking up at her mother, eyes seeming to plead. “Please…?”

Her mother gave her a warm smile and a comforting lick to the muzzle and lay down before her, her emerald eyes soft and full of love. “I’d listen to you anytime,” she said, and Dusty blushed slightly. “Now, what exactly is it that you want to talk about, dear?”

Dusty opened her mouth…and found, for a wonder, that no words would come forth. All she could do was lie there, open-mouthed in front of her mother as images of Kodi, of her dreams of being with him, visions of their chaotic conversation flashed through her mind in a blur and suddenly her mouth snapped shut and her tears began to flow again. Frightened, Tricksey moved closer allowing her distraught daughter to burry her hot, wet face in the soft, comforting fur of her neck, murmuring gentle consolations in her ears and trying as best she could to help.

After a time, when she felt as if she could cry no more – though even now that was uncertain; she had felt the same way back at the house, and look what had happened here for crying out loud – she raised her head, her cheeks now beginning to burn high with embarrassment. This wasn’t the way she’d wanted to start this conversation at all…but better to get all the ‘boo-hooing’ out of the way right up front she supposed now. “Sorry Mom, I…” she trailed off, not knowing how best to summarize her troubles.

“No need to apologize, Dusty,” her mother replied, giving her another of her warm smiles that had so captured her father’s heart back when she and Kaltag had first met all those years ago. “If you want me to leave – ”

“No,” Dusty interrupted quickly…a little too quickly in her opinion. But what was done was done and anyhow, it wasn’t like it was a big deal or anything. “I’ve got to talk to you…but I just don’t know…” she suddenly growled in frustration, shook her head, struggled internally with herself and then burst out; “I love Kodi.”

She watched her mother’s face closely for the amazement she knew would be there and saw it…though not nearly as much as she might’ve expected. Her mother’s smile was still warm – warmer than ever it seemed to her – but now held a somewhat confused quality to it as well. “I see…I though that might be it….” And although she’d been aware of her mother’s knowledge of her love for Balto and Jenna’s son, Dusty was somewhat confused herself.

“You – oh, well, I…Mom, I…I just don’t know what to do!” she suddenly burst out. Had she but known that Kodi was having just as bad a time of this as she herself was, she may’ve taken some amount of comfort from this. “I mean…I don’t understand…Why doesn’t he love me?”
“Who says he doesn’t?” Her mother asked, looking down at her daughter, eyebrows raised slightly.

“He…” Dusty began and then stopped. Her mother had just brought to light a vital point that Dusty, in her agony of grief, had foolishly overlooked. Now that her mind was cleared…she realized that neither of them had actually come out and denounced the other! Kavik’s words hit her like a blow to the head; ‘I’ve seen the way he looks at you out of the corner of his eye when he thinks nobody’s looking…. And he always gets a far-off sort of look in his eyes when he tells me about how much he admires your spirit…. He even let it slip once he thinks you’re more beautiful than the sunrise on the first day of spring and that you smell like Wild Flowers mixed with milk and honey.’

And, hard on the heels of this, came Muk and Luk’s carefully – or maybe not so carefully – confided and guarded message; ‘He says you’re strong…and that you have the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen…and you’re more gorgeous than the Northern Lights…’ God, if THAT wasn’t a dead giveaway then she didn’t know what was! She looked towards her mother once more, saw that she was now grinning and knew in an instant that she had known just how to nudge her daughter just right so she would come to the conclusion that she herself had been aware of some time ago…

“Something wrong?” the crafty silver canine asked, eyes sparkling with the delight of seeing Dusty finally come to terms with what was broiling within her. She gave the gray husky another of her wonderfully bright smiles and was helpless not to let out a little giggle as Dusty licked her cheek in return, her own smile seeming to have finally found its way out to plaster itself to her face.

“No…not anymore….” Tears of gratitude first gathered and two or three spilled from her eyes as Dusty said. “Thanks Mom for…for everything….”

Tricksey just laughed and brushed her long bushy tail playfully over her face, doing away with Dusty’s tears. “Hey, what else are mothers for if they can’t be relied upon to console their romantically distraught daughters once in a while?” she asked. Dusty beamed up at her.

After a few seconds’ awkward silence, Dusty – incredibly, almost miraculously – found the strength to force her battered body first into a sitting position and finally to all fours. She felt a little lightheaded at first, but her dizziness lasted only perhaps five seconds and then she was nuzzling her mother once more, wanting to say thank you over and over again but knowing that words weren’t needed; her gesture alone conveyed her feelings far better than any mere phrase ever could have. She turned to leave…but found the way blocked by her quick-thinking mother, who had foreseen her plan of action and moved to prevent it, coming between her determined offspring and the doggie door leading outside.

“Mom…” she tried, but Tricksey interrupted.

“Dusty…you can’t be serious. I can’t just…” she trailed off, seemingly torn between the decision to allow her Dusty to follow her heart’s desire and search out her lover and her concern for her still-healing body. If she were to push herself too hard in the state she was in… Tricksey’s brow furrowed and she let out a low whine. Dusty came forward and nuzzled her once more.

Pulling back, she locked eyes with her. She had inherited their color from her father, and now they shone with a need so powerful and so pure that in them Tricksey saw expressed all the words Dusty would now never have to say; her face said it all. I have to go to him, it said, that look of utter exaltation that conveyed the message using not words, but the canvas of her offspring’s already lovely face.

I’ve got to go and find him…set this all to rights…. More, I need him…and he needs me, and no way in hell is a little thing like some sore muscles gonna keep us apart…Please, mom…let me go…Let me find my love and let him find me…. Give me my chance for true happiness.

Seeing and reading all this in the quality of her gaze, Tricksey sighed, and smiled once more. “Dusty,” she said. “I can’t just…let you go out looking for him with out saying goodbye.” She watched as Dusty’s face flooded with relief and the two exchanged one last nuzzle before Tricksey helped her out the door. Watching her go, the 1/8 wolf crossbreed thought, ‘Kodi…you really don’t know how lucky you are…. All your friends will eventually grow up a bit more and have mates or their own…but you’ll be the only one among them who will be able to say you achieved far more than they did as far as mates go…’ She smiled to herself.

‘They’ll all have beautiful, loving females at their sides…but you’ll be the only one among them who can claim to have taken an Angel as your bride…’

((()-()))

Author’s Note

Hmm…Well, not too much to say for this chapter… Except that it seems to not be one of my best in my opinion. Well, that’s just me, and your opinions are the ones that REALLY count, so…tell me what you think! We’ve not far to go people – only one or two more chapters left! Sad, I know, but as they say; ‘All Good Things must (eventually and after more than a little regrettablly lengthy procrastination) come to an (equally regrettable) End.’ But not quite yet…

Oh, yeah. One more thing: I've noticed that a lot of people have been saying something about how odd it is that I made Tricksey Dusty's mom, seeing as Tricksey's part wolf and Dusty doesn't look much like a wolf at all. Trust me people, there's a good reason for this; with her genetic makeup as it is in the fic, she would only be 1/16 wolf, hardly enough to show many dominant physical lupine characteristics. Just wanted to clarrify all this! Thankies!

LoL

BaltoLuver63

Again an awesome chapter . Keep up the good work .