Ah, at last! Here comes Part FOUR! I'll save the alternate ending (which follows the events of this part) for last! heheheh, more suspense for you all! (Oh yeah, I'm past 17,000 words now altogether! Holy cow, it's a novel!)
Things will be revealed, justice will rule, but will love live on? Read and find out!
Warning: Language mainly . . . there is a bit of naughty thoughts, so be careful! Rated PG-13 for this part.
Check out the Uncensored version of this part
HERE!
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Part FOUR
That night . . . the point was clear: The mistake we made would change everything . . .
The evening of the meeting had come upon the canines of Nome. While the humans sat for their evening time with their families, every dog in Nome went into the boiler room for the trial of the century.
The large room was filled almost to the brink with furry canines, all were constantly murmuring about the current situation. Dusty sat in the center of the boiler room, in the lantern light of the room. Kodi and Ralph sat in the front row, but separated by several dogs to keep them away from each other. Suddenly, the brown husky walked into the room as everyone stood, giving him respect as the highest law dog of the town.
“All right, you all may be seated.” He said as everyone sat back down, quieting down to begin the trial. “We are here tonight to discuss the recent situation that has occurred just this morning. It seems that this private matter has been released into the open.” Kirby walked to the highest box, and sat down. "We have all heard the delightful news of one of our own expecting her first litter. However, she was caught mating with someone other than her betrothed, making this a difficult situation for all of us."
He called his beloved friend, Ralph to the center of the room. He gave a piercing glare to the pregnant dog, who immediately lowered her head, ashamed of herself. The large husky then sat down and began to speak.
"Well, in my family, we believe in arranged marriages, which is quite rare for dogs. When I became old enough for my family to choose a soul mate for me, my parents chose Dusty. I'm not sure why, but I knew that she would one day be a great mate. The same season I knew of my betrothed was the same one that I joined the mail team and realized that she was on the team too. She was my trainer, and she taught me everything I needed to know about dog sledding. But . . . we only knew so little about love. I told her about my parents' arrangement for the two of us, and at first she was shocked, but she agreed to the engagement. We had hoped that in a year's time, we would start a family of our own. However, that was never meant to be," he stared and growled at Kodi, who lowered his ears, frightened for his life.
"I will admit it: I told her that I wanted to wait before having our first litter together. She, however, thought otherwise, yet she still accepted the idea of my parents' arrangement. I'm not sure why, so why not ask her for that answer, Kirby?" Ralph pointed his paw at the little husky that was still staring at the ground underneath her paws.
“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. You may go back to your place, Ralph.” Ralph sat down as Kirby shouted an order. “Dusty! Come here . . . . now.”
She shuddered as her name was called, knowing she had to tell the truth, no matter whose feelings would get hurt. It was time for her to testify. She stood up and walked to the center of the room; she heard the whispers of her fellow canines, mainly them calling her names such as “*****”, “****” and “adulterer.”
I deserve this torture. . . the gray husky told herself.
I have committed a sin, breaking a contract of arranged marriage . . . . but at least I found true love and helped create something that I will protect forever.
“Please tell us why you broke your arrangement, Dusty,” Kirby asked her calmly. “And be sure you tell us the truth, and nothing but!”
“I will, don’t worry.” Dusty gave him a small smile and then quickly returned to her straight frown. “Well, I have no idea what to say, really. Ever since I was young, I had heard about true love from my mother. She would always tell me that one day I would find someone who would love me because for who I was. Of course, everyone thought I was a purebred husky; the truth is . . . .” she began to hesitate, tears formed in her eyes.
“Dusty!” The judge dog stomped his paw down loudly. “Please continue!”
“Oh, I’m sorry . . . I just feel so scared about saying this . . .” Dusty gulped, her throat was dry. “Is it possible to get some water first?”
“Fine. If it will help you testify, here you go.” Kirby motioned for another dog to bring a water bowl for the pregnant husky to drink from. They placed it in front of her, and she took a few laps of the cool liquid before continuing, still with tears in her eyes.
“Thank you very much. Now, the truth. The truth is . . . . that I’m not really a purebred. I haven’t a clue what I am, really. Hell, I could even be part-wolf, just like our town hero.” The crowd began to stir by Dusty’s latest situation. She could feel the pulsating vibrations of her quickening heartbeat inside her ears while Kirby calmed the audience down. “Not even my foster mother knows what I am – she only told me that some she-wolf had left me with her, without any explanation for leaving me behind. So ever since I found out about the truth of my past, I continued to live as a normal husky, thinking that I had fooled everyone in town, and it worked. No one ever could have thought that I would have been born as a wolf.”
“So what if you hid the fact that you possibly have wolf blood in you?” A husky in the crowd stood up. “That doesn’t answer the question!”
“Ah, that is true,” Another husky spoke. “Why did you cheat on him?”
“I . . . I don’t know,” Dusty hesitated. “I mean, I guess it was just the moment . . . I was in heat at the time, and I needed to . . . umm, be pleasured. You know, those wild instincts within me had awakened,” She tried to hide her now-pink face with her forelegs in embarrassment. “I was in love with them both in the end, but Kodi was there at the time. He won my heart, and my love.”
“I see,” the brown dog spoke. “Now, is there anything else you would like to confess to us, since it seems that you are a bitch of many secrets?”
“No,” Dusty spoke quietly, her head now lowered. “I have nothing more to say.”
“All right then,” he turned away from the silver husky to the red husky-mix. “Kodiak, come forward.”
“Yes sir,” he said, even though he didn’t have anything to add on the subject except what he had already said earlier that morning.
“Now, Kodi, I’m sure this is hard on you as well, correct?”
“Yes, it has been a struggle,” he said. “I have never felt so many emotions before: love and happiness over the announcement of being a father of my first litter, anger and embarrassment over the revelations of adultery and arranged marriages, and just utter confusion with this situation. This should be a happy time for me, but due to all of the drama going on around here, it’s just become a nightmare.” Kodi then dropped his head as he cried silent tears. “Please, all I ask is that Dusty be forgiven of everything that she’s done wrong. What’s done is done, and I just want to spend the rest of my life with her, even if I’m just the other male in the relationship.”
“Are you out of your mind?” A dog in the crowd commented.
“Yeah! That’s not possible for what she’s done!” Another husky spoke up. “She’s committed a sin, a sin whose damage has already been done! There’s no way she could be forgiven!”
Other dogs chimed in their approval of the comments, while Kirby stomped his paw down to try to quiet the crowd. “Order! Order, I say!” The crowd began to fall silent as Kirby then told the burgundy male to go back into the crowd. It was time for his judgment.
“As the head dog of the law of Nome, my words shall become eternal judgment, unable to be changed after they have been spoken. Here is my verdict:” Kirby stood at the highest box in the room and looked out among the crowd. “Adultery is quite frowned upon here, but it is not as soon as anyone leaves the town limits. In that matter, I decree that Dusty will be exiled from town, never to return here again.”
“NO!” Kodi yelled out, about to lash out at Kirby. A couple of bigger dogs grabbed him, one by the collar and the other by the tail, and prevented him from moving closer. “That’s not fair! You can’t do this to her! She’s –“
“I know she’s with child, but my verdict is final.” The brown husky turned to the angry red pup and then lowered his ears. “I am sorry, but this is the law.” He leaped from his pedestal and approached the defiant husky-mix, whispering a warning into his ear. “And I’d advise you to not try to attack me. The sentence for that is far worse.”
“Yes, Sir. I understand.” Kodi stepped backwards and closer to the one that he had made his mate.
“Dusty,” the leader gave a direct order to the saddened husky, who was now sobbing tears like waterfalls. “If you ever return back within the town limits and get caught, you will be killed on the spot. If you have pups in your possession, they too will be sentenced to death.” The crowd gasped randomly after that order, causing a loud calamity to uproar. “Order, order in the room!” Kirby shouted, silencing the dogs immediately. “Yes, I know it sounds severe, but no she-dog here would want to care for the spawn of an adulterer.” Again uproar began to form, but this time a different voice blared out.
“That’s going way too far, Kirby!”
Everyone gasped, surprised to see Balto standing forward.
“Dad?” Kodi whispered quietly. “What is he doing? He’ll be killed!”
“You’re out of order, Balto, but,” Kirby spoke. “I will allow you to speak. You are the one who helped save our jobs and made us heroes after all.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Balto quickly bowed his head to the judge dog and then began to speak. “I do believe that Dusty should be punished for what she has done, but to punish her pups as well? It is not right. They at least deserve a chance at life! Wouldn’t you agree and possibly reconsider your judgment?”
A different voice replied to Balto’s query. “Yes, Balto. I agree with you on that,” Ralph stepped forward. “But if they were of my blood, I would allow them life. But your son tainted Dusty, causing her to lose her virginity and bear his children! I cannot allow that, especially since she is my betrothed! Her pups must suffer for their actions! It is the only consequence worthy of this situation.”
The crowd of dogs was shocked as the two dogs began to argue.
"Enough!" The silver mother-to-be yelled, silencing the crowd and the two arguing dogs. "I am sorry for what I have done, but I did it all for love! So what if I am your arranged partner, Ralph? I love you as a dog, but Kodi . . . I love as a mate. And he loves me back. He told me that night when we made love. He called me 'beautiful' and told me how he felt about me." Tears fell down her eyes in happiness. "I never thought I would be able to feel such joy in my entire life."
"But you broke the arrangement that we both agreed on! You committed adultery, Dusty! A sin that has torn everything apart!" Ralph growled. "As much as it hurts me to say these painful words to you, they must be said. Both of you will pay for the pain that you have caused me!" Those words caused tears to swell up in Dusty’s blue saturated tear ducts as she felt the words cut her like thousands of knives.
"All right, with that being said, allow me to complete the verdict - hopefully without any more interruptions." Kirby stared at the four dogs that had spoken specifically. He then cleared his throat. "To add to my judgment, I decree that Dusty’s lover, Kodiak, is forbidden to leave the town limits unless he is supervised by either both his parents or if he is working with the mail team on a sled run." Kodi again leapt forward, about to protest his anguish to the decree, but to no avail. His parents, who were also upset by that part of the verdict, tried to calm the youngster down by grabbing onto his fur with their mouths and teeth.
"Kirby! If I may ask a request to speak, please," Kodi said, now calmer but still with tears streaking down his face markings.
The brown husky let out a sigh. "All right, Kodi. You may speak, but make it brief."
"Thank you, Sir." he bowed in respect as Balto and Jenna let go of their rebellious son, allowing him to speak. "Even though I do not agree with my punishment, is it possible for me to at least say goodbye to Dusty when she leaves town? I cannot bear to see her leave without wishing her luck."
"That is fine. From that day forward, the two of you will never be able to see the other again. If the two of you are even spotted together, both of you will be given the sentence of an immediate death. Is that understood?"
The two of them stood silent, afraid of the even worse punishment of being separated from each other.
"Please give me your answer!" Kirby boomed. "Your silence speaks a loud defiance to the law of Nome!”
"Yes," Kodi said very quietly. "Even though I don't think it's the best punishment."
"I guess so too," Dusty followed her mate's lead. “It doesn’t sound fair, but it is the law.”
"Then it is agreed." Kirby slammed his paw down onto his stand, making the verdict official. "Dusty, I will allow you the rest of tonight to say your final farewells before meeting near the edge of town to take your leave. Your time of exile will be at 6 in the morning, sharp. My fellow dogs, thank you all for your presence tonight. This meeting is officially adjourned."
Every dog headed for the doorway, many of them were satisfied with the verdict. Some others, mainly Kodi, Dusty, and Balto’s family, were not pleased, but knew that the law was official.
“No! No, he can’t do this!” Kodi cried on his mother’s shoulder. “God ***** it! This isn’t fair at all!”
“Oh, Kodi . . .” Dusty walked over to him, nuzzling his neck. “I’m so sorry about putting you through all of this. I don’t think you’ll ever forgive me now, will you?”
“I . . . . I don’t know anymore, Dusty,” he said, still with his face against Jenna’s fur. “I need some time alone with my parents right now. Could you leave me be for a while, please?”
Dusty nodded. As she turned to walk out of the room, she turned back and left him with a parting thought. “If I don’t see you anytime before the morning, just remember that I’ll never stop loving you. To me, you are the comforting light that leads me straight into your love. Please, never forget about me, for I will never forget you. Ever.”
Kodi was still being comforted by his mother while he continued to cry silent tears of pain. “I don’t want this . . . I don’t want this for her! Why did this have to happen to us?”
“It’s just the consequences of your actions, Kodi, and hers as well.” Balto reminded his son. “Look, I didn’t want this to happen either, but no one could have predicted the law’s decision. And now, we all must accept it. His word is final, and it cannot be altered.”
“I won’t,” Kodi said, now in a state of denial. “Dusty is carrying my children! I can’t lose her like this! Not now!”
“But . . . but Kodi –“ Jenna attempted to calm her son down, but she was pushed away.
“But nothing! She’s the love of my life, and I’m not ready to accept the punishment of never being able to see her again!” He bolted to the door and turned his head towards his parents. “I have to go see her now, for tomorrow will be too late to say goodbye.”
No one realized that another dog was still in the boiler room, hiding behind some boxes. His dark-gray body was hidden in the shadows with his eyes filled with tears.
Oh no, He thought to himself, silently gasping.
What have I done? I know she made that mistake, but after what Kodi said, I feel just as guilty about losing her as well . . . . I guess I never loved her as much as he does. He closed his eyes in regret.
I’m so sorry about this, Dusty. You were right – the arranged marriage was a stupid idea to follow. I only accepted it because it was my parents’ will. Nothing should stand between you and the one who truly loves you . . . and I’m sorry that I had to cause this pain and suffering for you two.
The burgundy female and the grayish-brown wolf-dog nuzzled each other, still in shock of their son’s strong devotion to Dusty.
“Oh, Balto,” Jenna said. “I don’t know what else to do for him . . . He’ll be killed if he continues to pursue her after tonight. I don’t want him, our son, to die!”
“You know I don’t want that either, Jen,” The grizzly wolf-dog sat down by his mate’s side, licking the tears from her eyes. “But he cares a lot, and he won’t stop until he gets what he wants: his beloved Dusty.” He let out a sigh and grinned. “You know, he’s just like his dear, old dad.”
“I believe you’re right,” The female also smiled as she lay beside her mate, rubbing against Balto’s chest fur. “I just want the best for our son, and I know you do too.”
Balto let out a yawn, but his mate’s soft touch caused him to become quite aroused deep inside him. He stood up over Jenna’s slender body, as if ready to mount her. “Let’s just put this to rest and start over, shall we?”
Jenna giggled and blushed at the sight of the male. “All right then, if it will help calm us down,” She raised her hind end playfully in submission. “I accept your offer. Come on, Balto. Let’s go to a more . . . comfortable place.”
As Balto and Jenna got up and walked to a more private area of the boiler room, Ralph waited in the shadows, seeking the perfect time to exit the boiler room before he witnessed another mating scene. When he walked out of the door, he was surprised by who met him outside.
“Kirby? What are you doing here?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing, Ralph.” The dark wheat-colored dog gave Ralph a look of concern. “You were spying on others again.” A large sigh came out of his mouth. “Haven’t you done enough damage to others already, thanks to your spying?”
“They were accidents, both of them!” Ralph tried to speak calmly to his friend, intensifying his voice with every word. “I swear they were!”
“All right, all right, chill out already,” Kirby hushed the husky. “I understand that you’re feeling a sudden change of heart – I can tell by your body language - but what’s done is done. I’m sure both of you will find someone better to suit your interests.” He then walked to the entrance of the boiler room, but soon turned back to his companion. “You did your duty, and I’ve done mine. Hopefully, things will work out. Just make sure you don’t eavesdrop on anyone else again, all right?”
“All right,” the dark-coated husky turned to opposite way of his friend, and went straight to his home, still feeling awful for his actions. He lay on his blanket and sighed, curiously wondering what Dusty was up to on her final night in town.
Dusty sat in front of the moonlight that night near the edge of town. She couldn’t bear to stay anywhere else that night, especially since after tonight, she would be forbidden to ever set foot in Nome ever again. She lied down for the night and began to cry with her head resting on her forelegs as she looked out at the wild woods in front of her. A sudden light touch on her neck caused her to gasp as she turned around and again, for the millionth time that day, she burst into tears. But these weren’t just any tears – these were tears of joy, for she nuzzled the one that she truly loved with all of her heart.
“Kodi . . . I didn’t think you’d come back to me,” Dusty cried in her lover’s rusty coat. “I . . . I thought you were angry with me for hiding the truth from you.”
Kodi licked the tears from her sapphire eyes. “Shh. Don’t speak, Dusty,” he whispered. “I know after tonight we will be separated, but that won’t stop me from loving you either.” He kissed her soft nose as they looked at each other’s eyes of blue and brown. “No matter what, we will be together, linked by our love,” He then leaned his head onto her belly and listened for the sounds of the new life within. “And by our puppies as well. Tell them about us: their beautiful, silver mother and their red part-wolf father. Maybe one day or even in the next lifetime, we’ll find one another again.”
“Yeah,” Dusty let out a long, slow breath as she rubbed her nose on Kodi’s neck. “I hope so too.” Then a thought came through the light-gray’s mind. “Umm, Kodi?”
“What is it, Dusty?”
“Could . . .could you stay with me tonight? It’s my last night here, and I can’t bear to spend it with anyone else but you.”
“Sure,” Kodi’s face was covered in a coat of light pink and a warm smile to go with it. “It would be my pleasure.”
The couple spent their last night together looking at the stars, cuddling and kissing, hoping that their constant touching would leave a permanent mark on the other. When the time arrived that Dusty would be exiled from town, the lovers wished that they could stop time and run away together. It was not meant to be, since Kirby grabbed the female’s collar and released it from her neck, freeing her from the town. Kodi’s tears fell at the sight of his lover being chased out of town by an angry crowd of local huskies. He tried to follow after her and the group of canines, but a couple of large dogs blocked him immediately, denying him access to the pregnant gray as she ran into the woods. Finally, he gave up, collapsing onto the dirt and grass ground at the edge of town. There was nothing more he could do. Tears fell from his closed eyes, as defeat began to sink in for the young red husky.
I love you . . . and I’ll never forget you, Dusty . . . Kodi murmured into the wind, knowing that their punishment had begun.
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Her breathing began to calm down as her birthing muscles began to relax while she cleaned where the puppy came out. Seconds later, the placenta was birthed, all bloody and also attached to the newborn sac of pup. A rush of fluid covered the pup's afterbirth when it was released. She cleaned the bundle of pup and bit the umbilical cord that had once connected them together. The tiny baby, now revealed as a male, began to squeak a little whimper of life while its new mother gave the newborn his first bath. She breathed deeply as the pup's true color began to reveal itself as a red rusty-gray – a perfect mix of its sire and dam.
Now that the deed is done, I can never be yours ever again . . . to either of you . . . .
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Ooh, the plot continues to thicken . . . and a puppy is born at last. Thank goodness!
The next part of ten will be coming soon! Please critique me and tell me what you think so far!
- Juuchan17
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ten parts... very nice plan:)
