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Solid Steele
By Andrew Heighway

Part One

Nome, Alaska.
1920.

“Daddy...” said a young puppy to his father on a cold winter morning in Nome.
However the father did not respond to his son and just sat facing the coastline, almost as if he was ignoring his son. The puppy tried to walk around his father to try to get his attention.
“Don’t bother me kid, I’m getting myself mentally prepared for the race and it’s difficult to do when you’re nagging me for attention.” said the Father.
The young puppy just sat down beside his father, despite what his father had said to him he still looked up to him with pride. But his father didn’t feel the same way, who just looked at his son like he was a huge Burdon he had to take on ever since his mate died giving birth to him.
“Look... kid. You know how important this race is to me don’t you? Racing is what I do, it’s what I’ve been good at since was your age. Ever since your mother... well it’s all I have left kid, nothing can go wrong with this today. So just stay out the way, do this for me okay.” said the father bluntly.
The puppy lowered his head with sadness, and nodded slowly. The father still didn’t react to his son’s emotion. The father then stood up and looked down at his son.
“Come on kid... I’ll drop you off at your grandmother’s place before the race starts.” said the father who had now started to walk away.
The puppy followed slowly behind his father, but stopped and briefly looked back at the coastline.
“Come along Steele.” Said the father again.
The puppy Steele turned to face his father...

Anchorage, Alaska.
1929.

The now adult Steele turned to face the illuminated mini skyline of the city of Anchorage. It was a cool spring evening and the air was filled with the sound of people going about their daily business. For Steele Anchorage was the most crowded place on earth, he had seen nothing like it before as he had lived in a small town for most of his life. He was here to start from scratch, to find a purpose for him. Steele began to walk towards the city, casting his old life away once and for all.

It's only part one, it's probably gonna be as long as the other two are.

Part Two...

Steele was walking the streets that where still quite busy with people and animals. For the first time in his life he felt completely small compared to everyone else. A dog about his size simply barged into him as he was walking by.
“Hey!” said Steele.
But the dog just carried on like he didn’t exist, just when he was about to forget about it another dog barged into him.
“Watch where you’re going...! Hey I’m talking to you!” shouted Steele again.
But he was barged into again and again by passers by.
“Is everyone blind or just stupid in this place!” he said to himself.
“Trust me mate, it’s never gonna work” said a voice with an British accent.
Steele looked up to see a stray dog sitting on a pile of wooden crates.
“What?!” said Steele.
“I said it ain’t gonna work. You say excuse me, or ‘Oi pal watch where you’re going’ but nobody listen’s. Let me guess... small town guy... right?”
“None of your business limey, now get lost.”
“Ahhh a pedigree. Figured as much, it explains the lack manners and the surprisingly well groomed appearance for somebody who’s been on the road for a few weeks or so.”
“What’s that English phrase you’re all fond of? Oh that’s right... Bugger off!”
“Please don’t say that, it don’t half sound silly coming from a yank. Not to mention that gritty voice of yours pal... sounds like a bloody cheese grater.”
“Look what do you want from me?”
“Nothing much Steele-“
“How the hell-“
“Do I know your name? I kinda got told you where coming here. Been waiting for you for days.”
Steele was now loosing patients.
“Okay you have about ten seconds to explain before I see how fast I can break your leg!”
“You have a temper don’t you. Something from your childhood I gather... Alright, I can see you’re getting very annoyed now, so I’ll start explaining. I’ve been expecting you for days because you’re ready to take the next step.”
The English dog then started to walk down an alley, Steele then followed him.
“Who are you?” asked Steele.
“My name is Nigel.”
“What do you mean ‘Next Step’? Next Step of what?”
“Once upon a time, there was a Sled dog. The fastest, the strongest sled dog there ever was. He was so good at his job, that he let his arrogance and not to mention his ignorance get the better of him as he grew older. But that’s when the problem started, he was getting older, not too old to race, but certainly not in his prime anymore. Then along came another dog, a half wolf dog. Who was faster and more importantly far braver and noble then he ever could be. So the sled dog gives this new guy a hard time, and on the one day in which the sled dog could have used his help... he tried to kill him. But the wolf dog saves the day, leaving the sled an outcast, shunned by everyone in the town of Nome. The sled dog became obsessed with getting his revenge on the wolf dog... but... instead of leaving him to die in a fire... the sled dog saves his life. After that happened, the sled dog’s hate simply disappeared, finally realising the need to move with his life, he leaves Nome and comes here. And here he is now, standing right beside me. Did I miss anything?”
Steele was just silent.
“Look...” said Nigel. “I know you’ve just met me, but you can trust me. I’m not gonna lead you astray, you could say I’m your fairy god mother... except that I’m a bloke... and not a bird... you get my drift... Come on, let me show you around.”


Part three tommorrow.

I really like this =D

Thank you

Sounds pretty good, although the bit about Steele saving Balto's life strikes me as a bit out of character.
However, the quote "I'm your fairy godmother, except I'm a bloke... and I don't float" totally makes up for it.

Part Three...

Both Nigel and Steele where now sitting in a warehouse. Both where talking about the reason why they had too meet.
“So let me get this straight, someone told you that I was coming here and you’ve taken upon yourself to help me out. What makes you even think I want your help?” asked Steele.
“You’re still listening aren’t you? Besides it’s not exactly a someone who told me, closer to something really. It tells me every now and again about things that are gonna happen, not that it’s psychic or anything, it just has word on the streets you know. Like a few hours before you arrived it told me to tell you ‘Darla, Nine O’clock, Southside’.”
“What this guy or whatever is setting me up on a date? Things are looking up already.”
“It’s not a date genius, just go find her and see what happens.”
“That’s the plan? Tell me something, why aren’t just I walking away right now?”
“Because you’re too intrigued, you wanna see how this turns out one way or another. And also, I think you wanna prove to everyone that you’ve known that you’re than just a guy with a bad attitude, besides isn’t that why you saved-“
“Don’t remind me! Alright, Darla Southside got it.”
Steele began to walk towards the Southside of the town. Nigel went straight after him.
“Wait a minute mate, don’t go blundering in. It requires some delicacy.”
“Screw delicacy, I want to get this over with as quick as possible. The sooner that’s done, the sooner I can say goodbye and get lost to you.”
“Have you always been this charming?”
“I only use charm on the ladies, you’re just an annoying European. In any case, I’ve always been bad...”

Nome, Alaska.
1922.

An adolescent Steele was sitting waiting outside a building; he seemed very different to the Steele that we know. He looked happier and strangely enough... innocent. He was trying to look as smart as possible; he was even wagging his tail.
“Hey dork!” shouted a voice. “Still waiting for daddy to come home!”
The voice came from another dog of a similar breed to Steele.
“No...” said Steele in a very meek way. “I’m just um... I err...”
“I, I, I, I what? Are you gonna get the sentence out this century? No wonder your dad left you, you must have bored him to death.”
The other dog walked off giggling to himself. Steele looked down with sadness; it was partly true what the other dog had said. His father had left him by himself, although he was taken in by Human owners it just wasn’t the same. As he was sitting he noticed a beautiful sled dog named ‘Miranda’, she was about the same age as Steele. She was walking by, so Steele quickly made himself look more presentable.
“Hi!” said Steele in a high pitched tone (His voice was still breaking). He coughed. “Err... Hi Miranda.”
“Hello Steele” replied Miranda; she wasn’t too pleased to see him.
“So... how you doing? Because I heard that you broke up with Kaltag you see, I was wondering if you wanted... well... if you don’t mind of course-“
“Steele! We need to talk.” She said bluntly.
She dragged Steele into an alley.
“Steele... I want you to stop! Stop trying to ask me out, stop trying to make small talk... in fact stop talking to me all together please! If I want a stalker I’d talk to Nikki. I want nothing to do with you.”
Steele was stunned; he just didn’t know what to say.
“But... I know I’ve been a little... You how I feel about you.” Stuttered Steele.
“Steele, I could never... even if I wanted someone right now, it would never be you. You’re beneath me.”
Miranda walked away leaving Steele in the alley. Tears started to run from his eyes, he began to cry for a few minutes. Until he heard a noise and looked up to see a small puppy staring at him, the puppy looked unusual and scruffy. Steele’s expression changed from sadness to anger in a heartbeat.
“What are you looking at Lobo! Get out of here!” he shouted as he kicked a near by stone at the puppy, the puppy just scampered away. Steele walked over to a near by puddle of water and looked at his reflection, he then splashed it hard with his paw...

To be continued...

Part Four...

1929, Anchorage

Steele had now reached the Southside of town which was a street of theatres and clubs, it was packed full of humans and dogs rushing about. 'What the hell am I doing here exactly?' he thought to himself. 'This girl better be beautiful or I'm gonna kill that limey!’ He walked around and saw an extremely pretty female sled dog of the exact same breed as him. 'Oh yes!' he thought to himself, 'Remember Steele, you are charming, good looking and let's face it brilliant. You can do this no problem'. He started to walk towards her trying to look cool; he stumbles slightly but quickly recovers before she notices.
"Hi there" he said casually.
The female dog just blanked him at first. But she then turned to face him.
"I'm sorry, I don't usually sign autographs nor do I make small talk to nobodies like you." she said bluntly.
Steele wasn't giving up that easily.
"So you're famous huh?"
"Yeah, thanks for clearing that up Sherlock. I'm only like the best singer around here you know."
"I'm kinda famous myself you know, champion sled dog racer you know."
Her interest suddenly kicked in.
"You don't say."
"I've even took part in the serum run to Nome."
"Really? Sounds dangerous, where you scared?"
Steele laughed nervously, but didn't answer the question.
"Wait a minute..." she said.”Oh my god that means you must be?"
"Yes" interrupted Steele.
"You're... you're Balto aren’t you, the famous half wolf dog right?"
Steele's smile suddenly dropped to a look of disappointment and disgust.
"You know what sweetheart? I'm not in the mood anymore. So I'll cut to the chase, is your name Darla?"
"Err No! The name's Tallulah, I can't believe you thought I was Darla!"
"Yeah right, because you thinking I'm half wolf is far less worse... wait a minute, you know who Darla is?"
Tallulah pointed towards a bunch of trash cans in the corner, there was a skinny plain looking female dog sitting there all alone. Steele wasn't impressed.
"That's Darla?"
"Yeah. What's the deal exactly? Why do you want to see her?"
"Apparently I have to go hang out with her... is she clean?"
"What you mean like a date?"
"NO! No way!"
"Sure whatever... You go get her Tiger."
Tallulah started to giggle and walked away from Steele was not pleased in the slightest.
"I'm gonna chew the bone marrow outta that limey once this is over, I swear." he muttered to himself as he walked towards Darla...

To be continued...

Where have my fans gone? lol

Part 5...

Darla noticed Steele was approaching him, she looked even less impressed then Tallulah.
“I take it you’re Darla, pretty... name. Suppose it does make up for your...look.”
“I’m so not interested pretty boy.”
“What did you call me?”
“Coming over here with you’re fake charm and smiles, did Tallulah put you up to this? Is her new boy toy not pleasing her so she has to find her kicks elsewhere?”
“Are you brain damaged or something? I’m ‘not’ trying to charm you.”
“And why would you not wanna charm me?”
“Because I have eye sight for one thing, even if I was blind it wouldn’t excuse my other four senses. Now that we have the pleasantries out the way, I have to hang around for a while.”
“Yeah right, I don’t wanna be seen with an older guy. I don’t go for that sort of thing”
“Older! I’ll have you know I’m only five years old!”
“Yeah, like four years ago maybe. You gotta be pushing nine at least.”
Steele was stumped. He paused for a few moments; Darla was waiting him to confirm what she seemed to know.
“I’m eight and a half actually!”
“Fascinating... well now that this rambling trip to nowhere is over, get lost!
“I told you I can’t... look it’s hard to explain and I’m not sure why, but I have to make sure I’m with you for the next few hours or so”
Darla rolled her eyes and turned away and was walking down an alley.
“Fine, I’ll go.”
“Darla at least let me explain-“
Steele was cut off when another dog hit him across the face and he went down to the ground. Darla turned around to see what had happened and her face changed from annoyance to fear is just under a second this other dog was quite large and had an evil smile on his face, so evil it made Steele’s positively pleasant.
“Hey Darla, you know what I’m gonna say” said the Dog.
“No... I won’t do it anymore, not for him or anyone.” Replied Darla in panic.
“Come on sweet thing, the boss wants to have a word that’s all.”
“I said no... Leave me alone.”
The dog then pinned Darla against the wall so she couldn’t move, she was nearly crying with panic.
“I’m not asking now, your coming with me if you like it or it!”
A paw then tapped the dog on the shoulder, he turned and was hit across the face and fell down. It was Steele.
“I think the girl isn’t interested, and I’m getting sick of being attacked in alleys!” said Steele.
“And who the hell are you?” asked the Dog.
“I’m the guy giving you a choice.”
“And what choice would that be?”
“Either walk away intact or your remains will be lining a cat’s litter box, your choice.”
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with pal.”
“Let me the guess... The bad guys?”
The dog charged at Steele, but Steele tossed the dog into a wall and fell to the floor. Before he could get up Steele pulled on the fur at the back of his neck and turned the dogs face towards him.
“Go fight someone else amateur, because you see, I’m bad... you’re just a moron.” Continued Steele.
Steele hit the dog one last time and he was knocked out. Steele sighed and rubbed his jaw where the dog had hit him.
“Although you do have a mean right hook.” He said to himself.
Steele turned to find Darla had run off during the fight.
“Now where did she get to?”

To be continued...

Part 6 will come along soon.

I really like it so far!!!!!!!!