Animation Source Forums

Hey all!

I got the story done last night, and decided to post it here this afternoon. It ended up being 161 pages long. If there are any mistakes I apolagize, but I haven't finished editing it yet. As soon as I do, I'll send it to the site as well.
I wanted to get it on the site ASAP though, so here it is!
Hope you Enjoy!


Balto: A Forbidden Love

Written by: Anthony E. Rotramel A.K.A Rotramel the Writer



Started: 01/27/06
Finished: 02/13/06
Pages: 162 Words: 25,807


Note: This story was inspired by Balto, (copyright 1995), Balto II: Wolf Quest (copyright 2000) and Balto III: Wings of Change (2005) by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. The characters Shadow, Dash, Melody, Timbre, June, Drake, Everest, Kema, Haroe, Stripe, Chunky, Junas, and the events of this story are copyright 2005 by Anthony Rotramel. The other characters are copyright by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. The name Saba is the intellectual property of Juuchan 17.



FORWARD

This story requires some explanation. First, I’d like to thank Juuchan 17 for the idea. This story came to me as I read her series: Confession, Longing, Truth Be Told, and A New Beginning. True I am copying the idea, but I want you to know that I’m not copying her story, nor am I in any way trying to say that Juuchan did anything wrong in her story. At first the idea behind this story repulsed me, but I gave it a chance, and her story really stuck with me. I recommend that those mature readers and writers out there check it out! It really is written quite well! I just want to flip the coin a bit on the idea. Let me say that I don’t think that copying one another’s ideas is bad. An idea is simply a question, a what if question. In this case the question is “What if a brother and sister fell in love with one another? The obvious response is “eew gross!” As it should be, but as a writer this what if question intrigued me. I saw a bit of a different story in the idea, and this is it. I give all the credit for the idea to Juuchan 17, but the story, and the characters herein (named above) are mine. So I hope you enjoy Balto: A Forbidden Love.





**Please Note**

This FanFic is rated PG-13 for a love sequence, some bad language, a birth scene, the consumption of alcohol, and some violence.
Readers Discretion is advised!

*******************














Prologue:

Saba and Everest had always been close, they were constantly together. Even after the two were adopted to different families, they still remained together.
In the year after he was adopted, Everest found himself on a sled dog team. He loved his new job, and was really quite good at it.
Everest was walking toward the house he knew his sister lived in. He was very confused. He didn’t know how she felt about him, but he knew how he felt about her.
He’d always felt this way about her, even when they were small pups. It just seemed that they were meant to be together. He knew that a relationship between the two of them would not work. It was forbidden.
He stopped walking as he came alongside her home. There was a shed to the side of it, and beside the shed were some boxes and crates.
Everest ran over to the crates and used them to vault onto the shed’s roof. From there he walked over on top of the roof of the porch of the two story house. Everest walked over to the far left window, the one he knew led to the room Saba slept in. He looked in the window and saw her sleeping on the carpet beside a young girl’s bed.
Everest tapped the windowsill, and Saba opened her eyes. She smiled as she saw him and walked over to the window.
“She looks just like her mother.” Everest thought. “She’s beautiful.”
Saba stuck her head out the open window and yawned. “Everest, do you have any idea what time it is?” She smiled.
Everest smiled back at her. “Yeah, sorry… I… uh… I couldn’t sleep, and I just had to see you.”
Saba laughed quietly, and stepped out of the window onto the snow covered roof. “It’s okay, I wasn’t sleeping very well anyway. Too… too busy thinking about you… I guess.”
Everest was somewhat surprised. He’d never discussed his feelings with his sister before. “So… So you… you feel it too?”
Saba nodded. “Yeah, as strange as it is, I’ve felt it all my life, even when we were small, but… but I guess I was too ashamed to talk to you.”
“Yeah,” Everest said. “It’s not exactly normal.”
“But what is normal?” Saba said smiling. “It’s someone else’s idea of what’s right. What if we have our own ideas?”
Everest smiled. “Saba, you can’t actually mean what I think you mean. It’s wrong, it’s illegal. The punishment is banishment.”
“Then maybe we don’t belong here.” Saba said.
“But it’s the same everywhere.” Everest said. ”Wherever we would go… we’d never be accepted.”
Saba sighed. “I wish it were different.” She looked up at him. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Everest said. He decided to change the topic of discussion. “…so how’s the family?”
Saba smiled and laid on the roof. “They’re fine. Little Kelly starts school next week. She sighed. “I guess I’m going to have a lot of spare time when that happens.” She smiled. “…but I guess that just means that we can spend more time together.”
Everest sighed. “Yeah… yeah, I guess so.”
“What’s the matter with you?” Saba asked. “I can tell something’s not right. What did you really want to talk to me about?”
Everest sighed and looked down at the roof below him. “I… well, it’s… it’s just stupid. I don’t want to bother you with it.
Saba smiled. “Don’t worry about bothering me, just tell me what’s wrong.” She laid her head on her paws and closed her eyes, snuggling up close to her brother. “…I’m listening.”
Everest sighed again and nodded. “Okay.” He said. “I… um… well, I’ve been having these… this feeling here lately, that… that this next time I go out, that I might… that I might not come back.”
Saba sat up abruptly and opened her eyes. “Not come back!” She cried. “…but… but where else could you go?”
“I don’t know.” Everest said. He sighed. “I just… I just have this feeling, like something bad is going to happen next time we leave Nome… and that’s tomorrow.”
“Then don’t go!” Saba said. “Stay here!”
Everest smiled. “I can’t do that Saba. I have to go with my team.”
A tear ran out of Saba’s eye. “I… I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Everest smiled. “I’ll probably be just fine, don’t worry about me. In fact…” he said, standing. “…I should probably be getting back soon. I’m going to be tired tomorrow as it is.”
Everest stood up and started to walk away. “It was nice talking to you Saba.”
Saba watched as he walked toward the edge of the roof. “Everest!” she said, as he neared the edge.
Everest stopped and turned toward his sister.
She walked over to him, and kissed him. At first, Everest was surprised, this was much more than a brother and sister kiss, and it was… wrong, he knew that, but… but as the kiss continued, Everest found himself kissing Saba back.
When their muzzles finally parted, Saba smiled at him. “I love you Everest.” She said.
Everest couldn’t find the words to express his feelings, probably because he didn’t know quite how to feel.
He backed away from Saba, and in so doing, forgot he was on the roof. As his back paws stepped onto nothing but air, Everest fell backwards, and landed hard in the snow below.
Saba ran to the edge, hoping her brother was alright, but as she watched, Everest stood, and ran down the street.
Saba sighed. “At least he’s not hurt.” She thought to herself. Then she climbed back into her home, curled up beside Kelly’s bed, and soon fell back asleep.















Chapter 1

It was a few days after the events of that night, and Saba was walking down the sidewalk to see her parents. She was a bit concerned. Drake had shown up at her home and told her that the family required her immediate presence.
“I wonder what’s wrong.” She thought.
She stepped into the old mill, and froze. Her entire family was in the center of the room, and what seemed like the entire town was crammed in there too.
Her mother had tears in her eyes, and as she saw Saba, she buried her face in Balto’s shoulder, unable to stop crying.
“What’s… what’s wrong everyone?” Saba asked, stepping into the room.
Balto sighed and turned his head toward his daughter. “Saba… come here.”
Saba walked over to him, knowing as she did that something terrible had happened.
“What is it dad?” She asked, sitting beside him.
“Balto sighed again. “Saba, you know your brother went out with his team two days ago, right?”
Saba nodded. “Yeah, what’s that got to do with anything?”
Balto sighed again, and pulled something from the floor behind him. It was a sled dog harness… at least, it had been at one time. Now it was torn and ripped, there was even some stains of what looked like blood on it.
“This… this is all the musher found.” Balto said. He flipped the harness over and looked at Jenna, as she started sobbing again.
Saba leaned in closer to it, so she could read the inscription on the golden nameplate. She knew as she did, what she’d find.
The nameplate read: Everest.
“Oh no…”Saba said. “You mean he’s…”
Balto nodded his head and leaned in closer to Jenna, who started crying a little louder.
“… but… but this can’t be.” Saba said, tears starting to come to her own eyes now. “I… I spoke with him not two days ago. He came and talked to me the night he left…”
Saba sighed, and looked at the floor.
“I’m sorry Saba.” Balto said. “I know you two were close.”
Saba nodded, as the true impact of what had happened, and what it all meant, finally started to sink in.
Saba turned, and ran from the room, unable to deal with the emotions that standing there staring at her brother’s torn harness caused.
Dingo started to go after her, but he felt a paw on his shoulder and turned. “Let her go son.” Balto said. “She needs to be alone right now.”
Dingo nodded, and walked back to his other siblings. “Saba seems to be really taking this hard.” Kodi said.
Dingo sighed and nodded. “Yeah, she does.” Dingo turned to his siblings. ‘I want you all to help me watch her. When she comes back she’s going to need us.”
The four children snuggled up close to their mother and father as the family grieved for its lost member.

Saba was running.
She didn’t know where she was running to, and quite frankly, she didn’t really care. She only wanted to get away from Nome, her parents… her brother’s death.
As she ran, her tears blinded her. It was a good thing she was out of town, or she may have just leapt off the sidewalk in front of a car. That’s the way she felt right now.
As Saba was running, she saw a cliff ahead. In the darkness, she really couldn’t tell how far it was to the bottom.
“… but it’s far enough.” Saba thought. “Life’s just not worth living without you Everest. One way or another I’m going to be with you.”
Saba shifted the angle of her run so that she was now sprinting directly at the cliff’s edge.
She knew in her mind that her death would be even more pain for her family and friends to deal with, but her heart had overridden her mind at that point, and her heart was broken.
“… and this is the only way to fix it.” Saba thought. “This is the only way to make the pain go away.”
As she neared the cliff, Saba began to cry a little harder. “I don’t want to die.” She thought. “…but I can’t live without Everest. Life has just… lost it’s meaning.”
Saba could see the edge fast approaching, and she picked up her speed, running until she felt her paws leave the ground. She was scared, more frightened than she had ever been, as she tumbled head over tail down the ravine.

Back in Nome, Jenna and Balto had returned to their homes. Well, at least, they’d returned to Jenna’s home. It would be some time before Jenna’s family actually “adopted” Balto, and for now, he still lived in the old trawler at the edge of town.
Jenna was taking the death of her son very hard. Hard enough in fact, that Balto was worried about her. He’d decided to stay the night with her. She needed him now.
The two of them were sitting on the porch.
Jenna sighed and laid down on the porch, staring at the stairs. Balto looked at her a moment before asking. “Jen, what… what are you staring at?”
Jenna smiled sadly. “I remember, one of the times that I had the pups, they were playing on the porch, and Everest fell down the stairs.” She paused here, and took a deep breath, trying extremely hard not to burst into tears again. Try as she might, Jenna couldn’t hold them back, and she felt warm tears drip down her cheeks. “Everest wouldn’t let me touch him. It was the time when he nearly broke his leg.” She paused and looked up at him. “You remember?”
Balto nodded. He was afraid that if he said anything at this point that he’d start crying as well and the two of them might never stop. “… and that sure wouldn’t do Jenna any good.” Balto thought, and so he remained silent.
Jenna looked back at the porch. “Everest wouldn’t let anyone near him, anyone except Saba. Those two have always been together. They’ve always been close…” Jenna’s voice trailed off, and she stared out at the distant forest for a moment before she turned back to Balto. “Balto, I’m worried about Saba. She seemed to take her brother’s… passing… pretty hard. It’s been a while, and I.. I haven’t seen her. You don’t think she’s gone and…” Jenna struggled to find the right words. “… done something stupid do you?”
Balto leaned close to Jenna. “I don’t think so.” He said, putting his paw across her shoulders. “Saba’s a smart girl, I’m sure she’s fine, she just needs some time. I guess…” Balto sighed. “I guess we all do.”
Jenna sighed. “I… I already miss him Balto.”
Balto laid down beside her. “I know. I do too.”
Jenna started crying again, and Balto leaned forward, letting Jenna rest her head on his shoulder.
Balto sighed. It was going to be a very long night.

Saba finally opened her eyes. The cliff hadn’t been high enough to do the job right, but it had been sufficient to probably break her leg. A hot fire raced up and down her right leg. She sighed. “Why can’t I just get away from this… I can’t take it!” She yelled to the trees. “I…” She stopped and started to sob. “I love him…”
Saba struggled to her feet, and thought she had a pretty good limp, she found she was able to walk. As she turned to start heading back towards town, she realized where she was. There was a pond in the clearing below.
Saba walked slowly down to it, almost as if in a trance. As she neared the frozen water, sounds from the past rushed back to her. Almost as if ghosts inhabited the pond. She saw she and Everest standing by the pond, less than two years ago, clear as day.
“I bet I can go farther out on the ice than you can Everest.”
“No, Saba it’s too dangerous. You know what Papa said.”
“What are you chicken?”
“No, fine, go ahead. Let’s see how far you get.”
The next sounds that flooded her mind were the sounds of ice breaking, and a splash.
“SABA!”
Saba remembered how cold she’d felt, how instantly the blood in her veins had seemed to thicken and slow as her small body froze to death. She remembered clawing at the ice, but she couldn’t get out.
The fear filled her again, as if she were back in that pond. She felt the closeness of death. Saba had tried to climb out and had sank at least three times, when she finally found that she’d worn herself out. There wouldn’t be a fourth time. There would be no more time at all for Saba. The last thing she’d heard was a splash, and then she’d drifted away, feeling herself sinking to the pond’s inky black depths.
She’d woken in the doc’s office, Everest beside her. He’d jumped in the pond to save her, and in the process, almost sacrificed himself for his sister. Everest barely pulled through that time. What with jumping in the pond in the first place, and then carrying his sister back to town… it had almost been enough to do the young pup in.
Saba had been by his bedside every second of every day he was down, once she’d been able to get up herself that is. It was then, during the long talks that the two had, that Saba realized she loved Everest, not just as a brother, but as something much more.
Saba sighed. She was at the pond’s edge now. “God I miss you Everest.” She said. Saba tilted her head toward the stars. “How could you do this to me!” She yelled. “How could you leave me here alone!” Saba felt tears streaming down her face. “You said you’d always be there for me, that you’d always take care of me!” Saba looked down at the snow and sighed again. “Who’s going to take care of me now?” She asked herself.
Saba looked back at the pond and shuddered. It had been very close that day. Close to both she and her brother’s death.
Saba stood by the pond a few moments more, and then she turned and limped slowly away, headed home.
















Chapter 2

Four years later…

“Hey Girl,” Kelly yelled. “Want to fetch the stick? Huh, want to?”
Saba was panting. Sure,” She thought. “I’ll go get the stick, even though this has to be the hundredth time today.”
She barked, and Kelly threw the stick. She had quite an arm for a ten year old girl, and the stick arced over Saba’s head, coming to rest about fifty yards away.
Saba took off after it, running for all she was worth, her paws struggling to find purchase in the wet snow. “Geez,” She thought. “Did you really have to throw it that far?”
Saba reached the stick, and, after picking it up in her mouth, turned, running back to Kelly.
She stopped in front of the girl, and dropped the stick at her feet.
Kelly bent down and picked up the stick. “Want it girl?” She asked, waving the stick.
“Again?” Saba thought. “Not really.”
Kelly raised her arm to throw the stick again, but her mother’s voice stopped her.
“Kelly?” Her mother called. “Honey come here for a minute.”
Kelly turned her head toward her mother and father, who were sitting on a hill about a hundred yards behind her. “Coming mother.” She knelt down beside her dog, and patted her on the head. “I’ll be back in a little bit girl. You stay here alright?”
Saba barked, and Kelly turned, running over to her parents.
“Finally,” Saba thought. “I get a rest.”
The small family had come out here, just a little ways outside of Nome, for the afternoon. Saba had been playing fetch the stick for about an hour now.
Saba looked around, and saw a small stream just down the hill to her right.
“I’ll be right back.” She thought. “I’m just going to go get a drink, that looks so good.”
Saba looked behind her to see Kelly talking to her parents. She was sitting beside them, so she’d probably be over there for a while. Saba decided she could return quickly enough, and walked down the hill, and to the small spring.
She had been right, the water was very good. Soon, she felt her strength return, and she was ready for an hour more of chasing the stick with Kelly. Little did she know that her destiny was fast approaching, and that her entire life was about to change. There would be no more chasing the stick today.

A group of four wolves was walking alongside the ridge on the other side of the spring that Saba was drinking from.
They were brown, all except one, who was black. He appeared to be the one in charge, and walked at the head of the small pack.
One of the wolves was a little larger than the other three, and he groaned. “Man Stripe, I’m so hungry I think I could eat a whole caribou by myself. What’s it been, three days?”
“That’s nothing new.” One of the others said. “You can always eat a caribou by yourself Chunky.”
The wolves all laughed.
“True.” The big wolf said again, “but this time it’s serious.”
The black wolf stopped walking, but remained silent.
“You know Stripe, I’m kind of hungry too. You think we’ll find food sometime soon?”
The black wolf laughed. ”I think I just did.”
“What?” Chunky asked. “Are you serious Stripe?”
The black wolf nodded. “Yeah, I’m serious. Look down there.”
The four wolves looked down at the bottom of the ridge.
“A dog?” One of the wolves asked.
“Hey,” Chunky said. “Beggars can’t be choosers. Dog is fine with me.”
Stripe laughed. “Chunky, everything’s alright with you.”
“So what’s the plan?” One of the brown wolves said.
“I say we surprise her, double up on her.” Stripe responded.
“You know, she’s kind of cute.” The fourth wolf said. “Can we play with her a little first Stripe?”
Stripe sighed. “No you can’t play with her Junas. Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to play with your food? She might get away from us. It’s more important that we eat.”
“Aw come on.” Junas said. “You know how long it’s been since I’ve…” Stripe cut him off. “No is no Junas.”
“Alright, Alright.” Junas said. “So we double up on her then?”
Stripe nodded. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
The wolves turned, and two of them headed down the ridge.

Saba had finished drinking, and pulled her head up. “It’s so beautiful out here.” She thought. “I wish I got to see it more. If only I had been a sled dog like…”
Her thoughts screeched to a halt and she sighed. Even now, four years later, the wound that her brother’s death had inflicted on her was extremely sensitive.
Saba was about to turn and walk back up the hill when she heard a growl from behind her.
She turned, and saw two wolves, one black, the other brown. They were crouched low and growling, showing their yellowed teeth.
“Who are…” Saba stopped as the wolves started to advance toward her. “What are you doing?” She asked.
The wolves didn’t respond.
Saba began to feel frightened and started backing up, keeping her eyes on the wolves.
She’d backed up about thirty feet when she heard more growling, this time from behind her.
Saba turned and saw two more wolves, both of these brown, advancing toward her from the rear. They were trying to box her in.
Saba began to feel genuine terror enter her body as she realized what the wolves meant to do.
“Please don’t!” She cried. “I… I don’t know how to fight! Please, just leave me alone!”
The black wolf grinned. “Get her.” He said.
The other three wolves jumped at Saba, and she ducked. The three wolves collided in mid air and fell in a heap to the ground.
Saba had never been in a real fight before, and other than puppy fighting with her siblings, had no idea how to defend herself.
The black wolf shook his head. “Can you guys not do anything right?” He walked toward her. “I’m sorry.” He said. “But we really need food.”
Saba shuddered.
The black wolf hit her in the face, and knocked Saba to the ground. She scrambled back to her feet. By this time the other three had also gotten up, and one of them jumped on her back. Saba felt his teeth tear into the side of her neck as he bit her.
Saba was shocked. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “They want to EAT ME!” Saba thought.
Some part of the wolf instinct in her kicked in then, and Saba threw her front paws in the air, wrapping them around her assailant and threw him off her back.
He hit the snow, and the next one ran at her, again from behind. This time, Saba kicked him as he jumped at her, and he also tumbled to the snow. She tried to do this again as the third attacked, but the wolf was ready for her response and instead of jumping at her, he shut his jaws on the middle of her back leg.
Saba screamed as she felt his teeth scrape bone.
The wolf wouldn’t let go, and Saba tried kicking her leg, but found that that only made the pain worse.
The wolf jerked his head sideways, and lifted Saba off the ground. While she was in the air, the wolf turned his head, turning Saba on her back. He didn’t let go of her leg as he did this, and his teeth tore a gash three inches deep around Saba’s leg. She screamed again, and the wolf let go of her, letting the momentum caused by the roll throw her to the ground.
As Saba hit the ground, she felt the breath whoosh out of her lungs. Her chest felt like it was on fire, and she couldn’t breathe.
The black wolf smiled, as she struggled to regain her footing. “Well I’m glad that at least one of you remembers what I taught you.”
He walked over to Saba, who was swaying a bit. The loss of blood was making her feel very light headed.
The black wolf stopped in front of her. Saba pulled back her paw, and with all the force she could muster, slapped the wolf across the face.
The blow had little power behind it, and it barely moved the wolves head, but it was sufficient enough to leave a pretty good scratch.
The wolf looked at her for a moment, then raised his paw, wiping it on the side of his face. He pulled it down and looked at it. There was a faint coat of blood on his paw. “Very good.” He said. “Now, like this.”
He popped his paw up, and caught Saba in the chin, popping her head up. The force of the blow was enough to lift her front legs off the ground.
Saba was already seeing stars, but when she dropped her head level again, the wolf hit her again, this time, straight in the face.
Saba felt herself hurled backward, and flipped over on her back, lading on the snow. Her vision went blurry as she bounced back up in the air, then it fragmented as she came down again, and bounced into the air a third time. Saba didn’t even feel herself hit the ground this time, as she slipped into comforting blackness.

A rough looking reddish dog was walking along a hillside, when he saw the wolves attacking the female dog.
“Can that be who I think it is?”” The dog thought.
He ran down the hill, and as the black wolf was about to finish her off, jumped, hitting the wolf in the shoulder and knocking him clear of the downed female.
The wolf quickly regained his feet. “You!” He said. “What are you doing here?”
The rough looking dog glared at the wolf. “I should ask you the same question Stripe. You know this is my territory.”
The other wolves walked over and stood next to their leader. “Yeah man,” one of them said. “We know, but… but we’re so hungry. We weren’t able to find anything to eat on our own.”
“So you’re reduced to murdering helpless dogs?” The rough dog said. “Not on my territory.”
“But…” Stripe started.
“I suggest you just leave.” The dog said. He waited, and when the wolves made no move to leave, added “now!”
The black wolf jumped a little, and the four of them turned, running away.
The dog waited for them to leave his sight, and when they had, looked down at the unconscious female at his feet. “Now let’s see if we can’t get you a little help. He said.
The dog lifted the severely injured female on his back, and began to walk away.

Saba slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She was quite surprised that she woke up at all. Her last memory was that of the wolves that had been trying to eat her.
She looked around her. Saba was in a cave. Other than that, she knew neither where she was or who had brought her here. She was near the entrance to the cave. She could see the snow outside, and thought of running toward it. Then she stopped. “If someone did rescue me I really ought to thank them.” She thought.
“Did someone rescue me?” She asked aloud. “Are you still here?”
“Well, look who’s awake.” A voice said from behind her.
Saba turned and gasped.
The red dog smiled, and walked toward her.
Saba started to tremble as the dog stopped in front of her. She stood, and raised her paw to her rescuer’s muzzle, feeling down his face. “It… it can’t…. you’re…” Saba had trouble finding the right words to express the multitude of emotions coursing through her. “You died. A… a long time ago. It… it can’t be you can it? She paused, almost unwilling to say the last word. “…Everest?”
The dog smiled and nodded.
Tears flooded Saba’s eyes as she continued to stare at her lost brother. She was at a loss for words, for words at that point seemed tremendously inadequate to express the feelings that were coursing through her. “…but… but… how… why… why didn’t you come back to us? I mean, if you’ve been alive all this time…”
Everest sighed. “This…this is going to be somewhat difficult to explain.”
Saba sat down. “Well… I’m listening.”
Everest sat down beside her. “I… I didn’t really know how to handle the feelings I had for you.”
“So you ran away?” Star asked. “You made us think you were dead? You know mom didn’t stop crying for a week?”
Everest sighed again. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been watching you, all of you actually.”
“Watching us?” Saba asked.
“Well you’re still my little sister.” Said Everest. “I still have to look out for you.”
Saba was quiet for a moment. “So… so you faked the whole thing?” She asked, hurt evident in her voice.
No,” Everest responded. “I really was attacked, actually by the same wolves who just attacked you, though they were younger then. They injured me fairly badly, and… and I made them think I was dead. Then I snuck away.”
“So why didn’t you come home?” Saba asked.
Everest sighed. “You remember what happened the last night I saw you?”
Saba nodded. “I’ll never forget.” She said softly.
Everest sighed again. “I could see where that was going, and that path is so dark I don’t even want to imagine it.” He paused. “Saba, I have no control when it comes to you; none whatsoever. My mind tells me no, screams it at me, and yet… I… I still go forward. I had to leave because I can’t control myself around you.”
“… but I can.” Saba said. “If you’ll just come back, we can be brother and sister, and that’s all.”
Everest smiled at her. “You’re lying to yourself Saba.” I can hear it in your voice, the want… the desire… the need. I feel it too. I feel it in the air. I don’t even know how to describe it… fire… electricity maybe? I don’t know, but I can’t give in to it. That’s why I didn’t come home. Because I knew that if I stayed around you… that eventually… I would.”
Saba said nothing for a few minutes.
When she finally spoke, her voice was shaky, and betrayed how hurt she’d felt by this last comment. “So… so you gave up your entire life, everything you had ever known… just to stay away from me?” The hurt tone was back in her voice. She dropped her head, and as she closed her eyes, Everest saw a single tear dribble down her soft face.
Everest sighed again. “Saba I love you more than you could ever possibly know, but that’s the problem. It’s wrong for me to love you like this. I wish I could just make my feelings… at least those, go away, but I can’t, so I had to separate you from me.”
Saba opened her eyes and sighed. “I’ve really missed you ya know.”
“I have too Saba,” Everest said, “believe me I have.” He raised his sister’s face with his paw until her eyes were staring into his. “At first I cried myself to sleep every night because I couldn’t be with you.” He paused. “It’s… it’s really good to see you.
Saba smiled. “It’s good to see you too Everest. You know, a lot of things have happened since you left us.”
“Really?” Everest said. “Like what? Tell me everything.”
A confused look came over Saba’s face. “I thought you said you’d been watching us.”
Everest sighed. “I was… did, for a little while, but then… seeing you, and knowing I couldn’t talk to you… it… it was just too much for me to bear.”
“Well, for starters, Aleu came back.” Saba said.
“Aleu? Really?” Everest asked.
Saba nodded. “Just about six months after you… after you left. She leads a wolf pack now. She met a real nice wolf named Shadow, and they have three kids.”
“I always thought Aleu was the leader of the bunch.” Everest said. “So mom and dad are grandparents. How did they take that?”
“Mom took it pretty well, but dad kind of struggled with it at first.” She paused. “Kodi is doing all right, he’s on the mail team now.”
“So he finally made it, huh?”
“More than made it,” Saba said. “He’s the leader.”
“What?” Everest asked. “Kodi, the lead dog of the mail team?”
Saba smiled. “I know, we didn’t see that one coming either. He met a husky named Dusty, also a member of the team, and the two of them had five pups about a year ago.”
“How’s Dingo doing these days?” Everest asked.
Saba sighed and the smile quickly evaporated from her face.
“Saba?” Everest asked.
“About two years ago… Dingo… Dingo was murdered.”
“WHAT?!” Everest cried, jumping to his feet. “HOW?!”
Saba sighed again. “There was a dog that was trying to get at dad, and he did it through murdering Dingo.”
“But why him?” Everest asked. “He was always the quiet one of us.”
“No one really knows…” Saba said. “No one witnessed the event so…” Her voice became inaudible then. “It… it was really hard for mom, he was the first of us to go, and… and Dingo was her first.”
Everest nodded. “He was, wasn’t he? I can’t believe it. I didn’t expect for any of us to be… gone yet.”
Saba just nodded.
It was silent for a few minutes, and then the smile came back to Saba’s face. “And you have brothers and sisters you don’t even know about.”
Everest sat back down beside his sister. “You mean mom and dad…”
Saba nodded. “The first were Melody and Dash. They both joined Aleu’s wolf pack, and have children of their own now. Then there was Blaize and…” Saba’s voice fell again. “…and Jadze.”
“Is something wrong?” Everest asked.
“Jadze was killed in a sledding accident when she was barely a year old.”
“Oh…” Everest asked. “How’d that happen?”
Saba sighed. “I don’t know. Dad said that there was this bad storm, and that he was pulling them too fast for the conditions… anyway, he didn’t see a tree until it was too late. He and the team jumped clear, but the sled hit it and rolled. The others got out of the way, but it rolled over Jadze and killed her.”
“I’m sorry.” Everest said.
“Dad was real tore up about it.” Saba continued. He blamed himself for her death. Even to this day he still doesn’t pull a sled.”
“What?” Everest asked. “Dad, not a sled dog, not a lead dog… that just doesn’t seem possible.”
Saba nodded. “In fact he doesn’t even live in the old trawler anymore. These days he flies. Oh, and then there’s….” Here Everest interrupted her. “Did you just say he flies?!”
She smiled. “Yeah, he was adopted by this pilot not too long ago, and dad flies with him to deliver supplies. Then there’s also Likea and Sheae. They’re mom and dad’s newest, ‘bout a year old now.”
It was silent again.
“Well,” Everest said, standing. “It sounds as if everyone is doing alright.”
Saba nodded. “Everyone but me.”
Everest sighed. “It’s been really nice to talk to you Saba, but you better get on home. Your family is probably worried sick about you by now.”
Saba nodded. “I’m sure they are.” Then as an afterthought she added. “You are coming with me, right?”
Everest sighed again. “Saba, I wish I could, but the reasons I left in the first place are still here. Like I said, it was really nice to get to talk to you, and to catch up a bit, but now I need you to leave, and you have to forget about me again. That’s the only way either of us can live normal peaceful lives. I’ve been fighting myself ever since I thought it might be you those wolves were attacking, and I’m fighting myself now. If we stay together... I’ll lose eventually.”
“…but…” Saba started, but Everest cut her off. “SABA DON’T DO THIS!” He yelled.
Saba took a few steps back from her brother, shocked to hear him yell at her.
“I’m sorry Saba.” Everest said. “I didn’t mean to yell… but you’ve got to realize that we can’t be together… ever.”
“But I can’t just forget about you, not now that I know you’re alive. You can’t ask me to do that.”
Everest sighed. “Alright, you don’t have to stay away from here. You can visit if you want, but Saba… don’t… don’t tell anyone else. I’m dead to them now… let’s just leave it that way, please?”
Saba nodded slowly. “Alright, I can do that for you.”
She sighed and turned, looking out the entrance to the small cave. “Where is Nome from here anyway?”
“It’s just over those hills.” Everest said.
Saba began to walk out of the cave.
Everest couldn’t help but notice the way she walked. Even somewhat beat up and limping slightly, she was still beautiful.
Saba stopped near the mouth of the cave, and turned.
Her deep blue eyes seemed to reach out and swallow Everest whole. Saba unconsciously stepped forward about three steps, until the two of them were extremely close, nose to nose.
It was Everest who kissed Saba this time though Saba’s actions had prompted it.
This wasn’t a brother-sister kiss, but the kiss of two passionate lovers who had been separated for a long time.
The kiss lasted almost three minutes, and then it stopped, just as unconsciously as it had begun.
Saba stepped back and smiled at him, then turned and walked slowly out of the cave. She paused again and turned toward her brother. “I’ll be back soon Everest. I promise.”
Then she finished walking out of the cave, and into the crisp night air.
Everest watched as she disappeared down the slope. “***** it!” He thought. “What the hell did I do that for?”
He sighed, and then he too left the small cave. He was hungry, and in the wild, if you were to eat, you had to hunt. So that’s what he did.




Chapter 3

Saba walked into town a little slowly. Since she’d left Everest back at the cave, her shoulder had started hurting a little more.
She’d had little trouble finding Nome. It was right over the hill, just as Everest had said. It was about a twenty minute walk back to his cave. Saba planned to visit him frequently. She wished that he’d come with her, but his reasons were valid. It would be pretty hard to explain his re-appearance to their parents.
Saba made her way to her home, which was right on Main Street.
As she entered the fenced yard, Kelly dropped her doll in the snow, and ran over to her. “SABA!” She cried. “You’re Alive!”
The girl wrapped her arms around Saba. “I thought I’d lost you!” The girl patted Saba on the head. “Where were you girl?” She smiled, and put her head on top of Saba’s. “I love you Saba. I don’t ever want to lose you.”
The girl turned as she heard the front door open up. Her mother stood in the doorway.
“Mom, look who came back!” Kelly yelled.
“That’s great sweetheart.” Her mother replied. “You need to come in for dinner though. Your father will be home soon, and I want everything to be ready. Come on now, I need help setting the table.”
“Alright mom.” Kelly said. She turned back to Saba, as her mother shut the door. “Don’t go anywhere girl. I’ll be back soon.” She petted Saba for a minute, then stood, and ran to the house.
Saba sighed. All of a sudden she felt very tired. Saba stood, and walked under the porch to her home. She laid down, and soon slipped into a peaceful sleep.

Saba opened her eyes, and blinked a few times. She was being shaken. She yawned and shook her head.
Jenna stood in front of her. “Saba, you’re alright!”
Saba was still half asleep, and nodded. “Yeah…” She said.
“I thought we’d lost you!” Jenna said, sitting beside her daughter. “What happened to you? Why did you wander off and leave poor Kelly?”
“I didn’t run off mom.” Saba said. “I just went down to this spring to get a drink, and I was attacked by a bunch of wolves.”
“WOLVES!” Her mother cried. “My goodness, are you okay?”
Saba nodded, and got up. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Knowing she couldn’t tell anyone about Everest, she’d already prepared a story to accommodate her absence.
“So what happened?” Jenna asked.
“I don’t know really.” Saba said. “The last thing I remember is the wolves attacking me. I thought I was dead, but I woke up alone. I don’t know what happened. I got up and started to find my way home. It took me a while to find Nome.”
“Are you hurt?” Jenna asked.
“Actually my shoulder hurts a little.” Saba said.
Jenna stepped around to her daughter’s side. “Well let me see.”
Jenna looked at her daughter’s shoulder. “My goodness!” She said. “That looks like it should hurt.” Then she saw Saba’s leg. “Oh Saba...” she said. “… that’s it, we’re going to see Doc, come on.”
Saba sighed. “Mom I’m fine, I don’t need to see…” Jenna cut her daughter off. “Don’t argue with your mother. Now come on, we’re going to get you checked out.”
Saba smiled. “Alright mom.” She crawled out from under the porch, and Jenna followed her. “See.” She said. “You’re not all right, you’re limping.”
“Mom you’re always worried about us. It’s not that bad.”
Jenna sighed. “Well it looks horrible.”
“How did you even know I was back?” Saba asked.
“Drake saw you limp into town.” Jenna answered. “He came and told me about an hour ago. I guess he’d been looking for me for a while, but I was in the old mill, talking to Gemini.”
Saba’s vision swam, and she stumbled. Her head started to throb.
“Saba!” Jenna cried, leaping to her daughter’s side. “Are you all right?”
Saba smiled. “Mom, stop worrying about me, it’s fine. My head hurts, that’s all.”
“Well we’re going to see Doc, now.” Jenna said. “We’ll let him decide if it’s fine or not.”
“Okay.” Saba said.
Mother and daughter walked out of the yard and hung a left, walking toward the hospital.

Saba sat on the doctor’s examining table. He was looking her over real good. “My goodness.” He said. “Looks like you got into quite a scuffle.”
The doctor took a q-tip and dipped it in a dish of clear liquid. Then he poked and prodded at the wounds on Saba’s neck and shoulder with it.
Saba didn’t know what the clear stuff was, but it t burned like crazy. She whined, and bit at the q-tip.
The doctor smiled and laid the q-tip on the table. “I know it burns.” He said. “…but it really will help. This stuff will keep it from getting infected, but I’m done with that, so you don’t need to worry about it anymore.
Saba sighed. “At least there’s that…” She thought.
“Now, let’s look at that leg.” Doc said. He gently laid Saba on her side, and picked up a small metal tool, which he poked around her leg with.
Saba winced in pain. This is the response Doc had been looking for. “Well, there doesn’t seem to be any nerve damage girl, so I guess you’ll be all right. The wounds on your neck and shoulder have closed over, and should head on their own. Your leg though… I think I’m going to go ahead and stitch that up.”
“Great.” Saba thought. “This ought to be fun.”
Doc opened a jar on top of the table, and extracted a small needle from it. Then he threaded a length of white string through it. He laid this on the table, and grabbed a small bottle on the shelf above the table. “This will help with the pain.” Doc explained, as he got a syringe from a drawer, and pulled some of the green liquid, from the bottle, into it. Then he stuck it in Saba’s leg.
She felt a little light headed, and then her leg stopped throbbing. “Wow,” she thought. “This stuff actually works.”
Saba looked behind her, to see that Doc was already stitching up her leg. It didn’t hurt at all, just tingled a little.
Soon, Doc cane to the end of the gash in her leg, and tied a tight knot in the end. Then he ran the needle under the new stitches, and over the top of them, looping it several times, so that the stitches wouldn’t come out. He then tied another knot at the end, and used a pair of scissors to cut the string. “All right.” He said. “Now I don’t want you to mess with this, so I’m going to go ahead and cover it up.
Doc grabbed a roll of gauze, and wrapped it around her leg, then he covered the gauze with a roll of white bandage. “There we are.” Doc said, stepping back to look over his work. “That ought to fix you up.”
Doc picked Saba up and sat her on the floor. “You can leave now, I’ll call your owners and let them know when they can come in to have the stitches removed.
Doc walked out of the room, and into the office portion of the hospital, where he picked up a phone, and dialed the number to Saba’s house.
“Satisfied?” Saba asked her mother.
“Yes I am.” Jenna said. “Now you need to get some rest. I’ll come see you later on, just to check up on your, make sure you’re doing okay. You know you don’t have wait for me to tell you to come here. If you start feeling bad, come back. I’m sure Doc will help you out. He’s never let us dogs down before.”
Saba sighed. “Mom I’m an adult now. You really don’t need to tell me all this.”
“You’re my daughter Saba.” Jenna said. “No matter how old you are, that will never change. Now like I said, I’ll be by to check on you later.”
“Alright.” Saba said. “I’m really tired. I’m going to go to sleep.”
“Okay,” Jenna said. “You do that.”
“I love you mom.” Saba said.
“I love you too Saba.” Jenna replied. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”
Jenna walked out of the hospital, and headed back to her own home. Saba left as well, but in the opposite direction, headed for Kelly’s house, and some much needed sleep.



Chapter 4

Jenna was walking quickly down the sidewalk, away from Kelly’s house. She continued down Main Street, and turned left, walking toward Luke’s home, where Balto would be.
“Hopefully...” Jenna thought. “I hope he’s there. I really need to talk to him.”
Jenna kept walking for another ten minutes before Luke’s cabin came into view at the end of the street.
Much to Jenna’s delight, Balto was sleeping on the porch. She ran through the gate, and jumped up beside him, neglecting the stairs.
The sound of her landing beside him was enough to roust Balto awake. He yawned and smiled. “Hey Jen.”
Jenna smiled, but her tone was forced. “Hey Balto.”
Balto rolled over on his side and stood up. “Is something wrong Jen? You don’t sound too happy.”
Jenna sighed. “Have you heard about Saba?”
Balto yawned again and nodded. “Yeah, Drake came by here after he left your home.”
“So what are you doing here asleep?” Jenna asked.
Balto smiled and patted her head with his paw. “I figured you’d probably handle it a lot better on your own than with me getting in the way. I was planning on stopping by later and checking on her.” He paused and closed his eyes.. “So how is she?”
Jenna sighed again. “She was hurt pretty bad. I took her to Doc and he stitched up her leg.”
Balto’s eyes snapped open. “Stitches?” He asked.
Jenna nodded. “She said she was attacked by wolves.”
“Wolves?” Balto said. “That’s not natural. Wolves usually leave us… you dog’s alone.”
Jenna smiled at him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Balto, it is us. You’re a dog too.”
Balto smiled. “Yeah, I suppose.”
Jenna sighed again.
“Is there more?” Balto asked. “You seem more than worried.”
“I don’t know…” Jenna said. “I don’t… I don’t really believe her story.”
“What do you mean?” Balto asked.
Jenna sat down. “Well, the part about the wolves I believe. She was cut up pretty bad… but… but after that she says she doesn’t remember anything else. That she just woke up in a field, and then she started home. She says she got lost, and that’s why it took so long… but… but she doesn’t look like she was out in the woods for several days. She looks cared for… and her wounds did too….” Jenna’s voice trailed off.
“So what do you think happened?” Balto asked.
“I don’t’ know.” Jenna responded. “…but I don’t like the thought of our daughter hiding things from us… I mean… what’s there to hide?” “So what do you think we should do?” Balto asked.
Jenna sighed. “Well at this point… nothing I guess… I mean… I don’t really know anything for certain.”
“All right.” Balto said. “Tell you what. When I stop by to see her later I’ll talk to her. Okay?”
Jenna nodded and snuggled up close to Balto. “I’m just worried about her. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Balto smiled. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He said.
“You’re probably right.” Said Jenna. “I’m just overreacting.” She stood up, and walked to the edge of the porch. “I told Dixie and Sylvie that I would meet them in the boiler room in about ten minutes, so I better go, or I’m going to be late. Thanks for listening Balto.”
“Always.” Balto said. “You know that.”
She smiled. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
“I’ll be here.” Balto said. “Those last flights tired me out. I’m going to catch up on some sleep.”
Jenna smiled and ran down the porch, and out the gate.
Balto smiled, and laid back on the porch. He put his head on his paws and closed his eyes. Soon, Balto was back asleep.

Balto woke up about five hours later. The sun was up, and it was a new day. He got up and stretched.
He padded into the house, where Luke had laid out some food for him.
After he had eaten, Balto walked down the porch steps, and left his yard, walking toward Main Street.

Balto rounded the corner, and started walking up the sidewalk. “Not many people out today.” Balto thought. “…must be too cold.”
Balto had gone about halfway up Main Street, when a voice stopped him.
“Hey dad!”
Balto turned. There was a sled across the street, and hooked to the front of it was his son, Kodi.
Balto smiled and, after looking to make sure there were no cars coming, walked across the road.
“What’s up Kodi?” Balto asked. “Good run?”
Kodi shrugged. “I guess, not our best though.”
“Well you’re on time.” Balto said.
Kodi smiled. “Yeah, I guess that’s all that really matters.”
“So how are you and Dusty getting along?” Balto asked.
Kodi sighed. “It’s… It’s getting better. I love her and she loves me, so… I guess it’ll work out… I still… I still can’t believe it actually happened.”
Balto sighed. “I know how you feel… well, I guess more like how she feels.”
“What about you and mom?” Kodi asked.
Balto smiled. “We’ve never been happier. I…” Balto sighed. “I really thought I’d lost her that time.”
Kodi nodded, but other than that, it was silent for a little while.
Finally Kodi smiled. “So what brings the old man out today?”
“Hey!” Balto said, smiling. “You’re not so young yourself anymore you know.”
Kodi sighed. “Yeah I know.”
Balto smiled. “Well, I’m actually on my way to see your sister.”
“Which one?” Kodi asked.
“Saba.” Balto replied. “I guess she got back late last night.”
“Is she alright?” Kodi asked.
“Well I haven’t seen her yet, but your mother said she was hurt pretty badly. Not anything life threatening, but it sounds as if she might be feeling it for a little while.”
“Well tell her I said to get to feeling better.” Kodi said.
“Why don’t you just come with me?” Balto asked.
Kodi smiled. “Can’t, I’ve got to head back out in a few minutes.”
“Back to back runs?” Balto asked.
Kodi sighed. “Yeah, at least for today.”
“Well don’t work too hard.” Balto said.
Kodi smiled. “Does that sound like me?”
“Actually it does.” Balto said.
Kodi laughed. “Yeah, I guess I do have a tendency to overdo things a bit.”
Balto laughed. “Well I’m going to go check on your sister. It was good talking to you Kodi, and good luck on your run.”
“It was good talking to you too dad, and thanks.”
Balto turned and walked away from the post office. His daughter’s home wasn’t far from here.

“That was strange.” Saba thought, as she sat down on the porch. Her father was walking out of the yard. She was glad that he’d come down to see her, but… his visit made her feel uneasy. He’d asked her some strange questions about what had happened. “Does he know?” Saba thought. “No, no of course he doesn’t. He couldn’t… could he? No, surely he’d of said something…”
Saba was really uneasy. “I need to talk to Everest.” She thought. Saba stood up, and walked down the porch steps, and out of her yard. She turned right on Main Street, and made her way out of town, making certain she wasn’t being followed.













Chapter 5

Everest was walking back to the cave; his home. He’d grown qui accustomed to the life of a wild animal. In many ways he’d grown to love it. There was no one to tell him what to do, or when to do it, and very little problems reared their ugly heads in his life. Of course, that also meant that he had few, if any, friends.
He’d befriended a wolf when he’d first decided to stay out here, and in fact, this was her cave… was. She was killed by a group of hunters about a year ago. She and Everest had grown close. In fact, she was pregnant when she’d been killed.
This fact was part of the reason that Saba’s return to his life was so hard for him. After Traci’s death Everest had sworn to himself that he would never fall in love again. It hurt so bad to lose Traci… Everest just didn’t think he could do it again.
As he entered the cave, Everest turned and dropped the three rabbits he’d managed to catch on the floor.
“Hey Everest.”
Everest turned at the sound of this familiar voice.
Saba was standing behind him. “Back so soon?” He said.
Saba smiled. “Yeah… well…” She paused. “Should I really tell him?” She thought. “It actually might not be such a good idea… if he thinks mom suspects something…” The thought of losing her brother again didn’t appeal much to her. “… I just had to see you.” She said.
“Are you sure there isn’t something else?” Everest asked. “You sound worried.”
Saba smiled. “No… there’s nothing else… I just missed you… that’s all.”
Everest smiled. “Well as long as you’re here, you might as well eat something,” He indicated the rabbits. “Hungry?”
“Sure.” Saba said.
The two of them ate the rabbits for a filling dinner, and then stepped outside the cave.
They’d been sitting there for some time, when Saba laid down, and pulled Everest down beside her.
She was staring at the sky.
The northern lights whipped back and forth across the sky. Their light made the moon look like some giant pearl, and the stars, diamonds surrounding it.
“It’s so beautiful.” Saba said.
“Yeah it is.” Everest responded.
Saba sighed. “I wish I could just move out here with you… and we could be together like this always.”
“You can’t do that.” Everest said. “You have a family… and besides… if the other dogs ever found out, we’d still be in a world of trouble. We still have to answer to the law… even out here.”
“I know.” Saba said. “It’s just a wish… that’s all.” She leaned over and snuggled up against her brother.
It was strange to Everest, but somehow this just felt right. Saba laying beside him like this.
She looked up again, and that’s when it happened again. Against all his mind was screaming at him. Everest kissed her.
This one lasted longer than the last, and Everest could feel her paw on his shoulder.
When the kiss ended, Saba pulled back her head and smiled at him. Then she laid her head on his shoulder. “Good-night Everest.”
She closed her eyes, and quickly drifted to sleep.
Everest watched her for a moment. Her breathing evened out, and he could feel the rise and fall of her chest against his.
Everest still found it hard to believe she was here with him. They’d been separated for so long, and he’d tried so hard to forget her. But she was very much here now, and like it or not, it appeared she was here to stay.
Everest smiled, and laid his head down on top of hers. Soon he too was fast asleep.

Everest opened his eyes and sat up. The morning sun was blazing, and nearly blinded him. Everest yawned and looked around.
Saba was gone.
He stood up. “Saba?” He said. Everest waited for a reply, and when there was none, he walked into the cave.
She wasn’t there either. Everest started to get worried. It wasn’t like her too leave without saying goodbye. He looked around the cave for her for a bit more, before he found a freshly killed rabbit on the floor of the cave, just inside the entrance.
“She caught me breakfast.” He thought to himself. “At least she’s okay.”
Everest sat down and made a fine meal out of the rabbit, and then, feeling tired, he walked back to the back of the cave, retreating from the light outside.
Once he’d found a suitably dark place, he laid down and soon was back asleep.

Saba had thoroughly enjoyed herself the night before. She felt complete by her brother’s side. Though she knew it was wrong… it fell too right.
She was currently walking into town. Saba was trying not too look suspicious, but was trying to sneak in unnoticed as well.
As she thought she had accomplished her task, her mother’s voice stopped her.
“Saba?”
Saba sighed to herself and turned, smiling. “Oh mom, how are you doing?”
“Her mother didn’t look that happy to see her. “Does she know?” Saba thought. Was I followed last night?”
Her mother sighed. “I’m doing fine. Where were you for the past day?”
“I just… uh… needed to get out and be by myself for a while.” Saba stammered.
“You know that Kelly was worried sick about you? You can’t just run off like that.”
Saba sighed. “I know; I’m sorry mother.”
Jenna stepped up next to her daughter, a confused, yet suspicious look on her face; like a detective that knows the villain has committed a crime, but doesn’t have the evidence to prove it yet. This look made Saba feel extremely uneasy.
“What’s been up with you lately Saba?” Jenna asked. “You haven’t been yourself since you were attacked by those wolves. Is something wrong?”
Saba smiled and put on her best innocent face. “No, nothing’s wrong.” She said. “In fact, In fact, everything’s never been better.” “Well at least that’s true.” Saba thought.
She hated having to lie to everyone, but if that’s what it took to stay with Everest, that’s what she’d do. “What else might I do?” She thought. “What else might I have to do?” This thought made her feel even more uneasy than before. If someone discovered Everest, they’d ruin everything, and if someone tried to kill him?
“I will not let that happen.” Saba vowed to herself. “As long as there is a breath in my body I will not lose him again.”
Jenna still had the confused look on her face. “Saba? Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?”
“Yea… yeah.” Saba replied. “Why would you ask that?”
Jenna sighed. “Saba, you were just staring at a fence for about five minutes. You know you can talk to me about anything… right?”
“Of course.” Saba said. “You’re the
firstone I’d come to if I did have any problems.”
Saba felt a pang of guilt. “This lying thing is getting easier and easier. I’m lying to Everest, and now mom too ”
“Well,” Saba said. “I think I’m going to go home and see Kelly. I’ll see you later mom.”
“Yeah…” Jenna said. “Later…”
As her daughter walked away, Jenna’s mind was spinning. “What’s wrong with you Saba. Something is wrong with my baby, and I will find out what it is.”
Jenna sighed, and turned, resuming her walk into town

As Jenna was walking down the street, she saw Balto walking up the opposite side.
She smiled. “Hey Balto!” She yelled.
Balto stopped walking and looked around, trying to tell where the voice had come from. He turned and looked down the alley to his left.
“Over here!” She yelled again.
Balto turned around and smiled as he saw her.
Jenna made sure there were no cars coming, and ran across the street.

“Hey Jen,” Balto said. “Whatcha up to?”
“Actually I was looking for you.” Replied Jenna.
“What is it now?” Balto asked.
“Balto,” Jenna said, feigning to hurt. “Do I need a reason to come and see you?”
Balto smiled. “No, of course not, but you usually do, and I can tell there’s something on your mind.”
Jenna sighed. “Yeah… yeah there is.” She paused. “Saba wandered off last night.”
“What?” Balto asked. “That’s not like her.”
Jenna shook her head. “No, I know. I met her about an hour ago, and she was just returning. She said she had to get out and be by herself for a while… but Kelly was worried sick about her. It’s not like her just to leave like that.. or at all for that matter. There’s something going on Balto. I don’t know what yet, but…” Her voice trailed off.
Balto smiled. “Jen, I think she’s fine. At least she’s happy. You remember what she was like not too long ago. When her… when we lost Everest.”
Jenna sighed. “Yeah…”
“I mean,” Balto continued. “I’d rather see her happy and not know why as to see her like she was then.”
Jenna nodded. “I guess so. I just don’t like her keeping things from us.”
Balto smiled and Jenna laid her head on Balto’s shoulder, as they walked down the sidewalk. “We are her parents, that’s true… but she’s an adult now. She takes care of her own problems. She doesn’t have to tell us about them anymore.”
Jenna sighed and looked up at him, a single tear in her eye. “I’m really worried about her Balto.”
Balto smiled, and leaned against her. “She’ll be fine Jenna. She’s a good kid, and I trust her.”
Jenna waited a moment for her eyes to clear, and then resumed the conversation, changing topics. “So where were you? I went to Luke’s house, but neither of you were there.”
Balto sighed. “I was looking for him.”
“For who?” Jenna asked.
“For Luke.” Balto said. “He didn’t come home last night.”
“That’s unusual.” Jenna said.
“You’re telling me.” Balto said. “I spent last night under the porch ‘cause the window was closed.”
“Hmm.” Jenna said. “Well I hope he’s alright.”
“I know.” Balto said. “Me too.”
Just then, a familiar voice caught their attention.
“Hey boy!”
Balto and Jenna turned to see Luke standing half in-half out of the bar on Main Street.
Jenna smiled. “Well, it looks like you found him, and he looks well enough.”
Balto smiled. “Yeah.”
“Well I’m going to let you go.” Jenna said. “I’ve got to get along to Rosie. No telling what trouble she’s in without me.”
Balto smiled. “Bye Jen.”
Jenna returned his smile. “See ya Balto.”
She kept walking, as Balto turned around, and ran to Luke.
Luke walked into the Bar, and Balto followed.
Luke turned to an older man who was standing by the door, washing the window. “Hey Ralph, it alright if I bring my dog in here?”
The man smiled. “Sure, just watch ‘im, so’s he don’t make a mess.”
Luke smiled. “I will, thanks Ralph.”
The man went back washing his window. Balto followed Luke over to the corner, were a tall table and four tall barstools sat.
Luke sat on one of the stools, and patted the seat beside him. “Come on up boy. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Balto jumped up and sat down on the barstool, and Luke patted his head.
A few minutes later, a young woman walked over to the table, a tray of drinks on her arm. She was of medium height, and was a fairly average looking person. Nothing really stood out about her, good or bad. She had blue eyes, and a vibrant blonde shade of hair.
“Draft if I remember correctly.” The woman said.
Luke smiled. “Yep, that’s me.”
The woman sat the drinks on the table, and Luke stood up, and hugged the woman. Then the two sat down next to each other. Both of them grabbed a glass from the tray.
“Balto, this is Mary.” Luke said. “Mary, this is Balto; my dog.”
Mary reached down and scratched the top of Balto’s head, right between his ears. She had a very soft touch, and Balto started wagging his tail, which thumped against Luke’s leg.
Luke smiled. “Easy there boy.” He said, turning the stool a bit, so that Balto could wag his tail and not hit him. Luke turned back to Mary. “Seems like he likes you.”
“So you’re the one that saved the whole town huh?” Mary said.
“Yep, he sure is.” Luke said. “Did us all proud didn’t you boy.”
“You uh… talk to your dog?” Mary asked.
“Yeah… Luke said. He laughed. “I know it sounds crazy, but I swear sometimes it seems like he can understand me.”
Mary smiled back at him. “Well, dogs are very smart, maybe he does.”
Mary stopped petting Balto, and out her hand on Luke’s shoulder. “I’d better get back to serving drinks. Might lose my job if I don’t.”
“Oh come on.” Luke sid. “Your dad owns the Bar. Surely he wouldn’t fire his won daughter.”
Mary smiled. “You obviously don’t know my father. It was nice talking to you though, and I enjoyed last night. I hope we can do it again sometime?” This last was obviously a question.
“Well yeah… of course we will.” Luke said.
Mary stood and picked up the tray with one hand, the other she put on Luke’s shoulder “I look forward to it.” She said.
She winked at Luke, and walked away. Luke watched her, but his hand dropped to Balto’s head. Luke scratched him behind the ears.
“I tell you there’s nothing like that feeling boy.” Luke said, still watching Mary. “,,,,not even flying.”
He smiled, and looked down at Balto. “…but you know all about that, don’t you boy? I know about that little red husky you’re always around. What’s her name, Jenna? You two seem pretty close.”
Balto barked at him, and Luke laughed. “Can take that as a yes?”
Luke drank the glass of beer down about half-way, and sat it back on the table. “Sorry about last night boy.” He said. Luke looked behind him a serving the other customers as he finished. “…but sometimes a man has take care of things.”
“Luke drank a little more of his beer, and sat it back on the table. “You’re probably wanting to get home, huh boy? I just remembered I shut the window before I left, so you probably spent last night outside.”
Balto barked again.
Luke laughed. “I swear boy, sometimes it really does seem like you understand me. Luke finished that beer, and sat it on the counter. “Guess I’m going to have to watch telling the girls that though, eh boy?”
Luke stood up. “Come on boy, lets go home. I didn’t get much sleep last night either. We could both use a nap.”
Balto followed Luke as he left the bar.

Chapter 6

Saba had spent an inordinate amount of time with Everest lately.
She’d been with him for five days now, and he was worried that her family, meaning Balto and Jenna, might come looking for her.
The two of them had remained together this entire time, never leaving one another’s side, except for when Everest went hunting so the two of them could eat. When he did that, she stayed at the cave, but was always waiting there on his return. He was coming back from one of his hunting trips now. It had been a good one, and he had three rabbits hanging from his mouth. They’d be enough for a decent dinner anyway.
As he walked into the cave, something felt different. He didn’t know what it was, but something was definitely up. Saba was smiling, but it was different somehow.
“Hey Everest, drop the food over there, and come here for a minute.”
He dropped the rabbits in the corner, and walked over to her. “What’s…” He didn’t finish his sentence, as Saba kissed him. This also was not out of the ordinary, but the way she did it was. She pressed hard against his muzzle, and stepped very close to him.
“Oh god.” Everest thought. “Tonight’s the night I’ve feared for so long…”
He’d been looking for this to happen, and indeed even prepared for what he’d have to do, and say, were this situation to happen. But all the words seemed to make little sense to him now.
He kissed her back. She tasted sweet, almost like sugar.
Everest felt an overwhelming desire to do the one thing that he hadn’t ever wanted… well, who are we kidding? He’d wanted it forever, but he’d known he shouldn’t do.
After almost six minutes, their muzzles parted, and Saba smiled at him, seeming to know what he was thinking. “Probably because it’s what she’s thinking too.” Everest thought.
Saba laid down on the cave floor and looked up at him, her blue eyes beckoning him to join her.
Everest laid on the floor too, and kissed her again, this time though, after about a minute, she rolled over on her stomach, and Everest stood over her. She looked back up at him, but didn’t say a word.
She didn’t have to.
Everest lowered himself down on top of her. She yelped. It was a cry of pain, but somehow Everest knew that was a good thing. He put his paws on her shoulders.
Everest lost all sense of time and place. Even the law they were breaking blurred and fragmented in this moment, this fulfillment of their most secret dreams. .It was a feeling that cannot be described, only experienced.
As the moment ended, Everest fell to the side on the floor, panting. Both of them were short of breath.
Everest neither thought about, nor cared about what they’d just done. Not now, now there was only the moment, he and Saba.
She rolled over on her side, and smiled at Everest. “I… I... love... you.” She said, still short of breath.
“I… I love you… too… Saba,” Everest said.
He pulled her close, and soon the two were
asleep, cuddled up next to one another.
Neither of them knew then how much this single event would impact and alter either their lives, or the lives of those they knew and trusted most.

The following morning, it was Saba who awoke first. She had never felt so good in her life. The fact of what they’d done the night prior had yet to sink in completely.
She looked down at Everest who was sleeping soundly. Saba smiled, and kissed him gently on the muzzle,. Saba nestled her head against his shoulder for a minute, then a thought occurred to her.
She got up, and quietly left the cave, so as to not wake Everest.

It was sometime later that Everest finally woke up. He and Saba’s interaction the night before rushed back to him immediately. “What have I done?” Everest thought.
“Hey.” A voice from behind him said.
Everest turned, and saw Saba standing there. She was quite possibly the happiest he had ever seen her. It radiated from her like some kind of spotlight in a darkened sky.
Everest stood up. “I guess I better go find breakfast.” He stretched and yawned.
Saba grinned, and walked over to him. “You’re not going anywhere.” She said. “I was up a lot earlier than you, and look.”
She tossed her head toward the back of the chamber, and Everest looked. There were four trout on the cave floor
“You caught trout?” Everest asked, surprised.
Saba smiled. “There’s as much wolf in me as in you ya know?”
Everest smiled back at her. “I guess so.”
Saba and Everest made breakfast out of the trout, and then, as they were finishing eating, Saba stood up, and laid down beside her brother, putting her paw on his back.
Everest sighed. “Saba… we need to talk.”
“About last night?” Saba asked.
Everest nodded. “Saba, what happened last night can never happen again.”
Saba sighed. “I know.” She said. Then she smiled again. “…but the one time it did was so wonderful… I can’t even begin to find the words to describe it.”
“I agree, but you do understand what I said? We could be killed for what happened between us.”
Saba nodded, and stood. “I’m going to head back to town. Kelly has got to be worried about me by now.”
Everest nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. You do know you can’t tell anyone about last night.”
Saba nodded. “Of course.”
Everest stood as well. “I mean it Saba, no one, not your friends, and certainly not mom or dad.”
Saba smiled. “I said I know, I’m not stupid you know.” She kissed him lightly. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
Everest nodded. “Good-bye Saba.”
“Take care of yourself Everest.” Saba replied. Then she turned, and left the cave.

As Saba walked into her yard, she saw Jenna lying on the porch. “Oh great…” She thought.
When Jenna saw her, she jumped up and ran over to her daughter.
“Saba!” She said. “I was so worried about you, where have you been?!”
Saba smiled. “I just left for a bit, that’s all.”
Jenna frowned at her. “Saba, these absences of yours are really hard on Kelly. Your girl loves you very much, and she gets extremely worried when you’re gone. Heck, even I thought something had happened to you this time. You can’t keep disappearing like this. This is what, the fifth time?”
Jenna stopped talking as she realized how happy her daughter looked. “Saba, are you alright?”
Saba smiled, and nodded. “I’ve never felt better mom.” She said, and it was the truth.
Jenna sighed. “Well I’m glad you’re home. You really ought to go in and spend some time with Kelly, and think about telling someone where you’re going next time, so we don’t have to sit here and worry about you.”
“Alright.” Saba said.
“Take care of yourself Saba.” Jenna said. Then she turned and ran out of the yard.
“Mom sure is acting strange.” Saba thought. “Does she suspect something?”
The fact that she didn’t quite know the answer to this question filled her with unease, but that was soon overwhelmed by the ecstatic joy she’d felt before. She ran up the steps, and ducked through the doggy door.

Jenna ran straight to Luke’s cabin, never stopping along the way. When she reached the cabin, she didn’t even scratch on the door, but ran straight to the window, and jumped in.
Hearing the sound of her unannounced entrance, Balto ran into the kitchen, ready to defend his home. He was greatly relieved when he found it was only Jenna. “Jen!” He said. “I’m glad it’s just you, I though someone had broken into the house.
He stopped talking as he noticed tears in Jenna’s eyes. “What’s wrong Jen?”
She sighed. “Oh Balto, something is going on, I know it now!”
“Is this about Saba again?” Balto asked.
Jenna nodded. “She just got back, and she looks extremely happy, almost giddy.”
Balto laughed. “Well I hardly see that as reason for tears, what’s up?”
“Balto, I know that look. I know because… because I’ve had it too.”
Balto thought for a moment. “Oh!” He said suddenly. “You mean you think….”
Jenna nodded. “Yes!”
Balto smiled. “That would explain her absences, now wouldn’t it.”
Jenna nodded. “I’m worried about her Balto. Why doesn’t she tell us about him?”
Balto sighed. “Jen, I told you before…. Saba is an adult now. She doesn’t have to tell us. I’m sure she has her reasons.”
Jenna sighed. “I still don’t like it.”
Balto smiled and nuzzled her. “There now Jen, you don’t need to get all hysterical about it, I’m sure she’s perfectly fine. We should be happy for her.”
Jenna sniffled. “Yeah… yeah, I guess you’re right. I guess… I guess it’s just a mother’s instinct to worry about her child.”
Balto smiled. “At least you care enough to worry about her.”
Jenna smiled. “Yeah…”
“Come on Jen, let’s take a walk,” Balto said.
Jenna nodded, and the two exited the house.

A little over a week later, Saba had woken up feeling awful. She managed to eat breakfast, and then wandered out into the yard. If anything, eating had worsened her condition. She felt extremely sick, and threw up on the ground. Kelly had come out to see her, and she saw Saba throw up. Kelly had run back inside, and got her parents. By the time they’d come outside, Saba had thrown up again, and was lying on the porch. Now, she was sitting in the hospital, awaiting Doc’s diagnosis.
Doc walked back in with a smile on his face. He walked over to Kelly, who was extremely worried about her dog. “What’s wrong with Saba?” Kelly asked in her innocent little voice.
The doctor laughed. “Nothing is wrong with her.”
“Then why’d she get sick?” Kelly asked, petting Saba’s head.
The doctor smiled and looked at Kelly’s parents, who stood behind their daughter, almost as if asking permission.
Her mother smiled, and nodded.
Doc turned his attention back to the girl in front of him. “A miracle has happened my dear. Saba is going to have puppies.”
Saba’s mouth almost fell open. “WHAT?” She thought.

A few months later it was beginning to be apparent that Saba was not herself. She knew that she had to tell her parents something, before they started asking questions that she didn’t want to answer.
Saba had gathered everyone in the old mill, and stood before them.
“So why the meeting?” Kodi asked, snuggling up close to Dusty.
“Guys… I have some exciting news to tell you… I’m going to have puppies soon.”
Jenna’s face split into the widest smile Saba had ever seen, She turned to Balto. “You see? I told you she wasn’t acting normal.”
Her family gathered around her, wishing her and her new family well. It was Balto who asked the fatal question. “So where’s the father?”
Saba sighed. She knew she couldn’t tell them the truth. “He… uh… he’s not here.”
Everyone pulled back.
“Why?” Jenna asked. “Where is he?”
Saba sighed. “This is… this is actually kind of embarrassing… he’s a sled dog, and he won’t be around anymore… he had to leave.”
“Oh…” Jenna said.
Everyone gathered around Saba again, all talking at once, all extremely happy for Saba… except one.
Jenna had a very confused look on her face, and walked out of the room.
Saba noticed this. She looked at her father, and he smiled. “Don’t worry about your mother. I’m sure she’s happy for you too. She’ll come around.”
Saba sighed. “No she won’t…” She thought. “She suspects…”

It was a little more than a week later, and Jenna was on her way to talk to Balto. She stopped walking as she saw Saba slip under the back fence, and look around, then, satisfied no one had seen her, she walked as quickly as her condition would allow toward the edge of town.
Jenna watched as she disappeared from sight. “It’s time to get to the bottom of this.” Jenna thought. “…and I know exactly who to talk to.”
She turned around, and started walking the way she’d come.

Saba was again climbing the hill to the cave that Everest lived in. She had some wonderful, yet terrible news. “I wonder how Everest is going to take this?” She thought.
Saba looked up the hill, and saw Everest walking into the cave. “I guess I’ll find out soon enough.”

A few moments later, Saba stood outside the cave. She stuck her head inside. “Everest?”
A few minutes later, Everest walked into view. “Saba?” He asked. “How are you? Haven’t seen you in a while.”
Saba nodded. “Everest… we need to talk.”
“Come inside then.” Everest said. Saba followed him into the cave a little ways, and then sat down. Everest stood in front of her. “So what is it?”
Saba sighed. “Everest, I got sick a few months ago, I felt really bad, and… and Kelly and her parents took me to see Doc, and…” A tear came to Saba’s eye, and she looked away from him.
“What Saba?” Everest asked.
“Everest…” Saba paused and looked back at him, at his beautiful blue eyes. “…I’m pregnant.”
“Great!” Everest said, clearing not getting the point. “So who’s the father?”
Saba sighed. “You are.”
The smile disappeared from his face. “Oh…”
Saba sighed. “I… I never meant for this to happen.”
Everest sat down rather hard. “I… I didn’t either.”
Saba looked back up at him. “Oh Everest, what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Everest said. “I can’t let mom and dad know that I’m alive, and they certainly can’t learn of… of us.”
Saba nodded. “Agreed.” She sighed. “Maybe… maybe I can live with you?”
Everest shook his head. “No, you can’t leave Kelly and your family… come up with something to tell them, but you have to remain in Nome, and you must not ever reveal the fact that I’m the father.”
Saba nodded and sighed. “I already did.
Everest nodded. “That was good thinking.”
It was quiet for a long period after this.
I’m really tired, mind if I crash here tonight?”
Everest smiled. “Of course not.”
Saba smiled. “I love you Everest.”
Everest sighed, and kissed her.
“I love you too Saba.”
Saba laid down, and must’ve been really tired, because it wasn’t long at all until she was asleep.
Everest walked out of the cave, and looked up at the sky. Then he glanced back at the cave, where he could see Saba sleeping.
“*****!” He thought. “Everest my boy, how are you going to get out of this one?”

Drake was at a loss for words. He stumbled rather than walked back to his home. “What am I going to do about this?” He thought.
Jenna had come to him earlier that afternoon, and told him that she was extremely worried about Saba. Jenna had just seen Saba sneak out, and Jenna wanted Drake to follow her. At first Drake had refused, saying what Saba did was her business, but as Jenna continued, he could tell that she truly was worried about her daughter. “Jenna is hardly ever wrong.” Drake thought.
Drake had agreed, and had picked up Saba’s trail easy enough. He followed it to a cave about twenty minutes from Nome. There Saba had met with a wolf, and Drake had felt like he was intruding, and indeed, almost left. Then… he recognized the wolf… or dog.
Drake and Jenna had, at one time, been very close, so it naturally followed that he was a good friend of the family. Balto’s pups even called him “Uncle Drake.” That was another part of what made Drake’s choice so difficult.
The wolf was Balto’s lost son, Everest. Everyone, even his parents had thought that Everest had died four years ago… apparently this wasn’t true. That in itself wasn’t bad, the bad part came when he… when he kissed Saba.
Drake could tell that this wasn’t a friendly “happy to see you” peck on the cheek either.
Suddenly, it all made sense. Jenna had been right. Saba had lied to all of them when she told them that the father of her pups had run away. Drake would bet his life on the fact that Everest was the father.
His position as a friend of the family put him in a difficult position. Drake was the keeper of the law among the dogs in Nome, and what Everest and Saba had done was wrong, and there were very specific and unforgiving punishments for this… but… but this was Saba. He’d watched her grow up, had even comforted her when she missed her brother so badly she’d cry herself to sleep at night. He’d played with her, and taught her… heck, it almost felt like Saba was his own… but the law was the law, and had very specific guidelines that had been broken. Drake couldn’t let his personal feelings get in the way of carrying out his job.
He sighed. “Saba, why?”





Chapter 7

Drake was standing outside the fence that circled Saba’s yard. He expected her to return today. As if to prove his prediction, Saba rounded the corner, and walked toward him.
Drake started toward her, and met her half way. “Saba, step into this alley for a minute.” It was a command, not a question, and Saba did as she was told.
“What is it Drake?” Saba asked.
“I know.” Drake said.
Saba’s mind began to race. “What… what are you taking about?” She stammered.
Drake sighed. “Saba, you don’t have to lie to me. I saw you with Everest last night.”
Saba sighed, and sat down, her worst fears realized.
“He’s the father, isn’t he?” Drake asked.
Saba sighed. “No point in lying now.” She thought. Saba nodded, and hung her head.
“Why?” Drake asked.
“I’m sorry Drake.” Saba said. “I… I never meant for this to happen.”
Drake sighed as well. “Well it did Saba, and you know the law.”
Saba nodded. “Effective tomorrow, you and Everest are not to ever see one another again.”
Saba jerked her head up. “No!” She cried. “Drake please!”
Drake shook his head. “Don’t Saba, I can’t let my feelings get in the way of my duty to the dogs of the town.”
Saba fixed Drake with a gaze that almost sent chills up his spine. “I will not lose him again.” Saba said.
“The consequences of violating the sentence is death.” Drake said. “Please don’t make me do this Saba.”
“I will not lose him.” Saba said again.
Drake sighed. “We can deal with that later, at the trial, but for now… your parents need to know the truth.”
“Drake, please don’t make me tell them.” Saba said. “It will kill them… and how are we supposed to explain Everest to them? They think he’s dead Drake, let’s just leave it that way, please?”
Drake sighed and shook his head. “Either you tell them or I do. I think it would be easier coming from you.”
Saba sighed. “Yeah… yeah you’re right.”
“You have two days.” Drake said. The trial will be held on the fifth day. Until I adjudge a sentence you and Everest may continue to see one another.
Saba sighed. “Alright.” She said.
“So you understand the instructions given to you by me, as to your course of action?”
“Yes.” Saba said.
“I’m truly sorry Saba.” Drake said.
Saba glared at Drake, and when she spoke her tone was clipped, and angry.. “Yeah, me too.”
Drake sighed and walked away.
Saba watched him leave. She sighed and almost fell over. The consequences of that five minute discussion would be disastrous. Then she came to her senses. “I’ve really got to see Everest about this one.” She thought.
Saba turned, and sprinted back towards her brother’s cave.


Saba was waiting in the cave when Everest returned.
“Saba?” Everest asked. “Back so soon?”
Saba sighed. “Drake knows.”
“What?” Everest cried. “How do you know that?”
Saba hung her head. “He… he spoke to me this morning. He followed me here last night.”
:This sheds new light on the situation.” Everest said, sitting down.
“Oh Everest, what are we going to do now?
“We?” Everest said, standing. “This is your problem.”
Saba stood up, infuriated. “What!” She screamed.
“I’m dead to mom and dad, I can’t just show back up alive. There’s too much to explain… and it’ll be better for the pups if I don’t ever see them. I wish it were otherwise, but… but it can’t be any other way.”
Saba stared in shock at her brother. “Saba, I’m sorry.” He said.

“Sorry!” She screamed. “Yeah, so am I ya jerk! I thought you loved me! How can you just abandon me like this! You think it’s inconvenient for you, try being pregnant!”
Everest’s emotions were swirling around inside him, and he didn’t know quite how to feel. Eventually, anger surfaced. “Goddamn it!” He yelled. “I knew this was going to happen as soon as I saw you being attacked! Part of myself just wanted to do something else!”
“What else were you supposed to do?!” Saba yelled. “Just leave me there to die!”
“Yeah, well maybe I should have!” Everest yelled back.
Saba felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, and she almost stepped back. She found it was difficult for her to breathe. “What… what did you say?” She asked quietly, taking a step toward him.
Everest hated the hurt he heard in her voice, and it almost killed him to do what he did next.
Everest glared at her. “You heard me.” He said flatly.
Tears came to Saba’s eyes. “…but… but Everest… I… I love you.”
Everest closed his eyes as his vision blurred with tears of his own. He tried to walk away, but his legs were shaking so much that he feared he would fall if he did. He took a deep breath, and forced his emotions down inside him, letting the cold, uncaring wolf surface.
Everest walked away, leaving a shocked, confused and very distraught Saba alone.

It was now the second day since she’d talked to Drake, and her time was up.
Saba was walking down the sidewalk, trying to figure out exactly how she was going to tell her parents this awful news. She’d hoped to have her brother’s support on this day…
“… but I don’t even think I know him anymore.” Saba thought. “What happened to the Everest that I knew… and loved?”
Saba shook her head, and forced that question deep within her mind. “I’ve got too much to deal with right now to be thinking about… him.”
On top of her brother’s betrayal, and that’s how she felt, betrayed, the pups would probably be born any day now, and Saba didn’t count on a lot of love and support from her family after she told them the truth.
As she was walking, she heard a sound from the alleyway to her right.
Saba stopped walking and listened.
“Psst!”
There it was again.
Saba turned toward the alley.
“Come here!” A voice said.
Saba walked into the alley, and tears filled her eyes. Everest stood there, and smiled.
“Hey Saba.”
Saba was so overcome with emotion that at first she couldn’t speak. “Everest.” She said finally, choking on the first word.
He stepped forward, and she put her head on her brother’s shoulder, as she started to cry.
“Shh…” Everest said. “It’s going to be alright Saba, everything is going to be alright.”
“…but… but I thought you said you didn’t want anything to do with us… with me.” Saba choked out.
Everest stepped back. “I’m so sorry Saba. I tried, I tried to leave the cave yesterday and… and I couldn’t. ***** it I couldn’t do it.”
Saba smiled.
“I love you Saba.” Everest said. “…and I want you to know that I’ll never leave your side again.”
Saba found she wasn’t able to respond.
“So have you told them yet?” Everest asked.
Saba shook her head, still too overcome with emotion to speak.
“Well this is the last day then, right?” Everest asked.
Saba nodded and took a deep breath, clearing her eyes with her paw. “I… I was on my way… to… to tell them just now. They’re waiting in the old mill.”
Everest smiled. “Then let’s go tell them… together.”
Saba smiled, and started crying again. She stepped forward and leaned heavily on her brother’s side, unable to even stand anymore.
“I love you so much Everest.” She sobbed.
“I love you too Saba.” Everest said.

Everyone stood in the Old Mill. All of Saba’s family was present. Saba herself stood in front of them.
“So what’s the meeting about?” Kodi asked.
“Yeah,” Balto said, walking over next to Jenna. “What’s this about?”
Saba took a deep breath. “Well…” She stopped.
“Saba, is something wrong?” Balto asked.
“Yeah…kind of…” Saba said. I… I have someone I’d like you to meet.”
Jenna looked around. “Where are they?”
Saba sighed again. “Behind you.”
Everyone turned.
There was a collective gasp through out the room. Jenna mouthed his name, but seemed unable to speak. Then she fell on her side.
Balto swung his head over to her. “Jen!” He watched her for a moment, then looked back to the newcomer.
“Everest?” Balto asked.
He smiled, and took a step forward. “Hey dad.”
Balto looked back at Saba, and then back to his son.
“Saba, why don’t’ you stay with your mother. Everest… let’s step outside for a moment.”
Everest nodded, and the two exited the mill.
Saba walked over to her mother, and sat down. She looked at the confused faces of her family, and sighed.

Everest and Balto stood at the back of the mill, out of sight. “I… I thought you were dead.” Balto said.
“I know.” Everest replied.
It was silent for a while as Balto tried to find the words to convey his thoughts.
“How… Where were you?” Balto asked finally.
“I was living on my own, in a cave.” Everest said. “I guess I embraced your side of me for a while.”
“…but why?” Balto asked.
Everest sighed. “You know Saba and I were always very close.”
Balto nodded.
“Well, our relationship was growing into more than it should have been. I realized that the last night I spoke to her. That’s why I stayed away.”
“Then why now…” Balto stopped.
He looked back to the old mill, and then back at his son. “…wait a minute.” He said. “The father of Saba’s pups isn’t a sled dog is he?”
Everest sighed and shook his head. “I am.” He said.
Balto almost fell over himself stepping back away from his son, completely speechless at what his son had just said; what the implications of that statement were.
Everest saw the shocked look on his father’s face and sighed again. “I know it’s wrong dad, but… but I love her, more than a brother really should.”
“You two have got to leave.” Balto said. “You’ve both got to leave before Drake finds out.”
Everest smiled. “Thanks for trying to help dad but…” he sighed. “…Drake already knows.”
Balto shook his head. “I… I can’t believe I’m even having this talk with you Everest.”
Everest nodded.
At this point, Saba stepped out the door, a very shocked looking Jenna at her side.
“Balto?” She said. Then Jenna turned and bolted, running as fast as her paws would carry her.
Balto sighed and turned toward his daughter as she walked over to sit beside Everest. “I take it you told her what Everest just told me.”
Saba nodded.
“The two of you can’t be together any more.” Balto said. “It’s against our laws.”
“I don’t care about laws anymore.” Everest said. “I love Saba, and that’s all there is to it.”
“…but… but it you don’t follow Drakes orders you’ll be killed!” Balto said.
“I know.” Everest said. “…but I told Saba I would never leave her, and I didn’t make that promise lightly.”
Balto took another step back.
“Dad I love him.” Saba said. “That should be enough.”
“But it’s not enough!” Balto yelled. “It is against the law!”
Saba sighed. “Father… I ‘m with Everest on this one. I will not leave him, ever.”
Balto shook his head. “I don’t believe this.” He said. “I don’t believe this!”
Drake walked around the corner then. “So I see you’ve told them already.”
Saba nodded.
Drake turned to Everest. “The trial is tomorrow. I expect you both to be here.”
“We will be.” Everest said.
Drake turned to Balto. “I am truly sorry.” He said. Then he walked away.
It was silent for a long while, then Balto looked at his son and daughter.
“I’m… I’m not going to say what you’ve done is right… because it’s not. Let me make that clear right now. It is not okay in the least… but…” He sighed. “…but I understand your feelings. I would do the same were it Jenna… but please, I beg of you to reconsider your decision to defy Drake. You have your whole lives ahead of you, don’t throw that away… but more than that… you’re both my children. I… I don’t want to see either of you hurt.”
“I will do my best to protect her.” Everest said. “No matter what the cost.”
Balto shook his head. “You don’t understand. If Drake orders your deaths, you will die. Are you going to take on every dog in the town?”
Everest stood next to Saba. “If that’s what it takes… yes, I’ll try.”
“That’s suicide!” Balto yelled.
“If that’s the price… then so be it.” Everest said.
Balto turned to Saba. “Since I can’t seem to get to him, let me try with you. Please, I beg you Saba, please reconsider.”
Saba shook her head. “I love him Dad, right or not.”
Balto stepped back, confused and bewildered. “I... I’m going to go try to find your mother.”
Balto turned and ran off in the direction Jenna had fled.
Saba turned to Everest, tears in her eyes. “I… I never meant to hurt them.”
Everest smiled and nuzzled her. “I know.”
“Are you really willing to die for me?” Saba asked. “After the other night…” Her voice trailed off.
“The other night I was stupid.” Everest said. “I was scared, and I lashed out at you when you needed me most. I will never leave your side. I don’t want to die, but if I have to for you to be safe, then I will die for you.”
Saba stood, and kissed him.
Their muzzles parted, and she smiled at him. “…and I you.” She said.

The next day almost every dog in Nome was gathered outside the old mill. True to his word, Saba and Everest sat in front of them all, Drake stood in between then. Possibly the only dog not there was Jenna. Balto had been unable to convince her to come.
Drake quieted all the dogs, and stepped between Saba and Everest. “Dogs of Nome,” He began. “We are gathered here today to try Everest and Saba. They have clearly broken one of our laws, and the situation must be resolved.”
He turned around and stepped back, facing Everest and Saba.
“Everest and Saba, you are accused of violating the bond that a brother and sister share by engaging in familiar relations with one another. As there were no witnesses to this event, none will be called by myself today. Do you have anyone you want to call in your defense?”
Everest stepped forward. “No we do not.”
“Alright,” Drake said, “and how do you wish to plead to the charges you are facing?”
Everest looked at Saba, who sighed and hung her head. Then he looked back up at Drake. “We both plead guilty as charged.”
“And do you understand what that plea means?” Drake asked.
“Yes we do.” Everest answered.
“Very well, Saba and Everest, I’m going to as k you to stand now.” He paused. “Everest and Saba, of the charge against you I find you guilty. The sentence is permanent separation from one another and your children, as well as banishment from Nome. This sentence is to be carried out immediately. Do you have any questions?”
“No!” Saba said. “You can’t take my pups! Please Drake! Let them come with me!”
Drake sighed and shook his head. “I can’t, your life and wellbeing is uncertain the moment you leave Nome. This is not a suitable environment to raise children in. Custody will revert to your mother. I’m sure they’ll have a good life with her, anything else?”
Drake tried to ignore the pained expression on Saba’s face, but he couldn’t, so he looked away.
“Yes.” Everest said. “I request that you to defer your punishment.”
“And why would I grant this request?” Drake asked.
“I ask you to defer punishment until our pups are born, which should be within a week.” Everest said.
“And your reasoning?” Drake asked.
“I would like to make sure Saba is able to get appropriate treatment should she need it, and…” Everest sighed. “…and I would like very much to see my children.”
Drake nodded. “Very well, on the basis of the possibility of medical treatment, I will defer my sentence until one month after the children are born. During this time Saba and Everest will be allowed to see one another, but must not violate our laws again. If this occurs it will be considered a direct violation of an order by the keeper of the law, and is punishable by death. Do you understand my ruling?”
Everest nodded. “Yes, thank you Drake.”
Drake turned to the others. “With that you are all free to leave. Have a safe trip home.”
Drake turned, and walked to the front of the crowd, where Gemeni and his children sat.

Only two days later, Saba and Everest were sitting in the dog barn. At least for the time being, they had decided to live there.
Saba and he were talking. “So you still plan to defy Drake’s order?” Saba asked.
Everest nodded. “I told you I’d never leave you again, and I was serious.
Suddenly, Saba almost fell, a look of pain etched across her face.
“Saba!” Everest said, running to her side. “Saba, what’s wrong!”
“I… I think it’s… I think it’s time.” She said, clenching her teeth at the pain.
“Oh my God!” Everest said. “Are you sure?!”
Saba looked at him. “Yes I’m sure!”
She laid on the floor.
“What… what do you want me to do?!” Everest asked.
“I don’t know.” Saba said. “I.. I’ve never felt like….” She stopped talking as another spasm of pain ran through her. “Ahh! It hurts!”
She started breathing more rapidly. Everest himself was about to hyperventilate, and was almost running in circles. “Are you okay?!”
“I think so…” Saba said. “Ahh!”
She clenched her teeth again, as tears came to her eyes. “God it freakin’ hurts!” She said.
“I think… I think it’s supposed to.” Everest said.
Saba looked at him again. “Everest… Ahh… you’re… you’re not helping!”
“Oh…. Sorry…” He said. Everest saw a red blob start to appear under Saba’s tail.
“I… I think it’s coming!” Everest said.
Saba screamed, and a great amount of blood spread from under her.
Everest was vaguely aware of his head hitting the floor, and then… nothing.

Everest opened his eyes. His vision was extremely blurry, and he blinked a few times to clear it. Slowly, Saba coalesced in front of him. She smiled. “Hey…”
Everest groaned. His head hurt a little from falling. “What happened?” He asked.
“I think you passed out.” Saba said.
“Oh…” Everest replied, slightly embarrassed. “Are you alright?”
Saba smiled, “Everest, come here.”
Everest stood and walked over to her.
Saba lifted her tail, and underneath laid three very small red puppies.
“Oh Saba… they’re…” He smiled at her, and laid down beside her. “…they’re beautiful.”
Saba smiled, and kissed him.















Chapter 8

Exactly one month after the puppies were born, Drake reconvened the hearing.
Once again, Saba and Everest stood outside the old mill. Drake was speaking.
“It has been one month since the birth of Saba’s children, and as I said previously, this hearing is hereby convened.” He turned to Saba and Everest. “Do you wish to add anymore to the evidence?”
Everest shook his head. “No we do not.”
“Alright.” Drake said. “As previously decided, the sentence is permanent separation and banishment from the town of Nome. Do you understand the orders?”
“Yes we do.” Everest said.
“Saba, I’m going to need you to respond as well.” Drake said.
Saba sighed. “Yes.”
Drake nodded. “Once again, you are reminded that disobedience of these orders, however slight, carries the penalty of death. Saba and Everest, stand back to back, Everest, you face north, Saba you face south.”
Saba and Everest complied with the order given them.
“Now when I give the word, start walking, and don’t look back. You are to continue walking until you see a town, and it is there that you may stop and start a new life. Now, start walking.
Saba started walking south, and Everest started walking north. Neither of them looked back, and soon they were out of sight.

Saba stood on a snow covered hill outside Nome. She and Everest had decided against running away together, because it would be apparent that they were disobeying Drake’s order. Instead, they’d walked out of sight, and then looped back around, meeting at Everest’s cave.
Saba heard crunching snow, and turned. Everest was running up the hill. She smiled. Everest was out of breath. “Sorry I’m late.” He said. “Drake had a pair of dogs follow me for a while, and I had to wait for them to leave before I could loop back here.
“That’s all right.” Saba said, nuzzling him. “I wasn’t too worried about you.”
“So tonight we get the pups huh?”
Saba nodded. “They’re with mom.”
Everest sighed. “I still don’t want you to go back. I can, but you… if anyone spots us, it may be quite a fight to get out.”
“I can handle myself.” Saba said. “I’m they’re mother, and I’ll not abandon them.”
Everest smiled. “You are stubborn, you know that?”
Saba smiled. “So where to after this?”
“I don’t know.” Everest said. “We can stay here for a little while, but it’s too close to Nome to be a permanent home. They’ll find it eventually.”
“Well, we can worry about that later.” Saba said, smiling. “Right now we’ve got our children to rescue.”
Everest nodded and looked up. “Speaking of which, we better be getting to sleep. We’re going to need our rest if we’re going to be up all night.”
Saba nodded, and walked into the cave. She laid down, and Everest laid down nest to her.
Saba laid her head on Everest’s shoulder. “I love you Everest.”
Everest smiled. “I love you too Saba.”
Saba suddenly jerked her head off his shoulder, and kissed him.
They didn’t get much sleep.

Saba and Everest snuck into Nome at about ten ‘o-clock, well after the sun had sunk below the horizon. Jenna’s home was on the outskirts of Nome, so it would be easy to just pop in and out. Then when everyone awoke the next morning, Everest and Saba would be long gone.
Everest turned back to Saba as they stepped into Jenna’s yard.
“I’ll go in and get them, you sit on the porch, and I’ll give them to you.”
Saba nodded. “Alright.”
Jenna’s home was equipped with a doggy door, so entry wasn’t difficult. Everest crept through the darkened house, careful not to make too much noise.
He made his way into the living room, and saw a small basket by the window. Everest walked over to it.
Inside were three small red and white puppies. One of them, a female, opened it’s eyes. “Dad!”
“Shh.” Everest said. “We need to be real quiet Sunny.”
“Sorry.” The pup said quietly. “I knew you’d come back for us. I tried to tell the others, but they wouldn’t listen. They thought you left us.”
The other two pups had woken up by this time, and began to protest quite loudly. “No we didn’t!”
“Shh!” Everest said again. “Let’s not do this right now kids. Listen to me. Pretend you’re asleep. I’m going to pick you up one at a time and take you to your mother. Now, we need to be real quiet okay? Mom and dad could get in a lot of trouble if they’re found here.”
The pups nodded, and laid down. Everest picked up the first one by the scruff of it’s neck, and walked toward the front door.

Everest walked back into the house one last time, for one last pup. “It’s almost over.” Everest thought. He picked up the third pup, and walked quickly, but quietly toward the door.
This time instead of handing the pup to Saba, he just climbed out of the doggy door, and sat the pup on the porch, beside his siblings. “That’s all of ‘em.” Everest said.
Saba smiled. “So far so good.” She turned to the pups. “Now listen to me kids. We’re going to leave now, and I can’t carry you. You’re going to have to walk, but be very quiet.”
The pups nodded.
Everest stepped off the porch, and suddenly a flashlight beam landed on him. He froze.
“Everest!” Drake yelled.
Everest looked up to see Drake standing across the street. Roger had been returning home late, and had seen the dog’s on his porch. It was his flashlight that was blinding the small family.
“Run!” Everest yelled. Then he turned and took off. Saba and the children weren’t far behind.
The sounds of barking started to echo throughout the town.

Everest and Saba had been running for a while now, and the kids were getting tired. It seemed like everywhere they turned there was a dog waiting for them.
Everest looked back, and saw the kids begin to fall back. He stopped.
“Saba, take the kids and hide. I’ll lead them away, and then you can take the kids to the cave. I’ll meet you there.”
“No,” Saba said. “You can’t face all of them.”
“Saba I don’t have time to argue.” Everest said. He paused and listened. The barking was getting louder, meaning they’re pursuers were closing in on them.
“…just do what I asked.” Everest said. “Hide underneath those broken crates.”
Saba sighed and nodded. She herded the children under the broken crates, and stepped out next to Everest. “Be careful.” She said.
Everest grinned at her. “I’ll be fine. It’s me, right.”
“I love you Everest.” Saba said, nuzzling him.
“I love you too Saba.” Everest responded. “Now, get in with the kids, and I’ll see you back at the cave.”
Saba nodded, and crawled under the boxes, as one of the dogs pursuing them rounded the corner. “Everest Stop!” The dog yelled.
Everest turned and ran down another alley way.
Saba watched as all the dogs, thirty in all, ran by the crates and after Everest… all except two.
“I only saw Everest, meaning they must’ve split up. Let’s look for Saba. She’s probably got the kids.”
Saba restrained a scream, as the dogs walked toward the crates. She thought her heart would burst from her chest. “Please don’t look here!” Saba thought. One of the pups chose that moment to start crying.
“You hear that?” One dog said to the other.
He walked closer to the crates.
Saba quieted the pup, and held her breath. The dog wasn’t two feet from the crater they hid inside.
Suddenly another dog ran in from the alley Everest had run down. “Drake needs all of us. Everest ran down an alley way, and we lost him. We need to find him now!”
The dogs nodded, and then ran off with the newcomer down the alley.
Saba let out a sigh of relief.
She waited for about five minutes, and then crawled out of the crate, and into the light.
Saba looked around, and sniffed the air. Only after she was sure they were alone, did she allow the pups to come out.
The four of them walked quickly toward the outskirts of Nome, and safety.

Everest was running.
He could hear the dogs behind him growing closer. “I’m going to have to find some way to ditch them,” Everest thought, “and soon.”
The chase had been going on for almost forty minutes now, and Everest was growing tired.
He started down another alley way, but saw four dogs round the other end, barreling toward him.
Everest turned to look back, but he couldn’t go there either, the dogs’ shadows could already be seen on the wall of the first building in the alley.
Everest was trapped.
He looked up.
Piled against the wall to his right were a bunch of boxes, and near the top of them at the other side, was a window.
Everest jumped up on the boxes, as the dogs that were chasing him came into view.
He clambered up the unsteady stack, and reached the top, almost four stories off the ground.
“Stop!” One of the dogs yelled. “Everest stop! There is no use in continuing this chase! You can escape us! Every dog in Nome has been alerted!”
Everest took a deep breath, and jumped toward the window.
He felt some glass cut his shoulder, as the window exploded. He fell to the floor of a small barn, rolling to a stop.
He shook his head and stood up.
“Everest?!” A voice cried.
He looked up and sighed. There were four dogs in the stairwell of the barn.
Everest looked behind him, and saw the dogs that had been chasing him already scrambling up the boxes.
“This is it.” Everest thought. “Time to stand and fight.”
He growled as the four dogs rushed him, and hit the first one in the face, sending him reeling backwards.
That was about as close to a fight as this confrontation got however. The other three quickly put Everest on the defensive, and it was all he could do to not get hit, much less attacking his assailants.
Everest caught one particularly strong hit in the face, and then three more that lifted his front paws off the ground.
The dog that had hit him then turned, and kicked Everest in the chest.
Everest felt himself leave the ground, and slammed to the floor almost five feet away. He rolled two or three feet more, and then stopped.
His lungs felt like they were on fire, and blood ran into his eye.
He stood up, and spit on the floor. It was mostly blood.
“That can’t be good…” Everest thought.
He backed toward the window as the four advanced on him, but stopped, as he felt something behind him.
Everest turned, to see at least ten dogs standing in front of the window.
He sighed and hung his head, trying desperately to catch his breath.
“It’s over Everest.” The front dog said.
Everest shook his head. “No…”
“Face it.” The dog said. “You’re beaten, we can make this a lot easier for you.”
Everest shook his head. “No.”
The dog smiled. “So be it then.”
Then he hit Everest in the side of the head.
It felt like Everest had been struck by a truck. He flipped sideways, but managed to land on his paws.
The other dogs were on him before he even had a chance to stand up.
They were all around him, and Everest didn’t know where he was being hit from… but he was definitely getting hit.
The dogs pushed him back towards the other side of the barn. As he was trying to dodge the dogs attacks, he thought about running down the stairwell He glanced over there, but saw three dogs standing at the top of the stairs.
This distraction was enough for one of the dogs to decide to attack.
Everest saw the dog leap at him, but could do very little to avoid him.
The dog landed on his back, and Everest tried to throw him off, but to no avail.
He felt the dog tear into his neck. Blood ran down his flank, and quickly pooled in the floor.
Fear gave Everest strength then, and he threw the dog off of him.
Everest felt dizzy, and stumbled forward a few steps, right into a strike from another of the dogs.
The dog advanced, and had hit Everest over twelve times by the time he reached the window.
The dog paused, but only for a moment, as he put all the strength he had into a final blow that threw Everest backwards, and through the window.
Everest felt a shard of the glass stick in his head, across his eye. Then he fell four stories to the ground far below.
He felt something snap as he landed on the ground on his left foreleg.
The air was knocked out of his lungs as he slammed to the icy street.
He didn’t feel that he could move at all, but he knew he had to get out of the light.
Everest summoned all his remaining strength, and crawled to the protection of an overturned trashcan at the side of the alley.
Though he couldn’t see them, Everest heard the dogs above him.
“Do you see him?” One asked.
“No.” Another answered.
“I don’t think anyone could have survived that fall.” A third added.
“Let’s just go tell Drake that it’s done then.” The first dog to speak said. “We’ll look for the body tomorrow, when it’s light.”
Everest heard the dogs moving around above him, and then a few minutes later it was silent.
Everest knew he was injured badly. He didn’t think he could walk.
He looked down at his leg.
It was a mess of torn muscle and blood. The ivory bone had snapped, and was sticking about three inches out of the top of his leg.
Everest tried to stand, but couldn’t even gather the strength necessary to raise his head.
He felt the bottom of he trashcan beginning to become slick with the blood that was seeping out of him at an alarming rate.
His vision was a little blurry, and his right eyes hurt badly. Everest could feel something there, but didn’t know what it was.
“I’m sorry Saba.” He thought. “I wasn’t strong enough.”
Everest then closed his eyes, and drifted away.














Chapter 9

Saba stood outside the cave waiting for Everest. The wind blew, and small snowflakes started to fall.
Saba shivered, and sighed.
It had been almost three hours since she’d left Everest.
“Something has happened to him.” She thought. “I just know it.”
She sighed again, and walked back into the cave, where her three children slept.
She gently woke all three of them up.
“Mommy?’ The little female, Sunny, asked.
Saba smiled. “Yes sweetie, it’s mommy.”
“Why’d you wake us up?” One of the boys, Rife, asked.
“Mommy’s going into town to look for daddy, but you little ones are staying here.” Saba said.
“… but I thought you said that town was dangerous.” Tram, the other boy, said.
“It is.” Saba said. “That’s why you’re staying here. Now listen to me.” Saba sighed. “If I don’t come back by tomorrow, I want you to go into town and ask for Jenna. You’ll be safe with her.”
“Mommy?” Sunny asked. “Is daddy dead?”
Saba sighed. “I… I don’t know, but I hope not.”
It was silent for a little while.
“Well, I’m leaving now. Hopefully I’ll be back soon” Saba said. “Sunny is in charge while I’m gone.”
Then Saba walked down the hill.

When Saba made it into Nome, she found the dogs of the town were still awake and patrolling the streets.
She was walking against an alleyway wall, and froze as she heard voices.
Saba pressed herself against the wall, and crept to the corner, where she could see the dogs that were speaking.
“… so where did he go down?” A brown one asked.
“I was there.” A red one said. “It was near the old mill. He fought like a mad main, but there were just too many of us for him to handle.”
“What happened to him?” The brown one asked.
“Well, we fought him back to a window, and then one of us, I’m not sure who, hit him, and he went through it. It was almost a hundred feet to the ground… but we never found a body.”
“So that’s why Drake’s got everyone looking for him?” The brown dog asked.
“Yeah.” The red one said. “But I don’t think he survived. That was a long fall.”
Saba felt tears come to her eyes. “I hope you’re alright.” She thought.
Saba waited until the dogs had left, and then crossed the street, headed for the old mill.

Saba felt awful.
It wasn’t hard to guess where Everest had fallen.
Saba stood in front of a large pool of blood.
She looked around, and saw a pretty good blood trail in the darkness.
Saba followed the blood trail about ten feet to an overturned trashcan. Inside was Everest.
He lay as he had collapsed, curled in a ball in the trashcan, the bottom of which was covered in bright red blood.
“Oh my God…” Saba thought.
She nudged him.
Nothing.
Then Everest took a deep breath, and opened his eyes about half-way.
“Everest!” Saba cried, unable to help herself. “My God, I thought you were dead.”
Everest coughed. “Not… not far from it I’m afraid.”
“Oh Everest…” Saba said. “I should have never left you to fight them yourself.”
She crawled inside the can, and gasped. “Oh goodness! Your… your face. Look at me.”
Saba grabbed the large shard of glass, that stuck out of Everest’s eye, with her teeth, and pulled it out.
Everest winced. “Ow!”
Saba sighed. “Do you think you can stand?”
“Maybe...” Everest said.
“Then come on. Let’s go. The whole town is out looking for you.”
Everest nodded, and stood up shakily.
“You alright?” Saba asked.
“No.” Everest said. “But I can manage.”
Saba looked around.
“It’s clear, come on, let’s go.”
Everest nodded.
The two made their way slowly down the alleyway.

Almost half an hour Saba and Everest had only made it about half way to the cave. The cave was only about a twenty minute walk from Nome, but Everest wasn’t doing very well. He’d fallen over twenty times in the last half hour, and each time it was harder to get up. The fact that the snow flurries had turned into a raging blizzard didn’t help matters much either.
Saba was walking behind Everest, that way she knew when he fell; otherwise, with visibility the way it was, she might’ve left him, and not even known it.
As they were straining to walk against the wind, Saba saw him go down again. This time he didn’t get up.
Saba kept walking until she reached his side. “Everest get up!” She yelled over the wind. “We’re almost there!”
Everest sighed. “Saba… go on without me. I don’t… don’t think there’s going to be any getting up this time. “
“What?” Saba said. “I’m not going to leave you! You’ll die!”
Everest sighed. “I’m not sure you’re going to be able to stop that now anyway.”
Saba felt a tear come to her eye. “No Everest, stop talking like that! You’re going to make it!”
“Saba,” Everest said. “The pups won’t last long in this weather… they’re more important than me. Go be with them.”
“They’ll be fine!” Saba said. “They’re in the cave, now get up!”
Everest sighed. “I… I can’t.”
“You’ve got to!” Saba yelled. “Now get up! I’ll not lose you again!”
Everest sighed, but remained silent.
“Get up!” Saba yelled.
Everest took a deep breath, and with Saba’s help, struggled to his feet.
The harsh wind threatened to blow him over, and he leaned on Saba’s shoulder.
Saba looked over at him. “Everest I love you! You’re going to be fine! Now let’s get to the cave! It’s just a little farther! Please Everest, you’ve got to try!”
Everest nodded, and the two continued to struggle through the storm.

It took another half hour to make it back to the cave, but finally they were there.
Everest stumbled into the shelter of the cave, and fell on his face, as his good foreleg folded under him.
“That’s not too good.” Saba thought. “…but at least we made it to the cave.”
As soon as Saba stepped inside, the three pups ran from the back.
“Mommy!” Sunny cried. “You made it!”
Saba smiled. “Yeah, we made it.”
“Is daddy hurt!” The small pup asked.
“Yeah,” Saba said. “…but he’s going to be alright.” She looked down at Everest, who had managed to sit up. “…isn’t that right?”
Everest managed to smile. “Yeah, I guess I’ll live.”
“Are you alright daddy?” Tram asked.
“Something like that.” Everest replied. He looked over at Saba. “We need to leave here now.” He said.
“In the storm?” Saba said, looking out at he blowing snow. “You’re crazy.”
“I left a pretty good blood trail here.” Everest said. “I think it’s stopped now, so it won’t be a problem anymore, but it won’t take them long to find us here.”
Saba nodded. “Okay, so where do we go?”
Everest sighed. “I… I don’t know.”
Saba walked over to him. “Well we can’t just wonder off into the storm.”
“We have to.” Everest said. “It’s either that or wait for Drake to find us here.”
Saba sighed. “Alright, you sure you can make it?”
Everest smiled. “I’ll manage, maybe it’s seeing the kids, but I feel a little better now.”
Saba nodded again. “Alright, then let’s not waste time, let’s go now.”
Everest struggled to his feet. “Kids come here.”
The pups walked over to their father.
“We’ve got to leave the cave.” Everest said. “Some dogs are coming that will hurt us if they find us.”
“Why would they want to hurt us?” Rife asked. “What did we do to them?”
Saba sighed. “It’s… it’s very hard to explain to one so young.” Saba said. “…but your father is right.”
“Now listen to me.” Everest said. “The storm is very dangerous. Not only is it colder than normal, the snow makes it difficult to see, and it’s very easy to get separated from one another. I want you walking between Mommy and me at all times. We’re going to be moving as fast as possible, but if you need to slow down, or you fall, let someone know alright?”
The pups nodded.
“Alright then, let’s go.”
The pups walked outside the cave.
“Look at me for a minute.” Saba said.
Everest turned to face her.
Saba sighed. “You’re an absolute mess, you know that?” She licked off some of the blood that was oozing out of the cut across Everest’s eye.
“You know, it you hadn’t come and found me I’d probably still be in that trashcan.” Everest said.
Saba felt a tear come to her eye. “I love you Everest. I had to come for you. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you again.”
Everest smiled. “I love you too Saba.”
Saba sighed. “This is going to be really dangerous, what with you being hurt and the kids being so young…”
“I know.” Everest said. “…but don’t worry about me, keep your eyes on the kids. I’ll be alright.”
Saba nodded.
“Now come on, let’s go.” Everest said.
The two joined the pups outside, and then started off through the storm.

The family headed north, thinking that there would be a better chance of finding shelter in the mountains. The storm was still raging, and the family was struggling through it, one step at a time. It was exhausting work just to stay on their feet, much less move. Slowly but surely though they were making progress.
They’d gone about twenty miles, when Everest fell.
Saba ran up to him. “Are you alright?!” She asked.
Everest climbed back to his feet. “Yeah, I’m fine, I just slipped.”
A voice from the wall of snow in front of the two dogs startled them. “Some storm, eh Everest?”
A black wolf stepped out of the snow.
“Stripe!” Everest said. “Leave us alone! I’m not any mood to be messed with right now.”
Stripe chuckled. “And what are you going to do if I don’t? You can hardly stand.”
Everest growled. “Stripe, I’m warning you!”
Stripe grinned again, as his three friends stepped up beside him. “And now you’re outnumbered. “Looks like the only one that could even put up a fight is the female there; pretty sad, eh Everest?”
Stripe turned to the biggest of the other three brown wolves. “Chunky, remind me again how long it’s been since we’ve eaten.”
“Four days boss.” The large wolf said.
Stripe turned back to Everest. “Four days, and we’re not on your territory anymore either, in fact…” Stripe laughed. “…you seem to be on ours!”
Saba stepped in front of Everest. “Please sir, just leave us alone. We don’t mean to trespass, but we have no home. We’re looking for one now.”
Stripe grinned, looking at Everest. “…and what happened to that nice little cave of yours Everest? Didn’t have the guts to defend it or what?”
Everest remained silent.
Stripe smiled, and turned back to Saba. His gaze started at her paws, and went all the way to the tips of her ears. “You know sweetie.” Stripe said. “Us males need a little more than just food to be happy. I’m sure if you could… help us satisfy those others as well, we could let you stay in our cave for the night.”
The thought repulsed Saba. “…but what other choice do I have?” She thought.
She was about to reply, when Everest stepped in front of her. “Absolutely not! You’re going to have to find your fun somewhere else boys.”
Stripe grinned again. “Well, I tried. In that case…”
The wolves started growling, and circling the family.
Saba and Everest stood back to back. “Get in between us kids!” Everest said, never taking his eyes off the wolf in front of him.
“Aw, how sweet.” Stripe said. “…the protective parents, sweet but foolish. Everest, how do you even hope to fight us? You’re barely able to stand.”
“I’ll die before I let you take them!” Everest said.
“Oh well if you insist.” Stripe said. Then the four wolves attacked.
Stripe was right, Everest was in no condition to fight, and quickly succumbed to the wolves’ attacks.
Saba soon found herself defending the family alone. She didn’t know if Everest was even still alive or not.
As she glanced over to see if he was okay, Stripe saw his chance, and capitalized on it. He hit her six times in quick succession, and while she was dazed from that attack, put all his strength into the next, and final blow.
Saba felt herself lifted up into the air, but didn’t fell it when she hit the snow.

About fifteen minutes later, Saba opened her eyes and groaned.
Her head hurt a bit, but she didn’t feel any blood. She had half expected for Stripe to kill her… but she was alive.
She looked up to see Tram in the snow not far away. He was alright!
Saba looked around, and saw Rife beside his brother, but didn’t see Sunny or Everest.
“Oh no…” She thought.
Saba stood up and walked over to the two pups. “Have you seen your father?” She asked.
Tram nodded. “He’s up on that hill.”
“Yeah,” Rife said. “He told us to stay here with you.”
“Well stay here.” Saba said. “I’m going to go talk to him.”
Saba walked up the hill.
Sure enough, Everest sat on top. He was crying.
“What’s the matter dear?” Saba asked, already knowing in her heart what had made Everest so sad. “Sunny…” She thought.
“Saba, they… they took her… they took her and I couldn’t do a ***** thing about it.”
Saba hung her head, and felt a tear drip down her face. It froze before it fell off her muzzle.
“Where’d they take her?” Saba asked.
“To their cave.” Everest said.
“…and where is that?” asked Saba.
“I… I don’t know.” Everest said. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “We need help.”
Suddenly, an idea occurred to Saba. “God, I’m so stupid.” She said. “I should’ve thought of this before.”
“You’ve got an idea?” Everest asked.
“Yeah, let’s go, there’s no time to lose!” Saba answered, starting down the hill.
“… but where are we going?” Everest asked.
“There’s no time to explain, just follow me, you’ll see!”
Everest sighed, and ran down the hill.

Chapter 10

An hour and a half later, the small family was walking up to a large cave.
Everest looked around. Two wolves stood on guard outside the entrance. “I hope you know what you’re doing…”
The family continued walking toward the entrance.
“Stop!” The guard called. “Who are you, and what is your business here?”
“I’m Saba, and I need to speak to Aleu!” Saba yelled over the storm.
“Doesn’t everyone?” The wolf asked. “What makes you think she has time for you?”
“I’m her sister!” Saba called.
“Come up here.” The wolf said.
Saba and her family walked up to the wolf, who turned to the other guard. “Go tell Aleu her sister Saba is here to see her.”
The wolf nodded, and ran into the cave.
The wolf turned back to the small family. “Sorry to have to do this, but a wolf pack has been making trouble for us recently.” He paused. “I suppose you and your family can at least come inside until he gets back. It’ll get you out of the wind anyway.”
Saba nodded. She and her family stepped inside the cave. “Thank you.”
“That’s some storm out there, what are you doing out in it with such little ones as these?”
Saba sighed. “It’s a bit of a long story…”
“Oh…” The wolf said. He paused. “So whereabouts are you guys from?”
“I was from Nome.” Saba said. “…but I can’t go back there now.”
“Nome huh?” The wolf said. “That’s a pretty good ways away.”
“Yeah…” Saba said.
About that time, the wolf returned, Aleu at his side. “Saba?” She asked.
Saba smiled. “Hey Aleu, it’s been awhile.”
“I guess!” Aleu said. “Come inside; get out of that storm, what brings you here?”
Saba sighed. “I… I need some help. I’m in a little trouble.”
“Well I’ll always do what I can for family, what’s up?”
“We were… um… banished from Nome.” Saba said slowly.
“Banished!” Aleu said. “…for what?”
“Aleu, this is Everest.” Saba said.
Aleu’s vision snapped to the male behind her sister. “Everest?” She asked.
The male smiled. “Yeah…”
“I thought you were dead… at least… that’s what dad told me.”
“I know.” Everest said. “It’s a long story.”
“So the reason you got banished… these are your pups aren’t they?”
Saba nodded slowly.
Aleu sighed. “…and Drake found out, didn’t he?”
Saba nodded again.
“Well, is that your problem?”
Saba shook her head. “No, we left Nome, and were looking for a new home when we ran into this wolf named Stripe…” Aleu cut her sister off. “Stripe huh, he’s bad news.”
“You know him?” Saba asked.
Aleu nodded. “He and his little pack have tried to steal from us before. I’ve asked him to join the clan, I know they’re just hungry, but he always refuses… too proud I guess.”
Saba nodded. “Well anyway, Stripe and his gang attacked us, and they took my daughter.”
“Oh no!” Aleu said. “…and you want help getting her back?”
Saba nodded.
Aleu turned behind her. “Hey Shadow, come here for a minute.”
A red wolf joined them. “What is it Aleu.”
“I just saw you walk in.” Aleu said. “Done with the hunt already?”
Shadow nodded. “Yeah, we found some elk that had bedded down for the storm, and chased them down.”
“Well I guess that’s pretty good.” Aleu said.
“Yeah.” Shadow said. “With the meat from this hunt, added to what we already have, we have enough to last about four days.”
“Enough to outlast the storm?” Aleu asked.
“Hopefully.” Shadow responded.
“Well what’s the team doing now?” Aleu asked.
“They’re just tearing up the meat, why, what’s up?”
“Can we spare a few bodies?” Aleu asked.
“Sure.” Shadow said.
“Good.” Aleu responded. “Shadow, this is my sister, Saba, and her… mate, Everest.”
“I thought you said Everest was your brother.” Shadow said.
“He is.” Saba said.
“But you just said…” Shadow’s voice trailed off as he understood. “Oh!”
“They were banished from Nome, and were walking out in the storm, and ran into Stripe.” Aleu said. “He kidnapped one of their pups, and Saba is requesting help in rescuing her.”
Shadow nodded.
“I was thinking of sending a few members of the team with her.” Aleu said.
Shadow turned behind him. “Dash, Timbre, get over here.”
A brown wolf and a red wolf, that looked an awful lot like Everest and Saba, ran over to him. “What is it Shadow.”
Dash recognized Saba, but didn’t say anything. “This is Saba, evidently she’s your sister Dash.”
Dash nodded. “Yeah, what’s up?”
‘Well she and her family were walking through the storm, and ran into Stripe. He kidnapped one of their pups.”
“That’s awful.” The brown wolf said.
Shadow looked at Dash. “You know where he lives don’t you?”
Dash nodded. “Yeah, I staked out his cave in case the clan ever decided to move against him, remember?”
Shadow nodded. “I thought that was you. I’m going to send you two to help her.”
“Alright,” the brown wolf said. “When do we leave?”
“As soon as possible.” Shadow said. “I don’t have to tell you what Stripe’s plans are.”
The two nodded, and Shadow turned to Saba. “This is Dash, and that’s Timbre. They’re two of my best. They’ll get your daughter back.”
Saba smiled. “Thank you.”
Timbre turned to Shadow. “What about the team?”
“You can dismiss them.” Shadow said. “In fact, do so before you leave, but be quick about it.”
Dash and Timbre nodded, and ran over to the group of wolves in the center of the chamber. They positioned themselves in front of the wolves. “First and second unit you are dismissed, carry out your evening duties.” Dash said.
The wolves began to disperse.
Two female wolves, one gray, and one red one, which Saba recognized as Melody, came walking in just then from the chambers above.
“Hey Dash.” The gray one said. “You guys are back already?”
“Not for long I’m afraid.” Timbre said.
“Yeah, we’re getting ready to head back out.” Dash said.
“Well be careful.” The two wolves said.
Dash and Timbre smiled. “We will be.”
The two females turned to each other. “I guess we can head back up and talk some more.” Melody said.
The two of them started back up the shelves of rock.
Timbre and Dash walked back over to Saba.
“I know where the cave is.” Dash said. “So you guys follow me, but stick close. We’re going to be moving fast, and it’s easy to get lost in this storm.”
Saba nodded. She turned to Everest. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Be careful.” Everest said.
Saba smiled. “I will.”
Then the three of them ran out of the cave.
“What happened to you?” Shadow asked Everest.
Everest smiled. “I got into a bit of a scuffle.”
“I’ll say.” Shadow said. “You look like you got run over by a freight train. Why don’t you head up here with me, and I’ll see what we can do for you.”
“Thanks.” Everest said. “…but I really need to keep an eye on the kids.”
“We’ll drop them off with Melody and June.” Shadow said. “If you don’t let someone take care of that leg you might lose it.”
Everest sighed. “Alright.”
Shadow smiled. “Follow me.”
The two of them walked up through the cave, Aleu and the children followed close behind.


























Chapter 11

True to his word, Dash had led Saba and Timbre to the small cave that Stripe lived in. There was one rather large wolf standing guard outside. He hadn’t spotted the intruders.
“Follow me…” Dash whispered.
He walked carefully around the cave, being careful to stay within the concealment of the forest that surrounded the cave.
Soon, they’d reached the back of it.
“Timbre and I will start an attack at the front, and draw the wolves into that area. You see that entrance up there?”
Saba looked up and gulped. It was almost one hundred feet off the ground, and the climb up was almost vertical. “Yeah…” She said.
“When we start the attack, climb up there and get your daughter, what’s her name?”
“Sunny.” Saba answered.
“Well you get Sunny, and take her to safety, then… howl at us, that’ll let us know to cut off the attack. We’ll meet back right here.”
“Howl?” Saba asked. “I’ve never done that before.”
“Trust me you’ll know how.” Dash said. “You’re as much wolf as I am. Now do you think you can make that climb?”
Saba nodded. “Anything for Sunny’s safety…” She thought.
“Alright, we’re going to go back around front, remember, our howl is your cue to start climbing…”
“…and mine is yours to stop the fight, got it.” Saba said.
“Good luck.” Timbre said. Then he and Dash left Saba at the back of the cave, and headed around to the front.
Not long after that, Saba heard a howl, and growling, then, sounds of fighting.
She ran at the hill, and jumped onto it, clawing onto the cracks in the rock for purchase.
She found it, and started climbing.
Saba was nearing the entrance, when her paw slipped, and suddenly she was hanging over ninety feet above the ground with one paw keeping her from plunging to her death.
At first Saba panicked, and started flailing her legs, trying to find purchase on the slippery rock.
Her one supporting paw almost slipped, and she stopped moving. “I’ve got to do this, for Sunny.” Saba thought.
She took a deep breath, and swung her body out away from the rock. When she swung back into it, she scrambled the rest of the way up the wall, and over the edge. Then she ran into the cave.
It was a small cave, and Saba had little trouble finding Sunny. The small and very frightened pup was overjoyed to see her mother.
“Mommy!” Sunny yelled, as she ran over to her mother.
“Shh.” Saba said. “We’re getting out of here.”
“Oh really?”
The voice startled Saba, and she turned.
Stripe stood behind her.
A furious anger suddenly bubbled up within Saba.
“Sunny, run, now.” Saba said.
The pup did as her mother had said.
“Uh-oh.” Stripe said with a smile. “Mommy looks angry.”
Saba growled at him. “Mamma is angry.”
Then she leapt at him. She didn’t know where the sudden strength she felt coursing through her came from, but it was welcoming, and Saba embraced it.
She found that without even knowing it, she was winning the fight. It seemed like hours later when Saba awoke from this delirium.
She was on top of Stripe, her jaws at his throat. He was pretty beat up, and it surprised Saba that she was able to do this.
Saba growled and prepared to end the wolf’s life.
“Saba!” A voice called.
Saba opened her jaws.
Suddenly she felt herself being pulled off of Stripe. “It’s over.” Dash said. “Sunny is safe, Timbre is with her. Come on let’s go.”
Saba nodded, and turned to leave.
Stripe struggled to his feet. “You should‘ve killed me Saba!” He yelled. “I swear I’ll find you! No one makes a fool out of Stripe, no one!”
Saba and Dash retreated out of the cave.

Saba was back at Aleu’s cave.
Sunny was safe, and Everest would be fine. Shadow had set his leg as best he could, and as long as he stayed off it for a while he’d be alright, though he’d probably have a slight limp for the rest of his life as a result of his injuries.
The cut over his eye was healing, but it would scar, giving Everest a somewhat frightening appearance.
Saba was talking to Aleu now. An idea had come to her.
“…so Aleu, that’s why I was wondering if we could stay here.” Saba finished.
“Here!” Aleu said. “You mean with the Talbourne?”
Saba nodded.
Aleu remained silent for a while.
“Well, I’ll have to talk to the council. They have to approve all our new members, but I don’t mind personally.”
Saba smiled.
“I’ll talk to them at the meeting we’re having.” Aleu said. “I’m actually supposed to be in there already, so if you’ll excuse me.”
Saba nodded, and walked back over with her family.

“…I guess that wraps up the meeting.” Kema, a gray wolf said.
“There is one other matter that has come to my attention.” Aleu said. “Saba and Everest have made it known to me that they wish to join the Talbourne clan.”
“Can they survive like us?” Nava asked.
“From what I understand Everest has been living like a wolf for the past four years, though Saba was a pet, and will need to learn.”
“Why were they banished from Nome?” Haroe, an orange wolf asked.
Aleu sighed. “They were both banished from Nome because they wish to be mates… and they are brother and sister.”
The wolves of the council looked surprised.
“Any other questions?” Aleu asked.
Each council member shook their heads.
“Then let’s put it to a vote.” Aleu said.
“Nava, I guess you’re first, stay, or go.”
“I vote they stay.” Nava said. “I know their story, and I think they really do love one another. Though it is a little unorthodox, I find no reason to fault them for what they have done.”
Aleu nodded. “Very well, Haroe?”
“I vote stay as well. They have broken none of our laws. Why should we hold them accountable to the laws of the dogs of Nome? We are the Talbourne, and we have our own laws.”
“Alright.” Aleu said. “Kema, what about you?”
“I vote stay too.” The gray female said. “They need a home, and we have always said we would help the helpless. They have three young pups that may not survive if we don’t.”
“Good.” Aleu said.
She turned to Shadow. “Shadow, any military concerns?”
Shadow shook his head. “No Aleu, none that I can see.”
“It is agreed then?” Aleu said. “Saba, Everest and their family shall be members of the Talbourne?”
The council members all nodded.

About an hour later, Aleu stepped out of the chamber. Saba ran over to her. “Well, what did they say?” She asked excitedly.
“They approved it.” Aleu said. “Yourself, Everest, and your pups are now part of the Talbourne Clan.”
Saba grinned. “Oh thank you Aleu!” She said.
Aleu smiled. “…but you’re going to have to do a lot of learning. Living out here is not like it is back in Nome. Certainly no one will bring your food to you in a bowl. You have to dedicate yourself to learning how to be a wolf, and to teaching your children.”
“I will!” Saba said. “Oh I will, I promise!”
Aleu smiled again. “Good, I’m going to hold a Clan meeting to introduce you to everyone and make your membership official; you’ll hear when it is. Just meet me in my chambers about ten minutes prior.”
“I’ll be there Aleu, I’ll be there.” Saba said. Then she went off to tell her family the great news.






Epilogue

Aleu stood in front of the Clan.
“Good evening my family. I know this meeting wasn’t planned, and I appreciate your attendance. The reason I have called this meeting is to introduce the five newest members of the Talbourne Clan, and to make it known throughout the land that these are now ours, anyone who has a problem with them, has a problem with each of us. I consider all of you my family, and a family we are.” She turned and looked at Saba, giving her the cue for her family to walk out beside Aleu.
Everest was limping fairly badly, but he made it out with the rest of his family.
“This is Saba, and Everest, their daughter Sunny, and two sons, Rife and Tram. I want each of you to take Saba under your wing. She comes from Nome, where she lived as a pet to the humans. Aleu looked over at Dash and Melody, who sat beside her, and smiled. “Now we all have seen pets turned into wolves before.” She said. “So I know it can be done.”
Aleu turned back to face Saba and Everest. “I’m going to ask you Everest, do you swear to defend this Clan, it’s ideals, it’s Alpha, and it’s members at all costs, to the death if necessary?”
Everest nodded. “Yes I do.”
“…and Saba.” Aleu continued. “Do you swear to defend this Clan, it’s ideals, it’s Alpha, and it’s members at all costs, to the death if necessary?”
Saba nodded. “Yes I do.”
Aleu stepped back and smiled. “I give you the Talbourne’s newest members, Everest and Saba.”
All the wolves below cheered.
“Now let’s all welcome this family into our own.” Aleu said. “You’re dismissed.”
The wolves began to mill around in the main chamber, talking amongst themselves.
Aleu turned to Saba and Everest. “Why don’t you two go down and meet some of them? You’re going to be living with them now.”
Saba nodded and turned to Everest. “Ready?”
He nodded. “Ready.”
Saba turned and looked at the small pups behind her. “Kids come along now, let’s go meet our new friends.”
Saba and Everest walked down the shelves to the main chamber, ready to start their new life…
together.

Chapter 10

An hour and a half later, the small family was walking up to a large cave.
Everest looked around. Two wolves stood on guard outside the entrance. “I hope you know what you’re doing…”
The family continued walking toward the entrance.
“Stop!” The guard called. “Who are you, and what is your business here?”
“I’m Saba, and I need to speak to Aleu!” Saba yelled over the storm.
“Doesn’t everyone?” The wolf asked. “What makes you think she has time for you?”
“I’m her sister!” Saba called.
“Come up here.” The wolf said.
Saba and her family walked up to the wolf, who turned to the other guard. “Go tell Aleu her sister Saba is here to see her.”
The wolf nodded, and ran into the cave.
The wolf turned back to the small family. “Sorry to have to do this, but a wolf pack has been making trouble for us recently.” He paused. “I suppose you and your family can at least come inside until he gets back. It’ll get you out of the wind anyway.”
Saba nodded. She and her family stepped inside the cave. “Thank you.”
“That’s some storm out there, what are you doing out in it with such little ones as these?”
Saba sighed. “It’s a bit of a long story…”
“Oh…” The wolf said. He paused. “So whereabouts are you guys from?”
“I was from Nome.” Saba said. “…but I can’t go back there now.”
“Nome huh?” The wolf said. “That’s a pretty good ways away.”
“Yeah…” Saba said.
About that time, the wolf returned, Aleu at his side. “Saba?” She asked.
Saba smiled. “Hey Aleu, it’s been awhile.”
“I guess!” Aleu said. “Come inside; get out of that storm, what brings you here?”
Saba sighed. “I… I need some help. I’m in a little trouble.”
“Well I’ll always do what I can for family, what’s up?”
“We were… um… banished from Nome.” Saba said slowly.
“Banished!” Aleu said. “…for what?”
“Aleu, this is Everest.” Saba said.
Aleu’s vision snapped to the male behind her sister. “Everest?” She asked.
The male smiled. “Yeah…”
“I thought you were dead… at least… that’s what dad told me.”
“I know.” Everest said. “It’s a long story.”
“So the reason you got banished… these are your pups aren’t they?”
Saba nodded slowly.
Aleu sighed. “…and Drake found out, didn’t he?”
Saba nodded again.
“Well, is that your problem?”
Saba shook her head. “No, we left Nome, and were looking for a new home when we ran into this wolf named Stripe…” Aleu cut her sister off. “Stripe huh, he’s bad news.”
“You know him?” Saba asked.
Aleu nodded. “He and his little pack have tried to steal from us before. I’ve asked him to join the clan, I know they’re just hungry, but he always refuses… too proud I guess.”
Saba nodded. “Well anyway, Stripe and his gang attacked us, and they took my daughter.”
“Oh no!” Aleu said. “…and you want help getting her back?”
Saba nodded.
Aleu turned behind her. “Hey Shadow, come here for a minute.”
A red wolf joined them. “What is it Aleu.”
“I just saw you walk in.” Aleu said. “Done with the hunt already?”
Shadow nodded. “Yeah, we found some elk that had bedded down for the storm, and chased them down.”
“Well I guess that’s pretty good.” Aleu said.
“Yeah.” Shadow said. “With the meat from this hunt, added to what we already have, we have enough to last about four days.”
“Enough to outlast the storm?” Aleu asked.
“Hopefully.” Shadow responded.
“Well what’s the team doing now?” Aleu asked.
“They’re just tearing up the meat, why, what’s up?”
“Can we spare a few bodies?” Aleu asked.
“Sure.” Shadow said.
“Good.” Aleu responded. “Shadow, this is my sister, Saba, and her… mate, Everest.”
“I thought you said Everest was your brother.” Shadow said.
“He is.” Saba said.
“But you just said…” Shadow’s voice trailed off as he understood. “Oh!”
“They were banished from Nome, and were walking out in the storm, and ran into Stripe.” Aleu said. “He kidnapped one of their pups, and Saba is requesting help in rescuing her.”
Shadow nodded.
“I was thinking of sending a few members of the team with her.” Aleu said.
Shadow turned behind him. “Dash, Timbre, get over here.”
A brown wolf and a red wolf, that looked an awful lot like Everest and Saba, ran over to him. “What is it Shadow.”
Dash recognized Saba, but didn’t say anything. “This is Saba, evidently she’s your sister Dash.”
Dash nodded. “Yeah, what’s up?”
‘Well she and her family were walking through the storm, and ran into Stripe. He kidnapped one of their pups.”
“That’s awful.” The brown wolf said.
Shadow looked at Dash. “You know where he lives don’t you?”
Dash nodded. “Yeah, I staked out his cave in case the clan ever decided to move against him, remember?”
Shadow nodded. “I thought that was you. I’m going to send you two to help her.”
“Alright,” the brown wolf said. “When do we leave?”
“As soon as possible.” Shadow said. “I don’t have to tell you what Stripe’s plans are.”
The two nodded, and Shadow turned to Saba. “This is Dash, and that’s Timbre. They’re two of my best. They’ll get your daughter back.”
Saba smiled. “Thank you.”
Timbre turned to Shadow. “What about the team?”
“You can dismiss them.” Shadow said. “In fact, do so before you leave, but be quick about it.”
Dash and Timbre nodded, and ran over to the group of wolves in the center of the chamber. They positioned themselves in front of the wolves. “First and second unit you are dismissed, carry out your evening duties.” Dash said.
The wolves began to disperse.
Two female wolves, one gray, and one red one, which Saba recognized as Melody, came walking in just then from the chambers above.
“Hey Dash.” The gray one said. “You guys are back already?”
“Not for long I’m afraid.” Timbre said.
“Yeah, we’re getting ready to head back out.” Dash said.
“Well be careful.” The two wolves said.
Dash and Timbre smiled. “We will be.”
The two females turned to each other. “I guess we can head back up and talk some more.” Melody said.
The two of them started back up the shelves of rock.
Timbre and Dash walked back over to Saba.
“I know where the cave is.” Dash said. “So you guys follow me, but stick close. We’re going to be moving fast, and it’s easy to get lost in this storm.”
Saba nodded. She turned to Everest. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Be careful.” Everest said.
Saba smiled. “I will.”
Then the three of them ran out of the cave.
“What happened to you?” Shadow asked Everest.
Everest smiled. “I got into a bit of a scuffle.”
“I’ll say.” Shadow said. “You look like you got run over by a freight train. Why don’t you head up here with me, and I’ll see what we can do for you.”
“Thanks.” Everest said. “…but I really need to keep an eye on the kids.”
“We’ll drop them off with Melody and June.” Shadow said. “If you don’t let someone take care of that leg you might lose it.”
Everest sighed. “Alright.”
Shadow smiled. “Follow me.”
The two of them walked up through the cave, Aleu and the children followed close behind.


























Chapter 11

True to his word, Dash had led Saba and Timbre to the small cave that Stripe lived in. There was one rather large wolf standing guard outside. He hadn’t spotted the intruders.
“Follow me…” Dash whispered.
He walked carefully around the cave, being careful to stay within the concealment of the forest that surrounded the cave.
Soon, they’d reached the back of it.
“Timbre and I will start an attack at the front, and draw the wolves into that area. You see that entrance up there?”
Saba looked up and gulped. It was almost one hundred feet off the ground, and the climb up was almost vertical. “Yeah…” She said.
“When we start the attack, climb up there and get your daughter, what’s her name?”
“Sunny.” Saba answered.
“Well you get Sunny, and take her to safety, then… howl at us, that’ll let us know to cut off the attack. We’ll meet back right here.”
“Howl?” Saba asked. “I’ve never done that before.”
“Trust me you’ll know how.” Dash said. “You’re as much wolf as I am. Now do you think you can make that climb?”
Saba nodded. “Anything for Sunny’s safety…” She thought.
“Alright, we’re going to go back around front, remember, our howl is your cue to start climbing…”
“…and mine is yours to stop the fight, got it.” Saba said.
“Good luck.” Timbre said. Then he and Dash left Saba at the back of the cave, and headed around to the front.
Not long after that, Saba heard a howl, and growling, then, sounds of fighting.
She ran at the hill, and jumped onto it, clawing onto the cracks in the rock for purchase.
She found it, and started climbing.
Saba was nearing the entrance, when her paw slipped, and suddenly she was hanging over ninety feet above the ground with one paw keeping her from plunging to her death.
At first Saba panicked, and started flailing her legs, trying to find purchase on the slippery rock.
Her one supporting paw almost slipped, and she stopped moving. “I’ve got to do this, for Sunny.” Saba thought.
She took a deep breath, and swung her body out away from the rock. When she swung back into it, she scrambled the rest of the way up the wall, and over the edge. Then she ran into the cave.
It was a small cave, and Saba had little trouble finding Sunny. The small and very frightened pup was overjoyed to see her mother.
“Mommy!” Sunny yelled, as she ran over to her mother.
“Shh.” Saba said. “We’re getting out of here.”
“Oh really?”
The voice startled Saba, and she turned.
Stripe stood behind her.
A furious anger suddenly bubbled up within Saba.
“Sunny, run, now.” Saba said.
The pup did as her mother had said.
“Uh-oh.” Stripe said with a smile. “Mommy looks angry.”
Saba growled at him. “Mamma is angry.”
Then she leapt at him. She didn’t know where the sudden strength she felt coursing through her came from, but it was welcoming, and Saba embraced it.
She found that without even knowing it, she was winning the fight. It seemed like hours later when Saba awoke from this delirium.
She was on top of Stripe, her jaws at his throat. He was pretty beat up, and it surprised Saba that she was able to do this.
Saba growled and prepared to end the wolf’s life.
“Saba!” A voice called.
Saba opened her jaws.
Suddenly she felt herself being pulled off of Stripe. “It’s over.” Dash said. “Sunny is safe, Timbre is with her. Come on let’s go.”
Saba nodded, and turned to leave.
Stripe struggled to his feet. “You should‘ve killed me Saba!” He yelled. “I swear I’ll find you! No one makes a fool out of Stripe, no one!”
Saba and Dash retreated out of the cave.

Saba was back at Aleu’s cave.
Sunny was safe, and Everest would be fine. Shadow had set his leg as best he could, and as long as he stayed off it for a while he’d be alright, though he’d probably have a slight limp for the rest of his life as a result of his injuries.
The cut over his eye was healing, but it would scar, giving Everest a somewhat frightening appearance.
Saba was talking to Aleu now. An idea had come to her.
“…so Aleu, that’s why I was wondering if we could stay here.” Saba finished.
“Here!” Aleu said. “You mean with the Talbourne?”
Saba nodded.
Aleu remained silent for a while.
“Well, I’ll have to talk to the council. They have to approve all our new members, but I don’t mind personally.”
Saba smiled.
“I’ll talk to them at the meeting we’re having.” Aleu said. “I’m actually supposed to be in there already, so if you’ll excuse me.”
Saba nodded, and walked back over with her family.

“…I guess that wraps up the meeting.” Kema, a gray wolf said.
“There is one other matter that has come to my attention.” Aleu said. “Saba and Everest have made it known to me that they wish to join the Talbourne clan.”
“Can they survive like us?” Nava asked.
“From what I understand Everest has been living like a wolf for the past four years, though Saba was a pet, and will need to learn.”
“Why were they banished from Nome?” Haroe, an orange wolf asked.
Aleu sighed. “They were both banished from Nome because they wish to be mates… and they are brother and sister.”
The wolves of the council looked surprised.
“Any other questions?” Aleu asked.
Each council member shook their heads.
“Then let’s put it to a vote.” Aleu said.
“Nava, I guess you’re first, stay, or go.”
“I vote they stay.” Nava said. “I know their story, and I think they really do love one another. Though it is a little unorthodox, I find no reason to fault them for what they have done.”
Aleu nodded. “Very well, Haroe?”
“I vote stay as well. They have broken none of our laws. Why should we hold them accountable to the laws of the dogs of Nome? We are the Talbourne, and we have our own laws.”
“Alright.” Aleu said. “Kema, what about you?”
“I vote stay too.” The gray female said. “They need a home, and we have always said we would help the helpless. They have three young pups that may not survive if we don’t.”
“Good.” Aleu said.
She turned to Shadow. “Shadow, any military concerns?”
Shadow shook his head. “No Aleu, none that I can see.”
“It is agreed then?” Aleu said. “Saba, Everest and their family shall be members of the Talbourne?”
The council members all nodded.

About an hour later, Aleu stepped out of the chamber. Saba ran over to her. “Well, what did they say?” She asked excitedly.
“They approved it.” Aleu said. “Yourself, Everest, and your pups are now part of the Talbourne Clan.”
Saba grinned. “Oh thank you Aleu!” She said.
Aleu smiled. “…but you’re going to have to do a lot of learning. Living out here is not like it is back in Nome. Certainly no one will bring your food to you in a bowl. You have to dedicate yourself to learning how to be a wolf, and to teaching your children.”
“I will!” Saba said. “Oh I will, I promise!”
Aleu smiled again. “Good, I’m going to hold a Clan meeting to introduce you to everyone and make your membership official; you’ll hear when it is. Just meet me in my chambers about ten minutes prior.”
“I’ll be there Aleu, I’ll be there.” Saba said. Then she went off to tell her family the great news.






Epilogue

Aleu stood in front of the Clan.
“Good evening my family. I know this meeting wasn’t planned, and I appreciate your attendance. The reason I have called this meeting is to introduce the five newest members of the Talbourne Clan, and to make it known throughout the land that these are now ours, anyone who has a problem with them, has a problem with each of us. I consider all of you my family, and a family we are.” She turned and looked at Saba, giving her the cue for her family to walk out beside Aleu.
Everest was limping fairly badly, but he made it out with the rest of his family.
“This is Saba, and Everest, their daughter Sunny, and two sons, Rife and Tram. I want each of you to take Saba under your wing. She comes from Nome, where she lived as a pet to the humans. Aleu looked over at Dash and Melody, who sat beside her, and smiled. “Now we all have seen pets turned into wolves before.” She said. “So I know it can be done.”
Aleu turned back to face Saba and Everest. “I’m going to ask you Everest, do you swear to defend this Clan, it’s ideals, it’s Alpha, and it’s members at all costs, to the death if necessary?”
Everest nodded. “Yes I do.”
“…and Saba.” Aleu continued. “Do you swear to defend this Clan, it’s ideals, it’s Alpha, and it’s members at all costs, to the death if necessary?”
Saba nodded. “Yes I do.”
Aleu stepped back and smiled. “I give you the Talbourne’s newest members, Everest and Saba.”
All the wolves below cheered.
“Now let’s all welcome this family into our own.” Aleu said. “You’re dismissed.”
The wolves began to mill around in the main chamber, talking amongst themselves.
Aleu turned to Saba and Everest. “Why don’t you two go down and meet some of them? You’re going to be living with them now.”
Saba nodded and turned to Everest. “Ready?”
He nodded. “Ready.”
Saba turned and looked at the small pups behind her. “Kids come along now, let’s go meet our new friends.”
Saba and Everest walked down the shelves to the main chamber, ready to start their new life…
together.

*************************************************************

So what did you think?
Was it good?
The next Fanfic is Balto: Outbreak!
I think I'm finally ready for that one...
BUT ARE YOU?!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

- Rotramel the Writer

Wow. That was great! I noticed a couple of mistakes with spelling and grammar (I can be such a nit-picker sometimes), but other than that this is an awesome story you have told, Rotramel! I am honored to be such an inspiration for this tale of love and drama. Bravo! Bravo!

(BTW, I'm actually a girl. ^__^ But it's okay. Just thought you'd like to know that!)

Sorry about that! I changed the forward to reflect this new info.

Thanks for the kind words. I never would have come up with that idea on my own!

Now, on to Balto: Outbreak!

Oh, and for anyone that is interested, I'm also working on novelising the movie The Matrix! That's going to be a lot of work!

Oh well, guess that's all for now!

- Rotramel the Writer

Few things ya missed like... Dingo. No one has mentioned the poor guy so far and Saba had the chance to tell Everest that he is dead.

And I like to know the aftermath in Nome when Saba and Everest are at Aleu's home with their pups and how Balto and Jenna feels...

However, good job. Now, onto the zombies!

I noticed that you've got chapters 10,and 11,and also the epilogue down twice is there a reason for that(I don't mean to nit-pick either)

That's okay.

You're very welcome! I like the way that you made my basic concept of an incest love much more serious than I had made it in my stories. And thanks for the credit!

I think I'll try to read the rest of your fics now; if they're as good as this, I think I'll like them too!

Wow, that was...incredible! Such a tale of love, betrayal, and trust will never be found again. Bravo!
But now Outbreak?! Dear Maker, I thought you'd forgotten that one... *shudders*
Um, uh, no revealing it until I'm well armed and well concealed somewhere safe, okay?

Fantastic! That's your best fic so far, and I've loved them all! Is 'Outbreak' the zombie fic, cos if it is I can't wait!

Balto123

Balto 123: Yes, Balto: Outbreak is the zombie fic!

Thank you all again!

I'm sorry I can't type longer, but I'm REALLY busy!

- Rotramel the Writer

Again you've written another awsome fic.
What can i say about this fic? Awsome! Brilliant! and. . . AWSOME!

Im not usually a fan of 'inner family relation' fics but i decided to give it a chance.

Hello to all!

Just a little update on Balto: Outbreak. It's sitting at 48 pages right now, and it's my first R rated fic. It's a little... no, quite a lot grusome and violent (but then Zombies? Violence?) but it is turning into a good story. Besides the problem of the Zombie infested town, Balto and Jenna also get the chance to finally work through Jenna's actual feelings as to the events that occurred in "Balto: When a Mistake is Made..." between Balto, and the husky Angel. Some of these Jenna has been trying to bury within herself, but that's not going to work for long. Has Jenna really forgiven him? Or is she still carrying a bit of a grudge against him for it?
I know you all probably thought that that particular story was done and over with, but these things (adultry) have lasting effects, and I thought it was importent to share this with others, so that's about all I've written. I'm looking for this one to be about 120-180 pages long. So expect it to be done in about two weeks. (Again no promises though)

There's one other thing I wish to discuss...

This is a little more of a sensative subject, and I debated whether or not to address it, but I feel I must. Not only to the ones involved but also as a message to the other writers on the site.

When we write, there is a little of us in every character that we create, in every action that those characters undertake. It’s the differences between us and our feelings that makes us unique, and is also the reason I could write a Forbidden Love, and Juuchan 17 could write her confession series, and they didn’t turn out exactly the same.
We are all unique. Don’t ever change yourself, or your way of thinking just because someone else doesn’t agree.
I knew this would come up sometime by the way. When you write about a controversial topic it always does. There are some that like it and some that don’t. Keep your focus on the people that liked it, and accept the criticism of others with a grain of salt.
As a writer, some will hate us, some may not like us, some will tolerate us, and some will adore us. It’s all part of the job, as much as typing words.
If there is a story just yearning to break free inside you… set it free. Let it soar like an eagle in the clouds, and if anyone tries to shoot it down… well… then you break out the bullet proof armor and keep flying (lol)
never, ever give up, for that is the ONLY way a writer can fail.


I guess that's all I have for now.

- Rotramel the Writer

P.S.

Outcast Halfbreed, I know you didn't intend to hurt anyone with your post, and don't believe you were wrong in making it. This is just a matter of fact statement to the writers out there (especially beginners) to hold their heads high and press on no matter what. In NO WAY do I intend to start some kind of "forum war" over this. This is a single statement and I ask you to accept it as such.


***********************UPDATE*****************************

Balto: Outbreak is sitting right at 48 pages now. I'm still thinking it'll be done in about two weeks.
Just thought I'd let you all in on my some new ideas I've had.

1.) Of course, the ending of A Forbidden Love almost demands a follow up, so expect that sometime in the future. I don't really know a whole lot about the story line yet, just that it will be set about six months after the first, feature a "revenge" of sorts with Stripe, and it will cover the time when Everest and Saba relate to their kids what happened... that may not go over so well...

2.) Haven't even thought of a name for this one yet, and in fact, haven't even decided if I'm going to write it or not. It came about due to some investigations I've read about child abuse. (Physical) I'm thinking that Blaize (who is now a year old) will meet and start to hang around a younger female (no name yet, but she's about a month, maybe two, younger than Blaize) who just moved to Nome with her father. Her father is a very angry dog, due to the fact that the musher who used to own him abused him (during training and such) When the female was very young her father killed her mother. the female doesn't remember it, and she is told by her father that her mother was killed by a crazy wolf/dog. (could lead to some intresting discussions with Balto) The female doesn't say anyhting about what her father does to her, and hides it from everyone else. Blaize is the first that she tells. Her father told her if she ever told anyone, he'd kill her. Blaize asks his dad for advice, and Blaize will help the female overcome her ordeal. I know it will have a climatic ending scene, and that it's going to turn out to be another of my "love" fics. (Another one for you Aljan!)

Anyway, that's all I've really got right now. The race is kinda stalled. I can't seem to come up with any ideas, so that one's on hold for now.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

- Rotramel the Writer
2.)

Exellent Story! Just awesome. Can't wait for "Outbreak". Seriously, I can't wait, I need it now. I know you're busy,and I know it will be great. Hope you finish soon.