This is chapter 7 of my Love Hate and Dog Racing story. Please read, and, if you like this chapter and want to read the ones before it, there is a link at the bottom of the page to the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy.
“The Alaska five hundred.” Kirby said to himself in a voice just above a whisper. To his teammates he probably looked pretty foolish sitting by the door of the boiler room looking out at the bleak night and letting the cold creep in through the slightly ajar door. Light from the flame in the boiler stretched out across the snow in front of Kirby through the crack into the night.
“The Alaska five hundred.” Kirby repeated in a more upbeat tone. This time his voice echoed through the boiler room, but nobody seemed to take heed.
A long satisfying grin spread across Kirby’s face. Closing his eyes he could clearly see himself standing above a large crowd on a pedestal with a shiny golden collar wrapped around his neck. But the crowd wasn’t just any crowd; this was a crowd of the most beautiful, most luscious, most busty female dogs Kirby had ever seen. And they were all shouting his name and screaming out “Take me,” “I’m yours,” and the one that got Kirby all bound up in knots, “I got some steak, big boy.”
“Hey Kirby why don’t you close that. I spent all day out there, I don’t need to have it in here as well” Ralph said busting Kirby’s fragile bubble of self love. Dusty’s giggle followed shortly after.
Kirby turned and looked at all his friends spread about the room easing their aches and pains away. Ralph and Dusty sat side by side in front of the boiler, flames dancing across their faces and upper chest like some playful pup lapping at there wet faces. Kip and Fell sat side by side back away from the boiler up on the wooden shelves. The fur on their faces was wet, but starting to dry in - what was compared to the outside as - the intense temperature of the boiler room. Then there was Kodi; he lay back against the far corner of the boiler room under the shadow of the bench, head down against his paws, tail and legs coiled around himself. His ears laid semi flat against his head, set in a space between a dream and a nightmare, being completely ignored by everyone in the room like some garbage on the street. Kodi didn’t seem to mind that he was nothing in his teammates eyes, and by the looks, didn’t look like he cared he was even a teammate.
Kirby opened his jaws and grabbed the white cotton rope that hung on the inside of the door and pulled. The door closed as best it could with the snow wedged between it and the baseboard, leaving the top corner open to the cold, but that was normal. He then turned back into the room and began to saunter his way across the wooden floor. Unnoticed squeaks rising from the boards as he walked. Stopping, Kirby cleared his throat and attained the unnoticed attention of the room. “Can you believe it?”
“What’s that Kirby?” Dusty threw over her shoulder, slipping her head around Ralph’s fat head.
Kirby took a step towards Dusty and raised his chest arrogantly; Ralph turned his head to listen. “My dream of course.”
“Your dream?” Ralph laughed and turned back towards the boiler. Dusty followed, already bored with what was to come.
“Yes, my dream.” Kirby turned away hurt.
Ralph laughed even harder. “I thought your only dream was to gain enough weight that you could just sit on your fat but all day and not do anything … or, or what about the dream where you save a bunch of female dogs that will take care of you for the rest of your life?” Ralph continued on chuckling, his entire body shaking as he laughed.
Kirby growled and moved away from the boiler, a look of hurt spread across his face. “You guys are just jealous because I have a dream.” He huffed and sat down facing away from everyone.
Rolling his eyes then closing them tight and angrily, yet sucking his anger in and preparing himself to kiss up, Ralph turned to face Kirby’s back. “Well, then why don’t you tell us your Dream.”
Kirby raised an ear to this, and turned his head slightly. “What?”
Ralph groaned in his mind. “Why don’t you tell us what your dream’s about. We’re all listening.”
Dusty nodded approvingly without turning her head, and Kip and Fell both bowed their heads once in approval. Kodi didn’t seem to hear anything, his head just laid on his paws and his eyes stared forward.
“Well,” Kirby began to turn around. “I guess I could.”
“Sure.” Ralph turned back to the boiler with an uninterested tone as Kirby began to rant.
“It’s my dream to run the Alaska 500.” Kirby stated matter-of-factly.
Silence reined throughout the room for what seemed several minutes.
“Oh come on, aren’t you guys interested in this race at all?” Kirby fired.
“Nope.”
“Nope.”
“Not really.”
“Hehehehe.”
His teammates fired off in rapid succession – at least the ones that were listening.
“Well … er, why not?” Kirby fought his words out.
Ralph turned his head to the side so Kirby could see his left eye. “It’s just another time in the harness.”
“What!” Kirby leapt to Ralph’s side. “’Just another time in the harness?’ It’s more than that, it’s, it’s … just …” Kirby stopped, the struggle with words ended for a lack of them.
Silence returned to the little room. Kirby looked around him at his friends; none of them seemed to share his same excitement for the race to come. He began to turn away from the boiler and make his way towards the back of the room under the bench, when Fell spoke from just above him.
“So exactly what is so acceptional as to regards of this contest?” Fell’s voice sounded full of genial interest.
Kirby didn’t want to bust the bubble of friendship he was receiving from Fell; but the fact of the matter was that he didn’t know exactly what he had been asked. “Well, you know er … um, a … do you think you could repeat that?” He asked in a tone of confusion.
Fell rolled his eyes in a wide circle. “Moronic simpletons.” He whispered to himself, then straightened up to speak. “I asked, what is so special about this race?”
“Oh, why didn’t you say so?” Kirby turned away from the benches and took up a speaking spot in the center of the room.
Fell rolled his eyes back the other way and grinded his teeth together. “I did.”
Kirby waited for the room to grow quiet, even though it was already quiet. Clearing his throat like a great speaker, he began. “Five hundred miles of the harshest trail anybody has ever seen. Testing the will of man and dog, possibly brining us together, or ripping us apart.”
Dusty turned to face Kirby.
“Winds so strong that they could pick an entire team of dogs up and throw them off a mountain.” Kirby went on, Ralph turned to listen in also. “Ice rough enough to rip your paws to bloody shreds – and this is only in the first few miles. Not to mention the fame that the winning team would have, and the ladies that will swoon over us. Now can you believe that we’re going to run this race?” He finished with voice of utter excitement.
Ralph’s ears perked straight and narrow at the mention of ladies. “So what’s this about … ladies?” He tried his best to sound uncaring.
“The girls.” Kirby stated flatly. “Every girl. From the big to the small, from the awful built, to the well built.” Kirby gave a flirtatious growl
“Oh,” groaned Dusty turning back around. “Males.” She spit out distastefully
Ralph’s attention still held fast. “So, all the girls would be after us?”
Kirby opened his mouth to speak--
“--You mean like they do now?” Dusty snickered.
“Ha ha ha, you kill me Dusty.” Kirby laughed derisively
Ralph, still unmoved, turned to speak again. “So, who exactly would have the most girls after him?”
Perplexity wracked Kirby’s face; ears twisting, eyes moving off and away inadvertently. “Well, I suppose it would be the one who wears the golden collar.”
“And who’s that?” Ralph asked on the edge of excitement.
“Well, I guess it would be …” Kirby’s eyes moved across the room towards Kodi’s lost form. “Our leader.”
Kodi, suddenly realizing the eyes of half his teammates were on him, looked up unaware of what was happening. “What?”
“Oh nothing.” Ralph turned away and stared back into the deepness of the boiler. In his mind he could still remember all the stupid things Kodi had put the team through, and all the pain from the extra running Ralph had had on his toe. “Just talking, that’s all.” Ralph finished with a bitter tone.
Kirby turned away also, and the eyes of his teammates were no longer on him. Kodi could feel the pressing of the room and his ‘friends’ against him crushing him back into his corner. He needed to get out of there.
Kodi urged himself to his feet and began to ramble towards the door. His head hung low between his front legs, but his eyes scanning his teammates for their irate looks. They all turned their heads slowly towards Kodi and let a single judging eye cast across his slinking form. Fell and Kip both watched him move from out under the shelf and across the room with high-nosed eyes – even though they weren’t particularly mad at him. Kodi then crossed between Kirby and Ralph. Both looked at him over their shoulders with a scowl; both thinking about the particular hell Kodi had put them through. Dusty didn’t even feel it worth her time to look at him.
Kodi stopped at the door and leaned his shoulder hard against it. A long groan signaled it opening, followed closely by a blast of arctic wind that chilled the room. Fur twitched on end on everyone. Kodi pushed into the darkness and cold, kicking the door closed with his left back foot before cowering into the night.
The room was silent; all eyes rested still against different places throughout the room waiting for the heat to return and fur to drop back down.
“Serves him right.” Dusty scolded.
Kirby looked straight at Dusty. “You know Dusty, it isn’t all his fault.”
“Like I haven’t heard that before.” Dusty shot back.
“But what about what you said last night?” Kirby shot back even harder.
Dusty was silent.
Kirby stepped closer to Dusty, and Dusty watched him out of the corner of her eye, waiting. But Kirby stopped short, closed his mouth, opened it again, then closed it and turned away. Casting one more glance towards Dusty,Kirby moved slow across the room and found himself a spot tucked back under the benches. He curled himself around three and a half times, then laid down facing the wall; letting his mind slink into the recesses of sleep.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kodi felt horrible to the point that he actually felt sick. Although he had been feeling quite sick all evening, it seemed to be coming through with an exceptionally atrociousness now. He stumbled left and right through the streets bouncing his shoulders against the siding to either side. Moaning horribly and feeling his stomach turn and gurgle as he did. Words spilled forth, never being spoken to any general audience and always being slow and moaned. His eyes looked, but did not see.
“Why?” He cried to himself, then moaned a cluster of words.
What’s wrong with me? Kodi asked himself mentally. He didn’t appear to be well at all. Is this guilt eating me up that bad? Am I falling apart because of this? What am I going to do? Kodi asked himself over and over again.
The night seemed to crowd in around Kodi. Wind zapped the life from him and drowned his fur in swirls of snow that came up from around the edges of buildings he passed. Nothing seemed to make any sense: Kodi felt completely lost.
Kodi ducked into a dark alley stuffed with trash. Maybe I need some sleep. He thought feeling suddenly sleepy. He looked for something soft to crawl under or pull over himself. Then it came, his stomach. It twisted violently and threw itself forward against his chest and spilled it’s contents onto the snow in front of him with a loud hack that could be heard halfway across town. It came in two waves from him, at first exploding violently out and away, then a low emptying of what hadn’t made it out in the first wave until he was completely drained.
Sitting back with an almost amazed look on his face, along with some half digested slump across his lower jaw, Kodi looked around him slightly dazed; but at least he felt better. Two wooden barrels nearby welcomed Kodi’s exhausted form. He wedged his body between them and sat with his back to the wall letting his stomach settle itself. Kodi’s eyes closed and opened meditatively, looking towards the black sky above with an estranged hope. A hope for an answer, a way to turn the story, or anything, anything.
“KODIAK!” Came the sudden scream.
Kodi’s eyes dropped instantly and he threw himself against the side of the barrel in shock, knocking it down in front of his feet. Feet tangled around the barrel as Kodi ran. But he didn’t get far as the barrel rolled under his front legs and lifted his stomach into the air, tossing him over to the side. The realization of who was yelling at him made Kodi curl his tail between his legs, and tuck his ears back against the side of his head.
Slowly Kodi turned his head to look down at the far end of the alley where his mother stood surrounded by a yellow glow of a lantern. Her eyes were dark, but burned with a fierceness of death. Breath escaped her lungs with a hiss, followed by the crackling of the steam as it froze in midair.
“KODIAK!” Jenna barked again, her powerful mother toned voice funneling down the alley, causing Kodi to wince as he stared from his shocked position on his back.
Without another word, Jenna moved down the alley towards her son with a stride of pure hate, pure vengeance, and pure energy. It only took a moment before she stood above Kodi, looking down with a coldness and superiority of a abhorrence filled mother.
“H, hi … mo-”
“Don’t you ‘Hi Mom’ me.” Jenna ordered. “I don’t want to hear a word out of your mouth.”
“Yes mom.” Kodi submitted and sucked his neck down, trying to become as small as he could to escape his mother’s wrath.
“Now stand up!” His mother ordered.
Kodi rolled over to his stomach, but kept his body close to the snow so he didn’t stand over his mother.
Jenna scowled. “I said stand up!”
Kodi did, and stood just slightly taller than his mother, but made sure to keep his head and shoulders low, along with his tail.
Jenna growled “Who do you think you are? I want to know. Who do you think you are?”
Kodi wasn’t sure how to answer, and waited for his mother to continue, or make an order for him to answer her.
A tense standoff passed, and then calm seemed to come through Jenna in a single exhaled breath of disillusioned reason, relaxing everything, even her fur until she no longer looked full of rage. Her eyes even looked calm. But the feeling of extreme displeasure filled the air around them.
She heaved a breath and leaned in close to Kodi. “I’m not mad at you; I’m just extremely disappointed in you, and worried about what’s going on in your life.”
“But mo-” Kodi began, but his mother’s stern eyes stopped him.
“Now I wish I could sit her and tell you what’s what, and try to help you, but I’m busy”
Kodi raised his right ear and looked at his mother with a wonder; but he made sure to keep it silent and hidden behind his eyes.
“So instead,” Jenna continued quickly, noticing Kodi’s curious move of an ear. “Your father’s going to have a word with you. And I have no idea how upset he’s going to be.”
Jenna turned slowly, “So let’s hurry.” leaving her warning about Balto’s wrath echoing distastefully through Kodi’s head. How angry can my father be? Kodi asked himself timidly. At that moment Kodi realized that he had never actually seen his father in an angry state. He had seen his father when he was quite frustrated and upset, but never actually, angry.
Jenna took five steps forward, and stopped. “Hurry up!” She nipped. “Your fathers waiting.”
Kodi began to follow after his mother with his head hung low. His shoulders heaved his legs forward in a way that made it look like his knees weren’t bending. Inside Kodi’s mind, Kodi was fighting his body to make him stop, to move slower, or to run the other way and hide. But his mothers leading way made him unwillingly move forward.
Jenna cast a single eye over her shoulder to make sure her son still followed. Questions flowed through her brain, and she kept her single eyes securely locked on Kodi’s forehead, wishing that her questions could go into Kodi, and Kodi would start talking to her, answering all the mysteries. Yet Kodi was silent.
It took only a few minutes for the two to move through the dark streets and reach the edge of town and the wall of black between humanity and the wild. Jenna stopped out in front of the telegraph office under the warmth of the light and looked out into the darkness where she figured Balto’s boat would be. She let her hind legs bring her tail to the snow and she watched out of the corner of her eye as her son moved up to her shoulder and stopped.
Kodi began to let his tail drop to the snow, when Jenna spoke suddenly. “Don’t sit down. I don’t have anything to say to you I’m busy. It’s your father who wants to talk. He’s waiting out on the boat for you … And remember that me and your father are going to talk after this and decide a punishment for you”
Kodi’s hips stopped half-way down, and came back upright. A wonder passed through his mind at his mother’s strange words of being late, but Kodi began to walk into the darkness of the arctic night in the general direction of his father’s unseen boat without a second thought to it. His gate moved slow and painful; and his mother, in some way, could feel the pain emanating off of him as his tail vanished.
Kodi moved into the darkness, then stopped and turned to look one more time at his mother. Silence surrounded him as he watched his mothers hate, and worry, filled eyes. He knew that she was worried for him, and he knew that what she probably heard was an absolute shock to her senses and made her angry and frustrated. Kodi couldn’t blame her. But what would his father’s reaction be? In a few moments, Kodi would surely know.
Jenna watched her son move into the darkness in a less than prideful way. She closed her eyes and shook her head despondently. Something had gone wrong with her son, and now only Balto could figure out what that was. Her feet moved and pressed up against her weight, brining her standing. She looked one more time at where he son had been, and turned to walk back into the streets, her fur bristled against the cold and her face flush with hope.
Darkness surrounded Kodi and began to close in on him. It chocked the life from him, strangled him, raped him, and left him for dead in a snow bank. That sickening feeling that Kodi had got when he left the boiler room began to come back in full force. The snow under his feet gave way ever third step, dropping his belly right down into the snow. The usual trail that would be etched in the snow was nowhere in sight A wind began to come up in the wide-open planes of the arctic, pursing Kodi’s fur and driving bits of ice and snow right down to his skin. Eyes clenched against the cold he pushed on.
Kodi’s eyes began to grow accustom to the darkness and cold. His father’s dark and ghost ridden boat began to appear before him off to the right; it was still a ways off, but with every step it grew closer and more defined.
It took just minutes for Kodi to move under the great arched bow on his father’s boat. His eyes looked up over his shoulder at the very bow of the boat, expecting to see his father’s denounced form standing above him with trenchant eyes and hair seethed up on end, but only the ghostly hallow of emptiness greeted Kodi from the bow.
“Dad.” Kodi called as he walked around the right edge of the boat. A moment passed for a possible answer from his father, but none came. Only the noise of Kodi’s feet crunching against the snow and a muffled breeze made sound. “Mom said you wanted to talk to me.” Kodi continued, his voice being drowned out by the uninterrupted loosely blowing wind that moved through his father boat. An eerie feeling moved down Kodi’s spine.
Kodi stopped at the bottom of the single plank that reached up onto the slanted deck. Nowhere did his father’s dark form appear. “Dad?”
Nothing.
His paws moved forward against his will onto the plank, which bent alarmingly under his massive male weight. Kodi only heeded this in the slightest; he had been up it a hundred times before and knew that it would hold.
Reaching the top of the plank and looking around the rundown boat with a wary eye, Kodi searched for any sign of his father. He sniffed the air for that musty smell that his father gave off. It was everywhere.
“Dad?” Kodi asked questioningly
There was a rustle from the wheelhouse of the boat, a thumping and scratching sound against the wooden floors. “Who’s there?” Came Balto’s deep throated demand in the middle of scrambling to stand up.
“It’s me dad. Kodi.”
Balto’s head appeared in the door of the wheelhouse. His eyes moved back towards his son and, recognizing him with a grin, stepped full out into the open. “There’s my favorite son.” Balto spoke in a tone higher than any regular dog – which was his way. He then lowered his voice. “But don’t tell the others I said that.”
Kodi forced a laugh at the joke he had heard a thousand times before. “Ha Ha, that’s funny… Mom says you want to talk to me.” Kodi finished meekly but with force to get everything over with.
Balto bowed his head a single time, closing his eyes once to seal his answer of yes. “I suppose I better talk to you, get your side of the story. I see that you’re quite eager to tell me.” Balto winked and stepped forward to sit in front of his son; Kodi sat as his father did. “So why don’t you tell me what happened from the beginning.”
Kodi forced a breath full of anxiety. “Well, you see it’s really kind of complicated-”
“Just start at the beginning.”
Kodi gulped but felt safe to speak in his father’s presence. “Okay. Well, me and the guys were coming back from running the mail, Dusty stayed behind to get some medicine put on her paws. And, anyways, Kirby and Ralph began … uh, taunting me …”
Balto cocked his ear sideways and leaned his head closer. “About what?”
“What?” Kodi asked full of hope that he wouldn’t have to elaborate.
“What were Kirby and Ralph taunting you about?” Balto questioned deeper and full of rigid sereneity.
“So anyways, I kept trying to get them to stop.” Kodi moved on hoping that his father would follow his lead. “But they wouldn’t stop, and-”
“-Kodi,” Balto interrupted gently. “I want to know what they were teasing you about. Was it about you being part wolf?” Balto asked in the most deadly tone Kodi had ever heard.
“No.” Kodi sighed full of relief. “No no, nothing like that at all, they love you, and they love me.”
Balto bowed his head with a relieved murmur. He matched Kodi’s widespread grin. “So they were just teasing you about your crush on Dusty then?”
Kodi’s eyes spread wide and lost. “Um, what?”
“Kodi.” Balto shook his head and smiled. “It’s pretty easy to see that you have something for her, and that’s absolutely normal. She’s a very beautiful girl after all.”
“No,” Kodi balked. “It’s nothing like that, no, no; it has nothing to do with me liking her. It’s got to do with Kirby and Ralph trying to get me to admit to liking her. She’s nice, but not what I want.”
“So then what do you want in a girl?”
Kodi suddenly felt very mortified. “Well, I guess I want her to be … active, and uh, charming …beautiful.”
Balto raised a speculative ear. “Like Dusty?”
“No.” Kodi fired back. “I told you she’s nice. But she’s just not what I want.”
“Well then, continue on with your story.” Balto nosed Kodi onward
“Okay, well, anyways they kept trying to get me to admit that I liked her, and finally I guess I just snapped. I don’t remember what I said really, but when I finished I saw the look on Kirby and Ralph’s eyes.” Kodi lowered his head ashamed. “And it was then that I knew that Dusty was standing behind me, but when I looked, she had already run off …” Kodi remained silent for a long moment, waiting for his father to speak, all the while keeping his eyes hidden from his father. But finally the silence couldn’t be held any longer and Kodi raised his head to his father.
Balto looked deep in thought. “I see.” He stated impersonally.
It’s now, it’s got to be now that he’s going to yell, Kodi thought. He could just feel his fathers scorning brewing up, the air becoming tense with the hatred. Then, just when Kodi expected the articulated thrashing of his life, his father shrugged his shoulder and sighed unemotionally. “Well, I don’t really know what to tell you. I’m just … shocked and disappointed in you …”
“What?” Kodi whispered, and almost leapt out of his subconscious skin. His jaw hung nearly to his paws.
Balto scrunched his face up in an unusual turn. “Were you expecting me to be angry or something? You just messed up, that’s all. And I know that you have problems when it comes to girls”
Kodi’s stared with a paralyzed look of fear. “N … no I, I don’t”
An unsure eyebrow raised, Balto carried on, “Kodi, you do. I remember when you vomited on that one girl’s paws.”
“How did you know?” Kodi stated accusingly.
“Kodi,” Balto sighed. “The entire town knew about that. It’s a small world. And I want you to know that if you ever need any help with talking to girls,” Balto winked, “That your old man is right here to help you.”
In some way Kodi felt very disgusted; but there was also some minor tinge of anger brewing. “No, no, I don’t need any help I’m just fine. Besides, not that many girls in Nome like me. I’m not exactly a big tough male dog, Not exactly what a girl’s looking for.”
“Kodi,” Balto said unequivocally shaking his head. “You’re very handsome, and there are a lot of fine girls in Nome that like you.”
Then, from off the side of the boat, catching both father and son’s eye, a clearly recognizable form stepped into view. Dakota ambled along towards the plank of the boat and set his front paws on it. “Yeah Kodi, I mean I can probably name off ten of them right now.”
Kodi glanced at his father with an embarrassed grin, searching to know if he should be smiling. Balto never met his eyes, but kept looking at Dakota. “Dakota, can’t you see I’m having a conversation with Kodi?”
Just at that moment Dakota’s paws landed on the deck of the boat and he ambled with a cocksure stride to his father and brother’s side. “Yeah, but I had to be here when you gave Kodi and new one.” He winked at Kodi and sat. “Besides, who better to tell Kodi about all the wonderful girls that like him.”
Kodi grinned uncomfortable. “No girl likes me.”
Dakota laughed mockingly. “Yeah, and I’m not actually standing here.” He padded his front paws against the deck of the boat to make his point. “And you’re wrong Kodi, lots of girls like you.”
Balto and Dakota both looked at Kodi with a condemning eye. Kodi turned, obviously embarrassed beyond a rational state. “Oh come on Dakota, stop it.” He laughed nervously. “You’re making me blush.”
“Kodi,” Balto poked fun at. “Dog’s don’t blush.”
“Yeah Kodi,” Dakota agreed. “Quit making up excuses to chance the subject.”
Kodi glared at his brother. “Hold on here, what are you doing out here? Dad’s trying to have a father son conversation with me, and you’re out here interrupting everything.”
“Well,” Dakota stated puritanically. “I just wanted to ask you if you heard anything about the Alaska 500. And if not, then I’m here to tell you all about it. I’ve been reading the flyers all over town.”
Kodi laughed and shook his head. “You can read?”
“Yeah.” Retorted Dakota
“Yeah Dakota, I do know about it, and I’m already entered.”
“Really!” Dakota flew to his feet, tail wagging. “That is so neat. You have no idea how lucky you are to run on a team.” Dakota suddenly grew sullen and let his ears droop to the boat deck. His tail fluttered down. “I wish I ran on a team. That would just be the neatest. All the fame, all the prosperity, all the girls.”
“You keep mentioning girls to me.” Kodi barked, growing tired of his brother. “But I’m telling you that none of the girls in Nome like me.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Said Balto with a hint of superiority. “I know I’ve seen a few girls looking at you before.”
“A few,” Dakota laughed heartily. “I would bet that nearly ever girl in Nome has thought of you at least once.”
“No.” Kodi turned his face away, embarrassment eking up through his fur. “Not every girl.”
“Just about.” Dakota rolled his eyes to the top of his head like he was thinking deeply. “There’s Maggie, Molly, Lady, Ginger,-”
“The Pomeranian?” Kodi asked.
“Yup, then there’s Coco, Missy, Tasha, Bo …”
“Bo? Who’s Bo?” Asked Kodi.
“You know that one girl who lives over by the tailors?”
“The real fat one?”
“Yeah,” Dakota said above normal, pleased with Kodi’s description of her. “She has a thing for you. Next time you pass her by, you may want to take a look at her eyes and see how she’s looking at you.” Dakota paused for a moment, scrutinizing his brother over “You are no good with girls are you?”
Kodi scrunched his eyes in irritation towards his brother.
“But never mind that,” Dakota cut in on the strange moment of silence. “You’re going to run the Alaska 500. Any girl in Nome will be all over you. I just can’t imagine how excited you must be. The adventure, the fame.” Dakota paused and let his morose posture tell how sad he was that he wasn’t on a team and that his owner was too young for any real adventure; which was what Dakota craved more than anything.
“Well,” Balto said after another moment of long silence. “I suppose we all better be getting to bed like good little pups. Some of us have to get up early in the morning.”
Kodi stood unwillingly. “Yeah, I suppose.”
“Yeah.” Dakota agreed, already moving towards the edge of the boat. “I got to get up early to frighten Mr. McZee’s when he goes to his outhouse.” He grinned and turned around to see the reaction he’d get.
Balto gave Dakota a dissatisfied glare. But Dakota didn’t heed him as he stepped down onto the plank and off the boat.
Kodi began to move after his brother when his father moved up to his side and whispered into his ear. “If I were you I’d leave Dusty alone for a few days. Eventually she’ll forget about it and you can make an apology. But until then don’t make a scene with yourself … and Kodi, if you need any, advice,” Balto winked. “Don’t be afraid to get some from your old dad.”
Kodi felt slightly awkward, but smiled and said. “Okay.” Then he bounded off the boat into the ice cold snow and turned towards town along the trail that suddenly existed under his paws. His brother walked along slowly as Kodi bound up to his right side. Dakota glanced over at his brother, and then continued on without a word towards the golden glow of Nome.
“So were you serious about all those girls that like me?”
Dakota raised his right ear with an inquisitive sparkle in his grin. “Yeah.” He stated bluntly, almost sounding tired. “You need to really start looking around you more. Especially now that you’re running in the biggest race around, every girl’s going to want you, and every guy’s going to want to be you. You’re going to be a hero.”
Silence escaped Kodi as he continued on towards town. A new prideful feeling flowed through his veins, made his hair stand on end, and a very warm feeling stream up through his cold paws. His eyes closed and opened in ecstasy. Nothing could hurt him now for he was going to be a hero; he was going to run the race and win. He was going to be the winner. The Golden Collar would be his.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3016415/1/
