A Bitter Heart Needs Tender Love

-Note: Parts written in normal font were written by SilverKia.  Parts written in bold font were written by Iditarod.

In the early morning light, all was quiet and still in Nome.  That was just the way Kale liked it nowadays...free of other dogs to have to communicate with.  Normally he took pleasure in enjoying the sounds and smells of the little town as he took his customary stroll, even if he was a little shy.  But now that Amore was gone...it just didn't seem worth it.

Just don't think about her, he reprimanded himself.  She's with...with Teirm now, so don't... 

Just the thought of Amore made his heart swell with anger and pain. How stupid was he to think she'd ever even consider being his mate? He growled to himself, "You moron.."

Nearby, the town was slowly but surely waking up.  Curtains were thrown back and lamps lighted, but outside was one solitary dog, prowling around the trash cans.  Tipping one cautiously at an angle, she found it empty.  Snorting with barely concealed disappointment, the weiarmaraner-husky crossbreed turned away...and found herself face-to-face with the last dogs she ever wanted to see.

"Why, hello, KC," sneered a malevolent voice.

Kale turned the corner, muttering angry words at himself.  He heard voices and froze. Amore was sitting with Teirm, only a few feet ahead of him. His heart swelled, not wanting to face her, he ducked into a alley. Taking slow breaths, he tried to calm himself.

"Why, hello, KC."

 Kale froze. He didn't recognize the name, or the voice, but the voice sounded vicious. Cautiously, he peered around the pile of crates he had ducked behind. A light brown female dog was facing several others. He ed his ear to listen better.

"What do YOU want?"  KC had meant to say it quietly, to be in control, but it spilled out of her in a flurry of anger and pain.  She spat the words as if their taste were too bitter to hold in.  "Just...get out of here!"

"And why should we do that?"  Kale chanced a peek at the speaker and was quickly forced to control his strong feelings of boiling fury and dislike; though he didn't know why, he was suddenly and completely rooting for the brown-gray female in the fight that he was sure would come.  The canine speaking was a large, bedraggled beast with a gray pelt (if you could even call it a pelt, it was so filthy and flea-bitten) and dark socks.  The tip of its dark tail twitched with cruel amusement.  "We could have plenty of fun right here."

Kale noted with admiration that the female had been taking this with incredible coolness.  A wall of ice seemed to shut her off from the dog and his cronies: A small black-and-red female and a black-and-white male.  Both looked to be wiry huskies.  She must've had to face these filthy dogs before, Kale's thoughts flashed, or else she must be very brave.

"Oh, really?"  Kale's head whipped back to where the female's voice had sprang from, and he found that she was much closer to him than before.  He waited, body tense, breath bated.  "I don't think that's going to hap-"

"AARGH!"  Suddenly Kale was howling and propelling himself forward without realizing it; the large dog had leapt straight for the female's throat.  As he clawed towards her beating heart, Kale send a chilling blow across the back of his head, sending him spinning.  "Who are you?" the brute rasped, with a voice like sandpaper, or flint against stone.

"Leave her alone."  The command was coming from Kale's own lips, which, he realized, were drawn back in a leer.

The other sneered furiously and set down a paw, one step closer to the slightly trembling female.

"I said, LEAVE HER BE!"  With a start the leader of the group leapt backwards, knocking his comrades over in the process.  They, too, scrabbled back, trying not to yelp out loud.  Kale tried to gather his jumbled thoughts as he watched them scurry away.  

KC stared in amazement at this grey dog who had come out of nowhere and ran off the thug and his goons. "Who is he?" she asked herself. She couldn't help but think he looked familiar. Clearing her throat, she took a step closer. "Um, thanks for that," she said softly.

When the dog turned to look at her, she found herself admiring his dazzling blue eyes. Which she thought was rare in border collies, which he looked like. "I'm KC."

"Well, okay...Kale."  KC's voice was slow and gentle.  Even though she seemed in a hurry to leave the area, she had a way of going that indicated she had all the time in the world.  She began to walk, and Kale hurried to keep pace, trying to ignore her curious glances, directed mainly at his luminous azure eyes.

"So...tell me a little about yourself," she said after a time.

"I, uh, well." Kale stumbled over his words. He took a small breath to calm himself. "Well, I come from Colorado." 

"Oh?"  KC seemed interested, so he kept going.

"Mhm, my parents where part of a Border collie breeding farm. They were the owner's favorite pair, so he kept them in the house a lot. I was born in their first litter and the owner was pleased with me and my siblings. He liked me a lot, so he kept me around for a year before giving me to his friend's daughter for her birthday."

He froze. Amore was walking their way. Teirm was no longer with her and she was with her instead.

"Hello."  KC, either ignoring the sudden tension between Kale and Amore or simply not noticing it, flashed a smile at the attractive daughter of Balto and Jenna.

"Hi...?"  Amore shot the pair a curious glance, first at Kale and then more surreptitiously at his companion.  "I...haven't seen you around here."

"I, uh..."  Suddenly KC seemed awkward, for the first time that Kale had ever seen her.  "...I don't get around this side of town much."

"Ah, well...could I speak to you for a moment?"  The sudden outburst was directed at Kale, KC could see that.  She stepped aside, looking expectantly at Kale.  Glancing at KC out of the corner of his eye, he nodded.

"Good."  Amore pulled him over several yards away and began muttering to him.  The Border collie looked so edgy that KC knew something was up.  In spite of herself, she scooted closer, unnoticed.

"-Look, Kale, I didn't mean to hurt you, you know that-"

"-I don't want to talk about it-"

"I just wanted you to know-"

"I said I DON'T want to talk about it!"  Kale burst out, not really caring how the words came out.  With a great effort he bottled his anger and tucked it away.  He couldn't face it, not now, probably not ever.

Amore sighed. "Kale, please." Kale glared at her. "I don't care." His words were icy and hard. Amore was hurt. "Kale..." Kale didn't let her finish. He turned and ran.

Amore sighed heavily. "Excuse me." Amore whirled around. She had forgotten about the brown female. "I'm sorry, but, how do you know him?" KC asked. Amore glanced down, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "He, sort of had a crush on me." she said softly.

KC nodded slowly. "But you didn't feel that way about him did you?" Amore shook her head. "No.  I didn't."

"I don't think it's your fault," KC said quietly.

Amore only nodded gratefully, staring off into space.

"I think I'll go after him," stated the gray-brown dog, smiling faintly at the red wolfdog by way of good-bye.

"'Bye," murmured Amore, and as the other trotted away, she added, "and good luck."

Kale was feelng rather savage when he spotted KC ambling towards him over the dunes of the beach.  He opened his mouth to shout, but when he saw her flinch a little, all his destructive thoughts melted.  He heaved a sigh and sat down on the damp sand, glancing at her and noting for the first time that she had lovely eyes--blue, like his, but of a more silvery hue.  They became larger and larger as she approached, and he thought that he needed to tear himself away from them so she wouldn't think that he...so short a time...Amore's hurt was still too fresh in his mind...

"I know."  The simple words coming from KC's mouth washed over him with a tone of understanding, bringing him back to the present.  "I know you're hurt.  I'm sorry."

"Never mind."  Kale tore himself away from her gaze and stood up.  "I'm going home."  He padded a few steps away, then turned back as he was struck by a thought.  "I...don't know where you live.  D'you want me to take you home?"

KC nodded slowly after a second's hesitation.  "That would be wonderful," she murmured.

After Kale had escorted KC to a small but tidy house on the edge of town, he wandered home, thinking about Amore...and KC.  He knew it wasn't the last time he would see either of them.

KC stared after Kale until he disappeared around the bend. She felt sorry for him, having his heart broken, but there was something else about him she couldn't figure out.

"I wish I could help him," she murmured to herself. 

Kale's paws crunched the snow beneath his paws as he headed home. His head felt heavy as he walked up the porch steps to his house. He didn't know why, but his heart felt torn. A crunch from behind him made him wheel around.

His eyes scanned around, but he saw nothing. He suddenly felt alert and uneasy. Something was wrong.

"Who's there?" he called out.

No one answered. He shifted uneasily. Slowly, he made his way down the porch steps.  His ears swiveled, listening for any out of the ordinary sounds.

A crash came from the alley. Kale spun around and caught a sight of something ducking behind a trash can.

"Who's there?" he called out again.

Nothing answered him. Cautiously, Kale crept closer to the trash can. He lowered himself into a crouching position and pounced.

He caught nothing but a bump on the head. Staggering backwards, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. A snicker came from behind him. Feeling dizzy as he whirled around to see, an all-too-familar voice greeted him.

"Well, well. Seems someone's lost his edge, eh guys?"

 Kale snarled through the burning sensation in his throbbing temples.  "You."

"Yes, me."  The enormous brute smirked nastily.  "No lady to save your skin, eh?"  He paused dramatically to grin at his accomplices, who nodded and panted happily on cue.  "Guess she doesn't really care, huh?  As if SHE'D bother with a mongrel like-"

"Don't--you--DARE!"  A high voice burst from behind the trash can at the same moment as a familiar gray-brown body plunged through the air, smacking Kale's assailant and throwing him to the ground.  Puffing, the bully heaved out from under her and pinned her to the ground with effort.  She emitted a warning growl and did her best to free herself, but even KC's strength couldn't match her attacker's.

"Corrin," she gasped, "let go of me, you beast!"

Corrin? Kale thought.  "Corrin, let her go!" he said aloud, hurling his words like stones at the dog.

Corrin responded by cackling.  "You wouldn't be trying so hard to free her if you knew more about her," he sneered.

That's not true!  The words were trapped in Kale's mind, desperate to be let free, but a part of him wouldn't let them out.  "What...what do you mean?" he choked.

"She's a stray!  A common, good-for-nothing stray!"  The look of triumph on the lout's face was sickening, especially contrasted with the mask of horror etched onto KC's.

"And what does that make you?" Kale asked coolly.  He wanted to find out more, but he certainly wasn't going to let this mongrel know that!  He squinted challengingly.

But Corrin ignored the question.  "She was born a stray, and was taken in by a kind old human," he said in a patronizing voice.  "They were supposedly happy together, until one day the human had a stroke, or whatever they call it.  This " -he leered down at KC- "wasn't home at the time.  But when she found out that her human was dying, she didn't even care!  She sat coolly outside the door until the human doctor came!"  Corrin laughed as if it were hilarious.  KC's face was twisted, but she couldn't seem to speak.  "By then, it was too late."  He abruptly released his captive and strutted away, as if all he had come for was to humiliate poor KC.  Which he certainly might have done, Kale thought darkly.

He walked tentatively up to KC and sat down beside her.  "Is that true?"  he asked.

"No," she replied coldly, still looking straight ahead.   

"Then, what happened?" Kale's head was still throbbing, but he didn't want to believe what Corrin had said.

KC lowered her head. "I-I," there was a catch in her voice.

Kale laid himself down next to her and inched closer.

"If you don't want to tell me, I-"

"No." KC stopped him. She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "You deserve to know." She took a deep breath and began.

"I was born a stray.  I never knew my parents, but..."  She paused, obviously taking charge of her emotions.  Kale looked courteously away.  "...a dog on the street told me as a pup that one was a weiarmaraner and...one was a husky.  I don't know which was which.  Anyway, I...was chased around a lot by the street dogs.  Corrin was older than me and has bullied me since we were pups.  Well, one day I had been exhausted from running away from him.  I knew he was gaining on me, but I was just so tired..."  Kale could tell by the look in her eyes that she could see and feel the past. 

"...A kind old lady by the name of Welsh took me in, and...I was very happy with her.  One day, I was out and about, and who d'you think started coming after me?..."  KC stopped to give Kale a crooked grin.  "Well, I outran Corrin, but once I came safely home, I could tell that something was wrong.  My human seemed...different.  I went straight to the place where she always went when she got sick or hurt.  The human working there was gone so I...ran all over town..."  KC gulped.  "I found the human, but...when we got back..."  She leaned her head against Kale's shoulder, not seeming to notice.  "It was too late.  Her daughter, Miss Welsh, keeps wanting to keep me, but I couldn't bear to live around there anymore.  I ran away."

Kale was shocked.  KC always seemed so peaceful and content, and all this time she was hiding a terrible feeling of guilt.  "I'm sorry," he managed.

"What about...you?"  KC looked almost afraid that he was going to blow up in anger or something.  He didn't want to have to tell her, but he had to explain his actions about Amore from earlier.  Then they would be even.  Taking a shaky breath, he started in on his tale.

"Like I said earlier, I lived in Colorado for a while." KC nodded and Kale felt oddly comforted with her head leaning on him. "Well, after about a year my owners decided to move in with relatives in Nome. I said goodbye to my parents and siblings and then we left."

"When I first got here, lots of dogs ignored me, but.." he sighed a little. "Amore was the first one to talk to me." KC looked up at him. "How'd you meet?" "Well, I was just walking past the butcher shop when some dog ran out of there. The butcher must have thought I was with him, 'cause he started throwing stuff at us."

"I ran and kinda crashed into Amore. She didn't shrug me off like the other dogs and we became friends."

KC looked up at Kale, his eyes looked sad and lonely. "Poor guy," she thought.

"After awhile, I realized I was falling in love with her, but I didn't have the nerve to tell her. By the time I did she..." his voice drifted off.

"She had found someone else." KC finished softly. Kale nodded. "I'm sorry,  Kale," she told him. Kale smiled a little.

"It's okay, I'm much..."  He broke off suddenly, embarrassed.

KC lifted her head from his shoulder, abruptly standing up.  "Alright, then," she muttered, "see you."

"Uh...'bye, then."  Kale watched her walk away slowly and wondered, what in the world is happening to me?  I thought Amore...

What in the world is happening to me?  I never expected this...but Kale and Amore...it's too late...

Jumbled thoughts clashed inside KC's head as she dashed towards her favorite trash can.  Curling up inside it, she thought, No, KC.  You've gotta pull yourself together.  You're a street dog, so cut it out.

But I don't want to be a street dog, piped a tiny voice inside her head.  I want to be appreciated.

Kale appreciates you.  KC growled softly at the inner voice.  "Yeah, but it's too late for him," she muttered. 

"What in the world is happening to me?" Kale muttered to himself as he paced in circles.

"You know what's happening." a small voice inside told him.

"No way. I mean, Amore-"

"Amore's taken, remember?" the voice squeaked.

Kale growled to himself. "There's no way she'd like me anyway."

"How do you know?" the voice asked.

"I've already been rejected once, why should I get rejected again?" Kale muttered.

"You just don't want to admit it," the voice taunted.

Kale growled inwardly. Staring up at the night sky, he saw the northern lights dance.

"Could it be true?" he asked himself.

For the next two weeks KC made it a point to avoid Kale.  Occasionally she would watch him from afar, but he seemed different.  Even when Amore was within viewing distance of him, he didn't seem to care.  KC saw him stop suddenly and stare into a dark alley one day, like the one they had first met in.

Is he looking for...?  She tried to stop herself, but her thoughts ran rampant.  Maybe..he's searching for me.  She tried to ignore the tingle in her spine.

Kale was getting exasperated.  Two weeks and no sign of KC.  He was annoyed at how much he missed her, but it only drove him to search harder.  Several days before, he had been sure he'd seen a glimpse of a lithe gray-brown body behind a building.  Today he was determined to find her, and hope rose in his throat and nearly choked him as he caught sight of her, hurrying away into an alley.

"Wait!"  Kale panted.  "KC, WAIT!"

She stopped after several tight twists and turns.  "What?" she whispered.  He was shocked to realize that she was afraid.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said more gently.  "Why have you hidden from me?"

"Because...I...you're in love...with a different dog."

There.  The words were out.

 Kale stared at her in amazment. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"You're in love with Amore." KC's words were cold and icy.

Kale took a step back. "I, uh, um.." he stumbled over the words.

"Just forget it," KC said bitterly. She abruptly brushed past him.

"No, I'm not!" Kale was startled to find the words were his.

KC stopped and turned to face him. Kale thought he saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes, but he wasn't sure.

"I-I-I'm in love with you!" he blurted out.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." He thought. He wrenched his eyes shut, expecting her to say something sarcastic, then leave. His eyes shot open in suprise when something licked him.

It was KC.  Her eyes were shining, and finally Kale felt that he could gaze into them without hesitation.  Even as he did, a stubborn particle of his brain tried to pull together memories of Amore - how beautiful and talented she was.  But it couldn't.  He subconsciously tried and failed to piece together a better dog than KC, but there was none.  As he nuzzled her, Amore - or any other dog in the world besides KC - was the farthest thing from his mind.  He smiled hesitantly, and she beamed, causing his face to explode into happiness.  He barked and ran a few steps ahead, urging her to play.  She pranced alongside, catching him and clawing playfully at his side.

The game had continued - despite whisperings and murmurings from local gossip-hounds - for almost a half-hour before a sinister voice spoiled the moment.  "Hey, lovebirds," it barked.  It was a grating sound.

Kale spoke without turning to the source of the grunts.  "Leave us alone, Corrin," came his steady voice.  For some odd reason, KC standing squarely beside him lent him extra courage.

"Ahaha... 'leave you alone', eh?" he snarled.  "Like THAT'S ever gonna-"

"I'd do what he said if I were you."  A crimson wolfdog stepped onto the scene.  KC grinned, but Kale only nodded assertively at Amore.  He was anything but angry, sad, or nervous, all the normal feelings he usually had around her lately.  She was nice and all, but KC was the dog for him.

"Oh, really?"  Corrin interrupted his thoughts.

KC snarled back.  "Yes, really," she rumbled, "'cause if you don't, then..."

"...We'll have to drive you out of town," Kale finished.

"Who's gonna make me, huh?"  Corrin and his cronies were closing in, and there seemed no way out for the three.  Just then, Kale had an idea.

He quickly whisperd his plan to KC, who nodded slightly in agreement. He shot Amore a look, and she gave a small nod, understanding he had a plan.

"Yeah, you and what army?"  One of the sidekicks, the black-and-white husky, grinned savagely, proud of his 'macho' statement.

Kale glanced behind him, making sure that Corrin and his goons could see.  "Hey!  Guys!" he barked to an army of nonexistent dogs, just out of sight of the three bullies.  "When I give the signal-" he paused to grin nastily, " -you're meat," he finished, as cruelly as he could force out.

"Oh - yeah...?"  Corrin's confidence was slipping.  His cowardice was so great that he didn't even need to take time to smell the danger before he was tempted to run--a trait that Kale had been banking his plan heavily on.  The Border collie turned to grin at Amore, but there was a message in his eyes. 

"I'm sure Amore's FATHER wouldn't be happy if he knew what you're trying to do.  Go SIGNAL the dogs," he said, hoping and praying that she would hear the emphasis on the two words and understand what they meant.  Sure enough, after the tiniest pause, she scampered off, dodging an angry Corrin but stopped by KC.

As Kale helped KC fend off their attackers, he had time to think, I sure hope Amore can get to Balto in time.  

Amore winked at KC as she ran past. The brown female flashed a quick smile at her.

"Man, I hope Dad's home." Amore mutterd to herself as she ran to the outskirts of town.

Since Balto was getting old, he tended to stay with her mother more. Amore didn't have time to run to the other side of town.

She was thrilled when she saw her father sitting on the deck of his boat. Her brother Tenbo was there too!

"Dad!" she cried out. Balto and Tenbo turned toward her.

"Amore, what are you-" Balto started to ask when she cut him off.

"Dad, some dogs are picking a fight with Kale and KC. They need us!" she told him hurridly.

Balto and Tenbo exchanged looks, then nodded.

Tenbo darted ahead while Amore went at a slower pace to catch her breath and tell her father exactly what was going on.

"Daddy," she began breathlessly, "you know that dog who had a crush on me?"

Balto smiled briefly.  "Which one?"

Amore scoffed, nudging him playfully with her nose.  "Kale, Dad.  The gray Border collie with the blue eyes."

"Ah, yes.  I remember.  Wasn't he a bit - depressed - after you chose Teirm?"

"Yes, but he's found himself a now.  I think."  And Amore proceeded to inform her father about the past couple of weeks, about Kale and KC, and finally about the ruthless bullies waiting for them.  "They think we've got a group of street dogs to back us up," she finished as they neared the place.  "But we'll just have to fool them."  The determination in her eyes made her father grin with pride.

"You're a bit like your mother, you know that?" he murmured to her when they were just a few paces from the scene Amore had left several minutes earlier.  Tenbo was waiting not far away.

Amore ignored her father's question and stepped up beside her brother.  "What's the plan?"

Tenbo shrugged.  "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

Rolling her eyes, Amore muttered into her brother's ear, her nose tickling his soft fur.  Tenbo nodded, then with a great leap heaved himself onto a high fence, where he could see the fracas below but not be seen.

He heard snarling and voices.

"Your gang's a bit LATE in coming, aren't they?"

"They'll be here."  This voice was feminine in contrast to the deep, malicious voice that had mocked before.

Tenbo glanced down at Balto and Amore, who both nodded encouragingly.  The wolfdog on the top of the fence took a deep breath.

"AND JUST WHAT DO YOU GOONS THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" 

With a start Corrin and his cronies whirled around in the direction of the voice, unaware that the force of Tenbo's yell had nearly knocked him off the fence.

"Uhhh....nothing," whispered the black-and-white husky.  With a loud yelp he was dashing away.  The female trembled but stuck closely to her leader's side.

"Who-who are you?" stammered Corrin, trying not to let his voice .

Then Tenbo sprang of the fence and landed directly behind the thug.  "Not who you think I am," he muttered.

The result was tumultuous.  Corrin was terrified.  The red-and-black female dashed away like a frightened kitten. 

 Kale's eyes light up when Tenbo landed in front of Corrin.

"He's toast now," he whispered to KC.

"Why?" the brown female studied the reddish-brown wolf dog in front of her. He didn't look very dangerous.

A teasing smile tugged at Kale's lips. "Tenbo doesn't look like a fighter, but believe me, you do not want to mess with him when he's mad."

A low growl started in Tenbo's throat. His eyes glared at Corrin, making the larger dog even more nervous.

"I suggest you leave, before I let the others join us," Tenbo growled.

"I, uh, you don't scare me." Corrin straightened himself up and stood toe to toe with Tenbo.

Tenbo didn't flinch at his larger size. "Hey, Kale. Do me a favor and go get the others."  He nodded toward the fence Amore and Balto were behind.

Kale and KC exchanged looks, the nodded and ran behind the fence.

"Amore? Whats going on?" KC asked as soon as she saw the red hybrid.

Amore smiled. "I'll tell you later. Right now come over here." she motioned them toward some garbage cans. "When I say so, Kale, knock a few over, got it?" Kale nodded.

Amore led KC over to a drain pipe. "When I tell Kale to start knocking cans over, you start howling and barking into this, okay?" KC nodded.

"Okay...when I tell you...no, no, not yet..."  Amore was peering beyond the corner.  "...Ready...one...two...THREE!"

Sudenly Tenbo and Corrin found themselves in a whirling tornado of hurtling metal.  Tenbo, being more agile by far than Corrin, easily dodged the trash cans with his wolfish agility, but Corrin was trapped by several, emitting high-pitch moans and struggling to get free.  But that was nothing compared to how he reacted when he heard the eerie, hollow howling and barking.  With surprising adrenaline, the brute leaped to his feet and scampered away, as vulnerable as his companions had been.  The tense group waited until he was far out of seeing, hearing, or smelling distance.

Tenbo appeared first, laughing loudly.  He was soon joined by Balto, Amore, Kale and KC.

"I...don't...think..." Kale struggled to control his laughter.  "I don't think he'll be back any time soon."  Then he suddenly turned serious.  "Thank you," he said gravely to his friends.  "Thank you all."

"No problem," Amore replied, looking into his eyes.  A couple of months before that look would have meant the world to him, but now it was KC's answering grin that made his heart beat faster.  He smiled calmly at Amore, then turned to KC with a gentle look in his eye.

Tenbo cleared his throat awkwardly.  "Umm...is this a good time?" he asked nervously.  Everyone laughed, but suddenly (after exchanging meaningful glances) everyone but Kale and KC was talking and drifting away casually.  Soon they were all alone.

"Er...KC?" Kale asked, as tentative as Tenbo.

"What?" she inquired back, gazing at him.  Her look melted his icy fear of rejection once and for all.

"Umm...would you like...I mean-"

"To be mates?"  She grinned in that way he loved.  "Why didn't you say so?"  KC nuzzled him, and he chuckled softly.  Together, the two walked off towards the calm waters and warm sands of the beach.