Chapter 2 – Dingo

The morning eventually came with time’s slow progression, the temperature creeping up to a comfortable degree but remaining just cold enough to keep the snow intact on the ground.  The sheltered portion of the ship’s deck, which previously was protecting its inhabitants from the cold wind, was now protecting them from the gleaming sun as it split the horizon.  Even still, the old wolf-dog’s biological clock had instinctively awakened him.  He slowly opened his eyes and lifted himself, stretching and yawning before scanning the deck.  Looking down a bit, Balto found Dingo still asleep on his side and slightly curled up in the blanket.  The sight of his son brought another smile to his face, and after deciding to let him sleep a little longer he padded off onto the unsheltered deck.  His feet and paws continued to carry him down the plank and into the soft chilly snow, leaving Dingo without reminding him that the ship’s other regulars would be stopping by.

A different set of paws soon after transitioned from the snow to the wooden planks of the ship.  They pittered and pattered across the sturdy wood slightly warmed by the sunlight, slowly sneaking across the deck to approach the shelter.  Keeping their bodies low and navigating with their active noses, the two sets of paws slowly and stealthily approached the shelter.  They entered and looked to the figure they’d anticipated: a wolf-dog covered completely by the blanket, still deep in slumber.  The smaller form just grinned and motioned for the larger one to follow, nearing closer and closer to the covered canine.

“Oh Balto…” The smaller one muttered, giggling quietly to perhaps notify the form of their presence, but to no avail.

They menacingly and playfully approached the form engulfed in the sheets, and once close enough they lifted the protection away.  The form underneath however was not who they expected, and they froze in fear as well as suspicion.

The unexpected movement of his blanket had unintentionally nudged Dingo into an eventually awakened state, retaining his lying position while he released a yawn and with it his eyelids’ tight grasp on his gold-based eyes.  Naturally he was brought to looking straight ahead, and he froze up as well when he found the eyes of two arbitrarily-sized polar bears looking frozen back into his.

Balto had traveled a while away from his home when he heard an abrupt then lengthy masculine yell coming from the ship.  He just as quickly turned back to his view of the vessel, looking on with curiosity and naturally surprise.

“What the-?”

As the sound was coming from his own residence, the wolf-dog felt responsible for whatever situation was taking place there.  He quickly darted back towards the boat as a result in order to investigate.

Dingo had backed into a corner of the shelter, cowering in fear of the two polar bears that have come barging in.  The two bears, one smaller and the other larger than the hero’s son, kept a distance from the canine in their own corner as they were just as afraid of him.  The bears tried to ask questions of their own in between Dingo’s panicked commands and queries.

“Get away from me!  What are you doing here?!  What do you want?!  J-Just get away!”

“Well w-who are you?!  What are YOU doing here?!”

Balto was coming up the plank and onto the ship, beginning to hear the conversation further in.  Having been reminded of who it could be on the way back and up, he continued on rather calmly and looked into the shelter.  From his entering angle, he first saw the intruding cause of the uproar in one corner, then as he stopped in the doorway he saw the source of the yell in the opposite one.  Despite his presence, the three figures but two opposing sides had not noticed Balto yet and therefore resumed their back-and-forth.

“We don’t want any trouble,” the smaller bear resumed while in trembling fear, “w-we were just looking for…”

The same figure then noticed the strange shadows on the ground, followed them and by doing so found the familiar wolf-dog in the doorway.

“…Balto!”

Both the bears came running to him for safety from this stranger in their midst; once reaching Balto they took their place hiding behind him.

“Oh Balto, thank goodness you came!  T-There’s this strange dog on your house!  H-He tried to eat us.”

“I always have to come to the rescue for you two, huh?” The hero stated, rolling his eyes both in disappointment in the both of them as well as himself.

He left their side and approached Dingo, who was lying in the corner still cringed in fear and covering his eyes with his paws.  His father nudged the paws from his eyes once again, and the red canine looked up to him.

“Dingo,” Balto said as he turned back to the two bears, “this is Muk and Luk.  They were around the last time you were here, back when you were a pup.”

His son looked to the bears as well, now much more relaxed having regained his composure around his father.

“…Muk…and Luk?”

With the mention of Dingo’s name, the bears had calmed and remembered him too.

“Dingo?”

Balto gave Muk and Luk a nod for clarification, and afterwards the bears came running over to give a welcoming back embrace to the wolf-dog’s son.

“Dingo!”

The red canine was rested against Luk’s large soft belly in the embrace, the bigger bear licking him while Muk bounced up and down around him.

“Oh Dingo, it’s been so long!  Look at you, all grown up!  Look at you, look at you!”

Luk the larger bear held him tighter, murmuring with his kazoo-esque speech leaving Muk to translate and Dingo almost having to gasp for air.

“Luk says that he’s glad to see you too, which is why he hugged you tighter, and he’s wondering what you’re doing here.”

The large bear’s grasp was released and all four of Dingo’s paws were allowed back onto the solid ground, leaving him to take a few gaping breaths of air before answering.  Even as he spoke, however, the subject was very well something he didn’t want to discuss.

“Umm…well uh…I…”

Desperate for an escape plan from the conversation, he looked to his father.  Still unusually keen on picking up on his son’s signs, Balto cut in.

“Uh, guys…he…doesn’t want to talk about it.  All you need to know is that Dingo will be staying with us for a while.”

“Oh…I see…”

Muk looked to Dingo’s neck, noticing the distinct absence of a collar while knowing full well that he was adopted.  He then quietly shared this information with his bigger relative, after which they both nodded in understanding and decided to drop the subject.

“Alright, well in any case, it’s great to have you back Dingo.”

“T-Thanks.” Dingo replied, matching their smiles even though his had a blush attached.

Balto stepped closer to cut in again, once more acknowledging and acting on his son’s nervousness.

“Uh, why don’t you two go see your Uncle Boris?  Let him know that we have a special visitor.”

“Ah, right you are Balto.  Come on Luk, let’s go tell Uncle Boris!”

The larger bear just whistled in agreement as he was pushed away from them, over to the plank and down it to leave the two wolf-dogs alone again.

“S-Sorry I freaked out a little back there,” Dingo said in embarrassment with his head held low, “it’s uh…just not every day that a couple of polar bears show up like that…”

“Well actually, that’s just about every day over here.” Balto replied in his traditional clever fashion, smiling at his pup. “Don’t worry, they’re harmless.  They’re the fun out here I was talking about, and so is Boris really.”

“Yeah…and who’s Boris again?”

“You knew each other when you were a pup too, just like with Muk and Luk.  Heck, he’s been around so long that he’s taken care of me.”

Balto himself even blushed a bit at that, but it was worth it as his son felt a little better about things and brought his head up again.

“So…we’re waiting for Boris then?”

“Yep, that’s the plan.  Boris has a knack for taking care of people, he makes it his business and done it with me as well as the bears.  I figured he’d probably want to take you in too.”

“T-Take me in?”

“Relax, he’s just going to try and help you out.  Nothing serious.”

“Help me out?  How?”

“Oh, he has ways…”

Balto just kept his grin while looking out to the front of the ship, and as if on cue the old goose came waddling up the plank into sight.  Muk and Luk were following close behind, bouncing up the plank soon after.

“Balto!” Boris proclaimed. “I came as soon as I heard; where is the boy-chick?”

“He’s right here.”

The wolf-dog nudged his head in his son’s direction, Boris picking up on this and turning to see Dingo.

“Well would you look at him!”

The goose then took a bit of a double-take, taking alternating glances at the newly abandoned dog and his father.

“If it weren’t for red fur I’d say you two were twins!  Balto, he looks just about as wolf as-.”

“As me, I know, we’ve established that.”

“I see…  And he was kicked out of home because of this?”

Balto looked to Dingo, who hung his head as he knew this was the truth.  He then returned his attention to Boris and answered for him.

“Yeah, that’s what we’ve gathered…”

“Hmm, this is all sounding very familiar…”

The goose rubbed his chin with his feathered hands, almost as if to tease the one everyone knew he was referring to.  The wolf-dog in question, however, wasn’t amused.

“Yeah, I get it.  But Dingo knows that things could still look up for him, he has us here and has his mother in town.”

“Oh no…Mom!” Dingo let himself fall to the wood floor of the deck again, putting his paws over his eyes once more.  “She’s gonna kill me; she probably knows already because her owners are friends with Kyle!”

“That’s right, she probably does…  Well, guess we’ll have to deal with that too…”

Boris came waddling over to Dingo and wrapped a feathered arm around him, even patting his scruffy shoulders in reassurance and comfort as he then removed his own paws from his eyes and looked up to him.

“There there, Dingo.  It will be alright.  Do you remember your Uncle Boris, boy-chick?  It’s been long time, has it not?”

“I-I call you Uncle too?” Dingo replied, blushing and averting his glance. “I-…I thought that was just something that Muk and Luk did…”

“Nonsense, I’m your uncle too!  Same with the rest of Balto’s children!  Now, we must go start on road to get your life back on track.”

“N-Now?”

“Yes now, we go, go!”

Dingo was then ushered out of the shelter and across the deck, looking back to his father before Boris pushed him down the plank.

“W-Well uh…I’ll see ya later Dad.”

“Bye son, and don’t worry.  You’ll be just fine.”

The two of them went further down the plank and out of sight, heading straight for whatever plan the old goose would dish up.  Balto took a seat and continued staring at the entry point up to his home, making sure they were gone.  Already knowing this fully well, the wolf-dog gave a hopeful sigh and looked to his remaining polar bear company.

“Well, there’s one less thing to worry about.  Now, I should probably go check on Jenna.  You know…before she comes to me in concern.”

“Right, well…what should Luk and me do?”

“Hmm…maybe go follow Boris, keep an eye on him and Dingo for me.”

“Will do!  Come on Luk.”

As the two bears traveled down the plank for safety, Balto found his own way down among the snow and rocks surrounding the vessel’s exterior.  Reaching the solid ground after a few descending leaps, he then started on his way toward town and toward Jenna’s.

- - - - -

For years now the wolf-dog’s presence in town had no longer been a strange and unwelcome occurrence.  Ever since his first and greatest act of heroism, Balto had been able to pass through the streets of Nome with little to no complication and hassle from others.  But even still, every time Balto considered it a blessing after being exiled for so long.  He looked to one of the sides of buildings on the street, the glass of some windows gleaming and glistening with the sun’s reflection.  He set foot onto the snow-covered main street of Nome, indented with and almost perfectly separated by the two parallel lines of the sled team’s travels.  He assumed they’d already left, or could even already be back.  He didn’t ponder this for very long, as his son Kodi wasn’t priority at the moment.  The wolf-dog got himself back on track and treaded to Jenna’s.

It was nearing mid-day by this time, so Balto knew that the purebred husky’s household would be awake and undisturbed as usual by his arrival.  He proceeded to the side shack of the house where Jenna usually resided, looking to the second-story window foolishly looking for some sign of her.  Obviously seeing none at his low angle, he decided to tread quietly towards the big wood doors that lead inside.  When he got close enough, he saw the doors open at the hand of the husky herself.  She just smiled at him affectionately, in her glossy coat of red and white fur as always as well as her orange bandana that looked practically devoid of color by comparison.

“I heard you coming.”

“Was I that obvious?  Hmm, must be getting rusty...”

Smiling as well while he entered her residence, Balto looked to her the whole time even as she closed the door behind him.  He turned to her completely and took a seat on the round-shaped rug in the center of the room, and she turned back to him after the door was shut tight and once her affectionate smile turned into an expression of concern.

“I was about to head to you as a matter of fact.  I…wanted to know about Dingo.”

“Yeah, I figured you would…”

“So?  What did happen?”

“Well uh…”

Balto paused, blushed, and looked away, allowing time for his ears to droop before continuing.

“You-…you know how he takes after me and all?  Well uh…it seems my side of the family’s responsible for…another one of our pups not having a-…a proper home.”

“Oh no…  They kicked him out because he looked like you?”

“Yeah, that’s basically it…”

“Oh Dingo…”

Jenna looked off in the same direction as Balto but not a similar location, also in thought rather than embarrassment.

“I uh…I told him it wasn’t his fault.” Balto said in his own defense. “His owners didn’t want him to change, and…well…they were rather foolish for that…don’t you think?”

Jenna returned her attention to him, looking a little uncertain but in agreement nonetheless.

“Y-Yes.  You were right to tell him that.  Well…how is he doing?”

“Well, he stayed with me last night.  He’s alright.  Seeing as he takes after me and all, he should be right at home.”

“And right now?”

“Well, right now…he’s with Boris.”

“Boris?”

“I thought maybe he could help.  He took care of me, and look how I turned out.”

They both formed a smile at Balto’s spry comment.

“Well if he really is that much like you,” Jenna replied, “then I’m sure he’ll be alright.”

“He’ll be fine Jenna.  Sure there was a bit of a bump in the road, but we all have our ups and downs.  I-…It was at least good to see him again.”

“Yes, I’m glad you two could finally meet again after so long.  I know you’re very attached to our kids.”

“Of course I am.  I’m the dad, that’s my job isn’t it?”

“Yes, and you’re a good one at that.”

Jenna smiled and nuzzled her mate affectionately, Balto returning the favor.

“They’ve all got at least a little bit of me in them,” Balto continued in reassurance, “they’ll all be just fine…”

- - - - -

“Boris, why are you bringing me here?”

Dingo and his life coach for the time being hadn’t gotten too far, remaining in the boundaries of No Man’s Land between Nome and the wilderness.  The red wolf-dog was quick to realize that they weren’t heading back into town, but rather to Boris and Stella’s little love-nest the couple had constructed to call home.

“Because,” the goose answered sternly then shamefully, “I…did not say goodbye to Stella.”

“What???”

“Bears dragged me away with your little ‘problem’ before I could say anything to her.  We say goodbye, THEN go into town.”

“You couldn’t have said ‘hold on’ or anything to say goodbye to her?  Why do I have to be dragged into this goodbye???”

“Because YOUR problem dragged me away.  So, I bring problem here.”

“Yeah, and that’s just what your relationship needs…”

Boris then ruffled one of his feathered arms in Dingo’s face in response to his wisecrack, punishing the mutt and making him flinch for saying such a thing.

“You have no business in Boris’ relationship!”

“But you brought me-“

“Ah-!  No!  Now we go.”

“Alright, alright…”

Dingo sighed as he was ushered along, Stella eventually coming into sight along with her impatience.

“Boris, there you are!  And who is this with you?”

Boris stopped and gathered his composure, still smitten with her beauty after all this time.

“O-Oh!  This is Dingo, he is Balto’s son.  Dingo, say hello!”

He ushered Dingo forward and in front of him, the mutt still aggravated by the situation but still able to muster up a pleasant demeanor in the presence of another acquaintance.

“Hello, Stella.  It’s nice to uh…to meet you.”

Stella just looked to Boris almost skeptically as well as unimpressed.

“He’s not another trouble-dog is he?”

“Trouble-dog???” Boris proclaimed as he smacked Dingo’s back with a wing. “When I said Balto was trouble-dog that was exaggeration.  THIS one’s real trouble-dog!”

“Now wait a minute Uncle Boris, I-“

“He was first one adopted and taken into good home; he was meant to set good example for other ones.”

“Oh no-“

“But now he did not make sled team like his brother,”

“Easy there-“

“And he was even kicked out of home because he’s-“

“That’s it!”

To avoid any further embarrassment Dingo quickly grabbed a strong hold of the goose and covered his big mouth with one of his large, wolf-like paws.

“Alright Uncle Boris, I think that’s enough of that.  Sorry to bother you with all that Stella, but Boris here just wanted to tell you goodbye because he didn’t get to earlier.  Anyways, we’re headed into town now.  See you later, perhaps…”

“Oh…well…alright then…  Bye Boris…Dingo…”

Dingo just gave her a nod in confirmation and then, moving Boris’ face from under his paw to inside his mouth, started walking off.  Once a reasonable distance separated them from Stella, he spit the goose back out.

“And just what was that back there???  You trying to make me look like a loser in front of everybody now?”

“Like I said before boy-chick,” Boris said calmly as he got up and brushed himself off, “your problem is now Boris’ problem.  Besides, I was only telling the truth kiddo.”

Dingo then hung his head lower, both in depression and aggravation.  His present life coach just came to his side again, wrapping a feathered arm across his back as the mutt rolled his eyes.

“Yes, the truth hurts sometimes.  Just like being dog and wolf, you just have not found your place, eh?”

“Correction.  I HAD a place, and now I have a new one with Dad.  He said I could stay with him for a while, let things blow over before I go looking for another place.”

“Aha!  And now we see problem!” Boris proclaimed as he started poking his feathered finger into Dingo’s forearm. “YOU need a PERMANENT home!”

“The home I had WAS permanent, and look how that turned out.  How can I be certain that anything I end up with is going to end up being permanent anyway?”

“Only time will tell that boy-chick!  No need to go rushing into things.”

“But I wasn’t until you-“

“Ah, stop!” Boris interrupted and ruffled his feathers in Dingo’s face again. “We go into town now.”

“Ugh, fine…”

The goose looked back to say his own goodbye to Stella, who just waved back still in disapproval.  Dingo then continued to be pushed at Boris’ hand until he began walking on his own in the proper direction.

“Alright alright, I’m going!  Geez…”

Boris then took the lead with his waddling to show the way towards the town as the sun reached the center of the sky, Dingo slowly following and hanging his head low.

“Hey uh, Uncle Boris…can I just ask that we don’t go anywhere near the mail dogs’ hub?”

“Ah yes, Jenna told me you and Kodi get in fights.  Say, what happened between you and mail dogs anyway?”

Muk and Luk had caught up with the two of them and hid in a pool of water nearby, raising their heads above the water as their interest was aroused by Boris’ subject.  They watched on and listened as Dingo delayed his answer momentarily before beginning.

“Well…it’s a long story…”