Kodi woke me up. He looked worried. The moon was still out. "Hi, Kodi. What's going on that you have to wake me up in the middle of the night for? Is it Balto?" "J-J-J... Just c-come wi-wi-with m-m-me." I got up and followed him. He led me to the boiler room. Kodi stopped and I walked to the door and looked in. I could see why Kodi was like that. I saw my Balto lying down on the floor, fast asleep, next to another female who was lying next to him, resting her head on his back. She too was asleep. I backed off, both furious and shocked. Kodi lowered his head and put his ears back. "I'm sorry to had to show you that, mom." "How long have you known about this?", I said.

Morning finally came. I opened my eyes, and Balto was standing in front of me. He said "Hi, Jenna. It's morning. Time to wake up, beautiful." I got up and walked away. Sarcastically (but with a serious look on my face) I said "Oh. Hello… Balto. How did you sleep last night, huh?" He said "Good. You?". Inside I was so angry I felt like going right for his neck. Boy, was he playing innocent. "Same. Balto, let me ask you something, okay? Do you love me?" He said, "Come on, Jenna, you know I do.". "Do you REALLY love me?" I said to him. "Yes. What are you getting at?" "I know about the last three nights, Balto. Kodi does, too. He's your son." "What are you talking about?" He was being laughably convincing. But I wasn't falling for it. I bared my teeth and snarled at him, "Okay, I'm through dropping hints and cutting right to the chase. Kodi says he saw you sleeping with another female in the boiler room the past three nights. He also says that last night, you did more than that. I'm not even getting into it. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." Finally Balto fessed up. Good boy. But my worst nightmare was just beginning. Nothing could've prepared me or Kodi for what I heard next. "Yeah, okay, you found me out. I don't really love you, Jenna. Don't like our pups either. Never did. Been pretending all these years. All the times Steele's picked on me? I didn't hate that. All that was just for show. He and I have always been friends. I asked him to do it so I could gain your sympathy and get your attention. That "Balto's-dead-and-he-made-me-promise-to-take-care-of-you" story? I told him to say that. When he gave you your bandanna back? It wasn't really yours. I tore it up after I left and found one that looked just like it, and that had fleas on it. My life and my relationship with you has been one big lie. You always looked so stupid in that ridiculous bandana, you mutt! Fun knowing you while it lasted. Ha!"

Kodi and I couldn't believe our ears. I was offended! I said to him, yelling it right in his face, "What?! You've been lying to me your whole life? You never even liked me or our pups? Go away, half-breed! I wish I'd never even met you!" I ran away crying. As I ran, even over my sobs, I heard Kodi say "You're just wrong, dad. You are just WRONG! I wish I'd never been born, you mangy wolfdog!".

Those two familiar words from my past. Half-breed. Wolfdog. Music to my ears. My son said to me " You're just wrong, dad. You are just WRONG! I wish I'd never been born, you mangy wolfdog!". "Ah," I said, "Sweet music. You'll pay for that." I immediately lunged at him and bit down on his neck as hard as I possibly could. He was squirming like the worthless mutt he was. He was gasping for air and rasping, "Stop! You're hurting me you idiot! LET GO OF ME!" I didn't. Only after he stopped moving and gasping did I release him. I lowered my head and put an ear to his chest. No heartbeats, no breath, no nothing. Good, I thought. Now I've told Jenna what I've wanted to tell her for years. I felt no regret, no remorse for what I said. I walked away until I found Steele. I told him what I just did. He and I were laughing as I told him. "And finally she was like 'Go away, half-breed! I wish I'd never even met you!' and ran away crying. Ha! So pathetic." I said to Steele, finishing up my story. "Good job, Balto! But the plan is not yet over. You must sever all ties with her. Accomplish the plan, and you and I will be the boss dogs of this town along with your real true love, Susitna. ". Then Susitna came in. "Hi, Balto!" she said to me.

"So," she said, "is the plan complete?" Steele said "No. Only when he gets rid of Denin, Lutak, Saba, and Aleu will the plan be complete. Jenna has always been a serious threat to Nome. She holds a secret that could cause war if revealed. We must get rid of her as well. Susitna, you do that. Balto, you take care of Aleu and Saba. I'll handle the rest. Now let's move." We all filed out of the alleyway and split up. I headed out toward the woods. Steele and Susitna headed down the street in opposite directions.

We all met in the alleyway. The plan was one step away from completion. We had to get rid of Jenna, The Copper One. That was what all the dogs in Nome secretly called her. They knew her name was not really Jenna. They did not know her real name. Only I knew. And I was the only other dog who knew her secret. "So… Balto, Susitna. Our plan is near completion. The children of The Copper One have been eliminated.

As night fell, I sat down on a snow hill far from Nome. The town was a small smudge of light in the distance. I closed my eyes and pointed my head toward the sky. I heard the voice of the Dark One coming from my right. I opened my eyes, and there sat the Dark One, a wolf so black, I could barely even see him. The only things I could make out were his glowing amber eyes. Daughter, has the half-breed been taken care of? he said to me in thought-speak. No, father. I responded, also in thought-speak. We must remove him as soon as possible. The citizens of the town in which he currently resides respect him. But he and two others have eliminated your children, including one of our comrades, the one known as Aleu. This is an outrage amongst our pack, Katala. Soon, the dogs of that town will rise against us. That is what the White Wolf has told me. We must act fast to prevent this. Alert the rest of our pack, Katala. I responded, "Yes, father." I walked away. I looked back. My father was nowhere to be seen. I turned my head forward and continued toward my pack.

I awoke from a dream. It felt like a vision of the future. In it, I was in the woods in the middle of a battle between wolves and Nome's dogs. I saw The Copper One leading the wolves and yelling out orders. And she was attacking our side. We were taking casualties, and it appeared that the wolves were winning. Balto and Susitna were still fast asleep. I shook my head, hoping to shed that awful vision, but it would not go away. I lay there for the rest of the night with my eyes open.

When morning came and Balto and Susitna were awake, I told them about my dream that had felt like a premonition. After I finished, I said, "We must gather as many dogs as we can. Susitna, tell Mel and Dipsy. Tell them to sound the E.D.A.S." She left the alley. "Balto, stick with me. We'll head toward the spot I saw in my dream. The wolves and The Copper One are not yet there. They will show up shortly after our cavalry arrives." We left the alley, made our way down Front Street, and headed towards the faraway woods.

My father reappeared next to me as I sat by a log waiting for the dogs to show up. I saw an angry Balto and Steele in the distance. The messengers have arrived, father. The cavalry has not yet come, but they are on their way. I informed him. That is good. he said. I turned my head and told the other wolves, which included my brothers and sisters, The cavalry is on the way, everyone. Attack when you see the whites of their eyes. But do not attack these messengers. They all said Yes, leader. Those mutts won't stand a chance. Balto and Steele got closer. They sat down in front of me. "The cavalry is on its way… Katala." said Steele. I couldn't believe it. How could he possibly have known my real name? Balto stood up and said, "So Katala's your real name, huh? And you're a wolfdog who's leader of that gang of fleabags you call your pack? Ha! I never knew! And I thought you were just a Husky!" My pack was mystified. A two-tone brown dog who called himself Olaan (his real name was Ghislaine) said to me, "So you know this wolfdog?" "Yes," I said, "He used to be my mate. Then this morning he told me his whole life was a lie, and he never even liked me. He even killed our son. That is why he must be one of the casualties of this battle." "Very well. I will do it." said another wolf, a black female with brown ears, brown eyepatches, and a brown bridge on her muzzle. This was Shtiya.

"Very well. I will do it." I said to our leader, Katala. I focused on the infernal wolfdog who had mistreated our leader. I was angry. I growled a little. My mate, Olaan, said to me "Take it easy. We have instructions only to attack when the cavalry comes and we see the whites of their eyes. The cavalry is not yet here, so we do not attack." I eased up and stopped growling. I raised my head in the air. I smelled something on the wind. The dogs were close. I was prepared to lunge for that wolfdog. The dogs are near, leader. I smell them on the wind. I said. I heard our leader say, So do I. Then she said something else, louder this time, Prepare to attack, everyone. The cavalry is here.

Prepare to attack, everyone. The cavalry is here. I said to my pack. I saw the dogs coming. They were led by a black dog with a white spot on her chest. Get ready! I yelled. The dogs continued their advance through the trees. I saw the whites of the lead dog's eyes. "NOW!" I yelled. The dogs started charging toward us. Steele and Balto backed up and joined the charge. The black dog stopped and stayed where she was. The two messenger stopped beside her. They exchanged glances, that, since I was mostly dog, I could understand, and therefore translated as meaning Are you ready? Let's do this. They snuck off into the woods and stealthily snuck around to the rear of my attacking pack. Each of them brought down any unsuspecting wolves.

The heat of battle was thick. Bodies were thrown against trees, pack members were being picked off one by one. The wolfdog to whom our leader had referred was about to attack her. He leaped at her and pinned her to the ground. He scratched her neck. The wolfdog let go and attacked another wolf that was scratching and biting his back. I was about to attack Black-with-White-Chest when a dark red-and-white dog with dark red eyepatches and yellow eyes lunged at me and bit my neck. I yelled in thought-speak Shtiya, help me!. She came running over and pushed him off, taking some of my neck-fur with him. My vision went black and that was the end of me.

I threw the dog off of my Olaan. The dog hit a tree behind him and was knocked out. I went back to Olaan, but he was motionless and breathless. That dog killed him! I went to the dog and bit down on his front right paw as hard as I could. He quickly pulled the mangled paw away and stood up best as he was able. He went behind me, and I watched as he came up behind me, grabbed my back leg in his muzzle, and threw me against a tree - twice, then left me lying there to feel the pain. My back was killing me. I tried to stand up, but collapsed every time I tried. That mutt broke my back! Then a two-tone tan dog with a black eartips and a brown spot around his left eye loomed over me, he lifted his one of his front paws, extended the claws, swiped at me, then I blacked out for the last time.

I was walking down the street. Since the fight almost two months ago, the streets of Nome had slightly less dog traffic. Out of our huge cavalry, only five didn't make it. Among them were my friends Ruuqo and Ryback. But Steele was still alive, and so was Susitna, and that's all that mattered to me. I was taking in the sunshine and the cold air when Steele ran up to me, smiling, and said, excitedly, "Balto, come quick! It's Susitna!". Then he turned and ran off, and I followed him.

He stopped just outside the same building where ex-Jenna/Katala's first litter had been born a few years ago, and inside I saw Susitna lying on a dog bed. There were five beautiful pups near her. "Hi, Balto." she said to me, calmly. I slowly walked over to her. "Beautiful, aren’t they?" she said. I smiled and said "Yes. Just like you." Then I saw a black-and-gray pup among them. "And you. So," said Susitna, "What should we name them? There's 3 girls and 2 boys.". The black-and-gray one looked somewhat wolfish, and was a little bigger than the others. So I said "Let's name him Stadka. The black one with the gray eyepatches, let's call her Taiya.". Susitna said "Those are nice. And the others?". "The all-black one by your front legs, let's call her Dvina.". "I like that. Let's call the other two Arigo and Nakeen.". "I love them all.", I said. Steele looked on from outside.