As the sun began it’s steady ascent over the Alaskan wilderness the morning dew glistened brightly off the vast unkept grassland. The surrounding mountains were capped with snow built up over the long winter months and vast glacial valleys were beginning to feel the effects of the intense summer heat. Tons of built up ice began to slowly melt and trickle down the mountainside where they entwined with each other forming long deltas and raging rivers right up until they met with the sea. Dense pine forests covered hundreds of miles of land giving way to a thriving ecosystem for the many plants and animals to inhabit.

One such creature; a wolf, ambled slowly up the side of a hill panting from the summer heat and exhausting journey he had just undertaken. The mix of dark and light grey coloured fur was mostly shed for the summer heat offering some relief from the merciless rays emitting from the sun. The wolf was thankful for the tall pine tree’s giving what shade they could. As he began to near the top of the hill a smile of relief formed on his face, his journey had come to an end. There lay before him was the small town of Nome.

Balto breathed in a lungful of the fresh pine air “I’m home” he whispered coarsely to himself, his mouth dry from lack of water. Carefully he began his descent down the hill towards Nome, eager to find his mate so he could tell her the events of the past few days regarding their daughter.