Balto: The Acceptance of the Lone Wolf
By: Jacrujin
One Friday morning on the outskirts of Nome, Alaska, Balto once again is having a strange dream. In this particular dream Balto is running in a clearing of snow with his family including Aniu. Then all of a sudden he looks to the sun rise and sees a dark canine figure standing in the sunlight. His family then looked to the sun rise to run in fear of the strange figure they see. The strange figure then approaches and Balto turns to run but he turns to see Aniu place her paw upon his head and the dream ends in a bright blinding flash of light. Balto then suddenly lifts his head fully awake and feels chills run down his back.
Borris is startled by this sudden burst of activity and is awakened by it. He then looked at Balto to asks, “What is it this time?”
“I had another strange dream,” he explained with quite a fright in his eyes. He then thinks again to see if there may be an explanation for the dream other than fear and dark intentions. He then realizes he planned on going to a snow clearing for a family gathering with his full grown litter that weekend.
Borris then asks in curiousity, “Well? what was this particular dream about?”
“Well it was strange because it took place during a future plan this weekend. But I can't figure out what it means. There was a strange figure and everyone ran and when I began to run but there was a flash of light and I woke up. What do you think?” Balto asked.
“That just sounds spooky. But then again it sounds like the firgure hasn't done anything except scare people. Nothing happened except people running and screaming but you haven't been given a reason to run away.” Borris explained.
Balto then began feeling afraid to go to the family gathering at the snow clearing.
"I'm not sure if I want to go to the snow clearing."
“Well what are you going to do if everyone shows up and you’re not there?”
“Well it is tomorrow,” Balto realized. “Perhaps I can arrange a different location.”
Borris then disagrees and says, “No, I think you should realize by now these dreams always mean something. You may just be destined to run into this guy.”
"But I can't afford to risk my family getting involved or even harmed."
"Maybe this guy needs your help. Maybe he knows of something you have that he doesn't,” Borris tries to raise his confidence.
“Very well, but I still think we should relocate the gathering!” Balto yells as he heads into town to see Jenna to try and relocate the gathering.
As he heads into town he is greeted by the common folk of Nome as he goes to Rosie’s home and looks through the window to see Jenna with Rosy. He then barks to get her attention. They both then look to the window and Rosy excitedly yells, "Balto!" She and Jenna then go outside to greet him.
"Hello Jenna, I have something to discuss," Balto says to her with some uncertainty.
"Why what is it? Is this about the meat you gave me yesterday? I thought it tasted funny. But I liked it...." as she was going to finish he interrupted to say, "No it's not that I'm having second thoughts about the family gathering location."
"Wait....why? I thought we had agreed to that location. We all enjoy going there. What changed your mind all of a sudden? I.....but you love that clearing," Jenna exclaims with confusion.
"Yeah, thats before I had another strange dream. And it was a while since...."
Jenna then interrupts Balto and asks with great worry, "What you had a dream? Those went away a long time ago."
"Yes I know but apparently they've come back but this one was different," he explained.
"How? What could make this dream so different?" Jenna asks with intense frustrated curiousity.
"Well it takes place at our family gathering tommorrow." He explained.
Jenna then asks with disappointment, "What? That sounds like the kids are involved. But I can't just all of a sudden change the location we decided to go. The kids also agreed to that place. We will need to find them and decide on a new location."
"Then we'll have to think of some suggestions for the kids and we'll need to gather them in one place to make the decision together agreed?" "Agreed. But I think you may be overreacting," Jenna says in agreement for Balto's sake.
They then decide to go to their childrens homes to gather them to one location for the meeting. And late that afternoon they finally had all of Balto's family for the meeting. Balto then at the front of the group tells them, "Ok...your mother and I have decided to relocate the family gathering tommorrow. We are aware of some acticity that may endanger ourselves if we were to go there. They all then ask why? What could have possibly changed the plan? And What brought the dangerous activity there all of a sudden.
Balto was obviously hoping they wouldn't ask but he is of an honorable and honest nature and so he announces, "Well...... we have decided to relocate our family gathering. and we have some suggestions for the event." They then decide to go to the old boiler room where Jenna found her place with Balto. It was in fact winter and around the time in which they first met that winter. And so they decide to use this location as an anniversary like event.
Mean while deep in the snowy waste lands outside of Nome lies a large wolf with a very muscular build. His snout was very thin much like Anui's. His coat was very much pitch black and a white underbelly and it was very scruffy and roughed up much like Balto's. He had a long tail that was quite roughed up as well. He had eyes so dark brown that they seem to allow you to sink into his soul to see a dark black hole of a void that remains unfulfilled. And what stood out the most was a purple scar that ran across his shoulder with balding around it as if he had pulled the fur around it out. And so as the black wolf lay on the cold snow covered ground a fox approaches him trying to get the black wolf to chase him by annoying him. "Hey Jikynchu, I have something for you!" the fox says digging his paw into the snow and lunging it at Jikynchu.
"Oh why do you always follow me? I can escape your torture then all of a sudden you find me again. Oh joy..." The black wolf says sarcastically.
"I'm just trying to have fun. Why don't you have fun? I bet it's because you never learned to did you? Ahahahahahaha!" The fox giggles knowing he is getting on his nerves. Then all of a sudden the black wolf swiftly gets up to jump on top of the fox annoying him from close quarters. The fox then hops to safety and is already running circles around him saying, "Ha you are so predictable Jikynchu! Ahahahahahaha!"
Jikynchu then decides to leave the area saying, "I cannot waste my time playing with you. I need my personal space. AND I DON'T LIKE YOU!!!!!" He yells with frustration as he is annoyed by his tormentor.
He then begins running away from the fox and heads into the distance. He then runs into some other wolves not of his pack as they are migrating to another location. As they are approaching his presense he overhears them saying something about a great hero in Nome and they then notice Jikynchu as they get closer to him. But as they pass each other they lock eyes and they then turn their heads as if disgusted and continue on their way. He then continues headed toward the town not knowing it is Nome he is headed towards. And as he gets closer to Nome he spots a residential dog that seemed odd to him.
It was Balto heading back home and as he is leaving the town of Nome all of a sudden a cold chill runs down his spine and when startled by this sensation he happens to spot the black wolf and notices his purple scar on his shoulder. Balto then recognizes this strange wolf as the figure in his dream. Then locking eyes with each other they are confused on what to do next. Balto is then striken with a sense of nervous while Jikynchu is waiting for balto to look away from the stare like all the other canines he ever encounters and lock eyes with. But for the first time he was the one to look away and passes by Balto and heads into town along the sides of the buildings.
Balto then is frightened from what he has just seen and heads back into town to check on his mate Jenna. He got there but Jenna was just fine with the mysterious stranger out of sight. And so he began going all around town to check on the rest of his family. And by the darkness of the moon lit night he finds everything to be in order and decides to head back to Rosie's house and sleep under the window to keep watch and make sure the mysterious stranger isn't up to anything.
And as Balto sits while highly alert he then hears a doors close and realize it is about the time that the businessmen close shop. And then he hears something shuffling across the road and swiftly turns to spot some mice scurrying into a crack beneath a town house. And later that night he finally falls asleep.
And on the next morning he wakes up to find that he was wrapped in a cloth like material but was awakened by the hustle and bustle in the morning. And then Jenna walks outside with Rosy about to do some errands and she noticed Balto lying there with a confused look on his face and she then asks, "Balto? Why are you here? Have you been sleeping there all night? That's not like you," as she is wondering why he was lying on the street, under her window, and most curiously why he was wrapped in a blue towel. "Huh? Oh I was standing guard." he tells her with confusion in his voice. "What? why?" "I saw it," he exclaimed. "Saw what? What are you talking about?" Jenna asks him with confusion. "The dark figure from my dream. It....He's here.....in town. But I hope everyone is okay. He looks quite scary." And as Rosy has already headed into town with her parents on errands Balto decides to go to their children's homes to remind them of their plan for the afternoon in the boiler room.
As they travel about the town Balto is full of paranoia and happens to feel another chill down his spine. Jenna notices him shivering and asks, "Balto?....Balto what's wrong?" "He's here. I get this very feeling every time he is near," Balto explains with a low whisper. Jenna then looks around and happens to look over Balto's shoulder to see a dark figure slide past the corner of a building behind them. She then gasps with disbelief for once she has actually seen something from Balto's dreams. They then happen to go by a house with someone yelling to his wife. They then approach the house door to investigate. With the man out of sight they hear a man yelling as she is sitting in the livingroom, "Honey I can't find the bath towel!" "Which one?!" "The blue one!" "Oh I was hanging it outside to dry after putting it in the laundry last night!" Balto and Jenna then realize that Balto was wrapped in a blue towel. They then come across another building with Someone saying, "Yes but the mice have all seem to have all left last night." "Yeah they're gone alright. I don't know what to tell you except congratulaions." "Thanks." Balto then remembers seeing some mice last night while on guard.
And so after checking up on their kids later that afternoon they were all ready to go to the boiler room. And so they all met up inside the boiler room and the family all decided to go under the floor of the hospital in which Balto and Jenna had their first romantic moment and like that very night they placed the broken bottles in the way of the lights from above and they all stayed down there telling stories and talking about their new experiences since their last get together. And so they stayed there with many activities and conversations going on til the darkness of night and they all headed out and back home. They all walked home together stopping at each of the familie's houses dropping off each member. But then Balto felt the chill go down his back once again and everyone still not home walking with them all notice. And all of a sudden Jenna once again starts looking around looking for the mysterious stranger and is able to spot a shadow go down an alley way. She is then very nervous outside at night in the dark. And so they continued taking everyone home.
The next morning Balto wakes up to feel another cold chill go down his back again. But all of a sudden he notices two white paws lying in front of him and he looks up to see Aniu and is very relieved to be able to ask someone directly connected to the spirit world able to ask why he has been having his strange dreams. Aniu then places her paw upon his forehead. Balto is then relaxed and closes his eyes. Aniu then says, "Your guidence is needed." And when he opens his eyes in confusion he is surprised to see Aniu has already disappeared. And Balto then lets her wise words of wisdom sink in with some though. But he decided to think on it as he heads into town. Finally when he gets into town he then gets a cold chill down his spine once again and looks back out towards the outskirts to see a shadow disappear around the corner of a building. He then remembers what his mother Aniu had told him at the boat and then realized what Borris said, "You may just be destined to run into this guy.”
Balto then decided to go after the shadow.
As Balto begins running behind the building he hears a trash can bang against the ground. He then begins thinking he is avoiding him but he has been lurking around him a while now. So he then goes down the alley way in which the trash can was heard from. But then when he finds the trash can he then takes a wif of the air to pick up a scent he is unfamiliar with and picks up a musky stench and follows it to a dark open storage garage of some type.
He then sees the mysterious stranger's snout as the only thing visible in the darkness.
"What is it that you want?" The mysterious stranger asks with a deep voice. "Why have you come here? Why is it you are always lurking around?" Balto asks with a sincere voice. "I seek something lost to me. Something I cannot seem to replace. "Oh? And what is that," Balto asks with an open voice. "What do you care? I am just a wandering soul seeking a destiny just like everyone else. Searching for something to fulfill a void that will ultimately determine your fate. But alas I have not found mine. I am an outcast. An outsider." "Why would you be an outcast," Balto asks. "I decided to cast myself out of my pack. I felt unfulfilled with the task of being pack leader. I have always felt unfulfilled. Ever since the death of my father." "Your father? But you speak with such wisdom. Why do you feel unfulfilled even after you have helped people around the town," Balto implies to catch the stranger's attention and is successful.
"What.....how do you know of my doings about this place?" "You were obviously the culprit sneaking around at night watching over me and all the humans in town. Helping get rid of mice and wrapping me up in a warm towel in the middle of a cold night. You seem to be as honorable as me in my eyes," Balto then suggests trying to get a clear idea of what his intentions are.
The stranger chuckles and then explains, "Well my father was the most honorable of my pack the leader but in an act of honorable sacrifice he sacrificed himself to save me from a bear when I was still a pup. Grew up without a father figure. He was my only real friend one to listen to me in my times of need. Giving advice when I am confused. One to be a true hero in my eyes." And then as he was finishing his last words he begins looking into Balto's eyes when Balto is unable to do the same due to his eyes being too deep in the darkness and so he then continues to look into his eyes and finally says, "Hmmmmm..... There is something about you that reminds me about my father."
He then walks slowly out of the darkness to allow Balto to see him and Balto then finds himself staring down 2 dark shafts of eyes of the stranger. "It's your eyes. They have the same glow of compassion as my father......" He then retreats back into the darkness of the room and asks, "What do you think of me? Why do you stand there listening to an old wolf like me?" Balto is finally understanding the situation and says, "Well I was thinking you seem lonely. And seem to need someone to listen to you.......and give advice........like a father. But you're welcome to talk to me. I am known to listen to my families need." "Very well. Leave me be to think on this." Balto then leaves him in the safety of his dark room.
And later when Balto was going about the rest of the day he finally caught up with Jenna. Jenna then in a worried voice, "Oh.....Balto where have you been? I've been waiting to see you today but......I couldn't find you so I went about my morning without you." "Oh I was uh.....Meeting with someone," Balto explained trying not to worry her. But she counters his avoidance with, "With who?" "Well I met with the figure from my dream." Shocked by this unexpected information she imediately jumped to conclusions asking, "Oh Balto what were you doing? Did he hurt you? Why is he here?" "Nothing he is just here for personal reasons," Balto answers her with an honest calm voice. "I just misunderstood the dream thats all," Balto added. "Then you understand the dream?" "Well......no but I will Jenna......I will," He assured her. Jenna then decides to ask, "Who is this stranger? He doesn't seem to be a threat the way you talk about him." "Well he is lonely. He's an outcast. He doesn't have anyone to talk to," Balto explained. "Why is he sneaking around?" She asks with suspiscion. "Well he is a wolf and....." "A wolf! You have accompanied a wolf here? We cannot allow anyone to see him with you the town's people may turn on you if they see you with him!" "Don't worry! He hasn't been noticed yet. And he has been helping the locals. He seems to be lost. But I need to help him find his place," Balto explains with confidence. "But he can't possibly find his place here! I'm not against you helping him but this wolf will gain greatly undesired attention. You are risking him and yourself when you do these things. I do not want you to get in trouble when you get seen with a wolf in town!" "Look I understand that but it will work out. I will find a way," Balto insists. "You always were stubborn when you are needed. You have always had an honorable soul. Very well but I do not approve of you being seen with him in town," Jenna explained calming down but worried. "Thank you...and I will find a way. I promise." They then continue wth their day.
Meanwhile back at the stranger's storage shed the fox that always seems to find Jikynchu and says, "Hey buddy. I didn't think I'd see the day a full grown wolf would actually be found in the middle of a human town! Ahahahaha! What are you doing here?" "Go away I don't need your permission to be here. This was my decision." "Sure it was. And I am the town's pack leader ahahaha!" The fox laughs trying to upset the great black wolf. "Stop it I'm trying to keep a low profile," He snarls at the fox. "Oooooh I see well if you don't mind I'll take that dead mouse from you if you don't mind," The fox says as he approaches the mouse next to Jikynchu. "I do not approve of you eating my only dinner for the day. Now scram! I need my personal space!" He angrily suggests to the pesky fox. The fox then asks, "You still haven't told me why you are here. Tell me and maybe I'll leave you alone," He smiled with a trick up his sleeve as he notices Jikynchu's tail sticking out side next to the door frame. "No I'm not willing to tell you. I need my space now leave!" He growled. "Well then perhaps you won't mind if I...." He says then kicks the door closed onto Jikynchu's tail. Jikynchu then growls in pain and then begins chasing the fox around the series of alleyways behind buildings and as the fox runs across the street where many people are present. Jikynchu then makes a sudden stop and says, "I see what you're trying to do. You can't trick me that easily....." The stranger smiles knowing if he doesn't give into the fox's fun time the fox gets impatient. Then looks back to see the wolf sitting just out of sight of the humans. "Why don't you chase me? I know you don't like me but I like you. And if you want me gone.....you'll have to chase me down and kill me. Hehehehe......" The fox chuckles knowing if he makes one false move he will be hunted himself by the locals. "Well you'll have to find better ways of tricking me. I've learned all your little games and tricks it's not even funny," He explains with a frustrated voice.
Not far from their current location Balto gets yet another cold chill down his back. He then begins to conclude that these feelings must mean the stranger must be in need of a listening ear. But Jenna has noticed Balto's cold chill again and says, "What do these cold chills mean? I'm getting worried about you. Maybe this wolf is not a good influence." "No...no it's nothing but I think when I get these feelings he is in need of help." "Oh...uh....ok go then," She tells Balto worrying that the wolf is getting in between her and Balto's quality time together and lowers her ears as she watches him run down the street and turns her back to continue down the street to find Rosy and catch up.
Balto then as he runs down the street as he approaches the location at which Jikynchu and the fox's conversation is taking place he arrives and interrupts their bickering. The stranger then looks at Balto and lowers his ears and Balto in response asks, "Hey whats going on here?" The fox then says, "Hey aren't you surprised to see a wolf in town?" Then chuckles mischieviously. "Well we have already met. But what are you doing here?" Balto asks with suspiscion. "Well I came here looking for him. He always sneaks away from me but I always always always find him hehehehe," The fox says in response. "Yes thats because he has been tormenting me for two years now! He won't leave me alone! I hate you fox! He needs to be taught a lesson," The stranger growls with anger. Balto then tells the stranger, "But nothing is solved with violence. It only causes dishonor. Do you really want to risk your reputation over a small nuisance?" The stranger then thinks about his past and remembers something that causes him to say, "You're right. I can't risk a good reputation but that fox is not a small nuisance. He has followed me everywhere trying to get me into trouble." Balto then looks at the fox. In response to the stare down the fox then says, "But he always. Eh? Always. Um......He started it!" Balto then sees this as a sibling rivalry like situation and asks, "Hey fox you like having fun and being chased or running with excitement right?" "Well.....yeah!" He said with excitement and his ears up ready for fun. "Then I have just the thing for you....." Balto says with confidence and adds, "Follow me. You too eh? What's your name?" as he begins walking down the alleyway knowing if he were to follow him around town the locals will freak out. The stranger then sighs and says, "My name is Jikynchu," and follows Balto along side his tormentor out side of town.
They then pass by Balto's boat house and end up coming to the two white bundles of energy we all know as Muk and Luk. "Balto then calls to them saying, "Muk! Luk! I want you to meet someone!" "Balto!" They yell in response and hyped up to see him. They then like always hug and smother Balto in furry excitement. "Ok! Ok! let me go now..." As they let him go hethen begins introducing the fox, "Muk? Luk? This is fox. He likes having fun almost as much as you do. And me and my friend Jikynchu are a bit tired of him always trying to play when it's not a good time to play. So I was thinking he could play with you! Would you like that fox?" The fox is then hyped up on the offer and yells excitedly, "Yes! Yes! Oh Yes! I would love to play with them. They seem like a barrel of....eh? ME! Ahahahahaha!" "Balto then asks for confirmation, "Well Muk? Luk? Would you like to play with him?" "Sure Balto! He looks like he will make a good tag player!" And they both agree. Balto then says, "Ok you guys have fun..." And the three new friends go running off into the snow. "There...your problem solved. It's a good thing I knew the most rowdy polar bears in town hahaha!" Balto explains to Jikynchu with confidence. "Oh....well thank you. I never thought I would get rid of him that way. You really know how to handle situations like that." "It was my pleasure. Are you ok? He did seem to get on your nerves," Balto asks with concern about Jikynchu's recently past aggitated state. "Yes I am truly honored you would do this for a stranger like myself," Jikynchu replies with relief. "Well I am the local hero in town. I was once an outcast like yourself but was accepted when I saved the town," Balto explains in response to Jikynchu's suggesting Balto is a great mentor. "Well it's getting late so I'll seeyou later I have to go tell my mate good night. I'll see you later!" Balto yells as he runs back into town.
When he gets to Rosie's residence he barks to get Jenna's attention and she then comes outside to ask in an upset voice, "Where have you been?" Balto then asks in confusion, "What? Aren't......aren't you glad to see me?" "Yes but I am getting worried about you. I don't want you seeing that wolf again!" "What? Why?!" Balto asks with confusion. "Well I'm....I'm afraid...." She suggests as she sits and looks down at the ground. "Afraid? Afraid of what?" he asks with concern. "Afraid you are going to forget," She suggests. "Forget? About what?" He asks in confusion. "Forget about me......" Jenna explains as she begins to shed tears. "What? That's Ridiculous. I will never forget about you.........I love you," he tells her with honesty. "But you keep leaving me to see him. He is all you think about! I'm always having to wait for you and everytime I look back to see you're not there to follow! I'm just worried you've forgotten," Jenna suggests to Balto in freezing tears. "No....no.....No! I will never forget about you. Every time I leave your side I always think about you before I even leave. But this wolf is in need of help. I'm the only one fit to help him. I am part wolf after all. Don't worry. I won't leave.....I won't leave," Balto assures Jenna as he Nuzzles Jenna and then locks his neck around hers trying to reenforce his honest words.
Nearby Jikynchu is hearing everything and decides to leave town before he interferes in Balto's personal life anymore but also realizes he has to give up his relationship with Balto. But Balto is already having another cold chill in physical contact with Jenna and she realizes what it means and she pulls away from under Balto and looks at him with a sad face and runs inside crying a river. Balto then decides to ignore the feeling and goes home to the boat and lies down with the thought of Jenna's feeling being hurt with tears going down his face. And finally falls asleep.
He then finds himself in another dream. In this particular dream he sees himself with Jenna at the same snow clearing as his first dream. They are both lying in the snow with a new pup with black fur. But this pup is obviously not a wolf dog and doesn't look like him or Jenna. He then realizes the pup is a wolf pup. But then the pup gets up and runs off into the distance and Jenna gets up and goes the opposite direction and she looks at him and he notices a tear running down her face. He then looks back at the wolf pup but instead is surprised to see Jikynchu as he looks back at him as well with tears running down his face as well and all of a sudden Balto finds himself falling into darkness and lands on his boat house and all of a sudden he wakes up with his blood racing and looks up to see Aniu and she places her paw upon his forehead and says, "Both are in need. You now see what you will become," And Balto then looks down in worry. And looks up to Aniu for more guidance but raises his head to see she is gone again. He then is very worried and looks up to the sky and asks, "What does that mean?! Mother! I can't be alone again! No! Nooooooooooooo!" He then looks down at the boat floor and begins crying. He then thinks to himself that he can change this. He can set things right. And decides he must first see Jenna and goes into town.
When he comes to Rosie's home window he begins barking to get Jenna's attention saying, "Jenna! I need to talk to you!" She then looks out the window at him but then decides to lie back down and ignores him. He then says, "I had another dream! In the dream you left me!" She then lifts her ears in worry and Balto finally has her full attention and goes out to discuss it with him. "Balto what do you mean I'm leave you in your dream?" She asks with intense worry. "You know what I mean......" He explains and looks down to begin crying a river like she did the night before. "I didn't actually consider leaving you. I was worried you were going to leave me. Tell me more about your dream," She insisted. "Well in my dream we are in the snow clearing we were going to have our family gathering the other day. And we were lying in the snow with a pup." "A pup? But we haven't done anything to get pregnant in a while!" She explains with concern. "Yes I know...But this one was different. This was a wolf pup," Balto explained with great nervousness. "Oh....but then what happened?" "Well the pup went running across the snow and you got up the and went the other way and you both looked back at me crying and The pup was actually the wolf I've been seeing. The one you keep thinking I am going to stay with and forget about you and then I fell into darkness alone. And when I woke up my mother told me youand he need me and that my dream shows what I will become. Alone...........again" Balto explained. "Oh Balto.....I will never leave you. But if you really must see this wolf. I can't stop you. But remember I'll always be hear beside you," She explains as she nuzzles him and thinks to herself, "If he must do this and there is a risk I may leave him We shall do this together to prevent me from leaving him." She then asks, "Balto? May I come with you to see him this time?" "Of course. You may just like him," Balto says with confidence. "Wait.....in my dream he runs away.........He's running away! We must find him!" Balto then adds as he begins running down the street. "I'll come with you!" Jenna decides to say as she begins following Balto out of town.
And as they are runnin Jenna asks, "How do you know where to find him?!" "Just a hunch but in my dream we are in the snow clearing of our family gathering! I want to check there first!" Balto suggests. And when they arrive they are surprised to see Jikynchu walking down the clearing. They both then begin calling to him. "Hey Jikynchu!" Balto yells and immediately gains his attention. "Balto? Balto!" He yells back and turns around to have Balto stop and slide on the snow to meet him face to face and Jenna arrives immediately after.
Balto then asks, "Why did you run away? You worried us." "What? You were worried about me? Why?" Jikynchu asks with intense curiousity. "Well.......I need to help you!" Balto insists. "With what? You have helped me enough. In fact too much. I now realize I'm interfering in your love life. I can't stay with you knowing you ar suffering because of me!" "What are you talking about?!" Balto asks. "I heard her say she doesn't want you to see me anymore. I knew I got you in trouvble and I'm gonna get you out," Jikynchu explains. "But I need to help you! My dreams tell me I must," Balto explains with great concern. "Dreams? What am I doing in your dreams? Why would I be in your dreams?" He asks with confusion. "Well I've had dreams that suggest parts of my destiny before. And I had one of you so you must be of importance in my life." "But I haven't got a clue on why I would possibly be part of your destiny. Why do you insist on helping me?" Jikynchu asks. "You are in need of a listening ear. You need someone to give you advice! I can do that! Like....like?" But Balto then struggles on trying to suggest a clever word for a mentor then all of a sudden he gets another cold chill down his back but this one was different. Instead of being scary and creepy it was relaxing and chose to say, ".......A father!" Balto suggests. Jikychu's eyes then open wide to the sudden use of the word father and says, "Fa.....father? Father? No you're not my father! Balto you......you....You're already a father! I'm alone without a father you couldn't possibly want to act as a replacement would you?" Then all of a sudden the snow beneath their feet begins to whirl around the three and join between them to reveal Aniu and she then says, "Your choice. Choose wisely....." And with that said and the snow still swirling around her the snow begins to rise and Aniu disappears along with the snow as it blows within the wind.
And Balto then feels the need to say, "Yes." And to this information The stranger's void was fulfilled with the caring love of Balto. And as Balto and Jikynchu are locking eyes Balto notices Jikynchu's eyes begin to change from a darkened blackish brown to a bright sparkling brown. And Balto then looks at Jenna and she is amazed by what she has just witnessed and looks at Balto and nods in agreement.
And from that moment forward, the two would go about as father and adoptive son. As unusual as it may sound Balto did convince his family to accept the stranger. But his being a wolf gained the towns people attention when seen roaming the city streets through the alley ways. And so many answers given but even more questions to rise. But the story ends when the lone wolf is accepted by our favorite hero.