Balto:
The Jenikian Journey Part Three
By: Sam Dochoda (Aljan)
This story was inspired by Balto, (copyright
1995), Balto II: Wolf Quest (copyright 2000) and Balto
Intro
A night past we learned that Balto met
Laren, the Grey, Lyon, the regent stallion of the Whenian herd, Decem, the Head
Stallion, June, the Paint mare, and Curn, wielder of Jerec. We
learned that each had special talents and abilities. Then Balto managed to find his son, Kodi,
with the help of his new shoulder friends. Now we join Balto as he dreams…waiting for an answer…
Far Seeing…
Night had fallen upon When and all had gone to bed except those who had sentry duty or other business during the night. Balto, the hybrid, whose heritages were wolf and husky, stirred in his sleep. An ear twitched or a leg kicked. The hybrid’s lips twitched and curled sometimes into a half snarl and a growl came out. Deeper and deeper, Balto sank into his dream until it went beyond the boundaries of time…
He was standing in a cave. The cave actually, for he knew where he was: the cave where anything in possible. But something strange was afoot. He walked deeper into the cave. He noticed that no crystals hung or glowed on the walls. The cave was lit with an unseen source. Just then his hairs stood on end and he stopped. Someone was watching him. A padded foot step behind him made him whirl.
A grey-she wolf stood before him.
“Who are you?” he asked. The wolf moved closer and let her eyes bore into Balto’s. He gasped in amazement. The wolf’s eyes were beautiful. The irises of her eyes were the ever shifting colors of the Northern Lights! Then the she-wolf broke her gaze and walked past the hybrid. She stopped five paces away from him and looked back.
“You seek your mate, don’t you, Balto” she asked. Her voice entranced him for it was beautiful but not as beautiful as Jenna’s voice, but it almost sounded like Jenna.
He shook his head to clear it and said, “How do you know that?”
“I know many
things.” Came the reply. “I know that
you come from a time that hasn’t come to pass yet and a place you call
“How do you know this?” he asked.
“Aniu is your mother, is she not?” asked the wolf. He nodded. She smiled. “I am glad to have met you at last, Balto, son of my kin.”
This left Balto confused and flabbergasted. “What? What do you mean?”
The she-wolf’s smile hadn’t disappeared. “Aniu is my sister, Balto, thus you are my nephew.”
“Who are you?” he asked once more.
The she-wolf bowed her head at Balto. “I am Jenna, goddess of the wolves, but I am known to many by many names, which you’ll learn during your stay.”
“Jenna…” echoed Balto, his thoughts racing to his mate. The wolf seemed to sense his longing for his mate.
“Only time can bring you and your mate together,” she said, almost with regret. “I do not have as much power as I had before this took place.”
Balto looked at her. “You mean, you knew about the cave that took my mate and I and many friends and kin to this place where we were all separated?” The goddess nodded sadly. “Why didn’t you stop it?” he demanded.
Jenna looked away. “You could say this was my fault; my doing. Long ago, Aniu and I once lived together in peace and happiness, helping those on earth and bringing the dying to join us once more. Then the human Dark lord, Denifence, who lived in a land known as Tiangor, began to kill any who passed and, by using dark magic, transformed them into Summoned, dark spirits who obey orders without question and can be only killed by light magic and elven weapons.’ Soon Denifence began to use the Summoned as energy, for summoned cannot die from the magic that created it. With Summoned, Denifence had found a way to grow stronger in dark magic.’ He became so powerful he created a way so he can become both mortal and an immortal spirit.’ As my sister and I watched this we knew we would have to face him. When that day came, I went to face him though Aniu insisted to face him together. Though I fought hard, he defeated me. But he couldn’t defeat me out right for I was a goddess, an immortal. So he took from me, or he tried to take from me, my power. He almost succeeded but Aniu foiled his selfish plan.’ She attacked using any form she could come up with, including human. Her last attack was in a form of a white wolf and she flew at her foe’s neck. However she bit through a black pendent that the dark lord wore around his neck and in an instant, Denifence was forced to retreat back into his mortal form. However the pendent exploded and black fire surrounded my sister.’ Denifence’s voice was filled with rage as he spoke on earth but it was also one who had been avenged.
“You’ve defeated my spiritual form, Aniu, but a price has to be paid.” He said jeeringly. “No more will you walk on this land or during this time. Forever you are ever banished from this land for there is no other way to come back!” He laughed once and he was gone.
Aniu struggled amongst the black flames. “Sister! Help me!” she cried. She couldn’t change form any more; the white wolf form was her permanent body now, spiritually and mortally. I couldn’t help her. I was too weak, my energy stolen from me by Denifence.
Aniu cried out, as if in pain, and there was a flash of light and she was gone.
It’s been five hundred years since that day and I am now happy to see that she had pups and lived a mortal life for a while.’
Jenna looked into Balto’s eyes once more. “You have your mother’s eyes. Full of determination and courage.” She sighed. “No more will I feel what its like to be mortal. My power was taken from me.”
Balto was stunned. Never before had he believed he had any living relative from his side of the tree. Now within a day and night, he had found his dam’s sister, and learned of what happened to her before he was born. Then his thoughts went to Alue and his aunt looked up.
“Your thoughts go to your daughter,” she said. “You have some experience in talking with those who have already died. You’ve talked to Jadze, a member of your family who was killed. I brought you here to teach you how to use a power that you have within you. It’s called Far Seeing and it has many powers good and bad. Go over to the pool of water behind me and look at the water.”
Balto did as he was told. Seeing only his reflection, he frowned. “I see nothing save my own reflection,” He said.
“Pool your thoughts of your daughter in your mind. Remember scenes of your life with her and continue to look at the water.”
Balto centered his thoughts of his daughter, of how she looked, how she howled, and how they had bonded as father and daughter. Then as he watched in astonishment, the water began to swirl and then came to a halt and an image of When appeared. Distinctively, Balto could feel himself still in the cave and above When. Then slowly the land before him began to move and soon he was crossing the great swirling plains. Wolf packs wondered the plains but his daughter wasn’t among them. Then the plains ended and a great forest rose from the ground. Trees past by him as his mind went through the forest. Then it came to a slowing halt as a glade opened in front of him. Balto felt his heart leap with joy as he spotted his daughter lying there along with her mate Shadow and a few other wolves.
“Alue…” he said. Before him, Alue stirred; her left ear pricked.
“Don’t awaken her,” Jenna said gently. “She has a long journey ahead for her and her pack. There are many others who have to be found.”
“What do you mean?” he asked. His breath hit the surface of the pool; braking the image and then Balto felt himself back in the cave. He shook himself.
“What more stands in our way in reuniting?” he asked.
“We?” asked Jenna.
“My daughter and I,” he said. “My mate, my father who is several species removed, and many others who entered the portal that you created.”
He recoiled as his aunt snapped at him angrily. “I did not create such a portal! As I told you before I am powerless! Weak! Yet I am a goddess!”
The cave almost seemed to shake under the fury of she-wolf. Balto felt for the first time in the cave fear.
“If you want to know who created the portal then you shall have the answer!” cried the goddess, her anger and hatred almost creating a storm within the cave. “It was Denifence, the same one who banished my sister, Aniu, your dam! Denifence, the mortal man, who stole my powers, and still has them to this day!”
Then Jenna sighed deeply and leaned against the cave wall for support. “Oh my…” she murmured almost painfully. Her beautiful muzzle was contorted with many emotions. Was it pain, anger, loss, sadness, disbelief? Balto did not know. When he tried to comfort his aunt she shoved him away gently.
“Leave me…I must be alone,” she said.
Balto went back to the pool and looked into its depths. I wonder… He began to pool his thought of Jenna and Boris, their looks, memories, and other things. The waters swirled and then he was flying across the plains, away from When until he reached the end of the plains. Then something that he assumed wasn’t supposed to happen, happened.
His mind spilt in two, one began to go east while the other began to go north. In the cave, Balto cried out in pain and Jenna snapped her head at him. Upon seeing her nephew crying out in pain and his eyes roll back into his head, she knew what he had tried to do. Swiftly with goddess speed, she flew at Balto and hit him with such force that he was sent across the cave where he crashed into the hard rock wall. He slid to the cave floor quite stunned but, surprisingly, unhurt. In a flash, Jenna was upon him pinning him to the ground.
“Never try that again, nephew,” she said, sternly and with warning. “By doing that would have cost you your life. If your mind had separated then it would have been impossible for it to come together again. When far seeing, always pool your thoughts on one person.”
Just then a voice called from the depths of the cave. “Sister...”
Jenna jumped off Balto and eyed the dark depths of the cave with weariness.
“Aniu?” she called out.
A flash of white light exploded in front of Jenna and Balto forcing the two to look away. Then the light faded and Aniu, the white wolf, dam of Balto, stood before them. Jenna backed away, almost fearfully. Aniu spoke,
“What is it that you fear?” Her voice was just as beautiful as his aunt’s and then Balto remembered that both were sisters. Aniu spoke again,
“Come, sister, what is it that you fear?” Jenna shook her head wearily her aurora colored eyes filled with many emotions: fear, happiness, loss, depression, and many others. Then the white wolf turned to her son.
“Balto…my son,” she embraced him and held him. Balto felt memories fly before his eyes the moment he touched her white coat: a brown pup racing with other pups, the feeling of comfort, safety, and happiness, sadness when one of his sisters, white as his dam, who was killed by a fox, his anger for the fox, his sudden fear of his mother when she attacked and killed the fox, comfort and grief afterwards, the sudden disappearance of his father and then three other brothers, his fright when his mother went to hunt and never came back, his confidence when he chose to look after himself, his ravenous hunger after five days of hunger, his delight when he came upon a goose, his shock when he discovered he had not the strength to do anything, his thankfulness when the goose took pity on him and raised him as his “chick”, his joy when he met Jenna, his anger and jealousy for Steele, his happiness when he received friendship with Jenna.
But as soon as Aniu pulled back, the memories stopped; leaving Balto with many emotions running across his face. Aniu touched her nose to his.
“My son, I know there are many questions in your mind, and few can be answered at this moment in time. But there are others who know of the power that you just tried to do.”
Balto started at this. “You are talking of Alue and Nava, aren’t you?” he asked.
The white wolf nodded.
“All you have to do is—“
“Believe,” ended Balto. His mother nodded then turned as her sister walked up to them.
“Sister,” Jenna said, and then she broke down and hugged Aniu with sisterly love. “I missed you…”
“So did I,” said Aniu. Then she broke away. “But I come here with urgent news which could change the fate of those here.”
“What is it?” asked both Balto and Jenna in allusion.
“Shade is here.”
Jenna looked at her sister unknowing what she was talking about, but Balto’s eyes widened.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Jenna stepped in. “Who is this Shade?” she asked. Balto gave her a brief explanation of the dark wolf.
He then faced his mother. “Where is he?”
“He is in a land called Tiangor and has made an alliance with the Immortal who is Mortal, better known as Denifence.”
Jenna started at the mention of the dark lord’s name. “What is he planning?” she asked. Aniu shook her head.
“Denifence, from the time I was here was powerful enough to block any way of seeing him, even from us. Now that five hundred years have passed, I believe he is five times one hundred much more powerful then when we last met. Now that Shade and Denifence have formed an alliance, the two can do destructive things to those of the living.”
“Sister,” said Jenna. “Now that you have returned is it possible for you to take any form that you wish? Perhaps you could aid the races of Man, the Elves, or the Wolves.”
Aniu shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not. I am cursed to remain in wolf form forever. It was part of Denifence’s curse.”
“Visious!” Jenna barked angrily.
Though
he had never heard that word before or known its origins, Balto understood what
she said. Curse him!
“What!” he exclaimed. Jenna looked at him in surprise.
“What is it, nephew?”
“Why did you curse him?”
Aniu stepped forward. “Sister, he can understand the ancient language.”
Jenna looked at her, still surprised. “How? He hasn’t had lessons or—“
“He is my son,” the white wolf said calmly. “He was born with that talent along with many others.”
Balto’s memory flashed back to when Baltheis raised his hand and shouted something at him and a wind blew the coffee table he was under off him.
“Hirda!” He had said. Wind!
“Mother,” He said. “What is the ancient language?”
Aniu shook her head as Jenna stepped forward. “It is time for us to depart,” She said. “The answer you see will come to you in time.”
Then a multicolored star appeared on her forehead and the Balto felt himself falling backward, away from the light.
Then he awoke.
The
Alue
blinked away weariness as the dawn rose in her eyes. Shadow lay beside her still ever since they
entered the portal and found themselves not in
Half of her pack had entered the cave with her when they heard that the old goose, Boris, had gone in there. Only eight of the thirty-six were still with her. Where the others went, she did not know. For a whole day, they searched and explored the woods that they had found themselves, finding much like food, water, and other stray wolves. But they were not part of the original pack. But they joined Alue and their pack began to grow.
Just then Alue sensed another wolf behind her. Turning, she saw Snowfoot, a young grey-white wolf who had joined them a day before.
“Good morning, Snowfoot,” she said, nodding her head.
“Good morning, Mistress Alpha,” he said, lowering his body to the ground, his ears laid back. Alue touched her nose to his.
“Come, now,” she said gently. “There is no need to do so.”
“It is my duty to do so,” said the young wolf. “As an insubordinate—“
“I wish that you would not do that.” Alue said sternly now. Snowfoot’s lips twitched into what would’ve been a smile.
“Two early risers, aye?” came a voice behind the two. It was Shadow. He was smiling. “Despite the fact that we have no idea where we are, the scenery is pretty lovely.”
Alue nodded, her blue eyes reflecting the beautiful dawn’s light. Unlike other wolves, Alue’s irises remained puppy blue instead of turning yellow. She smiled to herself. Many who were born in the land they came upon called her “the blind seer” because of this, not that she disliked the title. She accepted it after a whole day of being called “the blind seer”. Then she learned that “the blind seer” is name given to those who were born like her, whose irises remained blue instead of turning yellow. A soft wind blew through the forest, lifting Alue’s spirits in its warmth.
Never before had she been in a peaceful place such as this. Food was plentiful, the water was fresh, and the air was refreshing and cool. In doubt this place was the most beautiful place that she had ever set foot on.
However, something about the forest kept her from feeling what the other wolves felt. Instead of peace, happiness, and relaxation she felt alert, jumpy, and just about fearful of her surroundings.
Just then another wolf joined them. Her yellow eyes glittered in the sunlight as she switched her gaze from wolf to wolf. “First we lose friends we haven’t even met, then we go exploring into a forest that seems to satisfy everyone’s needs, and then we wake up to a beautiful sunrise. Could anything get better of worse?”
Alue couldn’t help but smile at the she-wolf’s words. “Moonlight,” she said. “I have no idea if you’re happy, disappointed, angry, or irritated.”
Moonlight grinned slightly; one of her ears flipped down, a sign of mischief and then went to wake a fellow wolf who was sleeping within a tree trunk.
“Lucind,” she said. “Come now, pup, we don’t have all day.”
Lucind, who was really was a pup growled at the older she-wolf. “Leave me, Moon,” he said, his ears flattened and his fangs blared. “I am no early riser who likes to be awakened.”
“I’m sorry, oh great pup,” said Moonlight. “But you are already awake and it seems to me that if I do leave this opening the sunlight will pour into this den of yours and make it impossible for you to sleep.”
Lucind scoffed and turned his back to Moonlight. “My back can block out the light,” he said. “You’ll see.”
Alue could barely keep back her laughter. Though the two were not related in blood both half-grown and pup acted as if they were brother and sister. When she had met Lucind, Alue learned that he did have a sister but they got separated months ago. And now he joined up with her pack hoping to find his sister. Alue closed her eyes and tried to remember the pup’s sister’s name. Then her eyes snapped open as she remembered. Lucinda. It was Lucinda.
Upon remembering the name, Alue suddenly felt herself rising into the air. looking down she saw Shadow shouting franticly to her body as it lay still as dead. Looking in front of herself Alue saw a flash of light then everything went white.
The Envoy of Jenika and the Grey Wolf
The plains were not what the envoy of Jenika expected. Instead of a land filled with roaming bandits and savages, which he had heard from the king of Jenika himself say, it was a peaceful, beautiful, and futile land. The envoy leaned back on the saddle and saddle and sighed. Was the king mad?
Balto gazed out on the plains, enjoying the peacefulness it supplied. JennaHe thought. If only you were here to experience what I’m feeling…
Upon waking up, the hybrid walked into the village, searching for his son. He found Kodi with Laren and a huge black dog. Laren introduced him as her father, Black, who well known for his color. Balto liked him immediately for his nature. Black loved to joke as well as get into mischief. But Balto knew that the dog was kind, loving and compassionate at heart and was a good father. The two were having a conversation when Baltheis, Curn, and two dozen horsemen rode past. Balto excused himself from Black and called to Baltheis. To Baltheis and Curn, he was asking, “Where are you going?” But to a soldier and villager it was a series of barks.
“We are going to meet an envoy from Jenika,” said Baltheis. The hybrid looked at him strangely. The man waved a hand. “I’ll explain to you later when we return.”
“Wait,” said Balto. “Take me along also. There might be a chance that my mate might be with this envoy.”
“The chances of that are very slim,” said Curn.
“I’m going whether you like it or not.”
Curn opened his mouth to reply but the Dragon captain silenced him with a glance. “You can come.” He said.
Long green grass flowed in every direction and the scents of many different flowers were in the air. Birds flew in the sky singing their songs and the bright sun added to the beauty of the plains.
The envoy smiled enjoying the delights of the journey. Nothing was like this journey. A dozen soldiers on horseback accompanied him. Each armored and armed just in case of an ambush or some kind.
Suddenly, a strange feeling went over the envoy, a feeling that they were being watched. He turned in his saddle and few soldiers followed his gaze but saw nothing but flowing plains. He shook his head but he couldn’t get rid of the feeling.
Just then he ducked his head as an arrow whistled through the air and struck the horseman who rode behind him. The man fell to the ground and was still. War cries filled the air and all the soldiers rallied drawing their swords. Then the attackers revealed themselves. Men dressed in black garments rose around them from the long grass that had concealed them. The envoy’s widened. There were at least two hundred that surrounded them. Screaming their war cries, the bandits attacked. Then one of the guards took command.
‘Protect the envoy!” he cried. He threw his lance and caught a man in the throat. Then he drew his sword and galloped to meet a whole group of sword wielding men. The other ten horsemen formed a semicircle and began to defend the envoy. The envoy grabbed his bow and arrows that he carried with him. With deadly accuracy, he began to rain whistling shafts at the men who dared to try to break through the semicircle of knights.
The
Riders of When came to a halt beneath an oak tree. June breathed in the fresh air from the
gallop from When. For a hour they had
ran at full gallop. This rest was well deserved.
“What I wonder is why Curn insisted in armoring me as if we were going to war?” He said. “All I know is that it is very annoying and it tends to be very heavy.”
June shrugged, her mane and tail dancing merrily in the breeze. “Maybe he’s trying to tell you that he cares for you. Baltheis always shows that he cares for me.”
“By nuzzling and playing with you,” said the stallion. “You are a mare and that’s why he cares for you so.”
“Curn cares for you.”
“I
know he does,” said
June laughed and lowered herself down amongst the green grass. She looked where the riders were assembled. Everyone was there except for the hybrid that came with them. What was his name? Balto. His name was Balto.
She surveyed the scenery around her until she found him walking over a hill. Where did he come from? He said he came from a different time and place. The mare shook her head. If he did how would he go back? Only Jenna, the goddess of all knew.
Just then Balto came running back over the hill shouting, “A battle! A skirmish!”
Baltheis and Curn heard the hybrid and came running drawing their swords. Knowing that she would be needed, June pitched to her feet and galloped to Baltheis’s side as he ran. Not far behind, Balto ran effortlessly along with the charging riders. Seeing the riders’ capes flutter behind them as they waved their weapons aloft was an awesome sight to see. Curn and Baltheis drew their swords, Jerec and Larkan flashed in the sunlight.
“Russshhh!” cried Curn.
“Charrrge!” roared Baltheis.
Immediately, the two dozen horsemen split themselves into two groups, and formed two triangles behind the dragon captain and his shoulder-friend. Baltheis raised a horn to his mouth and blew.
Balto’s ears perked at the sound that erupted from the horn. It almost sounded like a wolf’s howl except it was mellow and it echoed farther and longer in the air.
“Lances!” ordered Curn. All the horsemen lowered their lances. Now only a few yards remained between them and the skirmish. Balto could see that five knights were still fighting though many suffered from many wounds. Then upon seeing the new arrivals, hope and life filled their faces. With renewed energy they attacked their attackers.
When the When riders were ten yards away from the fighting, Baltheis raised his hand as Curn raised his sword.
Gightling! Cried the Dragon Captain.
Adar! Cried Curn.
Lightning
flew from Baltheis’s fingers and flames flew from Jerec and struck the first line of bandits that stood in their
way.
Now the formation that the When riders had formed had broken up and now each rider went fighting each ambusher one on one, either on foot or on horseback.
The envoy ducked as his attacker swung at him with his sword. Taking an arrow he stabbed the bandit with it like a sword through the head and then with graceful swiftness, shot it through three bandits, twenty paces away.
Baltheis and Curn fought as one warrior, one used magic and the other used his sword. After a while of fighting single warriors at once, it became evident that the attackers were avoiding the two the best they could.
Then it was over. Any survivors of the attackers had either surrendered or had fled. Despite their skills in fighting, the When riders had lost eight of their comrades, most of them killed with either arrows or with spears. Balto spat more blood from his mouth that wasn’t his.
War, He thought. It always tends to be very disgusting and revolting
Which
was true for now most of the men who fought on foot were covered with blood and
gore. Even the horses were bloodied with
either their blood or somebody else’s. The hybrid watched as
“Killing a man up close is something I hate seeing and doing,” he said to Balto and June, who stood nearby. “Unfortunately, I am a war horse and am expected to kill.”
June
nuzzled the stallion, comforting
“Baltheis, the Dragon captain, the news I bring from Jenika is from first-hand experience.”
Baltheis’s eye brows raised and he lifted the envoy’s hood that he had worn during the fighting. Golden-brown hair fell from within. The light revealed sky blue eyes and fair face of a young woman in her twenties. The Dragon captain let go of the hood.
“Princess Kellan,” he said, showing no surprise in his voice.
“Kellan?” said Curn. “What are you doing here?”
Kellan waved her hand to her remaining soldiers. “We are here to tell you what is really happening in Jenika. The real envoy was supposed to depart for When tomorrow. We managed to sneak past the borders and reach you.”
The princess sighed. “King Veavles of Jenika is planning to wage a war against all of the free people and become the tyrant of the conquered. That is the reason he ordered you to turn over your military formations.”
Curn looked at Baltheis aghast at this news.
“The king is raising an army while spreading lies of you, Baltheis, because of your plainsdweller background,” said Kellan, worried that this might anger the Dragon captain. “Many rallied behind him others rebelled. Those who did were put to the sword.”
Baltheis shook his head sadly; his black hair and bloodied face adding to his sorrow.
Just then horns sounded in the distance, and both Baltheis and Curn looked up.
“When we are at When, may we talk freely,” said Curn, sheathing his sword.
The princess nodded and went to join the rider and survivors who were on horses.
Baltheis stood alone on the hill beneath the now blood-red sun. A soft mourning breeze lifted his cape and made it flutter.
What he said next was only heard by Balto who stood not far from where he stood.
Forienia soulia haria camr. Vierimor festa quiliuan zegusta lorian. Hirda conwelisa colian. For my fellow brothers who have fallen here, who had families to return to, who cannot return to them anymore. Rest in peace, now and forever, my brothers. May the wind take you back to them then to your fore fathers.
Then the Dragon captain, Balto, Curn, princess Kellan, and their soldiers took their leave of the battlefield and returned to When.