As the wolf battled against the wind, snow stung his eyes like a thousand tiny needes.

The wind was brisk and harsh, and its moans chilled the bone. Speed's fur was whipping around his face, and his nose was so cold, it was close to falling off.

But he kept going. There was no going back. Not now. Not after what he did. Not after what he'd done.

Over Speed's life, he had been a good pup. Maybe he was a little naughty, but he never meant any harm. All he really wanted was to be the center of attention. He also wanted a close friend.

Speed's pack was okay. His least favourite part of the pack was Nava.

"Humph" Speed grunted, bearly hearing himself over the moan of the wind. "Nava. Well, I'll be glad never to see HIM again."

After all the tricks Nava played on Speed, he lost count. Speed's only companion in the pack was Niju. Niju was pretty nice. He got quite bossy and annoying at times, but he was a good friend. Brave, strong and loyal. You couldn't really imagine the two as friends, they were so different, exept for one thing: they both were picked on by Nava.

Speed's thoughts were interupted when the wind got so strong, that it started to push him to one side.

He gripped his claws into the snow, but it was no use. The wind was aimlessly tossing him around. It pushed him and pushed him. And then, so suddenly, Speed came to a downhill, and started to roll downwards!

Speed toppled over, and over himself. He got so dizzy, he shut his eyes tight so that he couldn't see the roaring landscape. The wind still pushed him, so he kept going. It felt like the downhill would last forever!

When the rolling finally came to a stop, it was not too pleasant. Speed was hurled into a small creek, where he got drenched.

"I'm finally out of that wind!" he cried, looking up at the blizzard above the slope. Speed could now see around him. It was night, quite late, about 1, or 2 o'clock in the morning. As he looked around, he saw lots of brush, and a dark patch a little while away, most likely a forest. Speed was enjoying the sight, looked pretty suburban, and very un-inhabbited. He could get on quite well here.

He started forwards, and collapsed. He forgot about his quick dip. Soaking as he was, his fur would protect him, and all the uncovered parts (like his nose) would be alright, because of the material it was made of. But Speed had forgotton about his paws. His paws had frozen over, and were chilled to the bone. The pads hurt to the touch, and Speed had no way to move.

"At least it can't get any worse," he thought. "Some wolf can hear me, they can come and help"

He was about to howl out for help, hoping some wolves would be around, when he stopped abruptly.

A small town sat not halfway to the horizon. It had lights on, and some noise coming from it, such as dog barks and people calls. They would be sure to hear Speed's howl. And surely come and kill him, for his fur and for 'their safety'.

Speed collasped his head onto the freezing snow. He was defeated. Him. The great Speed, who could get out of any trouble mother nature (or Niju) threw at him. His only weakness was dogs, moose and Nava. But every wolf was the same about that (exept the Nava part). He could outrun charging moose, track and hunt for days without stopping for rest, look on the bright side of anything and jump off cliffs into the ocean and just swim to sure, not even a scratch or bruise on him (almost). Now he was defeated by a creek and some nearby lights.

"This is just sad." he thought. "And I won't even have the full night to grope about it."

As he lay there, thinking over his past, he slowly fell asleep, for what he suspected would be the last sleep he ever had...

Meanwhile, in the town that shone with lights at night, a rust and cream husky sat by a closed curtian.

Saba was as bored as ever, and couldn't get to sleep. Her owners were leaving in the morning, to go someplace for a holiday or something, and Saba was stuck here, where Rosie would come to feed and water her everyday, but she wouldn't get a taste of freedom for over a week!

As she sat and thought about these things, her girl's parents finished last minute packing for the trip.

"Oh, this is so exiting!" cried Mother. "We've been planning this trip to Golovin for ages! Your family have been so patient for us to come, dear!"

"Yes, its going to be a great time!" Father replied happily. "Too bad we can't take Saba with us..." he added, seeing the dog looking up at them, her blue eyes looking sad.

"Mmm, thats true. But Duke is being so kind by taking us their. We wouldn't have any room for her, and you know that your Sister is allergic to animal fur!"

The conversation went on like that for quite a while, and Saba got so agitated that she jumped up and ran out into the kitchen, and out the doggie door.

When the blast of wind hit her face, she stopped short, and just sat down on the porch.

When she heard Mother and Father go to bed, she still sat there. She sat there for over two full hours, and by then, Nome was deserted, no sound, no movement, every one in bed.

Most of the lights were out, exept one set. As Saba sat and watched the Northern Lights, she heard a long, sad howl.

Sitting up straight, her ears pricked up.

"Wolves!" she thought. "A wolf pack is closing in on Nome?"

Jumping off the porch, she paced back and forth on the snow, her ears pricked and her nose sniffing.

Another howl came out. It was a lone, single howl. It was only one wolf.

Spinning around to the north, Saba ran to the sound, hoping to find the animal, and if it was hurt, or Nome was going to be...

When Speed woke up, he didn't know why. It was early morning, a few hours after he fell asleep. As he looked around, there was still no movement, but the lights and the noise in the town were gone.

Puzzled about what had woken him up, he heard the crunch of a stick nearby. All his senses tingled, and he was fully aware of the situation. There was something nearby, and it was not friendly.

Not letting the stalker know that he had sensed him, he yawned and casually glanced around. Looking carefully over every bush with his eyes, one of the ones seemed odd. It had a sort of red shape crouching behind it, like a red silhouett.

Speed was about to pounce on the shape when he remembered he was still paralized, as his paws had started to infect his legs.

"Great!" he thought. "I'm stuck, now what am I going to do?"

So after a moment of thought, he called out "Who are you?"

The red shape didn't respond, but instead took a few steps backwards. Speed didn't know if it was backing off, or if it was about to pounce.

"Wait!" he cried, not knowing if it was to stop it pouncing or getting away. "I asked you a question," he kept going "Who are you?"

The red shape cleared its throat nervously "Why do you need to know?" it asked.

Speed was taken aback. This was not a dangerous intruder, it was a female dog!

"Well, I have the right to know whomever is stalking me." Speed shot back.

The female dog sighed. "My name is Saba, and I am NOT stalking you! Who are you?" she said curtly.

"I'm Speed, and I would like to know why you are here, in the middle of the night."

"Well, I heard you howl, so I came over. I didn't know if you were hurt or if Nome was going to get attacked by wolves. I came to help you. And it isn't the middle of the night, its very early in the morning!" Saba said.

Speed watched as Saba crept out from behind the bush. His eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open slightly, but only for a split second, as he composed himself just as fast as he lost it.

'She's quite pretty.' he thought.

"What seems to be the problem?" Saba asked him.

Sheepishly, he told her of how he fell into the creek and that his paws paraliyzed his legs. He did not tell her HOW he fell into the creek, though. Saba walked over to him, and he showed her his paws. They were a red/blue colour.

Saba examined them for a moment, and then she nodded. "You have frostbite." she said simply.

"Frostbite?" Speed asked. "Oh, I've heard of frostbite. How do I fix it?"

"You warm it up with hot water." Saba replied.

"Oh, okay. Thanks for your help." Speed said pointly.

But Saba didn't leave, instead she smiled.

"You can't move, can you?" she grinned.

Speed blushed, and then smiled too. "No, I can't move," he admitted. "But I wouldn't mind some help."

So, that is how Speed pulled himself onto Saba, and Saba half dragged, half carried him to Nome.                          When they got there, Speed was automatically sucpicious, and kept his eyes and ears alert. Saba took him to her home, and when they got to the porch, she couldn't fit him through the doggie door.

"Wait here." she instructed, indicating the porch. Without any choice, as he couldn't move, Speed waited where Saba had (basically) dropped him. He watched as she dissapeared through the doggie door, praying that she could find some hot water, as his paws and legs had began to chill over...

As Saba plodded through her house, she thought of what was happening. One second you're sitting on your porch, the next you're helping a wolf with frostbite.

"I'm crazy.' she thought. 'What if he turns on me, after I help him move again. He'll be loose in Nome!"

But Saba had felt something special in Speed. She knew he wasn't going to attack her. But she wasn't so sure she could trust him, let alone leave him alone. So she moved as fast as possible.

Running into the living room, she went over to the cooking pot. The fire still had warmth coming from the embers, and she hoped that some water was still in the pot. She grabbed the handle of the lid with her mouth, and ripped it off. Peering in, Saba found the rest of Mother's tea water in there.

"Good enough." she said.

She dropped the pot on the floor, and dragged it through the house. Pulling it through the doggie door Speed's face lit up. Saba put it infront of him.

"Put your paws in the water." Saba told Speed. Helping him up, he stood in the pot, his feet (and paws) warming in the water.

"Mmm, this feels good." he said. Saba smiled. But she was nervous. She had to get Speed out of Nome by dawn, otherwise the town would see him.

"Speed, tell me right when it feels better, that's when you have to go." she spoke nervously, and caught his attention immidiatly. "Otherwise, they'll see you. And I don't know what they'll do to you.."

Speed made a scoffing noise, and Saba gave him a playful push. 

"Humans!" he said. "What is it with them and wolves? They hate us, and wolfdogs no better.."

"I'm not so sure about wolfdogs." Saba frowned. "There are some around town."

"Your kidding me." Speed shook his head.

'I'm not!" Saba exclaimed. "I happen to know a half wolf, and his children."

"Yeah, and I guess all the dogs and humans hate them."

"Not nessacarily, at first they hated Balto, but then he saved Nome. He got the medicine and cured a disease."

"Balto, I think I've heard of him. Wasn't he Aniu's son?" Speed questioned.

"Yes. But not many dogs know that.." Saba murmered.

Speed tilted his head. "Then how do you know that?" he asked.

Saba cleared her throat. "Umm, well." she sighed. "Because I am Saba. And my parents are Jenna the purebred husky, and Balto the wolfdog." 

'Why am I telling Speed this?' Saba thought. 'I only just met him. He's so easy to talk to..'

Speed was silent. "Wow. Thanks for telling me." His voice was soothing, and had a smile hid in it.

Saba smiled, and said "Well, you should be done, huh?"

Speed nodded, and she helped him out of the pot, and he stood shakily on his feet. Saba helped steady him, and then he was fine.

"Well, bye Saba." Speed said, his voice sounding strange for a moment, and then turned back to normal. He smiled.

Saba smiled back. "Bye Speed. Its been nice knowing you."

And with that, she walked back into her house, the dog door flapping behind her.

Speed turned around, and took off through the quite streets of Nome, back into the woods.

As Speed trotted through the streets, he thought about what had happened.

'Why is Saba so...different?' he wondered. 'And how does she know how to treat frostbite...?'

He pondered over this as he walked over the small stretch of land between Nome and the woods. All of a sudden, Speed heard barking and the cry of a human. Startled, but experienced enough to make no sound, Speed dived into a patch of tall reeds, as he was near the creek.

He watched as a dog sled ran past, barking and making as much noise possible, as the musher yelled, trying to quite them. Shaking his head, Speed kept walking, ashamed that he missed such surroundings, and thanked that he was lucky to have gotten away.

When he reached the woods, he realised that he had no where to go! So, salvaging the quite and the darkness, he found a cave (more like a rock lean-to) and crept inside to sleep.

Half asleep, and quite groggie, Speed awoke (for the second time in one night) without knowing why. He didn't leave the safety of the lean-to, but instead alerted all his senses. He was not alarmed, it couldn't be that dangerous.

But then he gasped (quietly) as he smelt the worst smell known to wolf. The Moose.

As Nome started to wake up, Saba, once again, sat by the closed curtian.

'Same old, same old.' she thought sadly.

The family was packing up, and Saba was still annoyed that she would be stuck inside for a week, besides Rosie and Jenna's visits to change her water and keep her company. Mother and Father were putting there 'light' luggage by the door, waiting for Duke to come and collect it. Her girl was saying goodbye to friends, and picking up extra dog food at the grocery store.

Mother walked over to Saba, and gave her a fond pat on the head.

"Poor girl, she's sad that we're going away... Don't worry. Rosie and your mother are coming to visit."

Saba smirked. Its too bad that Mother didn't know the real reason that she was sad. Saba frowned.

"I don't know why I'm sad.." she said aloud.

In the next ten minuets, her girl arrived and so did Duke.

As Duke and Father were taking the bags to the plane, he told the family a story.

"Mr Simpson told me the strangest thing, this morning," he said.

"Pigs fell from the sky?" asked Mother.

"Less strange. More odd. He said that in the forest, no more that five minuets on sled out of Nome, a moose tried to charge at him and his sled! Good old Kodi, he sped away, but it was close. He wondered why the Moose was there, so close to Nome. Only a few minuets later, just outside of the forest, by the creek, a large brown and white wolf was standing there!"

"No!" cried Father. Saba was intruged.

"Its true, he was lucky to get away! Mr Simpson almost ran him over! He didn't notice till the last second that he was there, the was the dogs were carrying on! But that wolf might not be so lucky with that moose, I think the moose is trailing him. You know the rivalry between the species..."

"Poor wolf." said Saba's girl.

Saba jumped up. "Speed!" she barked.

But the family were putting on there coats, and walking out the door.

"No!" Saba screamed. Scratching at the door.

She sat there barking at scratching until she could do it no more....

Speed was holding his breath. For the past hour the moose had been roaming around him, but Speed didn't know if the moose knew he was there.

'Well, if he doesn't know, he won't!' Speed thought.

He had been breathing in long, slow breaths and holding them in.

He hoped that the moose would just go away, and Speed would be able to continue on his journey to nowhere.

The moose (who Speed had now nicknamed 'Roamer') reappeared into view. It stopped sniffed the air, and started eating some more grass. Speed never had enough time to get away, and he knew how fast Moose could run.

When Speed was almost a year old, he had been annoyed by Nava's tricks so he walked away and spent the day by himself. But all of a sudden a moose had appeared! Speed had started to run, but it was no use! The moose was gaining on him! When Speed came near to the cliff that his pack was under he jumped off it, so he could escape! He was lucky enough to have landed in the water, but he was bruised for over a week!

Speed knew he wouldn't be as lucky now.

Saba was lying at her front door, thinking of an escape plan. She was desperate, and was so sad. Speed could be killed! Speed will be killed, unless she could find away out.

But she had checked each window, they were all closed and locked. The doggie door had something large and heavy on the other side, blocking it. And the back door was shut and locked. There was no way out.

Saba felt like weeping, but she didn't know why. Speed was a stranger, she didn't know anything about him!

"But he has something special." she told herself, she just didn't know what... yet.

There was a noise downstairs (Saba was inspecting the upstairs windows). Feeling sucpicious, she ran downstairs. The front door was opening. Letting out a growl, Saba positioned herself for attack.

Rosie and Jenna walked through the door.

"Hello Saba!" said Rosie. "We thought you could use some cheering up!"

"Yes, with your family going, and all. We thought you'd be down." Jenna added

Saba couldn't believe her luck! "Mother, Rosie. I've never been more pleased to see you! I'll explain later, but right now, I've gotta run!"

Speeding out the half open front door, Saba skidded across the porch and sprinted up the streets of Nome.

"Saba!" cried Jenna. "COME BACK HERE! "

"I've got a COOKIE!" cried Rosie desperately.

But Saba was long gone.

Speed was still the unknown prisoner of Roamer. At least, Speed hoped he was unknown.

'I'll just wait till Roamer goes. I've got nowhere to go, so why not be here?' Speed thought.

He relaxed, lay down and watched Roamer.

He was an interesting looking moose. Huge, frightening antlers, and his teeth and hooved were sharp and HUGE! Speed decided that relaxing wasn't the best thing to do.

Instead, he gazed around at the scenery, admiring its beauty.

Speed stiffened. His mouth widened, and his eyes grew to the size of baseballs.

As, in the beautiful scenery, another shape was moving. A red shape, the shape of a wolfdog.

Because Saba was walking out of the brush, just near Roamer.

As Saba walked out of the brush, she came to a small clearing. As she quickly looked around, she saw Speed half shadowed in a lean-to cave.

She smiled with relief. 'Speed's alive!' Saba thought.

She started to sprint over to him, when a burst of hot air on her back stopped her in her tracks. Saba froze.                Without turning around, she counted to three, and spun around. The biggest moose she had ever seen loomed over her. Its eyes were huge, the size of boulders, and they were big and angry. Its antelers were as tall as trees, and teeth and hooves were pricked sharp! Saba felt like sinking into the ground.

The moose let out one more large puff of hot air, and reared its antelers.

Saba screamed.

Speed leapt onto Roamer's back and dug his teeth into the moose's neck. Roamer let out a yell of pain and fury. Speed scratched his claws left, right and center, and kept a firm grip with his teeth.

Saba (still in shock) ran to the side, breathing heavily.

Roamer kicked and kicked and kicked! He spun around and made Speed so dizzy that he fell off, very close to Roamer's rampaging hooves.

Speed started to crawl to one side (still dizzy) but Roamer saw him and kicked him in the head! Speed fell unconcious. Roamer nuged Speed a few times, harshly with his antlers.

Seeming pleased (thinking that he had killed Speed) he continued grazing, as he forgot about Saba.

Saba, pleased once to have been forgotton, crept through the brush, closer to Speed. Only letting her head out, Saba grabbed Speed's fur and slowly pulled him into the brush.

Roamer heard a noise and turned around, he saw Saba (from the neck up) dragging Speed into the brush. Letting out a raged roar and stamped his hooves, hard.

Getting a better grip on Speed, Saba half ran off, dragging Speed and partly walking backward to hold onto him! Roamer wasn't far behind. Saba knew how fast moose could run, her dad had told her so. But Saba never thought that she would find out for herself!

Saba then came to the edge of the forest. She backwards-ran to the creek, and stopped exhausted. An idea formed in her mind. Grabbing Speed by his neck, she threw him into the creek.

"Cough-cough, splutter-splutter." Speed gagged. He shook himself out of his groggy stage.

He opened his eyes, and murmered "Where am I?" seeing Saba, he smiled, and hearing Roamers angry roar, he frowned.

He spund around, seeing Roamer, gaining fast. "Quick, lets get outta here!" he cried, quick acting and sensed, as wolves were.

Saba was grinning, her plan had worked! As they ran, they realised 'Where do we go?'

Speed cried "QUICK! If we get into town, someone will shoot the moose with a gun!"

"Brilliant!" cried Saba, as they steered to the right. Nome was growing closer.

The cry of a child told them that they had been seen, or at least, Nome had seen Roamer.

But Roamer was gaining on them. Speed let his wolf insticts take over, and let out a high-powered sprint.

Saba couldn't do a high-powered sprint, so she started to fall behind. Roamer saw this, and hurled himself faster.

'Have to kill dog. Have to kill wolf.' he thought.

As Speed ran closer to Nome, he heard Saba cry out. Roamer was less than a metre behind her! Speed stopped in his tracks, and Saba and Roamer almost passed him, exept that Speed hurtled himself at Roamer's leg, biting into it. Roamer screamed out in pain, and fell to the ground.

Saba and Speed kept running, and took cover behind a snow-mound. The gunshot sounded, and Roamer fell, dead.

As dusk fell, Saba and Speed sat by the creek, discussing the day's events.

They were both really happy, having escaped that.

"You were really brave back there," Saba said, suddenly.

"When?" asked Speed, "We were both really brave today."

"When you stopped and bit the moose." Saba said, blushing. "You didn't have to do that." her eyes twinkled.

Speed smiled. "Yes, I did. You're special Saba." he gave her a nuzzle, and then stopped short, blushing deeply.

Saba smiled, and nuzzled him back. "Your special, too Speed."

She and Speed met eyes, and smiled.

So, instead of going back to Nome, Speed coaxed Saba into joining him to explore the unknown.

So they stayed together, to special to be apart.