A beginning at the end...
The moon glowed ominously in the dark night sky as Aleu looked back at Steele.
"I don't care what they say Steele," Aleu protested, her strong will breaking through in her words. "I love you and I want to be with you." she called, Steele nuzzled her fur and kissed her softly.
"I love you too... but there's so much in the way of this." he sad, totally changed around Aleu. "Your risking your family and friends for me." Steele reminded, as Aleu flickered her glance down, thinking.
"I would risk them. I'd risk it all for you to kiss me the way you did in the boiler room that night." she said breathlessly, both husky and wolf- dog leaning in closer for one last, long wonderous kiss.
*************************** 1 Month Ago ***************************
In the cold plains in the depth of Winter, Aleu, Sumac and Yak were put in charge of the hunt.
"No goofing around tonight boys." Aleu instructed, pushing her chest out valiantly, the wind carrying her fur. Sumac and Yak watched her narrowed glance and readied themselves for her to bolt. "Now!" Aleu snapped, darting off behind an estranged and injured Caribou. The threesome bounded after the Caribou, which galloped off towards the cliffs.
"How do we take it down?" Yak panted, looking at Aleu who was slightly infront of himself and Sumac.
"Ja Aleu, who do we?" Sumac added, as Aleu rolled her eyes and leapt over a rock, keeping on course with her prey.
"I need you two to come up the side of the Caribou and bow it in, then I'll leap for it's rump and drag it down!" Aleu called, as Yak raised a brow to her.
"Are you sure this will work?" he asked, pushing his hind legs of a log and soaring almost. Aleu nodded; but deep down she wasn't sure herself. But it was getting too late for her to contemplate her plan.
"Yes." she burbled confidently, though doubt lingered in her voice. Yak nodded and signalled for himself and Sumac to come up the side of the Caribou. Aleu hoped to god it would work, but as the Caribou carried on, Aleu found herself struggling to get a good pace to run and leap onto it's back.
"Hurry Aleu!" Yak called, seeing the valley's tight walls in the distance. If she didn't jump now, they would lose out and the pack would go hungry. Aleu bit her lip and scrunched up her eyes, pushing off the floor with her hind legs, sending her forelegs outwards, but the Caribou kept on running, at her speed slowed in the air.
"NO!" Aleu cried, screaming before her face pummeled the floor and the Caribou got away. The two males watched Caribou run into the distance then turned back to snarl at Aleu.
"Idiot!" Yak snapped, Sumac laughing and clapping.
"Ja! Idiot!" he giggled, as Yak eyed him up sternly. Aleu groaned as she pulled herself from the dusty rock floor, her vision was blurred, and she saw multiple Yak's snapping at her.
"I tried..." Aleu said wearily, struggling to her elgs as the three paced home in dismay. Yak turnhed around and chuekeled fakely.
"No goofing around tonght boys," he mocked in Aleu's tone. "Pfft, yeah right."
Back in Nome, Balto was dashing through the back allies towards Jenna's house. Since all the pups had now grown up there wasn't much to do but spend time with his mate. Balto pulled up outside of Jenna's house and barked 3 times, watching Jenna pop up at the upstairs window. Balto smiled and calmbered up the varibous barrels and crates onto the top of the shed roof, which sat directly under Rosie's bedroom window. Jenna opened up the window and licked Baltos cheek.
"Morning handsome." she said to him, as Balto nuzzled Jenna's neck.
"Good morning to you to beautiful." Balto chuckeled, suddenly gasping. "We should go to the boat today. Just me and you. We'll have a beach day." Balto said gleefully, as Jenna giggled.
"I'd love to, let me just fetch my bandanna and we'll be off." Jenna exclaied, slipping her paws off the whitewashed windowsil and picking up her bandanna from beside Rosie's bed. She then took another look at Balto and showed him that she was heading down the stairs to meet him outside.
Aleu sat miserably at the back of the pack, as everyone mumbled and grumbeled about her.
"I'm starving!" Nuk groaned, his stomach growling on que. Yak slowly turned his head back, his thick grey fur tangeling as he did so.
"It's all Aleu's fault." he said sternly, as Aleu gasped before sighing. No-one seemed to understand that she had tried her hardest. The pack then started up a conversation about Aleu's death wish, when Nava stepped in.
"Alright that's enough!" Nava called over the pack, silencing them. "Aleu has tried her hardest tonight. She used up her energy to try to feed you all; shouldn't that be enough?" he questioned, as the pack squirmed meekly under his gaze. Once Nava had turned his back, they all whispered and giggled to one another once again.
"I say we toss her into the icy seas!" Nuk chuckeled, as Aleu got up and left. She couldn't sit there and listen to them all bitching about her. The young wolf trotted up the rocky bridge and down onto the sandy beach, where Nava always sat ontop of a rock.
"Nava," Aleu called breathlessly as Nava welcomed her.
"Greetings sister Aleu, what an I do for you?" he asked, as Aleu came to sit beside him, the wind tangeling through each of thier coats. Aleu sighed and looked out across the deep blue sea infort of her. The waves lapping gently upon the shore.
"I was wondering, if I could prehaps head to Nome to see my family?" she asked, as Nava fell silent. The pause was long and awkward. He suddenly let out a breath and looked to her with wistful eyes
"Of course." he said simply, Aleu felt the cheer gorwing inside of her, the journey home began; as Aleu galloped off through the valley.
Balto and Jenna basked in the sunshine that glinted in the clear winter day, thier thik coats keeping them warm.
"Enjoying the picnik Jenna?" Balto said, biting one sausage of the long strand and rolling it across to Jenna using his snout. Jenna smiled and picked it up in hr jaws, biting into the sausage as a burst of smokey rich meaty flavour savoured on hr tounge.
"Yes Balto," Jenna smiled, picking a sausage off for Balto. "Are you?" Jenna passded the sausage directly into Balto's jaws using her own, so they were practically kissing.
"Oh Jenna..." Balto murmured, his voice husked with lust. Jenna's vision blared over as they closer in, when the ramp up the boat creaked, indicating there was weight on it. The weight belonged to no-one other than Steele, former hearthtrob and glory of Nome; now just a sad little outcast in the small town's eyes.
"Steele|?" Jenna shrieked, as Steele grabbed the string of sausages, and lassoed Jenna and pulled her over.
"Jenna, join me for dinner!" Steele called, laughing heartily. "I've got a different kind of sausage I'm sure you'd love to try my dear..." he sneered, as Jenna exasperated. Balto snapped at Steele, his hackles on end.
"That's enough Steele! I think it's time you left!" Balto ordered, as Steele dropped one end of the sausage string from his jaws; therefore releasing Jenna. Steele raised his frame, and towered over Balto.
"Oh? What are you going to do about it, eh?" Steele snarled, as Jenna gently slid under Steele's belly and and taunted and tempted him, Steele giggling like a little kid. "Jenna, I knew you'd come to me." Steele slurred; love drunk. Jenna nodded playfully, Balto smiling behind her, knowing her plan.
"Oh yes Steele! I'm glad to see your overboard for me." Jenna hinted which Steele didn't get, before he completley fell off the side of the boat because he was so hypnotized by Jenna.
"Love hurts..." he chuckeled between yelps of pain. Jenna turned back to face Balto and smiled.
"Let's head home." she suggested, as Balto padded off the boat and kept Jenna close at his side.
The last of the sunlight dappeled through the trees as the smell of sea air filled Aleu's nostrils. She knew she was close, this was the forest where she used to play with Muk and Luk.
"I'm coming everyone." Aleu said valiantly, rushing over the hill, the sight of Nome filling her vision. "Just how I left it." Aleu giggled, darting down the hill, the wind whirring against her, blocking out all sound. Before she knew it, Aleu was trotting past the boat she had argued on with her father a year ago, she was so excited she missed the sight of Steele who lay at the edge of the boat, watching her.
Steele's POV:
Stupid wolf dog. I hate Balto so much; all he does is take, take ,take from me, when will the little mutt give me something? Speaking of which, I think the little lobo's coming this way now... Hold on... I see her clearer now. She has the face of an angel, the grace of a swan... But from afar she looks like that stupid mutt. Oh, she has enchanted me, forget Jenna! This godess is the one I want!
3rd Person:
Aleu proudly trotted through the streets of Nome, trying to remember which house she'd lived in for a little while of her life. The she saw it, all the recollections of her early memeories came back. She remembered the green roof and cream coloured bricks. Aleu yapped playfully and rushed to the house's porch.
"Mum! Dad!" she barked, hoping they were in.
It had been atleast 20 minutes since Balto and Jenna had gotten back from the boat, and Jenna shuddered, taking off her bandanna.
"I hate Steele. He's repulsive." Jenna squeaked, as Balto led them both upstairs to Rosie's room, who was currently at school. Balto lay Jenna dow on her bed and nuzzled her neck softly.
"Just relax." Balto said. "Let the silence take you to sleep." he said calmly, as Jenna laughed at him.
"Weird..." she yawned, resting her head down. Mum! Dad! Jenna's ears shot up as she looked around, Balto leapt up at the windowsil, he looked down and saw something that made his day the best day ever.
"Aleu!" he called, as Jenna gasped, getting up quickly.
"Really? My baby's home! Aleu!" Jenna called also, clambering out of the window with Balto and balancing along the snowy shed roof before ascending the barrels and crates. Balto was the first to get down, and he threw himselfr at Aleu with as much froce as she was to him.
"Dad! Oh dad, I missed you!" Aleu wept, hr emotions coming over her. Jenna yapped and ran over to, hugging Aleu just as hard as Balto.
"Baby I missed you! Are you alright?" Jenna asked, as Aleu thought bac to the hunt.
"Not really..." Aleu mumbed, scuffing her paws in the sparkling snow. "I failed a hunt and the rest of the pack are being ever so nasty about it." she said, shrugging shortly after to change subject. "But oh well eh? How have you been?" she asked, as Balto and Jenna stuttered endlessly for words.
"Great Aleu, gosh there's so much to tell you!" Jenna said, burbling quickly, blinking rapidy in such surpirse. Balto laughed at her; nuzzling Jenna.
"Calm down Jen. How about we let Aleu familarise herself with Nome again?" he suggested, Aleu smiling to the both of them. She nodded to her father and went to turn around again.
"That's a brillaint idea dad. I'll see you two around." Aleu said strongly, as Jenna gasped, reminding herself of a warning.
"Oh Aleu!" Jenna called after her daughter, as Aleu turned her head back at Jenna. "Watch out for Steele. You'll know him when you see him." Jenna said, a worried look on her face. Balto ushered himself and Jenna inside of the house again, before turning around one last time
"Check out the boiler room Aleu. It's in the alley way between the barber shop and the pet shop." Balto exclaimed, as Aleu set out on remembering Nome once more.
Steele had finally pulled himself beside the boat and headed into town; where he had seen his new crush go.
"Where is she?" Steele grumbeled, kicking over a bin as the metal clanged on impact. "I have to find her!" he roared, emerging for the alley way next to the alley way with the boiler room. Steele's looked left and right down Main Street, gruffing. But then, she emerged from around the corner, looking around herself in wonder. "So beautiful." Steele mumbled, as this new angel noted the boiler room alleyway and dashed down it. Steele sneered to himself and coughed, inflating himself with pride as he strutted after her.
Aleu unhinged the door after guessing that's what you did to open it, seeing claw marks from years gone by; and paced inside, taking in the rooms detail. The roaring furnace, the orange glow about the room and the high beamed cielings.
"This place is-" Aleu said, as a new face leaned on the doorframe.
"Amazing, beautiful, romantic." he said, a new softness to his vice no-one had come across. Aleu raised a brow and flattened her ears.
"Who are you?" she asked, although her instincts told her itwas Steele; he certaintly looked like a Steele kind of dog. The male padded futher into the room and stood inches away from Aleu.
"Steele. Pleasure to meet you." he said kindly, making Aleu flinch.
"I've been warned about you." she replied to Steele, trying to edge around him.
"You may have been. I used to be a liar and fool... I was so selfish." he said, shaking his head, opening his eyes quickly, shocking Aleu with the icy blueness of them. "I've changed since... Let me show you something." he said, slipping through the gap in the wall which was infact Balto's secret, but had sourced the information from Dixie who was informed by Jenna. Aleu paced beside Steele, brushing him. "Stay close..." he said, instigating for her name. Aleu blinked quickly and spoke.
"Aleu." she said warily, still following behind still as he turned a sharp corner into a place full of broken bottles. Aleu scoffed slightly, as Steele tried to remember what Dixie had told him; he had t hurry though, lest he would look like a fool. "Er, Steele?" Aleu said, relaxing. "Those are broken bottles..." Steele turned back to her and smiled.
"Only if you don't imagine. Think, they are the Polar Ice Caps." he said in a story telling voice. Steele alinged the bottles with the light coming from the infirmary above. "The light is the sun." Steele exclaimed, stepping back to meet as Aleu's side, when the bottles lit up and created some artificial northen lights. "All for you." he whispered, Aleu's eyes shimmering with pinks yellows and blues.
"Steele... oh, thier lovely..." she said, her tough tomboy core melting away. Steele had finally found someone who made him a better person.
"Aleu, from the moment I saw you today I admired you. You are so beautiful in many ways..." Steele complimented, as Aleu held back the brimming tears. "I feel as if I've known you forever." Steele said breathessly, his snout closing in with Aleu's.
"Steele... I feel the same..." she said whispily, closing her eyes and allowing herself to fall deeper into his love. When thier lips connected, tiny fireworks exploded in both of them, Aleu crushed her lips harsher onto Steele's, Steele returned this passionate kiss, not daring to break it. It was like they were floating in a cosmic orbit, and no-on e could ever pull them out. They eventually stopped te kiss and slowly opened thier eyes, taking a gaze at one another.
"Meet me tomorrow night just outside of the town. I will be waiting for you... Aleu." Steele said seductively, watching Aleu weaken as he brushed past her.
Jenna paced irratebly by the window, craning her neck up to see if she could see any trace of Aleu.
"What if she's in danger Balto?" Jenna gasped, her chest heavig in fear. "What if she's lost?" Balto came up beside Jenna ande soothed her with a nuzzle.
"Relax. Aleu has been in a wolf pack for the last year!" he reassured, as Jenna nodded and calmed down. Just then, the door slung open and a snow coated Aleu aced in, chilled to the bone from the blizzard outside.
"Oh Aleu!" Jenna whinned, setting her down by the warmth hearth and gently placing a blanket over her grey fur. "What happened?" she asked, as Aleu thought about it. It was clear, somewhere in the past, Steele had offended both of her parents, and they would die if they found out she'd kissed him and was falling in love.
"I just got a little lost in all the alley ways." Aleu said, nodding at her brilliant excuse. "Luckily, I got back just before I was about to freeze to death." Balto came over and licked the top of Aleu's head.
"It's alright now... Your safe." he said, looking up at the clock. "It's that time? We should get to bed Jenna." Balto said, as Jenna got up and gave her daughter a quick nuzzle.
"Night, Aleu." she soothed, as Aleu snuggled up in her blanket, yawning and smiling sweetly, as her parents cooed like she was a pup. Once the light had flickerd off Aleu sighed and closed her eyes shut, she thought about what Steele may have done to her parents in the past.
Aleu's Dream:
The snow danced around the young wolf as she waded through the thick snow into nowhere, she dared to lift her head, her eyes squinting as she gazed out and tried to search for any sign of any place, but there was nothing but the cold bleakness of the snow. Aleu whimpered uselessly as her long fur blew back into the wind, she two figures at last, and went to approach them. As she did so, the blizzard seemed to stop, she was in the middle of the street in Nome, peering into the boiler room, where a group of Sled dogs, Jenna and Doc sat. Aleu peered in, the rest of the dogs unaware of her presence.
"I thought Steele was lost, so what's Balto doing?" asked one spiteful dog, chomping heartily on a bone. Jenna had a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, Doc sitting beside her for comfort.
"Well, he's tracking them..." she protested, as the sled dogs burst into fits of laughter.
"That mutt? Tracking!?" one jeered, wiping back the tears and Jenna hig her face away in sadness. Aleu snarled and began to step into the cabin, her teeth bared.
"Not now Aleu..." a gentle voice soothed, Aleu looked down beside her paw and saw Muru looking up at her. "Just pay attention and make your decision." Muru whispered, before fading away. Aleu blinked and looked back, seeing the double doors at the other end of the room swing open.
"Steele buddy!" One sled dog called, Aleu watched her mother's expression turn sour. The sled dog rolled Steele a bone with his shiny black nose, as the hug malamute took a chomp on the bone eargrly. "Steele... what happened?" Dixie asked breathlessly, so glad her hero was home. Steele looked up from the bone, his aura pulsing with lies and evil.
"One by one, I watched them fall... frozen.." Steele said dramatically, falling towards the boiler. "I had 4 on the sled... 3 more on my back!" he wept, as Jenna narrowed her glance, not buying it like the rest of them. Aleu shook her head; surely he wasn't playing this game? Steele then lifted his head sharply, looking around the awe struck audience, except Jenna, of course. "I tried to get the dogs and the medicine safe, but that Balto, commanded he took charge..." Steele said, acting for all he was worth. "He wanted the glory, I reminded him of the poor children, but he didn't listen... then the cliff, the blood... he was gone." Aleu gasped at the same time as her mother, he wasn;t sure if he was lieing now are telling the truth. Steele gently pulled out Jenna bandana from under his arm. Jenna looked at it helplessly, her dark brown eyes filling with tears.
"Oh balto!" she wept, as Steele dropped it under her snout.
"He wanted me to take care of you Jenna..." Steele said with a fake tone of passion. Aleu suddenly felt a burst of hgate; how could he do such a terrible thing? Jenna slowly lifted her head, her concerned gaze fixing itself into an angry one.
"Liar. You're lieing." Jenna spat, giving herself hope. She slid her red fur back from the shawl and sprung up. "Balto's alive, and he's coming home... He promised me." Jenna said, as she ran off past her daughter, not seeing her. Aleu felt furious. Why would Steele do so much to hurt her poor mother.
"Mama, wait!" Aleu called, watching her mother dash off down the alleyways, oblivious to her. Aleu blinked back the tears, why? Aleu felt a sudden jault erupt from the ground below, she sharply splayed her limbs out for steadyness, but the room and scene around her froze, even the little flakes of snow in the sky froze still, all the dogs froze before her, and the dream shattered like glass, letting Aleu tumbled down into the blackness! She felt her gut wrench upwards, and her silent screams froced her awake.
"Gahh!" Aleu gasped, pulling her head up, looking around at the sun dawning over Nome through the snowy paned window. "Just a dream, heh.." Alue laughed to herself, those huanting words of Steele's still in her mind. She was sure for definate in the dream it was real, but now she was awake she was doubting it. She had to ask her mother. Aleu slipped out from under her blanket and crept into the cold hall, fear creeping over her body. She somehow didn;t want to discover the monster that might've been her love. Aleu gently ascended the creaky steps and let her nose seek out the secnet of her mother, which came from behind a door noted "Rosie's Room." "Mama?" Aleu whispered, gently creeping through the door, seeing her mother snuggled into the soft rug beside Rosie. Jenna's eyelids flickered at the sound of her daughter's voice, and her ears automatically, but very slowly pricked up. Jenna smiled, slowly opeing her deep brown eyes.
"Aleu dear, come in." she said kindly, as Aleu slipped meekly onto the rug beside her mother. "Your up early, I thought you'd still be asleep." Jenna said, as Aleu let out a sigh, looking down at her paws.
"I must know. What exactly did Steele do that was so bad." she asked simply, thinking back to the horrid dream she had. Jenna bit her lip, chewing on it anxiously like a bone.
"Steele told a lot of lies... teribble lies." Jenna replied in a sweet innocent voice like she was telling some pups. Aleu blinked furously, scoffing.
"No, no! What did he lie about?" Aleu whispered harshly, creating a shout. Jenna looked at her daughter suspiciously.
"Why would you want to know anyway?" she asked, rubbing her paw over her snout quickly. Aleu sniffled and got to her feet.
"You said I needed to be wary of him and... I just need to know what's so bad about him?" Jenna nervously licked her lips, crossing one dainty white paw over the other. Her jaws gently pulled on Aleu's tail, forcing her to sit down.
"Steele, wanted the glory of Nome. He wanted the humans to love him, the sled dogs to love him; and for me to love him." Jenna began, looking into Aleu's intent filled shapr blue eyes. "He would do anything to get that. So, when he was lost, your father went out looking for him and the other sled dogs... But Steele didn't wanbt to help.. He attacked your father quite badly, well, that's what Star, Nikki and Kaltag have told me." Jenna said softly, Aleu turned away from her mother and looked outwards, blinking the tears back furiously. No... not the Steele she'd fallen in love with. "Steele had the nerve," Jenna spat, new anger conusming her. "To strut back to Nome, tell me and the other's he was dead!" Aleu gasped out loud, looking back to her mother, seeing that her teeth were bared, her claws were dug into the carpet, and her hackles were stood on end. "Steele is poison. I want you to stay as far from him as possible!" Aleu felt smaller than ever. Being ordered around like a little pup again, even if her mother and father didn;t know about her relationship with Steele.
The snow drifted calmly from the sky and into the streets of Nome, which were rather quiet on the Wednesday morning. Balto padded through the alleyways with Boris, his best friend.
"I've seen nil of you recently kiddo," Boris stated, waddling in the freezing snow beside Balto, he just laughed.
"I can't beleive you haven't heard Boris, Aleu's back!" Balto jeered, as Boris gave a rather weak smile.
"I'll have to catch up with her some time." he said gently, Balto gently picked Boris up by his hard beak and tossed him onto his furry back. balto then set off at a fast run into the middle of main street, his friend clinging on for life. "Balto!" Boris screeched, as the wolf-dog hybrid skidded around the corner, running snout first into Sylvie. Great, he'd have to listen to her life story for the sixth time.
"Sylvie." Balto said, trying to sound half pleased. Sylvie turned her snout up gently, like she was better than him.
"Congratulations on Aleu's return Bawltoe." Sylvie said in her dull monotone drone. Balto gently sat back, Boris slipping off his back nto the snow. "She was getting familiar with the boiler room wasn't she?" she sneered, Balto raised a brow and showed his teeth for a flash.
"Oh right; your going to make some accusation about my daughter and some mystery dog." Balto predicited in a sharp tone. Sylvie cackled like a witch, picking one paw up.
"Oh honey, Aleu was with another dog in the boiler room last night, and I can guarantee from my source." she said to Balto, who got up and pressed his nose into Sylive's face angrily.
"Really?! Let me see your source and we'll ask them!" Sylive smiled slyly and nodded, subtley snmeaking into alleyway, edging her way into the boiler room, balto followed, the fire crackeled gently to itself, and his attention was flickered back to Sylvie, her claws clopped on the wood as she paced towards the shadows.
"My source." she said smartly to Balto, and Doc lumbered out from a small bed in the shadows.
"Doc?" balto said in a high tone, as the great big st Bernard opened his moyt and let out a low yawn.
"It's true about Aleu, she was here with another dog. Who exactly? I don't know, I was asleep, and I only caught the tail end of Aleu padding into the secret tunnel under the infirmary." Balto couldn't beleive whgat he was hearing.
"Thanks Doc... and Sylvie." Balto grumbeled, dashing out of the boiler room, tearing up the settled snow behind him. Boris pulled himself out of the snow and tried to waddle after Balto.
"Wait! Where are you going?" he asked after Balto,m he slid in the snow as he ground his paws in to stop.
"I'm going to find out about Aleu's mystery mate!" balto shouted strongly, dashing towards Jenna's house, where his daughter was staying.
Aleu was mad. Very mad, and upset. Steele was a liar and sick waste of space... Yet she loved him. She wanted to see him, to kiss him... but another half, the sensible half wanted to punch him in the face and tell him it was over.
"What have I done to myself?" Aleu mumbled, sighing as she added over to a chest of drawers. She slid it open with her snout and pulled out a blue bandanna, and old one of her mothers; and slid it around her neck.
"Aleu honey, I'm going out for walk with my girl." Jenna called throygh the door, Aleu gasped and lent against the door, ensuring her mother didn;t come in.
"Oh, ok Mama." Aleu called, and to her luck, her mother didn't bother coming in. The young wolf-dog trotted over the large window and leapt upon the toy chest underneath it, using her snout to slide the glass upwards. She was about to slip onto the shed roof, when she saw the blurred figure of her fast father darting towards the house.
"Papa?" Aleu gasped, her throat became dry. He seemed angry, what if he had found about her and Steele? A part of her was telling her to stop being so silly, but she didn;t want to risk it, and leapt onto the roof, a sudden gust of wind throwing her fur around everywhere, her bandanna tangling in the wind. Aleu then leapt down and ran off around the back of the house, and headed for the outskirts of the town.
The tiny, yet splintering snowflaskes cascaded into his view, but Balto kept on running, until the blurred image of Jenna's house came into view. He let out a snarl of encouragement, using the last of his energy to sprint towards the porch. As he got closer, he could see the figure of Jenna, Rosie and her parents.
"Balto! Balto!" Rosie giggled, Balto wasn;t really in the mood, but he allowed the young girl to fuss over him. Balto quickly turned to Jenna, seeing she had her halter on, and he didn;t want to delay Rosie's sled ride.
"Jenna... Where's Aleu?" he asked, panting heavily. Jenna's deep brown eyes showed concern, but Balto stared intently at her for an answer.
"She's upstairs I think... But Balto, what's wrong?" Jenna asked sweetly, but her mate barged past her into the house, his paws drummed on the wood in the hall, and then slammed into the wood on the stairs. Balto came to the landing and saw Rosie's bedroom door.
"Aleu!" Baltor roared, ramming his shoulder into the door, expecting it to be locked, but he tumbeled onto the floor in Rosie's room, and a cold gust of window and snow blurred through an open window. Balto looked at the open chest draw, where tyhe family ept Jenna's bandanna's, he then gasped and darted to the toy box, stepping onto it and looking out over the town. Aleu was gone. "Aleu!" Balto howled, but his daughter was nowhere to be seen.
The night was now closing on the daytime, and Aleu finally reached the outskirts of the town, the wind was more fercious than ever, and a cold chill took over her. Her lover was nowhere in sioght, which m,ade her even angrier, Aleu snapped and went to turn around, and ran into something fluffy and warm, it enveloped her frame stood over her, sheilding her from the wind's gnaw.
"Aleu..." Aleu noticed the gentle voice, Steele. She decided to release her anger now and get it over and done with.
"Steele! I've been told about your lies!" Aleu boomed, sliding out from underneath him, she still loved Steele, so her tone waivered fakely and no-on would ever take her seriously when she shouted like that. Steele bit back a smile at her, as Aleu narrowed her glance. "Why did you tell the dogs and my mother that my dad was dead?" she screeched, still fake sounding, Steele was almost spluttering now. "Tell me!" she cried, as Steele broke out, chcuckling sexily at Aleu.
"Oh Aleu, your a funny one," he began, this made Aleu's hackeles stand on end. "I lve you, and I know you love me too. I told you I did some really terrible thing, and I regret them I do but now I have you and- Wait what?" Steele cried, his eyes widening. "Your... Balto's daughter!?" he cried, as Aleu raised a brow, lifting one paw.
"Is there a problem?" she asked, as Steele snapped out of it and began to smile.
"No, of course not..." he said, still a little bewildered. "I mean... that is a bit weird but we will work past it." he said, Aleu turned her snout away slowly, Steele closed in around her, sheilding her from the wind.
"Your not still upset are you?" Steele asked sweetly, Aleu blinked away her tears, sniffling. "I told you, I regret it all, all the lies. If I had known you would've been in my life back then, I would of been your father;s best friend, got on with your mother as a good friend." Steele said kindly, Aleu smiled and looked up at him.
"Really Steele?" she asked, he gently reached down and nuzzzled her neck.
"Of course I do. Come on, let me take you to this special place I found." he said gently, Aleu stayed in close at her lover's side, Steele led the way to a jagged rock that obscured out into the sea, a bit like a platform. Aleu gasped in awe at the dazzling lunar glow of the moon, it's rich white light cascading onto the rock, like a special show, just for her.
"I love it." Aleu said, becoming weak. She laid down on the rock, Steele laying down beside her.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" he said gently, licking her cheek, Aleu turbned to face him and gave him a wonderous long kiss, a kiss she had been yearning for. Steele deepend the kiss, things become more blurred, more intense.
"Aleu," Steele called breathlessly, breaking thier lips apart. "Aleu, I want to be your mate." Steele stated boldly, smiling for all he was worth, a way in which he had never smiled beofre. Aleu's eyes twinkeled like the moon behind her.
"Really? Oh, I do too!" she cried, she crushed her lips forcefully onto Steele's, he let out throaty, lusterous growl and nibbled gently onto her lip.
"Aleu, my love," Steele said again, capturing Aleu's attention. "This night is so perfect... I want to... to... mate with you." he said shyly, his heart racing. Aleu felt a hot blush run through her senses, her mother and father would kill her, but she wanted to take things a step futher with Steele.
"Steele, yes." Aleu said anxiously, smiling in excitement and fear. Steele gently got up and moved around the back of Aleu, who slowly turned her head around. "I don;t want to seem... like a stupid little pup but, it's my first time, I want it to be something good I remember." she said timidly, Steele lurched his neck forward and just managed to nuzzle her nose.
"Of course, it will be special. I will mnake it special." The huge malamute then mounted Aleu without hesitation and gently began to mate with her. Aleu felt a wash of shame come over her, she didn;t want her mother and father to get angry with her for doing this... but then it started to happen, she felt a competitive pleasure fight at the doubt and the worry, Aleu howeled pleasureably as Steele finished and leapt down. Lying beside her. "I told you it would be special." he chuckeled, Aleu kissed him gently on the lips and smiled, she just hoped this love would last forever.
Balto felt so lost and confused. Who was Aleu's mate? He went to turn away from the window ehen he heard a rather happy" sounding howl come from near the sea, it was deinfatley Aleu. Balto rushed back out of the room and down the stairs, coincidently Jenna was just coming home from her sled pulling, when Balto ran past her.
"Balto?" Jenna called, but he blanked her ran past her. Jenna became restless, she didn't want him to run off anymore. The husky then slipped from her halter and ran after her mate, leaving a rather confused family calling after her. When she finally caught up with Balto, they were just near the beach.
"Balto? Tell me what's wrong!" Jenna snapped, Balto tried to speak through rapid breaths, but then he caught sight of two silhouettes bvy the the moon, nuzzling one another. Balto recognised the thick tufts of fur in the wind; they belonged to Aleu.
"Aleu!" Balto screamed, running closer to the rock, when he finally reached there, Jenna at his side, he could not beleive his eyes.
Aleu and Steele stood up and gasped, Balto stumbeled back in shock.
"No, NO ALEU!" he screamed, trying to pull her away by her scruff.
"Steele!" Aleu wept, Steele ran at Balto and pushed him down his heavy frame, freeing Aleu. She ran beside her lover and nuzzled into him for protection, Jenna stood and watched in total disbleif, shaking her head. They all watched as Balto pulled himself up from the floor.
"No... Aleu why?" he asked, stressed. Aleu sniffled and kissed Steele.
"I love him, I love him too much to take into account his bad past... He's good to me now, doesn't that matter?" she said, Balto's amber eyes glassed over as he turned away, taking Jenna with him.
"Be happy in the choice you've made daughter." he said stoutly, in such a dry mood to show any compassion towards her. Aleu looked hopefully towards Steele, who kissed her reassuringly.
The moon glowed ominously in the dark night sky as Aleu looked back at Steele.
"I don't care what they say Steele," Aleu protested, her strong will breaking through in her words. "I love you and I want to be with you." she called, Steele nuzzled her fur and kissed her softly.
"I love you too... but there's so much in the way of this." he sad, totally changed around Aleu. "Your risking your family and friends for me." Steele reminded, as Aleu flickered her glance down, thinking.
"I would risk them. I'd risk it all for you to kiss me the way you did in the boiler room that night." she said breathlessly, both husky and wolf- dog leaning in closer for one last, long wonderous kiss. "I want to be with you forever and ever Steele." Aleu cried, looking out into the sea. "But I can't stay here any more. I have to leave." Aleu said bitterly, turning away. She lowered her head and trudged off the rock, not expecting Steele to follow, when she heard a clunk of buckles hit the rock. Steele had removed his belt collar and followed after.
"Then I shall come with you." he said lovingly, Aleu yipped happily to him, and the pair ran off towarfs the forest in joy.
******************************************************************************************************* EPILOUGE ************************************************************************************************************************
The warm spring sun shined in the sky, it's warm rays falling into Aleu and Steele's cave. Aleu was smiling wearily down at small bundles of fluff suckling peacefully from her. Steele came through the enterance of the cave, with meat in his jaws, and he dropped it present to his mate and watched her take gulps, smiling to her.
"Our own little family now, my love." he whispered to Aleu, kissing her lips softly, Aleu smiled and looked at her puppies, most of them looked exacvtly like her, excpet the small malamure looking one, with crystal blue eyes.
"She looks just like you Steele," Aleu said, gently pushing her snout under the pup's belly and edging her towards Steele, who nuzzled the little girl's wet nose.
"She's perfect. Their all perfect." Steele murmured. "Just like you." The family sat together in the cave, never had either dog or wolf felt more complete.
Balto sat in misery in the boat, nestled in his blanket. He felt terrible for his words towards Aleu.
"Daughter." Balto said, when he saw the red fur of Jenna clamber onto the boat.
"Balto, I have recieved news from the raven. Aleu has had pups... and is inviting us both to see them." Jenna said excitedly, Balto gently stood up and padded out into the shrp light of the sun, wincng at the contrast change, he then saw the black shape of the raven swopping above him, sqwaking. Balto looked over at the forests in the distance and smiled.
"Alright... let's go." he said to Jenna, kissing her tenderly on the lips; something he hadn't done in a while.
THE END