PART 3
Dusty laid her head on her paws as she looked at the door as though hoping someone was going to walk in, perhaps her old owner coming to rescue her and take her home again? She knew it wasn’t possible because all the lights in the town were off which meant that all the people were fast asleep by now. Looking out the window she noticed that it was a perfectly clear night and she could see more stars then she had ever seen before. Slowly her eyes started to close as she smiled to herself thinking about the first time she had met her real friends.
A small puppy ran up to a puppy Dusty biting her on the ear making Dusty growl as she turned around to face them. ‘Stop it!’ Dusty yelled running forward and was about to leap on the puppy when about three others walked up to her. Quickly stopping Dusty looked at the four puppies and realized that they must all be siblings.
‘Hey leave our brother alone!’ The largest puppy said walking forward towards Dusty who stood her ground as she watched him.
‘He bit my ear…’ Dusty started but didn’t get to finish.
‘She’s lying!’ The puppy who had bitten her cried as the three siblings growled and walked forward towards Dusty who began to look worried.
‘Thats what we get for trying to accept a wolf!’ The largest one said frowning. Before any of them could jump on Dusty who still held her ground a group of three husky puppies walked forward and stood beside her.
‘He’s lying we saw him!’ Puppy Ralph said loudly, he was already bigger then all the puppies even though he was the same age.
‘Yeah and there’s nothing wrong with having wolf-blood.’ Kodi said growling and stepping forward beside Dusty.
‘Fine but it’s your loss hanging around with that!’ The largest one of the other puppies said as he and his siblings quickly ran away. Smiling to herself Dusty turned around to the three husky puppies who had just saved her from the others. ‘Thank you guys.’
‘I’m Kirby’ One of them said holding his head up high.
‘Ralph.’ The large one said smiling down at her.
‘I’m Kodiak…but you can call me Kodi.’ Kodi said looking down at Dusty. ‘What’s your name?”
‘Dusty…my names Dusty and I’m a dog like you.’ She said smiling up at them. The four quickly bounded away and began to play together and for the first time Dusty had friends…real friends…
A sound outside made Dusty instantly jerk awake, standing up she quickly ran to the door. ‘JD?’ She whispered looking under the crack of the door.
‘It’s me Xander!’ Came the excited voice of the Husky she had met only a few days ago. Dusty instantly growled low as she stepped back away from the door.
‘You got me captured by that tyrant Striker, if I ever get my paws on you I’ll…’ She didn’t get to finish because another voice interrupted her.
‘Wow if I’d known you had such an attitude I would never have tricked you before to come to my pack…’ Dusty’s ears instantly perked up and her tail waged behind her.
‘JD is that you!’ She said holding back her excitement as she placed her eye down near the crack of the door trying to see outside.
‘Who else would it be?’ He said slyly.
‘The door’s locked and I can’t open it but the windows open to the side…’ Dusty heard them walking on the wooden verandah and followed the sound of footsteps to the window. ‘…I can’t jump out I’ve been tied down.’ Dusty sighed sitting down looking up at the window.
‘Push it open as much as you can…’ JD called out as Dusty strained against the rope leash and pushed the window as hard as she could with her nose hoping it would open enough so he could come inside and help her.
Once she had opened it she quickly stepped back. After a few moments JD jumped through the window landing right in front of Dusty who looked up at him and smiled. For a moment neither of them said anything as JD quickly looked at the rope that was holding her. ‘I’ve tried to bite through it so I can break free but it’s to thick and strong.’ Dusty said looking at JD who looked at the rope as though trying to figure out what he could do.
After a moment he smiled and turned to her, ‘I agree it’s much too thick even for me but I’m going to try and tear the hook it’s tied to off the wall.’ He quickly walked forward and picked up the rope in his mouth near where it was tied to the hook. Pulling on the rope as hard as he could JD felt as though his teeth where going to snap because he was pulling so hard. In the corner of his eye he watched as Dusty picked up the rope in front of her and also started to pull. Suddenly the hook snapped off the wall and because both of them were pulling so hard they fell back. Quickly standing up Dusty laughed a little to herself looking at JD who looked quite proud of himself. ‘Come on lets get out of this building.’ JD said smiling as he quickly turned around and easily jumped out of the window. For a moment Dusty looked up at the window and swallowed hard before quickly jumping out but when she landed she stumbled falling on to her face, she blushed madly as she quickly stood up and looked at JD who smiled but didn’t say anything. From around the corner Xander suddenly appeared.
‘YOU!’ Dusty roared jumping forward in front of JD and growling loudly at Xander.
‘Wait Dusty!' Xander said quickly taking a step back but Dusty didn’t seem to be listening. Xander looked up at JD who seemed to be enjoying the sight before he quickly jumped in front of Dusty.
‘He’s told me everything, he didn’t know that Striker was going to kidnap you.’ Behind him Xander was nodding quickly as Dusty just growled but stepped back knowing that JD wouldn’t lie to her.
‘How are we going to get that rope from around your neck?’ JD continued looking at Dusty who still had the rope tied around her neck and a long trail of it behind her. It was thick to bite through so that meant the only way was for a person to take it off.
‘Let me help I know how to get it off!’ Xander said jumping up and down as Dusty looked at him and quickly shook her head.
‘How?’ JD said stepping forward looking at Xander who quickly ran down the road.
‘Follow me and I’ll show you…’ He finished disappearing into the darkness. JD was about to follow when Dusty quickly jumped in front of him with a worried expression.
‘We can’t trust him JD, it was his fault I was captured before.’ Dusty sighed thinking about the horrible Striker and what could have happened if she hadn’t been saved.
‘Don’t worry if he even tries anything I’ll be there…’ With that JD quickly followed after Xander. Smiling for a moment Dusty looked after them before she too followed them.
The three stopped at a small house where Xander was sitting on the door step looking down at them. ‘This is my owner, she loves dogs and I promise she’ll take it off you.’
‘Wait a minute I look like a wolf.’ Dusty said quickly.
‘You’re wearing a collar aren’t you?” Xander asked but didn’t let anyone reply because he quickly continued, ‘She’ll just think you’re a dog who’s got caught in the rope.’ Dusty raised an eyebrow before sighing her pride wasn’t worth not being able to get the horrible heavy rope from around her neck off. ‘You go hide.’ Xander said looking at JD who frowned for a moment before stepping back into the shadows where all you could see were his eyes glowing in the moonlight.
Walking up the door Xander started to whine as he pawed the door, after a few moments a light came on inside and a lady walked out and looked down at them. She bent down beside Xander and patted him on the head before he moved and stood beside Dusty who tried to look as much like a dog as she could. ‘Oh no you poor dog got caught in all that rope!’ The lady said yawning and bending slowly untying the rope, ‘I’ve told those men not to leave it around...you coming in Xander?’ She asked looking down at Xander who quickly jumped off form the porch shaking his head and wagging his tail. Dusty just stood there as she looked in to the house where a warmth seemed to be flowing out it. The lady quickly closed the door and the warmth coming from inside was instantly stopped and was replaced with the cold frosty air of the winters night. Breathing out Dusty watched her breath disappear in the cold air wanting nothing more then for the lady to open the door and invite her inside.
‘Dusty…’ Quickly hearing her name she snapped out of her daze as she turned around to see JD looking at her and the realization of what she was doing came back to her as she quickly walked up beside him. JD turned to Xander who looked quite pleased with himself, ‘Thanks Xander but we must leave now we need to get back to the pack…’
‘No problem and hey Dusty no hard feelings?’ Xander said smiling at Dusty who just huffed and turned around. For a moment Xander looked at her before quickly running away in to the night obviously going to cause more trouble.
JD and Dusty quickly began to run towards the forest but suddenly Dusty skidded to a halt in the snow and wouldn’t move. Stopping JD turned around to face her, ‘Come on what are you waiting for?’ He asked looking back at her.
‘We can’t leave yet.’ Dusty said looking back at the town.
‘Why ever not Dusty?’ JD asked walking up to her.
‘I can’t leave till I save my new owner.’ She said looking up at JD who frowned.
‘Look what he did to you? And besides how do you know he’s even in trouble?’
‘He didn’t do anything to me he was trying to save me but-I was just too stupid to see…’ Dusty sighed ‘…JD being a dog means that you have a special connection to a certain person, the one who looks after you. I don’t even try to understand people but I know he’s in trouble and part of being a dog is being loyal to my owner. Just like you’re loyal to you pack I’m loyal to him and how can I run away and leave him when he tried to save me, what kind of a dog would I be?’
‘But Dusty you’re not a dog you’re a wolf…’ JD said looking down at her making her sigh and look down at the snow.
‘I may be on the outside but I can’t turn my back on how I’ve been brought up…are you going to help me or not?’ She asked looking back up at him. Looking down at her JD sighed as he looked back at the forest before turning back to her.
‘If it means so much to you Dusty I will.’ JD said smiling down at Dusty who smiled back up at him her tail wagging slightly behind her. Dusty was about to turn back around to the town when JD quickly ran in front of her. ‘So you will return to the pack with me?’ He asked.
‘Sure…I promise’ She said smiling as JD smiled and quickly walked back towards the town, as soon as he was gone Dusty sighed sadly. Could it be true? Was he only doing this for her because he thought she was the daughter of
‘Which box is he in?’ JD said looking at all the tall houses most of which were two stories high.
Looking at them all Dusty quickly ran up to one and sniffed the door instantly recognizing her owners scent. ‘He’s in here!’ She said smiling and jumping up to the barred window and looking inside. She couldn’t see much in the dark but when he eyes adjusted to the darkness she could see him lying down on the ground under a thin blanket. She quickly jumped down from the window and ran over to the one on the other side of the house before jumping up and looking in. In the other room two men were asleep and in the center of the floor were many shiny pieces of silver that covered nearly the entire floor. Dusty didn’t understand what she was seeing as she jumped down and JD walked over to her.
‘What can we do these are people not normal dogs?’ He asked raising an eyebrow as Dusty paced slightly trying to remember everything about the human world but none of it was making sense…but she had to think…
It was a crisp morning and a small puppy slowly climbed down some stairs onto the main street of
In front of her Dusty saw a strange looking wooden object with material connected to it. Looking around to make sure no one was looking at her she walked forward and sniffed the strange object, this was the first time she had ever seen one.
From a nearby house a person and a group of dogs emerged and walked down in front of her where she watched them mesmerized as they attached this material to the dogs before the human jumped on the back. ‘MUSH’ He yelled out and Dusty watched as the dogs began to run down the road before disappearing. Smiling Dusty ran playfully after them imitating them and it was a strange but she was actually enjoying it.
Suddenly a gunshot was heard and it scared her as she tripped and fell into the snow. She looked up to see a man with a gun in the middle of the street. From a nearby house a man ran outside wearing a strange hat and took the gun off the man before putting strange things on his hands.
Watching this Dusty didn’t understand as she just turned around and began to run again pretending she was on the sled team…
‘That’s it the people get in trouble when they fire those metal objects around the town!’ Dusty said turning to JD smiling widely.
‘You mean guns.’ JD said snarling to himself, it was obvious he knew what they were. ‘A wolfs worst enemy Dusty I don’t want anything that involves them!’ He said looking at her with a serious face but Dusty didn’t step back down as she looked up at him.
‘Don’t worry JD I know exactly what I have to do and I promise everything will turn out fine!’ She smiled slyly like he usually did and winked but JD didn’t find it amusing.
‘What exactly are you going to do Dusty?’ He asked stepping closer towards her as she smiled and looked up at him.
‘I’m going to make the humans come out of this house because when they recognize me they’ll try and shot me and when the people you go and get come they'll take them away and save my owner…’
‘Woah hang on there!’ JD said frowning.
‘Listen there’s a man down there in the house at the end who will come and stop them and save my owner, all I need you to do is wake them up they'll hear the gunshots and come running.’
‘I don’t like this idea one bit!’ JD said shaking his head and taking a step back.
‘I’ll be fine and as soon as my owner is safe I promise I’ll come with you.’ Dusty said nodding.
Frowning but not saying anything JD turned around and began to follow her instructions but after a few steps he stopped and looked back at her, ‘Be careful Dusty alright.’
Smiling Dusty nodded when she suddenly remembered something and called after him, ‘Wait I need you to howl so the people inside think it’s a wolf so they come out.’ Turning around JD looked at Dusty.
‘I think you can howl just as well as I can.’ JD said winking before walking away into the darkness leaving Dusty looking after him.
Turning back towards the door she breathed in deeply and howled loudly and when she stopped she could hear voices inside the house. Something inside was telling her to run but a stronger force planted her on the spot as a light flicked on in the house. From the window Dusty watched as a man she recognized looked out and saw her, it was obvious the man remembered Dusty because he smiled before quickly running away from the window.
Looking back towards the end of town she was starting to worry about JD and if he had found the right house but she knew she could trust him she just had to wait but time was against her.
The door of the house swung open and the man stood there with a gun in one hand looking at Dusty with a grin on his face. ‘You just keep popping up don’t you, but I’m not going to let you ruin my plan.’ The man said frowning down at Dusty who growled. From the door Dusty’s owner appeared and ran forward beside the man with the gun.
‘Look she’s just here because I am let her go!’ He said frowning. Walking forward Dusty snarled at the man with the gun as he pointed it at Dusty his hand on the trigger, ‘Get back inside!’ the man yelled at Dusty’s owner. Seeing the gun pointed at Dusty her new owner quickly pushed the man with the gun aside and when it went off it hit the snow only inches away from Dusty who stood her ground despite the fact she was almost shaking. Where are you JD?’ She said looking in the darkness trying to find him.
Another man from the house grabbed her owner who struggled as the other man reloaded his gun and pointed it at Dusty who looked down at the road. ‘STOP!’ Someone yelled out behind the men making them turn around and see three men wearing strange blue hats.
It happened so quick that Dusty wasn’t even sure what was going on but suddenly all the men that had been in the house except her owner were taken away. Sitting down Dusty watched still shaking slightly only just realizing what she had done had she really just saved her owner from the criminals?
Her owner who had been helping the police walked forward and bent down beside Dusty who looked up at him. ‘I don’t know what you think you’re doing Dusty but there’s something different about you…’ Dusty looked up at him and smiled. Slowly the man reached for her collar and Dusty didn’t move as he slowly unclipped the silver ring on it that was used to connect her to the rope on the mail sled before taking it off and throwing it in the snow.
Looking after it Dusty didn’t seem to understand, ‘You’re not a mail dog anymore Dusty, I always knew that the wolf inside you would come out…’ He laughed, ‘Thats what I had always told my mother but she never listened.’ He looked out to the forest and then back at Dusty and sighed ‘I guess you want to go back to the wild, but you know Dusty if you ever want to come back I’ll be here…look at me I’m talking to a dog…wolf again.’ He smirked as he bent down beside Dusty and patted her on the head and this time she didn’t pull away. ‘Thank you Dusty.’ He said looking at her before standing up watching as Dusty looked between the forest and the silver ring that had been on her collar that he had thrown on the ground, it seemed as though her destiny had been decided for her already. Looking up at her owner Dusty smiled but knew she had to go back with JD but if only she could tell her owner she would be back at that exact movement she would have given anything to be able to talk to him to say sorry for everything she had done to him.
From the shadows JD watched Dusty with a smile on his face thinking to himself that maybe he should let her stay if that’s what she truly wanted because she was a dog after all and he couldn’t take that half of her away. Suddenly a wolf appeared out of the darkness flicking JD with his tail making him turn around and look at them with a frown. ‘What do you want?’ JD said in a low voice.
‘Isn’t that a happy site?’ Striker said walking into the moonlight looking over at Dusty who was enjoying her owners company.
‘I’ve changed my mind Striker I don’t want you to hurt her.’ JD said confessing looking over at Dusty.
‘You dare to give me orders?’ Striker said casually, ‘Don’t get involved with that disgusting dog hybrid remember what you are, you’re a wolf and once I have Cyprus daughter and kill her I will officially be next in line and those rebels in your pack will have no choice but to follow me their hope that Cyprus's children will return to lead them will be dashed.’ Striker paced a little for a moment before looking over at Dusty, ‘Our plan worked perfectly at my den she thinks you saved her and she trusts you, your entire rebel pack do...don’t let me down now JD because now that we're sure she's who we need there's no need to keep her alive any more…’ Striker whispered in JD’s ear before slowly walking back towards the forest leaving JD with a disgusted look on his face.
‘Yes alpha.’ JD sighed as he watched Dusty slowly walk away form her owner and back over to him. ‘You were so brave Dusty!’ JD said smiling as Dusty blushed under her coat.
‘From what I can gather those people who had captured my owners were blackmailing him or something and when he wouldn’t give them those bright coins they took him…but he’s fine now.’ Dusty said relieved.
‘Will you return once you help my pack?’ JD asked.
‘I’m not sure yet JD my owner will always be here but after the events of the last few days I can’t help but feel there’s more about me that I need to find out…’ She laughed and looked away, ‘...silly I know but as I promised I’ll come help your pack.’ Dusty nodded as she quickly began to walk back towards the forest with JD following quickly behind her.
As the two walked deeper into the forest and away from the town Dusty could see the sun beginning to rise and sunbeams shooting across the sky like shooting stars. She smiled as she looked up she hadn’t seen a sunset like this ever in her life. The fear of being wild and of wolves was beginning to fade it was all because of JD and how he respected and looked after her, he made her feel safe in this distant world.
As she walked she couldn’t help but remember how everyone had always said she had a little attitude even JD said it but without it she would have never been able to be the only female ever to be on a mail team…
‘Dusty! Get up quick and come outside!’ A one year old Kodi yelled jumping up and down to look through a window at Dusty who was lying down on the ground. She looked up at him with a puzzled look before quickly coming outside.
‘Kodi what is it?’ She laughed.
‘I’ve been chosen for the Mail-Dog team and I’m going to be just like my father!’ He said holding his head high.
‘Congratulations.’ Dusty smiled up at her friend as she looked at the shiny silver ring on his collar. Dusty’s smiled faded for a moment she wanted to be part of her friend’s team and ever since she was a pup she had hoped to be a sled-dog. ‘Are their any positions left?’ She asked looking up at Kodi who nodded.
‘Yeah come on! How good would it be if we all got in!’ Kodi jumped down the stairs and Dusty quickly followed him. They reached a house where a man looked down at Dusty and Kodi who was smiling up at him.
‘I’m sorry all positions are filled unless you can beat my last member.’ The man said looking down at Dusty who quickly looked around. Looking past the man a husky looked at Dusty and she walked forward towards them.
‘I’ll race you and who ever wins gets the position on this team.’ Dusty smiled as she challenged the Husky who started laughing out aloud.
‘You a girl? Beat Me?’ The husky laughed but Dusty ignored him and growled.
‘Your on then?’ She asked as the husky nodded.
‘Let’s do it.’ Both dogs looked at each other. ‘Where to girly?’ The husky said laughing.
‘To Balto’s boat and back again?’ Dusty asked as the Husky nodded.
‘Ok then ready…set, go!’ The Husky burst off and Dusty sprinted after him nothing was going to stop her from winning, she wanted this more then anything, she couldn’t lose…
Dusty suddenly laughed out loud making JD look at her, ‘Sorry just remembering how once I beat someone in a race.’ She said smiling to herself as she kept walking.
Smirking to himself JD looked at Dusty, ‘I bet you couldn’t beat me.’ Dusty looked up at him and smiled as she suddenly began running along the snow, JD looked shocked for a moment before quickly running after her. They ran right across the small river and in to the Southern Packs Lands to the area where all the wolves had gathered. Both of them stopped as Dusty turned to JD, ‘I won!’
‘No I did!’ JD said smirking as Breeze suddenly walked up to them.
‘JD I’m not even going to ask where you’ve been…’ she raised any eyebrow ignoring Dusty completely ‘…but thankfully your back because we have urgent news!’ Breeze said smiling up at him.
JD and Dusty looked at each other before he stepped forward looking past Breeze, ‘What is it?’
‘We’ve found the real child of
‘I…don’t understand…’ She whispered to herself.
PART 4 COMING SOON