Aleu entered Nome, her tail wagging. She would see her parents! Aleu raced through the snow to her mother's house. She tipped her head back and howled at the door. Jenna appeared and a grin split Aleu's face.

 "Hiya, Mom," she said. Jenna gasped.

 "Aleu," her whisper was hoarse as if she thought Aleu was a ghost. "You came back?"

 Aleu nodded. "I came home." Balto then came outside through the doggy door.

 "So, Jenna, I-" He stopped as he saw Aleu. "Aleu?"

 "Yeah, Pappa," she said, smiling. "I came home. I had an adventure, I found out who I was, but I also realized that I needed to be here."

 "ALEU!" Kodi, Saba, Dingo, Rex, and Honey ran to her.

 "Guess what!" Aleu turned to Kodi's grining face. "Aleu," he said, "Dusty's expecting my puppies!" Aleu grinned.

  "That's great!" she cried. "I always knew you'd get together!" Kodi nodded.

 "Look," he pointed out. "It's your old friend, May!" Aleu looked across the street and sure enough her old friend was walking with a brown she-dog.

 "MAY!" Aleu ran to her. "May."

  May stopped. "ALeu?" Aleu nodded and May snorted.

   "Well, well," she snarled. "The traitor is back huh? You leave then expect a warm welcome? You think you can make me your friend again? Well, i've moved on! This is Missy."

 Aleu stepped back. "You're mad at me?"

  "Duh," May snorted.

  "Why?" Aleu couldn't believe it!

 "Are you an idiot?!" snarled May.

 "Hey!" a farmiliar voice yelled. "Leave her alone! Now." Dusty appeared.

 "Well, well," May snorted. "If it isn't... well... you." Dusty rolled her eyes.

 "I'm hurt," she said, sarcastically. "Jerk," Dusty added under her breath.

  "What?" May demanded.

   Dusty's eyebrows rose. "Can't... you... hear?"

  "UH!" May walked away, Missy at her side.

  "I have to go," Aleu told Dusty. "Thanks!" With that, Aleu hurried away. She made her way through a crowd just to cross the street!

 She bumped into several dogs she had grown up wit but they all snarled, "Back, wolf?" or "Gonna run away again, wolf?" or "keep away, wolf!". Aleu's heart broke.

 She walked to her family. "Papa? Can I talk to you?" Balt nodded and they were soon walking in the forest.

  "Why do the hate me now?" Aleu asked her father.

  Balto sighed, heavily. "Aleu, they... don't like wolf-dogs. Then, on top of you being on, you went and joined a pack."

 "It's not fair!" Aleu howled. "Just because I'm different! Do they know the friends I left behind?"

 "No," Balto replied. "They don't. Dusty seemed to stick up for you, try to spend time with her."

  "Oh, right!" Aleu said, hotly. "Just replace old friends?"

   "No," Balto told her, firmly. "Making new ones doesn't mean that you have to replace the old."

  "They sure did!" Aleu hollared.

  "Are you them?" Balto demanded. Aleu lowered her head.

 "No," she muttered. "But I feel as low."

  "You want to know something?" Balto asked. Aleu shrugged. "Dusty's being picked on too."

  "Why?" Aleu's gaze shot to her father's.

  "She mated with Kodi," Balto said, simply.

 "It's stupid!" Aleu cried.

 "I know," Balto nodded. "I know."

  "I have to see her," Aleu announced. "Bye Pappa."

 "Bye, Aleu," Balto replied. Aleu raced back into Nome. She almost ran into Dusty!

  "Dusty!" she panted. "I understand!"

  "Huh?" Dusty tilted her head.

  "I know how you feel, being shunned!" Aleu said. "We need to stick together. Like old times."

  "You're right," Dusty nodded. "Friends?"

 "Best," Aleu agreed. While mking the deal, they both knew that they had just made an agreement... a friendship to last them a life time. The friendship would last father than if one died.

  Next part will be up soon!