Give me One Last Chance

The U.S. mail team ran to Nome from delivering the mail to White Mountain. They barked joyfully from a successful delivery. Balto and Jenna’s son: Kodiak, Kodi for short was now the lead dog of the sled team. All those days, weeks, even months of running on the beach and high hopes finally paid off.

They could see the town by now it was so close. Just a few minutes and they would be there on time. This is it. My first day as lead dog and we’re on time. Kodi thought.

When they got to town the musher unloaded the mail and praised the dogs. He un-harnessed them as well.

Kodi, Kirby and Dusty where walking together.

“Great job Kodi.” Kirby teased. Kodi laughed.

“Yah awesome job at lead dog. We were finally on time.” Dusty said

“Thanks guys.”

“And think of it now that your lead dog the girls will be all over you.” Kirby joked “Except for Dusty of course.”

“Yah, I’m just afraid I’ll let you guys down.” Kodi said

“No worries Kodi, you’re a great leader and a fast runner. I don’t think you’ll let anyone down.” Dusty said

“Still…” Kodi said

“Trust me.”

“Ok”

The three walked to the boiler room where they saw the rest of the pack members and some other dogs.

“Hey, hey, hey if it isn’t the new lead dog.” One of them said.

“Hey lets play truth of dare.” A female golden retriever called out.

“Dogs don’t play truth or dare.” A husky chuckled

“And why not.” The golden retriever asked. The husky pondered for the right words. “Just what I thought.” The retriever said “Come on my girl plays it all the time.”

“Just like a house dog.” A dog whispered to another “A human plays a game and they think that its good for dogs too.”

“Mmmmm ok how do you play?” Dusty asked

“Easy just follow my lead and when some one dares you to do something you can’t back out.”

The dogs gathered around.

“Kodi. Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to lick Dusty on the muzzle.”

“Are you insane?! I can’t to that.”

“You can’t back down.”

“I got to go.” Kodi said and began trotting out of the room.

“Get back here and do your dare!” The retriever shouted. Kodi ran back and licked Dusty on the cheek and ran out hastily.

Truth or dare?! Kodi thought any dog who knows it’s a dog won’t play truth or dare.

CHAPTER 2

The next morning Kodi ran to his job early. The musher was getting the sled ready at the time.

“Well hello Kodi.” He laughed. Kodi barked and wagged his tail.

The musher patted him on the head “Such a dedicated dog.”

As the time went by Kodi helped out with the sled a little, because he was a dog he couldn’t do much he mainly kept the musher company.

People brought their dogs such as Kirby, Dusty and Ralph along with the other team mates. The musher harnessed them and they set off.

Kodi ran her legs to the bone to White Mountain. After a while the sled pulled into White Mountain and the mail was delivered. On the way back they had to go over a thick ice sheet. It was so covered in snow that they didn’t know that they were on top of a frozen lake. But spring was here and the snow was starting to get mushy. Kodi hit a thin patch of snow and slipped, he and the rest of the team went sliding. Kodi tried his best too keep on his feet while the others were lying down on sitting. Kodi slipped, fell forward, cracked his head and blacked out.

He woke up on the ice patch not much later. He waited for his eyes to adjust; he noticed that he was covered in snow. He raised his head and shook off the snow. His front right paw hurt really back and he had a really bad headache.

He looked around and saw the other dogs talking amongst them selves with the musher picking up the fallen mail. Kodi tried to get up but fell. He slammed on the ice again. Kodi curled up into a ball. I failed. He thought

Just then the Ice cracked Kodi notice the ice under him moved down. Not only was the snow softer but the ice was thinner. The team mates gasped.

Kodi tried to get up again but the ice fell from right under him.

“Kodi!!” the musher yelled. Kodi busted up to the surface and held onto the edge with his good front paw. But he was struggling and the ice was breaking even more. The dogs barked nervously.

“Hang in there Kodi!” the musher called the musher didn’t was to go near where Kodi was granted he’ll fall in too. Instead she ran to the sled and made the dogs back up and Kodi was slowly pulled out of the water. Kodi was put in the sled’s basket and was taken to Nome.

CHAPTER 3

"I'm sorry Kodi." The musher said. Kodi lay down in the sled's basket. The musher picked up Kodi's right front paw and tried to take a look at it. Kodi whimpered and drew his paw away from the musher before he could catch a glimpse.
The musher looked at the red and white husky's eyes, they were slammed shut and his head was tucked in-between his two front paws. He lie there whimpering and shaking from pain like a small animal. Not only was the poor pups leg was broken but he cracked his head pretty hard on the ice sheet and he was bitten on the end of his left eye from sliding on the ice for a short but fast while.
The musher shook his head. "You finally got up to lead dog too." he said "I guess every great thing has its downfall."
He patted Kodi on the head and took him to the vet.

"We'll have to put him to sleep." the Vet said she fumbled around the read and white husky's head and right paw.
"Too sleep!" The musher exclaimed "Isn’t their anything you can do? I mean the poor fella worked so hard to get to lead dog and he's so dedicated."
"Sir, I'm not sure that his paw will even heal right, he’s got hypothermia and he cracked his head so hard I think he'll die anyway. Its best just to put him to sleep.”
Kirby, Dust and Ralph looked in the window to the room Kodi was in.
"What’s going on?" Ralph asked
"I think that they are going to put Kodi down." Kirby replied
"Put him down! But it was one little accident." Dust whined
"I don’t think this was just an accident to Kodi. He fell pretty hard on his head. Something cracked either is was his head, leg or the ice." Kirby said.
"Are you sure that’s all you can do?" the musher asked. The vet shook her head and filled a needle of medicine. The musher nodded and turned to face out the door.
"Ok this will only hurt for a second." The vet said "Do you want to say anything to him?"
The musher nodded and walked over to Kodi, he crouched down by the table and looked into the husky's eyes, they were full of confusion. The musher whipped a tear and began petting Kodi's head.
"Kodi" he started "you’re probably very confused and well...I want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication. Its making me sad that...well you’re now going to be with us anymore, where your going is better than down here." The musher wanted to continue but he was drowning in his own tears. Kodi whimpered and licked the musher's face.
The musher just got up and walked to the door. He wanted to hug Kodi but it would hurt him.
The musher started to walk out the door. He looked back and whipped a tear.
"Goodbye Kodi." he whispered and left.
Kirby, Dusty and Ralph watched through the window as their friend was about to be put-down.

CHAPTER 4

The vet looked into the huskies eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek as she sighed.

“Your going to be in a better place.” She said “Your musher told me all that happened and you’ve been through a lot I don’t think it’s fair to just let you suffer.”

Please don’t let this be the end of my road. Kodi thought.

“I’m sorry.” She said

Kirby started barking and scratching on the window. Dusty and Ralph followed.

The vet walked over to the window and pulled the blinds down. Kodi lied there with his eyes shut.

It can’t be my ticket. The thought

The vet picked up Kodi and took him to the back room. He opened his eyes to blinding lights.

“Don’t be afraid.” The vet said “There is a change in plans”

Kodi was put under anesthetic. He closed his eyes and silently fell asleep.

He woke up in a small iron cage with a soft blanket on the bottom. His leg was bandaged and his head wasn’t hurting anymore but he was freezing.

What’s going on? He asked himself. He saw the vet walk in.

“Don’t worry” she said. Kodi folded his ears back worriedly. The vet reached in her hand and pet Kodi.

“It’s going to be alright.” She said “You can come in!” Kodi saw the musher come in and look at Kodi. Kodi wagged his tail.

“Hey boy.” He said Kodi barked. “I’ll come pick you up when you’re ready to run again.”

Kodi panted happily but that quickly ended. The musher and vet lift with out saying good bye.

Kodi whimpered.

“Hey.” A voice whispered Kodi looked ahead of him and saw a large male rottweiler in the cage across from him.

“Yah?” Kodi asked

“What are you here for?”

“Brocken leg, hypothermia and a nasty fall on the head. You?”

“Cancer.” The rottweiler replied

“Oh I’m sorry.” Kodi said

“Me too I have a mate and pups at home…I just don’t think I’ll be alive long enough to see them again.” The rottweiler said “But we all have to be strong in this world. Remember that.”

Kodi nodded “My name is Kodi.”

“Jack.” The rottweiler said.

CHAPTER 5

That next day Jack was taken out of his cage and to the vet’s office. Kodi hopped he would come back but never did and soon another dog was put in his cage.

We all have to be strong in this world. Kodi thought

“Here I am, whimpering over so much to live for when Jack have way more to live for.” Kodi whispered to himself. He turned his back to the cage door and curled up.

Dusty walked into the boiler room many other the other dogs including Kirby and Ralph were there. She sat down next to Ralph and nuzzled him. A lot of dogs were silent do to Kodi’s death. A lot of dogs had their heads bowed with their eyes shut.

“Kodi was a good dog.” Kirby started “He loved his job and we all miss him.”

Dusty rested her head on Ralph’s shoulder, a few tears slipped from her eyes.

“His dream was to be lead dog.” Kirby continued “When it was fulfilled he had an accident. He slipped on an ice sheet, broke his leg, cracked his head and fell through the ice. He was taken to the vet and…put down.” Kirby ended with a sad voice.

Some dogs raised their heads and listened other kept their eyes shut, but you could tell that they were listening.

3 months later

Kodi finally got his cast off and was now on the team as lead dog again. He never barked a word to his family about this. If Balto and Jenna already lost Saba and Dingo if they heard that their other son was injured real bad they’d flip!

“Kodi?” the dogs asked as Kodi and the musher walked to the sled. All the dogs were harnessed.

“The one and only.” Kodi laughed as he was being harnessed.

“We thought your were dead.” Ralph said

“I thought I was a goner too.” Kodi replied

“Hike!” the musher called and they set off again.

After a few minutes of running Kodi’s leg was killing him. What’s going on? Kodi asked himself, he started to slow down. No I can’t let anyone down…not again.

He kept a stead running pace and delivered the mail like normal.

Days later his running dot worse and worse. He knew that his last day would come but he didn’t know that it would be today.

It was a Sunday so the mail wouldn’t be delivered today. The musher took Kodi to a little boy’s house.

“Good-bye Kodi.” He started “You’re going to love it here.” The musher left as the family took Kodi inside.

“Who’s the new dog?” a cat whispered

“I don’t know.” Another one replied

Kodi saw the two cats and bared his teeth.

“Run!” a cat hissed

Kodi barked and ran after them at full speed knocking over chairs and jumping on couches.

The dad screamed his name. Kodi stopped in his tracks and turned to see a newspaper hit him in the face. Kodi was kicked outside and into the fence. He still pondered about the smack on the face. He has never had a human turn evil on him. Sure he’s had a flick on the nose from the musher but it was for not listening.

Kodi wanted out and was not going to wait any longer. Kodi looked around the fence and saw that the gait door was open. He limped out and to the boiler room.

Kodi got to the boiler room but never walked in. He over heard the dogs talking about the team.

“We can’t tell Kodi.” Dusty said “He’ll be so crushed.”

“Yah we can’t just tell him about our team going into the Iditarod.” Ralph started “We must keep this extremity hush, hush.”

CHAPTER 6

Kodi lay down inside of his new home. The rug was hard but oh well. He thought back on those memories of him on the team. He realized his running days were not over.

The Iditarod was coming up.

Kodi struggled to his paws and ran out the doggie door. He got to the sled team they were harnessing the dogs. Kodi crept up to the musher.

“Shoo.” He said “Get!”

Kodi backed away slowly. His ears were folded flat on his head.

“Go on get.” The musher scolded. Kodi walked off slowly then turned back. The musher was putting another dog as lead. It was Jenna.

Mom?! Kodi thought. Jenna barked happily at the musher. Kodi walked up again.

“I said get!” the musher called and walked up to the read and white wolf dog. Kodi ran away.

He heard the musher call “Hike!” and the sled take off.

The next winter

Kodi walked up to the starting line and looked for his team. He saw his mother as lead dog. The gun shot went off and the dogs left.

10 days later

Kodi watched as the other dogs pulled into the finish line. There was no sign of his team. Not only was Kodi worried but other people were too.

The next day Kodi had not heard of them. Without a goodbye he set out to find his mother and team.

It was a three days travel. He bit the snow and fought against the wind. He came to a ledge and heard whimpering.

“Mom!” He whispered to himself. Kodi hopped from snow covered rock to snow covered rock until he got to the bottom.

“Kodi!” Kirby exclaimed. The rest of the team except for the musher and his mother pocked their heads out of the snow.

“The musher and your mother are both knocked out.” Dusty said

Kodi sat back and thought for a second.

“Follow my lead.” He said

CHAPTER 7

The dogs put Jenna and the musher in the basket and covered them. Ralph held up the lead dog harness awhile Kodi got in it.

“C’mon!” Kodi called the dogs set off. Kodi’s running was unsteady but he and the others ran thought the night.

At the break of dawn there was a howl that pierced the morning sky. The dogs stopped.

“Wolves.” Kodi whispered “Don’t panic and hurry!” Kodi started running. The other dogs followed.

There were many foot steps running very close along side them in the forest. Distant howls but close footsteps.

“Faster!” Kodi called Kodi worked his legs to the bone. Each stride his paw became better and better.

He looked down and his paws and smiled then looked ahead and sped up. The wolves were closing in they were getting close enough to were you could hear their panting.

“What are we going to do Kodi?” One of the dogs panted

“Stay alive that’s what.” Kodi called back the look on his face grew even more serious “No slacking!”

Kodi began running so fast to where his head was bowed. He raised his head and saw town.

Instinctively he jumped in the air and howled. Balto heard the howl and perked his head.

“Kodi?! Jenna?!” he questioned. He looked out and saw the team. “Kodi!”

He ran towards the team. As he got closer he saw Kodi’s figure raise its head again and howl once more. Balto howled a reply.

When he got up to the team he ran with them to town. Many people came rushing outside.

They gasped at the site of Kodi and his team with the musher and Jenna in the basket. The people took care of Jenna and the musher while Kodi got out of his harness un praised.

He panted heavily then looked up and saw Balto. Balto didn’t say anything instead he nuzzled his son.

“I’m very proud of you.”

FORWARD

Kodi walked up to the musher. Every dog but Jenna was harnessed. The musher patted Kodi.

“Great job Kodi.” He said “I’m sorry for shooing you off like that.”

Kodi licked the musher in forgiveness.

The musher smiled “How’d you like to be lead dog again?”

Kodi barked happily. The musher harnessed Kodi and they set off.

THE END