A/N: Much shorter chapter, and finally some action. 

<><><><>

CH.2

<><><><>

Before I realized what was happening, I was all-out, sprinting for the origin of the sound that had stopped my heart for a single painful moment. Now it was throbbing in the chest that suddenly seemed too small for my lungs. It vaguely occurred to me that Jenna and I had run much farther from Rosy that I thought. I was taking too long.

It wasn’t until I topped the next rise that I saw her, or rather it. I could only assume that the small, dark bundle, huddled under the beast was Rosy. Without thinking, I charged down the slope, letting out a vicious bark just before I barreled into the creature’s side.

It yelped in surprise and quickly gained its feet to turn on me. I recognized the scent. This was the lone wolf. His shining yellow eyes glared at me from out of his dark face. He didn’t pause for pleasantries as he immediately moved to sink his teeth into my neck.

My dog fighting experience was limited, but instinct took over. I dodged his attack and rammed into his shoulder again, this time teeth first. He rolled to escape my jaws and took me to the ground with him. We continued spiraling through the snow, our gnashing teeth clamping shut onto whatever came into contact with them. I felt as his powerful jaws fastened onto the scruff of my neck, this time not letting go. A yelp escaped my throat as I struggled to free myself. The position I was in made it almost impossible to attack him back. He thrashed his head about, and I could feel his teeth tearing at my flesh.

Then suddenly, they were gone. I crumpled into the blood-flecked snow and looked around, but the dark wolf was nowhere in sight. The next thing I saw was Jenna as she ran to Rosy’s side. The little girl who had so recently been dancing with excitement was lying motionless.

Jenna looked at me, her eyes full of confusion and concern. “Balto?” She asked quietly, the pain in her voice making my heart ache in a way that that was worse than any sting from my wounds.

My mouth hung open, searching for some words of comfort that could convince her and me that everything would be okay. I was spared the task as human voices reached our ears. Rosy’s father appeared only seconds later, accompanied by another man I didn’t know.

The father immediately went to his daughter’s side. “Richard!” He cried. The other man knelt next to him, examining the lifeless little girl for only a brief moment before he turned to me.

“You.” He growled, immediately jumping to his feet. The man came at me as I lay frozen, staring up at him. He brought back his foot and aimed a kick at my side. I barely managed to avoid it by rolling and scrambling to my feet. Backing up, I looked between the men and their now murderous expressions.

Luckily, Rosy’s father could only muster the look. He stayed where he was. The other man, however, wasn’t so complacent. He came at me again. Jenna barked and made a move toward the man to stop him, but Rosy’s father grabbed her by the scruff and held her tight.

“Richard, not now! Help me!” Cried the father.

The man called Richard aimed one last kick as he roared, “Get out of here! Get! Butcher!”

My thoroughly confused brain had trouble getting the signal to my legs in time. The man’s boot glanced off my side as I tripped over my feet to get away.

I kept running, not exactly sure why. Everything had happened so fast. The wolf had attacked Rosy, and I’d fought him off, but it almost seemed as if the humans thought that I had… that I’d…

I couldn’t finish. I didn’t want to think about it. I ran harder. My legs were pumping too fast for even my thoughts to catch up. I didn’t even notice that storm clouds had rolled in yet again, casting my surroundings into shadow as the sun started to sink toward the horizon.

I had only just noticed the sudden drop in temperature when I realized that my legs had taken me back home. I stood at the base of the ship, staring at nothing. All at once, my brain caught up with me. The images of Rosy lying lifeless in her father’s arms and the man called Richard glaring at me with unbridled hatred flashed before my eyes. It was like a bad dream. In fact it had to be one. It couldn’t have happened. It didn’t happen.

Everything started swirling together, the images, the thoughts, the feelings, the snow, the ship…

“Balto!” I heard the shout, but it couldn’t fight its way through my muddled brain to be processed. The shouts continued, growing louder. Nothing registered until I felt something brush up against my back. An involuntary yelp escaped my mouth as I jumped and turned to find the source.

“Boris.” I panted, breathless and feeling slightly embarrassed. His presence seemed to have finally brought me back to reality. In my daze, I hadn’t noticed that the storm had started to pick up strength. The icy wind whipped at my fur.

“Balto, vhat happened to you?” Boris demanded, looking me over with a worried expression. I hesitated in responding, so he hurried on. “Well git inside. Is blood all over…” He muttered as he ushered me across the deck toward the wheelhouse. Once inside, he dragged over a bowl of water and my tattered blanket. He broke the thin layer of ice on the bowl and looked at me expectantly.

I lapped a few times at the water just to make him happy. My throat felt too tight to swallow much more than that. I dragged the blanket into a corner and curled up on top of it.

“Balto.” Boris nudged. “You need to tell Boris vhat happen to you.”

I didn’t lift my head as I glanced up at him. “They think I k-…” My voice was shaking. I took a deep, steadying breath and tried again. “They think I attacked Rosy.”

“Who thinks? Why?” Boris pressed, sitting in front of me to keep me from staring into space.

“The humans… I-I was out with Jenna and Rosy and we got separated and… I heard Rosy scream. When I found her again, a wolf was attacking her. I tried to fight him off… he was gone when the humans got there.” The words came out in a monotone. They had to. Anything else and I wouldn’t have been able to get them out at all. But even distancing myself from the words, the images were still right at the surface.

Boris laid a feathered wing across my shoulder and I suddenly realized I was shaking. “Balto… I am sorry.” He offered softly. “They will realize it was not you.”

I let out a humorless laugh that sounded more like a whimper. “And how is that gonna happen, Boris?” I muttered, looking at my paws to keep from looking at him.

“’Umans know you, Balto. They have seen who you are. You saved little children.”

I was tempted to tell him about the hunter I had seen only hours before and his wolf kills, about how I was starting to doubt that the medicine run would change anything in the long run and how impossible it was for anyone else to know who I was when I hardly knew myself, but I bit my tongue. I absently noticed my aching left front paw was bleeding and halfheartedly started to lick at it, grateful for the temporary distraction.

“You okay?” Boris asked.

The worst of my injuries were where the wolf had grabbed me by the scruff, but ironically enough, my tough wolfish hide had saved me. The thick mane of fur prevented it from being any worse and helped contain the bleeding. It hurt, but honestly, I hardly noticed. I wished I did so I’d have something to distract my mind from replaying the events of tonight over and over again. “I’ll live.” I finally responded.

“That is not vhat I meant.” He responded with a raised eyebrow.

My throat grew tight again as I crawled further into the corner, curling into the smallest ball I could manage. I felt Boris huddle into my side and rest his head across my neck.

“Is freezing…” He muttered, as if needing to give an explanation for his proximity. I almost smiled. Boris definitely wasn’t the father I would have asked for, but he was exactly the one I needed. “It’s okay, Kiddo. You will be okay.” I heard him whisper.

As I shut my eyes, I only wished I could believe him.

<><><> 

A/N: I'd love comments!!