The dog’s breath came out in cool spurts, causing his lungs to ache. He ran as quickly as his own paws could carry him across the snowy plains of Alaska, his heart beat with every paw step. He swung his head behind him to search for any followers but none were in sight. He sighed with relief and continued sprinting towards Nome, the town stretched ahead of him as he continued his trek. “Almost there.” He muttered.

“Almost.” A voice whispered beside the dog and he stopped in his tracks, the voice seemed to linger near by and the dog apprehensively sniffed about the perimeter. Suddenly a creature was upon him, clawing and tearing. The dog screeched in agony, the animal seemed to move quicker as the screaming escalated, “And you were so close.”

Raven’s body grew rigid as she stepped out into the cold. She sniffed absently and snorted when she could not detect any scent of her scout. She had sent him out some three days ago and he had still not arrived; none of her scouts had returned alive and she grimaced at the thought. She sat down and gazed at the beauty of the sunset, as its orange and purple rays cast a glow upon the snow. “Hey Ray.” Riley was a few feet behind the black wolf, Raven didn’t look at her.

“I know.” Raven was wary of the comfort and sat, as if she were a statue. Riley pulled away and sprinted towards the boiler room, she cracked open the door with her snout and stepped inside.

The jeers and whistles of the male dogs was something that she was accustomed to by now; her skinny figure had transformed into a slim, toned gray body that cast a shadow onto the floor as she gracefully trotted over to Czech, one of the first line dogs. “We have to go find Jack, he hasn’t returned and Raven is worried.” She muttered, trying to keep her voice low.

“Alright, I’ll round up the rest of the first line.” Czech said, he was one of the few dogs that treated Riley with respect. She nodded and turned to face the rest of the males that were scattered about the room, on the floor and atop crates, talking loudly. She tried to slink away without being noticed.

“Jael, hush!” She glared at him as he approached her. His body had undergone a shift as well, he no longer was an awkward, lanky adolescent but he had gained a muscular, handsome figure that caught the attention of every female within a ten-mile radius.

“Why should I? I thought you enjoyed this kind of attention?” He gesticulated towards the males who were now ogling over Riley.

Riley groaned, “Now look at what you have done.” The volume picked up as the crude comments were tossed about the small room.

“Riley you could really let up on the insults, you are practically an adult. It’s not very ladylike.” Jael said, looking down upon Riley.

“Have you looked at yourself lately? You are gorgeous! Are you aware that practically all the dogs of Nome are checking you out and want you for their trophy mate?” Jael said, forcibly.

“Trust me, you are so beautiful; don’t ever discount yourself because you are so amazing, Riles.” Jael smiled as Riley lifted her head, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She had spent the majority of her time here trying to please Raven, and Jenna; and all the while she was trying to be just like her sister. She had tried to keep the straight-face attitude and not reveal any affection for anyone. Riley flicked her tail and crouched down on her haunches. “What are you do-” Jael was cut off as Riley flung herself upon him. He chuckled.

“You’re it.” She whispered and scampered away. Jael laughed and raced after her, tackling her lightly, they tumbled together into a snow bank.

“Oof!” They both said, as they smacked into the snowy embankment. Riley looked at Jael as he turned his attention back to her and she pinned him to the ground, and licked his cheek. “I thought you didn’t go for dogs like me?” He asked, smirking.

“I promise I will be safe, bye.” She jumped off of him and sprinted back towards the boiler room, “Ready?” She asked.

“No I’m fine,” Riley breathed, she took account of the group that was going on this search mission: Simon, Lars, Rob, and Vance, along with Czech and herself. “Let’s go.”

Jenna paced absently about the living room floor the next morning, Balto and Dusty sat nearby, observing her. “Jenna dear, please relax.”

Balto had no response, he placed a paw on Jenna’s back, which caused her to sit and take deep breaths. Dusty glanced out the window and took in the scene with helplessness.

Jael and Raven sat beside each other, waiting for the return of the first line. “Shouldn’t they be back by now?” Jael asked.

“Is that them?” Jael rose to his paws, in the distance there was a group of dogs walking and dragging something.

Jael practically raced into Dusty’s home where he found the nervous couple and Dusty herself, talking lightly. “They’re here!” He howled. Jenna leaped off the floor and skidded outside, Balto and Dusty trotted behind her and Jael walked out last.

When the dogs were close enough to Nome, Balto and Jael approached them. They looked down at the lifeless body, “Did he make it far?” Jael asked.

Riley nodded, slowly, “Yes, he was so close but…” her voice trailed off and Jael pressed his body against hers, attempting to comfort her.

“Yea, we didn’t encounter anything. Luke just doesn’t want anyone to know of his plans, making this battle all the more dangerous.” Czech said.

Riley stepped back and let the group take Jack’s lifeless body away, she sank to her paws and breathed heavily, “Tired?” Jael asked, nosing her.

“Yes, very.” She muttered with drooping eyelids. Jael lowered himself and scooped Riley onto his back and carried her to Dusty’s porch. “You have to walk through the doggy door, Riles.”

She scooted herself through the small flap and Jael did the same; she collapsed on the kitchen tile and Jael carried her into the living room where he plopped her onto her bed and he lay down beside her, resting his head, protectively, on her back.

Raven’s tail swished in aggression, her entire body radiated annoyance and she growled lowly under her breath at no one in particular. “Raven, sweetie…”

“Yes he di-” Jenna was cut off by the eerie sounds of howling in the distance, she turned her attention to where Raven was watching and she gasped in shock. The sight was almost unbearable, there over twenty wolves in uniform, fighting lines.

Raven howled the battle cry that all of the males of Nome knew by heart and dogs came sprinting from every which way, howling and barking, trying to form their own lines. “We only outnumber them by a few but after living with the pack for over a year, I realized that the wolves do not have endurance they will only fight brutally for the first three minutes of the battle, you need to fight defensively and strategically. Keep them working for it and tire them out as best you can.”

A vicious howl echoed off of the buildings and homes of the town, Raven growled loudly, “First line GO!” The first ten dogs collided with the wolves and the fight began, the dogs were fighting two to one and the wolves ripped into the dogs at every possible moment. “SECOND LINE GO!” Raven shouted above the chaos. The second line sprinted ahead and jumped on every wolf they could.

Riley awoke to the sounds of battle and she groggily rose to her paws and looked out the window. The snow was a blanket of blood and bodies lay scattered about the small perimeter, the battle was still at its climax as the third and final line, the sweepers, were waiting for the right moment to leap into battle. Riley noticed Jael with his lips pulled back over gleaming teeth and his ears tight against his head; he was watching Raven awaiting the trigger words. Riley blinked twice and shook her head to try and erase the weariness that seemed to cling to her limbs and thoughts.

It was as if the battle slowed when Raven howled, “THIRD LINE…GO!” Riley watched as Jael sprang from his position and took on a wolf twice his size.

Riley raced from the living room out into the battle; by this time humans had gathered to watch the epidemic. Women and children screamed in terror as wolves snarled viciously at the dogs and people. The men held guns but were fearful of shooting their own dogs and continuously scratched their heads and stamped their feet on the ground, helpless.

“RILEY PLEASE GET OUT OF HERE!” Jael begged, a whining noise escaped from Riley’s throat and she obediently crept back into the house where she noticed her mother.

“Mom-” Riley raced to her mother’s side and comforted her, “Mom no it’s not, you didn’t do this intentionally.”

“Mom, I wouldn’t be here if you wouldn’t have been with Luke.” Riley looked her mother in the eyes, “Would you rather have it that Kodi, Raven and I didn’t exist?”

All of the dogs were now fighting, the battle was beginning to thin out; the bodies of wolves lay all around the surrounding area and a few lifeless dog bodies lay scattered as well. Raven did not join the battle; she was only going to fight once with one wolf.

Luke watched from the opposite side of Raven, his wolves were failing him and they were losing the energy necessary to fight. He was losing patience and he snarled loudly, causing the battle to pause for a few seconds. All eyes were on him, including Raven’s, “Had enough, Luke?” Raven mocked.

“You stupid DOG!” Luke raced past every creature on the battlefield and leaped onto Raven. The two tumbled and wrestled, tearing into each other. Raven allowed her rage and her own agony to overtake her thoughts, causing her fighting to become more accurate.

“This…” She latched onto his right ear and yanked with her mighty jaws, “is for breaking my mother’s heart!” Luke growled as the blood dripped down onto his cheek and then onto the ground. He blinked, fiercely. He jumped at her but she sprang out of the way and gripped his left, rear leg.

“This…” She broke his leg with ease, “is for disregarding me as your daughter.” Luke screeched. Raven did not skip a beat as she pinned him to the snowy earth and placed her teeth around his throat.

She whispered so only he could hear, “This is for being an ignorant leader, an irresponsible mate and a horrible father.” She ripped into his jugular, ending his life. The blood pooled around Raven’s paws and snow. Luke shook violently for ten seconds and then was still, his eyes glazed over as he took his very last breath.

The other wolves took notice of this event and one of them yelled, “RETREAT!” The others sprinted after him and raced away from the dogs that were left standing. Raven breathed rapidly and she closed her eyes, taking in all that happened.

Riley stepped outside and scanned the area, the humans still watched in awe. After a while, the women took the whimpering children into the houses and the men shook their heads and talked amongst themselves.

“Hey Riles.” The voice that Riley had grown to love caused her to turn and squeal with joy. She tackled him and pinned him, “Whoa there.”

“Muwahaha, guess who can still take you down?” She smirked and flicked her tail at Jael’s right back leg, which caused him to shiver.

Jenna came out of the house and walked over to her eldest daughter and stared into her eyes, “I put you through so much, I almost caused you to lose your life…twice now, I sold you to your own murderous and deceitful father and I pretended you were dead all that time,” Jenna allowed the tears to drip down her furry cheeks, “I can never thank you enough for forgiving me and for what you did today. Raven I could have never asked for this and I am so grateful to have you as my daughter, I love you Raven.” Jenna sniffled and nuzzled her daughter.

Raven did not resist this time and allowed the tears to fall to the earth as she nuzzled back, “I love you too mom and I forgive you.”