“The one mile marker! Mush, Jenna, mush! Let's win this race! Woo hoo!”

Barking excitedly, I pulled Rosy’s newly acquired sled that her parents had bought her through the street over to the race. It was a really nice day despite the cold wind. As we drew closer to the crowd of onlookers, Rosy told me to slow down. And as if on cue one of my friends Dixie had arrived.

“Good morning, Jenna! Ought to be a close race, don't you think? Maybe even neck and neck?”

At that moment a sudden breeze had caught my attention and I didn’t notice that she was throwing out her chest and looking downwards to emphasize her collar until another friend of ours Sylvie decided to join me.

“Say something about her new collar before she gets whiplash.” Sylvie said, rolling her eyes at Dixie. At that moment she had lifted her hind leg and began scratching at the collar and shooting proud glances at it.

I took a quick glance at it. “Uh… Dixie, what a pretty collar, is it new?”
“What, this old thing?” Dixie asked, acting mildly surprised that someone had noticed her collar despite her not-so-subtle attempts to draw my attention to it. “Yeah!” Then she added rather quietly and with an excited shudder running down her body. “Do you think, um, Steele will notice?”

Of course it was typical of Dixie to act so silly when it came to Steele. Even Sylvie who had just a big crush on Steele was a little annoyed with Dixie’s infatuation.

Exchanging somewhat exasperated expressions with Sylvie, I replied rather dryly, “I'm afraid the only way Steele notices anyone is if they're wearing a mirror.”

“Oh Jenna, you’re so hard on him.” Dixie said, following Sylvie who had just noticed a few other of our friends who were also watching the race.

“Jenna, stay girl.” Rosy said. We were close to the finish line and Rosy left me to pick up a mitten she had dropped.

“Jenna!” She ran over and hugged me as I barked happily and nuzzled her.

“Hold on…” She took off her hat and started to wave, yelling out, “Come on, Steele!” However a sudden gust of wind had carried Rosy’s hat and dropped it just in front of the finish line banner.

“Oh no, my hat!” Rosy cried. She was about to run after it but I grabbed at her sleeve afraid that Rosy might get hurt and the scene it might cause.

Right then I saw a brown form running right alongside Steele. It took me a moment to recognize that it was Balto. Because of his wolf heritage, he was shunned by the majority of Nome’s humans and dogs including Steele.

Steele, displeased at Balto’s intervention had snapped at him, just when they neared Rosy’s hat. However Balto managed to evade Steele’s jaws and grab the hat during the process.

“Balto! What a crazy thing to do!” Rosy exclaimed, taking her hat back from him. “Just to show off for a pretty girl.” She added mischievously looking at me and then Balto who had lowered his head modestly at her first comment.

Grinning at the second comment, he looked me and somewhat shyly I looked away, cheeks burining. Despite the stories and the fact he was part wolf, I couldn’t see any aggression from him. Quietly, I admired his kindness and didn’t drive him away like most dogs would of done.

“I'm sure Jenna would love to have you on our team!” Rosy said about to hitch him onto the sled.

“Hey hey hey!” Suddenly Rosy’s father came over and pulled Rosy away while kicking some snow at Balto.

“Dad!”

“He might bite you, honey, he’s part wolf.”

Wearing a hurt expression and wincing at being referred as ‘part wolf’, Balto walked away. I watched him with somewhat mixed feelings, I felt bad for him but he was a stranger to me. However he didn’t seem like the violent monster that some people made him out to be.

Just then Steele had came over to greet me, “Hi there, Jenna. Enjoy the race?”

“Yeah. Almost as much as you did.” I said referring to his temper tantrum a while ago.

“Thanks. Jenna, let's go celebrate. I know where all the bones are buried.” At this he started to lean into me, wearing a devious expression.

Recoiling from his touch, I answered, “I don't know Steele, suddenly I've lost my appetite.” I started to walk away from him.

“Ohhhh. . .well maybe your taste runs more toward. . .wolf.” Steele said flexing his muscles.

Not amused by what Steele was insinuating, I whirled around incensed. I was about to say something until Rosy interrupted our conversation.

“Jenna, come on girl! We're going back home!”

“Sorry Steele. My girl is calling me.” I said, relieved to get away from him.

I don’t exactly hate Steele but I wasn’t impressed with his constant flirting with numerous females and showing off his big ego. Unfortunately most of my friends didn’t share my opinion. In fact, some went as far as to think we would make a great couple. Steele especially agreed with this and I was the constant target of his flirting.

I guess I was too lost in thought and started to wander away from my family because the next thing I know a surprised Balto is running right up to me.

Somewhat startled I took a step back to save us both from a painful crash however that didn’t stop our noses from gently touching. My eyes widened slightly as I felt the cold tip of his nose against mine. 

Bashfully, Balto pulled away and smiled in a helpless sort of way. He sat down and started stammering, “Heh, Jenna… I uh… heh.”

Trying to think of something to say since it seemed like Balto was rendered speechless, Rosy and her father started call out after me.

“Jenna!”

“Jen! Come on!”

Taking to opportunity to glance back at Rosy, I just noticed her hat. I should thank him for bringing her hat back, I thought. Turning back to Balto I was about to speak except he wasn’t there. Puzzled, I followed his scent to the broken fence from which he appeared, wondering why he left. I looked around for him until Rosy’s father called after me again.

“Jenna! Come here, girl!”

Oh, he was probably afraid that Rosy's father might drive him away again. I’ll just thank him later.

Obediently I ran over to my family and playfully nudged my muzzle into Rosy’s side. Bursting out into laughing, Rosy gently stroked my neck until she started to cough.

“Rosy, are you okay?” her mother asked. Worried, she placed her hand onto Rosy’s forehead. “You have a fever! Oh, you probably caught Anna’s cold.”

Anna was another little girl that lived next door. Earlier, Rosy had visited her however she wasn‘t feeling well so the visit was rather short.

Hurriedly, her parents led Rosy into the house and straight into bed. As her mother made some tea for her, Anna’s mother had came over in a fit of tears. I couldn’t make out the conversation because I had been taking a nap and my mind was still fuzzy with sleep. Whatever Anna’s mother had said had obviously worried Rosy’s parents because they both rushed to her room when she left.

Following them, they were helping Rosy into her coat and hat saying that they were going to the hospital. Alarmed when I heard this I pressed my face against Rosy’s neck. Her fever was still high and her coughs were getting worse.

“Jenna down.” Her father said, pulling me away from Rosy. “Stay girl.”

I tried to follow them as they left the house but Rosy’s parents ordered me to stay. I was restless and worried; the worst part being that I didn't know what was going on. Eventually after a lot of anxious pacing throughout the empty house, I burst through the dog door to find out what was going on myself.

By the time I reached the hospital, night had fallen across Nome. I could see Rosy's silhouette through the window still coughing. I started barking in hopes that she would notice me and that she was okay.

As soon as she heard me, she ran outside towards me laughing.
“Jenna? Jenna! Jenna! Hi girl!”

Excitedly, I ran in circles around her but my joy was cut short as she started coughing again. Concerned, I nudged at her elbow to find her temperate was still high.

“Rosy!” Rosy’s father came outside with her coat. “Rosy, come on. You're gonna catch your death out here.”

“Okay, Dad.”

“Come on, honey, the doctor's waiting.” Puzzled, I watched them as they closed the door.

I peered into the windows, trying to find my owner. I noticed that most of the patients were children who were coughing. Finally I found Rosy being examined by the doctor. A sense of dread was starting to form into my mind. His face was grim and the anxious expressions from her parents weren‘t putting me into ease either.

“Jenna? Uh... Jenna.”

Slightly alarmed I looked back and saw Balto.

“Balto. Hi.” I said, distracted.

“Hi.” He started to say something else but Rosy had started to cough again. She looked so frail and helpless. My paws moved restlessly against the window sill letting my claws dig into the layer of snow. It was upsetting to see her in such a state and I couldn’t do anything to help her. I didn’t even know what was wrong with her.

“Jenna?” He noticed my unhappiness and joined me on top of the wood pile.

“Rosy's in there.” I explained, not taking my gaze away as the doctor took her temperature.

“In a hospital? Why?” He asked, sounding concerned.

“She feels warm. . .she has a terrible cough.” One of her hands clutched at her throat as Rosy coughed again. Finally I looked at him murmuring softly, “Balto, what's wrong with her?”

I don’t know why I asked him that. He wasn’t a doctor obviously and I hardly knew him. In different circumstances I would have been embarrassed by how I sounded, so vulnerable and needy. But there was something reassuring about him, I couldn’t quite place it but I trusted Balto in my moment of emotional weakness.

“ I'm not sure, but I know how to find out. Come on.” Quietly I followed him as he was heading for the boiler room.

“I have the keys to the city.” He said in a reassuring way. Using his paws, he lifted the pins from the hinges of the door so that the door swung open.

Balto raised his paw, gesturing me to go inside. “After you.”

As I started to walk in, I couldn’t help but stare at his paw. Balto was a lot smaller than Steele but their paws were roughly the same size.

“Balto.” I said, somewhat amazed. 

Chuckling sheepishly, he lowered his paw. “Big paws kinda run in my family.”

“At least, uhhh... one side of my family.” He amended quickly.

I made a quick note to not mention his family in front of Balto. The issue seemed to be on uncomfortable terms with him. Obviously of course, since no dog or human didn’t want to associate with him except me. His reputation didn’t quite add up to his nature; though I wasn’t quite of what to say at the moment. Instead, I followed him into a passageway.

There wasn’t much room in the enclosed space and our sides nearly touched.

“Stay close.” Balto said smiling and taking the lead.

“Heh! No problem there.” I forced out a small laugh while eyeing a rat that scuttled nearby.

Needless to say it was the darkest and dirtiest place I’ve ever been in.

“It's so gloomy down here.” I remarked, suddenly. “Not that I'm scared or anything.” I added just as quickly. At that moment my pretense was ruined when I gasped as my face almost collided into an old cobweb.

“Gloomy?” Balto asked, looking back and using his tail to brush away the cobweb.

“You kiddin'? It's the most beautiful spot in the world!” He said, cheerfully. “Dogs travel for years just to be right here.”

Balto slipped under an old rug draped across the passage and lifted it to make way for me with his tail.

“Here?” Ducking my head, my muzzle had picked up an old rag and I shuddered in disgust as Balto politely removed it.

“I can't see why.” I said, licking my paw and rubbing it across my face in attempt to get rid of any dirt or grim.

“That's 'cause you're looking at the bowl half empty.” Balto said.

“You see this? It's the polar icecaps.” He pushed a pile of broken glass into the light filtered through the air vent.

“Balto, those are broken bottles. And they're not half empty, they're all empty.” I said, not quite understanding what he meant. There wasn’t anything special about those bottles empty or not and I had learned to stay away from the colorful ones since they usually had toxic liquids like bleach.

Ignoring my comment, he continued on glancing at the light. “The sun. . .”

“Balto…” Imagination was good and all but there was such a thing as going too far. He continued to move the glass around, the pieces clinking against each other.

“And to the North. . .” This time he moved towards me, letting the light hit the glass. Suddenly the light filtered through the glass and a cascade of color filled one side of the room.

“The Northern Lights!” I said in amazement.

Staring at the shimmering light, I continued on, “Oh! Balto, you're right. It's beautiful.”

“Yeah. . .beautiful.” He murmured, letting out a sigh. But there was such a distinct tone of longing in his voice that I looked at him again to find that he was staring at me.

I couldn't make out the details of his face in the faint light but I could tell that he was smiling at me gently when our eyes meant. For a while I was lost in a intense moment as a knot of emotions I couldn‘t even distinguished poured through me. Slowly his muzzle inched forward for mine and I started to do the same thing. Before our noses even met; the lantern that provided that lighting was suddenly turned off and I could hear footsteps.

The doctor spoke soothingly. “Goodnight, Rosy.”

Rosy… she was staying here?

“I'm so. . .cold. . .” It was her voice but she sounded so exhausted and weak.

“Well I have another blanket for you right here, you just stay warm and get some rest.” He walked away and in earnest I followed his footsteps into another room.

“Doctor, how is she?” Rosy’s father asked.

“Exhausted from coughing. And her fever's getting worse.” He replied sounding weary and I gasped as he said this. She could pull through though right?

“Looks like diphtheria.” he sighed, grimly, and reached for something, “She's the eighteenth case this week. . .and I'm out of antitoxin.”

No… Battling the urge to break down and cry, I ran out into the boiling room with my breaths coming out into heavy gasps. Rosy meant the world to me and hearing about the fact there was no medicine to cure her illness was too much to bear.

Calling out my name and apologizing, Balto followed me.

“I didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have taken you down there.”
Once I managed to regain some composure I tried to assure Balto that it wasn’t his fault.

“No, I'm glad you did.”

A crash suddenly interrupted me before I could say anything more. Startled I looked towards the doorway and saw Steele. He had been running and knocked some wooden planks into a metal bucket. A link of sausages, most likely stolen from the butcher, was held in his jaws.

“Steele.”

“Well, well, what's wrong with this picture?” Steele said, moving aside the wooden boards.

Quickly I looked away, afraid that he might see any trace of my distress. That was the last thing I needed, for Steele to try to comfort me.

“Jenna, join me for dinner.” I gasped as he flung one end of the chain around my shoulders and used it to jerk me closer, saying, “You start at one end, I'll start at the other, when we get to the middle, well. . .heh heh. . .you tell me!” Ugh, I wished I could just throw him and the sausages into the boiler…

Balto, who didn’t seem to approve with the way Steele was treating me, had bared his teeth and snarled, “All right, Steele.” He lunged forward at the meat to sever it in two but I quickly pulled away. I had a better idea.

“No, Balto.” Faking a giggle, I brushed my tail underneath Steele’s chin while Balto looked me questioningly and I shot a suggestive glance towards the boiler. He smirked and stepped back.

“Gee, Steele, I have to admit your offer is very tempting.” I said, trying to position him against the boiler.

“It is. . .” Steele replied, chuckling.

Taking a few more steps forwards, I continued on, “But these days, I prefer my meat. . .cooked.”

Realizing that he was against the boiler by the smell of smoke, Steele yelped in pain and started to thrash about.

“Come on! Let's go!” Balto shouted.

However our escape was ruined when Steele crashed through the door and landed on top of us. I didn’t realize it but my forepaws had clasped around Balto’s leg as I checked to see if he was all right.

“What's all the noise?” I recognized the voice of the butcher’s.

“I think it's over here!” That was Rosy’s father.

“Jenna, come on!” Balto whispered urgently.

I ran ahead of him, hoping that we wouldn’t get caught after all I wasn’t suppose to be even here. However I heard Balto stumble and when I looked back the sausages were entangled around his feet. And just then Rosy’s father had shined a light at him with his lantern.

“ Looks like Balto's found his way into your meat locker.” Balto, dumbstruck, got up and let the butcher grab the sausages.

“It's a good thing Steele was here. Good boy, Steele. You've earned these.” The butcher said, giving him the meat and petting him.

“Besides, I can't do anything with them after that wild animal's touched them!” He added with disgust.

“Go on! Get out of here you thief!” Rosy’s father kicked snow at Balto.

Feeling guilty for getting him into trouble I tried to run after him but my owner grabbed my bandana to prevent this. “Come on, Jenna. Let's go home.”

Whirling around to Steele, who was wearing a smirk as he chewed nosily at the meat, all I could do was glare at him and hiss out in an icy tone, “ Why did you frame Balto for what you did?”

“Jenna, it was a accident and I can’t tell them that I was the one who stole the meat, can I?” Steele said silkily, still wearing a smirk on his face as Rosy’s father decided to take him home too.

“You shouldn’t have stolen it in the first place.” I sounded like his mother but I was so furious at him that I didn’t care what I sounded like as long I sounded angry.

“You think that half-breed never stole anything in his life to continue that pathetic existence of his?” Steele asked. “I never realized you were so fond of him…” He sounded repulsed that such a idea could be possible.

I snorted out, “Unlike you, I don’t rush into those sort of things.” Not wanting to speak to him anymore I darted ahead to my owner’s side.

The next day another race was held but this time they were choosing the fastest dogs to deliver and retrieve the anti-toxin from Nenana. From what I could gather, the weather conditions complicated any other means for the anti-toxin to be transported here. Hopefully the chosen dog team wouldn’t face any difficulties from here to Nenana and back.

As usual, I was with Dixie and Sylvie were to meet up with us later. Dixie was her normal energetic self and when Steele walked across the competitors in a regal fashion, she couldn’t quite hold back her affection for him. Beaming and praising him as if he was in the race and won and already delivered the anti-toxin in five seconds flat.

“It's not exactly a one dog show, Dixie. They're racing to see who's going to be on the dogsled team.” My anger from last night had waned and I was somewhat amused with Dixie’s fervor.

“What's with you, Jenna? Steele's a genuine hero, but do you give him a sniff?” Dixie asked, genuinely curious as to why I didn’t share her fanaticism.

“That's because Jenna is running with Balto.” Sylvie said, announcing her appearance and readiness to hear and spread gossip.

Squealing out, Dixie looked at me disbelievingly.

Casually flipping one of her ears over her shoulder, Sylvie went on, “She was seen in the boiler room the other night with Balto, and they went in together and they left together. And I heard it all from a very reliable source, and don't bother to deny it.” She said, clearly expecting me to deny it.

“Well, then I won't.” I responded, coolly.

“I'm speechless.” Sylvie gasped.

I couldn’t help but smile as they both looked at me wide-eyed. I decided that I should clarify a few things, after all they were my friends.

“It’s nothing like that,” I said quietly. “I didn’t know why Rosy was in the hospital and Balto showed me a way inside the hospital without being seen. That was how I found out Rosy had diphtheria.” Sylvie and Dixie knew how much Rosy meant to me and they both fell silent clearly picking their words carefully so they wouldn’t upset me.

However the race had started and it was then that I saw Balto running in the race.

“Balto?”

“What’s he think he’s doing?” Dixie asked.

On impulse, I followed them through the sidelines back to the finish line. I was amazed and thrilled that Balto had won.

In spite of this, Steele didn’t quite fare well with this because as I approached them he was circling Balto and I managed to hear, “…you're even more mixed up than I thought.”

“Steele, it doesn't matter who's on the team.” I said, furious. “As long as the medicine gets through. Stop being such a glory hound!”

After the initial shock, Steele pretended to agree with me. “You're a hundred percent right, Jenna. I wasn't thinking about those children. The important thing here is to get the medicine through.”

Fed up with him, I walked away but when I looked back, Steele was wearing a smirk and Balto had a disappointed expression on his face. Instantly I understood.

“Balto, I’m sorry--"

“Better not talk to me, Jenna. I might turn on you.” He said bitterly, starting to walk away.

“Balto, wait…” This only instigated him to break into a run though.

“Balto!”

The rest of the day wasn’t any better. After patiently assuring Sylvie and Dixie that Balto and I were just friends, they both joined Steele to tend his large egotistical head. I checked on Rosy constantly but I was usually in the house alone. Rosy’s parents showed up to feed me but they were distracted and left as quickly as they appeared. Most of the time I felt sorry for Balto.

It wasn’t fair that no one aside from Rosy and me trusted him because he was half wolf. I’ve only known him for a short period of time but I considered him one of my closest friends.