Antara would have slept a little bit longer if it wasn't for the young Mihaella pulling her ears playfully.

"Dobró utro* Andtadra!" The pup squealed in a different language "Dobró utro"

Antara looked at the young pup, her face rather dumbfounded "What?" tho it sounded more like a yawn, she made her point clear.

"Vood Monrning Antadra"  said Mihaella "If vu keep sleepin fodr mode long, it wud be modre like dóbər den*"

"Um....right" Antara was still dumbfounded.

"Vuell" Mihaella spoke "Id'll go find Erinn as she must be here by now, obícham te sister Antadra*" The pup nuzzled Antara "Chao*"

As Mihaella was out of sight, Antara completely streched. It was so nice to have a small boiler. As far as she knew only a very few houses in Nome had such privilege. Many of her friends had to leave their houses on really cold days and sleep at the town's boiler room. She didn't and she was grateful of such. As she went up the stairs, she noticed Erinn and Mihaella toguether.

"Hey Erinn...!" Antara called.

The silver coated pup looked at her aunt, her face blank.

"Is my sister here?" Antara asked.

Erinn's face was still blank.

Antara sighted "Your mother Erinn...is she here?"

Erinn got what Antara was asking, and moved her head from one side to the other "Nope...she left really quick"

"Ok sweetie...thanks" Antara sighted "I was hoping Southwinder would be here, she rarely visits...and when she does-"

"Antara...who are you talking to...?" A face timidly aperared.

"Mountain...It's no one, don't worry"

"Zdrasti*!" Mihaella greeted her adoptive brother, Mountaineer smiled softly toward the tamaskan pup.

Well if Antara couln't spend fun time with her sister, she was gonna spend it with her brother , the only sibling she had left.

"Hey Mountain!" Antara happily greeted he"r sibling, the gingerish dog backed away in surprise "You are going out of the house today!"

"What, wait, what?!" Montaineer exclaimed.

"Shhh- I will be fun" Antara said "You need to go out...more often. Thats a fact" Antara argued.

"B-b-but" Mountaineer hesitated "What if a dog attacks me...What if Gibson attacks me"

"Pft if Gibson attacks you I'll go wolverine on him, you silly" Antara giggled "It will be fun, you may meet some ladies on the way, who knows" 

"Ladies?!" Mountaineer's eyes shined for a moment, he was a male after all.

"Yup, ladies Mountain" Antara exclaimed "So come on"

Mountaineer sighted, and nodded "Fine"

"C'mon bro" Antara kept pushing Mountaineer around "I know you freaked out because Steph is a guy...but it's not the end of the world" 

"But that she is actually a he, it's disturbing!" Mountaineer whined "He is the male dog with the smallest waist I've ever seen!"

"Yes because he is an afghan and a greyhound mix, I think..." Antara answered "Both breeds have skinny builts"

"Ohhh..." Mountaineer only sighted

"Steph is a nice guy" Antara reasurred him "He has just....been through a lot you see-"

"Hey there guys!" a voice interrupted.

Antara would have started to tell Steph's complete story, if it wasn't for a fluffy figure to appear. 

"Hello Muffy!" Antara greeted, but she suddenly noticed Muffy's interest in the guy next to her; Mountaineer.

"Who's this guy Antara" Muffy chuckled "Don't tell me you chose him over JT"

Antara was both embarrased and mad, was that how Muffy's mind works. She was pretty much 8 years old, she should know better.

"He's my brother" Antara exclaimed, her voice rather serious.

"Oh...I'm sorry Antara" Muffy gently apologized "I didn't know you had a brother" The fluffy female threw a wink at Moutaineer. The was some seductive air in that wink, Antara started to get the reasons of Muffy's sudden interest, it made her body stiffen in anger.

"Well Mountaineer-!" Antara's snap was suddenly interrupted.

"I don't go out much Muffy" Mountaineer sofly and nervously explained.

"Oh....I see" Muffy replied with interest "So they aren't many ladies over you eh?"

"No... not even one" Mountaineer slowly spoke, but he kept eye contact with Muffy, she was smiling with interest.

"Well we have to go!" Antara interrupted both dogs.

"We have to?" Mountaineer replied

"YES we have to" Antara started pulling her brother away.

"Bye..." Muffy said, rather displeased at Antara's behavior.

"Antara..." Mountaineer softly asked

"What Mountain" and annoyed Antara answered, making her brother back up a little.

"I had fun today..." he softly smiled "Maybe going to town is not as bad, as I always thought.

Antara smiled to him, and gave him a soft nudge "Yeah, I had fun too" she answered gently, but of course she was lying "I mean...hehe you can hit really well with the ladies" Antara conforted her brother.

"Really?!" Asked Mountaineer

"You could be so popular, real popular!" Antara smirked

"Even more than JT?!" Mountaineer asked in exitement

"Uh NO!" Antara exclaimed "No one like JT Mountain...no one like him heh" Antara blushed tenderly to herself, anything new, it always happened when JT came to her mind. 

Antara would had started a fantasy in her mind if she wasn't interrupted by loud exclaims and squeals of joy from Erinn and Mihaella at the door.

Both siblings were on their way to Nome, even if Mountaineer still looked nervous, there was a hint of exitement in his eyes. 

"Hello!" A fluffy beige female stood by, her expression bright and full of exitement.

"Oh...hi Muffy" Antara said.

"Oh yeah hi!" Muffy's attention turned to the larger male figure "Oh Mountain!" she exclaimed

"Err hi..." Mountaineer spoke in a whisper. Muffy started a talk

Antara frowned at the sight of both dogs, she never really liked Muffy. She was always friendly with her brother, but then she and Antara never spoke in a friendly way. And if there was a topic she loved to discuss, it was about Mountaineer.

"Oh Antara?" 

"What Muffy" Antara replied in a stern manner. 

"Oh Antara can I please take Mountain for a walk?" Muffy asked while she glomped Antara's brother, making him blush nervously and whimpered. Antara saw the uneasy expression in his eyes.

"Muffy, I already had planned to go for a walk with Mountaineer I-"

"Oh please" Muffy smiled, while nuzzling Mountaineer's muzzle. Antara's brother blushed, but this time he didn't look scared, he shyly smiled to Muffy.

Antara forced her jaws in irritation, she was angry how Muffy nuzzled her brother. As far as she was concerned, Muffy was more than five years older than Mountaineer.

It's ok Antara" the voice wasn't Muffy's, it came from her brother "I really don't mind"

"B-b-b-b-b-b-b-but Mountain I-" Antara tried to speak.

"He said it's fine" Muffy smiled, tenderly nuzzling Mountaineer again, her brother shivered a bit, but smiled pleasantly.

Antara let out a sight, she was speechless and angry.

"I take that as a yes, let's go Mountain!" Muffy squealed and in less than a second she dashed away. Mountaineer casted an uneasy glance to Antara, tail between his legs.

"It's ok" Antara casted a faint smile "Go with her"

Mountaineer let a nod, and ran after the beige husky. Antara was left alone...looking at where they were heading.

"Well well..." a sadistic snicker made Antara turn her head to the left, her damp blue eyes met with a piercing green and an icy yellow.

"Gibson..." Antara whispered in annoyance "So the rat had to eventually come out of the garbage" she then defiantly smirked.

"Don't flatten yourself, you idiot" Gibson retorted "So...I see your brother is out for girls" He smiled

"No he's not!" Antara snapped "Muffy...is just a friend"

"A friend" Gibson chuckled "A friend with benefits then"

"You are disgusting" Antara snapped again "How can you think of that stuff".

"Antara, your brother may be a sissy, but don't forget he's a male" Gibson then smiled maliciously "I get the feeling he is gonna have some fun with her soon" He casted a smirk to Antara, eyeing her body with detail "You should be having fun too, Antara" he then licked Antara's muzzle.

 Antara snarled viciously as a sudden reacction, making Gibson back some steps away.

"Reconsider it Antara" he gave a final smile as he darted away, getting out of sight. 

Antara flattened her fur "How can creatures like that guy exist ugh!"

"Antara...?" A soft femine voice made Antara look behind, it was Soutwinder "Wow I didn't know it was you, you have growwn so much"

"South!" Antara squealed "What brings you here?"

"Ah...I decided to pay you guys a visit, I saw Charles and Amelieh at home" She spoke seriosly "Mihaella was there too...I knew you were gonna be out...but, where's Mountaineer?"

Antara rolled her eyes.

"Well I'm surprised" Sothwinder exclaimed "It's great for him"

Antara told Muffy what happened today, and even bits from previous days.

"Muffy?!" Southwinder was astonished "She is way older than him!"

"I know!" Antara exclaimed 

"However...if they are happy toguether..."

"South, she's old enough to be our mother!" Antara exclaimed.

"Well, Jonesy's mate is also older than him" Southwinder said

"Ashes is different" Antara explained.

"Muffy isn't a bad person and you know it"

"It's just..." Antara said "What if they..."

"I don't think Mountaineer is stupid" Southwinder gently conforted her sister "You worry too much Antara, I think you are afraid to be left mateless. There will be someone for you, I'm pretty sure" Soutwinder said as she started to leave.

"Where are you going South!" Antara exclaimed 

"With Nathan" Southwinder giggled "He must be waiting for me"

Antara stood there, completely alone.

The following days were a nuisance to Antara, it was something eventual that Mountaineer sterted to leave the house on his own. Antara knew where was he going, but she played dumb, it was to painful for her. Even JT sometimes realized Antara's downs in her usual cheerful mood.

One night Mountaineer wasn't home, Antara wasn't the only worried.

"Dear, where's you brother?"Amelieh asked

"I wish I'd knew" Antara replied sofly "I can look for him"

"It's too late hun, it's dark already" Amelieh replied worried

"I'll be just fine" Antara reasurred her mom "I'll be back"

The husky hesitated, but eventually greeted her daughter with a nuzzle "Please be careful, will you?"

"Take care hun" Charles replied from his place.

"Do skoro, chao*!" Mihaella squealed at Antara.

As Antara left the house, she searched everywhere. Muffy wasn't home, Antara's worries came true. She had searched every alley, every front poch. Everywhere, exept one place; The boiler room.

The idea of visiting the boiler room gave Antara the shivers. She knew what some couples did at night. As she aproached the place, she slowly sneaked her face. Her heart loudly started beating her eyes widened, she froze at the sight.

"What..the...hell!" Antara loudly screamed.

Mountaineer and Muffy had to separate finding their act interrupted.

"Mountaineer...Muffy" Antara still trembling "What have you DONE!"

"A-a-a-antara w-w-what b-b-" Mountaineer was too nervous to speak.

"I can explain Antara....It's not"

"Oh shut up" Antara sarcastically snapped "Don't tell me it wasn't that. I saw what I needed to see" 

"B-b-but" Mountaineer tried to speak again, but Antara interrupted him with a glare.

"What was in your mind when you decided to get with this senile old-" 

"We are in love!" Muffy interrupted Antara 

"Love?" Antara kept her sarcastic tone "Muffy don't make me laugh" 

"Yes Antara... Me and Mountaineer are in love, a powerfull love than can't be broken, we can't deny our feeling for eachother!" Tears started runin through Muffy's eyes "Our love is unbreakable, not even the ugliest blizzard can tear it off. Mountaineer is whole life now, away from him...makes me anxious and sad. Me and Mountaineer belong toguether, and I'll love him until my heart stops beating. Because we are in-!" 

"Aww shut up, you talk to much" Antara snapped, her eyes balzing.

"Can't you see our love" Muffy exclaimed

"All is see is an old lady getting with my brother!" Antara's behavior grew more violent by every word Muffy said "You two-faced little-".

"D-d-don't speak to Muffy like that!" Mountaineer snarled

Antara looked at her brother in disbelief "What?!"

"You heard me...leave my mate alone!" Mountaineer took an agressive pose.

Antara was shocked, but didn't put an end to her violent behavior.

"You see Antara" This time Muffy was smiling "Seems like Mountain chose me over you"

"I WON'T ALLOW IT!" Antara's snarl turned into a roar, as she lunged at the fluffy female. Her jaws grabbed something, it wasn't Muffy, but Mountaineer.

"How dare you get in the way!" Antara snarled, grabbing her brother by the scruff. Shaking her brother violently, Mountaineer just whimpered in fear. Antara has never been so violent. The smaller female stood there, still with Mountaineer's neck between her jaws. She started to loosen her grip, slowly backing away. Mountaineer stood up still shoocked and scared.

"Theres no way I can kill my own brother...!" Antara angrilly sobbed at Mountaineer, and she stood there sobbing incomprehensibly.

"Antara..." Mountaineer mumbled at the image, Antara who before looked violent, now looked so pityful and in despair.

"Why...why does it have to end like this...idiot...imbecile....damn! Antara spoke and cursed between sobs.

"Maybe we should leave hun" Muffy whispered to Mountain, a glimpse of pity in her voice.

They left Antara crying there, completely alone.

TO BE CONTINUED...OBVIOUSLY!

Dobró utro - Good Morning

dóbər den- Good Afternoon

obícham te- Love you

Chao- Bye (informal) 

Zdrasti - hello (informal)

Do skoro, chao - See ya later