Run.

Iron ran, his chest heaving with the effort. His tan fur bristled in the winter winds, and as he ran, his tail waved in the sky, even though it was curled.

"Hey, speed up, Iron!" An impatient fae shouted from behind him.

The husky rolled his eyes. "We'll get there soon enough, Mags, it's not too far away. Look, I can even see it!"

The lead dog smirked and ran harder, pressing his team to go just a bit further. He knew Maggie was anxious about getting to Nome early. Everyone was.

The dogs had come back from a delivery trip. They came from Nome, Alaska, to Juneau, the capital. It was a long trip, and the dogs had missed their homes.

Like soldiers coming back from the military, the sled dogs would be treated with the utmost respect upon their return. They were delivering supplies, so of course they were thanked. Iron smiled as he even thought back to females stopping him on the street, asking him if he wanted to "hang with them in the boiler room". He chuckled aloud at this.

"Hey!" Maggie exclaimed behind him, "We're here!"

Iron's chest swelled with pride as he entered the town, seeing the beach first, and the beached ship. He ran harder now, and the team yipped out of pure joy. They, too, ran much harder than expected.

Too hard.

Maggie was pushed by Hunter behind her, and, of course, Iron was pushed ahead, too, and soon found himself skidding on his backside into the town. Not a very graceful entrance.

Iron found his feet in time, just as the humans and dogs peered out from their homes. At this time, the musher, Mark, yelled the command for them to halt, and the dogs skidded on their paws to a stop.

Iron's tongue lolled out of his mouth as he panted, and he smiled widely as the town dogs crowded around him, bringing up piles of the winter slush that lay undisturbed-well, until now-on the ground.

"Iron! Oh, you're so strong!"

"Iron!"

"Iron!"

The muscular husky kneaded the ground with his paws as the rapid voices called him, mostly the females. He looked up and smiled as best as he could, and mustered to say, "Thanks, all of you. But I couldn't have done it without my team."

Mark got off of the sled and unhitched the dogs. He patted Iron on the head gently, shaking hands with other humans who had gathered near them. Iron accepted rubs and pats while they congratulated them on a good delivery.

A crimson dog came running through the crowd, a smile on his face. Iron smiled as he recognized Gunner, one of his best friends. Around his crimson-furred neck was his usual red bandana, tied just enough so it hung loosely on his neck.

"Where's Maggie?" the husky asked impertinently, his tail wagging as fast as it could.

"Gunner!" The female ran to her mate and nuzzled him, and Iron smiled at the two. They were lucky to have one another.

Iron broke away from the group, ready to have a good night's rest in his favorite spot; a warm blanket in the boiler room. Not too many dogs went there, and if they did, they'd take a corner and gossip or do their own business. Iron was usually too much in a deep sleep to care about the build up of noise form dogs talking, and he chuckled at this as he entered the warm building.

The red blanket lay where it usually did, right near the fire. He yawned, stretching his paws and spine out, muscles contracting as he did so.

Iron laid on the blanket, letting the scents of it drift him to sleep.

***

"I disagree, Father. We can't steal from other packs, it's not right. Plus, spring is nearly here, and the caribou will come back."

Aniu lifted her chin boldly as she stated this, countering her packmate, Nanook's, statement. The black male lifted his brow questioningly, but said nothing to his superior. The white female lashed her tail as her father looked at her with unblinking red eyes.

"Good counter, Aniu," the Alpha said, his grizzled white coat matching his daughter's, "but Nanook is right. The caribou will come back, but until then we need..." he pondered the word, furrowing his brow, "...help from the other packs, unless you have another idea."

Aniu flattened her black-tipped ears, defeated. She looked at her father with narrowed eyes. "But stealing is against our beliefs, even if we're desperate," she said defiantly, hearing scowls from around the large cave, "and we cannot change our ways just because we're getting a little bit thinner."

"I agree, Aniu. The packs have a pact to not steal from eachother, lest there be a war between the packs. We do not need this, we're weak enough without as much food. Risking wars for a few bites of rabbit isn't worth it."

Aniu smiled and tipped her head to Nava, the tan male who backed her decision. "Thank you, Nava," she said, and she made her voice louder as she looked at the pack, "stealing is wrong. Can't you all see?"

The wolves looked to one another, disbelief in their eyes. Aniu looked to her father hopefully, but the male just turned his head away.

Looking to his daughter, Kuman said, "Unless you have another idea as to where we get our food, Aniu, we must get our food elsewhere-from other packs."

Aniu's fur bristled, she was stubborn to keep the pact with the other packs sacred and true. Defeated once more by her father, she looked away from the iron stare from other pack members. Nava touched his tail to her shoulder in a signal of friendship, and Aniu calmed down.

"I'm leaving," she said to Nava, "I cannot stand this wrong doing." The white fae got to her feet, and left from the huge cave, tail lashing furiously.

Aniu reached her den, kicked away the snow that had gathered in front of it, and squeezed inside. She curled into her nest, wanting to be alone as she slept.

***

Iron awoke from his long slumber to a lightened boiler room. Shaking his head of the drowsiness, he got to his feet and sat on his haunches, observing the place. Gunner and Maggie were asleep in one corner, and a few dogs who were there when he fell asleep were now gone.

He stood up now, feeling as if he should run. He always ran. It gave him lots of time to think, and some time to keep to himself without being disturbed by girls.

Heading to the beach outside of town, Iron's big paws tingled with the change from warm, wooden floor to the cold, outdoor stone of the street. He trotted briskly, but seeing doors opening and wanting to be unseen, he broke into a run.

His breath was a mist of white before his eyes as he neared the boat. Smiling, he decided to head to the woods beyond the known outskirts of Nome. Of course, he knew it-he'd been spending a week there with his team, heading back-so he knew how to get back. At least, he hoped he knew.

A rush of air and a prick of pines underfoot came as he entered the dark forest. Pine trees were abundant, and streaks of light from gaps in the trees made the ground shine.

The perfect place for keeping unseen and hidden, Iron thought.

A flash of white came at Iron's right. He swiveled in his step, sliding a little. He skidded on the snow, but regained his footing.

"Who's there?" He said gruffly, puffing his fur, as if to seem bigger. Inside, he was scared, but he wouldn't let that show.

A growl came from behind him. "Foolish dog, this is wolf territory..."

***

Aniu curled her lip at the sight of the dog. Smells of humans were thick on it, as was the smell of food. She raised her chin curiously, her teeth still bared.

"Well? Are you leaving yet?" She persisted the dog. Male, she could also tell from the scent, and he was around a lot of dogs. Especially females. Aniu wrinkled her nose.

The dog turned around, and Aniu could see his face.

Where he was standing, the light shone perfectly on his brown/tan fur. His hazel eyes shone brilliantly with the light as well. His face had a mix of bravery and fear on it, and Aniu laughed aloud. He was afraid of her. Afraid! Of HER! Most males wouldn't think twice about her, let alone pay attention to her.

"Umm...er..."

"Speak if you have a tongue for it!" Aniu snapped as the husky stuttered. She smiled inwardly as she remembered her father saying exactly that to her once.

The husky shook his head. "I had no idea wolves were here. My team went through here yesterday-we didn't see any wolves."

Aniu rolled her eyes, not understanding such "teams". Maybe such things were similar to packs, but she would never know.

"That's because you need to use what you were born with, prey-brain. Nose. Ears. You know, the things you sniff and hear with?"

The husky shrugged and rolled his own eyes visibly. "I'll just get out of your way, alright? You can forget about me now, okay?"

Aniu looked after him, then scenting food on him, she stopped him with a gruff bark of, "Wait."

"What? Are you going to humiliate me more? Or make me seem stupid?"

Aniu shook her head and laughed harshly. "Fortunately for you, no. I have to ask you of something, dog."

The dog looked interested for a minute as he raised a brow. "I'm listening."

She smirked. "I can scent on your fur that you have access to food, am I right?"

The dog nodded.

"If you want to roam these woods, give me meat. My pack is in need of food, we're starving. The only other option is stealing from other packs, and that's against our beliefs-well, against mine-are you up for it?"

The dog smiled. "I thought you looked a bit skinny. Yeah, sure, I'll do it. And by the way-my name's Iron, not 'dog'."

Aniu smirked. "My gratitude goes to you, Iron. I am Aniu, daughter of Kuman and Evyn."

Iron visibly relaxed, his tail curling. As if knowing Aniu's name really helped him. But that didn't matter. The pack wouldn't have to steal, and that alone made Aniu happy. She promised him rights of freedom, on the farthest area of their territory! Who would notice him there?

"Alright, I've got to go, Aniu. If you want meat, you've got it." Iron ran off, his tail curled and his legs pumping.

Aniu smiled a bit now, and thought, For a dog, he is quite handsome.

***

Iron stopped running and rounded the corner near the Butcher Shop.

I can't believe I'm doing this, but that wolf was starving. I couldn't just LEAVE her. And, she was beautiful...

Iron smiled as he saw geese hanging from the side of the building, plucked and plump. He just had to get a running start...

Iron backed up, then ran full-on. Leaped. Jaws hit flesh, and he pulled the goose down.

Footsteps came from the inside of the building. Iron could hear them from the window. Sure enough, the butcher's head was in the window.

"Hey! Stealin' my meats, eh?" He had a rather large knife in his hand, and the scent of meat drifted off of him.

"Get outta here, dog! SCRAM!"

Iron ran, the goose dragging along beside him. He smiled, liking the fact of being in trouble. He found it very amusing.

Entering the forest, he saw Aniu sitting down, eyeing him.

"I've brought you goose. It's plucked and everything, so you don't have to do it yourself. Enjoy."

Aniu smiled and took the goose from his muzzle, her lips and nose touching his for a moment. Iron blushed, and Aniu dropped the goose at her feet.

"I really want to thank you. This'll feed most of the pack...thank you."

Iron looked away, but Aniu put her face close to his. "And, umm...I wanted also to say that you're not as bad as I thought you were. And...you're handsome, for a husky."

She licked his cheek in a kiss, and Iron just melted. He stuttered in a silly voice, and he felt as if his legs were made of jelly.

"N-no p-problem, Aniu. Any ti-time."

Aniu laughed breezily, took the goose in her jaws, and sped off, leaving Iron, head over heels, at the edge of the forest. The husky laughed aloud giddily, then headed home, thoughts of white wolves dancing around him.

***

Aniu smirked with the goose in her jaws, giggling as Nanook stared at her in disbelief when she came into view. His large jaws were parted wide, and he croaked, obviously too speechless to speak.

The pack congratulated the female, and Aniu let the plump goose lie down in the snow before speaking.

"I just...found it lying around. Must've been prey, or something to another wolf or animal. They even plucked it for us! And now we don't have to steal from other packs, isn't it great?"

Aniu's smile faded as her father stepped in from the crowd, his white pelt bristling a bit and his nose quivering keenly.

"Smells like humans, Aniu," Kuman growled softly, "and you smell of dog."

"Yes," Nanook said proudly, growling at Aniu with contempt. "They're trying to poison us with this meat!"

Aniu whipped her tail and growled in her own defense. "If it were poisoned, I would've died already, father. And its better than nothing. You can't just pass up this opportunity for a free meal!"

Kuman lifted his teeth, but let it be. He flicked his tail, and took a bite from the bird, his long fangs glinting and his eyes dominant to anyone who stepped close to the meal. When his share was over, Aniu stepped forward and grabbed a wing, dragging it away so she and Nava could share it.

In her den, the two wolves ate hungrily, and a shine of joy came to the tan male's eyes.

"You know what you've done for the pack? We don't have to steal, and we can go on for another week now, with this in our bellies."

Aniu smiled and licked her jaw of juice from the meat. Humans had seasoned it, made it taste sharper, like herbs. She nodded to Nava and rolled onto her back, exposing her belly.

"Wanna know how I really got it?"

Nava smirked, a hint of mock surprise in his eyes. The male knew her so well he could tell that she'd been lying.

"Yeah. You met a dog, right? You smell like it."

Aniu nodded. "His name was Iron."

Nava must've seen the far-away look in her eyes, and he chuckled softly. "Seems as if this Iron is more than just a friend."

Aniu, now sitting on her haunches, narrowed her eyes at her friend and glared at him. Not being able to stay mad at him, she pushed him gently with her nose. "He's just a dog. An aquaintance, nothing more. He just showed an act of kindness, which I'm grateful for."

Nava smirked a little, but left it at that. The two wolves ate and enjoyed eachother's company for the night.

The next morning, Aniu awakened before dawn. She stood, padding around Nava so he wouldn't awaken, and crept outside.

She headed for the human town, a wide smirk on her face. The pack would be full again today.

Aniu arrived in the town, seeing that the streets were empty. She flattened her ears and sniffed deeply with her nose. The scent of meat was drifting from a corner of the town, and she tracked it down to a large building with geese and other meat stripped around the outside.

It's like they're going to give it to us! she thought with a chuckle, and leaned against the side, her long body easily reaching the leg of some large animal. Aniu gripped it in her jaws and headed out the way she came.

The leg dragged against the snow, collecting frost. Aniu lifted her head and broke into a run, her tail high. She smirked at the buildings passing by, and thought of how stupid the humans were for leaving their meat out of reach. No wolf would dare do that! She laughed rather loudly and sped up, aware of lights turning on behind her as the humans wakened.

In the safety of the forest, Aniu dropped the meat for a minute and licked her jaws. She shook her fur and picked the meat up in her jaws again, and headed to her den-site.

Dropping it in the middle of the site, she walked back to the forest. She yawned, her jaws outstretched wide, and sat down.

CRAAAACK! Aniu spun around, her tail lashing.

"Who's there?" she snarled viciously.

A figure lept at her, and Aniu prepared herself for a blow...

***

Iron stopped ion his tracks, his head high. He sniffed deeply and turned his head from side to side. Bear scent was strong in the wind.

His fur bristled on his shoulders as he heard a yelp. The meat between his jaws dropped to the forest floor below.

He ran to the noise. It now had gotten to a sound of snarls and a series of thuds. He saw, outstretched on the winter snow, Aniu. Her white fur was now bloody, and her eyes were shut. One leg was twisted awkwardly, and some fur was missing on her flank.

The bear stood over her, large paws in the air as if it were ready to pound down on Aniu's body. Iron crouched down, muscles bunched, and leapt at the unprotected nose of the bear, his fangs clenched on the delicate flesh.

"RrrrrOWR!!!!" the bear screeched at the unexpected attack. It swatted at Iron, and one paw connected with his waist and threw him aside. He skidded in the snow and regained balance before the bear pounded his paws down at the snow where he had been standing.

Iron bit into the bear's paw and tugged. Hard. The bear lost balance and fell over. Iron snarled and spat out crimson blood. He pounced onto the bear's stomach and bit into it's neck, only so much that it got to its feet and retreated.

Aniu groaned slightly and stirred from her place.

Iron ran to her and sniffed her fur, seeing no serious wounds, but a big loss of blood.

"Aniu?"

A groan was his reply. He took her in his gentle mouth and slung her over his shoulders. "It's alright, I'll take you somewhere safe."

And so he ran toward the only safe place he knew: the boat on the outskirts of Nome.

An abandoned room on the boat was where he laid her, on top of a dusty blanket in the corner. He licked her muzzle gently.

"Aniu, wake up. Please."

The white wolf opened an eye groggily and flicked an ear. "...Iron? What happened to the bear...?...Where am I?"

"It's all right, Aniu, you're in a safe place now. It's called a boat."

Aniu lifted her head slowly. "Thanks for helping me...y'know, back there."

Iron blushed, but hid it as he licked her wounds. "No problem. Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

***

Aniu shook her pelt and looked up at Iron, who had sat on the deck of the boat. She couldn't thank him enough for cleaning her wounds, and of course saving her life. She had grown to admire him a lot.

She blushed when he turned to look at her. Maybe, yes...it had grown to more than admiration...

Aniu shook her head to clear it. Such foolish giddiness should be saved for the other huskies that swooned over Iron. She knew there were many, he had told her.

"Aniu?"

Iron was looking at her. Aniu turned red when she noticed she'd been staring at him as she thought.

"Yeah?" She said, trying not to sound too taken away.

Iron smirked. "Nothing. It's just...news around town is that the northern lights are showing tonight, and I was wondering if, uh...you'd like to see them with me?" His eyes were pleading. As if Aniu needed to be begged.

"Sure-I mean-uh, yeah, why not?" Her effort to sound casual almost made herself laugh.

Iron smiled and turned away, and Aniu heard him sigh. She giggled to herself, and looked out to the sky. The sun was setting.

"I'm going to take a walk. My legs need a good stretch." Aniu got to her feet and limped out, holding a paw up as she walked along the sandy beach.

***

Soon the moon rose high in the sky, and Aniu retreated to the boat, her tail wagging. Iron waited near the boat, his tail wagging slightly.

"I know where we can get the best view," he said, his eyes bright with determination. He wanted to impress her.

Aniu smiled and let him lead her into town. "Just stay low," he advised, "the humans won't notice, neither will the other dogs."

She hoped so. Iron came to a large human's building, a shack almost. Heat radiated from the door. Iron nudged the door open with his nose. He held it open with his shoulder, and held out his paw in a gesture for her to enter.

"After you."

Aniu laughed a bit and walked in, her body lowered, ready for what was next. Iron padded in after her, the sound of his claws on the floor audible.

"This way."

He led her to a tunnel, rather small in size. The both of them were able to squeeze in, but they remained close to eachother. Aniu smiled awkwardly.

"I thought the northern lights were outside," Aniu whispered to him, bristling as his tail touched hers.

Iron smirked. "You'll see, Aniu," he walked ahead of her, giving her a bit of room. "It's just up ahead."

Aniu was confused, but kept following the husky.

An opening in the tunnel relieved her, and she stepped ahead, thinking she'd be outside. But she was in a rather large opening, a stream of light coming in from a vent in the ceiling. The reek of humans pricked Aniu's nose and he whipped around to face Iron.

"Are you crazy? We're practically inside a human den!" She hissed.

Iron chuckled. "They're called houses," he said, pointing with his muzzle to the vent, "that's where my human lives, Mark. He's very kind, and he trained me to run and be a sled dog."

Aniu wrinkled her nose, but said no more about that matter.

"So, when are we going to see the northern lights?"

Iron smiled at her question and walked off into the darkness. "Right now."

Aniu heard a tinkling noise, and found Iron pushing broken bottles and glass of all colors towards the light.

"Pretend that these," he grunted, arranging them neatly, "are the polar ice caps. And that," he gestured to the lamp above, "is the sun. Now all I gotta do is push them a little further..."

A burst of color came onto the wall. Aniu gasped and smiled widely, her eyes shining with every color as though she wanted to keep them in.

"Iron..." she whispered.

He smiled silently. "Yeah, I know. And the real thing's even better."

Aniu shook her head, her jaws agape slightly. She had thought this was it...what could really be more beautiful?

"It's this way," Iron prompted gently, walking ahead of Aniu. The tunnels, she now realized, led outside as well. A slight breeze of cool air blew to her fur, ruffling it softly. Iron looked back at her, golden eyes alight. He smiled, stepping outside.

"Only a bit further," he murmured, stepping aside so she could walk out. He looked to the sky, pausing a moment. He flicked his tail, as if dismissing a thought, and moved on.

The two passed through the town of Nome, which had now grown quiet. Most of the humans were asleep, Aniu knew, and that alone made her fur lie flat on her back.

Iron was now leading her out of town, but in a different direction. Hills dappled this side, and Iron walked easier. They were almost there.

They climbed one of the tallest hills, and by then colors of the Aurora Borealis had spilled across the black sky. Green, crimson, and blue were mingled in together, and as the two sat down their breath was taken away. Iron sighed softly as Aniu leaned on him, and they both smiled, enjoying the warmth of each others fur.

Aniu looked up at Iron to find him looking at her. Their eyes met, and for a moment it wasn't the Aurora Borealis that quickened their hearts. Iron nuzzled Aniu gently, and they found themselves closer together than they had been.

Aniu licked Iron's cheek, and she buried her nose in his chest fur. "I love you," she heard him murmur as he rested his chin on her neck. Aniu was taken aback, of course she felt the same way, but it still made her heart leap. She drew her face close to his. "I love you, too, Iron."

***

Iron was awakened by a streak of light shining in his face. He stretched, and for a moment he forgot where he was-until he saw Aniu laying close to him, a smile still visible on her lips.

Iron licked Aniu's fur gently, as not to disturb her, and watched her until her eyes fluttered open. They had a dreamy, loving look upon them. Her face was glowing, bright with pure joy.

"Good morning," she said quite groggily, rolling onto her back and stretching out her legs into the air. Iron smiled even wider and replied with the same. He had just noticed he was still on the hill, and he furrowed his brow.

"Let's go back to the boat," he suggested. When Aniu gave him a flirtatious look, he blushed. "I mean, if the humans are going to wake up, we should get out of here before they do-they're not the biggest fan of wolves."

Aniu's face changed, but the glimmer in her eyes was still there as they walked together. Iron kept a hold of her by twining his tail with hers, and she seemed to like that, pressing herself against his flank gently.

***

Weeks Later...

Iron and Aniu were laying in the small captains' quarters, wrapped in the crimson blanket as snow fell silently outside. Iron kept Aniu close to him, as if the white snow, so like her, would whisk her away. Her silver eyes glittered as the snow danced around them.

"Don't you love snow?" Aniu said suddenly, softly.

Iron snorted a laugh through his nose. "If it was warm, I would."

Aniu grinned. "I mean, it's beautiful, the complete gentleness of it. And it's so frail that when you touch it, it melts." She looked over to Iron. "Sometimes I feel that way. Frail, you know? Like you just wanna-"

"Dissapear." The both of them said it together.

"Yeah," Iron understood, nodding. "When everyone pays attention to me, I don't like it. I mean, at first I really did, but now I just really want space. I want to be free to do whatever I want for a change."

Aniu nuzzled him and buried her muzzle in his neck fur. "Try being the Alpha's daughter," she groaned. "My father wants me to be perfect. He's shaping me to be this strict, stern leader that I don't want to be. It makes me sick." Her mind flashed back to when they were fighting over the loss of prey.

"He's probably worried to death now," she said, "he must've sent the whole pack after me." She laughed harshly. "It's probably the only time he's ever thought only about me."

Iron comforted her with a soft lick. "He cares about you, that's all," he said, "when I was starting out as a sled-dog, I was just a pup. I tripped up a lot, and some of the older dogs teased me. Once, I got so angry that I bit one of them. Our owner, Mark, was mad that I had bit another dog, so he punished me. But that doesn't mean that he's not a good person."

Aniu wrinkled her nose. "True, but you don't know my father."

Iron chuckled. "No, I don't. But I have a feeling I'll have to meet him."

"Why?"

"Well, one of these days you'll have to-"

"Go back?" Aniu inquired, cutting him off. Before he could answer, she shook her head. "I can't! Do you know what my father, not to mention my pack, would think if I told them that I was mate to a dog? He'd cut me off from being Alphess!"

"But he's looking for you!" Iron whispered, "he's going to search everywhere, you know that? He knows that you go into Nome. He's going to send the pack there if you don't return!"

"He's not stupid, Iron, he wouldn't-"

"If he's desperate, he will."

Aniu looked defeated. She sighed heavily and shook her head again. "But...but I can't go back..." She lowered her head to her paws. Her silver eyes reflected a feeling of shame.

"Why, Aniu?"

Iron waited for her answer, and finally, Aniu whispered in a low, almost inaudible voice, "Because...because I'm pregnant."