The Lyrics 'I do it for You' are (C) to Bryan Adams.
Balto felt his heart racing with fear as he watched Jenna cry on the floor just a few feet away from him.
"Jenna, please, I'm sorry. It was stupid of me... I'm sorry.."
Balto knew the words were meaningless; he really had done it this time.
"Jenna? I'm..."
But the next thing she said made his heart break.
"Balto, leave me alone!"
He, Balto, had never heard such anger in her voice and for a moment it even stopped shaking. Balto bowed his head and said. "As you wish."
Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
All Balto could feel was guilt, white hot painful guilt. It tore at his insides and it hurt him, but he knew he had hurt her. He hoped he had just shocked her badly but what if he had hurt her, on the inside? He never wanted to hurt her, never, and he never had, untill now?
"Jenna...!" he whispered, his voice filled with anguish.
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Balto reached his boat and fell on the deck with distress. He had to make it up to her, he loved her, he cared about her, but what if she didn't except the apology?
She had every right not to.
He sighed and crawled under his blanket and fell into an uneasy sleep.
Bal and Jenna had only know each other for a little while and he had only come back with the medicine a week ago and he and Jenna had gone to Star's place to celebrate his return tonight because during the week Balto had caught a case of cold.
And after that Balto was at her place for the night. He had made a horrible mistake.
He knew it was wrong because by the time they got there the drink's affect had worn off but left him a little groggy, Balto had done something he shouldn't have ever done, but she had allowed it. He hadn't been drunk so what was the answer? They had both been very tired...
Balto felt tears leaking down his face.
Oh what on Earth had he done!?
Look into your heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
He moved about a bit trying to forget what he had done. He had made her cry though, but about what? What had he done to make her cry?
But then again, she had been acting odd all day... what was going on?!
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
The next morning, Boris was mopping the deck again.
"Oi, Boy chick, where are you?!" he called.
"Balto?"
Balto's muzzle was sticking out from the blanket he slept under.
"Balto?" Boris said, walking over to him.
The Goose pulled off the blanket and saw Balto who looked very depressed, he looked like a man/dog that had died but didn't know it. "Oi, Balto, are you Okay?" he asked, his voice was softer this time.
"No, I feel like garbage..."
"Why? Come talk to Boris, you haven't talked to me in a while anyway."
Balto sighed and sat up, wanting so hard to confide in his friend.
"Boris... Last night I.. I made a mistake, with Jenna... I think I hurt her, badly..."
Boris blinked. "What happened..." but then understanding dawned in his face. "Oh, that kind of mistake... I wish I could help you, Balto... did you...?"
"I don't know but I would never touch any part of her unless it was nuzzling or licking! I mean I kind of bit her a little but she said it was OK, and I know when and when not to cross the line! I thought you knew that!" Balto spat, he didn't know where his anger came from. "I know what she meant by 'OK'! She'd allow me to lick her and maybe nip her on the neck but nowhere sensitive! I know where the border line is!" Balto yelled.
Boris raised his eyebrows. "You don't need to yell... Balto?"
Balto had tears in his eyes as he turned away from him. "What did I do wrong? What if I bit too hard?! What if I did something unconsciously without any thought?" Boris put his wing on his shoulder and gently patted him on the back.
"Balto, I know you didn't do any of that, you’re not the kind of dog that would ever hurt Jenna! You wouldn't even think about it, I know that. Maybe it’s just a little too early when she's ready she'll let you know."
Balto sniffed a little and looked at Boris. "I don't think she'll ever talk to me."
"But how do you know? She might not even be angry with you!"
"I think she is and, to tell you the truth, I'm afraid of the answer..."
"Well go tell her that your sorry."
"What if she doesn't accept it?"
"Give her something that will--"
"I'm not going to try to get her to like me again, because I don't deserve it. I think a simple 'I'm sorry' will do and then I'll let her decide on the rest."
Balto stood up and began walking away. "Thanks, Boris!"
Boris blinked. "What did I do?"
Balto forced himself through town, he didn't think he deserved to even walk the ground she walked on, and she was worth so much to him.
The wolf-dog sighed and padded in the direction to Jenna's house. "C'mon, Balto, you've faced Grizzly's and Steele and near death... but then why am I so nervous?!" Balto gulped and walked up the hill.
Jenna's house stood on the outskirts of town and Balto knew, from several visits, that Rosie and her parents were often outside playing with Jenna and Rosie's younger sister named Kelly (made up).
Jenna was not outside today.
This struck Balto as very odd. "Jenna?" Balto called.
"Yes?"
Balto bowed his head and went towards her door. He entered and Jenna looked up. "Balto?" she got up and backed away a little. Balto looked at her and then got down and put his forehead on the floor.
"Jenna, I'm sorry, more than you'll ever know, I swear I never meant to hurt you, I never want to make you cry again, I'm so sorry, Jenna. Please forgive me, please! If you don't I'll understand."
Jenna went over and, to Balto's surprise, nuzzled him. "Balto, I was never upset about you, I just... I'm pregnant.."
Balto gasped.
"What?! What did I do to bring that on?! Jenna..."
Jenna shut her eyes. "Its okay, Balto, you didn't do it. I've been pregnant for a while, in February to be exact. I didn't mean to yell at you last night, but my stomach was swollen and it hurt at times, and unfortunately with all the food I'd eaten I felt really sick. I didn't want you worrying about me and last night I just felt so bad and campy..." Balto went over and nuzzled her sadly.
"Jenna, when are the pups due?"
"Sometime in April."
Balto smiled. "That'll be wonderful, Jenna. So we're halfway trough March..."
Jenna nodded and turned her gaze to him. "It will, Balto, we can finally start a family!" Balto nodded, he felt lightheaded, and it seemed too good to be true.
Outside the house where the family-to-be were talking about what to call the pups and what gender they would be, a figure stood on the hillside watching their conversation.
"Balto's puppies, eh? Not good... oh well, they won't be with those pups for long.."
Balto was resting in the living room, his head on his paws his eyes flickered open and a smile came on his face. All he could think about was the word Puppies.
Balto padded into the kitchen to get a drink of water when he heard Jenna barking. "Jenna? What is it?" Balto called. Jenna answered. "Balto, did Rosie and her parents leave already?'
"Yeah I think so, Jen."
"Okay."
Balto sighed and walked into the living room, the TV. was on Rosie's parents left it on so the dogs wouldn't be bored when they left.
Balto wondered if they knew about Jenna.
"Jenna, does your family know?"
"Yes, they do."
"Ah, good." Balto muttered.
The Husky next to him sighed and put her head on her paws. "When should you be taken to the vet?" "This Tuesday if the pain gets worse."
The brown wolf dog nodded. "Hey, if you’re up to it, would you like to take a walk down to the beach?"
Jenna nodded. "That would be nice." "Let's go then!"
An hour later Balto and Jenna sat on the beach, watching the sunset. "I loved going here, when I was little," Balto told her. "it made me feel good and I loved hearing the waves lapping against the shore. I also liked chasing gulls that would try and take what little food I had left. I got into a squabble with them and that’s when Boris found me. Hah, I didn't trust him at first but when he started taking care of me and didn't beat me..."
Jenna looked shocked. "What?!" "Forget it! I didn't say--" "You were beaten!?
Balto shook his head quickly. Jenna gave him a look. "Balto...."
Balto sighed. "When I was a puppy, my Father would gang up on me and beat me when my mother wasn't around. But then she came home one rainy night during a good hard beating session but... but... during the fight my mother was...." Balto shut his eyes tight.
"Daddy, no please, stop!"
Young Balto was thrown into the wall of the shed where he and his family lived. "Shut up, you little brat! I told you didn't I?! I told you to be home before sunset and to have food with you! Now I need to get it myself!"
"Daddy, please, don't hurt Mommy, don't hurt Mommy because I messed up! Please don't...!!"
"Your precious 'Mommy' has got worse in store for her!"
(When I was just a pup, my father beat up on my mother and I because she wouldn't give him a daughter. She refused to have another puppy because he killed all of them... all except me. Because my mother was there to help me! But one night she left and I was out of the house, she went to look for me and my father had sent me out of the house to get food. Unfortunately, I had been unsuccessful.)
The yelling and howling was loud enough to raise the dead.
The door to the shed suddenly began shaking as someone banged on it from the outside. "Kevin! Open the door! Leave Balto alone! Open the door! Open the door! I'm begging of you! You can hurt me all you like, but please, leave Balto alone!!"
Balto's father picked up the Scythe lying on the floor a few feet away from Balto. "No Daddy, don't!" Balto was kicked in the nose and thunder flashed outside as the rain fell harder and harder.
The door was thrown open and the instant it was, Aniu bolted in and stepped in front of Balto protectively. "Balt,. are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Balto shook his head and began crying. Balto wasn't sure why, his mother was here to protect him but... he couldn't stop the tears from running down his face.
"Don't worry, mommy will be here to protect you!" she said, Aniu began snarling and then she lunged at Balto's father. The two began tossing and snarling, blood and spit flying.
Kevin lunged at her and bit deep into her side, throwing her to the floor. "NO!" balto screamed, charging out of the shadows, he grabbed his father by the leg and threw him into the wall. Even as a puppy he was a strong dog.
"Damn you!!" Kevin screamed. Balto leapt and bit into Kevin's muzzle.
"You little sh*t! I'll teach you what happens when you try to fight someone more experienced than yourself!" Kevin threw Balto off.
"BALTO!" Aniu screamed as Kevin grabbed his scythe from the floor and raised it above Balto's small body.
The next second Aniu lunged at Kevin and the scythe sank deep into her ribs. She screamed in agony and fell to the floor. "You...! I'll kill you!!" Kevin screamed. But Aniu sat up and brought the scythe into Kevin's throat. "Crap... crap... CRAP!!!"
Kevin's screams echoed around the whole mountain, piercing the night air..
Kevin looked up, and the gaze he gave Balto was so utterly terrifying that it would have made grown men scream. "I will not accept this..." Kevin whispered and then he fell to the floor.
"Mommy!"
Balto climbed over his father's body and over to his mother. "Mommy, mommy! Wake up, wake up!" Aniu opened her eyes and stared at him. "Balto, my dear son, you must go to the town two miles away from here... there is food... and wonderful places to live, you must go there..."
Balto looked at his mother. "Come with me..." "Balto, you must go north you will find it... promise mommy that you'll go there... promise me..!"
"I promise."
"Good boy..."
Her head hit the floor and the blood that pooled around her marked the fact that she was dead. Balto gasped.
"Mommy...? Mommy! Wake up! You made me promise to go, what’s the point of that if your not going to be with me?! Mommy! Wake up! No... NO! Mommy, mommy! Open your eyes! I can't go without you! Mommy!..." Balto shut his eyes tight as tears rained down his face. "MOMMY!!!"
Balto was sleeping by Jenna's side on the porch at Rosie's house.
He had only told Jenna that his mother was killed because he didn't want to upset her. But everyday he woke up with the same feeling and the same thought in his mind only he hid it, not wanting to upset the people around him.
With a sigh, Balto sat up and looked up at the sky and sighed thinking of a Within Temptation song called Perfect Harmony. He didn't know why he was thinking about it maybe it was because his mother used to sing it too him before his father went berserk.
He went outside and climbed onto the roof using the boxes behind her house. He sat on the roof and stared at the stars. Boris had told him that the stars were fallen friends and family. Balto had liked looking at the stars after that because it made him feel like his mother was closer than she had been after her death.
Balto began to sing.
"In a world so far away
At the end of a closing day
A little child was born and raised
Deep in the forest on a hidden place
Mother never saw his face
Ancient spirits of the forest
Made him king of elves and trees
He was the only human being
Who lived in harmony
In perfect harmony
The woods protected, fulfillled his needs
Fruit by birds, honey by bees
He found shelter under the trees
He grew up in their company
They became his family
A thousand seasons
They passed him by
So many times, have said goodbye
And when the spirits called out his name
To join forever, forever to stay
A forest spirit he became
Ancient spirits of the forest
Made him king of elves and trees
He was the only human being
Who lived in harmony
In perfect harmony."
The lyrics 'Perfect Harmony' are (C) To Within Temptation.
Jenna was resting inside, she seemed peaceful and content she was probably dreaming about the puppies.
The next second a terrible howl broke out.
Jenna began twisting and turning on the floor, in extreme pain. Rosie's mother entered the room and gasped. "John, come quickly, Jenna's having the puppies! They came a month too early!"
John and Rosie entered the room. "Jenna!" Rosie gasped, the young girl went over and began trying to comfort the distressed dog. Balto entered through the dog door. "Jenna?!" he gasped, fear in his eyes as he spotted Jenna on the floor in Rosie's lap.
"John, call the vet, quickly!" Lilly called.
An hour later, Balto found himself in the waiting room of the dog hospital, waiting. His insides twisted with anxiety. Was it possible that Jenna had had the pups too early? Would she die if they came too soon?
The wolf dog began pacing and pacing, round and round the room. Just as nervous as Rosie's family were.
He couldn't take it anymore. He flung himself at the door and bolted into the room.
Jenna was lying in a special kind of bed with a wee-wee pad underneath her. She was tossing and turning, apparently in deep distress. Balto went over and put his nose to hers and whispered. "You’re doing well, Jenna. Its okay, I'm here for you. Don't worry..."
Balto took a deep breath and Jenna nodded and in spite of herself, smiled. "They'll... be...beautiful...Balto..." Balto nodded. "They'll be as beautiful as the stars, more beautiful than the setting sun, just like you..."
Jenna took a deep breath and began grunting with the effort. "That’s it, Jenna..."
After a few efforts’s a tail began to show, than paws, than chest, than face, than ears. Balto felt tears of happiness prick his eyes as the first small pink puppy appeared. "Mommy! Look! Jenna's puppy!" Rosie said.
There were five puppies, the sixth was coming. The seventh surprised Balto. It was a female but she didn't have her mother's coat, she had his fur and ears and body. She looked exactly like him!
"She looks like a wolf...?" No, Balto thought, I didn't want this to happen! I prayed it wouldn't! This is one of the reasons why the town hated me, why my own father hated me...! I won't let her go through the same pain I did when I began getting teased, thrown around, beaten up on... Never again...
Two week later:
Balto was on his way to Jenna's house, there was a bounce in his step and he seemed in a very good mood.
Something moved in the shadows of an alley he passed. The creature stared at him and licked its lips in a sinister manner. "Its almost time!"
Jenna looked up as Balto walked in. The puppies began sniffing around a little. Jenna smiled at him and then looked at the pups. They were already beginning to walk and their eyes had opened last week all five of them had red fur and Jenna's markings (one had Balto's eyes ) but the sixth had Balto's coloring and markings. But one of Balto's sons had teal eyes.
His eyes were the same color as Balto's father, Kevin.
That was what worried him.
Balto shook his head as he remembered his father's glare. No, he was being silly! Whatever his father had done, this pup was innocent and did not have Kevin's blood running through his veins.
Balto looked up and saw theirs eyes staring at him as he entered. "What will we name them? Its been two weeks now."
"I've named the brown one, Aleu. And the one with your eyes, John. I've named the female
"No!" Balto yelled loudly. Jenna jumped. "What is it?!" she asked, looking startled. "Nothing with a 'K' in it!"
Jenna looked confused. "Why not?" "Because... Because.." Balto took a deep breath. "Balto I--" "Because he's the dog who killed my mother!!" Balto bellowed. Jenna froze. "He was my father and he would beat me and one night he killed my mother while she tried to protect me! I hate him! I hate him so badly! That pup may not have a 'K' in his name!"
Jenna nodded. "Alright than you name him, Balto.
Balto sat down on the floor and tried to think of a name...
A name... nothing with a 'K' in it... a name a name a name a name!! Think of a NAME!
"Its a boy, right?" "Right."
Balto racked his brains.
"Uh, how about... Grimmjow?"
Jenna shook her head. "You've been watching too much 'Bleach', Balto. Grimmjow is a good name but too strong for a puppy."
"I like it."
"Oh, fine. Grimmjow it is!"
Another week:
Balto was sleeping on the sand of the beach, his mind wrapped around memories. He was thinking about his father, a thought he never wanted to think about. "What did I do? I must have done something wrong? He was so nice at first... but then... why did he change? What did I do? It was my fault that my father killed my mother... I know it, if I hadn’t screwed up then... she would still be here... wouldn't she?"
The wolf dog sighed deeply and looked at the bottom of his wrist. A long scar ran along his veins just below his life line. A reminder of that night.
Suddenly he let out a yelp of horror as something pounced on him. Balto wheeled around and saw the six puppies sitting on his back. "Whoa... don't scare me like that... please?" he said. "Sorry Papa." said Aleu and Jace together. Yes Jace. Jenna had grown tired of Grimmjow because she had found out he was named after a bad guy in Bleach with a nasty mouth.
Balto had liked Grimmjow a lot better.
"Hey, pups, why don't I take you down to the post office. I heard that Mr. Williams would like to see you guys." The pups all barked in agreement and Balto stood up to leave.
But then barking broke out.
Balto wheeled around as a bang shook the floor, a man ran out from behind a building with a Doberman at his side. The man was holding something shiny in his hand and there was a bag in the other hand. He caught a glimpse of them and ran off. The Doberman however smirked and laughed. “So this is the group he was talking about?” “He?” Balto whispered. And the next second the huge dog bounded towards them.
"Everyone, RUN!" Balto bellowed.
The pups scattered away from the dog. Jace tripped and fell on his side he tried to get up but the dog had already flew at him. Balto lunged forward and smashed into the Doberman.
"Jace, run, now!" Balto yelled. "I wanna help you fight!" "Jace!" "But--"
Balto wheeled around and glared at Jace and Jace coward away from him at once, the glare Balto was sending him could have made that Doberman run off screaming if he'd seen it. It was one of pure loathing. "YOU LITTLE SH*T! NOW!" Balto screamed. Jace's eyes widened and he bolted away.
Balto felt awful. What had he seen in Jace just now? Had he seen a confident little puppy? Or, had he seen an angry snarling face behind the eyes Balto had never wanted to look into again?
Balto turned to face the Doberman. "If you've only got a brain big enough for picking on little puppies than you’re not going to be fun to fight!" Balto snapped. The Doberman flew at him and Balto grabbed him by the collar and flipped him onto his back.
The Doberman grabbed Balto's neck. Balto grabbed his leg and tore him off and swept the floor with him and threw the dog into a house.
The Doberman banged into the porch and stood up, his hackles rose. Balto growled back and lunged at the throat, grabbing hold of the neck. Balto snarled and bit down harder. "Run. Run away, Doberman. I don't want to be a killer for your pitiful sake!"
The dog sat up and ran off, screaming.
Balto turned and began walking home. His insides felt like wiggling snakes, and he remembered the horrified look on Jace's face. "God... what have I done?" Balto whispered.
Jenna was waiting for him when he got to his boat, Alue and the other pups were too. Jenna greeted him and said. "I saw Jace, he looked rather upset. What did you say?" Balto looked at her. "I need to talk to him..." Jenna nodded. "You do that." she said sternly.
Balto padded inside her house and saw Jace sitting by the fire. "Go away, Dad. I don't want you to talk to me."
Balto sighed, knowing that the time had come to tell him. "I'm sorry, Jace. The thing is, I had a father who was very abusive and black hearted and he--"
"Looked like me?"
Balto sighed. "You have his eyes." Jace turned around. "So what?! You think that just because I look like him, means I'm going be just like him!" Jace snarled. Balto winced. "I know. I'm sorry, Jace."
"Saying sorry isn't going to make it better! Saying 'sorry' won't make me any better either. You can't even look at me!"
Balto bowed his head in shame. "Jace, please. I'm ashamed of myself; I've never felt like such a coward. You’re still a kid and your innocent, unlike him." Jace turned and began walking away. Balto stepped in front of him. "Wait, I want to tell you what happened."
-------------------------
Jace was sitting on Balto's boat with Boris. "Boris, did my father tell you the story of his puppy hood?" Jace asked. Boris nodded. "Yes, he was quite reluctant at first, but, after a while he told me."
Jace sighed. "Am I like my grandfather?" Boris looked stunned. "Of course not! No matter what Balto thinks, I believe that you are innocent!" Jace sighed.
"I don't think he trusts me..."
"What?! Balto loves you!"
"It doesn't seem like it..."
"Jace. Do you know who I see siting there?" Boris asked the pup.
Jace looked at Boris and shrugged. "A puppy who looks like his evil grandfather?"
"No," Boris said, his eyes soft. "I see a younger Balto, determined to prove himself to others. Kind hearted and uncertain at the same time. I don't see Kevin sitting there, I see puppy who is sad but determined at the same time, I see you Jace. I see no one else." "But why me? I look so much like him!"
"That doesn't mean you've aquired his heart." Boris told him.
Jace sighed and shifted his position. "I'm going for a walk." he said truthfully. Boris nodded. "Remember, try not to dwell on the past but on the future, that is also what I told Balto."
"Thank you very much, Boris!"
Jace walked up the snowy path towards the woods his puppy fur blowing in the wind. "Man its cold today!" he muttered, shivering slightly. Jace continued walking and then he spotted a gray and white animal with black spots. It was an Australian Shepherd mix. The shepherd padded over.
"Hey, you look down in the dumps today."
"Oh," said Jace. "Hi Jack." Jack smiled warmly and padded over to him. "You're Balto's son right?" "Yeah, I guess I am..." Jace murmured he looked at Jack and smiled, trying to hide his thoughts from the older dog. "I have somewhere to go, see ya!" Jack nodded and began walking away.
Everything was cold and still as Jace made his way up the street, suddenly there was a scream. "
Terrified he turned and raced away to find
"Help, help me, please help me!"
Saba lay in an alleyway while an enormous black dog, the dog bit her and threw her across the floor suddenly Jace leapt out and grabbed the dog's ear and the dog bit into Jace's side but Jace clung to his ear.
"Get your filthy paws off of my sister!" he roared and leapt up at the dog.
The dog wheeled around and raised his claw. Blood splashed onto the snow and Jace fell to the ground. Blood was leaking down his face from the top of his eye. Jace was about to get up but the dog's claw slammed into his ribs and he yelled in pain.
"Brat!" the dog growled in a deep gruff voice.
The dog lunged for his throat. Jace's eyes flew open and suddenly he leapt up and grabbed the dog's throat and lifted him off his feet and slammed him into the wall, too angry to realize how heavy the dog was. The stranger looked up and growled. "You're an unusual kid. You're pretty strong. But, that's all about to change!" he flew towards and Jace.
Jace leapt into the air and propelled himself right at the dog and, with the speed of a bullet, bit into his skull. The dog just stood there and then blood gushed from his skull and he howled in pain. "Damn you, brat!"
Jace leapt up and grabbed the dog’s ear and began pulling. The dog grabbed Jace by the middle and began crunching on him. Jace gagged and found that the dog was crunching down on his lungs. He couldn’t breath at all!
“DIE!”
“Hey you, whatcha doin’ to that pup? Put ‘im down, now!”, Jace used his remaining strength to raise his head and look around for the said voice. There was a dog standing in the entrance to the alleyway, his fur was short and black, his right ear was floppy and had a nick in it. The other ear was perfectly straight and unhurt. His eyes were a pure shade of green, at least one of them was, his right eye was concealed behind a patch, and a scar ran down his forehead and disappeared behind the patch. He only had three legs; his front one was cut off at the ankle and replaced with a metal peg. He wore a blood red bandana.
The dog growled. “Hey, don’t butt in, fool. I’m a pit-bull, don’t mess with me!”
“You know what,” the new-comer growled. “I don’t like big shots you like who think their special and pick on folks younger than they are, just to prove it. Well I say there’s no pride in pickin’ on pups, like them— he jerked his head to
“What did you say?” the dog screamed, running towards him. “No, mister, don’t! He’ll kill you!” Jace yelled, trying to stand up. The pit-bull ran towards the younger dog and leapt at him.
Jace gasped but even thinking about standing up weakened him more so. What happened next startled him. The black dog let the Pit-bull bit knock him to the ground and bite directly into his throat. The pit-bull was crunching down on his windpipe and the other dog was letting him!
It happened so fast time seemed to speed up. But, just when the pit-bull got ready to kill the other dog, the metal peg came up and Jace saw a needle poking out from the bottom of the peg. The needle sank right into the top of the dog’s head and the dog screamed.
The dog howled and fell onto the floor and closed his eyes, breathing heavily.
“Before you die I’ll tell you something; never take you’re eyes off you’re opponent, no matter how close to death he is. You’ll find that he usually has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. Or at least, I do.”
The pit-bull stopped breathing. The dog turned to look at Jace and
“You alright?”
“Y-yeah. Thanks for the help.”
“Don’t mention it, seriously don’t. What ‘bout you’re sister over there?”
Jace walked over. “
“What’s you’re name?”
“It’s Jace. What’s yours?”
“There’s no need for me to tell you quite yet.” The dog growled impatiently. “Take care of you’re sister and don’t ask questions.” Jace nodded. Although this dog was probably only 1 year old, he was like a grumpy ships captain.
Jace followed the stranger without questions like a good boy; soon they were back in town. “Where do ya live?” the dog asked. “Somewhere over there.” “Good.”
The dog took
“This boy here and his sister were attacked.” The stranger told her. Jenna looked at him all funny, apparently wondering if he had attacked them. “He didn’t attack us, this other dog was attacking
“What?” Jenna exclaimed.
“I don’t know what happened,” Jace began. “All I know was that I was scared for
“Jace, I’m so proud of you!” Jenna whispered, nuzzling her son and then her daughter. “What did the dog look like? Maybe I can—” Jenna began. “He’s dead.” The stranger held up his paw and Jenna gasped when she saw the peg on his leg. The she noticed the needle sticking out. “I just really hate it when people attack pups just to prove their ‘oh so strong’.”
“So you killed him?”
“Yup. Right on the spot.”
“May I ask what you’re name is? I’ll need to thank you for saving my children.”
“It doesn’t matter miss…?”
“Jenna! I’m back!” Balto came trotting around the corner. He froze when he saw his son with the new dog. “I haven’t seen you in a long time, not since the ship wreck.”
“Balto? Oh hey, whatcha doin’?”
“I went for a run on the beach with the pups, Aleu and actually running faster than Kodi.”
Balto looked at
Jace quickly explained the situation and Balto frowned when he finished. “Jace, what you did was dangerous and pretty risky but… that doesn’t stop me form being prouder than I have ever been in my life!” Balto said, licking his son’s ear. “
The dog merely shrugged. “It’s fine, see ya.” He growled, he turned, his tail curling around his back as he began to walk away. “Wait, mister!” the dog groaned. “What?” he snapped trying to make it perfectly clear that he wanted to be left alone. Jace did not get the message. “Where are you going?”
“Away from annoying puppies, that’s for sure. Why ya followin’ me?”
“You act like an adult, but really you’re one year old right?”
“Yeah, why are you so interested? Bug off.”
“What happened to you?”
“Nothing, piss off.”
“Thanks for earlier.”
“Don’t mention it now; piss off before I get angry!”
Jace nodded, he began walking away but he looked over his shoulder. “You’re welcome to come visit us in case anything happens.”
“Yeah, sure, thanks, kid.”
“Can you tell me you’re name?”
“Fine, the name’s Adder.”
“Thanks again, Adder.”
Adder growled and began walking away although part of him wanted to stay with Jace, he knew he couldn’t though. He began walking; he looked over his shoulder and sighed when he saw Jace was no longer there. Jace had said he was welcome if wanted to come back, that was the only nice thing anyone had ever said to him in his short miserable life.
Balto had been a very small source of comfort when he met him. Adder had been able to spend very little time with Balto because of the town’s hatred for him.
The moon sat in the darkness casting a silver glow upon the land, Jace sat on Balto’s boat, alone. His father was at his mother’s house with his brothers and sisters so he, Jace, was alone. Boris was out with Stella so the boat was free of goose. Jace sighed and closed his eyes as a wind blew through his golden brown fur. He opened his eyes and smiled sadly. “I guess I have to accept the fact that my father will always look upon me with fear.” He whispered.
Jace knew he would have to face the truth of the matter at hand, which was that Jace would always be looked upon badly, because of his striking resemblance to his grandfather. “Don’t they know what it’s like?” he growled. “Why doesn’t anyone understand?” he bellowed.
Jace’s voice echoed throughout the stars, vibrating through out the air and then the echo vanished. Jace looked left and right and without warning the feeling of despair crashed over him, the feeling of loneliness, of horrible loneliness filled him up with sorrow and as the feelings mixed together Jace threw back his head and howled.
When his howls died away, Jace slammed his head repeatedly against the wall. “DAMMIT! Why me, why me? Why did this have to happen, my mother’s never going to trust me, my father’s never going to trust me… I might as well—”
“—just shut up actually, you’re much noisier than I expected.”
“No, you shut up! You don’t know what I’m going through!”
“I know as well as you do, Jace. Ya know why? Because I went through the same crap you did.”
Jace turned. “Adder, what are you doing here?”
Adder sat on the window sill in the captain’s cabin, his curled tail wrapped around his back leg. “This used to be my ship; I gave it to a young goose named Boris after I tried to eat him for lunch. He was lookin’ for a place to stay away from town so I gave him the ship. Now it’s Balto’s boat.”
The younger dog, Jace, sighed and walked over to him just as Adder jumped down from the window sill and curled up on the floor, Jace sat down in front of him. “So, what happened to you?”
Adder looked at him and sighed.
“In spring my mother gave birth to a litter of six puppies. I was born a day later so there were seven of us. My father cared for us and loved us and I don’t know what went wrong but one day, my mother was crying. When I asked her what was wrong she simply said that my father wouldn’t be comin’ back. She was wrong, my father came back, but he had changed a lot. The old fool had completely lost his mind, each one of us he tried to kill and all my mum did was sit and watch, too horrified to act.
“The right thing to have done was to get up and fight for me and my litter mates, to fight for us but… she just stood there and watched as my father threw my siblings off the cliff finally he turned to me and pulled on my ear so much that it just stays like that, bent.. Then he grabbed my throat and tossed me about. Still my mum did nothing, she just watching, and watching, listening to the screams and howls. The last thing she did was scream when my father knocked over the ax on the table. That’s how I lost my leg here.
“She was thrown off the cliff without protest and I was left for dead until someone with a kind heart came and took care of me, gave me a patch for my eye and a peg for my leg but I found out that my father had committed murders in town and I was beaten yet again for my resemblance to him. He was a husky/akita inu mix just like me only I have German Shepherd blood in me.”
“That’s awful. I thought I had it bad.”
“But you do!” Adder suddenly snarled, standing up he prowled towards him.
“You have it plenty bad here, don’t you? My story may be different but either way we’re punished because of resemblances to people who are hated through out the world! You’re Father half hates you because you look like his father, and I’m hated because I look like one of the most dangerous dogs since…” he trailed off there.
“What are you getting at?” Jace asked. “I don’t think my father hates me; I just don’t think he trusts me.”
“But off course he doesn’t trust you! You look like you’re god forsaken grandfather! With you’re strength I don’t think you’d need to depend on you’re father for that much longer. You have the choice to come and go as you please, you can be free.”
Jace’s ears perked and he cocked his head. “‘Be free’? You mean I could leave if I wanted to? No kidding?”
“I’m not joking, pee-brain!” Adder snapped. “If you really don’t like life as it is you can do something, dammit! And you never thought of this…?” he growled. Jace considered this. Adder was not quite a friend yet so he could be tricking him but at the same time, Jace knew that this was no lie and he knew at that moment that Adder had done the exact same thing.
“So I could leave
“Hell yeah, you could go to
“What’s
“God you’re dumb, more like deprived.”
“I’m not dumb! Just because you know more than I do doesn’t mean I’m stupid!” Jace growled.
Suddenly Adder turned to look at him; he looked him right in the eyes. “You’re eyes are something else… you’re only a little puppy right now but, you make me believe differently. It’s like I’m staring into the eyes of an adult, sometimes I find myself lost in them.” Jace didn’t know what to say. “Is that unusual?” he asked.
“I’ve never seen eyes like yours before so for me, yes.” Adder responded. Jace looked at him and walked past him and over to the edge of the boat. He leapt up onto the edge and sat there, staring at the town of
Jace looked over at Adder who was expressionless as he watched Jace. “Could we really leave? Where would we go?” Adder shrugged. “We’d just stay in Alaska there are quite a few nice towns out there. But, you might not come back here. So if you’d like to say farewell to anyone you should do it now.”
Suddenly there was a creek and Adder froze. Someone or something was creeping up the dock towards them.
Jenna lay in her basket by the fire with Balto by her side. Balto stirred and growled in his sleep, suddenly his eyes snapped open. “Jenna, are you awake?” Jenna didn’t respond. Balto got to his paws and looked around, the puppies were nestled in the basket next to their mother but he noticed Jace was not amongst them.
“Jace?” Balto whispered. “Are you there?” suddenly he noticed paw prints by the door.
“He left the house? Where’d he go?” he wondered.
“Whose there?” Adder growled darkly. Then Jace gasped as the figure appeared on the deck, he was massive! His a was black and white husky with blue eyes. His body was muscular and he wore a leather collar. “Who the hell are you?” Adder snarled, stepping forward. “Watch you’re tongue dog!” the husky spat.
“Oh, what have we here? Oh you must be Balto’s son, so then tell me, where is Jenna?”
Jace growled. “She’s not home!” “Oh, that’s a shame…” the husky growled.
“Jace, keep you’re distance! This guy is not to be trusted.” Adder said his hackle raising.
The husky walked forward and Jace backed away. “No need to be afraid, wolf/dog, I’m not going to hurt you, badly…” Jace took a step towards the husky. “Who are you?”
“Why should I tell scum like you?” “Well then, I’ll at least tell you my name, it’s Jace.”
The husky glared at him. “You’re Balto’s son, off course, I know his ugly wolf snout when I see it, and apparently he’s given his ugly mug to you as well!”
“Don’t insult my father!” Jace barked loudly. “Don’t worry after I’ve dealt with you, I’ll take back what’s mine!”
Jace was grabbed by the leg and thrown into the air. “No you don’t!” Adder yelled, running forward. The husky wheeled around, still holding Jace by the leg and smack Adder into the wall using Jace. Adder crashed into the wall and fell to the floor. Jace was being bashed against the floor and wall. “Jace, what are you doing?! Fight him!” Adder yelled, leaping up and getting ready to use his peg if he needed to.
Jace was lifted into the air and then he grabbed the husky’s ear just as the husky pulled him down. The husky yelped and pawed at his ear before he realized he’d dropped Jace. Jace lunged at him and bit into his side. The husky grabbed his tail and lifted him into the air and hurled him into the wall. The he yelped in pain as a needle cut him in the ribs. “Don’t forget about me, piss-ant.” Adder growled.
The husky lunged for his head but bit into the floor as Adder appeared on his left side and cut him with the needle. “No more foolish games!” the husky snarled, and before Adder could move he was grabbed by the tail and thrown across the room and crashed right through a door.
Jace sat up and grabbed the husky’s leg. The husky turned and raised a claw to smack him but Jace leapt into the air and cut him across the skull. The husky grabbed Jace by the leg and threw him through the already broken door. Jace tumbled down some stairs and fell on top of Adder. “Adder! Are you—?” “Stuff it, I’m fine!”
Adder tried to stand up and fell over; he forced his peg paw up and began limping up the stairs. “It’ll take more than that to stop me!” he yelled and he threw himself forward and crashed into the husky and knocked him flat on his back.
The husky reared up and grabbed Adder by his head and began crunching down on his skull. Adder yelled in pain and was slammed to the floor while the husky bit into his throat. Adder began kicking him but the husky was too strong, he could get him off. Adder tried using his needle but the husky slammed his paw down on the other dog’s arm.
Jace ran forward and began biting the husky in the side. “Let go of Adder! Let him go! Let him go!” Jace yelled biting harder but the husky only sniggered. Adder’s yells of pain began to fade into gasps. Jace ran forward, he was an inch away from the husky when the husky wheeled around suddenly and bit into the top of his neck and slammed him to the ground.
“Since you’re Balto’s son I’ll kill you first!”
“Jace…!!” Adder gasped, trying to get up.
“HOLD IT, STEELE!”
The husky’s eyes widened and he turned around. Balto was standing on the boat with Boris and Jenna. “Let go of my son!” Balto snarled. “D-dad….” Balto walked forward and glared at Steele. Balto lunged and Steele was thrown off of Jace. Jace sat bolt up right and stared at his father as he faced Steele.
“Long time no see, wolf/dog! And this is the last time I’ll ever see you again!”
“Too bad, Steele, because this is the last time we’ll see each other ever again. You’re about to leave for good!”
“Not until I’ve taken you’re puppies and Jenna with me! I’ll make you suffer.”
They lunged, Steele made to grab Balto but the latter grabbed him by the ribs and flipped him onto his back. Steele leapt up the moment he hit the floor and lunged at Balto. Balto jumped aside and grabbed Steele’s tail. Steele turned and grabbed Balto’s leg and lifted him off his feet and threw him into the wall.
Jace gasped and made to move forward but Adder put his paw in front of him. “Just watch, squirt.”
Balto ran at the husky and tripped but the moment Steele ran over him, Balto grabbed his back leg and lifted him up and slammed him to the ground, he pounced on him and began biting into the back of his neck. Steele flipped himself onto his back, crushing Balto beneath him. The wolf/dog got to his feet and Balto and Steele began circling.
Steele lunged at Balto and the both of them crunched into each other’s sides and then they fell to the floor, leapt up and attacked one another. Balto fell to the ground and then leapt back up.
“You’ll go down before I ever let you touch a member of my family again!” Balto yelled and he bit right into Steele’s throat. Steele threw himself onto the floor and crushed Balto. Steele pinned Balto down and grabbed his throat.
“You’ll die first, wolf/dog…!” he snarled and he began biting into his neck. “Balto, no!” Jenna gasped, Jace darted out of Adder’s reach and charged forward. “Jace!”Adder bellowed. Jace ran forward as fast as a bullet and then leapt.
“Get you’re paws off my dad, Steele!” Jace yelled. Steele froze and turned around. Jace propelled himself forward and grabbed Steele by the scruff of his neck and threw him through the air.
Steele yelped in astonishment before he slammed right into a door. “Stupid…brat!” he snarled. Be fore he could get to his feet however; Jace grabbed Steele by the neck and lifted him into the air for a split second before he threw him.
Steele flew through the air and crashed through the wooden railing of the ship. “Jace!” Boris gasped, amazed. Jace bounded over to the edge of the ship and looked down. Steele was lying on the wood and snow below, growling. “Stupid kid!” Steele yelled. Jace leapt down towards him and the moment he hit the ground Steele began walking towards him.
“Jace you stupid fool!” Adder bellowed. Jace prepared himself. “Die, kid!” Steele yelled and he leapt at him.
“I will kill you! I’ve been trying for ages, using that Doberman and that pit-bull! Finally I had to come here myself, it won’t have been for nothing! I’ll kill Balto, and you’re siblings and Jenna as well the whole lot of you! Everyone in town who supports Balto will die!”
Jace ran forward but before he knew what had happened Adder leapt out of nowhere and landed flat on top of Steele and dug the needle into the back of his neck. Steele screamed in pain and Adder dug it in deeper. “Just shut up and die, bastard!” Adder bellowed and he grabbed Steele’s neck and flipped him onto his back and raised his peg leg and sank it into his stomach and brought it down with a slashing motion.
Steele screamed worse and then his screams faded and his head hit the floor. Jace looked at Adder. “It had to be done.” Adder said, looking down at Steele without pity in his gaze. Balto hit the ground followed by Jenna and Boris. “I’d never had guessed he’d return to get us. I had no idea that he sent that Doberman after us either…”
Jace looked at his father. “I understand why the Pit-bull attack
“Yeah, but what the hell did he have against you, Balto?”
“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later though.”
“Dad,” Jace said nervously. Balto looked over at him and Jace walked away and Balto followed. The both of them went away from the small group and over to the end of the boat. “Dad, thanks for helping me and Adder. We probably would have been killed if you hadn’t come along.”
“Don’t thank me, I couldn’t help but notice you weren’t there when I woke up. But you have something important to tell me don’t you?”
“Yeah, dad, listen I… I can’t stay here.” Balto looked shocked.
“But why not?”
“You see, dad all the time I’ve been here I’ve felt really nothing much, I’ve felt love from my mother and siblings and some from you but I don’t want to stay. There’s nothing here for me, I’ve been nothing but a burden for you and mom. I don’t want to just sit around dreading over my history. I want to be able to live a normal life away from
“I want to see new places and people I don’t want to live each day with this burden I want to leave it here behind me, dad.”
Understanding dawned in Balto’s face and he nodded. “I’m so sorry, Jace. I had no right to treat you the way I did. I needed to understand that you are a pup, not my father. Just because you’ve got his looks doesn’t mean you’ve inherited his heart. I’ll do anything to make up for my actions, anything and everything, even if it means letting my little boy go.” Balto whispered.
Balto bent his head and nuzzled his son and Jace nuzzled him back. “I’m going to miss you Jace, my son, take care of yourself. There’s always a place for you back home, always.” Jace looked up, hoping the tears in his eyes didn’t show as he nodded. “Alright, dad.” Balto blinked back a few tears himself before he looked to the sky.
“I have one thing to tell you. When ever you’re lonely or sad, look up at the stars. Search the sky for the brightest one when you find it know that I will be looking up at that star as well, whenever you’re lonely seek that star and take comfort in knowing that I will be staring back at you.”
Jace nodded. “Alright, dad. I will and I’ll remember what you have told me.” Balto licked his son’s ear and pride gleamed in his eyes. Jace looked over at his mother, she was staring at them. “I knew it would come to this.” She whispered sadly as Jace padded over. Jenna licked him all over his face. “I just knew this would happen…Jace… nothing I say will change you’re mind? Nothing?”
“No, mom. I’m afraid not. It’s not that I don’t belong here but more like I don’t want to belong here. I want to seek my own future, and Adder’s coming with me.” Adder nodded before sighing. “Well someone need’s to keep an eye on this little idiot and it so happened that I decided to come.” He grumbled but Jace knew that the tone of his voice was hiding his true feelings.
That was just how he was, right?
“Goodbye, Jace, I’m going to miss you…” Jenna whispered, nuzzling him. Boris walked over to the two of them and said. “I’m proud of you’re decision, Jace. I can’t say I’m surprised though, Jenna and I discussed this one day and we both thought this might happen.”
“Hold it, hold it. You and Jenna discussed my son’s future without me?” Balto cut in suddenly. “Well Balto you weren’t there so…” Boris winked at Jace while Jenna and Balto talked.
Adder padded over. “C’mon, kid,” he growled, prodding the back of Jace’s head with his uninjured leg. “If you don’t hurry I’ll leave without you!” “Right, Adder, right!” Jace said.
Adder looked at Balto, Jenna, and Boris and said. “Pleasure knowin’ ya!” “Yeah, nice to meet you too.” Jenna said. “If you ever come back I’ve got Balto’s baby pictures to show you!” Boris called. “They’re real nice!” “Boris!” Balto snapped. Jace laughed and looked over at his father.
“Remember what I said, Jace, no matter how far away you are, remember that I’ll always be watching over you. Go on, otherwise Adder will leave without you.”
Jace nodded. “I love you dad.” He whispered before he turned and ran after Adder. “Are you ready?” Adder asked, looking at Jace running right next to him. “We might never come back again.” Jace looked over his shoulder at his father and then back at Adder.
“Are you kidding, Adder?” he asked, his eyes blazing with life. “I’m Balto’s son. I’m prepared for anything.”
The moon shone down upon
THE END
Jenna, Balto, Steele, Kodi, Aleu,
Adder, Jace, Doberman, Pit-bull, and Kevin © To SunAndMoon IchiRuki (That’s me!)