As I walked through the streets of Nome, my thoughts wandered. First I thought of my father, Balto. How I wanted to be just like him. I want to be a great racer, but for now I am stuck on the mail team. The mail team isn't so bad though. I've got friends on that team, like Ralph, and Kirby, and Dusty.

Then my thoughts drifted to Dusty. We had been friends since we were pups. We were sort of more than friends. Well, we were in between friends, and more than friends. If only Ralph haddn't come into the picture.

"You got something on your mind?"

I jumped and whipped my head around to see Balto, "Oh hey Dad," I said.

"You look like you've got a lot on your mind," he said.

"Oh it's nothing," I replied.

"Come on," Balto said, he nudged me, "You can tell your old man."

I sighed, "It's just that well, I, I really like Dusty, but she thinks we're just friends. I want to be more than friends, but then there's Ralph and-"

"Wait, slow down," Balto interrupted me, "So you like Dusty?"

I nodded, "Yes but-"

"Then mabey you should tell her," Balto said.

"You know it's not that easy," I began.

"Kodi!" a voice called.

"That's my musher," I said to my father, "I've gotta go."

As I bounded off I looked back at my dad. "You think about what I said!" He called as I bounded away. I trotted out onto Main Street and saw a few of my teammates by the mail sled.

"Hey guys!" I said as I reached them.

"Hey Kodi!" said Kirby back. I looked to my right and saw Dusty.

I smiled, " Hey Dusty," I said

She smiled back,"Hi," she said. 

All of the rest of my team showed up and my musher came out and strapped on mail bags. Then we left Nome. In a town near by, my musher pulled us to a stop and got off the sled. As he delivered the mail to the postoffice, Ralph said, "Why don't we all hang out in the Boiler Room later, when we get back to Nome?" I nodded my agreement.

"Sounds good," Kaltag said.

"Yeah sounds fun!" said Kirby.

Dusty didn't answer, I looked back at her and our eyes met for a moment. I turned back around to see a petiet little dog come out from an alley. She looked surprised to see the sled team. "Who are you guys?" She asked.

"We're the Mail Team from Nome," I said.

The little dog looked me over and smiled, "I didn't catch your name," she said sweetly.

A couple of the dogs behinde me snickered. Is this dog flirting with me? I thought. I didn't want to be rude so I answered her, "Uhh my name's Kodi."

The dog seemed surprised that I wasn't interested in her. "Well, my name's Kira, thanks for asking," she said in an irritated voice. Then she whipped around, brushing her tail against my muzzel as she did. She looked at me with a backward glance and said, "Maybe I'll see you around sometime." Then she trotted away.

I shudered I wasn't sure what just happened. Then our musher came out and got on the sled. "Kodi mush!" He commanded. I took off immedieately, glad to be out of the place. When we got back to Nome, our musher unharnassed us. "Good work boys," he said, then he turned to Dusty, "and girls," he said patting her on the head.

I led the team to the Boiler room, and the rest of the team followed. I settled down near the Boiler, and aimlessly licked a paw. I looked around as the rest of the team sat, or layed down.

"Hey Kodi!" Ralph called as he trotted in.

"What?" I asked curiously.

Ralph layed down by Dusty and continued, "Was that pretty little thing in the other town flirtin' with you or what?"

I rolled my eyes, "Kind of creepy if you ask me," I said.

"Yeah well I don't have to worry about that sort of thing anyomore," continued Ralph, "ain't that right Dusty?"

Dusty nodded with a blank look. Ralph looked at me and laughed, then he leaned over and licked Dusty on the cheek. I knew he was only trying to make me mad, but it was working. The fur on the back of my neck rose, I glared at Ralph.

Kirby looked at me worredly, "Come on man," he said to me, "Ralph's only trying to antagonize you."

Kirby was right, I couldn't let Ralph get the better of me. I let the fur on my neck lay flat. Ralph just laughed and sbneered at me. It hurt so much to see Dusty with him. I just wanted to rip Ralph to shreds. Kaltag looked at me, then at Dusty, he sighed and put his head on his paws.

"Kids these days," he mumbled.

Later Balto and Jenna came, everyone had a good time laughing and telling stories. I even forgot about the incident for a while. Then most of the dogs started leaving. I got up to see my parents to the door. I touched noses with my mother, and nodded to my father. "Bye you guys," I said.

"Bye Kodi," said Jenna.

"Bye Kodi," said Balto.

Then they left. I walked back to my spot and layed down.

"Well I guess we better go too," said Ralph. He got up and left.

Dusty and I sat there for a moment. Her eyes are so beautiful, I thought as I stared into them. "Listen Dusty," I began, "There's something I need to tell you. I think I-"

"You comin' Dusty?" Ralph asked popping his head back in.

"Yeah I'm coming." she said. Then Dusty got up, and with a sorrowful backward glance, she left.

I sighed and layed my head on my paws. "I missed my chance," I mumbled to my self.  I layed there for a long time, just thinking about Dusty. Then I drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night I woke up.

"Hey boy," it was my musher, why was he here?

He sat down beside me and layed a gentle hand on my shoulders. He pulled a blanket over my back and patted my head.

"I brought you something," he said, then he pulled out a big bone from behind his back. It smelled great, but I wasn't really in the mood for chewing on a bone. I turned my head away from it.

"Poor bud," He said setting down the bone, " Somethin's really got you in the pits if you don't even want to chew on a bone!"

I sighed and layed my head in his lap. He stroked my head until I fell asleep again. He was gone in the morning.

I looked at the bone in front of me. It looked tasty, especially because I hadn't eaten since morning yesterday. I began knawing on it enjoying the savory tastes. I heard a noise somewhere. I looked up and saw Dusty in the doorway. I paused in mid-crunch to look at her. She was beautiful. I stood up and shook my fur out.

"Hi Dusty," I said sheepishly.

"Hey, where'd you get the bone?" she said eyeing it and licking her lips."

"Oh, the musher gave it to me, do you want to share it?" I said. I wasn't sure how she would like being alone with me without Ralph there. But I was relieved when her eyes lighted up.

"Sure!" She said trotting over.

We layed down together and knawed on the bone for a while. I stopped and looked at her, and she looked at me. My heart pounded. I leaned in slowly.

"Dusty!" A voice called in the distance, it was Ralph.

"Damn!" She said. Quickly she got to her feet and rushed to the door. At the door she stopped and looked back at me.

"This never happened okay?" she asked.

I nodded and she bounded off.

I had to do something. I got up and bounded out of the Boiler room. I needed to look nice. I needed a bath then. But how do I just get a bath. I'd never actually tried to get a bath. I saw a mud puddle and had an idea. I dove into it and rolled around a little. Now my owners would have to give me a bath. I hurried to my house.  I sat in front of the door, scratched it, and whined. My boy's mother sighed when she saw me.

"Awe Kodi!" she said laughing a little, "You are a complete mess! Come on let's get you a bath. YES! Good owner good owner! I thought.

My boy's mother led me inside and to the bathroom where she filled up a tub with warm water. She scrubbed me clean and dried me off. Then she brushed me. "Lookin' godd Kodi," she said giving me a pat on the rump. I was still hungry, I bounded into the kitchen and ate a full bowl of dog food. Licking my lips I bounded out my dog door. I needed flowers, there was only one place to go. Matt's Flower Shop. But I needed money, where did humans get money? Think Kodi, Think! I told myself. Where do humans get money? UNDER THE COUCH! It came to me suddenly.I wheeled around and ran back in my house. I dove inside and bolted towards the couch. I grabbed one cushion and pulled it off. There was two round silver things there. Yes! Money! I grabbed them and held them in my mouth, I pawed off the second cushion. There was one silver round thing there, and a brown one. I grabbed them and pawed off the third cushion. There was a tiny silver round thing and a crumpled green piece of paper. I grabbed the small thing in my mouth, but held the paper thing in my teeth, I didn't wan to get it wet.

I bounded out the door just as my boy came into the room. I had to go slower so that I didn't accidentaly swallow on of the round things. I made my way to Main Street. I ran all the way to Matts Flower Shop and ran inside as another person left. There they were, the perfect flowers. They were roses, a dozen of them, so bright red they dazzled my eyes. Matt looked bewildered at me.

"Kodi, what are you doing here?" He asked.

I stood up on my back legs to reach the counter, there I set down my money and barked at him.

Matt laughed and patted my head, "Oh so who's the lucky lady getting some flowers?"

"I don't have time for this!" I barked at him.

Matt just laughed and said, "So, which ones do you want?"

I walked over to the roses and poked one with my nose.

Matt let out a hardy laugh, "A good choice." he said picking them up. "Here you are now," he said handing them to me. I took them in my jaws and bounded off towards Dusty's house.

I had it all planned out now. I would tell her how pretty she looked, then I would give her the flowers and we would live happily ever after, right?

WRONG!

I was just about to pad into her yard when I heard Ralph. I hid behind a tree and peered out.

"Where you been girl?" He asked her irritatedly, "I've been lookin' all over for you!"

"I uh-" Dusty began. Then Ralph's nose twitched.

"What is that?" He sniffed again. Ralph leaned forward to sniff Dusty. Dusty leaned away.

"What, what are you talking about? I- I don't smell anything!" She said quickly.

Ralph sniffed Dusty again. "Kodi!" He spat out my name like it was bad tasting medicine on his tounge. "You've been with Kodi?"

"I- uh- I can explain," Dusty said quickly.

Ralphs fur rose on the back of his neck. "You been cheatin' on me girl?" He yelled.

"No! Ralph it's not like that!" Dusty said.

Ralph raised a paw, everything seemed like slow motion as I dropped the roses, ran and jumped. I landed squarley on Ralphs shoulder's, and I certainly had the element of surprise on my side. Ralph crashed to the ground, he reathed and kicked, it was hard to stay on top of him. I layed a paw on his throat and pushed down a little.

"Don't you ever lay a paw on Dusty, is that clear?" I asked.

"Crystal," he coughed out.

I got off of him and he got up, slowly, with his tail between his legs. Then he crawled off somewhere, probably to his own house. I shook out my fur and looked at Dusty.

"Thank you Kodi," She said, "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there to save me. Why were you here anyway?" She said cocking her head to the side. I ran back to the tree and grabbed the roses.

"I came to give you these," I said setting them down at her paws.

"Oh Kodi!" she said giving them a sniff, "They're beautiful!"

I looked off to my right, where the shorline was, the sun was setting. Dusty licked my cheek and I looked back at her and smiled. Dusty giggled and bounded of towards the ocean. I bounded off after her, into the beautiful Nome, Alaska sunset.