‘ If only everyone knew the truth. Then I wouldn’t have to hide my past from anyone, especially Rex.’ Fly thought.

She then fell asleep with the faint sound of howling smoothing her.

A couple days after WQ...

‘ Why didn’t you tell us sooner?’

‘ I just wanted to keep you safe.’

‘ Yeah, you did a great job with Aleu! You let her runaway.’

‘ Kodi! Please, I didn’t want to tell any one of you. Don’t hate me please. It’s not my fault I’m half wolf.’

‘ Yeah. It’s your parents fault.’

‘ Don’t blame Aniu! She did nothing wrong. I know I should have said something sooner, I know that, but it has only been a week since I lost Aleu. I can’t lose anymore of you.’

‘ Just leave us alone, Balto. We want nothing more to do with you… EVER!’

5 red Huskies ran to Nome, leaving Balto alone on a boat.

‘ NO!!!’ Fly shouted.

‘ Fly? Is that you? What’s wrong?’ a Border collie asked.

‘ Okey dokey,’ Siaira looked around. ‘ Where has the fur ball gone? Fly’s gonna kill me if I don’t find him.’

 On the outskirts of Nome, Rex ran to an old gold mine shack.

‘ Now I can be just like Balto. Half wolf, half husky. Searching for my daughter in the wilderness.’ Rex said as he played with a pile of boxes.

‘ Hey! Who’s there?’

‘ Huh? Who are you? A bear cub? Steele?’ Rex asked.

‘ Steele? The town’s enemy? I hate him. Trying to flirt with my mom when she liked my dad,’ an adult red female Husky said as she climbed out of a box. ‘ I’m Rose. Daughter of Jenna and Balto. Since I don’t meet many dogs and that my human forgot who my parents were, not many do know I’m their daughter, but I am.’

‘ Really? Your dad is my hero; I can’t believe he found a sled team in a blizzard! He’s amazing. How’d he do it?’ Rex asked.

‘ Um… family secret. No one outside our family is allowed to know. Sorry.’ Rose answered.

 ‘ Don’t worry, I under stand. He doesn’t want everyone to know his little secret. Even Duke can’t find out.’ Rex said.

‘ Yep, my bro’s old enemy until my dad got into a tight spot and Kodi had to save him and Duke.’ Rose said as she walked outside.

‘ I should get home now. Before Siaira finds me.’ Rex said as he ran outside.

‘ Bye Rex! See ya,’ Rose shouted as Rex disappeared. ‘ I need to find Dakoda and tell her about Mom’s concert.’

Over at Fangs house, Fly was worried.

‘ I keep having these weird dreams about when me and my siblings got angry at my Dad for keeping a deep secret away from us.’ Fly said as she walked around Fang.

‘ I see your problem. You’re worried that if our kids find out the same thing they’ll get angry at you and try to run away like Aleu.’ Fang said.

‘ Fang, I told you before. Our kids aren’t like Aleu!’ Fly then calmed down. ‘ I should get back home’

 ‘ Hey Fly! I need to talk to you pronto.’

‘ What is it, Rose?’ Fly asked.

‘ Mom is having a concert with Saba and Dingo. She wants us to come.’ Rose answered.

‘ It’s a good thing that I’m a brown red. Other wise everyone would know the truth.’ Fly said.

‘ Plus, you changed your name. That’s a bonus!’ Rose joked.

‘ Yeah, Dakoda just doesn’t help when you’re keeping a secret.’ Fly said.

‘ I need to go back to my owner now. I’ll see you tonight.’ Rose said as she turned eastwards.

‘ See ya!’ Fly shouted. ‘ I better get home before Rex gets out of the house.’

At the house, Rex was being shouted at.

‘ Why did you disappear again? You know, your mom will go bonkers if she found out! And I would be blamed and kicked out into the streets. It isn’t nice you know.’ Siaira said.

‘ Hey, I only disappeared because I was bored. You’re not like the streets: nice.’ Rex said as Fly walked in.

‘You disappeared again?’ Fly said.

‘ I’m in trouble, aren’t I?’ Rex asked.

‘ You are gonna be in so much trouble, you’ll wish that you lived on the streets.’ Fly said.

‘ Tell him and then he might not leave like he does all the time.’ Siaira said.

‘ Rex, I told you. I have been out there in the streets. It’s not a very nice world; it’s cold and evil. My dad was born in the streets and died in the streets with my mom. I had to live without them for years and I don’t want you have kids and let them live the way your planning to.’ Fly said. She had anger in her voice as well as sadness.

‘ Fly…?’ Siaira began.

‘ Siaira. Please, just take Rex and let me have a few moments.’ Fly said.

‘ Come on Rex.’ Siaira said as she pushed him out the room.

In the other room Rex lay there bored. Thinking of what he could do, he fell asleep.

‘ Hey there, little lady. You shouldn’t be out here.’

‘ I know. I’ve been out here for a few months though. My owner moved and she couldn’t take me, but I’ll be fine. I have a secret that keeps me alive. Everyone thinks I’m dead, but I’ve been hiding from them except for my family of course.’

‘ You should come with me then. I’m sure my owner wouldn’t mind you coming for a while. Well until you get a new home that is. So, what’s your name?’

‘ I’m Dakota, but I don’t want anyone to know, so just call me Fly.’

‘ OK, Fly. My home is just round the corner.’

Rex then opened his eyes and looked around.

‘ Weird. Defiantly a dream.’ Rex thought as he stretched outwards.

‘ Hi Brendan. You kinda caught me in a bad time.’ Rex said as a Alaskan husky walked over to him.

‘ Yeah, I heard. Your mom is taking really hard. Imagine living on the streets with no parents!’ Brendan said as he sat down and did his brown and grey fur. He and Rex had only been friends for a short time, but it seemed they had been friends since birth. They both had the same hero: Balto.

‘ Do ya want go round town? I heard that Balto and Jenna are going to the hospital to see some kids with the flu. If we get there before they do we came just ‘bump’ into them and then score settled.’ Rex said as drew a diagram in the air.

 ‘ Right. That’s perfect. But what if something happens like lets say, um… you bump into Soul. Everyone knows that you’ve been crushing on her for like, ever.’ Brendan said as he nudged Rex.

‘ I have not! She’s nice, attractive and beautiful, did I mention she was nice.’ Rex said as he daydreamed.

Brendan just laughed as hard as a diamond. Soul came into town one day, unknown origin. All the males were after her, but she just ignored them and kept on walking around. She had ocean blue eyes, and a snow-white coat of soft fur. The only thing that anyone knew about her was that she was a beautiful, purebred Siberian husky. Rex saw her one day and thought that his life would be set if he was her mate.

‘ Oh. Come on. We’re gonna be late if we don’t hurry.’ Rex said as he grabbed Brendan’s collar between his teeth and pulled him out.

 At the hospital, Balto and Jenna were already inside. Rex came round the corner and crashed into Soul. Brendan saw what happened and backed away.

‘ Sorry, I didn’t see you- Oh! Hi, Soul. Really sorry about that.’ Rex said as he got onto his feet.

‘ It’s OK. Can you hide me please? I’m trying to get away from Pablo.’ Soul said as she hid behind Rex.

Pablo was a young Border collie who had also fallen in love with Soul when she came into town, but he was obsessed with her. If you left him with Soul for 5 seconds let me tell you, she would be carrying puppies the next second. Soul hated the guy. Pablo thought he had a bond with Soul and said that no one else had a chance with her, but him.

‘ Sure. I know the perfect place. Just follow me.’ Rex said as he turned for his house. When he got to his house, he looked around and saw no one there. Rex then ran past and to the abandoned gold mine shack where he met Rose. When they got there, Soul shut the door and then relaxed.

‘ I am never running again.’ Soul said as she rested.

‘ I know that pain. My dad felt it after the serum run and believe me, it hurt!’

‘ Hey Rose. How ya doing?’ Rex asked while Rose climbed out of a box. Soul cowered in a corner, not knowing whom this stranger was.

‘ Hi. I’m Rose. Daughter of Balto and Jenna. Not may know that, but I am indeed their daughter.’ Rose said as walked closer to Soul.

‘ Wait a minute! You’re a wolf-dog?’ Soul asked.

‘ Uh, yeah. Do you have a problem with that, Soulia?’ Rose asked. She then saw Soul’s look. ‘Hey don’t sweat! My dad knows your real name and where your from, but I don’t want to embarrass you in front of Rex.’

‘ Is that true? You know where she came from? Who her parents were?’ Rex asked as Soul turned her head.

‘ No!! She doesn’t know anything about me! It’s not true, none of it!’ Soul shouted as she forced back the tears from her memories. She ran out the door and back to her house on the east side of town.

‘ Rose? What just happened?’ Rex asked as Rose climbed into a box.

‘ She just ran away from her past. Like… my dad tried to do, but then found out that he couldn’t do that because he was connected to his heritage. When the right time comes, she’ll have to tell someone.’ Rose said as she looked out to the horizon.

‘ I need to go home now. But I should get Brendan first.’ Rex said as he walked to the door. When he got outside he felt a warm breeze sweep across his feet and he embraced it. He saw a Raven and stared.

‘ Have I seen you before? Or are you just a dream, or a dream of a dream?’ Rex thought as the Raven swooped around him.

‘ I am closer to you than you think. And soon, everything will come to order with it all back in place.’

 ‘ What does that mean? Who are you?’ Rex thought.

‘ Fulfil destiny as it was meant to be.’

Rex opened his eyes and found himself on the ground.

‘ Hey, half-breed! Wake up will ya or are ya dead. Cause you smell like it or do ya smell like that all the time?’

‘ Pablo? What’re doing here? Aren’t you meant to be after Soul?’ Rex asked.

‘ Soul? I don’t chase depressed girls. She’s like a waterfall of tears. No one is allowed to go near her or it’s goodbye cosy home and hello dirty grave.’ Pablo said as he circled Rex.

‘ Why? What happened to her? Wait- don’t answer that. I know what happened to her, but now I can’t even set it right unless I know what she’s hiding, then I can feel her pain.’ Rex said as he thought about what happened before.

‘ See ya later weir-ex. I have got to see if any girls want a piece of Pab with a dash of lo.’ Pablo said. He ran into town snickering.

Rex looked around. It was sunset. He had to get home before his dad came over with Fly. Rex ran to his house, but when he got there, his parents weren’t there.

‘ Odd. Hey Siaira. Where’s my Mom?’ Rex asked as he went to Siaira.

‘ Gone to a family thing with Fang. Some kind of singing contest or something like that.’ Siaira said as she rested her head on a pillow.

‘ And didn’t take me? I have got a great singing voice she knows that. I got it off her in the first place and Dad knows that.’ Rex said as he walked to the door.

‘ The pup’s gone again. His mum will enjoy this, or me. Mainly me.’ Siaira said as she fell asleep.

 Outside, Rex ran all around town. He then heard music coming from the boiler room. He went over and listened to what seemed to be harmony.

‘ ...I miss you

I miss your smile

And I still shed a tear every once in a while

And even though it’s different now

Your still here somehow

My heart won’t let go

And I need you know

I miss you...’

' Thank you. That song was dedicated to Aleu, and Jenna here really does miss her daughter, but not as much as Balto. Any way next is Saba, singing an old lullaby from a long time ago.'

 ‘ Thanks Kodi. This song is a lullaby I taught to Rose and Dakoda. It’s called: You’ll be in my heart. This is only an extract of the song.’ She cleared her throat and hummed a few bars.

‘Come stop your crying, it’ll be alright

Just take my paw, hold it tight

I will protect you from, all around you
I will be here, don't you cry

For one so small, you seem so strong
My paws will hold you, keep you safe and warm
This bond between us, can't be broken
I will be here, don't you cry

cause you'll be in my heart
yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on, now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart, always

Why can't they understand the way we feel?
They just don't trust, what they can't explain
I know we're different but, deep inside us
We're not that different at all.’

‘ Right, that was Saba everyone. Next it’s Rose with my dad’s favourite: Reach for the light.’

‘ OK, this is weird. I know that song. When I was born mom would sing that to all of us. I’ll wait and see what happens.’ Rex thought as he heard Rose starting to sing.

‘Deep in the night the winds blow cold,
And in a heartbeat, the fear takes hold.
Deep in the storm, there's a place that's soft and still,
Where the road waits to be taken, if you only will.
The voices inside you can lead you so astray,
Believe in what you dream,
don't turn away, don't you turn away.

Reach for the light,
you might touch the sky.
Stand on a mountain top, and see yourself flying.
Reach for the light,
To capture a star,
Come out of the darkness and find out who you are.

Somewhere in time the truth shines through,
And the spirit knows what it has to do.
Somewhere in you there's a power with no name,
It can rise to meet the moment and burn like a flame.
And you can be stronger than any fear you know,
Hold onto what you you see don't let it go, don't you let it go.

There's no turning back.
Your destiny is calling.
Listen to the thunder roar,
and let your heart break free.

Oooh, Reach for the light!’

‘ Thanks everyone. Next is Dakoda AKA Fly!!’

‘ Kodi, thank you. This is just a little song that mom taught me when I was smaller. It’s about a Husky who had been best friends with 3 more dogs, but they had a fight and broke up. This is how felt.’ She hummed a bar and started.

‘Four voices perfectly blending right from the start.
Oh, I'm afraid that it's ending, and my world is falling apart.

It's over, and I feel so alone,
This is a sadness I've never known.
How did I let the sweetest of dreams slip away?
And I'm afraid the hurt is here to stay.

Promises made, not meant to be broken from a long time ago.
Oh, so many words still unspoken, tell me how I was to know.

It's over, never thought it would be.
Why in the world did this happen to me?
How could I let the sweetest of dreams slip away?
And I'm afraid the hurt is here to stay.

I go round and round and round in my head,
Wanting to take back whatever I said, No one was right,
We all made mistakes, I'm ready to do whatever it takes.
Please, don't let it be

Over, no, this is not how it ends,
I need my sisters, my family, my friends.
Don't wanna let the sweetest of dreams slip away,
'Cause if it's over, then the hurt is here to say.
Please don't let it be over.
Please don't let it be over.’

‘ That was a good low voice Dakoda.’

‘ That wasn’t me. I stopped, but I heard another voice.’

Rex, realising what he just did, ran back home feeling angry and upset. When he got back, he went straight to his bed with tears on his face.

2 hours later, Fly and Fang came through the door. Siaira stopped them on their way to see Rex.

‘ Don’t go in there. For at least 5 years or more.’ Siaira whispered as she pushed them away.

‘ And why not Siaira? I just want to go in there and say goodnight.’ Fang said as he tried to get pass.

‘ I think you mean good morning. It's way pass midnight.’ Fly said as she got Siaira out the way.

‘ What are you talking about?’ Fly asked as Fang backed away with Siaira.

‘ Start with the fact that my hero is my grandfather and that you hid it from me all this time. And that because I’m part wolf I’ll never be accepted by any human or any other dog on the planet!’ Rex shouted as he stomped around the room.

‘ Rex…how did you find out?’ Fly asked.

‘ Siaira told me that you were gone so I went to find you, and I found you in the boiler room with your parents! You lied to me, saying that you lived alone since they died. Well, guess what? You didn't and you never did!’ Rex shouted in reply.

‘ Siaira?’ Fly asked as she growled. ‘ Rex, you were never meant to know until you got over your childish obsession with my dad. Then you wouldn’t be as mad as you are now. We just wanted to protect you. I knew that you would never be adopted because… you look like a wolf, but that’s mainly because you’re German shepherd and you have a few of your ancestors genes.Your brothers and sister looked either like your dad or me or both, but you looked like neither of us. That also explains why you have never been allowed to go to the ocean or where there’s a mirror.’ Fly explained as Rex sat down.

‘ Well then, why did you lie about being on the streets then? You were brought up as a house dog, unlike Balto.’ Rex said as she stood up again.

‘ That part’s true! I have been on the streets. Before me and your father met, was adopted by a young girl, she took me home, but only until I was a year old. She moved to Wisconsin  and she was devastated when she left me behind. I lived on the streets and after a month, everyone thought I was dead, but I visited my family after they heard the news. They thought that I had come back from the dead, but after I told them the truth, Balto let me stay on his old boat while he stayed at Jenna’s.’ Fly said as she thought about her street life.

‘ So, that wasn’t a dream. It was a flashback from my Moms memory.’ Rex thought. ‘I don’t care, but…I hate you, Dakoda!!’

Rex ran out the door.

' You're mad at me aren't you?' Siaira asked. Fly growled at her and walked away as Fang followed her.

 Rex ran to the mine shack, but Rose wasn’t there. All there was was the sound of the ocean waves and the wind crashing against the shack walls. There was a sudden noise, it sounded like sobbing and sniffing. Rex then saw a bundle of white fur.

‘ Soul?’ Rex asked.

‘Huh? Rex, is that you? What are you doing here?’ Soul asked as she appeared in front of Rex.

‘ Yeah, it’s me. I came here ‘cause I ran away from home. I just found out that I’m part wolf; my mother is the daughter of Balto and Jenna.’ Rex said as he opened the door.

‘ You wanna go outside? ‘Cause I do.’ Soul said as she stepped on the glittering snow.

‘ Yeah, for the first time in my life. I’m gonna see what I look like.’ Rex answered as he walked with Soul over to a small beach.

When he got close enough to the water, he bent down and stared. In the water he saw a dark grey coloured wolf, with his underbelly being a colour of light grey and a tail being coloured with that of white and grey combined with that if four black paws. His long muzzle being light grey also with emerald blue eyes gazing from the darkness of his face (He has changed since he was a pup.)

‘ Wow. I do look like a wolf, I never guessed.’ Rex said as he stepped back from the water. Soul looked at him and sighed.

 ‘ Rex. There’s something I need to tell you, but please don’t get mad, but… I’m half wolf. I’m a wolf dog.’ Soul said as she dropped her head.

‘ You are? Like me, but with more wolf ness. I thought you were a purebred Husky.’ Rex said as he lifted her head.

‘ Yeah. My mum was a Husky and my dad was a wolf. My mom died a year ago and my dad abandoned me to go after his wolf pack. My mom was called Isabella and she went looking for food during a famine and she found my dad, Howler. He was the alpha of the Lunar pack.When the famine was over my mom went back, but after a month, she gave birth to my brother, my sisters and me. I went to look for my dad after she died in White Mountain, but he said that he couldn’t look after me because he had too much to do with the pack. So after that I went came here. I found Balto and he understood my pain and he let me stay on his boat . After someone found me looking for food, they took me home and looked after me until I was better.’ Soul explained as memories came back to her.

‘ I too understand,’ Rex then remembered what his mom at sang at the concert. ‘Promises made, not meant to be broken from a long time ago. Oh, so many words still unspoken, tell me how I was to know. I go round and round and round in my head, Wanting to take back whatever I said, No one was right, We all made mistakes, I'm ready to do whatever it takes. I need, my family, my friends.’ Rex then remembered what the song meant.

‘ What is it Rex?’ Soul asked as she saw his face.

‘ I need to go back home. My mom sang a song and…I need to get home. Do you want to come?’ Rex asked as he looked at Soul.

‘ Are you sure? What if they reject me?’ Soul asked.

‘ They won’t ‘cause I won’t, and I haven’t and I never will.’ Rex said as he nuzzled Soul.

‘ Thanks, Rex. You really are a good wolf dog. Not just a lazy Husky like I saw before. I remember a song that Balto taught me because he was different.’ Soul said as she and Rex walked to his house.

‘ Next time Jenna has a concert; you can come with me and sing it.’ Rex said as he reached his front door. When he and Soul walked in, Fly, Fang, Siaira and Balto were sitting by a fire.

‘ Rex? Is that you?’ Fang asked.

‘ Yeah, it’s me. With Soul.’ Rex answered as he put Soul in front of him.

‘ Soul? Soulia? The white wolf dog?’ Balto asked.

‘ Yep, it’s me Balto. I’ve missed you, I really have. Waking up in a house, not on your boat.’ Soul answered as she walked over to Balto.

‘ So this is my grandson. Looks just like a wolf, like my Aleu.’ Balto said as he examined Rex.

‘ Yeah, I just found out what I look like. And where Soul came from.’ Rex replied.

‘ Rex? Are you OK? I was so worried about you.’ Fly said as she got up and walked to Rex.

‘ Yeah, I realised that the song you sang had a meaning and you had no reason to not hide the secret from me. I’m sorry I ran away.’ Rex said.

‘ It’s OK Rex. You had to know sooner or later.’ Fang said as he nuzzled Rex. Everyone, but Soul, went to welcome him back. Soul sat by the window and started to sing.