Spotlight
January 29, 1925
Denver, Colorado
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls”, boomed the ringmaster’s voice, “for our final act of the evening. Put your hands together for Riley the stunt wolf. Riley here will walk across this tight rope thirty feet from the ground and trough a ring of fire and safely make it to the other side.”

All spotlights moved on to a quivering Riley and all eyes stared. He started to walk across the tight rope. He went through the ring of fire and then lost his balance. He would have fallen if he hadn’t grabbed onto the rope with his teeth at the last second. The audience gasped, some even screamed. Riley put a paw on the tightrope and pulled himself up. He finished the tightrope and sighed. He had made it, this time. Everyone in the big top cheered and whistled.

“Wasn’t that a great show?! We thank everyone for coming to the circus and we wish you a good evening.” yelled the ringmaster again.
The big top emptied out and everyone went home, except for the ringmaster. “You do that again and I’ll send you on a cruise into the Pacific Ocean you mutt.” the ringmaster said to a cowering Riley. “I want the next performance to be perfect.” the ringmaster said this and then left.

“He can’t treat you like that Riley.” said one of the wolves named Daisy.
“Of course he can.” started a wolf named Jerry “He has the keys, so we can’t really do anything about it.”

The conversation ended with that and they went to sleep. Three days later the ringmaster was trying to think of where to perform next. That’s when he saw it. A newspaper article reading

“Balto Saves Small Town of Nome From Epidemic!”

“Balto eh, he would be a nice addition to my circus.” chuckled the ringmaster and he planned their next destination for Nome.

Meanwhile, back in Nome,

“Please, daddy I really want to see It.” pleaded Rosie.

“I already said no and I mean no.” said Rosie’s father.

“But.” started Rosie.

“No” repeated her father.

“What does Rosie want?” Balto asked Jenna.

“The circus is coming and she really wants to see it but her father won’t let her.”

“The circus, eh” began Balto “I had a best friend that wanted to join the circus. His name was Riley but, I don’t know if he made it or not.”

“Well I hope he did.” said Jenna.

In one week the circus had arrived. They needed an extra day to set everything up for the big show tomorrow. While they were setting up, Balto took a look around the big top when he saw three cages with wolves in them. He went over to the first cage and got an unsuspected greeting.

“Hey there Balto, how long has it been, a couple of years?” said Riley.

“Ra-Riley is that you?” stammered Balto.

“Yup” replied Riley “I finally made it to the circus.”

“I honestly thought you wouldn’t make it.” said Balto sheepishly.

“That’s all right.” said Riley, “Besides I’ve made some new friends. My best friends are Daisy and Jerry; they’re timber wolves like me. Those two in different cages are Lenard and Suzie. They’re white wolves.”

Balto introduced himself to the other wolves and just as he was about to talk to Riley, when the ringmaster came in.

“Well if it isn’t the hero?” chuckled the ringmaster, “How about you see our performance tonight, but, until then, be off with you.”

So with that Balto left.

The Next Evening: “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Anderson’s Wolf Circus.” boomed the ringmaster. The crowd cheered in anticipation. “For our first act of tonight, we will see Daisy being shot out of this cannon and she will land perfectly on this pad, nearly fifty feet away.” the ringmaster said again, trying to excite everyone.
All eyes watched as Daisy climbed into the cannon. “Now will the audience help me count down?” said the ringmaster, “Five, four, three.” The crowd took it from there, “Two, one, Zero!”

The cannon fired and Daisy went spiraling into the air and landed perfectly on the mat like the ringmaster had said. The crowd roared with excitement. After a couple of hours it was the final act.

“Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, for our final act of the evening, its Riley the stunt wolf.” the ringmaster said like he had rehearsed, “Riley will walk over this tightrope nearly thirty feet above the ground, through this ring of fire and will safely make it to the other side.”

“Yes, I finally get to see Riley perform” Balto thought to himself.

Again, the spotlights focused on Riley, and all eyes stared, as Riley started to walk across. He made it past the ring of fire and nearly lost his balance but, he caught himself just as he was about to fall and then walked proudly to the other side. The audience roared and cheered, it was the best performance they had seen. The ringmaster continued with his speech and the wolves walked back to their cages to wait for the ringmaster. After the show Balto went to congratulate Riley but, when he got to where the cages were he heard the ringmaster talking.

“What did I tell you Riley? I said no mess-ups. You’re lucky you saved yourself or I would have had to send you on your cruise. If you mess up in Juneau, it will be your final curtain call. Got it?” The ringmaster started to turn away when he saw Balto.
“Well who do we have here? Balto come in, boy. Would you like to speak with the star of the show.” The ringmaster opened up the cage and Balto walked inside.

Balto began “Riley you did great out there I just wanted to congradula…” just then the cage door snapped shut.

“Ha!” the ringmaster sneered, “I got you wolf-dog, your joining my circus... permanently.”

The ringmaster walked back into the tent, laughing evilly. He didn’t know that Kaltag had followed Balto to see what he was up to. Kaltag had heard what the ringmaster had said about Balto. He knew it was too late in the evening to tell anybody about this, so, he decided to wait until morning. The next morning, the circus had left without a trace. Kaltag rushed over to Jenna’s house and asked her to step onto the porch. Kaltag told Jenna about what had happened to Balto the previous night.

“You do know where the circus is heading to next, right Kaltag?” asked Jenna hopefully.

Kaltag started sadly“ I’m sorry to say that I’m clueless, stupefied, confused...”

Jenna broke down crying right there.
“What are we going to do?” cried Jenna, “He could be anywhere and.” Just then a flyer hit her in the face.
“What’s that?” asked Kaltag.
“It’s a flyer...from the Circus” said Jenna.
They read the flyer and found out where Balto and the circus were headed.

Kaltag stuttered “Ju-Juneau, Alaska. Isn’t that at the bottom of Alaska?”

“Yup,” started Jenna, “and I think we’ll need some backup. Kaltag, you get Nikki and Star and I’ll get Boris, Muk, and Luk. We’ll meet at the boat at noon.”

When noon came Kaltag arrived with Star.

“Where’s Nikki?” asked Jenna.

Kaltag started his rambling, “He is the most feverish, diseased, most under the weather…”

“He’s not feeling good.” Star interrupted.

*BONG* As usual Star got hit on the head for interrupting. Jenna couldn’t help herself from laughing.

“Back to matters at paw.” began Boris, “When we are leaving to save Balto from ze evil ringmaster, hmm?”

“We just have to wait for..” Jenna had been cut off by a shout.

“Uncle Boooris!”

“Well here they come” said Jenna.

“Uncle Booooris!” repeated the voice.

“Oh, no I must take cover” yelled Boris.

He dove behind a box just as Muk and Luk came onto the boat.

“Where’s Uncle Boris, Jenna?” asked Muk.

She pointed to the box and Muk ran behind it.

“Stay away, and none of ze hugging or licking!” said Boris as he backed up into Luk.

Luk gave Boris a bear hug and everyone on the boat except for Boris laughed.

“Well, now we can leave to find Balto.” Jenna said, still trying to hold back laughter.

A Three Ring Circus
“Is it almost done?” checked Jenna.
“We just have to get one more thing on the sled.” replied Star impatiently.
During the past three hours the small brigade had gotten together a sled and some necessary supplies like food. They had just finished packing everything onto the sled when a newcomer appeared.
“Hi, my name is Aaron and I heard that you’re looking for Balto. I would really like to help. This is my first week here, of course I still do miss Juneau.”
“Wait!” asked an excited Jenna, “Did you walk to here? Do you think you still remember the way there.”
“Of course I walked here and I do remember the way, I am a sled dog” replied Aaron proudly.
Aaron was a brown Siberian husky like Kaltag, only he was a darker shade and heavier. Everyone talked it over and decided that it would be a good idea if Aaron did come with them.
“He seems really suspicious to me.” Star said coldly.
“You are the most mistrustful, paranoid, obsessed...” Kaltag started again.
“Shut up, Kaltag! At least I don’t have a speech impediment.” countered Star.
“You are such a pain! I’m going to enjoy this.” retorted Kaltag.
Star was hit on the head with twice as much force as normal.
“Big bully.” said Star quietly.
“Stop it you two.” snapped Aaron, “If we’re going to get to Balto in time we have to work together.”
They started out of town in a fast pace. The group walked for about two hours before a major storm blew in.
“We’ve got to find a place to stay before we are frozen like Popsicle!” yelled Boris.
The blizzard was getting to be a near whiteout conditions. They struggled through the driving snow until they saw an abandoned steel mill in the distance. They hurried inside and shook the snow off. In one corner of the main room they saw four cages with hay. Everyone shared a cage with someone else, except for Aaron.
“Well, this seems pretty convenient that these cages just happened to be here.” said Star cautiously.
Just then the doors on the cages slammed shut. Everyone except for Aaron jumped from shock. Just then a human burst through the door with an evil grin.
“Well, well, well. Who do we have here? A couple of animals in my cages.”
He went over to Aaron’s cage and let him out.
“Good boy Aaron. I see that you did what I asked.”
“What is he talking about Aaron?” demanded Jenna.
“Don’t you get it you simple minded fools?” snickered Aaron, “I was sent to stay at Nome in case anyone wanted to save Balto. My job was to make it so I was invited and to lead you guys here to where you would be captured. Apparently you guys were stupid enough to fall for it.”
“Why you little!” Jenna growled.
“Ta-ta. I’ll see you never.” said Aaron mockingly.
After Aaron had said that, he and the human had left.
“He is the worst, the cruelest, the biggest slime ball I’ve ever laid eyes upon!” yelled Kaltag in anger.
Then everyone turned to look at Star.
“What? I don’t have to interrupt him all the time.” said Star.
“Besides that. How are we going to get out of here?” Jenna wailed.
Just then she saw it. The human had left the key on a table by Muk and Luk’s cage. Jenna whispered this to Boris and asked him if he had an idea to get it.
“Of course I do Jenna.” Boris insisted, “I will be putting plan together right now. Hey, bears, see the key on the table?” Muk and Luk nodded. “First one to get me key is favorite.”
That was all the motivation Muk and Luk needed. They started to push each other out of the way to get the key. Luk broke through bars, grabbed the key, and gave it to his Uncle Boris.
“Good bears. Both of you are favorites.”
Boris unlocked the two cages and they started off to get to Balto again. They found out that Aaron had lead them in the opposite direction that they were supposed to have been going.
“Well this great. We are almost day behind and we have to travel farther to get there.” huffed Boris.
“We won’t get there in time if we don’t hurry up.” insisted Jenna.
The team struggled through snow for hours. It was harder having lost a sled dog and what was worse was that they had to find their way to a place they had never been to before.
“We’ll find Balto if the last thing we do.” said Muk.
They started at a run. They forced their way through the driving snow. Since Eagle Pass was still blocked they had to take a trail that went over the mountain. They were determined to save their friend from a psychotic ringmaster. Half way up they came to the lake where Balto had fallen in less than a month ago. They were careful to watch for bears or any other predators. They were lucky; there were no other animals around them.
“I hate the mountain trail, it creeps me out.” shuddered Jenna.
“Well we’re going to have to deal with it in order to save Balto.” encouraged Star.
“You’re right Star. I know we will make it.” said Jenna feeling more confident.
They carried on. They were getting close to Nenana. Once they get there they could follow the train tracks south to Juneau. When they reached Nenana a kind person offered to let them stay and eat for a little while. The next day they set of, heading south to Juneau and Balto.
Meanwhile on the ship:
“We have got to find a way out of here!” howled Balto.
“How many times do I have to tell you Balto? There’s no way out without the key.” sighed Riley.
In the wheel house.
“Captain, how far are we from Juneau?” asked the ringmaster.
“About two days Jeffery.” said the captain.
“Darn. I hoped we would make it in a less amount of time. Oh well.” said Jeffery.
Back with the team:
“Let us pass!” yelled Jenna.
“What is your purpose in crossing our sacred lands?” questioned the alpha male of the pack.
“We have to save someone who is very important to us.” said Kaltag as calmly as possible.
“We don’t care!” spat the wolf. “No one trespasses on our land without out defeating us in battle.”
“Okay, that’s it!” growled Jenna, “I’ll take you on, unless you’re afraid.”
“Afraid, of you? Hah! Don’t make me laugh.” snorted the wolf, “I would be lucky if you made a good pelt to sleep on.”
That was Jenna’s final straw. She leapt at the wolf but, he had seen it coming. He dodged out of the way and grabbed her by the tail and bit.
“Why you!” Jenna snarled.
Jenna grabbed the wolf and tossed him to the ground. She pinned him down so he couldn’t move.
“Okay, you win. You may cross our territory.” the wolf sighed.
“Why, thank you.” Jenna said after she had caught her breath.
The other members of the pack moved out of the way. Jenna’s team began to sprint. They knew that the circus would arrive in Juneau at anytime so they had to hurry.
On the boat:
“We’ve arrived!” yelled the captain.
“Great! We’re actually ahead of schedule.” cheered Jeffery.
Below Deck:
“Balto stop before you get some serious brain damage.” urged Riley.
"He's plow into those bars so much I dought he still even has a brain." chortled Daisy. "Shut it Daisy. Balto you really need to stop. There's no way out of here." Balto would not listen. He kept charging into the bars, hoping that they would eventually break.
With Jenna:
Jenna could see Juneau on the horizon. She started cheering when her heart sank. The big top was already being set up.
“Oh, no.” whispered Jenna, “We’ll never make it in time.”
They got into town and people were shocked to see a sled with no musher, only three dogs, a goose, and two polar bears coming into their town. Jenna ordered that the sled should be left in an alley. She wanted Star and Kaltag to come with her as a search party and Boris, Muk, and Luk to stay for backup. The little search party found their way to the back of the tent to see three cages. That’s when Jenna saw him. She had found Balto at last.
“Oh Balto I’m so glad to see you!” Jenna screamed.
“Jenna get out of here it’s a trap!!” Balto yelled.
“Huh?” Jenna asked with a confused look.
Just then a cage fell down and trapped Jenna.
“Oh no, little pooch, you are not part of my circus. I have no need for misbehaving puppies like you.” said Jeffery with an annoying little boy’s voice, “I got plans for your little friend here. He’s going to be the star of the show.”
Jeffery also saw Star and Kaltag. He ordered his clowns to get them. Unfortunately they were captured.
“You are the most malicious, the most devious, the evilest, the cruelest, the most resentful…”
“Shut it you mutt.” scolded a clown.
The clowns through both Kaltag and Star into separate cages.
Jenna started yelling for Muk, Luk, and Boris. She didn’t get a response so she thought they couldn’t hear her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, for our first act of the evening.”
“This isn’t good.” said Balto, “I’m the first act.”
At that moment they heard a familiar sort of cry. It was Luk! Balto started calling for them. They arrived soon after. Jenna asked if they still had the key. Muk and Luk had no idea of what Jenna was even talking about until Boris cut in.
“Idiot balls of fluff. She means key that you got for me. Good thing I saved it.” said Boris.
He tried the key on the lock and it actually worked. Everybody couldn’t be happier.
“I’m through of being pushed around by the ringmaster!” hollered Riley. They all agreed. “And I say that we get back at him!” he finished. They went into the tent snarling and growling. The ringmaster turned to see a lot of angry looking animals coming towards him. He started to panic. Just then Anderson and Aaron burst through the tent.
“Sick em Aaron!”Anderson sneered.
“I’ve had it with those two.” said Kaltag.
“I agree with you 100%.” said Star.
The audience was not expecting that there was going to be a fight. Riley made the first move. He lunged at the ringmaster and knocked him down to the ground. Balto soon joined in. The two started ripping at his sleeves and tugging on his arms like teething puppies. Then Daisy, Jerry, and Suzie mixed in. While those five were dealing with Jeffery, Boris, Muk, Luk, and Lenard were going after the traitor Aaron.
“So, you think tricking us was smart move? Well we going to show you what happens to double agents!” whooped Boris. “Get him boys!”
Luk came behind Aaron and squeezed him in a bear hug. Lenard kicked him in the muzzle and Muk was trying to fight but wasn’t doing a thing. Finally, it was Jenna, Kaltag, and Star versus Anderson.
“You’re going to pay for what you did to all of us!” yelled Jenna.
She bit Anderson in a very uncomfortable place.
“Ooh, harsh.” said Kaltag and Star together.
Kaltag and Star did their part by dragging Anderson across the floor and bruising his face. The crowd was in a state of utter confusion. People were running out of the stands just trying to get the heck out of the madness. Some people were cheering and some were booing for the animals. The whole big top was just a disaster waiting to happen. Then the animals had backed the three crooks into a corner. Just then the police arrived. They were just about to carry the animals away when one cop noticed Balto.
“Hey isn’t that the dog that saved Nome?”
“Yeah I think it is.” commented another.
Then a cop turned to the ring master. The cop demanded that they explain themselves. The only reason they agreed was because the police had threatened to release the animals on them. Jeffery told the whole story of how they had dognapped poor Balto.

"I just have one question." started the first cop, "What do you have against wolves?"

"Ooh nothing." began Jeffery the ringmaster, "Except for the fact that they ruined my life!"

"How so?" asked the same cop.

"It all started when I was six" sighed Jeffery, "We came up to Alaska to visit a relitive. The cabin we were staying in was on the outskirts of town. Our second night there we heard a sound coming from outdoors. Thinking it was a burglar my parents tucked me in bed and said that they would be back in the morning." At this point he started to cry. "And the next morning I woke up to find that they had vanished. I went outside to see if they were there and that's when I saw it. My mother's wedding ring... and my fathers pistol."

"How do you know that wolves were the cause?" questioned the second cop.

"What do you think!" yelled Jeffery, "By there paw prints of coarse! Ever since that day... I have vowed to make as many wolves lives as misserable as possible!"

"What about your friend?" the first cop asked again.

Jeffery looked at Anderson, "He heard about my mission and I promised to give him half the profit that I would make."

"I think that's a good enough confession." stated the second cop. With that they hauled them off.

Jeffery and Anderson were put in jail and Aaron the traitor was put into the pound. The wolves were set free and the gang got a ride home.

There are three kinds of rings, the engagement ring, the suffer-ring, and…
“I now pronounce you two mates.” said the preacher.
…the third is wedding ring.
Balto and Jenna had gotten married. There was a huge celebration to commemorate the wedding and the journey’s success.

By:Walto Disney