Rukie, Angada, Noie, Tish, Tysean, Isa-Liana, Chase and Mia-onoka (Mia) are all created by me, therefore, (c) to me, Kira McLachlin, or Sun_wing. The character names Orval and Nichole are made up by me. Their character belongs to Universal Studios. Saba, Kodiak (Kodi), Dingo, Balto and Jenna are (c) to Universal Studios.
This is the first in the series "A Wolf in Dogs Clothing".
writen by me, Sun_wing (Kira McLachlin)
Prologue
The icey winds of winter slammed into whaterver moved. Shards of ice flew threw the air. Admist this flurry walked a wolf, her head down low, carrying a small, precious bundle. Her fur was twisted this way and that, and it was only till she came under the cover of a building that she had a little protection. She sat down, and placed whatever she carried between her legs, to keep it warmer. She looked around, slightly distressed. Where is he? she wondered desperatly. She picked up the bundle again, and crept out from behind the building.
"You there!" a voice called from somewhere outside the house. The wolf slowly turned her head, and sighed in releif. Thank god! she thought, and bounded towards a dog. She came up close to him and touched his nose breifly. She sat down, and placed the bundle at the dogs feet, then jumped back up, and bounded off. The dog looked shocked, and tried to go after the girl, but she was long gone, lost in the blizzard.
He looked down at his paws, and cocked his head. It was a shabby excuse for a bundle, but a bundle none the less. He curiously pulled the blanket away from the object inside, and gasped. A young pup bearing the unmistakeable paws of a wolf whimpered lamely. It was near frozen. The dog quickly wrapped it up, and turned towards the house, bounding inside.
"Jenna!" he called, and his brown tail, similar color to the wolf who originally had the bundle, dissapeared within the home.
Chapter 1
About a year latter in the spring...
Brown paws placed themselves on the sand. Crystal blue eyes concentrated on a broken boat to the horizon. Her muscles tensed. Ears laid backwards. Her tail swished slightly in aprehension, and she bolted. Paws pounded on the sand. She pushed with all her might. One paw infront of the other, racing with the wind. Her heart felt lighter, and she lept forwards, bounding swiftly. Its coming up, Rukie! Don't mess up!!! the female dog told herself. She quickened her pace, and pushed with her whole body. She landed, skidded and fell into the sand pile.
"Ha, ha, Rukie! You'll never be able to join a team, let alone win one! Give up and get an owner!" a beige dog taunted from the sidelines. Rukie stepped up, head held in shame as some sled dogs from town mocked her. Rukie shook herself to get rid of the sand, and headed back to where she started.
"Hey! She's going to try again! Look at the hybrid walk! As if she could be a sled dog!" a very vain sled dog taunted. Rukie whipped around, then thought better of it, and turned back to what she was doing.
"Yeah, you'd beter walk... pup!" the dogs taunted. Rukie tried to block it out, and positioned herself again.
Rukie shook, for the nineth time, the sand from her fur. By now, the malicious dogs from town had left. Rukie sighed, and turned her head to the sea.
"I'm never going to be able to run like dad..." she whispered to herself, looking wistfully at the fish jumping. Her stomach growled, which reminded Rukie that she hadn't eaten all day. With a heavy heart, she turned around, and headed into town.
Rukie trotted down the back alleys of Nome, sniffing around the trash cans. She came upon one, and nudged it over. The trash fell out, and she surffed through it, trying to find anything edible.
"Hey!" a voice called behind Rukie. She spun around, and stepped back.
"What are you doing Rukie!?" it was Rukie's other brother, Angada. Rukie backed up, and hung her head in shame.
"You told dad you were fine living without a family!" he scolded Rukie. Rukie lowered her head more, and sighed. Angada looked around at the trash.
"Despite that... anything good to eat?" he asked sheepishly. Rukie lifted her head sharply. She stared at her brother a bit. Indeed, he had lost some pounds. She stepped over to the side, allowing him to dig in.
"So why are you, of all dogs, digging into trash?" she asked. Angada gobbled down a piece of something looking like a fish head gone bad. Rukie stuck out her tongue.
"You didn't hear?" he asked after he had finish it. Rukie shook her head.
"I got kicked off the sled team," he said, and pushed through the trash ravishingly. Rukie looked at her brother, and shook her head.
"So you've degraded yourself to this?" she accused.
"Your one to talk!" Angada snapped, and turned back to the trash. Rukie's stomach growled again, but she wouldn't look at the trash. Her fur was standing on end.
"You actually had something in your life! How in Alaska did you get kicked off the sled team, Gad!?" she snarled. Angada turned his shoulder to his sister.
"I bit Ralph," he mumbled. Rukie looked at her brother in shock.
"R-Ralph? Ralph!? You bit Ralph!? Why!?" she asked bewildered. Angada shrugged his shoulder's semingly not to care.
"Angada..." Rukie couldn't find any words. She sat down heavily, looking at her brother stunned. Ralph had taken Angada under his wing when he joined up in the sled team. Angada looked up to him. What reason was enough for Angada to bite him? Actual bite, bite him too. Angada, however, was clearly in no mood to talk about that right then.
"I saw you praticing on the beach," he said, trying to bring something else into light. He grabbed a piece of slightly old bread and tossed it over to Rukie.
"You want to run faster, eat up and don't worry about me, kay?" he said, and smiled kindly to Rukie. Rukie turned her head from the food. Angada looked down, dissapointed, then turned around and headed back down the alley. He stopped, hanging his head a little.
"If you see Tish, tell her... tell her... tell her that I'm sorry," he turned his head slightly back so he looked right at Rukie who had raised her head to hear his message ", but that I hope I left a bigger mark on Ralph than he did on me!"
Rukie watched her brother as he cheerfully showed Rukie a healing gash on the insde of his hind leg. Rukie had to chuckle a little, but didn't show her brother. She heard his pawsteps as he padded off.
Sighing heavily, Rukie turned to the crusty bread, and ate whatever didn't make her gums raw.
Chapter 2
Jenna bolted swiftly through the flying pots and pans that were being tossed in the kitchen, and skidded out the doggie door. She gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"Jenna! What's wrong! Jenna!" Balto's voice came swiftly to Jenna's laid back ears. She lifted her head, and gave a weak smile to Balto as he trotted up beside her, concern etched all over his features.
"Oh! Nothing's really wrong, Balto! Rosie's mischevious cousins just dropped in yesterday! I haven't been around that much rucas scince the time Saba found a bat and decided to release it in the barn! Gosh, Nichole and Kodi will forever be scarred!" Jenna panted, but couldn't help smiling. Balto looked at Jenna curiously.
"What's gotten you in such a good mood, Jenna?" he asked, curious, but pretty sure of the answer. Jenna just smiled.
"Have the family gather in the boiler room, kay? I have a fealing there will be more in a month..." she said, and brushed her tail up under Balto's chin. Balto raised hi eyebrows, but didn't have to ask what she ment. He smiled, and raced off towards Dingo's House.
"Rukie! Rukie! Vake up! Vake up! Eyes open!" Boris honked. From under her blanket, Rukie raised her paw and smaked Boris on the beak.
"Yeooooowwwwwwch! Now vhat was zat for!?" Boris complained, holding his beak in his wings. Rukie raised from beneath the cover gracefully, stretching in the full sunshine. Her brown fur glitter and her white fur shone.
Vhy zis girl has not yet found a mate, I do not know. But I do know she can be great big pain in toosh! Zoz paws awe so strong and big and... oh... zee paws... right... Boris thought dryly, and turned around, his back to Rukie, tenderly making sure his beak was fine. Rukie smiled, and crept up behind her "uncle" coily, and wrapped her body beside his.
"Now, that is why clocks belong in a human's home. Those ones don't get pounded," she spoke slyly.
"Yes, but I am goose! No cluck cluck for me!" Boris said with pride. Rukie chuckled.
"No 'cluck, cluck', you say?" she laughed, but trotted out onto the beach. She lived in a den not to far from what used to be Balto's boat. Now, Boris and Stella lived there alone. Balto had found a home with Duke.
She moved over to a fresh water stream, and took a couple of laps, then turned back as Boris followed her out of the cave.
"So... why are you here?" She asked, sitting down. Her stomach growled, but she had gotten used to the fact of not eating.
Boris jumped up.
"You're little bang, bang made me forget! Balto! Jenna! They have called for a meeting in zee boiler room! Hurry, hurry! No time to loose! Mush child, mush!" Boris honked, and ushered Rukie towards Nome.
"You don't have to push!" she complained, and bounded off towards Nome, but not after tripping over the first sand pile... Boris rolled his eyes.
Its dem big paws... poor girl...
Farther away, in the town of White Mountain...
"You think that it's okay to talk to others!? You think its okay to go walking by yourself, to leave here, without me!?" A snarling ebonite dog smacked a smaller female across the face. She yelped, and toppled, landing on her side. She winced, but made no atempt to get up. Her brown fur, which would have been beautiful if not ruffled and ungrowmed from days gone bye, stood up in fear. She breathed shakily, and avoided the males eye contact.
"That's better," he growled, and turned around, padding over to a food bowl titled Tysaen. He greedily ate it up, and walked out a doggie door. The female had curled up into a ball, shivering. I have to leave... she thought to herself. A tear slid down her face. She knew she couldn't leave. 'The world is creul and bitter, Isa-Liana! I'm only protecting you!' the words floated in her head. The female quivered. No... I can't leave. If the world is worse than him... Isa couldn't finish her thought, and she sobbed softly. Why was I ever born!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, hey! Clutzy finally arrives!" Orval teased his sister as she came up, nudging her kindly. Rukie smiled, and nipped his ear playfully.
Rukie looked around, smiling. Saba was talking to Kodi, and Noie was roughhousing with Dingo. Angada was gobbleing down some scraps that Nichole had most likely given him. Rukie turned to her older brother, and pushed him playfully. He came off balance, and growled, leaping back at her. Rukie ducked, and he flew over her, landing on Balto.
"Calm down kids, and pay attention! Jenna has an anouncement!" he said, but he was still excited. Jenna walked over to the stove, and looked aound at her children.
"Well, there's no other way best as to say this, but... I'm pregnant!" Jenna said. Everyone was expecting it, and they all cheered.
"Yahoo!" Rukie jumped up in the air. She wasn't going to be the youngest anymore!
Balto walked over to Jenna and licked her cheek affectionatly. They all crouded around Jenna, asking questions and blurting out wishes.
"Seeing as I'm no longer going to be the last born, may I name one, mother?" Rukie finally asked. Everyone fell silent, and looked at eachother, holding their tongues to something. Rukie cocked her head, and shrunk down a little.
"What?" she asked. Jenna laughed a little, and the others calmed down, smiling at Rukie, but she still felt uneasy.
"Yes, Rukie, you may, but you can just call me, Jenna. There's really no need for you to call me 'mother' now that your an adult!" Jenna said kindly, but there was a tension there. Rukie smiled slightly, and the others, started talking again, but everything was hard to be free with. Rukie was silent, and finally everything broke up, and the dogs headed home.
Except Rukie.
She sat alone in the Boiler room as Jenna, Balto and Kodi left together.
"I'll walk home by myself mother!" Kodi said quietly, shifting a glance at Rukie. Rukie perked her ears up. Jenna took no notice.
"Alright, Kodi. Be safe!" Jenna called, and padded off to her house with Balto. Rukie blinked.
Every time I refer to Jenna or Balto as my parents, I'm chastised. But when Kodi, or Saba, or Noie or anyone refers to them as their parents... why am I so different from my family? she wondered this many times. She even counted the differences, but there were so many that she just couldn't keep track.
The biggest, of course, was her paws.
They were even bigger than Balto's.
Chapter 3
Isa crept as quietly as she could. If Tysean caught her... Isa shivered. There would be no life left for her.
She pushed out the doggie door, and slid down the porch steps. Past the gate, and around the first building. Even there she felt like Tysean would pop out from any corner and slit her throat. At the thought of this, Isa shivered. She started to shake as she padded further and further away from Tysean and the country towards Nome. A part of her was terrified that he would still catch her.
She had reached the town. All she had to do, was find enough food, and head to Nome. She had heard rumors of kind dogs there. Its my only hope...but getting back past Tysean's house would be hard. Thats why she had to do this in the cover of night, and all durring this night.
A garbage can fell over with a loud clank.
Isa bolted behind piles of boxes.
She was breathing quickly. Her heart was racing. He's found me! He's found me! Tears slid down her cheeks in panic, and she bolted from behind the boxes.
"Hey!" a voice shouted. Isa willed her paws to carry her to death before she could suffer any more. The paws of another pounded behind her.
Isa took a sharp corner, then another, and another. Whomever was chasing her was keeping good pace.
Isa was breathing very quickly. If she didn't slow down, she would hyper ventalate. He's going to catch me! He'll kill me! a voice screamed in her head. Tears stained her cheeks, and she willed herself to go the extra mile. Run Isa!! Run!! Isa put her heart into it, and broke free of the buildings, racing out into the contry, towards Nome.
Nome! Nome! That will be my knew home! she thought to herself desperatly, hearing the pawsteps coming closer. They were very rappid... or was it numerous? Isa couldn't tell. Her head felt light.
Isa tried to jump an upcoming sandbank, but toppled over. She was too weak, and her paws were too big...
"I'll kill you Isa! I'll kill you!!" a voice called, and paws collided with Isa's side. Isa yelped, and rolled, cringing and coughed lamly. She couldn't make out the color in the navy night. Then a flash of Orange. And finally, the cool black that made all fade...
Some time after the event, in Nome...
Rukie gasped, and her eyes opened. She was sprawled out on her stomach, inside the Boiler room. She looked around wildly, and upon realising where she was, she started to calm down. She rolled onto her side, and let her head fall.
"It was just a dream, only a dream..." she whispered to herself. She was breathing fairly quickly, and her side hurt, mostly from the memory but some from hunger.
"You awake Ruk?" a voice called from the corner, and a husky poked her head out. Rukie looked up, and dropped her head down.
"You had me going there a bit, Mia," Rukie chastized her friend slightly, but smiled. The black and white husky padded over to Rukie. She sat down beside her, and cocked her head.
"When I couldn't find you in your home, I asked your folks where you might be. They said here, so here I am, with a message. You know a Chase, or something? From a mail run maybe?" she asked, looking Rukie up and down. Rukie swatted her friend over the head kindly.
"I've never been on a mail run, stupid," she corrected. Mia ducked just in time.
"Well, Dingo talks about you a lot, as does Kodi and Angada used to... actually, all the dogs (in your family) who have been to White Mountain talk to this Chase dude about you," Mia said, as if it were a well known fact, which it kinda was. But Rukie still shook her head.
"They've never mentioned this guy to me, so it must just be a myth," she said. Mia rolled her eyes.
"But he has a message for you, Rukie," she said. Rukie sat up slowly.
"Tell," she said. Mia smiled quizickally, but didn't ask.
"It was kinda nonsensical, but I'll tell it anyway. Tish told me from Ralph who met up with him on his way back from White Mountain," Mia cleared her throat as Rukie secretly rolled her eyes, "He says: She has been wounded. Stop. Coming to Nome. Stop. Boiler room. Stop. Names Chase. Stop. Dingo speaks highly of you." Rukie looked surprised, and stepped over he short friend.
"RUKIE!" Mia called as Rukie bounded out the door without a word. Mia grumbled, and padded out the door.
"I do a favor for this so called 'special dog' and I get stepped over and ignored..." but she coudn't help smiling. Everyone in the town liked Rukie, even the sled dogs. Of course, the only reason they teased her was because she always tripped on her feet.
"Dingo!" Rukie halted behind Dingo's house, and perked her ears. It was her sister, Saba's voice that had called her brother.
"Dingo!" she called again. Rukie peeked around the corner, and saw her sister with a distraught but ticked look on her face. She was grinding her teeth.
Dingo stepped out of his home. His face was serious.
"I know, Saba," he said with a cold tone. Rukie had never heard him use it. He was always so kind to her. Saba snarled at him.
"See where your carelessness has led us! Chase is comeing! With Isa!! This can't happen, not now, not yet! Rukie.is.not.ready!" Saba barked. Dingo turned his head away from Saba in anger. Rukie ducked behind the house. Thoughts were wizzing through her head, so many they were making her dizzy.
"Saba..." Rukie heard her older brothers voice. The thoughts stopped.
"Don't say it Dingo," Saba's voice was cold. For a second, Rukie wondered if Dingo liked Saba. How wrong she was.
"I love Rukie, alright!" Dingo's voice lashed at Saba. Rukie's heart skipped a beat.
"But now is not the time! She can't know about anything! Nothing, Dingo. Nothing. It'll make it that much harder for her," this was mearly white noise to Rukie.
Dingo... her older brother by four years... was... in love with her?
It wouldn't sink in.
But she had not ime to allow it to.
Saba was headed to the back of the house.
Did she see me? Did she hear me? What is she doing? Rukie paniced, and bolted behind some boxes. She stayed there, parilized by the news she had just heared.
Saba passed by, not noticing Rukie had even been there.
The door to Dingo's house closed.
Rukie sat between the boxes and the house, shocked.
Everybody liked Rukie.