Characters

Steele ~ Universal

Balto ~ Universal

Jenna ~ Universal

Boris ~ Universal

Plot

After being cast out by the town Steele vows revenge on Balto. When he finally does get his revenge and kills Balto he wishes he hadn't. Balto becomes his conscience and is always bugging Steele. Can Steele live through this while trying to win Jenna and everyone else in the town back and make them all adore him again?

Rated

PG 13 for violance

Story

    The dark snowy sky showed nothing but black against the night. The only movement was of a figure of a dog running through the snow. His black and white coat stood out against the black sky. As he looked up at the sky he grunted as the dancing lights turned to show a wolf's shadow. He kept running, his body rippiling and his muscles tensed.

   Who is this dog you ask? He once had a life. It was a good one at that. Cosy beds, lovely faes, good food, wonderful masters and the popularity any dog like him would dream of. Then it all ended so suddenly. All because of one dog, make that a wolf. That wolf - dog had destroyed his whole life. He lost his popularity, girls and home. He was cast out by the otehr dogs of the town because he made one tiny mistake. Well maybe a big one. Maybe a few big ones.

    But your still wondering who this is aren't you? His name is Steele. His personality matches his name and looks perfectly. He was popular as you may have guessed. Everyone adored and looked up to him as he was their hero. He won many dog sled races for the alaskan town of Nome, his home. Then one day he waas called upon to be the lead dog of a team that was to save the town. All the children had come down with a terrible sickness that may have ended in death.

   So he and the team set off into the wilderness to find the town that had the medicine waiting. It was long and hard and Steele was exasperated. The team and the town depended on him and his ideas. He was the lead and he had to save them all. But soon he had taken a wrong turn and the team was totally lost. Then the wolf - dog named Balto appeared. He said that he should take the medicine and Steele wasn't going to take it. They fought a long and painful battle until Steele had fallen and Balto had succeed.

   When Steele saw the wolf - dog at the lead of the team, his position, he wanted to make sure they never got home. So marking Balto a path going the wrong way he made it home to find the town in distress. Not wanting to distress them anymore he told them a story that said Balto had died and the medicine was lost. It was a complete hoax and Jenna, a beautiful red husky that everyone, including Steele and Balto had a crush on. Then she had to go and fall in love with that wolf - dog. She called him out and told them all Balto was still alive and he would be coming home.

   So Steele then got the luxuary treatment as he told his lies about himself being brave. But soon enough the wolf - dog found his way home. They all left Steele to hang out with Balto the new "hero" of the town. Steele was disgusted and even more repulsed when they shoved him out of town. They chased him clean out of the town sight and told him never to return again. So he ran as far away as he could.

   So now he was far from Nome and never knew if he should return. He stopped to catch his breath and look back. The towns victory lights dazzled and danced with the northern lights as happiness rained over. His happiness, although, was not raining over him. He sobbed quitely as he sniffed back his tears. He had never cried before and it felt strange. The small drip of water slipped down his furry cheek on into the white snow underneath him.

   Then he lifted his head, a grim expression on his face. He knew what he was going to do. Balto didn't deserve to live with such pleasure. It was time he got what he really needed and Steele knew exactly what to do. He smirked evily before turning to look at the town again. The lights had dimmed a little and the northern lights had disapeared. Breathing heavily Steele chuckled to himself before starting off at another run towards Nome.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

   It was morning by the time he had arrived to the towns southern entrance. He looked around, his tail between his legs. He was still quite frightned that the other dogs might push him out again. He kept his eyes peeled for the wolf - dog. Then his mind rested on Jenna. They had fallen in love, to the distaste of Steele. But Jenna would never leave Rosie, her owner, side. They would be at the hospital.

   So he headed in that direction, his strut coming back to him. The town was totally deserted. Everyone was resting from the exciting night before. He guessed they must have all gone to bed after twelve o'clock as he saw the lights had dimmed completely when he was running to the town the night before. But he shook his head of those thoughts and kept walking.

   Soon he had found the hospital. It was a large building in the middle of the town. He went the side of the building trying to see into the windows but having no luck. He then spotted a bunch of logs that were facing the window. So he jumped on them,putting his paws on the sill,and sitting down to watch the window. After searching the beds he found Rosies. She was smiling as she was cuddled up to her mother in the bed, her father sleeping on the chair beside her bed.

   He kept searching for Jenna's red coat. Then his eyes narrowed and his claws scratched the window sill. On the floor beside Rosies bed was Jenna cuddled up close to a smiling Balto. Steele's fur stood up as he snarled under his breath. That wolf - dog was touching his Jenna.

   Suddenly Balto's yellow eyes fluttered open, a confused look on his face. Immediatly, Steele jumped off the logs and behind the wall. If he was going to kill Balto he wanted it to be a suprise attack. He glared at the other wall like if Balto was there. He heard a loud yawn and a clicking of claws aginst the wooden floor before silence. Steele peeked in the window to see Balto had disapeared.

   Minuites late he heard the boiler room door creak open. He flew around the corner and peeked over to see Balto coming out the door. Steele guessed Balto must have gone under the floor through the vent in the doctors office. He stretched before heading around the back way to the beach. Steele snarled before following closley. 

   Soon the buildings were no more as the beach came into view. Steele had no where to hide. If Balto looked back and spotte him it would be all over. So he watched Balto from behind a building. He walked up his boat turning once to look back then going under the deck. Steele snorted and started to walk towards the boat.

   Luckily Balto didn't come out again leaving Steele an easy path to the boat. He jumped on the deck loudly, a little too loudly because Balto popped his head out of a large hole in the deck. His mouth dropped open as Steele smirked. "We meet again wolf - dog," Steele growled in his deep evil voice.

   "Steele!" Balto gasped, still a bit suprised.

   "You may have beaten me before," Steele continued," But this time its you that will fall." Suddenly Steele jumped at Balto and two tumbled off the boat and into the snow. Steele flipped up and back on his back pulling at poor Balto's ears. Balto shouted out in pain as he tried to flip Steele off him. Steele then began to push Balto's face down in the snow with his paw, a crazy look on his face.

   Then a scream was heard. Steele looked up to see the goose named Boris flying at him. He fell over off of Balto as Boris flew at his face. "Boris!" Balto yelled as she shook the snow off his face. "Get outta here! Go tell Jenna to stay inside!"

   "But Balto!" he yelled back.

   "Please Boris do as I say!" Balto yelled franticly. Steele was now on his paws again and he took another leap at Balto. Boris had flown off to the hospital to tell Jenna Steele had gone crazy. Steele did not want her to know this so he jumped at Boris pulling him down into the snow. Boris cried in pain as he held his bloody leg. Steele snarled, blood in his teeth.

   Before he could finish the goose off Balto had jumped on his back. Steele bucked as he tried to kick Balto off. Finally Balto lost his gripping and let go flying into the snow. Steele laughed crazily as he pinned Balto down. "Not dog," he said breathing heavily."Not wolf...your a ghost." Then he sunk his teeth into Balto's neck. Balto cried out in pain until his struggling stopped.

   Steele lifted his head. breathing heavily, a smile on his evil maw. "Steele!" Boris screamed as he ran up to them. Steele then turned around and pinned Boris down as he did Balto. "If you ever," he snarled to the goose, nose to beak. "Tell anyone about this I'll make sure you join him." Boris nodded quitely as Steele stepped over him. He heard Boris sobbing as he walked towards town.

   Licking his fangs he spit the taste of the wolf - dog out his mouth. His walk turned into a strut as he headed to the hospital. He looked back to see Boris's head in his wings, sobbing. Steele chuckled to himself as he reached the boiler room door. He stepped inside the room and into the vent. Then he slithered under the floor boards until he found the open grate in the doctors office.

   He slipped through and up on to the floor boards. Then he strutted into the room filled with sick children. Jenna was alseep beside the bedside of Rosie. Steele slowly walked up to her before shaking her with his paw. Her eyes fluttered open to look up at him. She quickly got up and backed away growling at him. "Stay away from me you pig," she snarled.

   "Jenna," Steele said in a quite way. "Its about Balto."

   "What about him? What did you do to him?!" she screamed at him.

   "I have done nothing Jenna my dear," he said trying to sooth her."But I found his...dead body on the beach."

    "NO!" she cried falling into a small bundle on the floor. "THIS CAN'T BE! YOU KILLED HIM! OH BALTO!" Steele smiled a small smile when she was not looking and slowly put his paw on her shoulder. She didn't pull away she just kept crying. Slowly he lay down beside her and she didn't move, she just kept crying. He nuzzled into her red fur as she cried into his.

   Suddenly she stood up and ran towards the doctors office. Steele ran after he to see her red tail dissapear down the vent. He growled slowly and slipped under after her. He could see her body up ahead as they crawled. Then they came outside and he saw her running towards Balto and Boris. Steele ran after her but she reached them first.

   "Oh Balto!" she cried lying beside him. "I'm so sorry! I should have stayed with you! Oh Balto!" Steele looked at Boris who was still crying but said nothing. "Jenna," Steele said soothingly."Theres nothing we can do. The wolves have taken him for some reason. But Jenna my dear do not fear. I shall take care of you."

   "Oh Steele! You don't care about me!" she screamed at him as she nuzzled close to Balto, blood covering her red fur."You never have! Oh Balto!" Then she got up and ran away back into the town. Steele turned back to Boris. "Get rid of his body and clean up his blood," he ordered him." I don't want any humans to see this you hear me?" Boris nodded and began to cover the blood with snow.

   Steele smiled and then took off after Jenna. If she would not come to him the easy way he'd have to do it the hard way. After he got to the town he saw Rosies owner checking Jenna's fur for a cut maybe. Steele smiled and strutted up to them. "Steele!" the man said smiling as he pet his head. "Where have you been boy? Do you know what happened to Balto or Jenna here?" Steele shook his head and looked up at him with large innocent eyes.

   "Why don't you stay with us for now eh?" the man asked Steele as he nodded very fast. Jenna glared at him but Steele just smiled as the man led both the dogs to their house.

----------------------------------------------------------------

     After a few days Steele was put back on the team after the town found out Balto had died. They had a funral for him but then he was never spoken of again. Steele meanwhile was having the time of his life. He was back on the team, had his home again and the town had gone back to loving him. He told them all of the story of how Balto died and they all listened to his lies.

   It was a month after Balto's death and Steele was lying by the fire place in his warm home. He sighed happily before snorting and rolling over.

   "You always were a pig you know."

    Steele jumped to his feet staring around. "Who... whos there?" he questioned, his eyes darting back and forth.

    "Its me you bone head."

    The voice bounced off the walls. Steele was breathing fast as he jumped around. "Who are you?" Steele asked.

    "Turn around you idiot."

    Slowly Steele truned around only to fall over with fright. There standing in front of him was the dog he had killed a month ago. The one that had ruined his life. The one that was supposed to be dead. It was Balto.

    "Hello again. Remember me?"

    Balto walked, more floated, towards Steele who scrambled to his paws. Around Balto's see through neck was a golden medal. Steele growled and glared at it. "What do you want?" Steele asked.

    "I want you to tell the truth Steele."

    "The truth?" Steele asked as Balto nodded slowly, his fur glowing. "No no I will never tell the truth." He stuck his tounge out at Balto before turning away.

    "Then I guess I'll have to haunt you until you do. Thats one of the perks about being a ghost. We're only seen by people we want to be seen by and I only want you to see me."

   Balto had now floated around to face Steele, he was smirking. Steele growled and turned away.

   "That means that only you can see me, hear me and talk to me. Feel special buddy. You get to talk to the Balto for the rest of your life."

    "What happens if I tell the truth?" Steele asked.

   "You get kicked out of town, I go to heaven, and Jenna is at peace."

   "So if I don't tell the truth you don't go to heaven?" Steele questioned.

   "Thats the idea stupid. Thats another perk. You can't attack me so I can call you whatever I want to." 

   Steele snarled and turned to Balto."I don't care! I will never ever, like never ever ever infinity, tell the truth," he said as he stuck his tounge out.

   "Alright, its your life that'll be ruined."

   Then he finally disapeared leaving Steele alone again.

-----------------------------------------------------------

   Steele had not seen Balto again for weeks and began to wonder if it was just a stupid dream. But he began to hang around Jenna more, just incase Balto found her and told her the truth.

   One night Steele had lost Jenna since he had been talking to two poodles. He raced around in fear that Balto had come back. But soon he truned a corner to come nose to nose with Jenna. She backed away, blushing as Steele breathed fast. But she didn't seem angry at him..."Sorry," she said as she walked past him.

   "No Jenna its okay!" he said jumping in front of her. "You don't need to walk away!"

   "No Steele I really should be going..." she said as she pushed past him.

   "But Jenna there is nothing you need to hurry to! Rosie is safe watching the Northern Lights with the family!"

   "But she'll want me to be there. I'm sorry Steele but a choice between you and my girl is not really a chice at all," she said as she kept walking.

   "Jenna please just let me explain myself!" he called as he jumped in front of her again. "I promise it'll only be a fe a few minutes!" She looked around hesitating but finally nodded. Steele led the way to behind the post office where the Northern Lights and the familes on the beach could be seen. He sat down and waited for Jenna to follow. She sat down, a bit of a distance away from him, her focus on the beach. "Jenna I first wanted to say I am truely sorry what I have done to you and...Balto..." he said growling as he said the wolf dogs name.

   "Thats nice," she said not looking at him still. He could see the tears in her eyes and his heart fell. Jenna really did love Balto...maybe killing him wasn't a good idea...no! No he had to get rid of him! "The reason I was hanging around you through all these days was because I was...worried about you." She didn't speek, only her ears moved towards him. "I...I don't know who would have killed him but I promised his spirit I would...take care of you, Jenna," he said reaching his paw out to touch hers.

   He was suprised to see she didn't move her paw away when he touched it with his. He smiled as she looked at him. "I...I really care about you Jenna," he said as their eyes met. She quickly looked away, her tears dripping down her muzzle. He shifted closer to her and rubbed her paw. He was even more suprised when she pushed her head under his into a nuzzle. But he recovered from his shock and nuzzled her back. As the Northern Lights danced across the sky the two sat nuzzling together, Balto's spirit not to be seen...

--------------------------------------------------------

   It was the next morning when Steele awoke beside Jenna. He noticed they were in his masters kitchen and the sun light poured through the window. He looked down at the smiling Jenna, her bandana missing. He stood up, shaking his fur and then he sniffed around for it. "Steele what are you doing?" he heard Jenna ask. He turned to see her sitting up yawning and shaking her fur. "Umm Jenna where is your bandana?" he asked walking up to her and giving her a nuzzle.

   "Oh I umm got rid of it. It...it reminds me of him," she said looking away. "I want to move on now." He gave her another nuzzle before smiling at her. "Lets go for a walk to clear your head Jenna," he said as he walked out the door. She followed and soon they were out on the street, walking side by side.

   They headed for the beach where Steele sat down in the sand watching the waves. He turned to the smiling Jenna and said, "There is only one dog in my whole life that I love. Do you know who it is?"

   "Tell me," she sighed dreamily.

   "Their name is..." but he stopped talking when he looked behind her to see a smiling Balto. "...Balto?"

   "What? You love Balto?" she asked quite angry.

   "No Jenna! I didn't mean to say that!" he said to her as Balto sniggered.

   "Then why did you say his name Steele? I thought we were getting past this?" she growled.

   "No! You don't understand!" he panicked.

   "Well that what are you talking about??!!" she snarled. Balto winked, nodding towards Jenna before dissapearing. "I'm sorry!" Steele said to her as she glared at him.

   "Fine," she sighed. "Your just getting over it I guess. I better go check on Rosie." She then walked off leaving Steele alone. He could have swore he saw her smiling...

-------------------------------------------------------------

   Three days after the inncident Steele avoided Jenna in hopes she'd come back to him. But he was even more frightned that Balto would come back. But one day he was pacing in the living of his masters house. He was talking to himself saying, "Jenna I...I didn't mean to...no...I mean I..."

   "Bravo! Bravo faithfull enemy of me."

   "Why don't you just leave me alone?!" Steele snarled turning to see Balto lounging in the rocking chair by the fireplace, his feet up and his paws around his head. Even more ditrubing to Steele, he was wearing black sun glasses as he rocked back and forth, a smug expression on his face.

    "Now why would I do that? This is way too much fun."

   Balto said chuckling as he watched Steele. "Look I love Jenna and I don't know about you but I'd do anything for her," Steele growled.

   "Why must the pretty ones be so dumb?"

   Balto asked himself smirking as he jumped off the chair and over to Steele. "Don't get me angry wolf dog!" he snarled face to face with a smiling Balto.

   "You should see heaven Steele. Doggie treats for free, lots of toys even your own basket. Oh wait I didn't have any of those but you did. It won't be that good for you I guess."

   Balto snarled back to Steele. Suddenly the door opened to Jenna walking in a smile on her face. She walked right through a smirking Balto to face Steele. "I've come to say I'm ready to get back together," she said to Steele.

   "Ooo lucky pup you are Steele. Watcha gonna say now?"

   "Jenna I...I'm estatic at your desision," Steele said trying not to think about Balto.

   "Big words buddy. Jenna'll like that."

   "Oh Steele your so lyrical," she said giggling.

   "Told ya."

   "Umm ya Jenna heh heh," Steele said as he heard Balto talking. "Maybe we could go somewhere else to talk?"

   "Why Steele? Its quite in here," Jenna asked.

   "Ya why Steele ole' buddy ole' pal?"

   Balto said this as he smirked and made crazy faces behind Jenna who couldn't see him. Steele growled and he yelled, "Shut up idiot!"

   "What did you just say?!" Jenna snarled.

   "Uh oh! You did it now."

   "I am no idiot Steele!"

   "Ooo you are going down!"

   "Is that what I am to you Steele?"

    "Huston we have a problem!"

   "Answer me! What is Balto talking to you over my shoulder?"

   "My smart girl, Jenna."

   "Is he threatning you? He should be you pig!"

   "Kaboom! You have just hit rock bottom Steeley!"

   "Jenna I...!" he said his eyes darting back and forth at the smirking Balto and the growling Jenna. "Okay! I can see him! I killed him! I did it! I wanted you to love me again! Please oh please don't hurt me!"

   "What a coward you are."

   "Got to agree with you there Balto," Jenna said smiling at Steele. Steele looked up at the two. "You...you know he's here!" Steele said in awe. Jenna looked up at Balto as they both smiled at each other. Finally Balto bit down on his medal and pulled out a red-orange bandana. He laid it down in front of Steele smiling.

   "Jenna had to give me something after I left."

   "But...but Jenna had it on after you died!" Steele said.

   "Look Steele I'll explain it. The night we of the Northern Lights Balto came to see me in spirit. He told me everything and I felt ashamed. But he told me of a plan to get you to see your evil ways. So together we made a plan up while you were sleeping. Now that I know I've already told the ntire town so I suggest you get out of here before they chase you down for killing my Balto," she explained as she nuzzled Balto lightly.

   "You see Steele, only I can control my angel powers. I let you see me but I let Jenna see me and nuzzle me."

   The two nuzzled together as Steele backed away. "I'm...I'm gone! Bye!" he yelled as he jumped to the window and out into the snow where the other dogs chased him far far away from Nome. In the window Balto and Jenna smiled at each other. Then with one more lick on Jenna's cheek Balto jumped out the window and flew through the sky towards the clouds, wings had grown on his back as he reached the clouds and he promised Jenna he'd come back everyday to see her. Things really did end happily...

Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave comments!