Confessing
In the next afternoon, Dan was walking straight to – Where have you been? I didn’t see you yesterday. - she asked.
Dan knew the time of the revelation was coming. He sighed.
- We need to talk. – he said, serious.
Luna frowned, curious. But before she could say anything, her mistress, Annie, walked out of the drugstore with no one less than Rosie, Jenna's mistress, both carrying small packages. Annie appeared to be around 12 years old. Her hair was light brown, just like her eyes. The two girls noticed Dan. Annie appeared a little scared, noticing his wolf traits, but Rosie approached him, smiling.
- Hey, boy, where did you come from? – she asked, starting to pet the hybrid.
Dan enjoyed her petting, and sniffed her hand. She chuckled, and looked at Luna. After a moment, the girl grinned.
- Hey, Annie, I think Luna’s got a boyfriend. – she said.
Annie looked a little apprehensive at Dan. He approached the girl, slowly, wagging his tail in a friendly way to show her that he didn't want to harm her. Annie lowered herself to pet him too. He sniffed her hand back, and she chuckled.
- Aww, he’s cute. – she said, confident that he wasn't aggressive.
Then, Annie got up, and started walking away with Rosie.
- We’ll leave you two alone. Luna, just be back home before night, okay? – Annie said, before turning to another street.
Dan and Luna then walked away from the town, and sat together at the frozen beach. Luna looked at Dan, waiting for what he was going to say. He was still thoughtful about what was in risk for what he was about to tell, but finally, he decided to finish that.
- Luna… I shouldn’t be doing this. – he started, not daring to look at her in the eyes.
- Doing what? – she asked, confused.
- We can’t be together.
Then he started to tell her. Everything. About his human past, how he had gotten there, how he met Balto, how he felt confused when he met her, about what Nava told him… The sun was about to settle when he was finished. Dan then remained quiet, looking at everywhere but the female's eyes. He waited for her reaction, and knew it wouldn’t be the best.
Luna’s mind was swirling. How could Dan be a human? That was impossible.
- Dan, if this is a joke… - she started.
- No. It isn’t. – he interrupted, still not looking directly at her.
She got wide-eyed. It couldn’t be. He was a human! But her thoughts braked. Nava had told him that he had a wolf soul, and that he had never been a true human... but the mere thought that he was born like that... She felt angry, like the hybrid had used her. Dan knew that she was thinking that.
- That’s why I want you to know. I feel like I was influencing you. I was just too confused to tell you that before… and… I do like you. A lot. I will understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore. – he said, trying not to look lost. - I just had to tell you all that, I couldn't force you to live a lie.
Luna remained silent, as all words seemed to flee from her reach. She had no idea of what to think, or to feel. She could never imagine a situation like that. They could never be together. But she couldn’t help but liking him. It was too complicated...
- Luna, please, say something. – Dan asked, lost.
Luna, trying to hold her tears, ran away, heading back to the town, leaving behind a devastated Dan.
It was it. He had lost her. Snow started to fall, and sun was already set. Dan kept his gaze on the ground. The sadness he felt for losing Luna gave way to the guilt of having tricked and hurt her. He heard someone approaching, and by the scent, it surely wasn’t Luna. He kept his head down. Nothing more cared.
- Dan? - he heard Balto asking him, coming from behind.
Dan turned around and looked at his friend. Balto was sad for him. The canine sat beside him, trying to comfort him. Dan looked to the snowy ground below again, sad.
- I’m sorry. – the older hybrid said. – I shouldn’t have encouraged you.
- Don’t be. It was my fault. – Dan answered, not looking at him. – I shouldn’t have let things get to this point. If I wasn’t so stupid, she wouldn’t even know I exist.
- I don’t know what to say… - Balto confessed. – I’ve never seen anything like this before. I just thought it would all end up okay.
- Luna and I can never be. Even if I stay a dog forever, being a human is still part of me. I can’t do this. – the younger canid said, trying to force himself to accept that.
- Dan, there's a part of everything within us. - the older hybrid objected. - There's a human inside you, inside me, and even inside Luna. Just give her time to understand and things will... - he stopped, noticing by Dan's expression that he wasn't very faithful about that. - But think about it. - he continued. - If you stay here forever, and if it isn’t Luna, who else will it be?
- I don’t know. – Dan got up. – I just know what I did to her was wrong, and she's right being mad at me.
Without anymore words, he turned back and started walking. Balto just watched him leave, and decided not to follow him. He just needed his time.
Dan reached his destination: the top of the mountain where he had been transformed. He just stayed there, looking at the landscape below, blurred by the snow rain.
- I finally get to know who I really am... and it just isn't worth it. - he said to himself, sad.
Everything he loved in
Luna was inside Annie’s house, laid near the fireplace. She had dropped some tears earlier, and was still giving some last whimpers. It was a complicated situation, and the most she wanted to stay with Dan, his past would stand in their way. It just felt wrong, and she couldn’t help but feeling angry at him for not telling her that since the beginning. What if he just used her? The husky decided to go for a walk, to clear her thoughts. She crawled through the dog door, and breathed the cold air of the night.
Walking by the dark snowy field, Luna’s thoughts came back to Dan. He was sincere enough to tell her the truth after all. And she somehow knew that his feelings were true too. But deep inside, even if he was somehow a wolf or dog deep inside, he was born human, and had lived more than she would probably live. That thought was disturbing. Despite all that, he was unique. She had never met a male that cared so much about her for real. She couldn’t give up on that. She liked him, and he liked her. Who cared that he was a human before? It was more than clear, according to what he had explained her, that he was always a dog inside, and that he had never been a true human after all. And even if he had lived fourteen years, that just made him a teenager just like she was. It would be stupid to let that stand in their way. And suddenly she realized how confused he must have been when all that happened... just like she was now. She stopped walking, thoughtful. He needed her now, more than ever.
Dan just sighed, rose and started making his way down the mountain. Staying there sulking wasn’t helping. Well, it was all just another lesson to learn and live. He reached the base of the mountain after some minutes, and headed to Balto’s boat, with his head down. He should be starting thinking about a new place to live. He couldn’t be depending on Balto. The dog already had his own life, and Dan had just popped out of nothing and got in his life. He had already given him and Boris enough trouble.
He saw far away Balto’s boat, the town and the beach. He decided that he wasn’t tired, and headed for the beach. There, he just sat down on the snow and looked at the full moon.
Not too far, Luna was walking towards the beach, unaware that the hybrid was there. Suddenly, Dan heard Luna’s steps and turned back, being seen by her.
They stayed there, in an awkward silence. Dan then just rose.
- It's okay. You don't have to say anything. - he said as he started to walk away.
- No. Dan, wait! - Luna called him back.
He stopped, and approached again, unsure if he should do it.
- Dan... - the female started. - Hiding the truth from me wasn't right, but now I know you just did that because you were afraid and confused, just like I am now... - she made a pause. - And that just proves how much you really like me. So, if you were never an actual human, and you wanna stay here forever, what's stopping us?
Dan remained silent for a moment, pondering that.
- Luna, it's much more complicated than that...
- No, it's not. - she interrupted, decided. - Do you like me?
The hybrid looked at her blue sapphire eyes. By them he saw that she was determined, and that she really loved him. He thought for a moment, uncertain.
- Yes. - he finally answered. - But Luna... would you date a human?
- You're not a human. - she replied. - That's more than clear. Then it's all solved. Deal. - Luna finished the discussion, and approached to give him a nuzzle on his face.
Dan accepted the gesture, and returned it. The huskie was right. If Aniu had left clear that he was never a real human, and he had chosen to stay, there was nothing standing between him and Luna.
- Deal... - he said, giving in to the moment.
They snuggled together, in a hug, forgetting all about what had happened earlier and about Dan's past. He was a wolfdog, and that was final. Nothing would stand in their way.
~~~
Dan felt great the next days. Things were finally going right for him. He had great friends, he had a home, and he had the girl of his dreams. How could it get any better? He started to develop an interest in racing, so he started to meet with Kodi and the rest of his team to play-race through the beach every morning when they got back from their mail run.
One week after Dan and Luna’s declaration, in a morning, Dan, Kodi, Ralph, Kirby and Dusty were at the frozen beach. They were racing again. The hybrid had become friends with the sled dogs, though he didn’t tell them about his human past. It was not a real problem now.
- And don’t forget using your tail to balance yourself. – Kirby warned when he passed by him.
In front of Dan, Kirby and Kodi were disputing the lead, while Dusty and Ralph were falling behind. The hybrid accelerated, and soon was tied with the first two dogs.
- I thought it was a race, not a walk in the park. – he mocked, playfully.
- You haven’t seen anything. – Kirby grinned, and accelerated, leaving the hybrid and the red husky behind.
- You didn’t tell where the finish line was. – Dan reminded Kodi, still not accelerating after Kirby.
Kodi looked ahead of them, looking for a good place.
- We'll have to reach the woods and head back to Nome. – he suggested.
- So, try to catch up. – Dan joked, and accelerated, trying to reach the light brown dog in the lead.
Kodi accelerated too, following his friend. Dusty and Ralph were close to them, but would need much energy to surpass the other dogs. Kirby noticed Dan tying with him, disputing the lead. Kodi reached them soon after. Dan noticed an flat ice trail on their way ahead.
- Check this out. – he said to his contestants.
When the ice trail was close enough, the hybrid leaped, and landed on it, sliding smoothly. The sled dogs, which were running beside the ice trail, got wide-eyed when they saw him leap again when the frozen trail ended, restarting running normally.
- Show-off! – Dusty complained behind them.
They saw the woods getting closer, and all of them increased their speed, wanting to let the others behind and to gain advantage. Dan got a little apprehensive about the time when he would need to turn around. The gravity effect would be strong because of their speed, but he couldn't stop, and he didn't want to anyway, he wanted to prove he was a good racer. The first tree was approaching, and Kodi took the lead, and made his turn around the tree almost without needing to decelerate. Kirby did the same then. Dan's turn was coming. He decided to do the same way Kodi did. He made his turn around the tree, fighting against the inertia, but he started to slide on the snow and crashed on a tree in his way. Dusty and Ralph stopped, and stood beside him, worried.
- Dan, are you okay? – Dusty asked.
- I’m fine, I’ll be right with you guys. – he said, getting up, recovered from the impact, still trying to ignore the stars that were swirling in front of his eyes.
The huskies rushed after the other dogs. Dan got up, and restarted running after them. It didn’t take long until he was surpassing Dusty and Ralph again.
- I told you I would be back. – he said, remaining in their speed for a moment, grinning, and accelerated again, leaving them behind.
They were about to pass beside Balto’s wrecked boat when Dan finally reached Kodi and Kirby again. Kirby grinned.
- Ya took your time to catch up. What happened? – the light brown dog asked.
- I was watching the landscape. – Dan joked.
They saw, beside the boat, Boris, yelling at the bears Muk and Luk, not noticing their arrival. Kodi and his team made a detour to avoid hitting the bears and the goose, but Dan kept heading that way.
- What are you doing? – Ralph exclaimed from far, concerned.
Dan just grinned, confident, and when Boris noticed his presence, starting to scream in shock and cover himself with his wings, he leaped over him and the bears, taking advantage from the impulse of his speed. Her rear paw passed inches from Luk’s head, but didn’t touch it. When he landed and kept running, he looked back at the angry goose and the confused polar bears.
- Look where you are going, lad! – Boris yelled, furious.
Dan joined his friends again, and they all laughed at the goose’s reaction. They saw Nome getting closer, Dan, Kodi and Kirby always trying to gain the lead. In a mute deal, they decided that the first house in their way would be the finish line. Dan started to get tired, but kept running. Kodi and Kirby weren't seem to be getting tired, since were used to long distances, and kept their speed constant. They slowly started to leave Dan behind as the first house approached. When they were a few feet away, Dan pushed himself further, in a last attempt to win in first place, but it didn't work. Kirby won, with Kodi right behind him, followed by Dan. They halted, fighting not to slide on the snow. Dusty and Ralph soon joined them too. All of them started complimenting Dan for his skills.
- Wow, great work, Dan. – Dusty said.
- You have some talent! – Ralph said, also impressed.
- You really deserve a place in our team. – Kodi assured, making Dan feel proud of himself.
- No doubt. – Kirby nodded.
- Thanks, guys. – he said, appreciated.
After some moments of talk, the group decided to go to the boiler room to get some rest. They raced their way there, and the result wasn't different. Dan arrived third. They sat in their own places in the room, and started talking randomly about things in Nome and in nearby cities.
Dan was distracted, looking into the boiler. That vision was letting him drowsy. An image came to his mind, involuntarily. The face of a white wolf, with shining golden eyes. Surely that was Aniu. Suddenly, he just fell asleep.
Dan had a weird dream; he was standing in the middle of a world completely covered in mist. Apparently, he was the only person there. He looked around that fog sea, but it appeared that no one was there.
Suddenly, he felt like being watched, and turned back. There was a white wolf, standing there, with mysterious golden eyes. It was no one less than Aniu.
- I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, Daniel. - her voice was deep, and sounded like a distant echo, though she was close.
Dan walked closer.
- Aniu… then you're one of the great spirits. – he said, intrigued.
- A spirit guide. – she said. – I help people, mostly wolves and dogs.
She looked like a nice and wise person.
- Aniu… - Dan remembered the question that had bugged him ever since he had started walking on four legs. – What’s the point of all this? Why did the spirits do something so drastic like bringing a normal boy to Nome in the past and turning him into a dog? It just doesn’t make any sense.
- You're not what you think you are. - she answered. - Your story is much more complicated.
- More than this?
- Before you were born a human, you were a wolfdog, like now. You lived here, in Nome. After that you were born as a human, many years later, but you never stopped being a wolfdog inside. So much that you never got to be a true human, and your connection with this place was still very deep. So, we brought you back here, so you could experience what your soul was asking, and decide if you wanted to stay or to go back.
Dan thought. Then he was a dog all that time. That would explain why he felt so out of place in the human world he was in. He knew many people felt like that, but his case was special. He felt like not being what he was meant to be. It did make some sense.
- Who was I? - he asked.
- I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. You will have to find out that by yourself. - she answered. - Spirits can't interfear in one's destiny. Bringing you here was interference enough. But I can do something for you.
- What?
- I can bring you back to Olney. You could come back for good, or just tell your family and come back here. - she offered.
Dan thought. He couldn't leave forever. He had Luna now, and he realized, that was his true home after all, and that was who he truly was. He wanted with all his heart to stay there.
- I'll talk to my parents and then come back. - he said.
Aniu smiled.
- Very well. Go to the top of the mountain where you were transformed, next week, by the end of the afternoon. - she told him. - I will go with you to make sure your parents believe and understand.
- Thanks. - Dan said with a smile. Finally things would get completely solved.
- You didn't ask many questions, I noticed. - Aniu said.
- Some things it's better to learn alone. - the hybrid said. - Besides, you're a guide, not a manual.
The she-wolf smiled.
- There’s much about you that you still don’t know, Dan. – she said, apparently hiding deeper meanings. – But I'm sure you will be able to find out. The spirits already did their part. When it’s all over, it will be up to you. – she finished, and made a respectful bow. – Good luck.
The mist swirled around Dan, blocking his sight. Suddenly he was back in the physical world. He was laid in the boiler room with the rest of the sled team and some other dogs from the town sleeping around the place. Dan’s mind was spinning with all that had just happened. He got up, silently opened the exit door, and then rushed to Balto’s boat. It was already night. In his destination, when he finally walked up the wooden board to the boat’s deck, he saw Balto and Boris, sat, already waiting for him.
- Where have you been?! – the goose asked yelled. – Do you know what time it is?! We were worried about you!
Dan grinned at him.
- You’re not gonna believe it.
To be continued...