Dingo trotted happily beside his owner Jessica. This was their normal weekday routine, he would walk her to school, she would hug him by his neck then go inside, and at the end of the day, and Dingo would meet her outside and walk her home. However, that wasn't the case a couple months ago. Dingo remembered grimly, how he used to be so worried about her that he would sit outside the school and wait all day. He wouldn't have been so worried had it not been for the accident three months ago.

~Flashback to three months ago~

     Dingo walked away from the school ground after he saw Jessica enter the building. He fell into a slow walk as he walked through the streets of Nome. He saw his brother Yukon running with a frisbee in his mouth. His brother came to a skidding stop in front of Dingo. Yukon set down the frisbee so he could speak, "Hey Dingo! Wanna play chase with me and Kodi's team?" Dingo shook his head. "No thanks, I'm going to visit dad today." Yukon looked a little disappointed, but shook it off, "Ok, try not to die of boredom." The red dog picked up his frisbee and continued to run through the town. Dingo resumed his stroll until he reached his father's home.
        "Hey dad I'm here!" he called. "Come on up Dingo." his dad called back. Dingo climbed up the abandoned ship to come face to face with his dad, Balto. His dad was lying on the ground chewing a bone. "I'm surprised you came to visit." Balto said as Dingo took a seat beside him. "Well I told you I would." Dingo replied. "Yea but you kids are always out with your friends and you normally wouldn't come unless you had a question or a favor to ask." Balto said grinning. "Well.... now that you mention it..." Balto rolled his eyes playfully. "What is it son?" Dingo had always admired his dad and wanted to be more like him, so he asked a question that would surely reveal his dad's views. "I was wondering... Why did you save Nome? You didn't have to, but you did." Balto sighed, "Well Dingo that's where you're wrong, I did have to." Dingo was still puzzled, "Why?" Balto took a deep breath and Dingo braced himself for a lecture. "Because I knew it was the right thing to do. You see when the time comes for you to step up; you can do two things..." Dingo was hanging on to every word. "You can ignore it and watch your world crash and burn around you or you can step up and save it." Dingo's attention was attracted to the sun. Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something? Then it hit him. I'm late to pick up Jessica! Dingo bolted upright. "Good talk dad, but I gotta go!", and with that Dingo rushed to the school.
     When he got there, there the kids must have already been dismissed and gone home. Dingo felt bad, but he knew Jessica knew her way home. All he had to do was catch up with her. He took the usual route but didn't see her. When he arrived at the house she wasn't there either. Maybe she went the back way. He hoped as he took the long way back to the school. Her scent wasn't on that route at all. There was only one other way she could have gone. He raced down that path which brought him close to his dad's house. "Dingo back already?" Balto asked playfully. "No dad, sorry. Did you see my human go through this way?" Dingo asked hopefully. "Actually I did, she came through a few minutes after you left. She headed towards your house." Dingo let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. "Ok thanks dad." Dingo turned the direction towards home when his dad's voice stopped him. "Hey dingo..." "Yea dad?" "Don't you live that way?" his dad motioned from atop the boat towards Dingo's home. "Yes... Why?" He saw Balto squint in the direction of his home, and then his face became one of seriousness. "It's on fire!"
     As soon as Blato's words hit his ears Dingo took off. He had never been a fast runner but at that moment Dingo looked like he was gliding over the roads. As he got closer he could see the massive column of smoke rising from behind the buildings. The knot in his stomach grew more and more as he got closer. It was as if even though he was running top speed he was still not going fast enough.
     Dingo finally made it to the house only to see it covered in flames. He froze in place. His mind went completely blank. He was raked with a sense of dread as his eyes scanned the crowd. Then he noticed Jessica's dad. He was being held back by two firemen as he tried to get to the house. He was screaming and pushing while tears were falling down his cheeks. He looked to Dingo and dropped to the ground. Dingo ran to his master. The man could barely look at him. His master just put his hand on his dog's head then brought both of them back to cover his face. Dingo got what the man was trying to say. Jessica and her mother were still inside. Dingo looked to the house and saw no signs of life, just the flames enveloping the house. Then he heard a voice coming from the house. He could barely hear it over all of the people that had gathered around. But he knew he heard it, and he knew who it was. But he was frozen with fear. His legs wouldn't let him move from his spot beside his master. Dingo saw his father and Yukon heading toward him. Seeing his father triggered something he had heard. A piece of advice that made his mind clear, "You see when the time comes for you to step up you can do two things; you can either ignore it and watch your world crash and burn around you, or you can step up and save it." Dingo didn't wait for Balto and Yukon to reach him. He raced toward the house and didn't look back. 
     Dingo plunged through the door just before it became covered in flames. He started barking hoping to get a response. He heard the mother's voice coming from the upstairs bedroom. Dingo went up the stairs and found Jessica crying into her mother's arms. He barked hoping they would follow. Jessica's mother held her daughter and crawled to him. Dingo led them on a safe path to the door. They were about ten feet away from the door when there was a loud cracking sound. Dingo looked up at the ceiling. One of the main support bearings was falling. If it falls we won't have any way out! Dingo let his instincts take over and threw himself forwards. He caught the beam on his back, leaving a gap big enough for Jessica and her mom to escape. They got to the door and Dingo saw the mother use her jacket to put out the flames at the door. After she did the two got out of the house. Dingo suddenly felt the weight of the beam starting to push him down. He knew they were safe... he had done his part. His vision started to grow dark and he felt his world start to spin around him. Just as he was about to give in he heard his name. It was feint, but he knew it was his human. He heard it again but this time more clear. But there were more voices, Yukon, Balto, and even Jessica's parents. I can't leave them. Not yet! Summoning the last of his strength he jumped forward and in one leap made it out of the door. He felt a small pair of arms wrap around his neck and tears starting to soak his fur. Dingo saw his dad and brother come toward him with relived faces. Finally Dingo relaxed and the world went dark.
      Dingo woke up in a house he didn't remember. All he recognized was Jessica sitting beside him eating chicken noodle soup. He tried to bark but it came out as a whimper. She turned her head and smiled at him. He wagged his tail back to show her he understood. She went into another room and came back with her parents in tow. They all seemed happy. That night his master cooked Dingo a whole steak for dinner and let him sleep on the bed in Jessica's new room (a privilege he hadn't previously had).

~Back to the present~

      Dingo was sitting by the beach, watching the waves crash into the sand, when a frisbee landed in front of him. He had remembered the fear that had him frozen in place, but how he somehow over came it. Had his dad not given Dingo that advice, there could have been two less people in Nome. But Dingo also learned something about his dad, and that was that even though his dad charged into danger, he never froze up and never had any second thoughts. His dad truly was the hero of Nome. 
     Yukon came rushing over and saw the frisbee at his brother's foot. Dingo saw his brother trotting over. "Hey Dingo, wanna play." Yukon crouched down into a playing position with his tail waving in the air. Dingo smiled, "Sure." He stood up, grabbed the frisbee, and ran with it, with his brother running behind him.