The sunset was beautiful, casting amber rays over Balto’s boat and laying long shadows across the ground. A shape sat atop the boat, silhouetted by the fading light, staring off into the distance toward its source. She closed her bright blue eyes, lowering and shaking her head.

“This is so unfair…” she whispered aloud to herself.

Aleu wished she could come up with something aside from that to think about the situation, but nothing would come; the memories of what seemed to be blatant prejudice against her would always crop up whenever she tried to think reasonably. Since Rosy’s family had decided to keep her and her three siblings after they were born a couple of years ago, they all still lived at home, and had to answer to their parents. Kodiak was the first of the litter; he was gone more often than the others, since he was training to be the lead dog for a sled team, but he hadn’t had to go to live with different owners yet. Saba was the second; she stayed at home whenever she could, having always had a strong bond with Jenna. Dingo was the third; he liked going out and experiencing the town, but he was content not to be living on his own. Aleu was the fourth; she had the wildest spirit of the foursome, most likely because she had inherited so much wolf from her father, in looks and heart. Ever since she was far younger, when Balto had told her stories of wolves and stories of when he was a puppy, she had always longed deep inside to live the free, untamed life of a wolf. She was still loyal to her parents, but the part of her that wanted to be independent never went away, and now, being loyal to her parents was becoming difficult. Or rather, being loyal to her father was becoming difficult. The other day, Balto had permitted Saba to join a male friend for a late-night dance at the dog’s restaurant. Aleu loved her sister, and wouldn’t have minded in the least but for the fact that later the same day, her father refused the same privilege to her. She had seen in his eyes how much it had hurt him to do so, but she had been deeply hurt as well, and couldn’t bring herself to feel sympathy for him, nor to prevent herself from feeling angry with him. True, she loved him, and she knew it wasn’t right for her to think so badly of him…but he could be so annoying! This sort of situation had happened before, many times; her brothers and sister were allowed more extensive and more frequent liberties than she was, and she noticed it. It didn’t seem to happen with her mother, though; just her father. “Why does he do this sort of thing?” Aleu wondered, frustrated again by just not understanding why Balto treated her like she was still such a little kid. She was still quite young, but then again, so were all of her siblings, so that didn’t explain the preferential behavior. “I just don’t get him,” she thought, sighing. She reminisced about her relationship with her father. It had started out quite beautifully; she followed him everywhere, loving the way he could be ready to play at almost any moment. She remembered how he would give her rides, with her standing on his back, her paws clinging to his rough fur, laughing as he loped back and forth along the beach by his boat endlessly. She remembered how he used to sing her lullabies in Itera, the language of the wolves, and how he would cuddle with her as she fell asleep. She had felt more strongly connected to her dad, seeing as how he looked part-wolf the same as she. However, things had changed. Now, she felt distant from Balto, her bitterness and resentment separating her from him more and more with every passing grievance. She felt lost and helpless, as if she were trapped in some sort of maze to which there may or may not be an exit. It had been this way for what seemed like forever. “Is there anything I can do?!?” she cried out loud, her eyes brimming.

Aleu had tried talking to Balto about how she felt before, but she felt like it accomplished nothing. “He’s so set in his ways,” she thought, her anger feeling like venom in her blood. “Try talking sense to him. I don’t know how Mom puts up with him; how can you love someone who’s that unreasonable?” Tears began running down her cheeks, a mixture of pain, anger, and guilt at her thoughts torturing her. “Maybe I should talk to him again,” she thought. “Forget it!” another part of her replied. “I’m getting sick of feeling like I’m talking to a wall.” She went down the ramp off of Balto’s boat, heading into town, ultimately arriving at Rosy’s house. “I hope Dad isn’t here,” she thought. Her hope was granted; only her mom came to see who was there. “Aleu?” Jenna said with concern, drying some of the tears from her face. “Why are you upset?” Aleu sobbed, but then managed to speak. “Can I talk to you about something, Mom?” she asked. “Absolutely,” Jenna replied, walking her into the living room, where they laid down on a couch. “What did you want to talk about?” Jenna asked. Aleu began reluctantly. “Well…it’s about Dad.” “What about him?” “It’s…it’s the way he treats me. For some reason, with him, Kodi and Saba and Dingo are perfectly okay going out and doing things on their own, having fun, making their own choices, and stuff like that, but I’m not! Dad still acts like I’m a little puppy and that I can’t handle things. I mean…I really don’t want to sound like a whiner, but how is it fair that they get that freedom and I don’t?!?” She began sobbing hard, and Jenna held her gently. “Calm down, honey,” she said. “Just take a few deep breaths.” Aleu tried to do so, but she just ended up continuing her venting. “I get so angry at him sometimes! I am so sick of him babying me!” Jenna put her paw on the sides of Aleu’s head. “Hang on, Aleu, before you say something you don’t mean.” Aleu nodded and buried her head in Jenna’s shoulder, grateful for a chance to cry. “What am I going to do, Mom?” she moaned. “I hate feeling like this.” “Well…I’m not exactly sure what advice to give you. I do want to tell you about your dad, though. He worries himself sick over you, you know? He loves you so much that when he thinks about you, tears come to his eyes. All he’s trying to do is raise you the best he can.” “But why is it so different for me than it is for the others?” Jenna thought for a moment. “You know, Aleu, I think you’d best talk to your dad about this.” “But Mom, when I talk to Dad, I feel like he’s shutting me out. He doesn’t listen to me! That’s why he doesn’t understand how I feel!” “Maybe you only think he’s shutting you out. Maybe you should try just a little harder and see what happens.”

That night, Aleu went out to Balto’s boat again, knowing that he was there visiting Boris, Muk and Luk. She always dreaded going to talk to him about how she felt, not because it ever made him become angry with her, but because she hated the things her frustration made her think about him, things that she knew no one should think about a parent. “Maybe I should just let out my anger at him,” she thought. “Maybe if I really let him have it, it’ll finally get my point across.” She entertained this idea for a few minutes before rejecting it, feeling ashamed. “I wish I didn’t even have to do this,” she thought. Before she knew it, she reached the boat. “Let’s get this over with.” She took a deep breath and walked up the wooden plank that led onto the deck. “Dad?” she called, pushing the reluctance from her voice. “Dad? Are you here?” She heard footsteps, and her father came out from the wheelhouse. He brightened when he saw her. “Hi, darling!” he said happily, walking over and nuzzling her. “How are you?” “You tell me,” Aleu thought, but she ignored it and spoke. “I’m okay.” Balto gave her a kiss. “I’m glad you came to see me. Did you want something?” “Um…yeah, I did. Mind if we talk for a minute?” “Not at all.” They sat down facing each other. “Go ahead,” said Balto, and Aleu nodded. “Okay. Um…you know a few days ago, when there was that dance…” It seemed that Balto knew what Aleu was going to say; his expression showed regret already. However, he kept silent and let her continue. “I…I was wondering why you said it was alright for Saba to go, but not me? I just want things to be equal. There’s so much I want to do, but I don’t get the chance to because I have to go through you. Please, Dad? I don’t want more; just the same that the others get.” Aleu could tell Balto was struggling to find a way to explain. “Aleu…I know it isn’t fair…” “For heaven's sake, then why do you do it?!?” Aleu couldn’t stop herself this time, and it obviously wounded Balto. He lowered his head, getting himself together. “I’m sorry, Dad,” Aleu said, not sure whether or not she meant it. After all, it had felt good to finally tell him what she really thought. Still, at the same time, something told her it was wrong. She truly hated that voice sometimes, and now was one of them, but it was too insistent to ignore. Balto nodded his forgiveness and continued. “The thing is…you and Saba are the same age, and I think you both have maturity, but you…well, let’s just face it; you look like me, and Saba looks like your mom.” Aleu didn’t see how that had anything to do with her predicament. “I know. Why does that matter?” she asked, confused.

Balto sighed. “Here’s the thing, Aleu. I let Saba go because others are okay with being around her. On the other hand, if you had gone, some dogs might have been…a little leery of you, or might have mistreated you…because you look like me, like a wolf. Don’t you remember how when you were a puppy, people wouldn’t let their kids pick you up or pet you because you looked like a wolf?” Aleu did remember such things; many times she had wished to play with humans, but had met with refusal from their side. It had continued up until the present, but in different forms. Even so, she still didn’t understand why Balto was bringing it up. Assuming that a point was coming, she just nodded. “Other dogs did it to you, too,” Balto said. “They didn’t trust you enough to let you play with their puppies. When I saw those things happening, I realized that even though everyone trusted me, for some reason they weren’t going to offer the same to you.” Balto started becoming emotional. “I could see you going through the same things I had to when I was a puppy, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to keep them from torturing you the way they did me. That’s why I do things like not letting you go to that dance. I’m just trying to protect you, sweetheart.” Aleu started shaking her head. She couldn’t have cared less about what people thought of her because she was part wolf; she wanted to be able to do what she wanted regardless. “I don’t want protection, Dad; I want freedom.” “You don’t understand, Aleu.” “I don’t?!? You don’t!” she yelled in her mind, and it was clear to Balto that she was becoming very upset. “Please, Dad…” “Listen, honey. I know exactly how you feel. I went through this, too; not being able to do the things I wanted to because of how I looked. I know how it hurts, and how frustrated it makes you. I wish things didn’t have to be this way, but I think it’s for the best if you stay safe from that cruelty. You’re still young; you might not be able to take it.” Aleu’s eyes were starting to get moist. “Okay, so I’ve got maturity, but I’m not tough enough to handle a little name-calling or something, because I’m young? You know, the more and more you talk to me, the more and more I feel like I’m being talked down to.” “I don’t mean it like that, honey; please believe me.” “Oh, really?!? If that isn’t how it is, then how come I can’t get through to you, no matter how often I try?” “I know what you want, Aleu, but…” “You may think you know what I want, but you still don’t understand what I’m saying! I don’t know if that’s just bad communication, or that you’re too stubborn to listen!” A tear ran down Balto’s cheek, and he held up a paw, his voice breaking. “H-hang on, Aleu. Just a second, okay?” He sniffed and wiped his eyes. “Look…I know that we’re not agreeing on this. You want something that I feel you shouldn’t have. I know that’s not easy, but…we love each other. That’s what matters, right?” “I know,” Aleu said, “so maybe you should try acting like it.”

Aleu caught herself too late, not believing that she had said something like that. She could see that Balto was cut to the heart, but strangely, along with instant guilt, she felt…satisfied. “What’s happening to me?” she thought. All she could do was watch as Balto began sobbing and turned away, walking back to the wheelhouse, his head hanging with misery. She turned and headed down the plank, but when she was just a few yards from the ship, the small voice became very strong. “Do you know what you just did? Mom told you about how much Dad loves you. How can you do this to him and feel good about it?” Aleu was overwhelmed with guilt, and she headed back up onto the deck, wondering what she would say. Would he be angry? How could she make him feel better? She left these thoughts behind as she came to the wheelhouse. Inside, Balto was lying down with a paw over his muzzle, tears streaming from his eyes as his shoulders shook. Aleu reached toward him, putting a paw on his back. “Dad?” she whispered. Balto sat up and turned to face her. “Yeah, sky eyes?” he said brokenly, using her pet name. At this, Aleu knew he wasn’t angry, and she put her paws around him, pulling him close to her. He did the same, letting his tears fall on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Dad,” Aleu said, her own eyes welling up. “Please forgive me.” “I do, honey, I do, always,” Balto wept, nuzzling her. “It’s me I don’t forgive.” “Why?” “Because you need a better dad than I am for you. I’m messing up, and it’s hurting you, and I hate myself for it…” Aleu kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a great dad, okay? You’re a wonderful dad, and I love you. You were right; the fact that we love each other is what matters.” They held each other for a while, and decided to go home together. They said goodbye to Boris, Muk and Luk and returned to Rosy’s house. As Aleu went to sleep, she wondered if perhaps anything had been accomplished. Deep down, she expected there had. “Maybe things will be better between us now,” she thought. “I certainly hope so.” She went to sleep soon, thinking about her father.

Aleu felt much better about herself the next day, believing that her speaking with Balto had truly done some good. One thing she couldn’t get out of her mind, however, was that he hadn’t actually stated that he would loosen her restrictions at all. “Not to worry,” she thought. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Her chance to find out came quite suddenly, in fact; Doc made a surprise announcement in the machine room that a large Thanksgiving party was in the works, complete with heaps of food, music and dancing, and even a few skits, making for an all-night event. There wasn’t a dog in town that wasn’t excited at the news, and that included Aleu. She knew that if Balto would let her go to this party as well as her siblings, it would prove that he was finally treating her equally. With a spring in her step, she searched until she found him. Apparently, Kodi had just asked and been granted permission. “Thanks, Dad!” he said joyfully. “It’s going to be so awesome!” Balto chuckled, always pleased at seeing his children happy. “Hi, Aleu,” he said, noticing her. “Hi, Dad,” she replied. “So…about this Thanksgiving party? Is it okay with you if I go?” Balto looked like he was about to say yes…but only for a moment. His happy face fell, and he hesitated. “Um…” His face looked hesitant and guilty, and after several moments, he slowly shook his head. “I don’t think so, honey.” Words couldn’t describe the way this made Aleu feel. She was disappointed, frustrated, defeated…and very, very angry. Her face showed it as she stood there with her mouth open for several seconds. Kodi was obviously embarrassed at having been allowed to go while his sister was denied, and he fidgeted, trying to avoid eye contact with Aleu. Balto, looking dreadfully ashamed, reached out a paw to touch her face. “Listen, darling…” he began, but she pushed his paw away, turning and heading out the door. “Dad…” Kodi said quietly, “why…” “Never mind, son,” Balto said, shaking his head sadly and leaving.

Aleu didn’t know whether she wanted to cry or scream as she trod furiously over the snow, heading for Rosy’s house. She had been absolutely crushed by Balto’s decision, especially considering that she had believed he would finally relent, even if only some. “I should’ve known!” she snarled aloud to herself. “I should never have expected him to get any better! Guess I felt like being stupid!” She wondered if she should talk to her mother again, but she quickly refused, not feeling like talking to anyone. “So what now?” she said as she entered Rosy’s house. “I’m sick of trying to talk through it, so WHAT DO I DO?!?” The last part came out as a shout, and she gritted her teeth in frustration, thinking “What do I do? What do I do?” over and over.

Then, suddenly, she had an idea.

She didn’t like the idea…at least not at first. She tried to push it away, immediately trying to think of other options, but it stuck, and came back. As she thought about it more, it gradually became more and more appealing.

She could run.

On one hand, it seemed like a bad idea. After all, wasn’t it better to try to resolve problems instead of fleeing before them? On the other hand, she didn’t know how to get through to Balto, which would be necessary to solve the problem. Not only that, but resolving took time, and Aleu was desperate. She felt as if she needed to escape, needed to simply shake off the weight of her current situation and run far away. A pang of guilt came as she thought of how it would affect her family, especially Balto. However, this didn’t last long before her resentment destroyed it. “Why am I feeling sorry for Dad? If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t even have to consider this. As for the others, they don’t get put through the same thing, so what does it matter?” Aleu was rapidly running out of reasons to stay and gaining reasons to run. One thing that bothered her was where exactly she would go. Nearby was a relative term; every other settlement was a good distance from Nome, and would make for a harsh journey. She considered several places, wondering what would be best. Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration. If the people in Nome didn’t like the fact that she looked like a wolf, and her father denied her freedom because of it, she would go where it wouldn’t matter. She would go and live with wolves! “That’s not a bad idea,” she thought. “I’ve always wanted to live like them. Even if they don’t like the fact that I’m part dog, it’ll sure as heck be better than this.” She was excited at the prospect of fully exploring a part of herself that she barely knew. After a little more thought, it came down to a simple choice: stay and be trapped by her father’s restraints, or run and get a chance to call the shots.

Finally, she chose to run.

That night, Balto and Jenna said goodnight to Kodi, Saba, Dingo, and Aleu. Aleu gave Jenna a kiss and nuzzled her, but when Balto came, she didn’t kiss him. She did nuzzle him, but halfheartedly. He noticed it somewhat, but didn’t say anything about it. “See you in the morning,” Balto said as he left the room.

“No, you won’t.”

Early in the morning, when there was barely any light, Aleu got up silently and left the house, running to the telegraph office. It was too early for the operator to be there, so Aleu was alone when she entered through the unlocked back door. She quickly found what she was looking for: a typewriter. She quickly used it to write a note on a small piece of paper. She wouldn’t even have been bothering but for a persistent feeling of regret. She did wish she could have gotten through to Balto, but it hadn’t happened, and she wanted to give it one last shot, but not in person. “Maybe you’ll understand now, Dad,” she thought as she took the piece of paper and returned to Rosy’s house. Entering the family room, where her parents slept in a fireside bed, she placed the paper on a coffee table, where they would be certain to see it. As she turned to leave, she looked at Balto, holding Jenna close in sleep, and wondered once again if what she was doing was a good idea. Granted, she liked the idea, but there was something inside her that kept telling her over and over that it was wrong. Now, it was speaking very strongly. Aleu stood there for a moment, conflicted, but then rejected the voice and left the house. “What he’s doing to me is wrong. I have to get out of this.” She exited through the dog door and walked down the street, looking back only once. “Goodbye,” she said quietly. She didn’t feel happy about her choice, but she also didn’t feel like she even had one. She turned away from the house, away from the town, and headed north into the snowbound country.

Dingo awoke the next morning to a strange sound, a sound he didn’t often hear. It sounded as if someone was…crying. He got out of bed, heading in the direction of the sound. It led him into the family room, where he saw Balto lying on the floor, sobbing with pure, agonized misery, with Jenna at his side, holding and stroking him, trying to soothe him with her voice. “What’s wrong, Mom?” Dingo asked, shaken at the sight. Jenna looked at him, and he saw that her face was tear-streaked. “It…it’s alright, sweetie,” she said, trying to keep herself together. She pulled the piece of paper away from its resting place under one of Balto’s paws and pushed it toward her son. “Read that.” Dingo turned the paper so he could read it.

To Mom and Dad,

I’m really sorry to do this, but I can’t live the way I am any longer.  I’m running away from home, and I’m going to find a wolf pack to live with.  Dad, it’s because of you that I’m doing this.  I can’t live with you anymore, not with the way you treat me.  My problems were unsolvable because you couldn’t help me work through them with you, so I decided to handle things myself.  I tried to tell you that all I wanted was for you to loosen up a little, but you couldn't even understand that, so I feel I had no choice.  Goodbye.

Dingo wiped away a few tears, not wanting to believe that Aleu was gone. She had been his best playmate, and when they got older, he had still spent a great deal of time with her. “Man…” he said quietly. “She never said anything. I didn’t know she was unhappy.” “I knew,” Jenna said, “but I would never have guessed it to be this bad.” She turned back to Balto, still holding him gently. Dingo could now understand why Balto was in such pain; Aleu’s letter must have added insult to injury for him in a huge way. He walked forward and put a paw on Balto’s head. “Don’t cry, Dad,” he said. “I know you love Aleu, and all the rest of us.” Balto didn’t respond; his tears just kept flowing. Dingo didn’t blame him, and he left the room, feeling like finding someplace to cry himself.

By the time evening came, everyone in the family had heard what Aleu had done, and had mostly gotten over the initial shock. Kodi, always protective, had been angry at first, wondering how Aleu could do that to the family. Soon, however, it was replaced with grief at her being gone. Saba had cried for quite a long time; she was more attached to her mother than her siblings, but it still wounded her deeply. Dingo had come to tears a few times, but he didn’t let them last long. Jenna had been the strong one, comforting everyone, especially Balto, who had taken over an hour to stop sobbing. Now, however, Kodi could tell she was emotionally worn out. He saw her walk into the hall and sigh heavily after helping Dingo overcome his latest surge of grief. Going to her, he embraced her, letting her do the same to him. “I love you, Mom,” he said. Jenna kissed his cheek, and he returned it. “I love you too, Kodiak,” she whispered, tightening her embrace. She laid her head on his shoulder, and he felt the fur her face rested on become moist. Kodi felt Jenna’s shoulders shake, and he nuzzled her. “It’ll be alright, Mom,” he said softly. Jenna spoke after a few moments. “I’m sorry, Kodi…normally your father comforts me, but he’s in really bad shape…” “It’s no problem, Mom. I don’t mind if you cry.” She laid her head on his shoulder, letting out a few more tears. “I miss her…” she whispered. “So do I,” Kodi replied. “It hurts a lot.” “I know. I wish I had been able to help her better, or something, anything…” “Hold on, Mom; don’t do this to yourself.” Jenna nodded as Kodi nuzzled her again. “Thank you so much,” she said, finally moving away. “You don’t know how much better I feel now.” “Thanks for being here for us.” “Always happy to be. I’m going to go see how your dad’s doing.”

Balto was lying in bed, staring silently at a picture of Aleu from when she was a puppy. Jenna went to him and put a paw on his shoulder. “Are you feeling at least a little better now?” Balto shrugged his shoulders a little. “I don’t really know what I feel…” he said quietly, “other than just…pain with no end.” He shook his head. “I don’t understand…if she says it’s because of me, how could I have not seen it coming? I mean, I knew I wasn’t doing my job right; that was obvious. But…you’d think I would’ve at least been able to tell if it had come to this point…” Jenna lay down in front of him, caressing his face. “Balto, I can’t even imagine the kind of pain this is putting you through, but please listen. I didn’t see this coming, either. No one did. Don’t start thinking about what you think you should’ve been able to do; there’s no point. Besides, Aleu made the choice to run away, not you.” Balto nodded, but then, tears began dripping down his cheeks. “I didn’t know she hated me that much…” he moaned, and Jenna pulled him close to her, holding him tightly. “I don’t think it’s hate, sweetheart.” “You read the letter.” Jenna paused. “I know. I know what you mean, but…I really don’t think she hates you. I think she wanted more, she got desperate, and she left.” “I just wish…that I could’ve worked it out or something…I mean, I guess I still don’t totally understand why she left.” He moved back from Jenna. “There’s only one way to know,” he said, wiping his nose with one paw. “I have to go out and find her.” Jenna hadn’t been expecting this. “Well…I want Aleu back more than anything, but…how are you going to catch up? I know you’re a good tracker, but she has a headstart.” “I’ll find her. I can pick up her trail, and I’ll follow it as far as I need to. Once I find her, I’ll see if…we can figure anything out, and I’ll try to convince her to come home.” “Do you want me to go with you?” “Thanks for offering, but no. I’m responsible for this problem, and I have to fix it. Besides, it could be awfully dangerous, depending on where she goes. I don’t want to put you through any danger if I can help it.” Jenna nodded. “I understand. You’ll be leaving in the morning, I assume?” “Yes, if you don’t mind.” “I think the sooner, the better.”

Balto wished he could’ve gotten more sleep that night, but he couldn’t help thinking of Aleu. “Even if I can find her, what am I supposed to do? How can I convince her to come back? Will I have to strike some kind of compromise? How can I even tell what she thinks of me, or if she even loves me? There’s too much I don’t know…” He at least slept for a few hours, then got up early, knowing he had to make sure he didn’t let Aleu get any farther ahead. Though they knew he was the only hope of bringing Aleu back, the whole family was grieved to part with another member so soon, even if only temporarily. Kodi and Saba both wept openly, not even bothering to try not to. Dingo missed Aleu so badly that his gratitude to Balto helped lessen his grief at his departure. It was obvious that Jenna wanted Balto to stay very badly, but was torn between that and her daughter being gone. Balto gave each of them a hug and kiss. “I promise I’ll come home as soon as I possibly can,” he said, “and I’ll do my best to have Aleu with me when I do.” Everyone nodded, and Balto tried to smile. “I love you all,” he said, turning away to hide his emotions and walking towards the edge of town, in the direction Aleu’s scent trail took him. Jenna blew him a kiss, wishing him all her love in her heart. “This is going to be hard for him in more than one way…”

The snow-covered forests were beautiful in late autumn, with the evergreens still standing proud and the grass and bushes not yet having succumbed to the cold. Balto’s heart was far too heavy to allow him to appreciate it, however, so he walked briskly onward, keeping Aleu’s scent. She did indeed have a headstart, but he was traveling faster; her scent became clearer as time went by. He felt a little better, knowing he was on the right track, but he had doubts about everything, even if whether or not trying to bring Aleu home was a good idea. The choice was an awful one: either bring Aleu home and resurrect their terrible relationship, or leave her to her fate in the harsh wilds. Either choice he considered, Balto was ravaged by anger, grief, and hopelessness, and the only thing he had to take it out on was himself. He berated himself so hard he brought himself to tears over and over, not knowing who else in the world to blame, not even Aleu. He knew this was one time where his wolf strength wouldn’t help; all he had to go on was his love for Aleu and his hope that perhaps he could reason properly with her.  “I wonder if she still loves me…” he thought miserably. “If she doesn’t, I doubt I’ll be able to do anything about this.” Soon, his thoughts were pulled back into the present as he came to a stream. He crossed it easily, but when he was on the other side, he found that Aleu’s scent trail had disappeared. “Well, that’s just perfect,” he groaned. He looked and smelled all around the area, hoping to find some evidence of his daughter, but there was nothing. Suddenly, a high, grating voice called to him from above his head. “What you want? You look for something?” Balto looked up quickly, startled by hearing another voice. He saw a raven perched on a branch above him; she had been the one who spoke. “Um…” he replied, “who are you?” “I am Leeda. I make home here. Who are you? Why you come and sniff around?” “My name’s Balto. I’m looking for my daughter.” “Awk! Wolf-dog, yes? Young wolf-dog, look like you?” Balto’s face brightened. “Yes! Yes, that’s her! So you saw her?” The raven nodded vigorously. “Yah! I see her yesterday. She come and bathe in river, then go on soon; she not stay long.” “Did you see where she went?” “Awk! Yah! Come with me, and I take you where I last see her.” Balto followed the raven as she flew toward a mountain not too far off, expressing his gratitude. “Is not a problem,” she said. “You listen; I hear there is wolf pack not far away. They called the Shavenya pack.” As Balto thought about this, he wasn’t too surprised; it seemed logical for Aleu to seek out a wolf pack. She had always spoken of wanting to meet wild wolves and see what their lives were like. Aleu’s scent had still been over a day old, however. “How far, exactly?” he said. “Near,” replied Leeda. “Just over mountain, yah!” She finally landed in the barren foothills of the mountain, which were covered with rock and brown dirt that turned gray and pebble-laced as it went farther up. Balto could see what looked like a natural path winding up the mountain. “I watch her for some time in my tree, then follow. I stop here; she go up mountain. I think she wants to find wolves.” Balto nodded. “I think you’re right. Well, thank you for your help.” “Awk! It nothing. Be careful; mountain dangerous sometimes, I hear.” “Alright. Goodbye, Leeda.” “Goodbye, Balto!” The raven flew away, returning to her home, and Balto set off up the mountain, feeling hope again as he picked up Aleu’s scent once more.

Aleu had caught scents of wolves several times going up the mountain, and now they were becoming stronger as she made her way down the other side. “I’ll bet they’re not far away,” she thought. She hadn’t seen anything thus far to suggest so, but that didn’t suppress her confidence. Now that she felt in charge, not much was getting her down…except for what she had been forced to do to feel in charge. She was still caught between guilt for so abruptly walking out on her family and footloose joy at her newfound freedom. However, the former was much more tenacious. “I don’t know…” she thought, “maybe it was wrong of me. After all, I know Dad didn’t understand what I was trying to say to him…but I was impatient. I think I could’ve given it a lot more time. Maybe it wasn’t so much him being stubborn as bad communication or something. I wasn’t exactly…” She cut her thoughts short as she suddenly became dizzy. Looking over the cliff to her right, vertigo seized her, and she stumbled to her left and leaned against the rock wall, gasping for breath as her stomach rolled. She almost vomited, and she fell to the ground as her legs buckled. Lying there, trembling and panting, she thought she could hear a vague humming sound, coming from everywhere at once. “What’s happening to me?!?” she thought frantically, trying to stand up. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the strange affliction vanished, and she was able to stand normally. She shook her head to clear her senses, not understanding what had happened, and started to move on again.

Evening was approaching, and the sky was slowly turning red in the sunset. However, on the side of the mountain Aleu was on, all of the sun’s rays were blocked out, leaving it much darker than the rest of the landscape. Aleu wasn’t afraid of much, but between the strange, dark crags around her and the vibrating noise she kept hearing on and off, she almost began expecting something to leap out from nowhere and attack her. “Come on,” she thought, “you can handle this.” She steeled herself and went on, coming to a wide open path with few rocks around, exposed to the elements. The wind howled, dark and frightening, buffeting the path noisily. Still slightly unnerved, Aleu looked around for a few moments before continuing. After a few more steps, she heard something…but not the wind. It sounded like clattering pebbles. She turned and looked in the direction it had been coming from. Yes, there were pebbles falling…but nothing was there. She looked further up the slope…still nothing. Then, something moved, up on a rock ledge. Aleu, having seen it on the edge of her vision, looked up quickly, but there was nothing. She began trembling, turning around slowly, breathing quickly. “Don’t panic!” she thought. “Don’t panic!”

A noise came…not a yard behind her. She froze for a moment, then whipped around. A terrifying form stood there. It looked like a wolf, but it was blackened and smelled of smoke, and flames sputtered from its eyes and mouth. It made a horrifying sound that sounded like a distant roar. Aleu screamed and backed up quickly, and suddenly, there was no ground below her back paws. She slipped, on the edge of the precipice, and the apparition vanished. She fell, sliding down, sure she was doomed…and landed a few feet later on a flat area of the mountain. She looked around, seeing that she was very near the bottom now. Her terror overtook her suddenly, and she covered her eyes, sobbing, expecting the nightmarish creature she had seen to appear at any moment. She heard a voice, and it frightened her, but only for a moment. When she listened further, she noticed that it was a kind voice, carrying no threat. “Treisa?” it called. “Treisa?” It was approaching her. The owner looked around a rock. “Oh. Ruo ouahir euo lahkim Treisa.” Aleu didn’t respond; she couldn’t understand the language, but she knew that the owner was a wolf, large and powerful looking, this appearance offset by his age. He was obviously getting old, but his face was full of wisdom and caring. He looked at her curiously. “Ror euo tronhe puo?” he said. Aleu spoke nervously. “I, um…I don’t understand…” “Ah,” said the wolf. “You speak that tongue. I am surprised you do not speak Itera. You are not from these lands?” Aleu shook her head. “I came from a town called Nome.” “I see. I have heard of Nome. So you are a dog, then? You have the appearance of one of my kind.” Aleu nodded. “Yeah. That’s why I ran away from there. I couldn’t handle…I mean, my dad was…I have dog and wolf blood. It’s a long story. I, um…just came over the…over the mountain.” She began shivering, and couldn’t stop, nearly beginning to cry again. The wolf walked over to her and sat down. “You saw something?” he asked. Aleu looked at him through tear-filled eyes and nodded. “It was a wolf, well, not a really a wolf. It was a monster that looked like one.” “Many wolves have said that when they go over that mountain, they can see things, strange creatures and the like. The rocks in that mountain are strange; they attract metal. It causes vibrations because they pull against each other, and it makes noises in the air and ice. Although it is tiny, this sound disrupts the senses of some wolves, and they hallucinate. You were only seeing things. Have peace.” He spoke softly to her. “Renn dalm kasa, morcasei lykmu.” Aleu’s heart was comforted, and she sighed with relief, feeling her eyelids drooping. “Who…who are you?” she whispered, nodding off. The wolf smiled. “My name is Nava. Rest, my child.” He leaned his head down and tossed her gently up onto his back, walking away from the mountain as she slept.

Aleu opened her eyes slowly, raising her head, and looked around. She was lying next to a large rock, and several wolves were walking about. It was an entire pack! Aleu couldn’t believe it. She was actually in the company a real wolf pack. She saw strong-looking hunters dragging a caribou carcass, mothers with adorable puppies, and many others. A voice called from the rock. “So you are awake now, young one. Did you sleep well?” It was Nava, lying there, smiling. Aleu nodded and stood. “Yes, thank you. Is this your pack?” “Yes. I am the elder.” Aleu was startled. “The elder?” she said, and quickly bowed. “I’m sorry for not showing respect. I didn’t know you were…” “There is no problem. What is your name?” “Aleu.” “Welcome, Aleu. You may stay here as long as you wish, or until the pack has to leave.” “Leave?” “I shall tell you another time. For now, look around and meet some of the wolves. Be at peace, sister.” Aleu walked about, discovering pleasantly that virtually every wolf there could understand her speech. She decided to talk to some of the hunters. As she went to find them, a pair of male wolves approached her. “Hello, hello,” one of them said. “Who are you?” “My name’s Aleu,” she said, already not liking them. “Excuse me,” she said, moving to leave. The other wolf got in her way. “Wait a moment, pretty one,” he said. “You are not from this pack.” “That’s right,” Aleu said. “Please let me by.” The first wolf spoke. “We are trying to help you, Aleu. If you are new and a girl, it is somewhat nice to have a man at your side. The pack can be unsafe for someone so beautiful.” “Yes,” said the second. “Come with us. We will not let anything happen to you.” Aleu was very afraid as they closed in on her. “Let me go,” she said, trying not to show fear. The first wolf replied. “But if we let you go, none of us will win. Come with us. It will be worth your time.” “Have you ever been out necking in the woods before?” said the second. “You must not have, or you would not be so scared. It is fun, especially if it goes further. We will show you.” He reached a paw out towards her, and she bit him. “Ow! Feisty little one!” he said, laughing. The other touched his nose to Aleu’s shoulder, and she hit him, trying to make him leave. She was about to cry for help when an entirely different wolf suddenly came between them and her. “Leave her alone, yirix,” he said threateningly. “If you do not stop harassing the women, you will eventually get to a hunter’s mate, and he will more than make you regret it. Get out of here.” The two ran off, and the wolf turned to look at Aleu. She was trembling slightly, rather frightened by what had happened. “Thanks,” she said. The wolf was handsome and strong, with dark gray fur. What struck Aleu were his eyes; they were a bright, deep silver color that made it look as if he could pierce into your heart and see your emotions and thoughts. He nodded. “Do not trust any male who approaches you and begins speaking that way. When they do that, they have found you attractive and want to mate.” Aleu closed her eyes, shuddering. “Do they do that to all girls? Do all male wolves do that?” “No. Passion is encouraged among wolves; even interactions between lovers that we find perfectly ordinary would likely seem too intimate to you for a couple that are not mates. It is nothing more than a cultural difference. As for what happened to you just now, many are somewhat unrestrained in that respect, and look for others who are the same way. Those two were an example. Fornication is looked upon with a very unfriendly eye, but there are still those who go about doing it.” Aleu nodded. “Thank you for the warning, and thank you again for saving me.” “You are welcome. May I request only one small thing in return?” “What’s that?” “Your name.” “Aleu.” “Ah, after the islands. I am Camyar. It means ‘fighter’.” Aleu nodded. “I’ll see you later, Camyar.” “I hope so. Your eyes are very beautiful, by the way; I have never seen ones so blue.” Aleu smiled, a pleasant stirring feeling in the pit of her stomach. Camyar walked off, and Aleu went to find the hunters.

Aleu had a great deal of fun the rest of the day; she loved the feeling of finally connecting to her wolf heritage. It was also wonderful that the wolves didn’t care that she was part dog. When she bedded down for the night, she heard noises after a few minutes. She stood up and looked over at where they were coming from. It was another nest, not too far from hers, and she went over to it. Inside lay a female wolf with silvery blue fur, young…and very pregnant. She was looking at her stomach, moaning and rocking her body back and forth. “Are you alright?” Aleu said quietly. The wolf looked up. “Um…oh…I am giving birth. Please…go and get my mate? He is one of…one of the hunters. He is guarding the meat tonight. He…is coal black. His name is…Orkaan. Please get him…quickly.” Aleu nodded. “I will. Hold on. I’ll only be a minute.” The mother curled up, breathing hard. Aleu sprinted to the caribou carcass and found the wolf she was looking for. “Excuse me?” she said, shaking him awake. He looked up. “Vaqis…oh, you are…Aleu, correct?” “Yes. Are you Orkaan?” “I am. Is there…something I can do for you?” “Your mate is having your puppies.” At this, he was suddenly wide awake. “She is? Thank you for telling me!” He ran to the nest where his mate lay. A few of the others had awakened. “Erana?” he said. “Are you all right?” “I…I am in labor, Orkaan.” “I know. Worry not, my love. You shall do well.” Erana struggled to her feet, and Orkaan carried her to a secluded spot beneath a few trees, hidden by bushes. It was tranquil there, and Aleu thought it a fitting place to have puppies. Orkaan laid Erana down, and she settled comfortably onto some loose pine branches. Aleu turned to leave. “Wait!” Erana called, and Aleu turned around. “She should at least be allowed to stay after that favor,” Erana said. Orkaan nodded and looked at Aleu. “If you had not taken the time to go to my mate, she would have had to walk to me while her pains were coming. Please, stay. We are honored.” “Thank you,” Aleu said, smiling. She lay down next to Erana, watching as Orkaan soothed her with his voice. Aleu admired the mother-to-be; it was obvious that she was in incredible pain, but she took it on bravely, small screams the only indication of that pain. It took about four hours for the first puppy to come. Erana clutched Orkaan’s paw, hissing painfully through clenched teeth, pushing hard. “Aah-haagh! Ahhh!” “It is alright, my love,” Orkaan whispered. “The puppy is coming.” Erana tucked her hind legs up to her body and pushed with all her strength, and the puppy finally came out. “Oh!” she gasped in relief, laying her head down. Orkaan showed the puppy, a girl, to Erana, who licked her joyfully. It was only about another hour before the other puppies came out. There were two more, both boys, making the total three. The couple decided on names, and Erana beckoned Aleu to look at the puppies. They were quite small and very lovable. Erana spoke a poem of happiness as she cuddled them, and Orkaan told their names to Aleu. “In order: Dyralii, Gixei, and Namatu.” Aleu didn’t know what the words meant, but she thought them beautiful names, and said so. “Thank you,” said Orkaan. He turned and lay down next to Erana. “I am proud of you,” he said, sharing a kiss with her and massaging her hind legs.

Aleu left, thanking the two for letting her watch the birth, and they thanked her, turning back to each other as she left. To her surprise, Nava was waiting for her. “You did a kind service for Erana, sister. I do not wonder that they invited you to watch. That is rare, you know. Almost every time, the mother has the puppies alone with the father.” “Was I, um…breaking a rule or something by watching?” “No, no. They chose to let you be there. If you had tried to watch and they did not want you there, that would be unacceptable, but not this. Anyway, I believe that when word of this spreads in the morning, you will be trusted and esteemed by many wolves here. As of now, that number includes me.” “Well…I didn’t do much, really. It wasn’t really heroic or anything.” “To Erana and Orkaan it is. Many wolves not strangers would not have even taken the time to see what was happening. You have a noble soul.” Aleu smiled. “Thank you, Nava.” The elder nodded. “I would like to invite you to eat at my side during dinner tomorrow.” “Really? Wow! Thanks! I’d love to.” “Very well. Goodnight.” He walked off and lay down on the elder rock, and Aleu went back to the nest to go back to sleep. She felt so at home here; according to Nava, she had practically won the trust of the pack with a mere favor, whereas in Nome, she had never managed to fit in, even though she had spent her whole life there. Still, she missed it, if only a little. The problem wasn’t the whole town, just its human inhabitants. She thought of her brothers and sister, her mother…and her father. Especially her father. She fell asleep wondering how he had taken her running away, and what it would do to him.

Aleu’s scent took Balto directly up the mountain, which he scaled with surprising haste. He could feel himself becoming tired, though; he wasn’t sure how much strength he had left to expend so freely. He wasn’t willing to go to sleep, at least not yet. At least Aleu had taken an easy path. His nose told him that she was less than a day ahead. “What will I say when I get to her?” he thought. “I have no idea of how to handle this.” He sighed, as he had so many times already, and walked onward, now on a wide ledge with a gentle slope that bent to the left. He came around it and saw something on a rock ahead. He couldn’t tell exactly what it was, but it looked like a wolf…at least partly. As he approached, he saw that its body was thin and lithe, with smooth, jet-black fur. Black, but not black…it seemed to be luminous, with a red ambience. It slowly turned its head to look at him with blood red eyes and a malevolent gaze. It spoke to him, its voice humming, like a ghostly dirge. “Who was the one who came before you?” Balto stepped back. “What are you talking about?” “There was one here before. She looked like you. How fortunate she was.” “Fortunate?” “That she fell.” “What? Did she fall off the mountain?!?” “No, but she fell from another slope. One of us was there. She was lucky to escape.” Balto swallowed. “Are you…not of this world?” “Do you want me to be?” Fire spewed from the creature’s eyes and red light from its mouth, and it shrieked like a banshee, revealing glowing blue-white teeth. Balto shrank further back, and the creature returned to the way it had been. It laughed at him, and he came forward again. “So…if you’re not supernatural…what are you?” “That depends upon who sees me. The one that came before you saw me…but I did not look the same.” “You said that…she was lucky to escape death?” “We enjoy the art of killing.” “Um…we?” Suddenly, Balto became aware that another, similar creature was behind him and to his left, and another climbed vertically down the rock face and walked around him, stopping behind him and to his right. He looked at the first again, and it climbed down from the rock. “And…we do not appreciate company.” It roared, and darkness seemed to flood the ledge.

The creatures became brighter, and the one standing in front of Balto lunged at him and bit. Balto rolled to the side, barely overcoming his fear in time. He stood and lunged. The creature flung itself backward, but didn’t come down; it hovered in midair and flew back to him. As it landed, it bit him, and he yelled with pain, feeling the teeth rip his skin. The creature released, and Balto heard another running up behind him. He spun around and bit at its front leg, and it tripped, sprawling on the ground, but quickly getting up. Balto charged the first one, dodging to the left and tearing into its shoulder, and it cried out, red light emanating from its wound. The third creature tried to attack him from the side, and he turned and kicked it in the face with his back legs, knocking it away. The second creature tackled him from the side, trying to bite his neck, and he pushed himself off the ground, causing it to fall off of him. He bit onto the back of its neck as it stood up and wrenched it. A wet cracking sound came, and the creature went limp. As Balto let it fall to the ground, its body burst into flames and vaporized, leaving nothing. Then, both of the others attacked him at once. It was all he could do to avoid getting wounded, and he knew he would have to kill another to stand a chance. One of them bit his leg, pulling him to the ground, and fear, swelling in his heart as they began biting him, disrupted his reflexes and thinking ability. However, he knew that he faced certain death if they got the upper hand. He kicked the third creature in the stomach, stunning it. The first creature prepared to bite Balto’s throat, and he rolled out of the way, biting upward onto the third creature’s throat. Red light spilled out, and it screamed and died as Balto stood and flung it away, its body burning into nothing as it flew through the air. The first creature jumped on Balto, and they bit and rolled across the ledge. Soon, Balto got on top of the creature and began pounding its head into the ground, over and over and over, hearing the ugly sound of cracking bone. He backed away from it, and it stood up, breathing hard, thin red beams radiating from cuts all over its temples. It groaned, the noise building to a ghastly yell, and it exploded into shredded black tatters, which flew away in a sudden gust of wind. Balto fell to the ground, his terror overcoming him, and he breathed rapidly, seeing shapeless red forms with horrible teeth and eyes flying above and around him, fixing him with wicked gazes in the awful darkness that still hung. “LET ME OUT!” he cried. “HELP! PLEASE!”

Then, as Balto was about to panic, preparing to shut his eyes against the phantoms, a blue light appeared, a soothing aura that banished the darkness around it. Although he was still afraid, the light brought some comfort to him. It grew brighter and slightly larger, coming towards him slowly enough that it wouldn’t frighten him. Out of it walked a wolf, but not just any wolf. It was a white wolf, with a caring face that wore a gentle look, a face that Balto knew. He reached a paw out slowly, absolutely stunned. “Don’t vanish,” he whispered imploringly. He touched the wolf’s face. “Mom?” he said, his voice barely audible. She smiled and nodded. “I am Aniu, your mother,” she said. “Balto, my son, I love you, and I will help you.” “Mom…it’s dark. They won’t leave.” He was trembling, and Aniu kissed him, running her paws over his head. “They are not there.” “But I see them…” He began to sob, and Aniu cuddled him. “Sshh,” she said. “Close your eyes, Balto.” He did so, and could still see her face, but nothing else. “Now open them,” she said. He opened his eyes slowly, expecting to see the haunting specters again, but there was nothing except his mother, and the darkness faded. “You were merely seeing things,” she whispered. “Those things that attacked you were visions, nothing more. You are not even wounded.” Balto realized she was right; he felt no pain, and there was not a scratch on him. He sighed with relief and smiled. “What about you?” he asked. “I am still just seeing things?” “No. I am here.” “Thank you,” he said. Aniu kissed him again. “You are welcome.” “I love you.” He kissed her cheek affectionately, and she smiled. “I love you, too. Now, you have a journey to continue.” She stood up and disappeared slowly. “I am proud of you, my son,” she whispered. Balto smiled and closed his eyes, feeling her presence until she was gone. “I wonder if anyone will believe me when I tell them about this,” he thought. “Jenna will, I bet.” He got up, his strength renewed, and made his way over the mountain, finally stopping for the night. His heart was desperate to continue, but his body refused too strongly. He entered a small cave and lay down, sighing. He began to fall asleep instantly, even though his mind was still so troubled about Aleu. As he started nodding off, he heard an echoing voice that wasn’t much louder than the soft breeze moaning in the mouth of the cave. “Why does your soul weep?” it said. “What have you to feel such pain for?” Balto spoke softly, half-awake. “I’ve driven my daughter away from home,” he said. “I’m grieving because of it. I’m following her, trying to bring her back.” “Are you so sure that you are to blame?” “Yes. I didn’t give her enough freedom. I was trying to be a good dad, but I wasn’t able to do it right.” “When you find your daughter, you should give her that freedom. I know how fathers worry about their daughters being out in the world, but you cannot choose for them forever. Remember that, and your trial will be easier. Now, you may sleep. Let not doubts or fears plague you tonight.” Balto dozed off, feeling comforted somehow by the voice.

Information about the wolf language:

There are three dialects in the wolf language, known as Itera: Itera Ada, Itera Voda, and Itera Rada, meaning Itera 1, Itera 2, and Itera 3. Itera Ada is an old dialect that is not spoken much anymore, except among elders. Many names are Itera Ada words. Itera Voda is a simplified dialect used to make communication while howling easier, and is rarely used in conversation. Itera Rada is the dialect currently spoken by almost all wolves, and the wolf language that Balto learned from Aniu when he was a puppy.

Words used:

Saba-the Itera Rada word for "adorable".  Jenna chose this name, having been taught some of the language by Balto, who would sometimes tell her love poems in Itera Rada.

Yirix-an Itera Rada word with a double meaning.  Ordinarily, it refers to dung, but when someone is called by it, it is a strong insult that could be translated to calling someone "filth".

Vaqis-an Itera word of unknown origin that conveys confusion; basically, "huh?"

Shavenya-Avenya is an Itera Ada word for "of the wind", and the "sh" in front is always applied to the name of a wolf pack.