The two dogs did not understand what was happening. When they were completely shrouded in fog, a wolf with a fur as white as snow in winter appeared in front of them.
«Who are you?» Kodi asked. But the wolf only looked at them with his yellow eyes, and then disappeared into the fog. Shortly afterwards the fog also disappeared; but, looking around, Kodi and Balto saw that they were no longer in Nome, but on the shore of a beach.
«Dad?» said a voice behind them. When they turned, they saw a gray she-wolf staring at them. She had a bushy tail and yellow eyes, just like Balto. In fact that she-wolf was the daughter of Balto: Aleu.
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CHAPTER IV
The she-wolf, who had not seen her father for more than four years, ran to him.
«What are you doing here?» asked Aleu. But before they could say anything, they saw a black-fur figure arrive quickly. Aleu greeted the wolf happily, but realizing that Balto and Kodi did not understand who he was, she said:
«Dad, this is Handya. My best friend.» Balto carefully observed the wolf. He saw that he had blue eyes and fur as black as night; but also noticed that he had a scar on its face, probably due to a fight.
«Aleu has told me a lot of things about you.» said Handya. «She describes you as a hero.» Handya's voice was very strange; it was powerful, but at the same time persuasive. «And you are Kodi, aren't you?»
«Yes.» answered Kodi.
«Why are you here?» asked Aleu.
«I believe that...» said Balto, trying to find the right words. « I believe that Aniu brought us here intentionally.» Kodi was speechless. so, his father knew who was the white wolf they had seen in the fog.
«You knew who she was, did you?» he asked to his father.
«Yes, I knew it. but I didn't want to believe it.» said Balto. «When Aniu appears to you, something always happens»
«If Aniu brought you here, there must be a reason.» said Handya.
«We have a lot to tell each other, Dad.» said Aleu. «I missed you very much.» Aleu smiled at her father. At that moment Balto's emotions were many. He felt happiness because he had seen his daughter after so many years; but at the same time he was afraid. afraid that the vision would become real. and he would have done anything to prevent anything happen to Aleu and Kodi. Anything.
When Balto, Kodi and Handya reached the rest of the pack, Aleu called his companions.
«Brothers and sisters,» she said. «Today Aniu brought us guests. This is Balto, my father; and Kodi, my brother.» All members of the pack looked at Balto and Kodi. One of the wolves, Tarkus, approached to Balto and smiled at him. The wolf had black fur and eyes as yellow as the sun.
«I remember you, Balto.» he said. «You helped us to reach the caribou, and for this we have to thank you.» Balto smiled.
«Thank you.» said Balto.
«My name is Tarkus.» And then he turned to Kodi. «And you are Kodi.»
«Yes»
«your heart is in pain, it can be seen from your face. you must have lost someone you cared about very much. maybe...a master.» After hearing those words, Kodi was speechless.
«How did you discover this?» he asked.
«I didn't discovered it, I just knew it. Aniu gave me this power: I understand everything about animals that I meet only with a glance, I perceive their emotions; i know enough about their past, and something about their future.»
«About their past?» asked Balto stunned.
«Yes.» answerd Tarkus. Kodi, however, didn't believe what he heard.
«that's impossible.» he said, But Tarkus replied promptly:
«The possible wouldn't be achieved if the impossible weren't always attempted in the world» Kodi was stunned. Aleu, seeing the scene, approached to Tarkus.
«He is the wisest of the pack.» she said. «Tarkus means wisdom in Estonian. That is why he is so wise.»
«The sun will start setting soon,» said Tarkus. «Maybe it's better if you stay. Just for tonight.»
«He's right,» said Aleu. « In the evening this place is very dangerous. That's why we never go hunting at night.» And then Tarkus so turned to his companions.
«Be kind with them. If Aniu brought them here, there must be an important reason.» however, one of the wolves was not at all happy with the presence of Balto and Kodi.
«If you're really wise Tarkus, you should know why they are here.» His name was Kurat and he hated anyone who wasn't part of the pack. It was not the first time, however, that such a thing like that happened.
«I understand your disappointment Kurat,» said Tarkus. «But for today they will be our guests.» Kurat slowly approached to Tarkus; his eyes were full of hatred towards him. When Tarkus was within walking distance of Kurat, they looked into each other's eyes. There was a few moments of silence, then Kurat spoke:
«One day your wisdom won't protect you. One day it will bring you down.» Hate could have been felt in his words. After saying that, he walked away and sat down in a corner, away from the other wolves. Balto was amazed to see the scene.
«Why does he behave like this?» he asked to Tarkus. The wolf looked at him with a melancholy look.
«Once Kurat was good: He smiled at everyone, helped those who need help and was our friend. But one day everything changed. One day I had a vision, my first vision. In that vision I saw that a pack of wolves attacked and killed four of my brothers; but I didn't mind it, Because I thought it was just a dream. The next evening, however, it happened: A pack of six wolves came and attacked us, because they wanted to steal our food. We chased them away, but in doing so four of our companions died. Among these four were also Kurat's parents. I was desperate and so were all the other wolves. Kurat went hunting and therefore was unaware of the tragedy. When I told him what happened, his face filled with sadness.» Balto and Kodi looked at Tarkus with melancholy.
«What happened next?» asked Kodi.
«Then I did something that I still regret: I told him about my vision.» His face filled with guilt.
«Why did you do that?» asked Balto.
«I felt guilty about what happened.» he answered. «I was afraid that if he found out for himself, he would hate me for life; But apparently I was wrong. When I told him, Kurat became furious and he hates me ever since, and hates any other wolf who is not part of the pack, in this case, you two.»
«It wasn't your fault.» said Handya. «You were young and it was your first vision in your entire life.» Tarkus looked at him and smiled at him. As soon as he noticed that his face was wet with some tears, he wiped his face and tried not to notice it.
«Come on,» said trying to contain his sadness. «Soon it will be night. We need to find a place to sleep.» And after saying that, he told Balto and Kodi to follow him. At one time, Balto looked where Kurat was and what he saw made him shiver: Kurat stared at him with hatred and contempt.
They arrived near a cave. The cave was very large, in fact inside it lived the whole wolf pack and each wolf had its own position.
«For tonight, you'll stay here» said Tarkus. «Tomorrow I will try to communicate with Aniu.»
The night arrived. Balto and Kodi were sleeping, just like the rest of the pack. Among all the wolves there was one who was still awake: Kurat. He, after the tragedy, didn't sleep anymore; he stayed awake at night, to warn the pack in case of danger, and slept a few hours in the morning. Kurat wasn't evil: he did all this because he wanted to protect the pack, his family. At one point he heard a noise coming behind the cave. Kurat approached. He was ready to attack the creature that could have put his family in danger; but when he realized who it was, he immediately calmed down: the creature wasn't a danger for the wolf pack, because he was part of it; It was Handya.
«What are you doing here, Handya?» asked Kurat.
«I just wanted to see if you were okay.» ansewred Handya. Kurat looked at him with contempt.
«Why now?»
«What?»
«Why now? Why you want to talk to me now?»
«Listen, Kurat...» said Handya. «I admit it: I was wrong not to do it before; but now I am here, as a friend, asking you how you are.Please forgive me.» Kurat, despite his anger, decided to forgive his friend; after all, they had been friends since they were just wolf puppes.
when they were puppies Kurat and Handya always played together until the evening. They were best friends. Once Handya, walking in the woods, found himself facing a pack of wolves that were part of an enemy pack.
"Well, well; look who we have here." said one of the wolves approaching the puppy threateningly. Handya was terrified and tried to escape from the wolves, but one of them stood in front of the puppy, stopping him, and with his paw hit him in the face, wounding him. This action astonished the rest of the group too, because they just wanted to annoy the pup, but they didn't want to hurt him. The puppy moaned loudly: he felt the claws
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