JENNA awoke to the sound of scrabbling at her door, her ears perked to the sound of it and one eye opened. She gazed around the room curiously before lifted her head. She was in a basket near the front door of her house now, so she could get to the door every morning when Balto came to see her.
"Jenna?" Balto's words came to her ears, she looked at a window to see bright sunshine on the other side of the glass pane. She rose quietly to her feet, the sound of her claws scrabbling on the wood floors came to Balto's ears from behind the door. Jenna peeked her head out of the newly installed doggy door, sure enough Balto was on the other side smiling sheepishly at her.
"Good morning Balto." Jenna said with a smile, she stretched for a second and then came outside to sit by her mate. "Bit strange not meeting a crowd of pups now, huh?" she mused.
"Yeah!" Balto smiled, his pearly white teeth gleaming.
"So... What's happening today?" Jenna asked, everyday Balto had some new adventure or news for her. "Chasing some planes?" Balto chuckled at that.
"Nah, but I do have to leave for the Butch's place today. You know a little trip..." Balto reminded her, Jenna's face fell slightly at that. Balto gone for a week, she sighed looking at the wood on her porch. "You'll be O.K here without me?" He made it a question.
"Oh, Yes of course." Jenna said, making an effort to smile reassuringly at him. She looked at his golden eyes, he looked despairingly back at her. "Do you want me to go with you?"Balto looked at her questioningly at first but then caught on.
"OH! Yeah sure, If you want to that is?" He looked at her fleetingly, waiting for her response. The whole moment seemed a bit awkward now and they were stumbling over their words. Jenna had to admit, listening to Balto stutter was kinda cute.
"You probably don't want me to come with you, I'll just stay here. You know, in case one of the pups comes up with some troubles... They have to turn to at least one of us." Jenna said, trying her best to sound honest about her excuse.
"Oh... Yes of course. Well then... I'll just... go I guess." Balto said awkwardly turning around to leave.
"Balto wait just a moment." Jenna half-whispered, Balto stopped and turned to face her. She rushed forward and licked his nose in farewell, "I'll be waiting right here for you to get back." They touched noses and smiled, then he left and Jenna sat for a few moments watching him disappear into the horizon, making sure to smile at him whenever he looked back.
THE next morning Jenna woke up to find that she had fallen asleep on the porch outside, she'd sat looking at the place on the horizon where Balto had left and sometimes at the sky as well nodding curtly and greeting the dogs who happened to pass by. An embarrassing puddle of drool lay near her face and she quickly sat up and scooted away from it; flushing and hoping no one had noticed.
"Hey Jenna." A voice said from behind her, she grumbled and turned to face the person who had greeted her with a grimace spread on her maw.
"Hello, Steele." She spat his name in disgust, "Come to lie and wriggle your way into other people's lives again?"
"Oh come on Jenna, You know me better than that... Before was just-" He paused for a second his eyes on Jenna almost hungrily, it made a chill run up her spine. "Before was just a misunderstanding, I really did think Balto was trying to steal the medicine and-"
"Enough Steele!" Jenna snarled, "No more excuses, why are you here?"
"Why, To see you of course." He grinned at that and kind of chuckled, Jenna didn't catch the joke, "And to wonder where your little wolfdog is."
"He hasn't left me if thats what your getting at." Jenna replied hoping to cut off whatever he was trying to get at.
"Thats not what I meant." Steele growled she didn't understand his anger either, not that she ever did understand this beast.
"Well then what did you mean Steele? Not well I'm guessing." Jenna muttered the latter part.
"I told you already Jenna, I wanted to say 'hi' and know where your.... Balto is." Steele sounded like he was choking on the urge to refer to Balto as 'Wolf-Dog' again, and Jenna wondered why he had even bothered trying to refer to him by name. Was he actually trying to get on her good side?
"Balto is on a little trip with Butch, a flying trip. " Jenna decided to give Steele that much.
"How long?"
"A week."
"Oh." Steele appeared a bit surprised at that. "What?" Jenna asked, gazing at his expressions curiously. She was confused as to what he was feeling now.
"I didn't think he would leave you that long."Steele muttered.
"Well a week was the shortest time we could negotiate, and I decided that one of us needed a break after the pups of course..." Jenna explained.
"I see." Steele looked at the floor as if in deep thought, "Well then I guess I'll go then. Good-bye Jenna." And with that he left, leaping off the porch as he went. Jenna stared after him confused, he hadn't once tried to flirt and that was quite odd. Had he given up on trying to beat Balto to her? Or was he simply trying a different approach?
THE next few days went by without a word from anyone, Jenna had found little ways to entertain herself and was pretty bored at most times. By the third day alone she had gotten VERY restless and decided to go into town on her own, something Balto had tried to discourage her from while he was away. Something about some means dogs had rolled into town and most of the dogs didn't go out much until they leave. But Jenna didn't care anymore about such dangers as a pack of bullies, Heck! She'd fought a bear once! What could a bunch of dogs do?
So like I said she went out, and she noticed Balto had been right. Nome looked like a ghost town during the school year, no dogs were out and only a few humans were about in the shops. She sighed and trotted on towards the color store, but then she remembered that in order to get to that part of town she'd have to go through a lot of dark alleys. So instead she decided to sit on the corner of Main street for a few minutes and trace the routes to the different stores that she liked. Although she wasn't afraid of the dogs, she was afraid of being taken off-guard in a dark alley where she can't see much. After a few moments of thinking of the shops she liked she gave up and let out a sigh. She'd have to face her fears and go down SOME alleys if she wanted to get somewhere. So she turned off of the street she was in and headed towards some random street, wondering where she would turn up.
She soon found herself in a dark alley and with a surge of relief she found that it wasn't as scary as she had imagined. Within moments she was casually strolling around the streets without any worry who she might run into. She had made it to the collar shop in no time and the new merchandise was beautiful, she made note of the ones that Dixie had worn in the past and the ones she most likely would be wearing soon.
"Not too shabby Jenna." A particularly squeaky voice came from behind her. 'speak of the devil...' Jenna thought rolling her eyes and turning to give her friend a polite smile.
"Hey Dixie, I didn't think you'd be out." Jenna told her trying to keep the conversation light, not too deep into either of their personal lives.
"Oh I come out here everyday, My girl graduated last year. And she just looooves to come here and spend money on whatever collar I want." Dixie bragged, puffing out her fur so it looked like her chest fur was fluffier than ever.
"What brings you here then Jenna? Wheres your Baalto." She pronounced his name odd and it sounded more like she was saying 'Bawl-toe'.
"Oh he's on a trip." Jenna told her simply.
"Oh Jenna I'm sooo sowry!" Dixie gasped.
"What?" Jenna asked raising an eye-brow.
"Didn't he split with you then?" Dixie asked, wonder in her eyes, "You know, Cuz' dogs around town have been saying-"
"Dixie, We're still together." Jenna replied flatly.
"Well I just thought that since you said he was on a trip..." Her voice trailed off. "Well anyway, Steele is back in town." She shook her head in disgust when she said his name.
"I know, Dixie, he came by the other day." Jenna informed her.
"Why Jenna! I didn't know you were like that!" Dixie stared at Jenna wide-eyed, her mouth gaping open.
"What? Like what?" Jenna asked confused.
"I can't believe it. Your not broken up with Balto, But you have the guts to go behind his back with Steele?!" Dixie spat out simply appalled.
"DIXIE!" Jenna screeched, "YOU NEED TO STOP JUMPING TO SUCH CONCLUSIONS!" she looked around bewildered by the even mention that Dixie would think that her and Steele were....!
"Well what am I supposed to think?!" Dixie asked, her eyes still wide.
"Me and Balto are together, Steele is... Oh my god Dixie! He came by the other day to say hello and to know how I was doing!" Jenna drug in slow breaths still surprised that Dixie could even think in THAT direction.
"Well O.K, good to know." Dixie sighed. "But are you sure that Balto is the one? I mean I know you had pups and all, but Steele is still much more of a well... Purebred." It was Jenna's turn to stare at her friend wide-eyed.
"The town is still talking about Balto's heritage?!" She shouted in anger, "When are they just going to have to face that people can fall in love with people no matter what their blood? It's not his fault that his mother happens to be a wolf!"
"But still Jenna!" Dixie almost pleaded, "Your dragging your pure-bred name through the dirt being with a- a mutt!"
"Dixie, this world is just going to have to face the facts that I had pups with a... a mutt and I am NOT ashamed of it." Jenna glared at her friend.
"Fine, Fine. It's none of my business." Dixie sighed, she turned and left with Jenna staring at her with hurt in her eyes.
'Is that really what everyone is thinking? Are all my pups doomed to live a life of shame because of who their father is?' Jenna thought, tears rolling down her