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Fang tried not to whimper when the town paid him absolutely no heed at all, some even seeming afraid of him. He wasn't jealous of Balto, Balto had earned this, but it still hurt to see another dog be so loved while he himself was a pariah. Still, he'd lived with it most of his life. He was just glad there weren't more active insults thrown his way. On top of all that, the memory of Rosie genuinely giving him attention was comforting. He knew that he had at least one human in town that cared about him, and that made it all feel much easier to take. Maybe that's how Balto made it through. He'd had Jenna and Rosie this whole time after all.

Finally, they arrived at the boat, as they walked, however, Fang noticed how Balto behaved when he mentioned family being important. He looked almost sad... Fang decided not to push things, it probably wasn't the best idea.

Fang listened to Balto's proposal, giving it some real thought. He decided speaking with his mother was probably the best course of action. "Thanks, I'll sleep later, I want to talk to mom a bit first."

Fang gave Balto a smile and a wag of his tail before heading up the ramp and looking around for his mother, smelling around for her too. She did have a strong scent, skunks did have a tiny bit of a musky odor, not bad, but strong, so he found her easily, curled up on the deck taking a nap.

Sally had simply rested most of the day, since no one had been around, it was a good time to get her sleep. She heard her son's paws hitting the wood. She knew it was him because he'd learned to make plenty of noise before actually reaching her so he didn't take her by surprise. She'd never sprayed him, but he knew startling her might make her spray, and no one wanted that. She smiled as she looked up at him with a yawn. "Hello, Fang," she said warmly, standing and giving her son a nuzzle. "Have you had a good day?"

Fang returned his mother's nuzzle, though due to being far larger, he had to kneel to return it. "Yeah, I think I have," he said, remembering how Rosie and, after he calmed down, Mr. Simpson had treated him. "Two humans actually treated me nice, that was good. Rosie, Jenna's owner, and Mr. Simpson, that's Kodi's musher. They both treated me really nice."

Sally gave a big smile. "That's great, Fang. I'm glad humans are warming up to you, even if it's just two out of the entire town, at least that's two more than before, right?"

Fang smiled lightly. "Yeah, that's true," he replied, genuinely liking that idea. "Anyway, Jenna is having a Christmas Party for us dogs," he explained. "You're invited too, mom, it wouldn't be right without you there."

"Dogs?" asked Sally. "As in your group, or more than that?"

"Balto says she might invite her friends," said Fang. "I'm sure she'll tell them about you, after all, she's a smart dog, we've seen her in action, and she saw through Steele's tricks. I'm sure she knows what she's doing."

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Jenna looked around, thinking about who else to invite. She decided that, despite Mel's paranoia, he and Dipsy would be vital to getting food for the part. She walked over to the post office and barked lightly at the door. "Mel, you there?"

From inside the door, a sharp yelp and a subsequent thud could be heard. There was a skittering of claws rapping against the wooden floor. From the frosted window, with snow built in an arch around the edges of the frame, Mel peered through the glass. He saw Jenna standing patiently on the porch. A false alarm, he decided.

Mel turned around, barking expectantly at his owner, his signal for wanting the door open. The postmaster raised his gaze up from his current letter to be sorted (to a Mr. Dano), and looked at Mel, who was standing on the wooden counter by the window overlooking the left side of the entrance. Most owners would frown at their dogs jumping on furniture, but it was made clear to the postmaster very early that the dog he had adopted would simply not tolerate being unaware of the sights and sounds of the town surrounding the Post Office. Always cautious, Mel would sound off once if someone was approaching the building. If it was someone he didn’t recognize, he would sound off again. And again. And again. The postmaster slowly rose from his pine stool, and approached the door.

He didn’t much mind his dog’s “yippiness”. The postmaster may not have had much else, but he had Mel. Mel’s almost perpetually terrified personality lent itself a clinginess that was reciprocal for both of them. Very rarely would Mel allow his owner to leave his sight, unless he ventured off with the friendly dogs from the neighborhood once in a blue moon. The postmaster appreciated this trait, as it brought a sense of dependence that was not unlike that of a scared child and their parent.

The postmaster opened the door, and was met with naught but the backdrop of Nome in front of him. He had expected to see Mr. Simpson, hands full of the rest of the mail he had just delivered being brought to him for sorting. He found the sled abandoned in front of the post office, the owner nowhere to be seen. Looking downward, he saw the source of Mel’s curiosity in the form of Jenna. He had half expected Dipsy to be there, although she often made her way in and around the buildings of Nome with a surprising stealth. The postmaster didn’t know why Jenna was here, but since he was up from his seat, he decided to brave the cold temporarily and bring some more of the mail in from Mr. Simpson’s sled. He propped the door open to make it easier for his return, and meandered past Jenna, offering a brush of the top of her head as he passed.

Mel looked down from his perch, and beckoned for Jenna to come inside.

“Jenna? What brings you over to this neck of the woods? You aren’t – you’re not being…” He lowered his voice and hissed a whisper. “…followed, are you?” He leapt from the counter top down to the floor in front of her, and promptly backed up from the open doorway, ushering her in with a frantic nodding.

“What are you waiting for? Come in; it’s not safe out there!”

Jenna sighed at Mel's statement. She trotted in slowly. "Mel, there's nothing dangerous out there, everything is perfectly fine," she said, sighing. Me's paranoia was a constant thing you just had to get used to. It could get on your nerves from time to time, but because he's your friend, you learned to live with it. Beneath all the paranoid fantasies, he actually was a really good friend.

"Mel, I'm sure you know what day it is," she said, seeing all the Christmas mail setting around. "Well we're having a little Christmas party of our own, not going to a human's party, but having our own I mean," she explained, trying to make sure it didn't feed the paranoid flames. "And we wanted to invite you. And don't worry, we're going to be careful. It's just going to be a little bit of fun."

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Fang gave his mother a smile. "So, want to come?"

Sally gave it some thought. "You're sure that Jenna will let them know I'll be there?"

Fang nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure, she's a smart dog you know."

Sally gave a small nod. "Alright, I'll come along I suppose."

Fang nuzzled her. "Thanks mom," he said, happy she'd be there with them.

Mel looked beyond Jenna at the open doorway, keeping tabs on his owner, currently hunched over lifting a large burlap sack of postage up from the abandoned sled. Despite what Jenna might think, Mel knew that there was danger all around the supposed idyllic snowbound town. From Saber and his rambunctious goons, to the recent creature attacks, and all of the slipping hazards the snow disguised, it was a very risky business to wander ill-prepared on the streets.

He looked at Jenna with a wide eyed disbelief, and uttered “What about that monster? That- that thing? That’s out there isn’t it? ‘Perfectly fine’ must mean something different to you!”

The postmaster stepped back inside, a hefty sack held aloft in his arms. He kept the door open though, probably for Jenna’s sake. Relieved, Mel continued.

“A Christmas party, you say?” He asked her uneasily. As much as he’d like it to, he doubted very much they would hold the party in the Post Office. “I um… I MIGHT be able to make it tonight. If, you know, I’m not needed over here.” Mel nodded his head in the direction of his owner, sitting back down on his stool, expertly sorting through the fresh mail with nary a second thought.

“If I can make it…” he started, “Where are you planning on holding it?” His inclination to make the trip would be influenced proportionately to the distance he had to travel on the darkened paths of Nome. “And if I can’t…” he finished “What can I do to help anyways?”

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From the inside of wheelhouse, Balto listened to Fang and Sally. He inched his head out just enough to see their exchange, and he smiled. Just like he and Boris, you couldn’t have asked for a more odd couple. But just like he and Boris, it worked somehow. Sensing their conversation drawing to a close, Balto grasped his blanket with his teeth, and hoisted it over his shoulder and out of the wheel house, free for Fang to use if he so chose.

The sun was setting slowly, but Balto quietly shifted his way into the corner that had been drenched in sunlight the longest. The floorboards still warmed by the sun’s waning rays, Balto curled himself in a ball, mini-Balto obscured by the light fur of his chest. His tail fell in place on his black nose, protecting it from irritation from the cold drafts that occasionally wafted through, and he drifted to sleep.

"I'm considering either on the hill above Nome or out by Balto's ship," said Jenna, considering both, though for the latter, Balto's permission would be needed. "Either that, or one of the abandoned buildings in Nome," she stated, wanting to keep it as close to Nome as she could, for various reasons including the "monster" that was on the loose.

"Somewhere close enough that we won't risk running into that creature," she stated, giving it more thought. "As for how you can help, I can't think of much I don't already have covered other ways," she explained, thinking. "Oh, and one thing, Fang and his mother are going to be there," she stated. "And his adopted mother is a skunk. A very nice one, I just thought I'd let you know so you won't be surprised. Don't worry, the only ones she's sprayed are Saber and his pack for hurting Fang. I don't think anyone can blame her for doing that."

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Fang nodded widely. "I'm a bit tired, I think I'd better take a nap before the party," he stated, nuzzling Sally. "See you later, mom."

Sally smiled. "Night, Fang," she said, nuzzling him back. After he'd laid down, she went over and curled up next to him to take her own nap.

If one were observing Mel during Jenna’s brainstorming session of possible locales for the party, it was obvious which of her suggestions he preferred.

“The house. Go with the house!” Mel expelled eagerly. “Either a house, or the refinery – heck, even right here!” He bounced up and down on the spot, gathering a momentary stare from his owner, whom quickly returned to his tedious sorting. “It doesn’t matter to me, just as long as it has four walls and a roof!”

Mel could almost be classified as agoraphobic; it wasn’t necessarily that he didn’t like open spaces, but rather he was terrified of what dangers they could be hiding. He valued the post office as the highest form of sanctuary. The furthest he had travelled out of Nome was several months ago, where he, Jenna and Dipsy had been anticipating the arrival of the mail team or Duke’s bush plane in a high stakes race. If Jenna or Dipsy hadn’t been there, he would have simply waited for the information right here. Everyone needed to get their mail, so naturally everyone flocked to the post office. Humans tended to be rather chatty, which was a boon for him and Dipsy. Patience was a small sacrifice to mitigate risk, he had decided long ago.

Mel stopped his hopping, and amended that “Of course, it’s up to you. That’s just my two cent stamp.”

It seemed for a moment that Mel had settled down, but then he thought of the potential guests. “So this Sally character is going to be there? I take it that Saber and his pals won’t be? Thank goodness!” Mel hadn’t ever done anything to Saber, but Saber liked to poke fun of Mel regardless. His favorite phrase was “scaredy-cat”. Mel didn’t understand this – Mel wasn’t a cat, nor did he look a thing like one. Mel had only observed Fang from his shelter, but if Sally gave them what-for for harassing him, they likely deserved it. But what if…?

“She’s not going to use that spray thing, is she? Someone came in here a few days ago complaining that their dog had been attacked by a skunk. She doesn’t eat dogs, does she? I don’t want to be eaten; I don’t want to be sprayed! Oh Jenna, I don’t know if I can do this!”

Mel spoke faster and faster, and he shuffled to the door to inhale some of cool air that was gusting about outside. He appeared to have calmed down, and asked Jenna very plainly “Why is a Christmas party of all things so disastrous?”

Mel leapt to his perch again, as though talking about Saber and Steele were going to coax them from wherever they were to his front door. A few humans passed by, presumably towards the chapel, but no canines, ill-tempered or otherwise. Despite the main door still being ajar, Mel daren’t chance exposing himself.

He bounded to the floor again, exerting a deep sigh upon impact with the well-traveled floor. “I suppose you’re right… If anything, it sounds as though it’s probably safer with her there.” He admitted to the somewhat exasperated Jenna.

“I’ll do my best to make it, I promise.” He assured her. “I’ll see if maybe Dipsy can take me wherever it is you’re going to be hosting it. Safety in numbers, you know.” Neither he nor Dipsy were exactly well-equipped to fend off would-be attackers, regardless if they were travelling together or not. It made Mel feel better anyways.

There was a scraping from behind the desk, as the postmaster arose from his stool, shifting it across the floor in the process. He walked over to the coat hanger opposite the front door, a mite of residual snow leaving a minute frosting on the left sleeve before it was shaken to the ground, where it would melt shortly after. Mel tilted his head confusedly at him, and his owner did his best to explain to him what he was doing.

“I’m heading out for a bit, to the church, alright boy?”

Mel uttered a soft whine.

Sensing his dog’s discontent, he bent down, gently caressing his dog’s shaggy face. “Now, Mel… it will only be for a little bit. As soon as the pageant’s over, I’ll be right back.”

He stood back up, and opened the door to as far as it’s semi-rusted hinge would allow. He looked at Jenna, and waved out of the door. “Unfortunately, my dear, I have to keep this place locked up tight if I’m not here. I could get in serious trouble if it isn’t. I think you should probably run along home before it gets too dark, I don’t want your Rosy to worry about you.” A gust carried a faint pale shroud across the open frame, almost ominously.

Mel looked to Jenna, almost tragically. He knew that for her to continue her planning, she’d need to leave, but he didn’t like the thought of being left alone. Before she could leave, Mel offered Jenna a desperate plea.

“If you see Dipsy, could you… could you tell her to drop by before she leaves for the party? I really want to come, but… you know…” Another gust blew, creating a haunting sound as the winds grazed the mouths of several empty milk bottles placed on the floor by the open door.

Jenna listened to the post master and nodded. "Alright, I'll let her know," she said, understanding why a dog like Mel would be uncomfortable being alone. She then headed out, looking back at Mel and giving a smile before trotting out. She tried to think of what to do next. She DID want to invite Silvie and Dixie, but last, so they wouldn't have a chance to spread word of a party and have the entire town coming. She decided to head off and get the other supplies first.

OOC: Sorry, I really don't have anything to work with here...

Kodi wandered along the outskirts of the woods, seething with feelings of anger and betrayal. He kicked the powdery tip of snow from an abnormally tall drift. It came to a quick and graceless halt as it fell to the ground, blending in with the rest of the snow surrounding it. There was no wind to lift it.

The sky grew darker, the white snow changing to a deep crimson as the sun chased its mysterious bounty beneath the horizon. Kodi’s vision blurred. He was thinking something, but he didn’t know what. The sensation of anger was succumbing to another emotion… something worse. He felt powerless. What was going on?

He became increasingly aware of the emptiness of his surroundings. The quietude was engulfing him. And then he remembered. It was fear.

The silence was shattered as an indistinguishable roar sounded in his ears, the source visually obscured from the brush and sun. A massive creature was reared on it’s hind legs, the bright red backdrop of the sun creating an ominous silhouette. On what Kodi perceived to be the head, he saw but one glint. His vision blurred again, the creature’s roar becoming increasingly distorted as it grew louder and louder. The voice in his head screamed at him. As though it was approaching through a long cavernous tunnel, the voice echoed, each syllable blending into the next. The creature raised it’s front legs, paws larger than Kodi’s head, bearing a set of claws that sparkled brilliantly in the vermillion rays. The roar competed with his voice, the snowy landscape around him springing to life as the wind howled, flinging shards of ice crystals every which way. The brilliant cacophony left Kodi motionless, reeling, and overwhelmed. Then, it stopped.

With a piercing clarity, he heard his own tongue utter a single word with a menacing hiss – run.


----------------------------------

“Kodi!”

Kodi awoke with a start, yelping in surprise as he jolted back to consciousness. He tried to stand up, but something held him down; Dusty’s warm weight pressing down on him. His eyes adjusted rapidly to his surroundings, his father’s face worriedly watching from in front of him.

“Kodi? Are you alright? What’s going on?” Balto asked as soothingly as he could.

Kodi found himself panting, as though he had actually been running. It was a dream alright, albeit a horrible one. What was it about? Like the tide stealing away the loose grains of sand on the beach, he found the once-vivid images slipping from his mind. He remembered the color red, but not much else.

“… yeah… I um…. Yeah… I think I’m ok…” Kodi slurred out, his diaphragm challenged by the pressure Dusty was exerting onto him. He felt her front legs and paws clenched tightly around him.

Balto sighed with relief. “I certainly hope so. I came in to get you all for the party, and found Dusty pinning you down as you were flailing about in your sleep. Was it a dream?”

Kodi hastily answered with an affirmative, immediately addressing his protector above him. “Dusty? I’m alright now, ok? I didn’t kick you or anything, did I?”

Dusty shook her head. "No, you were just panicking, so I tried to wake you," she explained, looking at him with concern. She got off him and nuzzled her boyfriend. "Are you alright?" she asked, still looking at him with worry. She hated seeing someone have nightmares, especially if she couldn't do a thing to help them. But this time, it was her boyfriend, the one she loved more than anyone else. Of course it scared her to see him afraid and having a bad nightmare. Well, maybe more than a boyfriend, she didn't know. She loved him, that was all that mattered.

-----------------

Jenna looked around the little abandoned building. It wasn't huge, but just the right size for their little group. She was looking forwards to this. The room was all set up for Christmas, she'd managed to have some dogs dig up some. There weren't many dogs coming, but you'd be surprised how many things dogs could find if they looked for it.

"Come on, Mel, we're going to be late," said Dipsy, pulling her way through the door, dragging the biggest bag of jerky she'd managed to swipe. She didn't steal big things often, normally rarely. She didn't want to hurt her owner's profit after all. "Help me carry this, it's heavy."

Kodi, finally finished with his panting, uttered a sigh of relief. “Yeah…I’m good to go. Thanks, thanks a lot.” Kodi had fallen asleep nearly instantly upon their return to their home. Perhaps it was because the hastened run had taken it’s toll on him, but Kodi preferred to attribute it to the support and comfort that Dusty offered him. When he was awake, he felt so much more at peace with Dusty lying with him.

However, his subconscious was apparently not like of mind. Kodi didn’t dream often, and if he did, he rarely remembered them. This nightmare, on the other hand, was a different story. He didn’t remember the details, but he remembered it was horribly unpleasant. He looked from his father’s smiling face to the relieved face of Dusty, and smiled himself. He was so very grateful that he had them to rely on. At any rate, he hoped this particular vision was a one-time deal; Dusty should feel mutually relaxed with Kodi, not having to worry about him seizing in the middle of the night.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhh-OW!”

The stir Kodi caused had caused Kirby to stir in return. Kirby rolled slowly from his bed, but not before he rolled too much, too quickly, and landed with a modestly loud thump on the wooden floor. THAT noise caused Ralph to jerk wide awake, bleary eyed and confused.

“Huh? What? What’s happening?” Ralph blurted as Kirby lifted himself from the floor, awkwardly trying to massage his back.

Balto giggled, and answered. “I’m your personal alarm clock this evening, and I’m here to deliver you a message.”

Ralph jerked his head from side to side, still clearly suffering from the suddenness of his awakening, but he knew exactly what Balto was going to say. “The party! We’re not late, are we?”

Balto shook his head calmly. “Nope. Jenna sent me to fetch you. It should be just starting by the time we get there.”

Ralph stepped onto the comparatively cool wooden floor, suddenly contemplating whether leaving his warm bed would be worth it. “That’s all well and good, but is uh… is there going to be food? I’m sort of hungry…” He questioned with an inkling of embarrassment.

Kirby splayed out across the floor, stretching himself out, and rolled his eyes. “Why am I not surprised?” He muttered. However, his own stomach issued a growl of it’s own. Ralph glared at him, and Balto laughed once again.

“Relax, you two! Mel and Dipsy are taking care of the provisions. Knowing Dipsy, it’s sure to be a hefty load.”

---------------------------------

“I’m coming, hold on – AH!” Mel scrambled to reach the door as it threatened to close behind Dipsy. He wedged himself through, easing the door to a close so as to not alert the owner of the store… or any would-be predators who might be listening.

He gripped the other side of the bag with his teeth, and began pulling on it in unison with Dipsy. “’Anks for comin t’get me.” He spluttered out, speech impaired by the burlap handle in his mouth. He spat it out, and trotted behind the bag, intending on easing it down the elevated wooden platform onto the main street. “Did you know that almost all fatal accidents occur within only FIVE miles from home? Mrs. Chambers was just talking about it in the post office the other day; I guess it was in one of her papers. Thankfully, there’s safety in numbers. Well, there’s strength in numbers too, but safety is far more important than –hhrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh… strength.“ The duo set the sack back onto the snow, Mel using his frame to keep it level, lowered it gently to the ground. Immediately afterward, he posted alongside Dipsy again, pulling like he had done before.

“So, ‘is party is takin' place… where again eshactly?” Mel asked Dipsy through his clenched teeth.

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“It’s at the abandoned bar?” Kirby asked incredulously. “Wasn’t there a big hole in the front of that building?”

“Bar… and grill” Balto corrected him. “And, it’s gone now. I think the humans must have fixed it.”

Their destination was nearly opposite from Balto’s boat. It was purchased by an entrepreneur, James Neely, during the gold rush years back, who had hoped to turn it into the premiere beachfront saloon and inn for the bedraggled treasure hunters. Unfortunately for him, the bitterly cold breezes from the ocean served as a deterrent to all but the hardiest of patrons. Like most of the bandwagon jumpers, this particular soul had left to return south as soon as the prospects for riches had (for lack of a better term) gone south. It was set for deconstruction, but the townsfolk agreed that the building acted at the very least as a windbreaker for the citizens from which the ocean born drafts were protected, and also served as a homely reminder of an (golden) age gone by. Despite the partial destruction of the front wall (which was purportedly fixed), it was still quite a hospitable place inside. At least, for a building that’s for all intents and purposes, condemned.

“Got it…” Kirby nodded his head uncertainly. He had heard nothing but good things about Jenna’s judgment, but this seemed a tad unorthodox. “So, what about Fang and Sally? Are they already there?” He asked Balto, as the location would be pretty tough to pinpoint for out-of-towners such as themselves.

Balto nodded as they turned down the sub-street, clearly less travelled than the main road they were usually travelling on. “Yup. I thought they could use the early arrival to help Jenna, or acquaint themselves with the townsfolk early.”

Kodi followed closely, reminded of Sally’s first encounter with the local townsfolk. “I hope they are more open-minded than Saber and his friends were… I wonder how that’s going” He pondered aloud as he, Ralph, Kirby, Dusty, and Balto strolled past a set of homes. He felt a glimmer of hope, naively or otherwise, when he saw the colored lights from the holiday trees glowing inside of each window. The Christmas spirit was certainly infectious.

"Oh, that old abandoned bar," said Dipsy, pulling along and carrying her share of the weight. "It's stable, don't worry. Jenna wouldn't be having the party there if it wasn't," she said, trying to ease any potential worry her friend was sure to have. She knew Mel worried about everything that one could potentially worry about...and many things no logical person would worry about, but that also meant he listened to everything, and was a great source of information, especially due to living in a post office. It was worth it most of the time. "And you're welcome, I needed the help anyway," she admitted, looking over her shoulder to make sure they didn't run into anything. "So, any interesting news come in to the post office?"

---------------

"To be honest, I think Saber and his friends are the only dogs who won't be trying to give her a toast with their water bowls," said Dusty. "Saber is the biggest bully in town, I think his friends only hang out with him because they're scared of him," she said. "Like that rotten mutt and his pack we ran into back in...oops..." she said, realizing that Balto didn't know a thing about it. "Um...long story...we kind of ran into a pack of dogs that hassled us...It's nothing, really..." she said, trying to hide her all too visible discomfort. The fact of the matter was, she was positive those dogs would've killed Kodi and forcebred her if they hadn't managed to escape. and that idea terrified her for multiple reasons. What was worse, the way that big scarred dog had said it...like it was routine for him. Did they just run around down, grabbing any female they wanted and...she shivered thinking about it. In fact, she was shaking and visibly disturbed by the thought. She suddenly didn't care about Balto or any one else being there. "K-Kodi...do you really think those dogs would have..." she muttered, unable to finish that sentence. It was a delayed reaction. In all the chaos and reconciliation, she'd not seriously thought about it. "Kodi...if you hadn't been there with me...I used to go to that place all alone...if I'd done that that night and they'd found me..." she said, it hitting her full on that Kodi had effectively saved her from something terrible.

Mel found his back legs suddenly chilled by a sudden dip in a hidden patch of deep snow. He gasped, the sack of jerky leaving his mouth for just a moment, before he grappled it with his teeth again. It was to be expected after all; the abandoned bar/café was across the unpopulated streets that didn’t have the luxury of being packed down by people walking atop them regularly. In unison with Dipsy, he tugged the bag firmly through the thick barrier of snow.

“Anything interesting? You mean aside from the rampant speculation about this…” Mel stopped and looked around, as though mentioning the creature and the attacks was going to summon it before him. “…this monster?” he finished in a low whisper. They rounded a corner, the sack of jerky’s poor maneuverability catching on rusted wire fencing below a flickering lamp post. He jerked in surprise as the light rapidly appeared and reappeared above him as he used his head to push it free. As quickly as the light flickered, he was back at the helm alongside Dipsy, more eager than ever to get to the party.

Mel thought for a moment about what news was regurgitated in the post office besides the unknown creature terrifying folks senseless. Most of it was idle chatter – someone didn’t like their boss, someone was not satisfied with their investments, and many more asking if his owner knew what the weather was going to be like – but a small bit of news intrigued him.

“The owner of the hunting store was asking about shipments – The cargo ships heard rumors of wreckage, and are steering clear of the waters for a while. On top of that, our monster problem is scaring away several of the traders who carry the supplies from delivering as often as they used to. Demand has never been higher, as I’m sure you can imagine.” The vision of the town’s sturdiest hunters armed to the teeth to protect the town was a reassuring one for Mel, but the prospect of them all being stripped of their tools was uneasy at best. “I hope that news doesn’t travel too far…” he speculated. “If something as essential as that can’t find it’s way out here, imagine what would happen if everyone who traded with us from out of town stopped! What would we do?” As they slowly made their way down the street, each tug carrying them further, Mel began to mumble under his breath of the possible repercussions of such an embargo.

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Kodi’s ears folded backwards, and he stopped alongside Dusty as she stood still, quivering violently. Perhaps amidst the lunacy and tension from the night before, and the day today, he had absent-mindedly disregarded how much danger they had truly been in. Just like Dusty had, until now, evidently.

“Shhh… Dusty. It’s alright, OK? I’m right here…” He whispered back to her, in an effort to calm her down.

Inevitably, Balto, Kirby, and Ralph all turned around to see what the problem was. Kodi quickly glanced at them, then back at Dusty, still feeling their worried stares burning him. Kodi was still deciding on how best to skim over the more disturbing details of their date, and unfortunately, the most horrendous part had come to the forefront of the tale.

“Dusty? What’s wrong? What’s going on” Ralph pleaded to her.

Kirby suddenly remembered how Kodi had evaded answering about the night’s events the evening prior, and immediately began his own interrogation.

“Why didn’t you tell us what happened? Why is Dusty like that, Kodi? What happened?”

“SHHHHHHHH!” Kodi hissed sharply to Kirby, turning his attention back to Dusty. “Dusty, we’re just fine. We were together, and that’s why we made it. You had my back, and I-I” Kodi found himself stammering…

“…Maybe you and I could get to know each other better while he gets his makeover. I’m not such a bad guy, really…” The dog said, a gleam in his scarred eye. “…you and I can watch, won’t that be romantic…”

That growly voice slurred with a sickening self-satisfaction. Kodi felt like he was reliving that moment, watching from miles away, Dusty and that sordid Dog in a desolate alleyway. Alone.

It dawned on Kodi that while he might have been severely injured, Dusty risked something far worse. He couldn’t imagine how scared and vulnerable she must have felt. He had a story once of a female dog who had given birth to pups without a proper father. It was a dark story, of how she had been forcibly mated by another male… Kodi didn’t want to think any more on it. The notion sickened him. He licked Dusty’s nose softly, and then rubbed his muzzle against hers.

“I had yours.” He finished with surprising resolve.

Bright visions of a dramatic escape rushed to Kodi. Their leader covered in snow, he and Dusty leaping off of him, scrambling over a fence to safety.

Balto listened quietly. His hearing was as strong as ever, and he heard every word Dusty had said to Kodi. He had pieced enough of it together to guess approximately what had happened, and didn’t blame Dusty in the slightest for her behavior.

“Ralph, Kirby.” He said commandingly, Kodi continuing to whisper into Dusty’s ear.

“You all said it wasn’t a big deal, and – huh?” Kirby stopped mid-sentence yelling at Kodi to look at the wolf dog sternly looking at them.

Balto shook his head slowly. “Give them some space. I think they need each other right now.” He said with a hypnotic softness. Ralph and Kirby both bowed their heads, and walked towards the bar, lights glowing faintly from within. Balto didn’t know if Kodi could hear him or not, as his attention looked to be focused directly on making sure Dusty was supported, but he said it anyways; “Whenever you’re ready, we’ll be here. Take all the time you need.”

Kodi heard Balto’s footsteps crunching away, fading as he drew further away.

“…remember what we were talking about? Fate? Destiny? Everything happens for a reason, and that’s exactly what happened. We went together for a reason. We were there to keep each other safe. You protected me just as much as I protected you. But we did it together. Do you – Do you remember that promise I made to you?” Kodi stepped backwards, and licked her nose again, hoping to prompt an answer from his distraught love.

"For once, you're actually paranoid about something worth worrying about," Dipsy said as they kept moving. Try as she might, that actually WAS something to be afraid of. After all, they had a monster killing people in the woods, there were cargo ships keeping away for now. "At least we've got the dogsleds, and it hasn't targeted them, and we've still got Duke's plane," she explained in response, trying to find something to avoid the paranoia getting the best of them both. Still, there was the problem that if the weather got bad next winter, Duke's plane would be grounded, then they'd only have the sled dogs. "It's only attacked people that were alone from what I heard, I guess the idea of taking on a sled team along with the musher isn't something it wants to risk."

At least she really hoped that was the case. It was logical, of course, but she wasn't the best with logic, so she couldn't put why it made sense into words very well.

---------------------

Dusty began to settle down, listening to her boyfriend/mate's words. She was thankful beyond words for Balto's timely assist. She didn't want to tell Ralph and Kirby about it yet, not right now. Yes, later, but not right now. Right now, she just wanted to work through her feelings, and Kodi was helping her do that.

She listened to what Kodi said close, about the more positive aspects of the night. "...You promised that you'd protect me..." she replied, remembering the promise. "...Thank you...I'm just...It's an awful feeling, knowing someone wants to...do that, then realizing that, if one little thing had been different, it would've happened...I just feel...I don't know how to describe it...but thank you for being there, and here, for me..." she said, calming down a bit.