What defines the world? Is it the earth, the sky, the sea? The people?
Or is it our choices and decisions? Those points in time when we decide what happens? The tipping points that affect everyone.
There is one such a point, in nineteen twenty. When Balto first met Steele. You all know what happens.
But what happens if that one crucial event in their lives happened differently? Let’s take a look…
Ears perked, a relatively young dog looked around. He was barely six months old, and was quite new to the town he had just approached. And he was scared. His appearance was more of a wolf than a dog, which, along with his unusually large paws, betrayed him. He was half-wolf.
At the same time, within the town, a slightly older dog was wandering about. A black and white malamute, he was walking along behind a significantly older malamute with similar fur color and markings; obviously, the dog’s father.
The two malamutes turned a corner, and walked into the same street the wolf-dog had tentatively wandered in. The older of the two malamutes didn’t look too happy, glaring at the wolf-dog, who just laid his ears back.
The younger malamute, however, didn’t look upset at all. He actually looked happy to see someone else about his age.
“Keep away from him, son. You can’t trust wolves,” the older malamute said, still glaring at the hybrid.
Upon hearing that, the wolf-dog backed up, before running off.
The older malamute huffed, and continued to walk on, while his son looked a bit confused, even depressed. When his father called him, he quickly went after him, and they headed home.
A little later, at night, the young malamute snuck out his house, before he ran out of the town, heading in the direction he’d seen the wolf-dog go.
On a stranded, old fishing boat, the wolf-dog was lying underneath a blue blanket, shivering slightly in the cold. With him was a white snow goose, huddling up near the pup.
Barking made the two look up. Against the goose’s words, the wolf-dog stood up and went to the deck, and looked over the bow of the ship.
The malamute was there. The wolf-dog recognized him.
“Hey, I saw you earlier today. You looked lost,” the malamute said.
“So, what? Come here to tell me that I don’t belong there, is that why you’re here?” The wolf-dog made to leave.
“No! That’s not why I’m here,” the malamute said quickly. The hybrid paused, and turned back to look at the purebred.
“Then why are you here?” he asked.
“I wanted to get to know you. My parents used to tell me stories, say that wolves are evil and will kill you on sight. But you seem like a nice guy,” the dog answered.
“You wanted to…know me?” The wolf-dog asked, surprised. When the monochrome malamute nodded, the wolf-dog went down a nearby plank, and walked up to the dog.
“So…how long have you been here?” the malamute asked.
“A few months,” the wolf-dog mumbled in reply. The purebred noticed how shy and afraid the hybrid was.
“You got any family with you?” he asked. The hybrid shook his head.
“Just Boris,” he mumbled again.
“Who’s Boris?” the malamute asked.
“My…friend. He found me,” the wolf-dog answered.
“So your parents are still out there,” the malamute said. Once again, the wolf-dog shook his head.
“My mom died, and I don’t know where my dad is,” he said. The malamute had been smiling, until he heard this. His face now fell, feeling sad for the pup.
“I’m…sorry about that,” he said.
“It’s okay, she died protecting me,” the wolf-dog said. He sighed. “I miss her.”
The malamute thought for a moment. “I’m Steele, by the way,” he said, deciding to let the mutt know who he was.
“Balto,” the wolf-dog replied. Steele smiled.
“That’s a nice name,” he said. Balto gave a weak smile.
“Thanks,” he said.
“So, I’ll…see you tomorrow, yeah?” Steele asked. Balto nodded, and Steele walked off back to the town, while Balto went back up onto the boat.
***
The next few months involved Steele and Balto meeting up in places, normally away from the eyes of those in the town. The two became good friends, with Steele helping Balto scavenge for food (it normally ended up with Steele leaving some of his food out his home for Balto to find) and Balto doing his best to help Steele understand wolves a bit more, and realize the stories parents told their children were either highly exaggerated, or completely fabricated.
There had been a few nights were, when the town reached its coldest, Steele went out to Balto’s boat to keep his friend company, and help him warm up. Balto used to express both gratefulness, and worry, since he knew Steele cared enough about him as a friend to help him out, but when the malamute made to stay the night, it would mean Steele risking his own safety, and reputation, both things which Steele said were not as important to him as Balto’s safety and well-being were.
By the time Balto turned two, he was confident in his stealth to sneak into town on his own to meet Steele, and watch the malamute as he led his new team. Balto always felt a bit of jealousy when it came to Steele in that regards – Steele was a purebred malamute who had the whole town’s respect, and was an amazing sled-dog, and therefore had to be stronger and faster than an average husky or malamute (which he was); but Balto couldn’t even step one foot into the town without someone yelling at him in either fear or anger, and he knew he had no chance of being on a sled team.
Balto sighed, watching Steele’s team do a practise run, but that’s when he saw her.
Standing across the street was a beautiful red and cream husky, watching Steele’s team like most of the others around her. There was also a little girl, presumably the husky’s owner, standing next to her.
Balto couldn’t take his eyes off of the husky, oblivious to what was going on around him. That is, until Steele, having finished practise, snapped him out of his daze.
“Hello! Earth to wolf- dog!” Steele said loudly, making Balto jump.
“How long have you been standing there?” Balto asked.
“Long enough to know someone’s caught your eye,” Steele smirked. Balto just stuck his tongue out at Steele, before feeling embarrassed. Steele just laughed. “Why don’t you go and see her?” he asked.
“You know why. I doubt she’d want to meet me,” Balto mumbled.
“Who is it?” Steele asked. Balto just nodded in the husky’s direction. But before he could do anything else, Steele had already walked over to her.
The husky looked around, before she noticed Steele walking up to her.
“Hi,” Steele said.
“Oh…hi,” the husky replied.
“New around here?” Steele asked. The husky nodded.
“It’s my second day here,” she said.
“Well, I’m Steele,” Steele said.
“My name’s Jenna,” the husky replied.
“That’s a nice name,” Steele said. Jenna smiled. “Say, you see that dog over there?” Steele asked, pointing over at Balto. Jenna looked, and noticed the wolf-dog. Balto saw her looking at him, and, scared, slunk back into the shadows. “He said he wants to meet you, but he’s a bit shy,” Steele said, after mentally groaning.
“Is he not good around girls?” Jenna asked.
“No…he’s just… He’ll kill me for this… He’s half-wolf,” Steele explained.
When Balto heard that, he flattened his ears and ran off.
“Where’d he go?” Jenna asked.
“His boat. Come on, I’ll take you to him,” Steele said, going to walk off. Jenna looked at her owner, feeling reluctant – she rarely left Rosy’s side. Looking back at Steele, Jenna saw his expectant face, and decided to follow him to see the wolf-dog.
“He won’t hurt us, will he?” she asked.
“Nah, he’s too gentle. He doesn’t even kill when hunting – he normally goes after prey that’s already dead,” Steele assured her.
“Have you known him long?” Jenna asked.
“Nearly two years,” Steele said.
“You didn’t find him scary?” Jenna asked. Steele shook his head.
“I actually found him interesting,” he said. “You see, my dad told me stories about how wolves will attack dogs and humans on sight, and that they’re vicious creatures that should be killed. But when I met Balto, I realised that they were just stories. He’s a good guy,” he added.
On the boat, Balto was lying in the cabin, when Boris walked up to him. Noticing the wolf-dog’s sad expression, the snow goose said, in his heavy accent, “Look, kiddo, Steele’s here. And he bought a girl.”
Balto looked up in fright. Had Steele led her here, to him? Or had he just wanted to show Balto his latest girlfriend? The wolf-dog was well aware about Steele’s love life – Steele was a well-known dog in terms of his aptitude and prowess at sledding, and his sexual prowess, and Balto was sure the malamute had several litters already, whether from official breedings (Steele’s owner had been breeding Steele with several birches since Steele turned one) or from breeding random bitches in heat he came across.
“Hey, Balto! Come on down here!” Steele called up, making Balto snap out of his thoughts.
Reluctantly, Balto stood up and walked off the ship. Steele and Jenna were waiting for him.
“Hi,” Jenna said cheerily.
“Hi…” Balto replied hesitantly.
“I’m Jenna,” Jenna said. “What’s your name?” she asked.
“My name’s Balto,” Balto replied. He looked a little worried talking to her, which Steele noticed.
“Guess I forgot he’s not very good at social talk, since he hasn’t got many friends,” the malamute thought.
“Steele told me you were half-wolf,” Jenna said. Balto flattened his ears. Jenna realised she had touched a sensitive issue. “Sorry…it’s just sometimes I tend to say things without thinking about them. But I don’t think that you being half-wolf is a bad thing,” she said.
“Really?” Balto asked.
“Yeah. I think it’s cool,” Jenna said.
“See, Balto? Not everyone will hate you because you’re a wolf-dog,” Steele said.
“Not everyone is open minded like you,” Balto countered. “Remember when your dad tried to beat me?” he asked.
“Yeah, but my dad is a grouchy git anyway, and doesn’t like many people,” Steele said. He grinned. “Hey, how about we go and give Jenna a tour of the town tomorrow?” he asked.
“Would you do that?” Jenna asked. Steele nodded, as did Balto. Jenna smiled. “Thanks,” she said.
As Steele took Jenna home and discussed a time that would be okay for her, Balto went back onto his boat, looking happier. Boris noticed.
“And what has gotten you so smiley?” the goose asked.
“I’m seeing Jenna tomorrow,” Balto said.
“Oh, so you’ve got a date?” Boris asked.
“W-what?! No!” Balto said quickly, embarrassed. Boris just laughed.
