The Return of Balto’s Father
by Wolf Witch

“Can it really be true, is he really coming back?”

“Yo Balto I say Balto”. Balto looked up to see Howl his wolf pal staring down at him. For the past few weeks he had been hearing rumours that a husky called Kane, the leader of the championship sled team, the rest of his team and his musher had moved back into the area. Kane was the idol of every young husky and more importantly Balto’s father. It was well known that Kane had lived in the wild for he and his team had, had an accident during a sponsored fun race for charity. His team had been found two days after the accident but Kane was not with them. Balto’s mother had found Kane after he had gone to find food and he had mated with her. A month after Balto and his brothers and sisters had been born, Kane had been found and returned home. Dogs asked where he had been but he refused to say, to protect the family he loved so much. If he hadn’t been found he would have stayed with his family for he loved them so much.

“I was just thinking about the rumours about my farther” Balto replied. “You think its true about your father?” Howl asked. “I’d like it to be true, he’d be proud of me if he knew about me saving the kids and finding out he’s a grandfather” “I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t know about what you did, of course he’d be proud and happy to find out he’s a grandfather” replied Howl. The pair decided to go and visit a few mates of theirs and find out more about Kane. The Nome dogs always knew what was happening and who to. Especially Dixie, the town busy bodies she always had the latest gossip.

A few miles away Kane couldn’t believe what he was hearing, they would soon be moving to Nome, the place where a wolf/husky cross had saved children’s lives by bring medicine even though the team had been lost, he’d found them. Even more amazing, the animals name was Balto and he was exactly the same colour his own son was and the same name. “Could it really be Balto my son?” thought Kane, the last he had heard of him was from a wolf, that he had got separated form his mother, and had been taken in by a goose, as for the rest of his children he had no idea were they where. “If it is him I can’t wait to see him again and tell him how proud I am, I don’t care what the others say when they find out, they can say all they want, I couldn’t care less’ thought Kane.

None of the dogs knew for sure if it was true that Kane was defiantly coming to live here but the rumors had grown even more extravagant. Steel said that Kane had a mate here and was coming to live with her. While Kaltag said that Kane’s team was recruiting new members and was coming here to look, but the rumor Dixie had took the biscuit. It went like this, Kane’s musher had had an affair, Kane had been two timing two dogs, they’d left the team and now they’d come here to find replacements. After that Balto decided visit Jenna and Howl went to visit Nanook. While Balto was with Jenna and the pups, Jenna asked Balto “is there something wrong? You’ve been spending more time alone thinking, ever since the rumors about Kane started.” “I think he may be my father, he looks just like him” Balto replied. Jenna was shocked “your not serious are you? Kane’s famous, how can he be your father without someone knowing about it .The press know everything that’s happened to him since he and his team became famous, it’s not possible”. “I know it sound crazy but remember no one knows what happened to him after the accident until they found him six months later, and they found him a month after I was born and my farther looked just like him, it is possible that Kane could be my farther” Balto replied. Balto stayed the night with Jenna and their one-week-old pups. The next morning the truth was out. It said on the front page of the newspaper that Kane, his team and his musher were coming to live in Nome. There was a picture of Kane on the front page. When Balto went to talk to Dixie, the first thing she said was “Balto is Kane your father, because you look like him” “ I think he might be, he was found a month after I was born, and my father looked like him but it was a few years ago.” What Balto had said spread through the town like wild fire, every where dogs where whispering “ Kane’s Balto’s father” “is it true is Balto really Kane’s son? “ how can he be Balto’s father, remember no one knows what happened in those six month Kane was in the wild, it’s possible”.

Nip was driving Kane crazy, ever since they had been told they were moving to Nome he had been slaging Balto off and it was making Kane mad. He knew he must not show it until he was sure Balto was his son. The next two weeks passed in a blur, people were coming and going helping to move things to Nome and their new home. The dogs were getting excited they couldn’t wait to move, and they were all looking forward to meeting Balto all apart from Nip. Finally Kane snapped, he was sick to the teeth of Nips attitude and being the lead dog he decided to do something. “I hate that low life, mangie filthy good for nothing half breed wolf dog”. Snarled Nip. “Shut up Nip I’m PIG SICK of your attitude to wards Balto, what’s he done to you? Nothing, just because he’s half wolf doesn’t make him that different to you or me. He saved those children’s lives, I’d be proud of him and the team if I were you, and I am. So unless your asking for trouble I’d keep that trap of yours shut ”. It worked because Nip didn’t say any think like that again.

In Nome everyone was getting excited especially the girls. One day when Howl was visiting Nanook she said, “ Have you noticed anything odd about Balto? It’s just that Jenna said she had, when I saw her the other day.” “It’s not surprising with Kane coming an all, there is a chance that he could be his farther. Any way how are you and the pups?” “We’re fine, it’ll be good when the pups are bigger, they can play on the beach together”. Howl went out hunting of a bit, when he came back he was caring a pair of large rabbits, for him and Nanook. He stayed there all night with them. The next morning in the papers it had been announced that Kane and the team would be arriving on the 14th. The excitement was high that week .On the 10th all the furniture and belongings arrived at the house. The musher’s family was due to arrive on the same day as Kane and the rest of the team. The house was just outside Nome about ten minuets walk away on foot.

Finally the day arrived, the team arrived that after noon and was greeted by a massive crowd, the noise was deafening. “So this is Nome,” thought Kane as he came to the place where he was to be living. The mayor welcomed them to Nome; Simon the musher met lots of people while the team met other dogs. Balto was watching from the shadows “why don’t you go say, already” asked Boris

“Not here, what if it’s a mistake? I don’t want to look a fool, lets go” replied Balto.

As Balto was walking away Nip caught site of him,

“Hey wolf dog what you doing around here? Don’t you belong in a pack, who wants a half-breed around here? Kane I’d stay there if I were you, don’t want to be mixing with this riff raf”said Nip grinning.

“Actually you’re wrong, I want to met Balto,” snarled Kane. Turning to Balto he said

“Where were you born? What colour was your mother? What did she say about your farther”.

Balto stared at him for a moment or two then replied,

“My mother was a white wolf called Aniou, I was born in a cave with my brothers and sisters, not that far away from here, next to a lake surrounded by trees. I was told my father was a sled dog who had got lost in the snow with his team, that he had left them to find food. Then he fell in love with my mother and they lived together, she taught him the ways of the wild. Then one day he went out hunting and never returned. That’s all I know.”

Kane stared at Balto in amazement; everything he had said was true.

“Balto what you said is true, you are my son, I’m proud of you for what you did”

“Thank you Father, want to come and meet your grand kids?” replied Balto

“Certainly”

A month later Balto and Kane were watching the pups play on the beach when Kane said

“What happened to your siblings when they grew up?”

“I don’t know, I was separated from them and Mother when I was young, then Boris took me in”

“Oh I’m sure they’re fine”

Just then Alue gave a howl

“Son do you know that Alue looks like a wolf?” asked Kane

“Yeh don’t tell her ok she’s to young to know”

“If you say so Son”

“Thing is I don’t want her to be different ”

“Dad, Grandfather come play with us” yapped the pups

“Coming” replied Balto and Kane.

On a hill over looking Nome stood Aniou watching the family

“But Alue is different my Son, and one day you will find out what happened to your siblings and you Kane the truth about me,” she said quietly

Find out what happened in Kane and Balto’s past, how Kane and Aniou met and what happened in those six months, plus Kane’s life before the accident in “The Beginning”.