Mithmeoi

Chapter 1

Jenna trudged home sniffing back burning tears. The bitterly cold wind blew through her fur. Every now and again she’d turn to look back at the hill, where her mate had said a final goodbye, hoping that somehow it was all a bad dream.

All was quiet when she returned home. She plodded up the steps and went inside through the doggy door. Rosie was in bed and Mishka, the eldest from Saba’s pups, was sleeping at the end. She smiled sadly, walked over to the window and lay her head down on the sill, tears trickling down her face.

She awoke the next morning to the smell of frying bacon and Mishka tugging at her tail. The pup yipped a few times while wagging her tail.
“Come on grandma! They’re giving us bacon!”
“Alright Mishka…I’ll be right there.” Jenna said softly.
Without hesitation the pup shot out of the room and down the hall.

Jenna ate slowly, still thinking about Balto and what had transpired the night before. Her worst fears had been confirmed. Only two dogs had come out of the accident alive, they were Steele and her son Kodi. Her son had several deep gashes on his chest and face and broken a leg. Steele, however, made it out unscathed except for a very minor cut to his front paw, which Jenna found rather suspicious but wasn’t going to mention anything…at least not for now.

As soon as she’d finished her breakfast, Jenna went out to visit her son. It was a sunny cloudless day, with just a slight breeze. The street was empty save for one or two people and an alley cat foraging in a garbage can. As she was walking down the street a dog came up from behind and with a concerned look on his face said, “Hi Jenna. How’re you holding up?”
Keeping her gaze fixed on the post office she replied, “Oh, hi Star. Not so well really.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. If there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you Star.” She stopped and looked at him with a weak smile. “I’ll remember that.”
Star smiled and nodded. “Good day to you Jenna.”
“Good day Star.”
With that Star trotted back to his resting place next to the grocer’s.

Jenna picked up her pace and held it until she reached the post office. While walking around back she got the feeling she was being watched. She slowed down a bit and looked around nervously. She walked over to the shed trying to think of a way to tell her son of his father’s demise. Poking her head in through the door she said, “Kodi?”
Looking up Kodi replied, “Hey mom. What’s up?”
She walked in and stood a few feet from where her son was reclining and replied, “Not much, I just wanted to come over for a visit.”
She gave him an unconvincing smile to which he replied with, “I know that look mom. Something’s bothering you.”
“Mm, I could never hide anything from you could I?”
Kodi grinned then said, “Nope, I can read you like an open book.”

He got up and hobbled over to where his mother stood and touched his nose to hers.
“What is it?” He said with a look of concern.
Blinking back tears she replied, “I…I saw your father.”
“What? How is that possible? I saw…I saw him go over that cliff.”
“I can’t explain it…”
Kodi looked at his mother concerned and said, “You…you going to be ok?”
“Yeah…yeah I will…just give me some time.”
“Right…”
Jenna, turning to leave, said, “I’ll see you later.”
“Ok mom.” He nuzzled her and then she left.

Kodi remained staring at door until he heard a soft squeak and then a bang. He spun around quickly to see Steele jumping down from the low window.
“Oh hi Steele.”
“Hey kid.” Steele replied in a fatherly tone. “What’s the matter?”
Kodi bit his lip then said, “It’s…it’s my mom.”
“Oh?” Steele said with false curiosity.
“Yeah, she’s not been the same since she found out about dad and well today she was just acting a bit strange.”
“I see…I’m sorry to hear that kid. You know sometimes the loss of a mate can drive a dog crazy.”
Kodi sighed and looked at the ground.
“Yeah. I’m beginning to wonder about my mother…she’s just not been the same. I’m just glad to have a friend like you who’ll listen.”
Steele chuckled and ruffled the fur on Kodi’s head with his good paw.
“I’m always here for you kid.” He smiled then went out the door leaving Kodi to his thoughts.

Steele trotted out into the open street and inhaled a deep breath of cool air, grinning from ear to ear. It was spring at last and the snow was beginning to melt. Looking around he spotted Jenna walking home. Whispering to himself he said, “This is all too easy.”
He trotted over to her and said, “Hey Jenna.”
Without looking at him she replied, “Hi Steele.”
“What’s wrong?”
She stopped and glared at him, “What do you mean?”
“Oh I just heard that you were having a rough time coping with all this and uh…”
“It’s none of your business!”
“Well hey…I just thought…”
“Well you thought wrong! Don’t come near me! And don’t go anywhere near my kids!”
She growled at him and ran off towards the edge of town. She’d just passed the butcher shop when she broke down and cried. Kodi had been following her and slowly limped up next to her.

“Mom?” Kodi said worriedly. “Mom what happened?”
“Nothing…I just want to be alone right now.”
Kodi’s eyebrows were knitted together with concern and he said gently, “Alright mom.” He rubbed up against her and she got up and walked away slowly.
Kodi sat watching as him mother walked home and Steele stepped out behind him.

“It’s a shame.” He said.
“Oh Steele! I didn’t hear you come up.”
Steele grinned wickedly, “Yes…hey why don’t you stop by my place tonight? We’ll split a string of sausages.”
“Oh, I don’t know…”
“Come on…I’ve got something to show you. Something I think you’ll be most interested in seeing.”
“Alright you talked me into it.”

Chapter 2

It was dusk when Jenna left Rosie’s house. As she went out the dog door she glanced over her shoulders, and then ran down the deserted street.

Kodi looked over at Steele licking pieces of sausage away from his lips. Steele was still working on his sausages but looked up at Kodi.
“What?”
“What was it you wanted to show me Steele?”
“Oh ho ho I got your curiosity eh?” he replied with a full mouth.
“Aw come on!”

Steele tossed the last sausage up in the air then caught it, chomping down on it.
“Alright kid.” He said swallowing. “Follow me.”

Steele took off down the alley with Kodi following him eagerly anticipating the surprise. The moon was bright and reflected on the un-melted snow brightly as they trotted quickly down the empty streets. Suddenly Steele stopped and whispered, “Quiet now kid.”

He motioned with his head for Kodi to follow. Steele agilely climbed up a stack of old crates and Kodi clumsily followed. He rested his legs on the top boxes and peered in through a small window. Looking back at Kodi he said quietly, “Over here Kodi.”

Kodi came up and set his legs on the window next to Steele. Peering in he saw a dog. He glanced over at Steele with a puzzled expression. “Its only Star.”
“Wait…”
Kodi turned his attention back to the window and then his jaw dropped.

Jenna walked into the boiler room where Star was waiting.
“Thanks for meeting me here.” She said.
“No problem Jenna.” Star replied.
She walked over to him and touched his nose to hers.
“I’m glad to have a good friend like you.”
He blushed and then laughed.
“So what was it you wanted to talk about?”
“Balto and…Kodi. I don’t know how to talk to him about it.”
“Well I don’t know if I can help any, but I’ll try.”
“I think Steele is involved in all this…and he’s befriending my son.”
“Involved in what? I think he was involved with the accident. He only got a cut on his paw, while everyone else…”
Star finished, “While everyone else died.”
She nodded sniffing back tears.

Kodi stood still a shocked expression engraved on his face.
“I…I don’t believe it…WHY?”
“I thought you might be interested.”
“She’s cheating on my dad!”
“But your father’s dead…she’s free to do as she pleases now.”
“He’s only been gone for a couple weeks!”
“I know…which means she must have been….ya know…while he was still alive.”
“NO! No! She couldn’t have…”
“Maybe that’s why she’s been acting so crazy…guilt…”
“I can’t believe it!”
Swallowing back anger he glared at his mother through the small window.
“I don’t know how she can live with herself…knowing that.”

“NO!” Ignoring his healing wounds, Kodi lunged from where he was sitting stumbling into some garbage cans. He tore around the corner of the shed and burst through the doors. Steele remained where he was, grinning wickedly from ear to ear.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Kodi screamed.
Jenna and Star jumped back as Kodi burst in through the door. He lunged at Star ripping into his shoulder with his sharp teeth. Star fought back leaving a deep gash in Kodi’s thigh. Kodi yelped in pain and jumped on Star grabbing him by the neck and shaking him. Losing his grip he let the small husky fly into some old crates leaving him unconscious and bleeding profusely.

Gasping for air Kodi looked around for his mother only to find that she’d fled. He put his nose the ground and ran along the trail, but due to bleeding, collapsed on the partially melted snow panting. Steele ran past him, and Kodi watched as the large dog disappeared into the night. Then he passed out.

Jenna ran. She didn’t know where she was going, and she didn’t care. She was sure that her son had killed Star, and she knew any dog that did such a thing was immediately done away with. All she had known, all she had loved had been ripped away from her in one cruel month. Her mate, her friends, even some of her pups had been lost in the accident. Her son had betrayed her and befriended her enemy, and she was getting older and couldn’t play with her girl like she once had when she was young. All these thoughts nagged at her as she ran. Finally she stopped. The river lay in front of her.

She placed one of her dainty paws on the thin ice then another followed. Soon she was half way across the river. She could hear the river roaring underneath the ice. Suddenly a dog appeared.

“Wait!” Steele hollered.
Jenna glared at him through her tears. “Go away!” she roared.
“Oh no…not until you know. Your husband knew!”
She glowered at him and yelled, “Knew what!”
“Knew this. Everything that happened, the accident, Kodi, Balto’s death…I wanted you to feel as I did.”

Her eyes widened. “How would you know what it’s like?! How would you know what It’s like to lose everyone near and dear to you?!”
“Because that’s what your wolfdog did to me! He took everything…everything I’d ever known away from me! Even you did because you helped him…and I wanted him to feel that pain! I wanted you to feel that pain…”

Enraged Jenna found renewed strength and leapt from where she was, but the ice was so thin the force of her jump broke through the ice. She screamed as her body hit the ice-cold water. Clinging to the ice with her claws she tried to stay above the water, but the current was so strong it was draining her strength.

“Steele!”
Steele had walked over to the edge of the river and was staring maliciously at Jenna. His brilliant blue eyes piercing into her as he said, “Yes my lady?”
“Steele, help me!” she gasped.

Steele stepped out onto the ice lightly picking his way over to the red husky. With terror in her eyes, he gave her a big toothy grin, and then stomped on her paws.
With a loud yelp she lost her grip on the ice and fell into the icy water.

She was swept under. Her body and mind were going numb with the cold and lack of air. She could no longer fight the current, so she let it take her. Things were starting to go black and her lungs felt like they were going to burst. Then suddenly she felt herself falling. She felt as if she’d never stop, falling, tumbling through a shower of water droplets. She still couldn’t breathe and the roar of water was deafening.

Suddenly it stopped. Everything was quiet. She was breathing, or so she thought. She got up slowly dazed by all that had just happened.
“Where…where am I?” she said finally.
“You’re home.” A familiar voice replied.

Shocked Jenna turned around to see where the voice had come from and there standing in the brilliant white light was dog. Her eyes lit up and tears started to stream down her face. Then running towards the dog she barked, “Balto!”