Balto: Race for Identity

[Baya]

The full moon hung over Nome, with very few clouds to block its graceful glow. Not a single creature was stirring in the currently quiet town, as it was well into night already. The stars decorated the sky, like lights on a Christmas tree. A cold breeze blew through the town, sweeping up powder like snow into mini-whirl winds. The breeze also shook some of the looser windows of the villagers, startling some of the children and dogs.

On the outskirts of Nome, walked a lone silhouette of a creature. The beast was heaving, his breath easily visible to his clear sapphire blue eyes. With each breath the beast took, he coughed at the effect the cold and harsh winter air had on his lungs. One would think he'd be used to it by now, after living all his life in the wilderness. His ears were flat against his scalp as the wind blew his sleek black fur, and white under belly. Without the trees of the forests to shield him from the slashing winds, he could barely walk without staggering.

His larger then average paws made deep prints in the fresh powdered snow. It made a gentle crunch noise whenever the beast took a step. The cold had covered the tips of each of his furs in a bit of frost. He was afraid to loll out his tongue in fatigue, as it might be frozen after only minutes. The moon shone completely on him, revealing his husky features but rather large build.

Thanks to the moon's light, he was able to see where he was going with a bit more sense of direction. He was lucky he was going the right way, or he would've frozen to death! He stopped at the entrance to Nome, gazing at the many wooden cabin like homes. He shivered and began to walk once more into the village.

He went by the name of Tatkret, or Kret for short. Being a half wolf, half Siberian husky life was not at all easy for him. He grew up in the forest that his wolf father had once led a pack in. His father died shortly after he was born, just like his mother. The only sibling that really survived was his full wolf half brother. His half-brother despised him with great passion. Kret was lucky to get a scrap of food, or rather a chance to get a scrap of food. He got into plenty of fights with the pack's males, the females being a bit more accepting of him, and when he won he would usually be punished by his brother. His right ear had been torn in one of those fights, and he was still punished for defeating the larger and more dangerous canine.

Kret had figured he could sneak away from the pack, and find a new home. One where he would be treated better, or rather like he was a living thing. He went from human village to village for acceptance, and as he did that he was rejected. Rejection after rejection made his personality just like the harsh winter. Cold and dry. He never bothered being friendly towards humans or other dogs anymore. They found him repulsive, or dangerous or sometimes even downright pathetic.

Kret wanted to go to Nome when he heard in one of the other villages that a wolf dog like himself had saved all of Nome from a dangerous disease. Kret figured that perhaps the people's outlook on wolf dogs would be different in Nome since one had saved them from a vicious death. Only time would prove that theory to be true or false however, as all of them were sleeping at the moment.

He walked down the unpaved snowy roads for quite some time before coming across a large abandoned cabin near the northern outskirts of Nome. Behind it was an empty, old Garden shed. Kret sniffed around for any signs of other dogs in that area, and there seemed to be none. Being with a wolf pack for most of his life has him on constant edge. He dared not to venture into another dog's marked territory.

Once he entered the shed and closed the door with the use of his stronger then average canines, he laid down on the wood floor. Finally! He would have a chance to rest! His body was warming up again already, and his eyes were slowly drooping shut from sheer exhaustion!

The next thing Kret knew, some birds were chirping and sun light was pouring through several holes of the roof of the garden shed. He let out a yawn and stood slowly. The frost that once covered his fur only made him look wet now, which made him scrunch his nose in distaste. He shook himself dry, and then made his way out into the backyard of the abandoned old cabin once more.

Kret preferred to stay discrete when visiting another village. He didn't go into massively crowded areas and instead chose to walk through the alleys to get to where he wanted to go. He was walking through one of the many large alleys of Nome before he met up with a gang of unruly dogs.

Kret tried to pass by their rather large and loud mouthed leader, and was stopped in the progress. "Hey there pretty boy. You don't pass me, you wait till I walk past." The leader growled. His fur was a very dark brown, and like Kret his under belly was white. His eyes were rather narrowed and had a honey amber color to them. The other dogs were a variety of breeds, but they were all about Kret's size.

Kret knew it wouldn't look good if he said anything in return, but he still attempted to pass. "Are you deaf, blind or stupid pretty boy? I said I pass YOU!" The dog snarled as he bit onto Kret's tail and flung him down into the snow in front of the group.

"G-Gunter. You really think it's worth it?" One of the smaller members of the group asked. Gunter growled and the smaller dog whimpered.

Kret groaned as he stood and shook his head. He glared towards the one called "Gunter". "Listen. I just got here last night, and I am still exhausted. Please, just let me pass and we'll be on our own merry little ways. I don't want any trouble." Kret explained in his soft and quiet tone.

"Trouble? Hah! Hahaha!" Gunter began to laugh and shake his head. The group of course followed in his laughter, until he stopped. He wiped a tear from his eye with his right paw. "You aren't trouble. You are PRACTICE. You are new here, so I'll let you go this time. Though next time I see you runt, you will be a choice on the butchers menu the following day." Gunter growled as he shoved past Kret, with his group all following in suit.

Kret shot them all a glare as they walked away and shook his head. "Off to a great start Kret. Let's make some MORE friends today." He murmured sarcastically to himself. He began to walk through the alley once more, until he reached the other side of it. He sat at the entrance to the alley, watching many humans walk their dogs, converse and go about their businesses at places like the post office and the general store. He hated to admit he envied all the dogs with owners. They really got the best out of life.