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Chapter 1: Shattered.

It had been a whole day since Balto had been heralded as a hero around the village of Nome. It seemed that everyone was happy. But there were a select few that didn't fit that criteria; namely, Steele and his fed up owner. The malamute had done a lot of crazy things in the past, but that paled in comparison to the mess that he caused out there. Currently, the defeated canine in question was tied to a post within a small shed. But it wasn't him being tied up or left alone that left the Steele with a pang of fear. It was the use of this particular shed. It was known by all the dogs as the place where bad dogs would be dragged in and would come out never the same again, losing something vital to them. The thought alone made Steele cross his back legs unconsciously. Even though it would mean possibly leaving everything that he had ever known, Steele knew that he couldn't stay there.

Growling as he summoned the courage he needed, Steele tugged hard against the collar around his neck, trying to pull his head through it. It was the only tactic he had, biting through the thick rope fastened to it was not viable in the short time he had. Fortunately his collar was looser than most dogs'. It got refitted when he got a small neck injury and it kept agitating the wound which led to an infection, the whole ordeal left him sick for a week. But it seemed that week of misfortune would inadvertently lead to his salvation. Steele pulled back harder and harder, frequently adjusting the position of his head to hopefully slip out of the collar. Fear gripped his heart as he heard footsteps approaching. But Steele wasn't one to give up, he fought harder and with one last desperate tug he slipped free. Ignoring the ache in his neck, Steele made a beeline for freedom. As he ran he could hear the shocked gasps of those just going about their day. Others shouted and pointed at him. Steele suspected they knew he wasn't supposed to be out. They knew what was going to happen to him... Without a doubt in his mind, the newly rogue canine pounded his paws against the snow, running as fast as he could past the houses, down the open streets, all the way towards the town's outskirts...

As he ran something came back to Steele, a distant memory that he pushed to the back of his mind. But now he could see it clearly, as if he was living that day all over again. It was the very day that he first arrived in town, newly purchased and delivered via a cramped kennel in the back of a rusty truck. It was a shameful introduction, but his owner didn't seem to mind. The malamute was soon freed from the confined space and allowed to roam around. But he knew better than to do that... Steele was trained for people like his new owner. Him being released was nothing more than a test. Rather he slowly walked to his new master, looked him in the eyes, and sat down on the cold snow. Just as he expected, the human was impressed with his behavior.

He was ordered to stay there and he complied with his master's orders. But though he was obedient there was that streak of curiosity that came with youth. Though Steele stayed where he was, he turned his body around just in time to see his owner straining as he carried off an old looking dog. The canine whimpered and dug his claws into the soft snow. Clearly he didn't want to go. But even the rookie Steele could see that the Saint Bernard was past his prime. While he tugged and yelled at the other dog, the human glanced Steele's way. The black and white dog was quick to look away, not wanting to sully his first-day-reputation.

For a single moment, no longer than a second, the new and old canines exchanged glances. What Steele saw made a deep shiver run down his spine. There was something off about the dog. There was something striking about the older canine's eyes. They looked vacant, just barely holding any light at all. It seemed the old dog was fighting hard to preserve that light. The rest of him wasn't any better. Despite his better judgement, Steele stole another glance, one long enough to really notice the state of the older canine's fur, dirty and matted. The state of his pelt combined with his behavior led Steele to suspect the bernard was stricken with mange. Once again the struggling canine looked up at Steele and actually smiled, displaying it's missing teeth. At that moment, the old dog stopped struggling and seemed to relax. He rose to his paws and turned around, quietly following his owner to whatever fate was awaiting... That was the last Steele saw of the other dog. He would soon learn that it was the former leader of the sled team, someone he was told by his owner and the other dogs to forget about. He served his purpose and wasn't needed anymore... But for some reason, ever since that moment the former leader had smiled at him, Steele felt a strange weight on his shoulders. He had come to ignore it, grown accustomed to it, but it had always been there since that moment.

Steele was soon put to work, doing what he was bred and trained to do. And he performed to expectation and even more. It didn't take long at all for him to become the new leader of the team, a role that he found suited him properly. All those years of work he put in, all the praise and the admiration from people and other dogs alike. He had everything he could have wanted. Priority to food was all his and so was grooming. The reins that were fastened to his body were specially made for him, unlike the standard ones that the rest of the team had to bear. On the more bestial side of things, Steele had access to any mate he wanted, be they male or female. They practically threw themselves at him, begging and pleading to have him and receive his seed. It was something that the malamute partook in often when he was much younger, but any lasting interest was killed when he found that all the dogs in town were the same. They would beg for him, he bred them, and that was the end of it...That was why Jenna had been so appealing. She turned him down, she rebuffed him. She had actually had some spirit.

But now, Steele was running away from everything he had ever known. His reputation, status, privileges, and even the mating opportunities... They were all gone, dashed, broken. As he ran the wind, cold as ice itself, howled against his pelt. It was a wind he had felt countless times before. But was it always this biting? It threatened to freeze him to his core, making his legs tremble. For a moment he lost his balance, nearly falling into the bitter snow. But through sheer will he skid to a stop and centered himself once again. Still trembling, Steele grit his teeth and snarled through them. A once proud and strong dog, bred for only the best... Now nothing more than a rogue mutt. His rage only grew when he reflected on what led him to all of this.

In his mind's eye he saw him: that hybrid mongrel... it was that fool Balto who poked his nose where it didn't belong, playing the little hero. Just thinking about the half-wolf made the malamute's blood boil. At the very least the anger made the cold fade away for a brief moment. He took deep breaths, but they did nothing to ease his anger. There was nothing he could do other than picking up where he left off, forcing himself through the snow once again.

He ran against the wind and snow that flew into his eyes, making them water, into the nearby woods to seek whatever cover from the storm he could there. He closed his eyes and shook his head, running headlong deeper and deeper into the thicker, denser part of the forest. Thick, tall trees stood close to one another and Steele gasped upon opening his eyes. He planted his paws into the snow and came to a quick stop once again, growling as he was now surrounded by tall, looming trees. In the cold climate they were all evergreen pines, tall and dark, draping the forest floor he stood on in a permanent shadow.

The ever blowing wind carried the scent of something that made the fur along his spine rise. It was strong and unmistakable: the scent of a bear. Not a second later did Steele hear the burly bellow of the heavy mammal. Despite his better judgement the canine craned his neck around the thick trunk. He was met with the sight of a short elkhound trembling in fear as the bear he smelled and heard crept closer and closer to the fearful canine. For a split second Steele considered turning around and saving his own tail, leaving the other dog to his demise. But there was a nagging feeling within him, a voice that he could almost hear. It warned him that this was the exact behavior that led him where he was now... Steele looked back at the bear and elkhound only to see the larger mammal reeling on his hind-legs, ready to slam his claw-tipped paws down on the terrified canine. Before the malamute knew it, he ran full speed towards the back of the bear.

The terrified elkhound, Rodger, closed his eyes and pressed his body against the pine tree, waiting for pain to overwhelm his senses. But instead of pain he heard a loud bark. Daring to open his eyes, Rodger was treated to the sight of a malamute throwing itself on the bear's back, biting hard on the back predator's neck. Steele growled through his teeth, increasing the pressure on his jaws. Even when he tasted the bitter tang of blood, he held firm, shaking his jaws back and forth. The bear roared in pain and tried to reach for it's back but Steele used his smaller size to elude the large paws.

Steele raked his claws through the bear's pelt, getting another roar out of the beast. He jumped off the ursine and stood his ground, growling and snarling. The bear snarled as well but it took steps back, trying to avoid more pain in it's already bleeding back. Steele barked and jumped at the beast. The bear growled lowly and lowered himself to the ground before turning tail and running off. Steele stood proud and tall; for a moment it felt the same as before, when he was back in town and praised by all. But a small noise behind him snapped the malamute out of his daydreaming.

"Y-you saved me!" Rodger beamed, scampering up to the bigger dog. His voice was light and a childish smile was spread on his face as he drew closer and closer.

"What are you doing out here?" Steele asked, his voice gruff, adrenaline still pumping through his system. The elkhound kept up his smile but lowered himself a bit.

"I wander out here all the time. But bears never come out this far..." Rodger said more to himself than the other dog.

"Out this far?" Steele repeated.

"Y-yeah," the elkhound nodded quickly. "My- Our master makes sure they don't come this close to our home. He does a lot for us. If he hears that a bear almost killed me..."

"What'll he do?" Steele asked, feeling that pang of fear he felt before in that shed return to him.

"He'll hunt that bear down and make sure it doesn't come back. And then he'll follow me around for a whole month like the last time..." Rodger sighed, lowering his head and looking away.

"You sound like you're a lot of trouble. And your master keeps you?" Steele asked, finding that hard to believe. He could vividly remember his own first mistake he made years ago. He was met with a swift and painful punishment that he could still feel faintly years later. The malamute sighed but looked at the elkhound, reminding himself that this canine clearly didn't come from a renowned sled team like he had.

"Sure he'll keep me. My master loves me now matter how much I mess up. I-it's not like I mean to!" Rodger whined, getting defensive as he barked back at the larger male. It was a surprise to Steele; it had been a long time since someone talked to him in such a tone. He grew angry but he once again told himself that the other canine came from a different background and clearly didn't know who he was talking to. Something about that bothered Steele but he didn't have time to muse about it as Rodger placed his paw on the black and white canine's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for yelling. But you should come back with me. I'm sure me and my friends can find a proper way thank you," Rodger chuckled. Steele noticed the change in tone back to the seemingly innocent and a bit childish elkhound. It seemed that his words had more meaning than what simply lied on the surface. A part of Steele wanted to say no but his instincts told him that the bear could be back. On top of it all, there was no place for him to return to at the end of the day. If he said no all that would await him was bitter cold that would only get worse when the sun went down.

A heavy sigh came from the black and white dog. He looked at the elkhound's goofy smile and conceded. "Alright, I'll come with you." The elkhound chuckled and turned around towards the place he called home. Without another word Steele was led by his new acquaintance towards his home, the other dog humming a small tune to himself.

"You're gonna love it... Uh? What was your name?" Rodger asked, glancing back at his new walking buddy. Steele's eyes went wide for a moment and he attempted to think of some way he could get out of answering the question. The smaller canine might not recognize him via his appearance but surely his name would reveal who he truly was.

"Well, my name...." Steele paused. "I would be more comfortable if I knew yours first." The malamute said, hoping to stall for time to think of a solution.

"Oh... Oh, right!" the elkhound chirped, his wide smile returning. "They all call me Rodger."

"Call you Rodger?" Steele repeated as he ducked under a low hanging branch.

"I didn't have a name when I first found the shack. I don't remember how I ended up there. But I do remember that I was running... From something... It wanted to take me away..." for a moment the elkhound's smile faded. But it soon returned as he continued leading the way. "But he found me and brought me to the shack. Hehe. And ever since I've been called Rodger. They say it suits me."

Now, Steele was even more confused and wondered if it was worth asking in the first place. At least his plan seemed to work. Rodger didn't ask for his name again, forgetting after rummaging through his own cloudy past. Steele couldn't help but compare the vague tale Rodger had told with his own situation, there were eerie similarities.

"Here we are," Rodger said, stopping right where he was. Steele stopped as well and gasped to see the shack right before them. It looked to be quite old, made of different kinds of wood. Some planks looked newer than others. The windows were cloudy from obvious ageing and there was a makeshift, but sturdy looking fence built around the property. Steele couldn't help notice a few gaps in the fence that were just big enough for the average dog to slip through.

"Well, come on. I can't wait for them all to meet you," Rodger chuckled as he frolliced through the powdery snow towards the gate. Without a care in the world, the elkhound slipped through the gap and stood on the other side, looking rather proud of himself. Figuring he would get an answer unless he followed, Steele sighed and approached the fence. He stopped just short of the gap. Why did all feel so...familiar? This place...why was it like a dream he had forgotten?

"Come on. You're not scared are you?" Rodger teased.

Those simple words were enough to convince the malamute to squeeze through the gap. To his own surprise he slipped past rather easily and was soon face to face with Rodger once again.

"See. Nothing to worry about at all..."

"Rodger!"

The elkhound nearly jumped out of his pelt and turned around to see his friends running up to him.

"We heard a bunch of roaring!"

"Sounded like a bear."

"Leave it to Rodger to get into trouble.."

"Hey!" the elkhound stomped childishly. "I'm fine. I mean, I did run into a bear... But I was saved by my new friend here." The short canine turned around to gesture toward Steele.

Steele was given a clear view of the Husky, Akita, and Bear Dog that were now looking him up and down. Somehow being put in the spotlight like that made him nervous unlike never before, what if they didn't approve? What if they wanted to chase him off their turf?

"Whoa buddy you okay? You look like you are getting a little light-headed." The biggest of the three, the bear dog stepped forward and looked the malamute over. For a moment another pang of fear ran through Steele as he was approached so casually. The incoming canine must have sensed this because he stopped and took a cautious step back.

"I thought you said he was a friend," the bear dog huffed.

"He is, Halftail. He's...uh...probably on edge is all. He did fight off a bear," Rodger chuckled, seemingly bragging for Steele.

"You forget sometimes how big and scary you actually are, Halftail, cut him some slack. He doesn't know you, of course he will be intimidated when you approach him like that." The akita butted in.

"Fine, Tiny, how should I approach him?" Halftail asked, becoming more than a bit irritated with his friends.

The final dog, the husky rolled his eyes and stepped past them all, marching right up to Steele. "Sorry about the two of them. This is exactly how they acted when I got here. Rodger, too..." the husky sighed. "The name's Mince."

"Why Mince?" Steele couldn't help but ask.

"That's what I was supposed to be... Mincemeat... At least that's what my last owner said...'' The husky chuckled at the dark truth of his name as if it was nothing at all, making Steele a bit concerned. "Yeah... I booked it out of there and ran till I ended up here. That's when I met ol' Halftail and Tiny."

"Speaking off...Oi! Cut it out you two or I am gonna have to tell Connor!" Mince's word froze the two dogs mid-argument.

Upon hearing that name the arguing canine's instantly perked up and acted properly. Tiny and Halftail soon marched up alongside the husky and properly introduced themselves.

"Apologies...I am working on...issues with my temper." Halftail apologized, after introducing himself, in a distant tone, like he wasn't all there.

"Oh, wow. Aren't you a big one. Can we keep him, Halftail. Can we?" Tiny asked, his tail wagging fiercely.

"Why are you asking me?" Halftail huffed.

"Because he's big enough to put you out of business," Tiny chuckled, flicking his tongue out at the bear dog.

"W-we are in front of a guest!" Halftail snarled, barking at his tormentor once again.

Now, Steele was truly at a loss for words. He was surrounded by dogs that didn't seem to know how to act properly nor did they seem very useful at all. A big hothead, a flirt, and a goofball that only got into trouble... Then again, Mince seemed to be well behaved. But there was the way he laughed about being set for slaughter... That didn't sit right with him considering the fate he narrowly avoided. The makeshift pack seemed to be a complete and total mess. Steele wondered what their purpose was, what were they tasked to do around the property.

"So... What is it you all do around here?" Steele dared to ask.

"Whatever we want?" Rodger asked in a tone that suggested Steele should have known that. "What else would we do? We're not sled dogs or anything like that."

Those simple words left the malamute paralyzed. He remembered that look the elkhound gave him earlier, seemingly knowing more than he let on. Did Rodger know who he was? Was the small canine toying with him?

The cold, physical and mental exhaustion suddenly caught up to Steele and he had to steady himself to avoid falling over.

"Hey...you okay?" Mince's words were slurred and seemed to grow distant. Spots of darkness approached at the edges of his vision. Gravity took hold of him mercilessly and seemingly forced him down into the snow. The other dogs collectively gasped and rushed to aid their newcomer. The last thing Steele saw before it all went black was the pack crowding around him, closer and closer...