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The first thing the other dogs said when he met back up with them the next day was variations of "You must have had an incredible night yesterday" along with some teasing. But they were not cruel about their jeers, not even Mince. They told of their own experiences with Connor but he didn't expect to hear they mostly did it with his human form.

They in turn were shocked when they learned he had not only already learned of Connor's secret, but had kept up with his were-form in bed. Their owner had waited for them to fully settle in before he revealed it to them and they had never been able to endure any sexual treatment from that form for very long. Knowing that he was a canine that was brave enough to take on a bear, the others took the malamute's word for it.

Over the coming weeks, Steele was slowly integrated into the pack. The other dogs had welcomed him but the malamute had yet to properly know the canines. During the passage of time, Steele would join them when eating and sleeping. It took some time to fully lower his guard around them and the other canine's didn't press him. But that didn't stop Rodger from sneaking into his bed occasionally. Steele was slightly annoyed when he did it, but let the elkhound do it without complaining, for some reason he couldn't stay angry at Rodger for very long.

As the days went by and they interacted with each other Steele couldn't help but notice that there were times when Mince was just looking at him, seemingly observing him from afar. He could almost feel the troubled thoughts swarming around the husky's mind.

"Hey...you got a minute?" One day Mince called him out when he was all on his own. Steele nodded to him, very much wanting to know what all the stares were about.

"You might have gleaned that I am the unofficial leader of our little rowdy gang of misfits," Mince chuckled, flicking his tail awkwardly. Steele made a sound of agreement.

Mince took a deep breath, "Truth is...I am only the leader because no one else was ever suited for it. Halftail is too hot-blooded, Tiny is too whimsical and Rodger...can't keep his head straight for any lengths of time. So it fell to me, but I never really could keep any of them in line...not unless I mentioned our head honcho and that too only got me so far." Steele's thoughts went back to the day he first met the four of them, and he could only agree that was indeed the state of affairs. True to his earlier beliefs, if the four of them were tasked with an assignment, it would only end in complete disaster. But where was Mince going with this?

"I am simply just not fit for it." Mince admitted with a sigh "However...over these last few days I noticed how you handled them. You have managed to keep them from going overboard far better than I ever have, you even sometimes knock some sense into me, when I get a little too dark."

"Mince, what are you trying to say? You're not usually this...evasive with your words," Steele asked, suspecting that the husky was about to reveal something very important to him. It was a way of speaking that the other sled-dogs used towards him when someone made a mistake and attempted to hide the details.

The husky huffed, "Yeah...I am dancing around the issue aren't I?" He took another deep breath. "I wanna ask you...do you wanna take over my place?" Steele's mind screeched to a halt...what?!

"T-take your place?" Steele repeated, taking a step back. "Why? You can hardly be called a pack in the first place. What is there to lead?" The very idea of taking charge again brought back that dark cloud of doubt that he tried so hard the last few weeks to avoid.

"It's not any official title or anything" Mince assured him. "There aren't any expectations tied to it nor any privileges. Heck if I am stirring up bad memories just utterly ignore I said anything...keep doing what you are doing, you have no idea how much it is helping."

Steele looked back to his friend, he could almost see the invisible weight on his shoulders, the same he had carried for so long, but unlike him it was crushing Mince.

He needed him, but could he take up that role again? Steele looked within himself for a moment and recounted the words of Connor... Was he really that special? If that was the case he wouldn't be so...afraid...it was an unofficial title with no strings attached and yet... Glimpses of his foolish past haunted him, like an abyss opening up behind him and threatening to swallow him up yet again, but Mince was still standing. The dark cloud was looming over him, steadily pressing it's weight down on his shoulders, but the husky stood firm, even when it was clear he had grown weary.

Sure, he wasn't the leader of a sled team, but Mince was certainly a strong dog in his own right. Despite being marked for death by his own master, Mince didn't give up. Steele wasn't sure if he had that strength. The troubled husky braved on, not only carrying his burden but the responsibility of three other equally troubled dogs. Steele took a second thought about the offer. It was more than just being the leader again. He would be helping his friend, someone who carried enough weight on his shoulders without that kind of responsibility as well.

With that in mind he gathered himself and turned to face the abyss he was feeling, staring it down. It had felt insurmountable, but now looking at it directly it slowly shrunk before him, unable to feed on his fear anymore. He was not the same, he would not make the same mistakes! Steele stamped the feeling down and felt liberated, he would not let his past dictate what he would be or not be. Right now, there was something his friend Mince needed him to be.

Steele took a deep breath and turned to his friend. "Mince... I would be honored to take up your place as leader. I can see you have done well for so long. You can be assured that you won't have to worry anymore."

Hearing those words brought a deep relief to the husky. And sure enough, Steele could see the thick cloud easing and shrinking. The usually dark canine gave a genuine smile. "Thank you, Steele, you have no idea how much a relief that is to hear." Steele sent him a sincere smile and Mince's heart felt like it skipped a beat.

"Well...enough of me yapping..." Mince tried to distract himself from the odd feeling he suddenly got. He couldn't help but look back at the malamute that he found himself relating to so many times. Conversely, Steele tilted his head, eager to hear what more the husky had to say. Anytime he talked to Mince he almost always took away something deep or meaningful that would help him with his own troubled past. It was surprising such a seemingly dark canine could be so heartfelt.

"What is it?" Steele asked, wondering if there was something else bothering his friend as he looked a little confounded. If there was, he was eager to try and ease the husky's troubles.

"I just wanted to ask, did... Did you have...someone back where you came from?" Mince asked, the words slipping out of his mouth before he could even think. "S-someone that you lo- cared about?" Mince fell over his own words as his heart was fluttering in his chest.

Seeing Mince was not usually one to squirm and stumble over his words caught Steele a little by surprise. The husky was usually so blunt and simple in his approach. The question was a bit silly to Steele but it seemed Mince held it in high regard.

Steele thought for a moment... There was his sled team but... He never connected with them outside of actual sledding... Perhaps his owner..? Wait...that word Mince had prevented himself from saying... It started with 'Lo-.' It didn't take much thought to get an idea of what the word most likely was. That word. The intimate "L" word was something he hadn't used...perhaps ever. He was trained to be solid, unflinching even to his own emotions. Well, he used to at least. But fame and 'glory' did eventually corrupt him, allowing emotions such as greed, jealousy, and fury to run rampant within him.

Did he love someone? Perhaps his owner? Sure, Steele admired the man at some point in time but after his downfall and seeing how willing the same man was to punish him in such a way... That word didn't seem appropriate at all anymore...why was Mince inquiring? He looked at the husky and felt a strange feeling as their eyes met.

"N-no... I don't think there was," Steele responded. To his shock the smile on Mince's muzzle grew wider. Somehow his honest answer thrilled the husky.

Finding his own courage, Mince took a step forward and thought carefully about his next words. "Neither have I," Mince said. "At least... Not until now." The husky could feel a warm blush creeping up his muzzle. The pounding of his chest and the embarrassing heat threatened to make him speechless.

But if there was something the husky could do well, it was speak his mind. There was no telling if he could get a chance like this again, him and Steele alone in an already intimate moment.

"Steele... I'm talking about you! I don't exactly know how or when but I've been...thinking about you...a lot," Mince admitted.

Hearing those words made Steele's breath hitch in his throat. Suddenly he realized where Mince had been going with this. He had never really had the time to think about intimacy, never really experienced it in such an open way like Mince was presenting it. And thanks to the canine's bluntness there wasn't a doubt between the two of them.

Steele could feel his own heart start to increase in pace and a soft heat spread to his muzzle. For a moment he was also at a loss for words. "Mince... I..." Unable to find the proper words, the malamute simply stepped closer to the husky. They hovered close to each other, then leaned forward and nuzzled into each other's neck, the tension in the air turned into joyous relief, it just...felt right. Steele could hear a relieved sigh come from the husky, just how long had Mince felt this way, hiding the way he truly felt for so long?

"S-so...does this mean we are a thing?" Mince asked very nervously, as if he couldn't quite believe what had just happened.

Steele huffed, "You would have to chase me away for it not to," he said in jest. Mince laughed a little, tears welling up in his eyes, he couldn't remember the last time he had shed tears...this...he pressed closer to Steele...he would gladly get lost in this feeling. He felt...a little bit more whole again like this. Steele let the husky hold him as long as he needed to, Mince clearly needed it. In return he was given warmth and the pleasant sounds that came from his new partner. They made him feel at peace as well, a feeling that was very new to him.

Stepping away from each other, Mince looked a little sheepish, "So...what now?" Steele chuckled.

"I have no idea...but how about we find out together?" Mince's tail wagged excitedly...he could get on board with that idea.