Kodi panted as his paws drummed repeatedly over the snowy landscape, the sled team tearing up snow behind them. Come on! Faster! He urged his burning muscles, his harness jingling as he ran. We can do this!

Behind him, he heard Ralph let out a yelp. "Ow, my broken toenail! It's killing me!" He complained. "Can we slow down?"

Steele snorted at the front of the team. "Don't be ridiculous! This is a race. There's no slowing down!"

"Oh, uh, you've got it, Steele!" Ralph sounded more confident.

The massive black and white husky panted as he led the team over the hills of snow. "We're gonna win this, boys!" When Dusty coughed, he added in a grunt. "And girls."

As Kodi looked up, his heart sank. He saw the plane up ahead in the distance, a thin cross traveling across the bright sky. It was covering more ground than they had thought possible. It was so far ahead of them, he couldn't even hear the growling of the engine.

For the first time, Kodi felt his confidence fade, replaced by cold uncertainty. Maybe dad was right... Dogs can't outrun planes. This is a waste of time. He looked aside at Kirby. "I think Balto was right!" He barked reluctantly. "We can't beat the plane."

As Kirby flashed him a surprised look, Steele whipped his head over his black shoulder, baring his teeth. "We will beat it!" He snapped, startling both of them. "Because I'm leading you to victory!"

"But look at that thing!" Dusty exclaimed from behind Kodi. "There's no way we'll catch up to it. Balto told us that. If we'd listened-"

"Have you forgotten who I am?" Steele snarled back at them. "I'm Steele, champion racer, lead dog! That's why you're going to win this race." He panted as he led them up a slope. "Balto is nothing but a coward and a horrible father!"

Kodi jerked his head upward, anger flashing through him. "My dad is smart and strong, and that's why he didn't want to lead us to failure!" He realized this truth as he spoke it. "He's a hero!"

For a long moment, Steele just glared back at him through a narrowed icy blue eye. Kodi returned the glare, seeing no shame in defending his father. I'm sorry if I offended you. He thought. But no one insults my dad and gets away with it.

At last, a smirk spread across Steele's face. "You have the same fire as your mother, kid." He looked ahead again as they headed up the mountainside.

"My toenail hurts!" Ralph grunted, and Steele let out a growl of annoyance.

It wasn't long before the team reached the town of White Mountain. Steele slowed the team to a halt beside the Post Office, and the postman stepped out with a fresh bag of mail. Up ahead, the bush plane was parked, receiving it's own bag of mail.

Steele shook slush from his black and white coat before turning toward his team. "See, Kodi?" He prompted smugly. "The plane's still here. We'll beat it on the way back."

Kodi looked toward the plane, his tail lacking it's usually cheerful curl. He wished he could believe Steele's words. "I... I don't know." He sighed. "If we couldn't outrun it on the way here, how could we on the way back?"

"Kodi's right." Kirby glanced downward, pawing at the snow. "And we're already tired. That plane doesn't seem to run out of energy."

The black and white husky narrowed his dark rimmed eyes. "Oh, but it does." There was a hint of amusement in his voice as he turned away. "You'll see."

Kodi heard Dusty mutter behind him. "I'll see we can kiss our jobs goodbye."

He was startled when Steele swung around, shooting her an icy glare. "What?" He snapped. Dusty's eyes widened, and Ralph shifted closer to her nervously. When he received no response, a low growl rumbled in his throat.

"Here's the mail for Nome, Mr. Simpson." Kodi looked over his shoulder and saw the postman loading another bag onto the sled. "Good luck."

"Thank you, sir." Mr. Simpson smiled and adjusted his musher's hat, then turned to his team. "Hike!"

With a grunt, Steele surged forward, and Kodi and Kirby stumbled as they were pulled sharply, but the team quickly matched Steele's pace and rushed out of the little town.

***

The sky was mottled with gray clouds as the dogs began their return trip to Nome. Brisk wind and snow blew into their faces as they ran, dappling their fur in white flakes. Kodi looked up as they raced through the snowy forest. He could hear the low hum of the bush plane somewhere above the wall of clouds. It's close. He thought with a flicker of hope. Are we speeding up? Or is it slowing down?

"You see that?" Steele huffed. "We're catching up to it."

"Yeah!" Kirby spoke from beside Kodi, sounding hopeful. "Maybe we do stand a chance."

Steele swung a look over his shoulder. "Faster!" He barked the order. "Come on!" He panted, tongue hanging out as he led the charge up a snowy hill.

Narrowing his eyes in determination, Kodi quickened his speed, muscles burning as his paws drummed across the snow. "Come on, guys!" He gasped out between breaths. "We can win this!"

For a long while, the team continued racing steadily over the mountainside. The hum of the plane was gone, as they were far ahead of it. Though Kodi guessed his teammates shared his achy paws and sore muscles, they maintained their speed and showed no signs of weakening. That is, up until now.

"Ow!" Ralph let out a sharp yelp, and Kodi looked over his shoulder to see the gray husky stumble into Dusty. "Stupid toenail!"

Kirby let out a startled grunt as he was jerked back by his harness. "Stop pulling me!"

"Knock it off, you two!" Steele snarled over his shoulder.

"It really hurts this time, Steele!" Ralph barked anxiously. "I think I'm bleeding!"

Beside him, Dusty sighed. "You're not bleeding, Ralph!"

Kodi felt a tug on his harness and knew that Ralph was beginning to limp and slow them down. "Maybe we should stop," He suggested anxiously.

"You want to stop?" Steele suddenly slowed to a sharp halt, and Kodi's paws skidded in the snow, but was unable to stop himself from colliding with the husky's back. As the team stumbled back from each other, startled and confused, the massive husky glared over his shoulder. "Get over here, Ralph!"

The thick gray and white husky blinked. "O-okay, Steele." He slipped out of his harness and crunched through the snow to the front of the team where Steele waited. Kodi exchanged a puzzled look with Kirby. Was Steele going to yell at him?

"Show me that toenail." Steele growled as Ralph turned to stand facing him. "I'll make sure it doesn't trouble us any longer."

"Gee, thanks!" Ralph gingerly stepped out with one gray paw, resting it in the snow. "It's the one on the-"

Steele raised a paw into the air before slamming it down onto Ralph's paw. A sickening crunch followed, and it wasn't just his paw sinking deeper into the snow. Ralph let out a shrill howl of shock and pain that made Kodi's heart shoot into his throat.

"Ralph!" Dusty gasped in horror while Kodi leaped forward beside Steele, staring at Ralph in alarm as he sank into the snow and whined pitifully.

"What are you doing?" Kodi yelled anxiously, swinging his head to Steele. "Why did you-"

The massive black and white husky turned to Kodi and the others, who stared back at him, horrified. "If we're going to win the race, we can't have anyone slowing us down!" He growled.

"Excuse me?" Dusty sounded terrified, but defiant. "You broke his paw!" She rushed out of her harness, ignoring Steele's growl as she crouched beside Ralph and gave his cheek fur comforting licks as he whined.

"Get back in line!" Steele ordered. "The plane'll catch up to us if we sit around any longer. We're leaving Ralph behind."

Kodi stared at the husky champion in disbelief. "You can't be serious? He'll freeze to death in this storm!"

"Right! We'd never leave Ralph!" Kirby added angrily. "What kind of dog would?"

"The kind that would leave sick kids to die." Dusty narrowed her eyes at their leader.

Kodi stared at Steele, a cold dread twisting in his stomach. Were mom and dad right? Is Steele really so cold hearted and selfish?

"We're wasting time!" Steele snapped, his jet black ears flattened against his skull at Dusty's words. "We're leaving!"

"No!" Kodi exchanged a look with Kirby before they both stepped out of their harnesses and joined Dusty and Ralph, facing Steele defiantly.

The huge husky scoffed. "What is this? I'm the lead dog! I know what's best for the team!"

"And we know what's best for us. We aren't leaving Ralph," Kirby growled.

A growl rumbled in Steele's throat. "Then you can say goodbye to your jobs and everything you've ever worked for."

There was a sinking feeling in Kodi's heart as he considered Steele's words. He loved everything about being a mail dog. Losing his job would not be easy for him. But looking down at Ralph, sobbing and trembling in the snow, made it all the more clearer what was most important. He closed his eyes solemnly for a long moment before raising his head toward Steele.

"Fine." Kodi spoke clearly, feeling completely certain of himself. "We're not just a team, we're friends. We're a family. That's something you've never experienced for yourself, have you?" He held Steele's icy glare. "Our friendship means more to us than our jobs. If you expect us to leave Ralph behind, you're wrong."

"You said it, Kodi." Kirby said quietly. "We do this together, or not at all."

Dusty nodded. "Balto would have never left anyone behind." She muttered.

Steele was silent as he returned Kodi's narrowed stare, baring his teeth at Dusty's words. The group shifted closer to Ralph, eyeing Steele defiantly. It was quiet, all but the soft howling of the wind and Ralph's low whimpers.

"I see how it is." Steele seemed to swallow back his anger. "Put Ralph on the sled, and do it fast."

Kodi let out a quiet sigh of relief. He watched as Dusty gently nudged Ralph with her snout. "Come on."

"You've got it, buddy." Kirby said as he and Dusty stood on either side of Ralph, who groaned as he stood, lifting one limp paw. Together they guided him to the sled and helped him onboard. Mr. Simpson looked down at the dog in concern and reached down to stroke him with one gloved hand.

Kodi started toward them when Steele slipped out of his harness. "Kodi. Sorry about that." As the young red husky glanced at him uncertainly, he lifted the loop of his harness with one paw. "Lead us home."

"What?" Kodi's eyes went wide as he stared at the husky, his heart skipping excitedly. "Me?" Ever since he joined the mail team, he'd longed to have a chance at being lead dog. Being more experienced, Kirby was always put in the lead.

Of course, he had been inspired by Balto. Ever since he was a pup, he had admired his father, the legendary wolfdog who had led a lost team home. He hoped to fill his father's pawsteps and lead his own team someday. And now, Steele was giving him the chance.

"You heard me." Steele smirked. "The way you acted in this situation? You've proven yourself a true leader. A much better one than your father."

Kodi was unsure of Steele's last words. I could never be better than Balto. No dog could. But Steele's compliment made pride and excitement fill his chest. "Y-yeah!" He exclaimed, unable to hide how overjoyed he was.

"Well, c'mon." Steele clenched his teeth around the harness and raised his head while Kodi stepped into it, puffing out his chest proudly upon doing so. It's really happening! I'm lead dog! He looked back to see Steele taking his place beside Kirby.

"Mush!" Mr. Simpson called, and Kodi smiled, narrowing his eyes determinedly as he raced forward and led his team up the mountain.