"Gay? What do you mean, gay?"

"It's that simple Jenna. I'm gay."

The orange husky gave the halfbreed an ice-cold stare; the intensity of which could only be compared to the harsh and unforgiving winters that Alaska had to offer.

"How-why? Last night when we made love, you seemed so-into it."

Balto bit his lip and looked to the ground ashamed, "The only way I was able to do that was because I was thinking about, well," he paused, "guys."

Jenna's expression turned from confusion to disbelief and insult, "You, you bastard! How the hell could you do this, just, why did you do it? Who the fuck are you trying to impress?"

He kept his eyes averted, "I wasn't trying to impress anyone..."

"Then what the fuck is this?"

He kept himself calm and sighed, "It's hard to explain, Jenna..."

"Hard to explain, what?" She shook her head, confused, "Talk, Balto!"

Balto brought his head level and stared right at her with an angry expression, shouting, "Damnit, Jenna! I've been questioning it for a long damn time now! You think it was easy on me? It wasn't! I didn't know for sure until last night...and I just don't like girls, Jenna! I didn't choose this! I thought I liked you, and I do! Just...just not in that way."

She went to say something but looked down, biting her lip, a disgusted look still on her face, and she looked away from him, "Balto, I...I can't help what your sexuality is, I get that. But you shouldn't have used me as your fucking experiment. I resent that you'd do such a thing without telling me first. You shouldn't have made me beilieve that there was something between us."

He looked away again, ashamed, "I...I know."

"What you should have done was told me beforehand...then I would have been okay with us messing around to see if you liked it or not...but you didn't do that."

The halfbreed hid his face with his left front leg, "I know Jenna...I...I'm so sorry."

She still refused to look at him but her expression turned from disgust to disappointment but understanding, "Well, since it's out in the open now, I guess...we're through, huh?"

Balto gave a sigh and looked at her, and, with a solemn nod, he replied to her, "I'm sorry, Jenna, but it's over. I hope you find another dog who will treat you the way you deserve to be treated and give you as many puppies as you desire."

The orange husky gave a nod as well, "Thank you, Balto. While I am still upset about all of this...I hope you find a male that will make you happy."

The two looked away from each other and exchanged a moment of awkward silence, and then they went their seperate ways. Walking away feeling like a complete jerk, Balto contemplated his feelings. Everything he told the husky was true; he did indeed fantasize about males that previous night. That aside, though, he felt like he had genuinely hurt a close friend. He hoped that Jenna would remain that-a friend-but if she refused even that, he would have no choice but to understand. Gay-of all the things he could be, why did it have to be that, he wondered. He was embarassed by it, because as far as he knew, he was the only male dog in the area that did not have an interest in females. He sighed and began trudging along to the abandoned boat that he had so many times called home in the past.

Jenna was making her way back to the home of her master, and all she could do was contemplate what the halfbreed had told her. He was gay. She wanted to be angry at him, she wanted to get back at him, but she sighed and realized that she couldn't. All he did was confirm his suspiscions with her, despite having done it in the worst way possible. Granted, she did not know what it was like, as she had never experimented with another female before; she knew she was straight. But she could sympathize with him, having had known other gay dogs in her past. She definitely did not believe it to be a matter of choice, but she did not know if the other dogs felt the same way. She would keep her mouth shut about it, though, because if she knew anything, it was the fact that Steele would most likely use that against Balto. And he didn't need anymore hurt right now.

The halfbreed walked through the streets of Nome, alone, as it was getting late, the sun had set, and tonight was a particularly frigid night. Balto shivered as he felt a north wind cut through the alleyway he was in and sting his skin, even with it being covered by his thick fur. It was when that wind died down when he realized that Steele and his companions from the team were out around a fire that a human had left burning in an old oil barrel. Gasping, he ran behind two trash cans that were placed snug up against a building, and peered around to see what the other dogs were up to.

"I just saw Balto and Jenna break up!" Kaltag looked at the other three dogs eagerly, awaiting their replies.

"What happened?" Star turned his head quizically.

"Balto broke up with her because he's gay!"

The halfbreed's eyes widened when he heard that, and his heart started racing. This would only provide Steele and the others with the ammunition they needed to destroy him.

"No way! I always thought there was something off about that mutt..." Nikki chuckled and all three dogs looked to Steele to see what he had to say.

The Siberian husky was dumbfounded. His face appeared shocked, and he didn't say anything for a long while, appearing to be contemplating what was told to him.

"Steele?" Kaltag inquired, "You there buddy?"

Shaking his head, Steele came back to reality, "Oh, yeah. I'm here. The mutt's gay, is he? Well, I'll just have to do something about that, won't I?"

The other dogs chuckled, but Steele looked away, giving a soft smile. He thought to himself, and spoke soft enough that the others didn't hear, "I'll definitely have to do something about that..."

Balto covered his eyes with a paw and laid on the ground, feeling hot tears begin to fall down his face. He spoke softly to himself, "I am so screwed..."