My Artic Journey (New & Improved)

 It was morning and I woke as the cold snowflakes drifted through the air and landed gently on my fur. The warm sun smiled at me through the horizen. To the left of the camp sight there was a herd of deer, pawing at the snow covered ground, trying to get to the lush green grass underneath. As soon as Rob (the man who was taking care of me) noitced that I was awake he gave me a fresh bowl of water and another filled with leftovers from the night before. As fast as lightning I had finished my breakfast and was put in my harnis for another day of traveling. I was the lead dog, which means I was the dog at the front of the sled that made a path through the snow so the other dogs and Rob could get through the snow. It was the middle of December, and we were traveling over the frozen Artic. It was freezing, and sometimes the pads on my paws would get so cold that they would crack and bleed our whole journey and even sometimes through the night. Through the pain and suffering I still get up every morning and do as I am told. There were 3 other dogs besides me that helped pull the sled. There was Jack, the huskey, which was one of the first dogs Rob got. Then there was Diamond, the shepard mix who has been on the team for a couple of days. And last but not least there was Spike, the German shepard. I was the dominate dog of the pack, but Spike always tryed to steal my position. It's about 8:30 in the morning right now, so we head on our way. We are heading to a camp sight about 60 miles from here, where we will be staying for the next couple of nights, to check all of our conditions(health). As we start off my feet sink into the soft mushy snow, but after a few second, we are gliding above it. The wind was blowing hard, and by the way the sky looked, there was going to be a storm.

The clouds were gray and the wind blew hard. The sun was no longer visible, but hiding behind the rain filled clouds. As happy as I was when our journey started, it all went down the drain as soon and the freezing cold rain began to pelt the fur on my back. We were only about 5 miles into our journey. We had to set up camp, in a small cave under a huge snow covered mountain, for the night. Even though the cave was big enough for Rob, and us 4 dogs we all huttled together to keep warm. It was around 5:00 in the afternoon and the sun slowly became visible again. Rob built a fire to thaw out some fish he had caught by the stream, near our old camp sight. He put some in each of our bowls, and as we began to eat we heard loud, deep growls comming from outside the cave. Diamond slowly backed up with her tail between her hind legs as soon as she seen the creatures that was making the loud growling sounds. There were about 10 starving huskies in front of the cave. They were in horrible condition, their bones about the pop out of their skin, and white foam dripping from their mouths. Without another sound, they all launched out at us. The fierce looking huskey penitrated his long, shiny, white teeth into my neck. I fell to the ground thinking that this was going to be the last time I was going to breath again. But with the last bit of strength I had in me, I got back up on my feet and began to fight back. I dove at the huskey and succeeded to knock him off his feet, I then went for the kill. I grabbed the huskey by the neck with my sharp, ivory, white teeth, I bit down as hard as I could. I knew it was over when there was no movement and the warm blood fell down his neck. I looked up from my kill and noticed that all of the other huskey's were gone, Jack was laying on the snow covered ground, with his right leg drenched in blood.

I lay down beside him and feel his warm breath hit my face. Rob gets some bandages and wraps Jacks leg up. With Jack and I injured we decided to stay the night at the camp sight and leave first thing in the morning. After a few hours of pain and agony I finally fall asleep. When I wake all of us dog's are up, the only thing that we are missing is Rob, who was still in a deep sleep. Spike went over and licked Rob right in his face. Rob woke and wiped his eyes, he gave out a loud sigh. As quick as possible we were all put into our harnises, and ready to pull the sled the rest of the 55 miles to the camp sight. As we start off for the second time , I still feel weak but I know I have to stay strong for the team. I can rest again when we get to the camp sight. We are now traveling across what once was inhabited with creates and life and is now, empty, and cold. I have to watch where I make my next step, because any wrong move could put us all in the below zero, numbing, icy cold river.

I have managed to cross 3/4th's of the frozen river, when the unexpected happens. The ice begins to crack and my front paws sink into the dangerously cold Artic water. Along with me all of the other dogs begin to fall into the river. Rob has no other choice but to try to pull us out ALONE, he is like a lone soldier trying to fight a war all by himself. There was no one else around and there was no time to call for help. Rob begin to pull us out one at a time, as each of us were pulled out we were trembling with fear.We were freezing from the water. I was so disappointed in myself, because not only was I the one that made us all fall into the icey cold water, but I was also responsible for making us stay another night in the cold wet weather, no where close to our destination. Rob set up camp in a small opening right across from the river. Rob lit another fire as we all fell alseep, cold, wet , miserable, and tired. I knew as soon as I woke the next morning I was going to have to prove to Rob , as well as all the other dogs, that I could get us to our destination. I fell asleep for about 3 hours, I woke up to the dark sky , lit up by the gleming moon and the millions of tiny twinkling stars. I fell right back asleep, I woke up about 5 hours later, ready to prove myself to the others. To show them that I could do it, I could get us to our destination. For the third time we were all put into our harnies's, and off to our 42 mile journey, from out last camp sight. After about 5 hours of traveling I heard Rob yell, "I can see the town from here",run dogs". As we ran across the final steps of our journey, I was relieved that our journey was finally over, I could go back to my Warm, Cozy, lazy dog life again. But something was missing, something wasn't right.

As the Sled stoped, there was no one in the abandon rest stop except me 3 other dog's and Rob. The ground was black, the air was smokey, there was nothing around us for miles except for black ash, and thousands of miles of soft white pillows of snow. Rob got off of the sled and began to look around. I layed down and rested my head on the soft cold, white pillow of snow. I got us to our destination, but once again we had to set up camp in the cold wet miserable, snow. As soon as the fire was made I layed my head beside it, and dreamed of the life that I thought was going to begin here. I thought our journey was over, but of course not, is just began. When I woke in the morning, I noticed that Jake wasn't acting right he wasn't being himself. I thought he might just still be a little tired from our long journey, so I paid no attention to him. I headed next to Rob's tent where my bowl of breakfast usually sat. I was confused, nothing seemed to be right. There was NOTHING in my bowl, not even a bone. I sat right by my bowl till Rob got out of his tent, he said "sorry fellow we have no more food, and we won't till we find another stream". Once again I knew this was just the begining of our journey.

With no food in our stomach's, and still tired form our long journey, we were once again pulling the sled. Jack wasn't in his place yet, I was confused once again. He layed where the fire was and growled. Rob, is trying to get him to the sled. Jack lept forward, and began to chase Rob. Rob without another choice grabbed the axe that lay beside him and swong at Jack's head. Jack let out a quick yelp, and lay on the ground, leaving the snow around him soaked with blood. In disgust, and horror, I turned my head in the direction we were headed, as Rob got on the sled he yelled "Mush Mush!!", we went on out way leaving Jack in the snow dead, cold, and dernched in blood. I was not sure where we were going , but all I knew was that I needed food to be able to move any further. I was so weak. The wound in my neck from the huskey had began to throb, the pads on my feet were bleading, and I was still tired from our journey. I wasn't sure if I was just going to stop and let all the other dog's and the sled just run over me, or try with the little strength I had left, to fight for my place on the world.

Author : Brittney .L. Carter