The clouds were painted in deep hues of purple and blue as the sun slowly set. Night was falling and it wouldn’t be long before the oil lamps were lit across town. Balto tugged on the rope that pulled the canvas hose down from the wooden water tank. Standing on the Texas’ tender he kicked the thick hose into the open hatch. Filling the tender with fresh water was his last chore for the day, making sure his charge would be ready for steam up the next morning. Nearby, the Togo stood by, waiting her turn at the tank. The pride of Nome was alone, her engineer having left her in the hands of the hostler. Lest the malamute be forced to do maintenance on his own locomotive.

Balto dropped down into the snow, kicking up the fresh powder as he opened up the valve on the tank and started the flow of water. He leaned against one of the tank’s legs, pulled the engineman’s grease cap atop his head low, and looked into town. His eye’s drifted shut, until Dixie’s voice, distantly faint but still able to be heard, reached him; “Goodnight Jenna!”

The wolf-dog swung his head around and found himself leaving the water tank. The path he took was between two buildings that were trackside, and he found his pace beginning to increase as he reached the end. Suddenly Jenna stepped out on the boardwalk, right in front of him. Startled, he backpaddled as she too pulled back, to avoid the collision. He stopped just inches before he hit her, just as the very tip of their noses touched.

“Oh,” Jenna said, surprised, she pulled back a bit, embarrassed. She had been saying goodbye to her two local friends. Balto could just spy Dixie and Sylvie walking together in the distance. Jenna’s red fur seemed to glow in the low twilight. “Why, hello Balto. That was an entrance. Are you alright.”

“Nothin’ hurt but my pride.” Balto responded.

Jenna’s eyes drifted past him, and she tilted her head. “Isn't that your locomotive spilling water?”

The wolf dog swung his head back and his eyes dropped as he saw the waterfall coming over the side of the Texas’s tender. He quickly dashed back down the alley and cut off the valve, shoulders slumping at how stupid he must have looked. But the soft chuckle that came behind him as he latched the valve caught him by surprise.

“A little distracted?” Jenna slowly walked out from the alley.

“Y-yeah. A little.” Balto grinned