-I am here to Adopt!-Previous Owner:Snow! (now Vox Nihili) Username:booklover789
A Bit About Me:Hello! I'm booklover789. I am the owner of 9 amazing RPWs, and have one semi-custom which I've still not figured out what I'm doing with yet, so that one hasn't been completed as of today (10/22/2015) and won't be until I figure out who I'm choosing as an artist and what the RPW will look like. I love each and every one of my RPWs, and cherish them all greatly, just as I would this RPW, should I win him. I have loved Balto since I was a child, and seeing this design up in the Pound made my heart ache. I would have loved to have tried out for him when he was up for adoption, and would have taken care of him and loved him. However, seeing him up for adoption also brought a smile to my face - I now have the chance to win him, and love and take care of him from this point onward!
Info About His Gender:When I looked at Balto, I immediately thought of this guy as male. This might be because of my close past with the movie and how it impacted my life. Seeing that he was actually a she, well, that sort of threw me for a loop. But that wouldn't deter me from my love of this little one and wanting to try out for him, so I searched for the user that had donated him and messaged the user about it. Vox Nihili (once called Snow) adopted and later donated Balto, and I asked her if I had her permission to change his gender. She agreed, and allowed me to do so. If she would have turned me down, yes, I would have been just the slightest bit sad - but I still would have tried out for Balto, and kept him female instead. Seeing as she didn't turn me down, however, I was able to try out for him as a male, which I'm very happy about.
Info About His Name:When I saw his name, I immediately wanted to keep it. I didn't see the aspect of changing it, as it was the name he was given, so I would sort of feel bad changing that integral part of him. Also, I feel that the name perfectly fits his personality and his entire character, so I'm a-okay keeping it as-is. I don't feel any longing to change it, and will not be doing so.
What I Will Do With Him:I will keep Balto as a well-loved character, and will try my best to sketch him traditionally if not get art of him digitally from time-to-time. I sketch VERY frequently - on a weekly basis - and I like sketching traditionally...even if I'm not the best artist around. I've gotten better with age, and am glad I've kept up my artistic interests, as I've only improved over the years. I love sketching the RPWs I all ready own, and would love to be able to add Balto to that group. Balto would be welcomed into my RPW family with open paws and loving hearts. They'd all accept him and love to hang out with him. Very few of my RPWs dislike hanging around others, so Balto would always have someone to talk or play with, should he be in the mood to do so.
Balto would get his own page on my
weebly character site, and as previously-mentioned, I'd do my best to get art of him, if not draw it myself. With RPW events, I always do the writing challenges, and would definitely choose Balto for a few of them, so he'd get some writing to further flesh him out as well.
I also just like to write for fun, when I have the chance, so I would try to write up some stuff about him whenever I had the chance to do so.
Why I Want Him:As a child, I had several favorite movies. Films like "Elmo Saves Christmas," "The Little Mermaid," "The Land Before Time," "The Chipmunk Adventure," "Barbie in the Nutcracker," and other movies similar to those are what I generally enjoyed watching. One of my favorite films was "Balto," which I liked far more than either of the sequels, "Balto II: Wolf Quest" and "Balto III: Wings of Change." Most of the films I loved as a child, I ended up never getting again once the VHSes broke, due to my age and interests changing. However, I still do have my favorite Disney films on DVD, and I do have all of my favorite Barbie films on DVD, as well as "The Chipmunk Adventure" on DVD and "The Land Before Time" on DVD. But almost everything else I didn't bother getting once the VHSes broke...with one exception: "Balto."
"Balto" brings back so many great memories for me - remembering the excitement, adventure, and great story that the movie portrayed. I still have such fond memories about the film. I have scenes that will always stay in my mind - things like the polar bears and their funny antics, Boris the goose and his hilarious lines of amusement...but also his fatherly advice to Balto, Jenna and her smart yet demure personality, and Balto himself, with his heroic attitude and willingness to overcome any obstacle to get what he needed to get to help others.
This RPW reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies and how it impacted my life, making me remember that no matter how bleak the day may seem, no matter how hard the uphill climb is, if you keep persevering that day will have sunshine, and you'll make it to the top. This movie has impacted me so much on a personal level, and has taught me that even if the world seems to be against you and you don't seem to have anything to live for, if you keep trying and do what's right, things will work out in the end...even if they take an awful long time to work out. And even though the wait may be long, it will be worth it in the end to have run the race and fought the fight - for you will cross the finish line and win the fight if only you keep trying.
Since when do you need a pedigree to help someone?
~ Balto
HEX Codes:Base - #7F674F #AB9A8A
Exterior of Ears - #695139
Marking Above Eye - #4E361E
Eyes (Pupils) - #9F1F12
Eyes ("Whites") - #EBB249
Nose - #181818
Paint - #9F1F12
Name:BaltoPronunciation:BALL-toe
Gender:Male
(DMAB)
Romantic and Sexual Orientation:Heteroromantic Heterosexual Aceflux
Birth Information:Birth Date: December 24
Birthstones: Turquoise, Zircon, and Tanzanite
Birth Place: Juneau, Alaska
First Word: Sled
Zodiac Sign: CapricornWikipedia wrote:If cold December gave you birth,
The month of snow and ice and mirth,
Place on your hand a turquoise blue;
Success will bless whate'er you do.
Myers-Briggs Personality Test Results:Personality: INFP - "The Mediator"; Variant: Assertive; Role: DiplomatTheme Songs:Geronimo - Aura DioneIt Has Begun - StarsetFavorite Quote:"Grief never ends...but it changes. It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith....It is the price of love."Accessories:Balto doesn't have many accessories, and the few accessories he has he doesn't wear often. He has an
orange scarf which he'll wear if he's feeling chilly, and he also has a
musher hat, which he wears when he goes out in extremely cold situations, such as blizzards or snowstorms.
General Information:Strength: ●●●●●●●
Intelligence: ●●●●●●●
Speed: ●●●●●●●
Endurance: ●●●●●●○
Defense: ●●●●●○○
Agility: ●●●●●●●
Accuracy: ●●●●●○○
Swimming: ●●○○○○○
Climbing Trees: ●○○○○○○
Climbing Rocks: ●●●●●●○
Sneaking/Stalking: ●●●●●○○
Fighting: ●●●●●○○
Hunting: ●●●●●●○
Listening: ●●●●●●○
Sight: ●●●●●○○
Smelling/Scenting: ●●●●●●●
Speech: ●●●●●○○
Focus: ●●●●●●●
Empathy: ●●●●●○○
Obedience: ●●●○○○○
Politeness: ●●●●●○○
Maturity: ●●●●●●●
Fur:●●●●●●○○○○ --- Rough
●●●●●●●○○○ --- Dry
●●●●○○○○○○ --- Smooth
●●●●○○○○○○ --- Soft
●●●○○○○○○○ --- Oily
Short--- ●●●●●○○○○○ ---Long
Health-Related Information:Allergies: None.
Birthmarks: None.
Blood Type: AB.
Figure: Physically-fit, muscular, slightly-skinny.
Fitness: Very concerned with fitness; exercises regularly.
Hygiene: Little to none.
Mental and Intellectual Characteristics:Logical-Mathematical: Logical to an extent; not a fan of math.
Spatial: Excellent at spacial problems.
Linguistic: All-right at linguistic topics.
Musical: Not very musical.
Interpersonal: Excellent.
Intrapersonal: So-so. Depends on who he's interacting with.
IQ: 113.
Known Languages: English, some Native American (Inupiat, Yupik, Aleut, and Haida), and a small amount of French.
Memory: Excellent.
Phobias: Ursophobia (fear of bears) and Aquaphobia (fear of drowning).
Savvies: Nearly anything involving physical activity.
Ineptness: Excellent.
Hobbies: Running.
Pet Peeves: Braggarts and liars.
Social and Perceptive Characteristics:Communication: Slightly below average.
Criminal Record: Has stolen a few small items here and there and broken into three different places just to keep himself alive; other than that, nothing.
Ego: Average.
Emotional Stability: Fine.
Patience: Fine.
Reputation: So-so. Depends on who you ask.
Sociability: All-right.
Intuition: Excellent.
Other Information:Occupation: None; he is a wanderer, and goes where he pleases.
Self-Confidence: Varies - depends on the day he's having.
Worries: Seeing those he is close to hurting.
Soothers: Warm blankets, quiet music, and corny jokes.
Musical Instrument: None - he can't play music.
Quirks: Loves to exercise.
Dominant Paw: Right.
Morality: Quite Good.
Etiquette: So-so. Depends on who he's with.
Characteristics (Humanized):Nationality: Mixed (half Caucasian, half Native American)
Skin Color:
#C0A183Height: 6' (six feet)
Weight: 164 lbs (one-hundred sixty-four pounds)
Scar(s): One on his right shoulder from a bear attack when he was younger.
Piercings: None
Tattoos: He has three - two wolf paws and claws on his interior wrists (one per wrist) and one medium wolf tattoo on his upper back.
Shirt Size: Large
Shoe Size: 14
Hair Color:
#695139Hair Length: Chin-length
Hair Style: Shaggy and unkempt; trimmed only when it absolutely needs to be.
Facial Hair? Yes, somewhat of a beard and mustache...though they don't seem to be growing in very well.
Widow's Peak: Not prominent.
Dress Style/Wardrobe: He really only has one outfit: he'll wear a loose brown long-sleeved shirt, a black jacket, and a satchel, sometimes with his orange scarf.
Most Prized Possession: A blanket his mother gave him when he was a baby.
Most Valuable Possession: A solid gold pocket-watch he found on the side of the road.
Health-Related Information, Mental and Intellectual Characteristics, Social and Perceptive Characteristics, Other Information, and Characteristics (Humanized) sections inspired by Cojinxleafbelle.
List of Personality Traits He Has:Excellent at Directions - Spatial - Adventurous - Energetic - Agile - Avid Learner - Dreamer - Unorthodox - Unkempt - Messy - Occasionally Depressed - Social Outcast - Loner - Keeps to Himself - Quiet - Calm - Determined - Stubborn - Courageous - Brave - Protector - Peaceful - Negotiator - Humble
Personality:Having an IQ of 113, Balto is very intelligent, and able to see things in his head that most RPWs cannot understand. He is very visual by nature, and can see things spatially very easily. For instance, if a boulder is rolling towards him, he can quickly calculate the best way to get around it is to actually leap over it instead of running to the side - most RPWs in this situation would just run, however, and would thus run the risk of the boulder suddenly changing course and rolling into them. For another example, Balto can visualize how to get to a certain place very easily. He has an excellent sense of direction, and can find his way around anything he wants to. If there's a race going on, he can work his way around it by leaping from roof to roof or crawling under fences or leaping over people. He had to teach himself almost everything, having lived alone in the wild during most of his developmental years, only learning how to socialize properly once meeting his adoptive father in his teen years. He doesn't think of himself as smart, though - he thinks of himself more as a geek, or a nerd...and not in a good way. This is why he never brings up his intelligence in conversations, and is rather tight-lipped about this aspect of himself. This may be because when he was younger he was picked on for being so intelligent, and was ostracized from most groups he tried to join.
Balto is adventurous, never staying in one place for very long. He loves to learn new things, and will do anything to keep his mind sharp and his body in-shape. He is always go-go-go, rarely slowing down to enjoy life...but that might just be because he really doesn't have a lot to live for or enjoy in life, being the social outcast that he is. Most look at his appearance and judge him based solely on that - and he's grown tired of being the underdog. He can't stand it when others judge him so quickly, and are unwilling to look past his sometimes-frightening exterior. If only they'd look just a tiny bit deeper, they'd see what the golden heart that lies within him.
Balto can sometimes be a dreamer. If he's left alone for too long, there are times where he'll get lost in his own thoughts, be those thoughts kind or unkind. He often will have flashbacks of bad things that happened t him in the past, and he can't stand these moments of terror that seize him out of the blue. They happen less when he's focused on something, and usually tend to happen when he lets his mind wander for a bit too long. He can usually shake them off, but on the odd chance that he can't, he'll wait them out and then do his best to forget about them and just go along with whatever else he has to do that day.
He is extremely energetic and agile, often taking the long way around just to get around someone he doesn't like. He doesn't mind using odd methods to get where he needs to go - as long as he gets there promptly he doesn't care how the journey is taken. He often will use unorthodox methods to get what he wants - being an outcast has made him learn to do things the not-so-normal way just to survive - but he does his best to stay on the right side of the law and of history, making sure his decisions are ones he can live with. In the past he has made decisions he thinks gravely of, so he's done his best to learn from his mistakes. Every decision has its consequence; no one knows that better than Balto.
Unkempt and sometimes mangy-looking, he doesn't care much for personal hygiene. His fur often looks messy and unruly - but he doesn't really care enough to try to keep it looking sharp. His personal workplace is sparse, but still dirty - he doesn't bother cleaning up after himself. He is certainly not a neat-freak, and is often too distracted to clean up his home and/or workplace. Humble by nature, he does his best to keep a positive view on life. He can't stand braggarts, and has no tolerance for bullies. On occasion he will get depressed, and when that happens, only his friends can pull him back to normalcy - and even they sometimes have difficulties.
A loner, Balto doesn't have many friends. While he's great at socializing when he puts the effort in, he prefers to keep to himself and can be rather close-mouthed - even around his enemies, whom he wishes he could talk back to. Quiet and calm, not likely to jump and snap at others, he lives his life mainly in peace...when he's not being constantly made fun of by those around him. Most of the time he stuffs his emotions within him, erupting at a far later date at whomever happens to be the unlucky soul to feel his wrath.
Determined and stubborn-as-a-mule, Balto doesn't give up until the absolute last idea has failed. Courageous and brave, he doesn't stop until every resource has been spent. He is so stubborn that there are times where he'll completely ignore reason, and go off and do what he wants to do, no matter what anyone else says. While this is a great thing when he's helping someone, it can get on others nerves when they try to explain something to him and he refuses to listen. When Balto puts his mind to something, he doesn't let up until he gets the result he wants. If he sets a goal for himself, that task gets completed, no matter how long or hard the completion process may be. Because of this determination, however, Balto can sometimes push himself too hard. He might not stop when he needs to, and can often push himself far over whatever limits he may have had. He'll cross any line he needs to if he's fighting for something he believes in.
In his youth, Balto would often get angry very quickly, particularly if someone made a rude remark about his family or about him. He wouldn't hesitate to fight back, and would only back down as a last resort. Currently, he often sticks up for others who wouldn't normally stick up for themselves. He feels that unless the being has been outright mean or nasty to him that he should look on them with love and help them whenever possible. If you wrong him, then he'll be less likely to help you - but if situations are dire, he might be willing to help you, even if you've wronged him in the past. Now he's moved on from his fighting days, and prefers peaceful negotiation over violence...however, even Balto recognizes that sometimes you have to defend yourself or help those you love, and to do that, you may have to get into a fight - but so long as he doesn't start that war, Balto doesn't feel too bad partaking in one...as long as what he's fighting for is true and right.
Information You Should Know Before Reading Any Further:
- Balto's birth-mother couldn't care for him and dropped him off in the middle of nowhere to fend for himself.
- Balto's birth-father wasn't ever in the picture - he only knows his father's name and what he looked like; not who he was.
- Recently, Balto stumbled upon a history of his family, and has been seeking out those he's related to so that he can meet up with members of his family he never even knew existed. Most of his family is deceased, but those that are living he's been actively trying to find.
Family Tree:http://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=8g ... 0362763970(NOTE: You may have to click around to see his entire family, as some of them don't show up in the initial view.)
Family:Codyak(Belongs to
vixen)
Cousinviixen wrote:A huge tomboy.That's what Cody is.She hates doing anything girly and makeup is a big no for her.She loves to surf.She's constantly picking on her family members.
Balto doesn't mind hanging around his newly-found cousin, but most of the time he'll choose to be around other family members, as he doesn't like her tendency to pick on others. He also isn't the biggest fan of water, so he doesn't like to surf. These two may be biologically-related, but they don't have much in common.
Salvalor(Belongs to
Ittam)
CousinIttam wrote:Full name: Salvalor White
Nickname: Sal
Gender: Female
Birthday: December 31
Breed: Rainbow Paint Wolf - Arctic Wolf
Religion: Lunarism
Job Occupation: Unemployed - Wild wolf that loiters around villages
Favorite Color: Moon Yellow
Summarized Personality: Courageous, Noble, Whinny, Lazy, Headstrong, Reserved, Subordinate, Bitter, Unresponsive, Weak-willed
Balto gets along all right with Salvalor. When she's not whining or being lazy, he gets along extremely well with her...but some of the time he doesn't like her at all, as she can be bitter and unresponsive. When she's being courageous, noble, and subordinate, he doesn't mind hanging out with her at all - it's when she's being headstrong and unwilling to work with others that Balto dislikes her. Thankfully, most of the time Balto does get along very well with Salvalor, and doesn't mind hanging out with his cousin.
Riven(Belongs to
Krist Fullmetal)
Step-BrotherKrist Fullmetal wrote:5 Word Personality:
Not all darkness is terrifying.
Personality:
Riven is a quiet and stays to himself most of the time. He stays away from large groups of people and prefers to stick to the shadows. But he dose enjoy it when others come and talk with him and is actually very kind and polite.
Balto gets along quite well with Riven. Balto sought him out as one of the first members of his family he found he was related to. It took awhile to find the elusive RPW, but Balto persevered and finally found Riven, an extremely odd RPW. Most wouldn't be caught dead trying to talk with him, but Balto didn't care about the rumors circulating about his relative - he found him anyway. Balto is glad he didn't listen to the gossip, as he has a great relationship with Riven. The two are good friends, and they rarely have quarrels.
Cronus(Belongs to
Dippingsauce)
Half-brotherDippingsauce wrote:Cronus can be quick to action and very stubborn at times.
When Cronus has his stubborn days, Balto dislikes him quite a bit. But when Cronus has his quick-witted and fast-thinking days, when he's willing to play with Balto or race him, Balto enjoys his company. Cronus is one of the newer-found family members, so Balto doesn't know him very well yet, but would love to get to know him better in the future.
Jikko(Belongs to
Sentoki)
Half-brotherSentoki wrote:Jikko is more of the quiet sort; he usually doesn't speak much, but has his moments where he becomes really talkative. He's also more on the antisocial side, and prefers to stick with just his family or those whom he knows.
Balto and Jikko get along extremely well. They will often just hang out, not really saying much, but just enjoying being in each other's company. Seeing as Balto has his antisocial, loner moments, he completely understands when Jikko wants to be left alone, and will leave the pup to deal with whatever he needs to deal with. When Jikko is back to feeling normal, Balto will come back and play with him once again. They sometimes race each other, but usually they just stick to hanging out and taking it easy.
Leif(Belongs to
Shironeki.)
Half-sisterShironeki. wrote:Leif is very much a no-nonsense kind of girl and does not take kindly to those that interfere with her plans. She is quick to react in bad situations and can make the outcome more favourable easily. She tends to be very wise and likes to give advice to those that need it.
Balto gets along really well with his newly-found half-sister, Leif. Like Leif, Balto is quick and agile. Balto will often just sit and chat with Leif, who is definitely wiser than she would appear. She's extremely intelligent for her age, and even though Balto is older than her, he gets along very well with her because her maturity levels are so much higher than the average RPW her age. Balto will sometimes go to her for advice, but will generally go to his adoptive father, Malta, first. If Malta can't solve the problem, Balto will turn to Leif in a heartbeat.
Malta(Belongs to
Helsing)
Adoptive FatherHelsing wrote:He is always open to more family members as Malta has a habit of taking in strays or those with nowhere else to go. Personality wise, Malta is reserved and usually quite compassionate. He values family above all else and acts as a father figure to those younger than himself. His hobbies include painting, baking for his younger siblings and reading, mostly adventure novels. When Malta is not watching over his family or doing one of his hobbies, he is usually found hanging around the local park and bird watching or taking a well deserved rest.
Malta does live with his siblings but onyly Paragon and Arcadia.
Balto has an excellent relationship with his adoptive father, Malta. As a teen, Balto lived with Malta after being on his own for most of his childhood. This RPW helped him get back on his feet, and he moved out of Malta's house shortly after he reached adulthood. During his time at Malta's household, Balto grew close with the kind RPW. Malta taught him a lot while he was there, and Balto will often visit Malta now, even though he's moved out and prefers to not socialize with a bunch of wolves. He'll make time to set out on the journey to go back to the only place he's ever called home to see the only RPW who ever got close to ever being called his father.
Marissa(Belongs to
Helsing)
Adoptive "Aunt"Helsing wrote:Marissa does not live with Malta and has her own place. She's more of a close friend than an actual sibling but since everyone loves her, they consider her one of the family. Malta is not married though so for a while he only had Marissa to help out with the pups but now Para and Cadi are old enough to care for themselves somewhat.
Not technically related to him in any way, Marissa was simply a wolf he saw from time to time in his earlier teen years. She'd stop by Malta's place every so often, helping him with various things. When Balto was younger, he'd guessed that Malta would later marry Marissa because of their close relationship, but the two never married, greatly puzzling the now-adult Balto. Because Marissa was merely a helper and mainly was around the two younger wolves - both of which younger than Balto - Balto never got to really know her very well. So, even though he recognizes her and knows she's sort of part of the family, he doesn't know very much about her.
Arcadia(Belongs to
Helsing)
Adoptive AuntHelsing wrote:As a pup, Arcadia had a troublesome, prankster type of personality. She loved to cause trouble just for the fun of it and prided herself on being sneaky and hard to catch. As she grew older however, some of this energy began to settle down and she's became a bit more down to earth. She still has a sarcastic sense of humor though and has turned into a bit of a thrill seeker.
In the beginning, Balto and Arcadia shared only one thing in common: they were somewhat trouble-makers together. Arcadia was always willing to go farther than Balto, and for this reason, Balto would only hang out with her for part of the time. When she was in one of her more rambunctious streaks, Balto would stay farther away from her, hanging with Malta instead. Now older, Balto and Arcadia get along all right. Balto neither hates nor loves the RPW, and can stand being around her more than he can Marissa, solely because growing up, Balto was closer with Arcadia than the older, more adult RPW that Marissa is.
Paragon(Belongs to
Helsing)
Adoptive UncleHelsing wrote:Para is grown but cannot afford to move out and Arcadia is being aged now so I classify her as around 15 in human years.
Paragon as a pup was very shy and didn't know how to communicate well with others. He tended to stay near Malta whenever possible and seldom spoke to anyone outside the family. Once he felt comfortable with someone though, Para became an enthusiastic and eager to learn little pup, much like Malta was at his age. As he grew older, some of the shyness faded although Para still get's uncomfortable in crowds and can be very obsessive over things.
Paragon and Balto get along quite well. Paragon is one of the few friends Balto would think of himself as having. While very shy when he first met Balto, Paragon later opened up and would often race alongside Balto as Balto tried to get faster and win against the RPW so close to him in age. Balto would try to outsmart the RPW, and still enjoys racing the wolf whenever he visits.
Acquaintances, Friends, and Enemies:Rema(Belongs to
Simonpet)
AcquaintanceSimonpet wrote:Rema likes spending time with her friends, although feels little obligation to them. She would much rather spend time outside than inside "just talking. She feels that unless you are tired and/or ill, relaxing is a waste of time and a waste of life.
Balto doesn't like Rema's aloof personality when it comes to those she's close with. Sometimes, you need to slow down and take a break and talk. Sometimes it's healthy to do that - and while Balto realizes this, it's something Rema clearly hasn't come to terms with. Balto doesn't hate Rema or count her to be an enemy - he just doesn't have a very good opinion of her, and if he has the choice, he would rather not be around her.
Dustin(Belongs to
Funsized)
AcquaintanceFunsized wrote:Well Dustin is a pretty techy and nerdy guy, he wears glasses, works as a software designer and while is super fun, doenn't feel the need to interact with most people. He has a select few of friends which he goes out with for a beer at time to time
Balto doesn't always get along with Dustin. Even though he met the RPW shortly after moving out, he never really shared any interests with the RPW. Dustin is a little too techy for Balto's taste. Now, Balto doesn't hate Dustin, and actually likes the wolf a lot! It's just that he merely knows that Dustin exists - he doesn't really share enough things in common to get along extremely well with the wolf.
Uno(Belongs to
Simonpet)
AcquaintanceSimonpet wrote:Uno is pretty chill, the type to have fun-in-the-sun all day. She is also a hard worker, being first of three children.
Balto doesn't really know Uno all that well - he's just met her a couple times. He's never actually sat down and chatted with her, so he doesn't know much about her. All he knows is that she's a hard worker and that she tends to play just as much as she works. Balto admires that about her, and would love to get to know her better in the future.
Mateo(Belongs to
Simonpet)
FriendSimonpet wrote:Mateo is very sweet and sensitive, and is sometimes unsure of himself, especially since he knows that not everyone will view him kindly. However, he is a surivor, and powers through his insicurities. *NOTE: Mateo is mute and cannot speak*
Mateo will usually carry around something he can write with, or he has Uno translate for him as both know sign language. I'm pretty sure that Mateo can make small sounds, although prefers to write.
One of Balto's few friends is Mateo. Mateo is a sweetie - even more-so than Balto - and Balto is somewhat protective of the younger wolf. Balto does his best to help Mateo out whenever he can - but most of the time, he just sits and communicates with the young one in a completely different way. While Mateo can't speak, he can make odd little sounds, and can also write with a pen and paper. Balto has learned what these grunts mean, though he usually just opts to read what Mateo has written. He can communicate very easily with the RPW.
History:The pup's eyes opened to the dimly-lit cave. He heard a sound, barely above a whisper in his ear.
"You shall be called Balto. Be safe, my son. I am sorry for what you must go through...but I cannot keep such a burden as you."
He felt a brush of fur against his nose, and sneezed from the tickling sensation. He looked up at a pale wolf who padded off into a snowstorm, just outside the cave's opening.
Balto blinked in confusion, looking around the dim cave where he'd always spent his days curled up next to his mother.
Where is she going? he thought, turning his little head sideways as he stared at her paw-prints in the snow. He shrugged, curling up to go back to sleep.
She'll come back later. She always comes back.But she never did.
Balto spent about a week alone in the cave, curled up against the harsh snowstorm that blew heaps of snow into the cave's opening, but never reaching the pup curled against the rock at the very back of the tunnel-like place he'd called his home. The hunger finally got to him, and he managed to find some edible berries just outside the cave's opening which he scarfed down before racing back inside, feeling frozen from head to tail.
Two weeks of eating berries in the horrible snowstorm got old pretty fast. Balto was always hungry, but didn't know how to catch anything. He'd tried to get a mouse that had crept into the cave, seeking shelter from the cold, but couldn't grasp his teeth around it quickly enough - the rodent had raced off into the snow, never to be seen again.
After about a month of waiting, Balto gave up. The snowstorm had finally stopped, and the ground was fresh with the white powdery substance. Balto crept out, surprised at the coldness on his sensitive paws. He decided that he'd walk until he found food, as he'd completely eaten every berry that was remotely close to the cave. He continued to walk all day and all that night until he collapsed from exhaustion the day afterwards, curling up underneath a pine tree for protection. When he woke, he found a yellow blanket tied around his neck. He frowned, not understanding who could have given him such a lovely warm thing. Looking around, he saw his mother's paw-prints, eventually disappearing under the falling snow. He nodded, a determined look on his face. "I know food is around here somewhere," he said with confidence, standing and continuing to walk in the direction he'd started out in.
Later that week, he finally found a town, bustling with strange pale creatures bundled up in odd furs and blankets to keep warm. He saw dogs and other wolves much like himself...but different. They didn't smell the same.
He walked among them, going unnoticed for the most part. He found an alley, and a trashcan. He thought it smelled nice, and curled up to take a nap in the overturned bin, tired from all the walking he'd done.
He awoke to a snarling wolf yanking him out and tossing him into a snowdrift.
Balto squealed in fright, soaring through the air and then digging his way out of the snow, narrowing his eyes and growling at the larger wolf. "What was that for?!"
"Get lost, runt!" snapped the larger one, still snarling at him.
"That's my cave!"
"Well, now it's mine. Get outta here, stupid pup."
Balto stayed, planting his paws to the ground. "Get out of my cave!"
The larger wolf picked him up by the blanket still tied around his neck and threw him as hard as he could.
Balto tumbled through the air, howling as he went head-over-heels. He landed roughly on a patch of ice and slid directly into the middle of one of the few streets the town had.
A car screeched to a halt.
Balto, dazed and confused from all the noise around him and the bright lights shining on his face, suddenly felt very tired. He laid his head down, his vision slowly fading. His body succumbed to sleep.
When he woke, he was in a vet's office - though Balto had no idea where he was. He was slowly being petted by the head vet, who was holding a bottle of milk in her other hand, slowly moving it towards Balto's mouth.
He narrowed his eyes, growled, and tried to bite her hand.
She was too fast, and jerked out of the way, dropping him to the ground.
Taking this as a chance for his escape, Balto padded as fast as his small legs would carry him, trying to get up enough speed to leap out of the only window in the small room: the one in the door. Being the pup that he was, Balto couldn't jump high enough.
The vet laughed at first, and then bent over to pick him up, slipping a muzzle over his face. "Now you won't bite me, will you, puppy?"
He growled in response, trying to yank the thing off of his face but failing miserably.
A week later he was let out for good. The vet's assistants had grown tired of trying to feed him only to get bitten every single time. The only time they could even get him to ingest something was if they set it in a bowl and left it alone for awhile. The pup was simply unable to be trained to like humans, so they accepted their losses and let him loose.
The moment they opened the back door, Balto was out, flying over the snow with ease. After growing stronger in the clinic, he was ready for anything the world threw at him.
Well...anything except a bear.
About two weeks after he'd been let out of the vet's office, he looked for a place he could stay without having to come into contact with the humans again. He looked for months, trying out different things to stay in - he started off in old shoes, but when that proved problematic, he tried trashcans again. When that didn't work out, he tried old boxes and crates...but he always seemed to run into the humans and had many sticky situations. So, he kept looking, trying new options and figuring out what would work best for him. When he was about a year old, he found a cave not too far away from the humans' city, as while he didn't want to be around them, their trash kept him well-fed. The cave was massive - much larger than other caves he'd looked at. He liked the idea of having more space to spread out in, as he hated cramped quarters. He decided he'd take this cave, as it didn't have a lot of water dripping and it kept him warm in the cold weather.
He curled up to sleep, yawning as he stretched before curling up in a ball and drifting off.
His awakening was a rude one, to say the least.
Balto was awoken by a growling sound, and a shadow blocking out all the sunlight. He then realized he was outside on the cold snow, and had slept through being thrown there. He stood up slowly, opening his eyes as he looked up at the monstrous beast above him. Black fur and red eyes, it snarled at the wolf.
Balto narrowed his eyes and growled back. "Back off, buddy! This is my cave!"
The bear swung its massive paw in Balto's direction, bowling him over. He hit a rock, and promptly blacked out.
When he came to, snow had covered his entire body. He shook the snow off, feeling pain in his right shoulder from where his body had made the impact with the boulder. Glancing over to the cave, he decided he'd try elsewhere for a home. After that point, if he ever even slightly smelled a bear, he went the opposite direction.
After looking for other caves and having no luck, he found an abandoned house far away from the human city. First a bit wary of humans, he quickly found that he was all alone, and had the house to himself. He used the old couch as a bed, though it was falling apart at the seams and stuffing was rapidly being lost from the icy winds that blew through the house from the cracked windows. Besides a couch and horribly neglected coffee table, the entire house was devoid of furniture - everything had been taken by looters a long time ago. Balto decided he'd stay there for as long as he needed to, and made himself at home, using the blanket he'd always carried around with him as an actual blanket, sliding under it to keep warm every night. He eventually figured out a way to block the wind, too - after scrounging about outside one day, he'd stumbled on a rather large pile of wood. He carried each piece back to the house and built up a tower of wood, blocking the wind from coming in through the cracked windows.
About a year after living at the house, traipsing back and forth between it and the city getting food from begging the humans and knocking over trashcans, Balto met his first bird. The raven swooped into the house where Balto was padding along the kitchen floor, deep in thought. The black bird startled him, and he growled at it as it landed less than three feet away from him. "What do YOU want? And what ARE you, anyway?"
"I am Isabella, a simple raven."
"What do you want?"
"It is cold outside, dear one. I need shelter for a few days."
"In return for what? Why should I help you, anyway?"
"Because I need someone who is willing to help me. What is your name?"
"My mother called me Balto."
"Lovely name, dear one."
He growled, his ears flat against his skull. "In return for me letting you use my home, what will you give me?"
"I can teach you how to speak English."
"What am I speaking right now, then, Isabella?" he spat, still angry at the bird for interrupting his thoughts.
"Native American. Not sure which dialect. Hm....let me think...can you understand what the humans speak in that little town over there?"
"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, can you understand the animals that live there, both the pets and the wild ones?"
"Well, yes - can't you?"
"Have you had any trouble understanding anyone from this region, be they human or animal?"
"Other than the bear that attacked me last year, I've been able to understand everything. Why? What's with all the questions?"
"You can speak all kinds of Native American, then!" the raven crowed with delight. "There are many different types of people and animals that live here, and all speak a different type of Native American. My, you're very smart for a wolf!"
He growled. "Unless you're going to do something productive to earn your stay here, you can get out right now."
"Fine, fine. Allow me to teach you English."
And he did. Balto learned English from the raven, who later left for the summer months. She came back every year, teaching him more and more about the language. Balto was a fast learner, and he picked up the language easily. The last year Isabella stopped by again, she brought a robin with her. "Balto? I'd like you to meet my friend Phillipe. He speaks French, which I'm learning. I thought perhaps you'd like to learn some, as well."
"Certainly," Balto said, smiling as he rose and greeted the newcomer.
Balto learned very little of French, as Phillipe was not a good teacher. Not long after meeting the wolf, Phillipe excused himself and flitted off, leaving Isabella and Balto alone. "My friend, this will be the last time I see you. I have found a mate, and will be laying eggs soon. It has been a pleasure being in your company. Would you promise me something, dear one?"
"Of course," Balto said, feeling sad that the only friend he'd ever had was about to leave him...much like his mother had done all those years ago.
"Go out and try to greet those in the human city. Perhaps they'll have changed their mind about you."
He frowned. "Fine. I shall try for you, Isabella."
"Good." She flitted for a moment, perched on his head, and smiled down into his face, her head upside down. "You be good now, you hear?"
"I'll try my best."
"Good boy." She smiled as she leapt into the air. "Goodbye, my friend."
"Goodbye," he said, watching her flit out the permanently-open door, rusted from the weather.
Moments later, she returned, an old hat in her claws. She dropped it onto his head. "Almost forgot," she said, giggling, "about your going-away gift. I wanted to give you something to remember me by. The humans call it a 'musher's hat.' Apparently it's a hat that only people called mushers wear. Go figure." She shrugged, landing on the couch to look at Balto. "Now, I suppose I'm off for good. I hope that hat keeps you warm."
"Wait just a minute! Where did you get this?"
She paused before leaping off of the couch and flitting into the air. "I filched it."
"You what?"
"I stole it. I mean, not really - it was just lying in the road, and no one looked to be using it, so I grabbed it and flew off."
Balto nodded, smiling at his mischievous friend. "I see."
"Well, goodbye, dear one. I shall miss you." With a wink of her eyes and a flick of her tail, she said one final sentence before soaring through the door for the final time. "Perhaps we'll see each other again."
"Goodbye, Isabella!" He padded out into the snow, watching her black silhouette disappear into the pale grey sky. A tear rolled down his cheek. "Goodbye."
Balto tried only once to make friends at the human town. After failing, he decided he'd stay on his own. He'd rather be lonely than picked on, after all. He spent years in isolation, only going out when he needed food or water. Through his loneliness, he learned how to fend for himself, and how to hunt. The first thing he caught was a rabbit, after he'd raced after it past trees and over hills of snow for at least half an hour. He became more accurate and quicker every time he went out to hunt, honing his skills so that he'd have more time to do something he actually enjoyed. His favorite thing to do was run. He'd run through the snow-covered forest, leaping over fallen logs and skidding under suspended branches. His legs would pump up and down, his sides heaving in gasps of ice-cold air. Running was something that always made him feel as if he really had a purpose - as if he wasn't just meant to be alone without any meaning to his life. He wanted to be stronger and faster than anyone he'd come across, mainly so he could at least have a shot at getting away from them, should he not want to fight. Shortly after entering his teen years, his energy increased and he was able to run for almost twice the time he'd been able to before. He became smarter, able to hone his thought processes to focus on one specific task, such as leaping higher than the rabbits he watched, or racing faster than the deer he observed. From doing this, he became physically-fit very early-on in his life...but his hygiene suffered, as he hated to take baths and truly didn't care how his fur looked.
It was in this state that he met Malta, the dog that would forever change his life.
One day he was tracking a particularly hard-to-obtain rabbit for dinner. This creature must have been extremely intelligent, because it kept leading Balto in circles. Finally, Balto thought he'd cornered it. He was so far away from his home that he wasn't sure where he was, but, being the stubborn wolf that he was, he refused to turn back without that rabbit. He thought he'd cornered it to a brick wall, pounced, and got a mouthful of snow. He spat it out, realizing that the rabbit had just been there, but raced off seconds before. He'd just missed his final attempt at catching dinner...and in the growing darkness, he knew he'd be safer going without one small meal than trying to track it down again. Before he turned around, he heard a sound coming from over the wall.
Intrigued by the odd sound he couldn't place, Balto bunched up his legs and leapt, easily clearing the low wall.
On the other side of the wall, he found he was in someone's backyard.
Great, he thought crossly.
This is just great. Let's hope a human doesn't live here, or I'll have to bite it to get it away from me. Ugh. Why did I decide to do this? Suddenly, a light flicked on, shining into the yard.
Balto froze.
Dang-it! he thought, trying to slow his breathing so as to focus better on a way to get out of the yard without having to attack anyone.
A pale brown wolf with a curled tail and flopped ears trotted out into the snow slowly, a smile on his face. "Hello there. May I help you?"
"Just passin' through. Was tryin' to catch a rabbit."
"Ah, you're hungry. Please, come in! I'll make up another plate of food."
Balto frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Come in. I'll get you some food." He smiled warmly.
His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And why should I believe that you're not going to hurt me?"
"I suppose you'll just have to take a chance. Oh, my name is Malta, if you were wondering. I'm sure you'll tell me your name in time." The wolf turned and walked back in the house, leaving the light on and the sliding door open.
Balto rolled his eyes, turning to leap back over the wall. Something stopped him, though. A simple thought drifted into his mind, and he couldn't shake it. It kept repeating itself over and over, demanding to be heard.
One night won't hurt. Eat his food and move on. It's one less thing for you to have to worry about catching. Sighing from the incessant thought, he succumbed to the pressure building inside his head and turned, trotting through the door into the brightly-lit room.
Balto decided to stay with Malta until his adult years, when he figured he'd venture out to try to find some of his family members. Malta had graciously done some digging around and had found a very small list of wolves that might have been related to Balto. He'd given it to the wolf as his going-away gift, along with a scarf. Malta smiled at Balto affectionately, slipping the bright orange scarf over his head. "Now, you be safe, you hear?"
Balto smiled, leaning his head against the smaller wolf's. "Of course, Malta. I'll be back to visit before you know it!"
The smaller wolf nodded.
Balto took a step back and looked into the curly-tailed RPW's eyes. "Thank you so much for all that you've done for me, Malta. I'm a changed wolf."
"And you better stay that way!" he joked, laughing.
"I promise," Balto said, smiling as he gently bopped his adoptive father in the nose. "I'll be back soon - there's no need to worry. Though, knowing you...you'll worry."
Malta looked to the ground. "I'll paint to keep myself occupied."
Balto smiled again. After one final hug goodbye, he turned and trotted out the doorway, hiding the tears welling up in his eyes. He cleared the brick wall just as easily as he had all those years ago. Landing on the other side, he shook his head, making sure his hat was on tightly and the scarf was snug around his neck. Casting one final glance back at the wall, he sniffled, whispering, "I promise I won't ever leave you for good, Malta. You're the only dad I've ever had."
And with a flick of his tail and a narrowing of his eyes, the determined wolf set out, looking at the first name on the list to see which RPW he'd be in search of first. "Riven," he murmured. "That's a nice name." And with that, he set off into the cold, snowy weather, promising himself that he'd be back to his family soon...perhaps with more members tagging along behind him.
Extra Art:
By me (booklove789).
By me (booklover789).
By
fauxfawn.
Made by me (booklover789) using the
Mega Anime Avatar Creator on Doll Divine.
Notes:1. I asked Vox Nihili for permission to make Balto a male.
2. I did research on the real-life Balto and what he did for his sled team.3. I re-watched "Balto" in preparation to do the best I possibly could in this form.4. I have permission from vixen, Dippingsauce, Sentoki, Shironeki., Ittam, Krist Fullmetal, Helsing, Simonpet, Cojinxleafbelle, and Funsized to use their RPWs and/or information in my form.
