Author's Website: http://www.geocities.com/callinuk

Disclaimer: Due South and all of its characters belong to Alliance Communications.

Author's Notes: Written as a result of Corrinne's challenge on SergeChat.

Story Notes:

                          THE IDITAROD
                         Hit The Trail
                        by Callie

Diefenbaker took a last look at the navy blue sky; turning his head upwards he sniffed at the air - it smelt cold and clean. It smelt like home, and he yipped in pleasure to himself as he trotted back towards the small hotel on the outskirts of Anchorage.

Trotting past the reception desk, Diefenbaker bounded up the stairs towards their room and the warmth. The door opened with a gentle push of his nose, and he looked back to make sure the door closed behind him.

The room was in darkness and Diefenbaker waited until his eyes adjusted to the dimness before jumping up onto a chair to look down at his pack mates - his friends, his family.

Fast asleep, Ray and Fraser were bundled together under the heavy blankets. Diefenbaker could just make out that they were in their favoured sleeping position - in the centre of the bed, sharing a pillow and wrapped in each other's arms. As usual, Ray's head rested on Fraser's shoulder. Ray murmured in his sleep, and Fraser pulled him closer. Diefenbaker thought they looked peaceful and content, their love for each other seeming to radiate outwards.

Diefenbaker cocked his head to one side gazing down at them fondly for a while longer basking in their contentedness, glad that he was allowed to be a part of it. He grinned to himself as he jumped silently to the floor. Deciding that the wooden floor was too hard, Diefenbaker carefully climbed up onto the bed curling up at the bottom of the bed, his head resting on his paws.

He tried to close his eyes, but was having a hard time containing his excitement - hence the solitary midnight walk where he had gazed up at the bright stars in an effort to calm himself. Casting a quick glance to the top of the bed to make sure he didn't disturb the sleeping men, Diefenbaker shifted slightly to get comfortable. His inner excitement threatened to overwhelm and he was tempted to howl with joy, but knew that Fraser would be angry with him and perhaps even leave him behind as punishment.

He sighed gritting his teeth, but allowed himself a small yip. He glanced sideways, ready to give his excuses, but the two men didn't stir from their peaceful slumber. Diefenbaker closed his eyes wishing that the morning would come sooner.

When dawn broke over Anchorage, the three of them would be preparing to make their way to the start line of the Iditarod. "The last great race on earth," he had lip read Fraser telling Ray.

And Diefenbaker couldn't wait; the three of them had spent the last two years preparing for the race spending hours and hours training their two teams of dogs, bred for their stamina by Fraser's friend Innusiq.

Diefenbaker thoughts turned to each of the dogs picturing in his mind their unique markings and individual characteristics. They were all excellent sled dogs, and he had been allowed to help oversee their training, and knew that they would run well for Fraser and Ray. Diefenbaker had tried not to have favourites as he was proud of each of the dogs, but Mickey - a sturdy light grey husky cross - was his best friend.

Fraser, of course, had named his team after Canadian prime ministers picking them for their strength and stamina. Diefenbaker snorted to himself - being Fraser he had also picked all the same colour, although he had to admit to himself that the sight of fourteen black and white huskies gliding across the snow in perfect harmony was pretty impressive.

Fraser had wanted to help Ray pick his team, but stubborn as ever, his blonde pack mate had insisted on picking his team himself, and had ended up with fourteen mixed coloured dogs, not necessarily picked for their stamina, and all markedly different from the other. Fraser had been horrified when Ray had named his team after Disney characters, but Ray loved the dogs and they, in their turn, loved and respected him.

Diefenbaker smirked to himself as he recalled the look on Fraser's face as Ray told him the name of each dog. But he had to admit that the names fitted the dogs so well, even down to the dog with one green eye, one blue eye and a bent ear that Ray had named Dopey. Despite his name, Dopey and his brother Sneezy made excellent wheelers while Mickey, his best friend, and Cinderella were the swing dogs of Ray's team. The other team dogs, all equally important, were a motley assortment of shapes, sizes and strength, but Diefenbaker was proud to lead the Disney team as he had come to think of them.

That in itself had caused Ray and Fraser to argue loudly one morning as they had been preparing the teams for a training session. Diefenbaker had quietly watched as they shouted and screamed at each other, each wanting the other to have him lead their teams. Bored with their silly argument, Diefenbaker had finally stood up with a sharp bark that had surprisingly silenced both men. He had barked at them again before trotting over to Ray's sled, having reasoned that Ray had the younger, less experienced team, and would therefore need his skills and expertise. Both men had stared at him for a while, but then seemed to accept his choice, and had hugged and kissed each other until he had to remind them why they were out in the cold, and that his dogs were getting impatient waiting.

He was distracted from his thoughts of the dogs as Ray stretched and muttered in his sleep kicking him in the side. "Serves me right," Diefenbaker sighed to himself knowing that his blonde pack mate was a fidgety sleeper, absently wondering how Fraser managed to sleep through the kicks, squirming and mumbling. He shook his head in despair as Ray kicked him again.

Diefenbaker gazed up at Ray in the dimness - despite his muttering and wriggling, his usual vigorous energy was absent, sleep stealing it away until the daylight broke. He knew that, come morning, Ray would be bouncing off the walls with excitement and enthusiasm, his body and mouth in constant motion.

Diefenbaker grinned in the darkness - Fraser would probably send them both out of his way while he, as was his way, prepared himself quietly for the race. He licked his lips anticipating the breakfast he would try to persuade Ray to buy him. But it wasn't just the doughnuts and candy that Diefenbaker loved Ray for, but the inner man himself - his strength, his energy and humour and his love for Fraser. He was glad that Fraser had someone to love, someone who loved him back; Diefenbaker had never seen Fraser looking so happy and content, and thanked his lucky stars every day, counting himself a lucky wolf to be part of their family.

Despite once telling Fraser that he was only city fit, Ray had adapted to the arctic remarkably well. The first year had been hard for him, and Ray had spent over two months seriously ill with bronchial pneumonia, but his inner strength, courage and dogged determination had won through in the end. He had gradually adjusted to his new life - his small garage in their home town, built up from nothing, was extremely successful, and Ray spent long hours repairing all kinds of vehicles from RCMP snow mobiles to dog sleds. Although the cold still bothered him, Ray was now arctic fit, and both he and Fraser were proud of his achievements.

And tomorrow was the culmination of all their hard work - the start of the Iditarod. They would be joining sixty dog teams and their mushers to race across 1149 miles of Alaskan territory, pitting their wits against Mother Nature. Her beauty and her anger would test the teams to their limits as they covered the vast expanse of the tundra. This year, the race would take the southern route from Anchorage through Iditarod towards the coastal towns of Koyuk and Elim and finally into Nome.

Ever sensible, Fraser had insisted that they work out their tactics carefully and well in advance so they could get it absolutely right for both them and their teams. They had practised hard, raced the teams over all kinds of terrain in all kinds of weather, studied maps, watched videos of past Iditarods. Fraser and Ray had both entered and successfully completed other races in order to qualify for the Iditarod. Fraser had planned everything down to the finest detail. So here they were in Anchorage, one RCMP officer, one ex-Chicago detective, a deaf wolf and their two dog teams. They were ready.

Diefenbaker shivered in anticipation. Still not being able to sleep, he jumped off the bed heading towards the window. Pressing his nose against the coolness of the glass, he gazed up again at the stars - they would be seeing a lot of the twinkling beacons as they raced across the rugged terrain. Forcing himself away from the window, he flopped down on the floor, his nose resting on his paws. Diefenbaker closed his eyes - he snuffled in his sleep as his mind filled with dreams of two dog teams racing side by side across the snowy land.

It was a bitterly cold morning, although the sun was bright. The usually quiet streets of Anchorage were bustling with activity and noise from spectators eager to get a glimpse of the dogs and their mushers. The sound of yapping dogs filled the air as they were harnessed to the sleds, the mushers carrying out last minute preparations.

Diefenbaker had been right - their enthusiasm had gotten on his nerves, and Fraser had sent them both out to breakfast. They were now behind their small hotel preparing the teams for the race. In half an hour, they would join the other starters on the first leg of the Iditarod. Diefenbaker licked his lips as he trotted up and down alongside the Disney dogs - they were restless, fidgeting nearly as much as their musher Ray, who was hopping from one foot to the other with a huge grin on his face.

Diefenbaker stole a quick glance at his other pack mate. Fraser was acting Fraserlike - as usual calm and in control as he checked his own sled and dogs. Diefenbaker could see a teasing smile on his handsome face as he was telling Ray to calm down. Ray stuck his tongue out at Fraser, but his grin remained. Fraser stepped sideways touching Ray's face gently. Bringing his gloved hand up, Ray touched Fraser's hand lightly, and they stood grinning at one another for a while.

Diefenbaker snorted raising his eyes heavenwards - they were so stupidly in love with each other they couldn't resist touching each other at every opportunity. He barked at them, and they both turned sticking their tongues out at him.

Diefenbaker barked again turning his back on them deciding to ignore them both for a while. Mickey barked a question at him, and Diefenbaker turned his attention back to his dogs. They were restless yelping and squealing at each other in their excitement. Diefenbaker sighed in exasperation woofing a command instructing them all to lay down to conserve their energy for the start of the race telling them that there would be plenty of time for yipping and barking later on the trail.

"Giving my team what for?" Ray interrupted him leaning forward. He whined with pleasure as Ray ruffled his head - he liked that. Ray grinned at him. "Come on Dief. Let's get ya sorted out. Up where you belong," Ray said walking towards the head of the team. "In the lead." Diefenbaker thought his chest was going to burst with pride, and he cast a glance towards Fraser. Fraser grinned at him giving him an uncharacteristic thumbs up signal.

As he trotted towards Ray, Diefenbaker woofed to each dog in turn wishing them luck on the trail. He waited patiently as Ray harnessed him into the lead position. He was ready.

Diefenbaker couldn't help it or contain it any longer - lifting his head up towards the blue sky, he howled loud and long. Both Ray and Fraser's dogs joined in and the air was filled with the eerie sound.

In three weeks or less, they would be in Nome having competed in the last great race on earth.

THE END

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