Stories

In the serene snow-covered landscape of Finnish Lapland, the annual midwinter sled dog race was fast approaching. It was one of the most anticipated events of the year, drawing teams from across the region to compete in a grueling test of endurance and strength. Kara, had prepared her team of Huskies meticulously, knowing the harsh northern terrain and unpredictable weather would challenge even the best.

Lumi, a small but fiercely determined Lapinkoira, lived at Kara’s kennel and had watched the training with wide, eager eyes. While the Huskies practiced, bounding through the snow with their strong legs and muscular bodies, Lumi would run along the side, trying to keep pace.

“Look at me! I can do it!” Lumi would bark excitedly to the other dogs as she sprinted alongside the racing team during training runs. She was fast, nimble, and knew the land by heart—her ancestry tied her deeply to the wilderness. But no matter how hard she tried, Kara never allowed her to be part of the team.

“You’re too small, Lumi,” Kara would say with a gentle smile, ruffling Lumi’s brindle gray-black coat. “The race is too dangerous for a dog like you.”

Each time Lumi was left behind, she felt a pang of disappointment. She loved her Huskies companions—big, powerful, and proud—but she longed to prove that she was just as capable.

“I’m strong, too!” she would tell herself as she watched Kara harness the team, feeling her heart hurt with determination.

Every day, Lumi tried to show Kara her worth, weaving through the snowdrifts with agility, offering her help wherever she could. She pulled branches and sticks to clear the training trail, nipped at stray ropes, and even guided the larger dogs back when they strayed too far.

The Huskies admired her speed and intelligence, but they, too, knew Kara's decision was final. Lumi, after all, wasn’t built for long-distance mushing.

But the little Lapinkoira’s resolve never wavered. She spent every night dreaming of running in the race, of feeling the wind in her fur and the rush of adventure at her paws. “I belong with them,” Lumi thought as she curled up in her bed, gazing out at the northern sky. "One day, I’ll show them."

---

The race day dawned clear and cold, the kind of crisp morning where the snow sparkled like crushed diamonds underfoot. Lumi paced along the edge of the trail, watching Kara and her team of powerful huskies prepare for the race. The excitement was contagious; the huskies barked and howled, tugging eagerly at their harnesses, their breaths rising like clouds in the frigid air.

Kara, dressed warmly in her traditional coat, moved with the precision of someone who had done this many times before.

“Stay here, Lumi,” Kara said as she finished preparing the sled. “This is too tough for you, little one. I don’t want you getting hurt."

Lumi sighed and lay down near the start line, her ears drooping. But just as the race was about to begin, there was a commotion in the team. Nukka, a large and powerful Husky running in team, had tangled his harness in his excitement, the lines twisting and pulling the other dogs off-balance.

The dogs barked and growled, frustrated by the delay until finally, the excitement became too much for them. They lunged forward prematurely, tangling the lines and twisting themselves into a confused heap of fur, harnesses, and sled gear.

Kara groaned, realizing the mess. The seconds ticked by, and the start of the race drew closer. There wasn’t time to fix everything before the race began—she needed help.

That’s when Lumi sprang into action.

“Lumi! No!” Kara called, surprised, but before she could stop her, Lumi jumped into the middle of the team. With quick, nimble movements, she darted around the huskies, tugging at the lines, slipping under the harnesses, gently (or when needed not quite so gently) pushing the dogs into position, and using her teeth to pull the knots loose.

She moved with the grace of a dog who knew her trade, her paws light on the snow, her instincts sharp. The huskies seemed to calm under her touch as she untangled them, knowing she was there to help.

 Within barely a minute, Lumi had freed the last of the tangle.

The other mushers watched in awe, and Kara was left speechless. She knelt beside Lumi, her eyes softening. “You really do have a way with the dogs, don’t you?” she said with a smile. “Alright, little one. You’ve earned your place today. You can run beside the sled... but only for the start. Just to the edge of town."

Lumi’s heart leapt with joy. She let out a soft, grateful bark and fell into place beside the huskies, her paws treading the snow with a newfound purpose.

The signal sounded just as it started snowing, and the sled teams launched into motion. Snow kicked up behind them as they sped off, slicing through the frozen wilderness.

Lumi ran alongside the team, her small paws barely touching the snow as she kept pace beside the powerful Huskies. The thrill of the start washed over her, the sound of the sled runners slicing through the snow, the huskies’ synchronized strides, and Kara’s encouraging shouts.

The snow began to fall harder as they left town, and Kara called to Lumi. "All right, Lumi, time to head back now!" She motioned, expecting Lumi to peel off.

But Lumi ignored her, her eyes fixed ahead. She could sense something in the air, a shift, a gathering storm. She knew Kara would need her—though she couldn’t explain how she knew. She simply felt it.

Kara sighed, exasperated but amused. "Fine. Just a little longer," she muttered under her breath, casting a glance at her little shadow.

The race was long and arduous, taking them over icy rivers, through dense forests, and across the vast, open tundra. Lumi stayed beside the lead dogs, her knowledge of the land guiding them through the treacherous terrain. Kara glanced down at her several times in surprise and admiration, realizing just how capable this little dog truly was.

But as the day neared its end and the team neared the final stretch, dark clouds rolled in from the horizon, and the wind began to howl. Snow fell heavily, quickly turning into a blizzard. Kara urged the team to press on, but the storm was relentless, reducing visibility to near zero.

They pressed onward as the snow thickened, swirling around them in a blinding flurry. The world became a blur of white, and soon, Kara could barely see the trail markers. The team was slowing, their breaths heavy, when suddenly, the sled hit an unseen rock buried beneath the snow. With a jerk, Kara was thrown from the sled, landing with a muffled thud in the deep snow.

Lumi barked helplessly as the sled and huskies charged forward, unaware they’d left their musher behind.

Kara struggled to her feet, shouting, "Whoa! Stop! Come back!", but her voice was lost in the howling wind. The storm was upon them now, and her team was disappearing into the white void.

Lumi rushed to Kara’s side, nudging her anxiously. "Lumi… I can’t see them," Kara murmured, her voice shaky. "They’re… they’re gone."

Lumi looked back at the huskies’ rapidly fading tracks in the snow, then turned to Kara with a determined gleam in her eyes.

Kara knelt down, pulling her close. "All right, girl. You’re my only hope now."

Without a moment’s hesitation, Lumi sniffed the ground, finding the huskies' scent beneath the snow. It was faint, mixed with other tracks—perhaps the trails of wild animals, crisscrossing the path. Lumi wasn’t sure what creatures had passed here, but their tracks seemed to dance along the route, winding in and out as if guiding her.

"Do you know where to go?" Kara whispered, clinging to her as the storm raged around them.

Lumi barked in response, setting off with Kara stumbling behind her. She moved swiftly, her nose close to the ground, following the huskies' fading scent.
Hours passed, and the snow only thickened, but Lumi pressed on, her determination unyielding.

Finally, through the storm, she spotted the distant shapes of Kara’s team, huddled together for warmth, lost and frightened.

"Lumi!" Nukka, called out, his voice muffled in the snow. "Is that you?"
"It’s me!" Lumi barked, trotting over with a wagging tail. "I found Kara! She’s right behind me."

Relief spread through the group as Kara stumbled into view, dropping to her knees beside her team. She started to untangle them, murmuring words of comfort as they nuzzled her.

"We’re going to be okay," she whispered, glancing gratefully at Lumi. "Thanks to you."

Lumi finally lay down on the ground, trembling with exhaustion.

"We need to keep them warm," Nukka barked to the huskies, his voice firm. "Stay close together. The storm will pass."

The huskies instantly formed a tight circle with Kara at their center, Lumi curled up beside her, sharing her warmth as the blizzard howled through the night. The snow piled around them, creating a natural shelter, and they drifted into a restless sleep.

---

When the storm finally subsided in the early morning, the first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a soft glow over the snow-covered landscape. Lumi was the first to stir, sniffing the air. She nudged Kara awake, who blinked groggily and rubbed her eyes.

Lumi stood up and stretched, shaking the snow from her fur. “We made it through the night,” she said softly to the Huskies. “Now let’s get Kara back to the trail.”

With Kara regaining strength and the Huskies ready to pull the sled once again, Lumi led the way back to the race trail. The storm had wiped out many of the markers, but Lumi’s nose unerringly guided them through the wilderness.

After several hours of trudging through deep snowdrifts, they finally spotted the finish line in the distance.

As they approached, the crowd that had gathered let out a collective gasp of relief and excitement. They had been waiting anxiously, fearing that Kara and her team were lost forever in the storm.
The other mushers had all finished the race the day before, but the crowd stayed, knowing one team was still out there.

When Kara and her dogs crossed the finish line, cheers erupted. Kara, now fully awake and smiling despite the exhaustion, waved to the crowd. She looked down at Lumi, her eyes shining with gratitude. “You saved us, Lumi. You saved me,” she whispered, kneeling down to hug the little dog.

The race officials announced them as the Red Lantern Team, honoring their perseverance and courage for finishing the race despite the storm. But for Lumi, the real victory was proving that no matter her size, she was just as brave and strong as any sled dog.

As they celebrated with the other mushers, Lumi lay beside Kara, her heart full. She had finally run with the team, and she had earned her place among them. The bond she shared with Kara and the Huskies was stronger than ever, forged in the snow and the storm.

And as the northern lights shimmered across the sky that night, Lumi knew this was only the beginning of her adventures.