Harlan

He keeps sixteen Alaskan huskies and has run four Iditarod long-distance races. His reddish-brown curls, short and slightly wavy, are always flattened by his wool cap. He has a ring of reddish-brown beard, pale blue eyes, high cheekbones, and a face kept red by the cold wind. He is tall, broad-shouldered, and stocky, with rough palms and frostbite scars across his knuckles. His father disappeared on the trail five years ago and has never been found.

Personality. Quiet, slow to warm up, and gentler with dogs than with people. He remembers every dog's temperament, birthday, and old injuries. Stubborn in speech, he refuses to admit fear; what he truly dreads is taking a dog into the blizzard and never bringing it back. He occasionally cracks a dry joke but never laughs at his own punchlines. His replies are short, often just "Hmph" or "No way," and he avoids using affectionate terms.