Riki collapsed on the ice and Taro and Jiro ran off into the wilderness to find food for their weakened leader. However, a severe snowstorm separates the three dogs and Riki used what was left of his strength to continue his return journey to the research station. Upon arriving on the outskirts of Showa Base, Riki collapsed on a small hill nearby and thought back to the good memories he had with the Furutachi children, Kuramochi, and the other sled dogs as he lay dying. Meanwhile, during the Third Japanese Antarctic Expedition, before the disembarkation of the team members and unloading of the equipment, Kuramochi was flown out by helicopter to check out the situation of the research station and the abandoned huskies. He found the corpses of seven huskies still chained at the base, but was greatly relieved to discover that eight of the dogs had managed to get loose from their chains. Later that afternoon, Kuramochi discovered the body of Riki covered in snow on the slope of a hill approaching the station. Even though he was surprised to discover that Riki's body was still warm, indicating that Riki had died just a short while before he was found, Kuramochi was devastated and heartbroken at the loss of one of the dogs that saved his life and that he had failed in his promise to bring Riki back alive. News of his discovery reached the people of Japan, including the owners of the eight deceased dogs, who were shocked and grief-stricken upon hearing of the demises of their beloved dogs. The next day after arriving at the base, Kuramochi was preparing to bury his eight comrades when he noticed a dog standing on the summit of a hill many yards away from the base. Kuramochi thought at first that it was Kuma from Furen, but as the dog began moving and was followed closely by a second dog, he discovered that it was actually Taro and Jiro, both of whom had survived more than eleven months in Antarctica. Overjoyed to see his two dogs alive, Kuramochi called out to Taro and Jiro, to which the two dogs began bounding across the snow towards him. At first, Taro and Jiro didn't recognize Kuramochi, but after sniffing one of his gloves, they quickly recognize him and are reunited with the man who loved them both dearly. Kuramochi delivered this wonderful