Still clinging to the tree, she worked her way along to the end, then launched herself at a boulder that was sticking up out of the devastation. From there she scrambled over a few branches and finally reached solid ground beside Yakone. He bent over, grabbed her shoulder, and helped her for the last couple of pawsteps.

“I thought you were dead,” he whispered, his voice shaking.

Kallik’s whole body was one vast ache, but everything seemed to be working. “I’m fine,” she said.

The brown she-bear stepped forward and dipped her head to the white bears. “Thank you,” she said. “If it wasn’t for you, Yas and I would be dead, and Wapi left to fend for himself. I am Izusa,” she added. “I’ll always remember what you did.”

Kallik exchanged an embarrassed glance with Yakone. “It wasn’t anything,” she mumbled.

“You risked your lives for us,” the she-bear went on. “You’re white bears; you didn’t have to do that.”

“The color of your fur doesn’t matter,” Kallik responded. “We would never have left you to die.”

She felt a surge of relief as Yakone pressed himself against her side. “No,” he said. “Bears stick together, whatever happens.”

Chapter Twenty - Lusa

CHAPTER TWENTY

Lusa

Lusa was dozing in the den when she heard pawsteps approaching. She stuck her nose out and saw Toklo coming toward her through the undergrowth. She drew in a horrified breath when she saw how battered and scratched he was.

“What happened?” she barked, scrambling out of the den and bounding to his side. “Was it wolves?” She was shocked at the fury smoldering in Toklo’s eyes as he turned to face her.

“No,” he growled. “It was my father.”

Shock froze Lusa’s paws to the ground. For a moment she could only gape at him. When she spoke, her voice was a strangled squeak. “Your father?”

Toklo nodded. “You remember I told you that Chogan was the bear who drove my family out? I went to confront him about what he’d done.” He spat every word as if he was trying to pour out all his hatred for the big bear. “We fought. I told him I was Oka’s cub, and that’s when he told me he was my father.”

“Who won the fight?” Lusa gasped.

Toklo snorted. “I did.”

Excitement was swelling up inside Lusa. “You thought you had no family left!” she exclaimed.

Toklo fixed Lusa with a long look. “You’re my family,” he said at last. “No one else.”

Lusa felt a pang in her heart, of pity and affection for Toklo. “Go into the den,” she said. “I’ll find some herbs for those scratches.”