“Thank you for saving my cubs,” Makya murmured, her eyes clouding with emotion. “Things have been so hard since the wolves came down into the forest. They came early in snow-sky, and even though the weather’s getting warmer now, they don’t seem to want to go back.”

Lusa nodded. “My friend Toklo is really angry that wolves have taken over the forest.”

“Every bear is angry,” Makya agreed. “When we woke up from the longsleep, the wolves had already taken most of the prey. It’s getting harder and harder to find food, and it doesn’t help when new bears arrive,” she added with a growl.

She means us, Lusa thought sadly. “I won’t be staying here much longer,” she said.

Makya paused, seeming to realize she had been tactless. “Well, thank you again for what you did,” she said briskly. “Fala, Flo, we need to be getting back to the den.” She dipped her head to Lusa. “Perhaps we’ll meet again.”

“Yes, come and see us,” Fala invited.

“You can teach us to climb trees!” Flo said excitedly.

“Maybe,” Lusa said, though she wondered whether Makya would want her around.

As she watched the brown bear family head off into the undergrowth, Lusa struggled with a surge of feeling. The wolves are endangering the lives of every bear in the forest. And yet Makya and her cubs still have each other. And Toklo has his father, even though he wants nothing to do with him. Plus, he has Aiyanna. She’s way nicer than Toklo will admit. But I have no one. Where are all the black bears?

Lusa was struck by the memory of playing with black bears in the woodland beside Great Bear Lake. There were more black bears there than I’ve ever seen in my life! They hadn’t all been friendly, but some of them had treated her like family, helping her to learn how to survive in the wild.

Lusa glanced up at the sky. Today the sun was covered by cloud, but when it was shining, it was almost at its highest. It must be nearly the Longest Day, which meant bears would be gathering at Great Bear Lake once more. Excitement flooded through Lusa, and she felt a tug at her paws. If she could find her way back to the lake, she would find the black bears again!

Yes, that’s the answer!

Lusa’s courage wavered for a moment. It was a long, long journey, yet again. But she knew it was what she had to do.

My journey will end only when I find other black bears to live with. And I know where I can do that. . . .

Chapter Twenty-One - Kallik

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Kallik