The hare streaked across the slope, with Kallik hard on its paws. It wore its brown burn-sky pelt, making it easy to spot against the remaining patches of snow. Kallik had to look harder when it darted onto a stretch of bare rock, so she switched to her forest hunting skills, stalking it slowly until she was close enough to leap and make her kill.

“Good catch, Kallik!” Yakone bounded up to her. His gait was still uneven from his damaged paw, but Kallik could see that he was so much fitter and stronger than before.

The two white bears settled down together to share their prey. Up here on the ridge, Kallik could enjoy the warmth of the sun on her pelt, for the wind was still crisp and cold, and she realized that the snow would never vanish entirely.

As she watched Yakone basking with his eyes half-closed, he let out a grunt, as if he had just decided something. “It’s time to leave,” he said.

Kallik stared at him, her belly lurching with shock. “Really?”

Yakone opened his eyes and met her gaze. “I’m well enough to travel,” he said. “If we stay here, it will just get hotter. There’s no reason not to leave.”

Kallik looked down at her paws. “I suppose . . .”

“This was always our plan, wasn’t it?” Yakone reminded her gently.

Kallik was silent for a moment, struggling with her doubts. Then she looked at Yakone. They had been through so much together—she owed him the truth, even if it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “I don’t know if I want to go back to the Melting Sea,” she confessed in a rush. “I want to see Lusa and Toklo again. I’m not ready to leave them, not when they haven’t found their new homes. Toklo still doesn’t feel comfortable here, and Lusa hasn’t found any more black bears.”

To her astonishment, Yakone nodded. Leaning over, he touched Kallik’s shoulder with his snout. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I was afraid you’d be angry. I’m sorry.”

“And I’m sorry, too,” Yakone responded. “I worried that we were doing the wrong thing by leaving them so soon. I should have talked to you.”

Kallik blinked affectionately at Yakone, happiness warming her like the sunlight. We’ve been honest with each other just in time. “So we’ll go back and find Toklo and Lusa, and help them get settled,” she said.

Yakone looked at her with his head tilted to one side. “And then?”

Kallik hesitated, then remembered this was the time for telling the truth. “I thought we might go back to the Endless Ice, to Star Island.”

Yakone’s eyes shone. “Home!” he exclaimed, then added less certainly, “At least, my home. Are you sure that’s what you want?”