Lusa huffed out a long breath. “You know the bear who Maniitok called Old Grizzly? Well, Toklo and I helped him fight off some wolves, and Toklo remembered that back when he and Tobi were cubs, Old Grizzly drove them and their mother out of his territory.”

“That’s terrible!” Kallik gasped.

“But that’s not all,” Lusa went on. “Toklo went to fight Chogan—that’s Old Grizzly’s name—and challenged him about what he did, and it turns out that Chogan is Toklo’s father.”

Kallik exchanged an astonished glance with Yakone. She was too stunned to speak.

“Toklo is still very angry with Chogan for driving them out,” Lusa said. “I suppose he’ll stay here in the forest because it’s where he was born, but he doesn’t seem settled or happy.”

Kallik knew how much Toklo had dreamed of returning to his own forest and carving out a territory there. She felt so sorry for him that his dreams had been tainted like this. “Is there anything we can do?” she asked.

Lusa’s eyes darkened. “Well, there is one thing. . . . I’ve had an idea! And there are more bears than just Toklo who’d thank us for it.”

Yakone tipped his head to one side. “What do you mean?”

Lusa braced her shoulders. “We have to find a way to get rid of the wolves!”

Chapter Twenty-Two - Lusa

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Lusa

Lusa felt warm with relief as she led Kallik and Yakone through the darkening forest to the vine thicket. It’s going to be pretty cramped with all four of us, she thought, but at least we’re together again. And Toklo will be so pleased to see them!

“Toklo!” she called as they padded up to the den. “Come see who’s here!”

Toklo pushed his way into the open, then halted, staring, as he spotted Kallik and Yakone. “What are you doing here?” he asked gruffly. “Are you on your way to the Melting Sea?”

Lusa was shocked that he sounded so unwelcoming. “Toklo!” she began, but the brown bear cut her off with a glare.

“We’ve said good-bye already,” he muttered, turning away.

Lusa felt a stab of sympathy. Did Toklo think he was about to lose the white bears all over again?

“Actually, we’re going to the Endless Ice,” Kallik corrected him. “And on the way we’ll take Lusa to Great Bear Lake.”

Toklo gave a grunt of surprise. “I see you’ve all made your plans.”

“You’ve found your home,” Lusa pointed out. “Now we have to find ours.” She stepped forward and rested her muzzle against his shoulder. “But not yet. Not until you feel this is truly your home.”

Toklo looked startled, then glanced around at his friends. “I don’t know if I can stay here,” he admitted. “It isn’t what I expected.”