Chogan lay still, his chest heaving as he panted. Toklo knew that he could kill Chogan now and take his territory. Instead, after a moment, he stepped back. “Get up,” he ordered.

It took effort for Chogan to rise to his paws. His head lowered, he gave Toklo a look full of the bitterness of defeat. “Aren’t you going to kill me?” he hissed.

Toklo shook his head. “No. For now, you can stay on your territory,” he said. The certainty of what he would do had only just occurred to him. “Remember, though, that I’m getting bigger and stronger, while you’re only growing older and weaker. I’m going away for a while, but I’ll be back before snow-sky, and when I return, I’ll claim this territory as my own.”

Chogan snorted. “If you try, I’ll fight you again.”

“Then I’ll beat you again,” Toklo replied.

With a last look at Chogan, Toklo turned and padded away. He had no fear that his father would attack him from behind. He was thoroughly beaten. This will be my home one day, Toklo told himself. Chogan has had his time, and now it’s my turn.

When Toklo returned to the den, he found his three friends waiting anxiously for him.

“Where have you been?” Kallik demanded. “We were about to go looking for you.”

“And look at the state you’re in!” Lusa exclaimed. “There aren’t still wolves around, are there?”

Toklo shook his head. “I’ve been fighting Chogan,” he told them.

Yakone gave a reluctant nod of understanding. “I suppose you had to.”

“He really hurt you!” Lusa said, still trying to understand that some kin-bears just weren’t meant to get along.

Toklo huffed out a long breath and flopped down among the vines. “Yeah, well, I hurt him, too. And I won.”

“Does that mean you’ll be taking over his territory now?” Kallik asked.

Toklo shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Why not?” Lusa asked as she bustled up with a mouthful of herbs for Toklo’s wounds. “Isn’t that what you wanted all along?”

“It’s still what I want,” Toklo agreed. “But I can wait. First, I want to come with you to Great Bear Lake.” Raising his voice over their exclamations of delight, he went on, “Our journey isn’t over. I’ll stay with you until I know you have found black bears you can make a home with, and that Kallik and Yakone will make it back to the Endless Ice with other white bears.”

“Oh, Toklo!” Lusa gazed into his eyes, blinking affectionately. “I’m so glad. I wanted to ask you to come, but I didn’t think you would now that you’ve found your home.”

“My home won’t go away,” Toklo told her. “One day I’ll return for good. And I’ll have you three to thank for getting me back here.”