Yakone looked up at her. There was pain in his eyes, but his voice was resolutely upbeat as he replied, “I’ll be fine. It’s good to rest, and let the firesnake do the work.” Lusa knew he was trying to be cheerful for her. His eyes half closed, but he forced them open again, as if he was struggling to stay conscious.

Lusa gave him a doubtful look. He’s so brave! Her heart was thudding hard, and she fought the urge to wrap her paws over her eyes and whimper like a scared cub. In all her travels, from the Bear Bowl to the Endless Ice, down to the Melting Sea and then along the River of Lost Bears to the plains, she had never endured anything as terrifying as this journey on the firesnake. The flat segment where they were crouching was open to the sky, with only a narrow metal strip along the sides to keep the pebbles from falling off. They were moving so fast, and so far above the ground, that Lusa felt she might be swept off the firesnake’s back at any moment.

Most frightening of all was when she looked ahead, along the silvery side of the firesnake to its head, then back at its long, long tail, made up of segments piled with more pebbles.

It’s so huge! And what happens if it realizes we’re here? It could flip over and swallow all of us in one mouthful!

Meeting Kallik’s gaze, Lusa could see that her friend shared her fears, though the white bear did her best to hide it.

“Do you think we’re crazy?” Lusa asked in a low voice, hoping not to disturb Yakone, who had closed his eyes again and seemed to be slipping into a troubled sleep. “When did bears ever belong on the back of a firesnake?”

Kallik shrugged. “We didn’t have much choice. It was this, or become prey for coyotes.”

“True.” Lusa shivered at the memory of the slinking, slavering creatures that had tracked them for days, following the scent of Yakone’s blood. “I never want to see another coyote!”

“I just wish I knew where we’re going,” Kallik went on, the tightness in her voice betraying her worry. “Wherever we end up, we need the right kind of herbs to help Yakone.”

Lusa nodded. “Toklo said the firesnake would take us to the mountains. There must be herbs there.”

Glancing over at the brown bear, she saw that he had recovered from the shock of the coyote’s attack and was gazing intently forward at the line of purple mountains that was just visible on the horizon. Lusa could almost taste his impatience.