“We’ll be fine,” Toklo asserted. “The wolves won’t bother us as long as we stay out of their way. Lusa, you take the first watch tonight.”

Kallik guessed that the brown bear didn’t believe what he was saying; the worry in his eyes, and his precaution in setting a watch, told another story. But there was no point in challenging him. Arguing among themselves wouldn’t drive the wolves away.

And I have more to worry about than wolves, she said to herself, peering closely at Yakone. Dread stirred deep inside her; she was afraid that the time would come when Yakone would lie completely unmoving, and nothing she could do would rouse him from the sleep of death.

I’d do anything to help him! But what can we do, if the right kinds of herbs don’t grow in this forest? Lusa had tried her best, but she couldn’t make healing herbs appear out of thin air. And we don’t get much of a chance to search when we have to keep moving.

“I’m so sorry, Yakone,” Kallik whispered.

After a while, she sank into sleep. She dreamed that she was back at the Melting Sea, with ice stretching all around her, gleaming in the frosty light of a full moon. Yakone lay beside her, deep in sleep.

Kallik bent over him and prodded his shoulder with one paw. “Yakone, wake up! We’re home!”

But Yakone never moved, and Kallik realized that he was still hot and feverish. The wound in his paw looked black against the silver ice.

Kallik straightened up and gazed around her as if there might be someone to help in the white wastes. Almost a skylength away she spotted two white she-bears approaching; as they drew nearer she recognized them.

“Nisa! Nanuk!” she cried.

Joy flooded through Kallik as she bounded forward to meet the she-bears. Memories flashed through her mind of how her mother Nisa had died saving her from the orca. Nanuk had taken care of Kallik in the giant den of lost bears, and calmed her fears when they were trapped inside the no-claws’ clattering metal bird. She had died when the metal bird had plummeted from the sky.

These bears are both so dear to me, Kallik thought. I owe my life to both of them.

Reaching the two she-bears, Kallik pressed herself up against her mother’s chest. “It’s so good to see you!” she exclaimed. “And you, Nanuk! I’ve missed you so much.”

“And we have missed you, dear one,” Nisa replied, nuzzling her snout into Kallik’s shoulder.

“Are you here to help me?” Kallik asked, remembering Yakone. “I think . . . I think my friend will die if I can’t do something to heal him.”