Two sunrises had passed since Lusa had forced Yakone out of the den. Since then he had hardly stopped practicing with his changed paw.

Thank the spirits! Kallik thought. And thank you, Lusa.

“I need to work on turning,” Yakone said, halting beside Kallik. He sounded worried, as though he didn’t realize how much he was improving. “I can’t put as much weight on this paw as I used to. It’s making me clumsy and slowing me down.”

Kallik nodded. “Why not try running in a circle . . . say, around a tree? That way you’re turning all the time.”

“Great idea!” Yakone’s belly rumbled. “All this exercise is making me hungry.”

He limped away toward a pine tree with a clear space around it. Kallik was glad Yakone had his appetite back. She had been relieved when he had started to eat again, as if he knew he couldn’t expect to carry himself around when he was half-starved. Now he was starting to fill out under his loose fur.

Yakone hobbled several times around the tree, and Kallik noticed how his gait had changed; he was taking smaller pawsteps and seemed reluctant to put the maimed paw to the ground, while his hind legs stayed slightly bent, as though they were taking more weight.

At last he stopped and flopped down, sticking his injured leg out to one side. “Stupid paw,” he muttered. “It won’t do what I want it to do.”

Kallik padded up to him and pressed her snout into his shoulder. “Give it time.”

Yakone let out an irritable snort. “Time! That’s what we don’t have. How can I hunt, or fight a pack of wolves or a hostile bear when I’m in this state? What kind of bear am I going to be?”

Letting out a soothing rumble from deep within her chest, Kallik sat beside him. “You won’t know until you try. But trust me, you’re still a big, scary bear.”

“Ha! I wouldn’t scare a mouse like this.”

“Why don’t we try something else?” Kallik suggested, anxious not to let Yakone slip back into depression. “You haven’t practiced jumping yet.”

“Jumping?” Yakone huffed out a breath. “I’m not sure I’ll ever jump again.”

“Of course you will,” Kallik reassured him. Traveling will be impossible if he can’t jump. “Look, there’s a fallen tree branch over there. See if you can get over that.”

For a moment Kallik was afraid that Yakone would refuse. Then he heaved a long sigh and dragged himself to his paws. “You’re not going to stop nagging, are you?” he asked.

“Nope.” Kallik butted him gently with her head. “That’s what I’m here for.”