Yakone brushed his muzzle along her shoulder. “I know. And it’s great that you did that,” he told her. “But you need to trust me now, too.” His voice took on a faint note of challenge. “You’re not the leader, and you’re not on a quest that I’ve just joined. This is our journey home now, equally shared.”

Kallik nodded. “I know.”

“Although,” Yakone went on, his expression lightening as he gave Kallik a friendly shove, “my paw is killing me. Maybe you could do some hunting for us?”

“Sure.”

But the whole mountainside was empty, without the sight or sniff of prey. Neither bear wanted to stray far from the rocky path, so they contented themselves with some green shoots from a bush that grew beside the pool.

Lusa would love these, Kallik thought, with a renewed pang of loss.

“I’m looking forward to hunting on snow again,” Yakone said as he swallowed the last mouthful. “But I suppose it’s too much to hope for a seal up in the mountains!”

The two bears set out again and kept on walking toward the Sky Ridge as the sun slid down the sky. The air grew thinner and colder as they climbed higher, and Kallik could scent snow on the air. She longed to keep going, but when the sun had gone and twilight was gathering, she realized that Yakone was limping more than usual.

“It’s time we stop for the night,” she said, halting and looking around.

Not far away a rocky outcrop jutted from the ground, surrounded by a few scrubby thornbushes. Kallik and Yakone found a sheltered spot in the middle of the rocks and curled up there together. Yakone fell asleep almost at once, but sleep eluded Kallik as she thought of Toklo and Lusa. I hope they’re safe and well fed.

The howling of wolves drifted up from the forest below. Kallik stiffened, then realized they were too far off to be a threat.

“You’d better stay away from Toklo and Lusa,” she muttered.

Kallik slept at last. Cold seeping through her pelt woke her in the pale light of a new dawn. She turned to rouse Yakone, and her heart started to thump faster when she saw she was alone. She sat up, forcing down panic, then heard the sound of pawsteps on the rough ground outside their shelter. A moment later Yakone appeared, squeezing through a gap between two rocks.

“Guess what?” he announced cheerfully. “I can see snow!”