Light reflecting from the snow woke Kallik. She poked her nose out from the shelter of the boulders where she had slept curled up beside Yakone, and looked around. Snow-covered slopes swept upward to the ridge, the surface glittering under the rays of the sun. The rocks cast long, blue shadows. Kallik could see there had been a snowfall in the night; her pawprints and Yakone’s had filled up and were barely visible.

Rising to her paws, Kallik ventured out into the open and drew a breath of delight as wind sliced through her pelt. The air was clean and sharp, and high above, no more than a dot in the sky, an eagle was circling. Kallik remembered her panic at the sight of the eagle the day before, and let out a huff of amusement. As she padded forward, Kallik reveled in the crunching of snow underpaw. The sensation was familiar and welcoming, and yet . . . I know this isn’t home. She was too conscious of being high up in the air, instead of on top of a frozen sea. The smells aren’t right . . . and I miss the taste of seal. Then she reflected that this was never meant to be her home. I ought to enjoy it without expecting too much.

As Kallik stood looking back the way they had come, watching the sun burn off the mist and the forest rolling out below, Yakone limped up beside her.

“It’s great up here, isn’t it?” he said. “That was the best sleep I’ve had for moons.”

Kallik nodded. “Yes, it’s wonderful.”

But she couldn’t help glancing into the trees and wondering if Toklo and Lusa were safe. I’m sure I heard wolves last night. . . .

“Let’s explore,” Yakone suggested.

Kallik murmured agreement and led the way in a widening circle around the boulders where they had spent the night, trying to spot likely places for prey, or rocks to hide behind if any hostile creatures attacked.

After a few moments Yakone bounded ahead of Kallik and threw a pawful of snow into her face.

“Hey!” Kallik exclaimed. “I’ll get you for that!”

“Catch me first!” Yakone retorted.

Racing through the snow, Kallik outpaced Yakone and used her hindpaws to shower him with snow. The crystals glittered on his pelt. Kallik drew a deep breath and wondered when the last time was that she had felt so light-hearted. Yakone shook the snow off his pelt and charged toward her, but before he reached her he halted with a yelp of pain, raising his injured paw and swiping his tongue over it.

Kallik’s playful mood vanished. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“I stubbed my paw on a rock,” Yakone explained. “It’s nothing.”

“You’d better rest for a bit,” Kallik said, relieved to see that the wound hadn’t started bleeding again. “Why don’t you go back to the boulders where we slept, and I’ll hunt?”