Ahead of them, the BlackPath carried straight on across the river, supported on huge tree trunks of metal. As the bears approached, a firebeast roared up from the other direction, swept over, and vanished into the distance.

‘It’s a long way to walk as well,’ Toklo pointed out. ‘If we were in the middle when a firebeast came along, it would get us for sure.’

‘I’d rather risk that than swim,’ Kallik said, peering down the bank to where the river lapped at the first of the metal supports. ‘I don’t like the smell of that water. I don’t want it on my fur.’

Before Lusa could point out to Toklo that he was outvoted, another firebeast came growling up behind them and drew to a halt a couple of bearlengths away. Its growl sank to a soft purr.

Toklo spun round to face it, his teeth bared in a snarl. ‘What does it want?’ he growled, alarm flaring in his eyes. ‘Is it trying to hunt us?’

Kallik turned toward Lusa, looking scared and anxious; Lusa realised that her friends were expecting her to provide the answers. She was supposed to be the expert here, the one who knew most about flat-faces. But this place was so different from anything she had seen before, and she wasn’t sure she could help them.

‘Get ready to run,’ she said softly, ‘but don’t move unless I tell you.’

She took a cautious pace towards the firebeast, ready for it to leap into fierce, roaring life, but the tone of its quiet purr didn’t change. She half expected its belly to open up to let out flat-faces brandishing firesticks, but that didn’t happen either. Lusa could see only one flat-face inside.

‘You aren’t going to believe this,’ she said, ‘but I think he’s waiting for us to cross.’

‘You’re right, I don’t believe it,’ Toklo grunted. ‘Flat-faces waiting for bears? You’ve got bees in your brain.’

‘I agree with Lusa,’ Kallik said unexpectedly. ‘If the flat-face wanted to hunt us, he would be doing it by now. Lusa, if you think we should cross, I’m willing to give it a try.’

Lusa felt warmed by her friend’s trust in her, knowing how frightened the white bear must be. She was frightened herself, except that somehow she didn’t think that this flat-face meant them any harm. There are kind flat-faces, she told herself. They were kind in the Bear Bowl.

‘OK,’ she said to Kallik. ‘Off you go.’

With another anxious glance at her, the white bear padded along the edge of the BlackPath and set out across the river. Now it would be easy for the firebeast to leap forward and trample her, but it didn’t move.

‘Now you, Toklo,’ Lusa said when Kallik was several bearlengths ahead.