The passage led to another of the slopes; Kallik scrambled up behind Lusa and Toklo, desperate to leave the firestick behind. The passage above was deserted, in spite of the terrible clanging that never stopped.

Kallik’s heart thudded with panic. Ujurak’s scent was stronger here, but she knew they were running out of time. It wouldn’t take long for the flat-faces to track them down inside their own den.

Even if we find Ujurak, how will we get him out?

Then Toklo swerved to one side, throwing himself against one of the inner doors. It burst open; Toklo tumbled into a small den, with Lusa and Kallik hard on his paws.

Ujurak’s bear scent flooded over Kallik; he had been here, and not long before, but a single glance told her that he wasn’t here now.

‘This must have been his den,’ she panted.

‘Yes, look.’ Toklo was standing beside the bed, staring down at something small and dark on the rumpled white coverings.

Drawing closer, Kallik saw that it was yet another wooden carving, this time of a brown bear. Her heart cried out with frustration as her gaze met Toklo’s. We’ve only just missed him! Ujurak, where are you?

Lusa padded over to the gap in the wall and looked out. ‘This is what we saw from outside,’ she reported. ‘I can see the cans – there’s the one we tipped over. Ujurak must have gone out this way just before we came.’

Kallik followed her friend to the window and stuck her head out. ‘It’s a long drop,’ she murmured doubtfully.

‘It’s all right for Ujurak,’ Toklo complained, coming up behind her. ‘He can fly.’

‘Not if he’s a bear,’ Lusa said. ‘Or a flat-face.’

For a few moments their discoveries had made them forget about the pursuing flat-faces. Now Kallik jumped as she heard pawsteps thundering down the passage, getting closer and closer.

‘Go!’ Toklo bellowed. ‘Jump on to one of the cans!’

He shoved Lusa hard from behind, so that she tottered on the ledge outside for a moment, then half fell, half jumped on to the nearest can, then to the ground outside. Toklo scrambled up and leaped out after her. Kallik followed, hesitating at the sight of the drop until she heard a flat-face burst into the room behind her. As she launched herself through the gap a firestick cracked out, and the dart whizzed past her ear.

Slipping from the top of the can and hitting the ground hard, Kallik lay winded for a moment, until Toklo shouldered her to her paws.

‘Move,’ he growled, pushing her forward and limping after her. ‘They’ll find us if we stay here.’

Lusa was bounding away, but she stopped after a few bearlengths and looked back. ‘Quick!’ she urged. ‘We’ve got to hide.’