Kallik staggered after her, still dazed. Lusa headed for a huge firebeast that crouched, apparently asleep, beside one of the buildings. She slid behind it, careful not to wake it; Toklo shoved Kallik into the gap and crammed himself in after her.

The loud clanging noise still came from the den behind them. The flat-faces’ pawsteps and shouting grew louder as they spilled out of the den and into the night. Another firebeast swept past, making a high-pitched wailing sound.

‘Oh, Ujurak!’ Kallik whispered. ‘Come and find us, and then we can all get out of here.’

Chapter Thirty-One: Toklo

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:

Toklo

Toklo peered cautiously out from the shelter of the firebeast. Loud noises were still coming from the white building, but for the moment he couldn’t see any flat-faces.

‘We can’t go yet,’ he muttered. ‘We’d better wait until things quieten down, and then we’ll look for Ujurak.’

He tensed as he spotted movement above them. Something with large wings fluttered down from the sky, and a few moments later a small brown bear cub crept out from the shadows, blinking nervously. He spotted Toklo’s head poking out from hiding, and bounded across to him.

‘You found me!’ Ujurak yelped. ‘Oh, it’s so good to see you again!’

Toklo stared at him. Relief flooded through him, making his pelt tingle, coupled with sheer exasperation at Ujurak’s cheerful tone. After all we’ve been through, he turns up as if we’re in the middle of the forest chasing beetles for fun!

‘Get behind here,’ he snapped, reaching out a paw to give Ujurak a cuff around his ear. ‘Do you want the flat-faces to take you away again?’

‘It’s so great that you came to find me!’ Ujurak chattered as he squeezed into the narrow space beside Toklo.

‘Where have you been?’ Toklo growled. ‘The flat-faces almost caught us in there!’

‘I’m sorry,’ Ujurak said. Toklo could see he was trying to look penitent, but his eyes were shining. ‘I was being an owl, looking around this place, and then I saw you come out of the hospital. I’m so glad to see you.’

Kallik and Lusa pressed up to him and thrust their snouts into his fur.

‘Welcome back,’ Kallik murmured.

‘I was scared we’d never find you,’ Lusa confessed.

‘I knew you would! Did you find the little bears I left for you? Did you –’

‘In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in danger, bee-brain,’ Toklo interrupted. ‘There’s no time to stand around. Flat-faces are hunting us.’

Ujurak glanced over his shoulder as a flat-face ran past with a firestick in his hands, never noticing the four bears huddled in the gap between the firebeast and the wall. ‘Oh, these are good flat-faces,’ he assured Toklo. ‘They won’t hurt us.’

‘They’re firing darts at us, Ujurak,’ Toklo pointed out.