‘He’ll be OK,’ Lusa tried to reassure her. ‘The flat-face healer will know what to do.’

But Kallik couldn’t share Lusa’s optimism, or her confidence in the skill of flat-faces. She had watched Nisa and Nanuk die, even though she would have given anything to save them. Now Ujurak was fighting for his life.

As the bears trudged past the lone flat-face hut where they had first seen the cub, the first drops of rain began to fall; within moments it became a downpour. Wind drove it into their faces; their fur was soaked and the caribou trail they were following became a river of mud.

Toklo let out a growl. ‘This is all we need!’

The rain was bouncing off Ujurak’s unprotected body, plastering his remaining fur close to his head. Kallik clamped her jaws on a howl of distress. She knew that the fragile cub needed warmth and shelter; instead the rain might be washing away his last chance of life. She couldn’t even see if he was breathing any more.

When they finally rounded the last curve of the valley and came within sight of the flat-face denning area, there was no one to be seen.

‘They’re all keeping dry in their dens,’ Kallik murmured.

‘So what do we do with Ujurak?’ Toklo asked. ‘We need to get him into shelter, fast.’

‘That’s where the little cub came out,’ Lusa said, pointing with her snout towards one of the wooden dens. ‘The healer must live there.’

Without replying, Toklo veered from the caribou trail and plodded up to the door of the den. He crouched down; very gently Lusa and Kallik pulled Ujurak off his back and let him lie on the ground in front of the door. Kallik realised that he was still breathing, but his breath seemed shallow and quick.

‘Come on,’ Toklo said, rising to his paws again. ‘Let’s get out of here. We don’t want the flat-faces to spot us.’

He bounded off toward the shelter of a rocky outcrop at the edge of the caribou trail. Lusa raced after him. Before she joined them, Kallik let out a long, low-pitched howl.

‘Help! Our friend is hurt! Come, quickly!’

Then, without looking back, she followed the others. As soon as she reached the rock where the others were hiding, Kallik poked her head out of cover to see what was happening. The door of the flat-face den stayed closed.

‘What if the flat-face isn’t there?’ she whispered to Lusa, who was peering out beside her.

‘He is. He’s got to be!’ The small black bear spat each word out through gritted teeth.

Still there was no movement from inside the den. Pain gripped Kallik’s belly as she saw how small and vulnerable Ujurak looked, huddled on the ground with rain running down his bare, pale skin.

Silaluk! Kallik prayed. Do something, please! Ujurak can’t die!

Chapter Ten: Lusa

CHAPTER TEN: