The healer smiled. ‘Flat-faces? Well, I guess that makes sense. No, little bear. I am the only flat-face here who possesses the spirit of an animal.’

Tiinchuu sat back, examining Ujurak’s face. ‘Why are you here?’ he asked.

Ujurak found that question more difficult to answer; he wasn’t even sure himself. ‘I . . . I hear voices sometimes,’ he stammered. He didn’t feel as if he could tell the healer that he thought the voice belonged to Arcturus; surely even Tiinchuu wouldn’t believe that the mighty star-bear would speak to a brown bear cub.

To his relief, Tiinchuu didn’t ask him where the voices came from. Instead he got up again, went over to the fire, and ladled a thick, delicious-smelling liquid into a bowl.

‘What do the voices tell you?’ he prompted as he returned to the bed.

‘They say . . . they say I should save the wild.’

Tiinchuu let out a long breath, shaking his head. ‘That’s a huge task,’ he murmured.

He sat down, dipped a spoon into the bowl, and began to feed Ujurak. The liquid was hot and comforting, tasting of caribou and herbs. Its warmth spread throughout Ujurak’s body, and he began to feel sleepy again. But he didn’t want to sleep; he wanted to ask some questions of his own, and find out more about where he was and the man who was caring for him.

Maybe it was Arcturus who brought me here.

‘What place is this?’ he managed to say when he had swallowed another mouthful.

‘This is Arctic Village,’ Tiinchuu replied, holding the spoon for Ujurak again. ‘We are the Caribou People. We like to live here among the animals in the Valley of the Caribou. This is the Last Great Wilderness.’

Ujurak was beginning to feel a little stronger and finding it easier to talk. ‘I’ve heard that name before,’ he said. ‘Some . . . someone I met told me about it.’ No need to mention that Qopuk was a bear.

Tiinchuu nodded. ‘The people here – ’ he began, and broke off at the sound of a loud, drawn-out clattering from outside.

Ujurak sat up again, his heart beginning to pound. What’s that? It’s louder than a firebeast!

Tiinchuu calmed him with a hand resting briefly on his shoulder. ‘I have to leave you for a while,’ he said, rising to his feet. ‘You should try to sleep.’

‘Where are you going?’ Ujurak asked.

‘Today the village is expecting visitors from far away,’ the healer replied. ‘And it sounds as if they’ve arrived. I have to go and meet them.’ His tone was grim; Ujurak realised that he wasn’t looking forward to the meeting.

‘Visitors?’ he echoed.

‘There are people who respect our ways,’ Tiinchuu explained. His dark eyes were sombre. ‘But there are others who don’t want the wilderness to stay wild.’

‘What others?’ Ujurak asked hoarsely.