The Melting Sea (29 page)

Taqqiq padded over to Shila and pressed the side of his face briefly against hers. Shila didn't respond, but Kallik could see uncertainty replacing the challenge in Shila's eyes.

“I will come back,” Taqqiq promised, glancing from Shila to Kallik and back again. He backed away, then turned and began walking quickly in the direction they had first come from.

Kallik glanced at Shila, whose gaze was still fixed on Taqqiq, and wondered unhappily if they could really trust her brother.

I
want
to, but he's such a stranger to me now
.

Standing beside Shila, she watched Taqqiq until he walked out of sight.

The mock battle was drawing to a close. “That was great!” Toklo called. “Remember everything you've learned when Salik turns up, and we'll show them!”

Kallik and Shila padded over to join the bears who were clustering around him; Lusa and the little cubs bounded over to their side.

“This is it,” Toklo announced tersely. “We have to rest and eat well now, and prepare the den for the battle.”

Kallik could sense the apprehension and excitement among the white bears as they exchanged glances, realizing that their great test was just ahead of them.

“I'll
gut
Salik,” Tartok snarled. “And his bears. Or make them run so far and so fast their paws will wear away.”

Toklo nodded. “I don't think any bear will need to worry about Salik after this.”

“About the den,” Sakari put in, gently nudging her excited cubs to one side so that she could approach Toklo. “Salik and his bears will be coming because they want to smash up our BirthDen. So maybe we should rebuild it properly. Otherwise they might guess that things have changed.”

She has a point
, Kallik thought, looking at the tumbledown den. Taqqiq had started to rebuild it, but he hadn't had time to finish. There were still gaps in the walls that let in the wind.

“We'll do that,” Toklo agreed. “It's too bad we can't hide a few fierce bears in there, to jump out and drive Salik and his gang away.”

Sakari shook her head doubtfully. “I can hide in there, but there's not enough room for another full-grown bear.”

“Yes, there is!” Lusa exclaimed, her berry-bright eyes gleaming. “I can fit in there with Sakari.”

Kallik drew in a gasp of dismay. “What are you thinking?” she asked Lusa. “It's far too dangerous! I won't allow it.”

To her surprise, Lusa faced her determinedly. “Kallik, I'm not a cub, and you're not my mother. I've lasted this long. I helped hunt the bison, and I stood up to those two white bears when they attacked Akna's cubs. So why do you think I'll fail now?”

A gust of fear and regret shook Kallik like a storm wind. “I've let too many bad things happen to bears I care about,” she whispered. “I abandoned Taqqiq, and my mother, and Nanuk....”

“No, you didn't.” Lusa's voice was sympathetic but firm. “What happened to them wasn't your fault. And you haven't abandoned me. You've kept me alive!” She hesitated, then went on, “But please, Kallik, don't try to stop me from helping. I can do this.”

Kallik was still uncertain, but glancing at Toklo and Yakone, she saw nothing but admiration for Lusa in their eyes. “All right,” she sighed.

Once that was settled, Sakari and some of the others went to rebuild the den. The rest of the bears went back to training, while Yakone headed off to hunt, and Toklo padded around the area, finding places they could hide.

As night fell, they huddled on the ice. Kallik couldn't sleep and wondered how many of the others were awake, watching the stars as she was.

Ujurak, watch over us now
, she begged silently.

Finally she drifted into sleep; no time at all seemed to have passed before she felt a paw prodding her in the shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Yakone.

“It's time,” he murmured.

It was still dark when Sakari
roused Lusa. The ice shimmered in starlight, and a soft breeze stirred loose snow on the surface.

“Come on,” Sakari said. “We need to hide now.”

As Lusa followed her toward the rebuilt BirthDen, the other bears were rousing around them. Toklo was in the center, directing them.

“Salik and the others should come from that direction,” he began, pointing with one paw. “Olikpok, Nukka, head over there and keep a lookout for them. Warn us when you spot them, but make sure they don't see you.”

The two bears nodded and padded off, side by side. Lusa thought they looked pleased to be chosen for an important job.

“The rest of you, hide,” Toklo went on. “Tartok, I want you up close, ready to defend the BirthDen.”

“Sure.” Tartok headed for a pile of snow and crouched down behind it.

The rest of the bears looked for the deepest grooves in the ice, or for other mounds of snow to hide behind. The mother bear lay flat on the ice while her cubs scraped snow over her.

“What about us?” Tonraq asked eagerly. “Where do we go?”

Lusa felt a stab of anxiety. In the BirthDen with Sakari, waiting for the attack, she wouldn't be able to look after the two little cubs.

“Over there,” Toklo replied, pointing to a distant seal hole. “You're hunting for us today. We'll all be hungry after the battle.”

“Great!” Pakak squealed as the two cubs scampered off across the ice.

Lusa was relieved.
They can't get into too much trouble watching beside a seal hole
.

She followed Sakari into the BirthDen and settled down beside her. Toklo appeared at the entrance, packing snow into the gap, leaving them in the dark warmth of the den. Lusa almost felt like a cub again, pressed against Sakari's side.

But I'm not a cub! I can fight!

The noises of the bears outside faded as they settled into their hiding places. Lusa heard a sharp bark from some bear, then silence.
That means they're all hiding and ready
.

Every moment dragged until Lusa was convinced that dawn must have come and gone and the sun would be climbing up the sky.

Maybe they're not coming
, she thought worriedly.
Maybe they didn't believe Taqqiq. Or maybe he told them what's really happening, and they've gone to make trouble someplace else
.

Lusa was about to give up and wriggle out into the open when she heard pawsteps outside the den. Some bear was sniffing around the entrance.

“They're in there.” She recognized Salik's voice.

“Then let's get them out.” That was Iqaluk. “Let's have some fun.”

Lusa shivered as the rough, scornful voices surrounded her in the dark.

“Sakari needs to be taught a lesson.” One of the other bears spoke, a voice Lusa couldn't put a name to. “We never said she could rebuild her den.”

“Yeah,” said Manik. “This time we should chase her and her cubs right off the Melting Sea.”

“Salik, what are you doing here?” Lusa tensed as she heard Shila's voice, sounding young and vulnerable. “Why can't you leave us alone?”

“Oh, it's Shila!” Salik growled. “I thought we told you to get off our territory.”

“It's
not
your territory.” Though Shila's words were challenging, her voice was shaking. “We have as much right to be here as you do.”

Manik let out a snort of contempt. “Strength and claws: That's what gives us the right. Where are yours?”

“And where are those weird bears you were going around with?” Iqaluk added. “I don't see them here.”

If you only knew
, Lusa thought, bracing her muscles, ready for the moment when the fight would begin.

“Yeah, did they leave you on your own?” Lusa's belly lurched as she heard Taqqiq's voice for the first time. It was sharp with hostility, nastier than any of the others. “You were stupid for trusting them!”

“Kallik's your sister, for the spirits' sake!” Shila went on. “Don't you have any idea what that should mean to you? Have you no loyalty?” She sounded nervous and full of dread; even though Lusa knew it was all pretense, she wanted to spring out and protect her.

Not yet. Wait …

“Just back off,” Taqqiq hissed. “Or Salik will hurt you much worse than he did last time. I'm loyal to my friends. I can't believe you thought I would turn my back on them.”

He sounds as if he means it
, Lusa thought with an inward shiver.
Oh, Arcturus, which side will he fight on?

“Enough talking!” Manik growled.

Pale dawn light spilled in on Lusa and Sakari as a massive paw swiped through the snow that blocked the entrance to the den. Lusa leaped up, her teeth bared and her claws extended, throwing herself upon Manik. He jumped back, howling with surprise.

Behind Lusa, Sakari hurtled out of the den. She barreled into Manik and sent him sprawling, then whirled to confront one of the other bears, roaring a challenge.

More roars answered her as the rest of the bears rose up out of the ice, galloping toward the knot of invading bears. Toklo and Tartok sprang out of hiding behind the snow mound and flung themselves on their enemies.

For a couple of heartbeats Salik and his bears stood frozen, as if they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Lusa briefly hoped they might flee without a fight. But then Salik let out a snarl of fury.

“Get them!”

Lusa found herself in the middle of a heaving mass of bears. After a moment of heart-stopping terror, she realized that she was so small the bigger bears ignored her. She was able to wriggle among their legs, clawing at her enemies and nipping at their paws. Now and then one of them would take a swipe at her, but she always managed to dodge.

The only danger is being trampled on!

Above her head Lusa could hear snarls and the heavy breathing of battling bears. Paws swished through the air. She caught a glimpse of Kallik facing an enemy bear, and the two older cubs darting in at Iqaluk, striking at him from both sides.

We're winning!
she thought exultantly.

Then a heavy paw landed on her shoulder, throwing her to the ground. Claws sank into her flesh. “How dare you attack me?” Manik growled close to her ear.

Oh, spirits!
Lusa thought. She struggled hard, her face pushed into the snow, but she couldn't dislodge Manik. The claws of his other forepaw raked down her side. She lashed out with her hindpaws and felt fierce satisfaction when Manik let out a sharp yelp of pain, but he still didn't let her go.

Then Lusa felt a jolt as another bear threw himself on Manik. She couldn't see, but she recognized Toklo's scent.

Thank you, Arcturus!

Manik's grip on her loosened, and Lusa could drag herself free. She saw Toklo and Manik raised up on their hindpaws, gripping each other's shoulders as they swayed to and fro. Without hesitating, Lusa sprang up at Manik, fastening her claws into his back. He roared with rage and tried to throw her off, while Toklo got in a few hard blows to his head and shoulders. Manik dropped to all four paws and retreated, snarling.

“Great job, Lusa,” Toklo panted.

“Thanks for helping,” Lusa responded. “We make a good team.”

Now Lusa found herself on the edge of the fighting. She spotted Nukka fighting together with Olikpok, driving one of Salik's bears back, pawstep by pawstep. Hearing a terrified yelping, she turned to see Iqaluk fleeing, pursued by Yakone. Tartok and the mother bear whose name she still didn't know had one of the others on the ground.

Where's Salik?
she wondered.
And Taqqiq?

As if in answer to her thought, Lusa heard a furious roaring. In the ruins of the BirthDen, Salik and Shila were grappling together. Though Shila fought bravely, Salik easily outmatched her in size and strength. His claws were fastened in her shoulders, and he was snapping his jaws perilously close to her throat. Shila battered at him with her forepaws, but the blows only seemed to enrage Salik more.