The Longest Day

  “He’s fishing with the white bears,” Kallik grunted.

  Lusa frowned. Didn’t he want to see them again?

  “He likes being back among his own kind.” Kallik rubbed her wet head against the pebbles as though scratching an itch.

  Toklo propped his haunches on a boulder. “I guess he’s missed the bears from Star Island.”

  Lusa leaned against Kallik’s flank. She could almost imagine they were still on their journey. No white bears and black bears and brown bears waiting for them to return to where they should be. Just the three of them, alone.

  “How’s Miki?” Toklo asked.

  “His head hurts,” she replied. “But he’ll be okay.”

  Toklo looked down at Kallik. “How are the white bears? I saw Salik and Iqaluk. I hope they’re behaving themselves.”

  Kallik pushed herself into a sitting position. “As much as they ever do.”

  “The brown bears are restless,” Toklo confided. “They need a leader.”

  Lusa snorted. “Why does any bear need a leader?”

  Toklo glanced over the rocks toward the brown bears. “To stop everyone from wanting to be the leader,” he muttered. “Once we’ve named someone, everyone else can stop fighting.”

  “They’re fighting?” Kallik looked shocked.

  “They’re just testing each other’s strength,” Toklo explained. “But if we don’t find a leader soon, it might get vicious.”

  Lusa tipped her head on one side. Silhouetted against the forest, the sun lighting his thick pelt, Toklo looked strong and powerful. Did he want to be leader? Lusa tried to imagine Ossi or Miki or Pokkoli arguing over who would lead the black bears. She couldn’t imagine it. They hadn’t even talked about it. They had been too busy grieving Hashi’s death. She frowned, remembering the accident and the burial. The brown bears were fighting and the black bears were grieving. And Yakone was too busy with his old friends to remember his new ones. Her mood suddenly darkened.

  “Nothing is the way I thought it would be,” she murmured. “We came here to celebrate the Longest Day. I thought it would be fun.” A special way to say good-bye. “But it’s not. My friends have been hurt and your friends are fighting.”

  “I wouldn’t call them friends exactly,” Toklo snorted.

  “This is our last time together,” Lusa whimpered. “It’s supposed to be perfect.”

  Kallik gazed at her. “How could it be perfect when we’re going to be leaving each other?”

  Lusa’s throat tightened. She stared at Kallik, then Toklo. The thought of being far away from them tore at her heart.

  “Come on!” Kallik leaped to her paws. “We can’t waste our last moments together being miserable. Let’s go for a swim. Who cares who sees us? I’m proud that you’re my friends!”

  Lusa jumped up and followed Kallik and Toklo down the shore. The pebbles felt hot under her paws. Lusa welcomed the cool water as she charged into the shallows. Toklo and Kallik were already swimming farther out. Lusa followed them gingerly, tensing as the water lifted her and the lake bed disappeared from beneath her paws. She swam after Toklo and Kallik as they splashed each other, dipping under the surface before surging back up. Lusa swam around them, keeping her distance. Then Toklo vanished.

  Lusa waited for him to resurface. Moments passed. “Where is he?” she called to Kallik.

  Kallik ducked underwater. “I can’t see him,” she spluttered, bobbing back up.

  Suddenly the water beside Lusa exploded. Lusa yelped as Toklo burst through the surface with a huge trout in his jaws.

  Kallik’s eyes lit up. “Great catch!”

  Toklo headed for the shore. Lusa followed, her heart still pounding from the shock. By the time she shook the water from her pelt, Toklo had laid the trout on the stones and was sniffing it. The sun glinted on its scales.

  “Let’s share it!” Toklo barked.

  Kallik chuffed happily. Leaning down, she ripped a mouthful of flesh from the fish. She stepped back so that Toklo could take a bite. As she watched him, Lusa noticed shapes moving at the corner of her vision. She turned and saw two brown bears padding toward them.

  “Are you sharing our fish with them?” the male bear called along the shore.

  Beside him the she-bear scowled. “You should be sharing it with your own kind.”

  “Muna! Holata!” Toklo greeted them. “Come join us. There’s plenty.”

  “Why are you feeding other bears?” Holata growled.

  “They’re my friends. I can—”

  Lusa cut him off. She could see rage burning in the brown bears’ eyes. “Don’t argue!” she hissed in Toklo’s ear. “You need to stay friends with them.”

  Toklo glanced at her, surprised.

  “Take it.” Lusa rolled the fish toward Toklo with her snout. “Your friends must be hungry.” Surely he understood?

  Toklo held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right, Lusa. This is a good catch. I should share it.”

  Lusa watched the muscles tighten beneath his pelt. She knew he was angry. He scooped up the trout in his jaws and marched along the shore toward the brown bears. Holata and Muna followed him, casting dark looks at Lusa and Kallik as they left.

  Kallik nudged Lusa’s shoulder. “Well done,” she murmured.

  “Thanks.” Sadness tugged at Lusa’s heart.

  “I guess I’d better get back.” Kallik blinked at Lusa. “You should get some rest.”

  “I will,” Lusa promised. She rubbed her muzzle along Kallik’s jaw. “See you soon.”

  “Yes.” Kallik gazed at her fondly, then waded into the lake and swam away.

  Lusa’s thoughts whirled, muddled by tiredness. Why did they have to leave? Was she really happier with her own kind of bear? She thought of Ossi and Miki and Chula. I like them, don’t I? Heading toward the forest, she ducked into the shadow of the trees. Curling into a mossy scoop at the foot of a pine, Lusa closed her eyes. This was supposed to be the end of their journey. But she hadn’t expected life with the black bears to be full of worry and grief. Already, two bears were dead. And Toklo’s group was fighting among themselves.

  Sleep tugged at her weary limbs. Why did life apart from her friends have to be so difficult?

  CHAPTER TEN

  Toklo

  Toklo padded after Holata and Muna. The trout felt heavy in his jaws, its sweetness gone. His ears burned. He felt like a cub who had been scolded by his mother. How dare they treat him like this? They had probably seen nothing beyond their home territory and this lake. Cloud-brains! They wouldn’t even know how to make friends with a black bear or a white bear.

  As they neared the brown bears’ territory, Elsu and Elki bounded toward them. They raced past their parents and scrambled to a halt in front of Toklo.

  “Did you catch that?” Elsu stared wide-eyed at the trout. “It’s huge!”

  Elki fell in beside Toklo as he continued walking. “He caught the salmon last suncircle, remember?”

  Elsu sniffed the fish. “It smells yummy.”

  Toklo stopped at the edge of the brown bears’ camp and dropped the trout. “You can have it,” he told Elsu and Elki. If he couldn’t share it with Lusa and Kallik, he might as well let these two young bears have it. They weren’t cloud-brains yet.

  The other bears had gathered around Shesh beside the parley rock. Holata and Muna had already joined them, jostling for position among the others.

  “We must find a bear to take Oogrook’s place,” Shesh growled.

  Wenona was at the front of the crowd. “How do we decide?”

  “The strongest bear should lead us!” Hattack reared onto his hind legs and thrust out his chest.

  Toklo spotted Akocha and his mother piling up fresh sticks for the Longest Day ceremony. At least they seemed more interested in honoring the spirits than fighting over who was leader. “Come share this fish!” he called to them.

  Akocha galloped toward Toklo, Tayanita following more slowly. Elsu and Elki moved aside
to let them share.

  As Akocha bit a lump from the fish, his mother dipped her head to Toklo. “Thank you!”

  She looked so grateful that Toklo felt less sour about having to share the trout with the brown bears. “I hope you enjoy it,” he grunted, and headed for the bears milling around Shesh.

  Shesh was speaking again. “The Longest Day is nearly here.”

  Holata glanced at Toklo as he stopped at the edge of the group. “We must choose someone who knows where his loyalties lie,” he growled.

  Toklo sank his claws into the pebbles. These bears have no idea what loyalty means! He’d stuck by Kallik, Yakone, and Lusa through more than they could imagine.

  “We need a leader everyone respects,” Tuari called.

  Wenona snorted. “That’s obvious!”

  A dark-brown male shifted beside her. “Why do we need a leader at all?” he barked. “I don’t need to be told what to do.”

  A few murmurs of agreement rose from the others.

  Shesh lifted his muzzle. “Someone must lead the ceremony!”

  The dark-brown bear held his ground. “Anyone can lead the ceremony. It doesn’t mean they lead us.”

  Hattack barged past him. “Of course we need a leader! Until we decide, there won’t be peace among us.”

  Toklo held his tongue. He wanted to point out that Hattack had started most of the arguments. If they wanted peace, all they needed was to stop fighting about who should be leader. He saw Shesh’s gaze fix on him. His heart sank as he guessed what the old bear would say next.

  “Toklo swam to Pawprint Island and brought back the salmon,” Shesh called. “That must mean something!”

  “It means he’s lucky!” Hattack scoffed.

  “Oogrook didn’t say Toklo should be leader after him,” Holata pointed out.

  Shesh raised a paw. “Oogrook didn’t know he wouldn’t be here this suncircle.”

  “Every bear deserves a chance to be leader!” Wenona insisted.

  Muna scowled. “We can’t take turns!”

  Movement caught Toklo’s eye. On the far side of the group, bears were breaking away, their pelts prickling. Toklo strained to see what had disturbed them. A group of bears were trekking down the beach. New arrivals! He wondered where they’d come from as he heard them bark greetings. Their voices sounded familiar.

  Toklo pushed through the crowd.

  “Watch where you’re stepping!” An old bear tugged his paw from beneath Toklo’s.

  “Sorry!” He broke from the crowd. “Makya!” It was the she-bear from the Forest of Wolves. Her cubs charged forward as soon as they saw him.

  “Toklo!” Flo rubbed her muzzle under his chin.

  Fala bounded around him. “We hoped you’d be here!”

  Makya’s eyes shone. “It’s good to see you again, Toklo.”

  Izusa was behind her with her cubs Wapi and Yas. Toklo felt a surge of hope as he searched for another face. There she was!

  “Aiyanna!” he barked.

  The brown she-bear joined the others from the Forest of Wolves as they crowded around Toklo.

  Yas was buzzing with excitement. “We’ve been traveling for moons!”

  “Wapi kept falling into things,” Flo teased.

  Fala huffed with amusement. “He fell into a bramble and a river and a hole.”

  “I did not fall!” Wapi bristled. “I jumped. It was totally on purpose.”

  Toklo chuffed at the cub. “I hope you didn’t hurt yourself.”

  Wapi’s pelt was dusty from the journey, but there was no sign of wounds. He nudged Flo. “They’re just jealous because I was always first to find the trail.”

  Yas rolled her eyes at Toklo. “Wapi’s just showing off because he wants to impress Flo.”

  Wapi’s eyes flashed with embarrassment. Flo looked at her paws.

  “Go wash yourselves in the lake,” Izusa told the cubs. “But stay in the shallows and watch out for currents.” As the cubs hared away, she looked wearily at Toklo. “I don’t know where they find the energy.”

  Makya shook leaf dust from her fur. “My paws are worn out.”

  Toklo nodded. He knew how long their journey had been. “I can show you a good place to make nests,” he told her. “And help you gather ferns for bedding.”

  Makya glanced knowingly at Izusa. “We can sort out our own nests,” she told Toklo. “Why don’t you show Aiyanna around?”

  Toklo snatched a look at Aiyanna before staring at his paws. “Would you like that?” he mumbled.

  “Yes, please.” Aiyanna sounded as awkward as he felt. Last time they’d seen each other, they’d got along fine. But now it felt as though they hardly knew each other.

  “Come on, Izusa.” Makya began to pad toward the trees. “I think I saw a perfect place to make nests.”

  “Should I stay and keep an eye on the cubs?” Izusa glanced toward the shallows, where Flo, Fala, Wapi, and Yas were splashing water at one another and barking happily.

  “If they can travel this far, they can survive a bit of water,” Makya told her. “Besides, we won’t be long, and they’ll be glad of fresh nests to climb into when they finally get tired.”

  The two she-bears ambled toward the woods.

  Toklo jerked his nose along the shore without meeting Aiyanna’s eye. “Let’s go this way.”

  He brushed past the group of bears who were still arguing over the best way to choose a leader.

  “It should be the best hunter!”

  “The fastest runner!”

  “The strongest fighter.”

  Toklo felt pebbles spatter his paw as Aiyanna drew up alongside him, her flank brushing his for a moment, before she jerked away.

  “Sorry about the other bears,” Toklo murmured, feeling embarrassed about the simmering tension in the group.

  “Why are you sorry?” Aiyanna asked. “Did you start the argument?”

  “No.”

  “Then why apologize?”

  Toklo glanced at her. He liked the way Aiyanna wasn’t afraid to say exactly what she was thinking. “I guess I just expected the gathering to be different.”

  “I heard Oogrook is dead,” Aiyanna growled. “Is that why everyone’s arguing?”

  Toklo nodded. “They don’t know how to choose a new leader.”

  Aiyanna shrugged. “Let’s not worry about that. I want to explore! You were here last suncircle, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve never seen the lake before.” She stopped and stared out over the water. “It’s huge!”

  “Do you want to swim?”

  “Sure,” she told him. “But tell me about Lusa and Kallik and Yakone first. Are they here?” She scanned the long sweep of the lake, narrowing her eyes as her gaze reached the white bears’ stretch of beach.

  “Kallik and Yakone are over there,” Toklo told her. “Lusa’s in the woods with the black bears.” He pointed his nose toward the patch of birch and spruce spreading among the pines.

  “Can we meet them?” Aiyanna looked eager.

  Toklo shifted his paws. “The other bears don’t like us to mix.”

  “Really?” Aiyanna looked confused. “But we’re all bears. And it’s the Longest Day. Isn’t that why we’re here?”

  “We’re here to honor the spirits,” Toklo explained uncomfortably. “Not to hang out with black bears and white bears. At least, that’s what they say.” He nodded toward the others.

  Aiyanna’s eyes flashed with defiance in a way that Toklo remembered well. “I’m really glad you came,” he murmured.

  “So am I.” For the first time she met his gaze without shyness, and they stared at each other for a few moments. Aiyanna blinked first. “Show me your favorite place to fish.”

  Toklo turned toward the lake. “There’s a stretch over there.” He aimed a paw at where the water was deep blue. “The trout are huge if you swim deep enough.”

  “I’ve only ever fished in rivers,” Aiyanna admitted.

  “Let me show y
ou how to fish in a lake.” Toklo began to head for the water.

  “Toklo!” Hattack’s bark made him halt. The grizzly was trotting toward them, his gaze on Aiyanna. “Introduce me to your friend,” he chuffed.

  Toklo narrowed his eyes. “This is Aiyanna,” he grunted warily.

  Hattack stopped a bearlength from Aiyanna and dipped his head low. “How do you know Toklo?” he asked as he lifted his muzzle.

  “We met in the Forest of Wolves,” Aiyanna told him.

  “Is that where you’re from?”

  “It’s where we’re both from,” Aiyanna explained.

  Toklo shifted his paws. The less Hattack knew about him, the better.

  Hattack was still curious. “Is that why you came?” he prompted. “Because Toklo is here?”

  Aiyanna glanced away without answering.

  “I’m sorry,” Hattack murmured softly. “I’m asking too many questions. You must be tired. Has Toklo shown you a good place to sleep?”

  “Makya and Izusa are finding nests,” Aiyanna told him.

  “Can I help you hunt?” Hattack offered.

  “Toklo was about to show me how to catch fish here.”

  Hattack nodded. “That’s just like Toklo. He’s a great bear. So helpful. It’s good that he’s here.”

  Toklo swallowed a growl. He wishes I never came!

  “I’d better get back to the others,” Hattack announced. “I promised I’d teach some of the cubs how to catch deer.” He turned and headed away.

  “Bye!” Aiyanna called after him. “Nice meeting you!” She turned back to Toklo. “What a great bear!”

  Toklo wanted to warn Aiyanna that Hattack’s friendliness had been an act. But how would that sound? She might think he was mean. Or jealous. He changed the subject. “Let’s fish.” When Aiyanna hung back, Toklo paused. “I can show you a special place I discovered instead, if you like.” The waterfall! She’d be impressed.

  “I’m kind of tired after the journey,” she admitted.

  “Of course.” Toklo’s heart sank. Why did Hattack have to come and spoil their reunion? It had been going so well. “I’ll walk you back to the others.”

  “Thanks.” She walked beside him, her fur not quite touching his.

  “Are you glad you came?” Toklo asked hesitantly.