The Longest Day

  “So you think someone put it there?”

  Toklo’s pelt rippled. “I’ve had a feeling that there’s someone else in the forest.”

  “What do you mean?” The lake was the gathering place for the Longest Day. Surely every bear had a right to be here?

  “I keep thinking I’m being watched.” Toklo sounded embarrassed. “I know it sounds dumb, but I get this creepy feeling when I’m alone. Like someone is following me.”

  Kallik bumped her shoulder against him. “There are so many bears around the lake, you’re probably being watched all the time by someone.”

  Toklo grunted. “I guess.” He glanced at her. “Where’s Yakone? I thought he’d come with you.”

  Kallik looked away. “So did I.”

  “Have you had an argument?”

  “Yes.” Side by side, they crunched over the last stones and plunged into the trees.

  “What about?” Toklo sounded concerned.

  Kallik shrugged. How could she explain their argument? She hardly understood it herself. “He’s worried that he won’t be able to take care of me when we reach Star Island because of his injured paw.”

  “You don’t need taking care of,” Toklo huffed.

  “I know that!” Anger surged beneath Kallik’s pelt. “It’s ridiculous.” But if it was ridiculous, why hadn’t they made up yet? Yakone had walked away from her earlier without even trying to make peace. Was he only worried about his own feelings? Am I only worried about mine? Perhaps they were both being selfish.

  The river sparkled ahead. The other bears were already following the bank upstream. Kallik broke into a trot to catch up. Talking about Yakone was making her miserable.

  “Is this it?” Illa had reached the boulders first and stared at the branch as the brown bears clustered around her.

  “It’s enough, isn’t it?” Hattack growled.

  Kotori pushed past him and grabbed the end of the branch between his teeth. With a grunt, he hauled it from between the stones. The water flooded free, salmon plopping into the shallows below.

  “You can fish to your heart’s content now,” Illa declared. She let her gaze travel around the brown bears. “Do you really want to fight? Why don’t you just get on with your trial?”

  Kallik watched several brown cubs break away and leap into the river. Chasing the fish, they slapped the water excitedly.

  “I’m going to catch the first one!” barked the smallest.

  “No! I will!” yapped another.

  One by one, the brown bears began to scramble down the bank. Before long, they were all wading downriver, pushing past the cubs in their race to catch the fish. Only Hattack, Toklo, Aiyanna, Kotori, and Kunik remained beside the boulders.

  Hattack swayed from paw to paw, glancing hungrily downstream.

  Aiyanna jerked her muzzle toward him. “Go fish,” she growled. “I know how much winning means to you.”

  Hattack snorted, and Kallik noticed a flash of satisfaction in Toklo’s eyes.

  Kotori was examining the branch. “There are teeth marks here.” He poked the thick end with his paw. Deep scratches in the bark betrayed the teeth and claws of a large bear, though it was impossible to tell whether they were made by a white bear or a brown.

  Toklo leaned over and sniffed it. “They don’t smell like brown bear,” he decided.

  Kotori sniffed it, too. “Nor white.”

  Kunik shrugged. “Perhaps a black bear put it here.”

  “It must have been a huge black bear,” Toklo commented.

  Hattack let out a snarl. “I’ve had enough of this.” He glared at Kunik. “Just keep your bears away from our trials in the future.”

  As he waded into the river, Kotori growled. “He’s lucky it’s the Longest Day gathering or I’d claw his pelt off.”

  “It’s not worth fighting over,” Kallik muttered. The whole incident had been a big fuss over nothing. Perhaps Manik and Salik had put the branch there. It would be like them to stir up trouble.

  As she followed the bank toward the lake, she saw a young brown bear splashing in the shallows. He was struggling to keep his balance, a huge salmon thrashing in his jaws. Scrabbling onto the bank, the young bear dropped it and gave a killing bite.

  “Nice catch, Akocha!” exclaimed Aiyanna.

  The young bear lifted his muzzle proudly. “I won! I won!”

  Hattack was the first to look up, his eyes darkening when he saw the young bear’s salmon lying on the shore. “You started fishing before us!” he objected. “It doesn’t count.”

  “Of course it does!” Aiyanna insisted. “We agreed that the first brown bear to catch a salmon wins. Akocha was the first.”

  Hattack frowned. “Well, it makes no difference. Akocha isn’t going to lead the Longest Day ceremony, no matter what happens!”

  Kallik headed into the forest, leaving the brown bears to quarrel.

  Illa caught up to her. “What a strange way to fish,” she commented. “All that splashing about, chasing every sparkle and shimmer. I prefer hunting seals in deep water. It’s far more dignified.”

  Kallik glanced at Illa. Unlike Illa, she’d caught fish like a brown bear. She’d learned to be quite good at it. Should she mention that it was actually fun, chasing salmon through the rapids? But Illa went on.

  “I remember my first catch. It took me ages to haul the seal out through the ice hole. I nearly lost it, and once it pulled me back into the water. But I got it.” She chuffed with amusement. “I remember Yakone’s first catch, too. He waited beside an ice hole for half a day. Then he jumped on a white bear surfacing for air.”

  Kallik’s heart twisted. Yakone had never told her that story. Perhaps they hadn’t been as close as Kallik thought. Had their whole relationship simply happened because they’d been traveling together? Now they were with other white bears, Yakone could see he had other choices. Perhaps worrying about his injured paw was just an excuse to get rid of her.

  When Kallik didn’t speak, Illa slowed her pace. “Have you and Yakone argued?”

  Kallik stared ahead. She’d already spoken to Toklo about it. That hadn’t helped. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

  “It will pass,” Illa murmured. “Yakone knows where his heart lies.”

  Kallik quickened her pace and tried to ignore the thoughts spinning in her head. Yakone knows where his heart lies. But what if it doesn’t lie with me?

  By the time they reached the shore, the rest of the white bears had begun the next challenge. Each bear had to stalk a wading bird at the water’s edge and get as close as possible without being spotted by the bird.

  Kallik watched Manik creeping along the beach, his gaze fixed on a curlew as it picked its way through the water.

  Beside her, Iqaluk gave a grunt. “It’s a cloud-brained challenge. We should be testing our courage and strength, not how good we are at creeping up on birds.”

  Taqqiq twitched his ears. “When prey is short, stealth can be more important than strength.”

  Yakone was standing beside Anarteq. Kallik tried to catch his eye, but he was staring at the lake. She lifted her muzzle. If he didn’t want her to go to Star Island with him, he was going to have to tell her why. She marched across the beach, slowing as she grew near to him. She felt sick.

  “Yakone,” she began. “We need to talk—”

  “It’s not fair.” Kissimi popped up in front of her. “Why shouldn’t cubs be allowed to take part? The brown bears took cubs to their fishing trial.”

  “And what if you won?” Tunerq pointed out. “Do you really think the spirits want a cub to lead the celebration?”

  “Why not?” Kissimi stopped, blocking Kallik’s way. “The spirits watch over cubs, too, you know!” He turned to Kallik. “You think I should be allowed to take part, don’t you? Stalking’s not dangerous like swimming to the island.”

  Kallik dragged her attention from Yakone. “I know it’s not fair, Kissimi. But Tunerq has a point. The ceremony should be led by
an older bear.” She looked at the bears along the beach. Manik’s bird had flown away and Iqaluk was tiptoeing through the shallows, stalking a sandpiper a few bearlengths ahead.

  “Okay,” Kissimi growled. “So I can’t lead the ceremony. But I can take part in the trials, can’t I?” He looked pleadingly at Kallik.

  “I’m sorry, Kissimi. You can’t.” She rubbed the top of his head with her chin. “But I’ll take you stalking later,” she promised.

  Kissimi snorted and padded away. “I never get to have any fun.”

  Kallik looked up at Yakone.

  He had gone! Her heart ached as she saw him pad into the shade of the pine trees and flop down. He really didn’t want to talk to her. Sadness flooded through her, so sharp it stole her breath.

  “Kallik!” Taqqiq called. “It’s your turn.”

  Iqaluk was stomping from the lake, his eyes dark with anger as his sandpiper flapped away.

  Flustered, Kallik hurried to the water’s edge, aware of the other bears’ eyes on her as she waded into the shallows. If Yakone didn’t want her to go to Star Island, what would she do? She fought back panic and forced herself to concentrate on the trial.

  A snipe was wading a few bearlengths away. It stopped and ducked its curved bill into the water before moving on. Kallik crept toward it. As she neared, she realized that her shadow was moving ahead of her. No wonder Manik and Iqaluk had frightened their birds away. Their shadows had betrayed them. Backing quietly away from the water, Kallik moved down-shore and waited, like a rock, for the snipe to move. She heard the other bears whispering behind her and guessed that they were wondering what she was doing. As soon as the snipe turned its back, she crept into the shallows.

  Her shadow was behind her now. All she had to do was move quietly. Placing each paw carefully, she felt for loose stones that might roll and send ripples through the water. Half a bearlength away, she felt a stone slide beneath her paw. She froze, as still as ice, then withdrew her paw and placed it to one side where the pebbles gave her a firm footing.

  She was good at this. She knew it. The moons of trekking over strange terrain, learning new ways to hunt and to fish, had made her as sensitive to the landscape as any bear. Pride warmed her pelt as, with another pawstep, she leaned forward and reached for the snipe’s tail feathers. As her nose touched them, the snipe squawked and fluttered into the air. The wind from its wings swept her face as it escaped.

  She heard the approving grunts of the watching bears. As she turned to face them, Taqqiq dipped his head to her.

  Kallik gazed at the pine trees. Had Yakone been watching?

  He was lying in the shade, his back toward the lake. He doesn’t even want to look at me. She felt cold, as though the blood had drained from her.

  “Kallik!” Kissimi was calling her from the shore. “Kallik!” He was running toward her. “Take me stalking like you promised. Please!”

  She stared at him blindly, her throat tightening. “Okay.” As the cub charged down the shore, Kallik stumbled after him.

  Oh, Yakone. What did I do wrong?

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Lusa

  “They’re gone!” Pokkoli skidded to a halt at the edge of the injured bears’ nest.

  Lusa looked up at him in surprise.

  “The white bears led them back into the forest,” he went on.

  “I wonder what they’re up to?” Lusa mused.

  Pokkoli, Dena, and Leotie had been watching the brown bears, taking it in turns to rush back into the forest to report what was happening. First the brown bears had crossed the white bears’ territory and climbed over the ridge into the forest beyond. Then they’d returned, barking angrily at the white bears.

  Pokkoli’s eyes were bright with excitement. “I thought they were going to fight. But a brown bear stopped them. And now they’ve gone back into the woods.”

  Miki sat back on his haunches. “Do you suppose it’s one of their trials?”

  Chula grunted. “Picking fights with other bears is probably an important brown bear skill.”

  “Not for all brown bears,” Lusa put in. She wondered if Toklo had been the bear who had stopped the fight. She turned her attention back to Chula’s leg.

  The she-bear stood on three legs, her sprained paw unbandaged. Lusa felt the swelling with her paws. It was still warm, but the inflammation had eased. “Can you put any weight on it?” she asked.

  Gingerly, Chula pressed her injured paw to the ground. “It hurts, but it feels strong.”

  “Good.” Lusa felt a twinge of satisfaction. “Take it easy for another few sunrises,” she warned.

  “Does that mean I can leave the clearing?”

  “Yes,” Lusa told her. “But make sure you rest.”

  The brambles rustled nearby and Rudi appeared, leaves caught in his fur. “The others are ready to start.”

  Lusa blinked. “Is it the honey gathering trial already?”

  Rudi nodded. “Ossi’s found a patch of forest with three bees’ nests.”

  “Good old Ossi,” Miki chuffed.

  “Is it far?” Chula asked.

  “Deep in the woods, where the spruce turns to pine,” Rudi told her.

  Lusa met Chula’s gaze. “Too far for you to walk.”

  “I’ll stay with you,” Miki offered. “I can’t take part anyway.” He patted his head gently. His ear wasn’t swathed in leaves any longer, but the bump was still easy to see.

  “No, you should go with Lusa,” Chula insisted. “I’ll walk down to the shore and cool my paw in the lake.”

  “You’ll be careful, won’t you?” Lusa reminded her. Perhaps she should stay after all.

  “I’ll walk with her,” Rudi grunted. “I never liked climbing pine trees. They make my paws ache.”

  “We’ll bring you back some honey,” Miki promised.

  “I’ll fetch Dena and Leotie.” Pokkoli was heading back through the trees. “They’re still watching the white bears.”

  Miki trotted across the clearing. “Come on, Lusa!”

  Lusa ran to catch up. Ahead of them, Sheena was racing after Tibik. The cub was zigzagging through the forest. “Do you remember that bees’ nest we found on the way here?” he barked happily.

  “Yes,” Sheena panted. “It took me a whole day to wash the honey out of your fur.”

  Issa and Dustu were waiting among the pines when Lusa and Miki reached them. The other black bears were sifting through the thick layer of pine needles that covered the forest floor, picking out bugs and digging for grubs. Above them, the dark-green canopy blocked the sunshine. Lusa glanced up and saw bees hovering busily among the trees.

  Ossi pushed his way from behind a clump of brambles and stopped beside a broad, deeply scarred trunk. “This is one of the bee trees. The others are over there.” He pointed with his muzzle over his shoulder.

  “Which bears should go first?” Sheena asked.

  “Pokkoli, Lusa, and Ossi,” Dustu decided. He nodded to the tree beside Ossi. “You take that one, Lusa. Ossi and Pokkoli can take the other two.”

  “Good luck, Lusa!” Miki barked.

  Dustu looked at the bears. “The bear who gathers the most honey is the winner. Ready?”

  Lusa rested her paws against the bark.

  “Go!”

  Lusa heaved herself upward, weaving between the jutting branches. The bark scraped her belly, and the sound of buzzing grew louder. Looking up, she could see bees swarming around a dark hole in the tree trunk. She licked her lips, smelling the honey. She was going to have to be quiet and move as slowly as a shadow. She edged closer to the hole. Bees buzzed around her ears. More flitted beneath her haunches. Holding her breath, Lusa pulled herself level with the hole and reached inside. Ouch! A sting sent pain stabbing through her paw. She ignored it and stretched until her claws reached soft, wet honey. She dug her paw deep into the comb, scooping out a thick pawful.

  Gripping the trunk with three paws, she eased herself down. Honey dripped onto her fur as she re
ached the ground and landed with a thump on the needle-strewn earth.

  Miki admired her piece of honeycomb. “Well done!”

  “Let’s see how the others did.” Lusa went over to Pokkoli’s tree. The young bear was sitting at the bottom, a huge chunk of honeycomb—far bigger than Lusa’s—in his paws. Lusa felt a twinge of disappointment, but she was happy for Pokkoli. More bears gathered around him.

  “I’ve never seen a better piece,” chuffed an old male.

  “The nest must be huge,” grunted another.

  A she-bear peered up through the branches. “I’m going to get an even bigger piece.”

  Tibik pushed his way through the crowd and stopped beside Lusa. “Can I have a taste?”

  Sheena appeared behind him. “Will you share it, Lusa?”

  “Of course!” Lusa snapped the honeycomb and gave half to Tibik. “Promise to take some back to Rudi and Chula.”

  Tibik nodded as he scooped a pawful into his mouth.

  Lusa licked the comb. “Do you want some?” She broke off a piece for Miki.

  “Yes, please!” His eyes lit up as he took it. “Thanks,” he told her, stickily.

  Issa and Dena were lining up at the bottom of the bee trees. They looked to Dustu, who raised his muzzle.

  “Go!” The bears began to climb.

  Ossi crossed the forest floor toward them. His fur was clumped where it was smeared with honey.

  “Did you get much?” Lusa asked, licking the final smudges from her paw.

  “Not as much as Pokkoli.” Ossi shrugged. “But I think I got the most stings.”

  A breeze whisked between the trees and the brambles rustled. Lusa glanced around, her heart pounding. “What was that?”

  “Just the wind,” Ossi told her.

  Lusa scanned the shadows, forgetting the sweetness on her tongue as she thought of Hakan. Was he still here, watching? “I need to warn Toklo, Kallik, and Yakone about Hakan.”

  Miki twitched his ears. “Hakan can’t hurt them. They’re bigger than he is.”

  “They should know he’s here,” Lusa insisted. Suddenly she needed Toklo to tell her not to worry, and Kallik to reassure her that there was nothing they could have done to save Chenoa.