up to the very edge of the channel and peering curiously into the water. Kallik stayed where she was, her paws turned to stone. The channel reminded her too much of the place where she and Taqqiq had needed to cross, where Nisa had given up her life to save her from the orca.
Toklo was balanced on the very edge of the ice. “We’ll have to swim,” he said. “It’s not as wide as the Big River we crossed before Smoke Mountain. It won’t take long.”
“No!” Kallik choked out the word. “We can’t. It’s not safe.”
Toklo narrowed his eyes at her. “Not safe how?”
Kallik swallowed, the terrible day when she lost Nisa coming back to her all too vividly. “Orca,” she whispered at last.
She stared down at her paws, struggling with terror, and realized that Lusa had padded over to her. She felt the comforting warmth of the black bear’s pelt pressed up against her own.
“That’s how your mother died, isn’t it?” Lusa murmured.
Kallik couldn’t speak, but she managed to nod.
“I know how you feel,” Lusa went on, her voice warm and sympathetic. “But it will be different this time. Everything will be okay. It’s not far, and we’ll swim fast. Besides, we’re much bigger than you and Taqqiq were back then.”
You’re not, Kallik thought. And maybe the seal hole was empty because there are too many orca here .
Lusa gave her a gentle nudge, and Kallik allowed herself to be coaxed as far as the water. Peering into it, she saw that the edge of the ice was broken up where the waterbeast had plowed through, and the reek of oil was stronger than ever.
“Kallik, we have to go this way,” Ujurak said.
“He’s right,” Toklo agreed impatiently. “It’ll be dark soon, and we can’t stay here all night.”
“I’ll find a good place to slide in,” Lusa announced, scampering along the ice at the very edge of the channel.
Suddenly there was a loud crack, and the ice underneath Lusa’s paws shattered, pitching her into the sea. Kallik started toward her, only to halt as Lusa’s black head bobbed up again.
Lusa spat out water, her forepaws working vigorously. “Spirits, that’s cold!” she exclaimed. “But I’m in now. I may as well keep swimming. It’s like when we first swam out to the ice,” she added over her shoulder as she struck out for the far side of the channel. “I don’t know why, but it’s much easier to swim in the sea than it is in rivers. You were right when you told us that, Kallik.”
Facing forward again, she paddled strongly across the stretch of water, and Toklo slipped in after her.
“You next, Kallik,” Ujurak prompted.
“I—well . . .” Kallik began to protest, then let her voice die away. She realized there was no point in arguing. I helped them when we first swam in the sea. I taught them how to float when they were tired. I can’t hang back and leave them alone now.
She launched herself into the channel, and the water closed around her, cold and familiar. Behind her she heard Ujurak slide in and start swimming as well. Ahead she could see that Lusa was doing well, already halfway across the channel, with Toklo just behind her.
Suddenly Kallik spotted a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw a huge black fin sliding through the water, bearing down on Lusa. The little black bear swam on, unaware of the danger.
Terror surged over Kallik like an icy wave. “Orca!” she shouted. “Swim faster!” She forced her legs to send her powering through the water, devouring the distance between herself and Lusa.
As she overtook Toklo, he turned, his teeth bared in a fierce snarl. “Help Lusa,” he ordered. “I’ll fight off the whale.”
“No—” Kallik began to protest, unwilling to leave Toklo to face an enemy that was far too strong, even for him. Then she saw the terror on Lusa’s face as her short legs paddled furiously across the channel. Kicking out strongly, Kallik reached her and propelled her to
Yvette Hines, Monique Lamont