Seekers #6: Spirits in the Stars Read Online Free PDF

the edge of the ice. She could hear Toklo behind her, growling and thrashing, but she had no time to turn and look.
    And where’s Ujurak? she wondered, fighting back panic. Have the orca taken him already?
    Lusa was clinging to the ice with her forepaws, but she was too exhausted to haul herself to safety. Kallik tried to boost her out of the water, but the black bear was heavy, her pelt waterlogged, and she slid back again with the waves lapping around her shoulders.
    Below her in the depths Kallik could see more black shapes swarming upward toward her. So many! Is this what it was like for my mother? Kallik asked herself as she gave Lusa another shove. Nisa, help me! The black shapes were perilously close; Kallik imagined she could see their gaping jaws, full of sharp teeth, and the glitter of their cold, cruel eyes.
    Don’t give up, a familiar voice murmured into her ear.
    “Nisa!” Kallik gasped.
    Strength flowed back into her body. She gave one more massive push, and Lusa slithered forward onto the ice. In the same movement Kallik turned to see Toklo surrounded by the evil black fins.
    “Save yourself!” he bellowed as Kallik struck out toward him.
    Kallik ignored him, forcing herself through the water. But before she could reach Toklo, she spotted another fin, bigger than all the others, churning up the water as it charged toward her.
    “Sorry, Toklo,” Kallik whispered. She closed her eyes and hoped it would be over quickly.
    But nothing happened. Kallik heard Lusa shriek behind her and opened her eyes to see the big fin veer to the side at the last moment, as the whale crashed into the orca that were attacking Toklo.
    Spluttering and choking, Kallik was swept underwater in the wake left by the huge whale when it swept past her. As she fought to right herself, she saw the newcomer fighting with the other orca, butting them with its nose and driving them away from Toklo.
    Kallik struggled back to the surface and gasped in a mouthful of air. “Swim, Toklo!” she choked out. “It’s Ujurak, helping you!”
    Jaws wide as he gulped for air, Toklo thrashed frantically to escape from the seething water where the orca battled. Kallik swam beside him until they reached the ice and could haul themselves out. Lusa was waiting, leaning over to grip their fur in her teeth and tug them upward.
    Kallik’s chest was heaving as she turned back to look across the channel. “Ujurak, get out!” she shouted. “We’re all safe!”
    She didn’t know if the Ujurak-whale could hear her. Four more black fins were bearing down on him, cutting off his escape. They surged toward him, churning the sea to foam. Ujurak’s fin was motionless as his attackers closed in.
    Then, just before the four orca reached it, the black fin vanished. Lusa let out a squeal of astonishment as the four attacking whales swirled together in a chaos of bubbling water.
    Baffled, the orca swam to and fro, looking for their vanished enemy. With Lusa and Toklo beside her, Kallik peered down into the sea, but she couldn’t make out anything beyond the surging water and the circling shapes of the whales.
    “What happened?” Lusa asked. “Where’s Ujurak?”
    “I don’t know.” Kallik glanced from Toklo to Lusa; both her friends looked as bewildered as she felt. “Did he sink?”
    “I’m going to look.” Toklo stepped forward, ready to leap into the water again, but Kallik blocked him and shouldered him away.
    “Don’t be cloud-brained!” she snapped. “What good can you do, with four orca swimming in there? Besides, we have to stick together.”
    Toklo huffed angrily, but to Kallik’s relief he flopped down onto the ice and didn’t try to argue.
    “What are we going to do?” Lusa asked in a small voice. “We can’t just go off and leave Ujurak.”
    “We have to wait,” Kallik replied. “He’s gone missing before and still come back. He’ll be back this time; you’ll see.”
    “But this isn’t the same,” Lusa persisted, blinking