The Longest Day (30 page)

A third tree fell. Toklo bounded into the space it created. Behind him, the lake gleamed.

“Quick!” Lusa turned to the bears around her. “Run through the gap!”

The fire bellowed as the wind rose. Lusa's throat burned as heat and smoke swirled around her. She felt a shoulder press against her and let herself be guided forward. “Are the others coming?” she coughed.

“Everyone's running for the shore.” Miki's voice sounded close to her ear.

Her eyes streaming, Lusa stumbled forward until she felt the earth turn to pebbles beneath her paws. As the air cooled around her, she turned. Toklo, Kallik, and Yakone were guiding the black bears through the gap. Behind them, framed against the flaming forest, stood the mighty elk.

“Thank you!” Lusa called as Ujurak turned and galloped into the inferno.

“Lusa!” Kallik raced to her side, pressing close. “Are you hurt?”

Lusa was aware of her flanks stinging beneath scorched fur. “I'm fine.” She met Kallik's gaze. “Did Chula escape? And Tibik?”

Kallik nodded toward the water. The black bears were plunging into the shallows. Only Pokkoli was missing.

At the top of the beach, the forest erupted in flame. Smoke billowed onto the shore. Lusa coughed, feeling a sharp pain in her chest. They couldn't stay here while the forest burned. The smoke would choke them. She looked at the islands dotted in the lake. White bears and brown bears stood on the island shores, staring back across the water.
Could we swim that far?

Toklo lifted his head. “I think I know where we'll be safe,” he growled. Turning, he began to trek along the shore. “Follow me.”

Toklo headed for the white and
brown bears still gathered in the shallows. Through the smoke billowing from the forest, he spotted Shesh, Izusa, and Makya with Flo, Fala, Wapi, and Yas. Tayanita was there, too, with Akocha. They watched him approach, their eyes round with fear.

Along the tree line, flame crackled through great swathes of dark smoke. Flecks of fire whirled in the wind, hissing as they touched the water. Toklo fought down the panic that swirled inside him. He had to get these bears to safety.

Aiyanna's voice broke into his thoughts. “I'll go help Izusa and Makya with their cubs. They'll be frightened.”

As she ran ahead, she passed Tayanita, who bounded over to Toklo with Akocha at her heels. “What are we going to do?”

“Can we stand in the water until the fire stops?” Akocha asked.

Toklo shook his head. “The smoke will choke us.” He leaned closer to the young bear. “Do you remember our secret place?”

Akocha's gaze flashed toward the far side of the lake. The
fire hadn't reached there yet but was roaring toward it. He nodded. “The waterfall?”

“That's right. I think we should go there. We'll have to walk through the forest, but if we hurry, we can beat the flames.”

Tayanita stared at him.
“Walk through the forest
?” Disbelief glittered in her eyes.

“I know a place we'll be safe until the fire passes,” Toklo told her.

The black bears were streaming past him now. The others shifted to make room for them in the shallows.

Tayanita watched them gather around her. “There are cubs and elders here. Do you really think we can outrun a fire?”

“If we start now, we can make it,” Toklo urged. He hoped he was right. Padding past Tayanita, he stopped in front of the throng of frightened bears. “We can't ask you all to swim to safety,” he called. “But I know somewhere we can hide!”

Hopeful murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Toklo went on. “But we must walk through the trees, ahead of the fire.” He nodded to the far side of the lake.

“We can't go back into the forest!” Anarteq growled.

Kallik stood beside the old bear. “Toklo says we'll make it if we keep moving.” She blinked at Toklo. “If he says it, it must be true.”

Toklo stared back at her. Did he really deserve such trust?

Muna turned in an anxious circle. “Elki can't walk. She's still hurt.”

“Holata can carry her.” Toklo looked around. Where was Elki's father? Where was Elsu? Only Elki was with Muna,
leaning against her flank, her wounds showing through her wet fur.

Muna nodded toward the cluster of rocks. “Holata took Elsu. I stayed with Elki.”

Toklo dipped his head. Sometimes splitting up meant the best chance of survival. “Then you must carry her as far as you can,” he told her. “If you get tired, others will help.”

He didn't wait for a response. She had no choice. None of them did. He glanced around the bears. “Will you come with me?”

Taqqiq stepped forward. “If Kallik says we can trust you, then I'm coming.”

“Me too.” Shila nodded.

“Lusa?” Toklo looked at his friend. “Can the black bears do this?”

Lusa lifted her muzzle. “Black bears were born to walk through forests.”

Grunts of agreement sounded from her camp-mates.

Toklo's fur prickled along his spine. “We should leave now.” He turned, flinching against the blast of heat from the blazing forest. He forced himself to walk slowly. There were injured and elderly bears to think of. If he just kept them moving, they could beat the flames.

He heard Kallik's voice behind him. “Up you go, Tibik. You can ride on Yakone's back.” He glanced over his shoulder and saw her boost a young black bear onto Yakone's shoulders. “Hold on tight,” she urged.

Aiyanna was carrying Yas while Izusa and Makya walked
beside her, their cubs pressing close.

Pawsteps crunched on the stones as Shesh caught up to Toklo. “Oogrook was right about you,” the old bear murmured. “You caught that salmon for a reason. You were destined for this.”

Toklo grunted. “Let's decide that after I get us to safety.”

They reached the trees. The fire was burning steadily around the curve of the lake, but the forest here was still green and unscorched. The wind was driving the smoke out across the water, leaving clear air. Toklo breathed the musty scent of the forest, his heart twisting. Even if the bears made it to the waterfall, he knew the fire would come. Was this the last time he'd smell the lush fragrance of leaves and moss?

He paused, looking back. A few black bears were straggling, but Kallik had stopped to hurry them on. He waited for them to catch up before heading into the trees. Fear was heavy in his belly. Would he remember the way to the waterfall in time to beat the fire?

“Lean against me.”

Toklo heard Shesh's rasping growl behind him. He glanced back and saw the brown male press his shoulder against an old white bear's flank. Behind them, he saw Muna stumble. Elki was clinging to her back, but the she-bear looked exhausted. Toklo lifted his muzzle. “Will you carry Elki?” he called to Kallik.

Kallik was walking beside Illa, encouraging Kissimi to keep moving with small nudges of her muzzle. She looked up as he spoke, but it was Taqqiq who hurried forward.

“I'll carry her,” the white male offered.

Muna's eyes shone with relief. “Thank you,” she croaked as Taqqiq crouched beside her. Dropping her shoulder, Muna let her cub slither onto the white bear's back.

“I'll walk beside you,” she promised Elki. “I'll make sure you don't fall.”

“I won't fall,” Elki barked. “There's lots of room here.” She wriggled into the thick fur between Taqqiq's shoulder blades.

Toklo pushed on, following a deer track he thought he recognized. The ground sloped up, and as it grew steeper, he smelled smoke. He heard the roar of flames. He peered through the trees, his heart lurching as he glimpsed a bright-orange glow in the distance.

“We must hurry!” he called over his shoulder. He veered off the path, suddenly unsure where to go. The river was beyond a ridge, but which ridge? The forest seemed to slope in every direction here.

Small pawsteps pattered behind him. He turned to see Akocha hurrying toward him.

“It's this way!” the young bear barked. “I remember that tree stump.” Akocha cut across the slope, clambering over a fallen tree, and raced to where a mossy lump of wood stood beside a deer track. “This track takes us straight to the top of the rise. The river's just beyond it.”

Toklo stared at Akocha. “Well remembered!” As hope flickered in his heart, smoke rolled between the trees.

He heard wood crackle. Behind him, frightened growls rose from the bears. He turned and saw flame moving like a wave toward them.

“We're nearly there!” he urged. “Akocha, show them the way!”

Akocha bounced past him. “We're going to make it, aren't we?”

“Of course.” Toklo tried to sound convincing, but smoke was stinging his eyes. The crackle had become a roar, and he could feel the first heat of the flames as they raced closer. He stood beside the mossy stump, shooing the bears past. “Climb to the top of the rise and head down to the river,” he told them.

Following, Toklo reached the top as Shesh and the old white bear disappeared through the undergrowth beyond. Lusa, Kallik, and Yakone plunged down the slope after them, Akocha at their heels. Toklo felt relief wash over his pelt. They had reached the valley where the river cut through the woods. Trees grew thickly on the slope, and undergrowth spilled down to the river's edge.

Aiyanna was waiting for Toklo as he reached the bank. She touched her muzzle to his cheek.

Toklo noticed the empty space on her shoulders. “Where's Yas?”

“She wanted to walk the last part.” Aiyanna glanced toward the trees. The roar of the fire was so close that she had to raise her voice. Smoke billowed over the ridge and rolled down to the river. “We
are
nearly there, aren't we?”

Toklo looked upstream, but trees and brambles blocked his view. “I think so.” As he spoke, he heard a rumble. He recognized it at once. Not the roar of the flames, but the thundering of water. “The falls!” Breaking into a run, he pushed past the
bushes and saw the waterfall tumbling into the pool where the river widened.

The other bears were standing on the edge of the pool, staring at the tumbling water.

Shesh looked confused. “Is this the place?” Ash fluttered down onto his patchy fur. The hiss and crackle of green wood sounded just beyond the ridge.

“There's a cave behind it!” Toklo barked. “Quick! Get into the water.”

“I'll show them!” Akocha leaped into the pool.

The black bears teetered at the edge, half falling, half jumping as the others pushed from behind. Shesh jumped in clumsily. Ossi guided Chula farther along the bank, where it was less crowded, then helped her slither into the water and followed her.

“I can't swim!” Yas wailed.

“That's okay. I won't let you drown!” Miki scooped Yas up by his scruff and bounded in.

Muna hurried to Taqqiq's side. Elki was still clinging to the white bear's back. “Hold on tight, Elki!” Muna panted.

“Don't worry,” Taqqiq told her. “I'll keep her safe.” Carefully he eased his front paws down the steep bank and slid into the water. Muna plunged in after him, her gaze fixed on Elki.

On the far side of the pool, Akocha disappeared beneath the wall of water. The other bears ducked in after him.

Pain jabbed like claws into Toklo's back as embers scorched his pelt. He turned to Yakone, Lusa, Aiyanna, and Kallik. They were the only ones left on shore. “We'll be safe once we
reach the cave.” He had to bellow to be heard over the roar of the flames. Heat blasted over him. He glanced up the slope behind them.

A shape had appeared at the top.

Toklo narrowed his eyes. Had they left someone behind? Then he recognized the outline.

Nanulak!

Flames illuminated the brown-and-white bear.

Yakone growled beside Toklo.

“He's back!” Aiyanna gasped.

“Get into the water,” Toklo ordered. “It's me Nanulak has come for.”

A few bearlengths upstream, a tree toppled and bounced down the slope. It crashed into the water with a hiss. “Go!” Toklo barked.

As Lusa, Kallik, and Yakone scrambled down the steep bank, Aiyanna pressed against him. “Don't leave me now,” she whispered.

“I won't.” Toklo nudged her away and climbed toward Nanulak. The heat of the fire scorched his face. He stopped a muzzle-length away. “You attacked your own family, Nanulak,” he growled. “You betrayed everyone who loved you. You can't blame me for what happened.”

Nanulak curled his lip. “I thought you were my friend. But as soon as you learned that my father was a white bear, you hated me just like everyone else.”

“That's not true,” Toklo shouted over the hissing of the fire. “You lied to me from the start. You betrayed our friendship.
You've done terrible things, Nanulak. Stop blaming everyone else!”

With a roar, Nanulak shoved Toklo backward.