ArKtiKos
Country of the Great Bear
By: Hilary Thomas
5. The Hunt
When the sun rose the next morning, the Valley was blanketed in a few feet of fresh white powder. Gathered in the Courtyard was the same crowd from the night before, minus the cubs too young to cross over. Instructor Palamae would stay behind to watch them in one of the wisdom caves.
The mood was vastly different than the night before. Celebration had turned to focus as the Bears of the Valley prepared to journey out onto the open ice for the biggest hunt of the year—the Coming of Age Hunt. Each bear waited patiently, alone with their thoughts. This hunt was not the same as other hunts—now, it was every bear for themselves. The ice had grown thick enough to hunt alone, and the polar bear who caught the most seals that day would be crowned the new Hunt Champion. The current Champion, Tulok, stood surrounded by a crowd of bears. He was giving Tonrar and Colchik a few pointers, and the onlookers were eager to pick up whatever new tips they could before the hunt began.
Kian and Kaya stood toward the back of the hunting party with the rest of the nervous first timers. The newest Bears of the Valley weren’t sure what was supposed to happen next. They were Bears of the Valley, now, though at that moment, they didn’t quite feel like it. So they kept their mouths shut and waited for instructions. Instructor Cimar appeared through the crowd, leading Elders Lathrop, Isitoq, and Tootega, each of whom pulled an empty sled. Cimar slipped out of his harness, separated himself from the group, and approached the anxious group of young bears.
“Where are Tonrar and Colchik?” he asked.
The cubs pointed to the group surrounding Tulok.
“Colchik! Tonrar! Get over here!” he roared.
Colchik grabbed Tonrar by the shoulder and the two ran over.
“Alright, listen up! This is your first Coming of Age Hunt. But for you new bears, it’s going to look a little different. Experienced bears will hunt alone, but you’ll be working together, just like in training. You’ll split up into teams of three, and each group will have an Elder along to supervise. Kian, Kaya, and Siku, you’ll be with Elder Lathrop. Orley, Sakari, and Ronmera, you’re with Elder Tootega. That leaves you three with Elder Isitoq,” he said, pointing to Tonrar, Colchik and Eydas.
The young bears found their Elders and separated into the assigned teams. Satisfied everything was in order, Cimar strode back into the crowd. Elder Lathrop eyed each quartet. “Any questions?” he asked.
No one spoke.
“Very well, then. When we get out onto the ice we’re going to split up. Remember your training. Stick close to your Elder. They’ll lead you home when the hunt is over.”
The troop of cubs and Elders trailed the other Bears of the Valley through the tunnel they’d been using since they’d begun their last phase of training. When they emerged, they saw bears already spreading in all directions. The wind swirled snow high in the air as the sleds cut through the fresh powder. White silhouettes disappeared quickly in the cloudy mist.
Elder Lathrop led his group south. Before long, they were alone in the wilderness. Kian and Kaya looked around for the other hunting teams, but all they could see were trees and snow stretching in every direction.
Once they were out of the forest and on the open ice, they spent all their energy tracking seals. The ice was a great deal thicker than when their training began. The light blue sapphire color was gone, and the hard, thick ice was pure white. This made it easier for the bears to blend into their surroundings. Elder Lathrop kept a close eye on them—a little too close for Kian and Kaya’s liking. It was nearly impossible to escape his gaze. The moment they ventured too far for his comfort, he would call them back in.
By midday, their team had caught several seals. The twins were doing well: Kian had two and Kaya had one, while the only thing Siku had managed to do was fall through a breathing hole. They pulled the frightened, wet cub from the freezing water and decided to take a little break while he shook himself dry. He rolled about in the snow, which helped rid the last of the water from his fur. Kian and Kaya stood a few paces away while Elder Lathrop gave Siku a pep talk and helped him get warm. It was the first moment of privacy they’d managed to grab all day.
“We’re never gonna be able to get away,” Kian said, frustrated.
“It’s like he knows what we want to do,” Kaya said. “When you asked him about the State, were you smart about it? Did he figure out why you were asking?”
Kian winced as he thought back through his conversation with Elder Lathrop.
“No. At least, I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?” she scoffed.
“Don’t get mad at me. This was your idea.”
“What do you mean my idea?” she exclaimed, shooting him a confused look.
“I wanted to just go but you said we should wait. Great plan this is turning out to be,” Kian snapped.
“Okay, relax. How did you expect us to get past those guards and out of the tunnel? You didn’t think about that. This was our only option.”
She was right. Kian hadn’t thought about that. Now he felt bad about his outburst. “You’re right and I’m sorry. I’m not trying to blame you. This is just getting frustrating, that’s all.”
“I didn’t know we were going to be watched like this,” Kaya admitted. “So,” she paused, “any ideas?”
Kian dropped his head to his paws and thought it through. He rolled onto his back and stared up into the endless gray sky. The sun had disappeared behind a thick bank of dreary night cycle clouds, which had rolled in quickly. There’s no way he’s going to take his eyes off us, Kian thought. Why would he? One old bear, three cubs and a sled full of fresh seal kills—he had to be careful. They’d be easy pickings for a pack of wolves or a wandering Nomad.
“I got nothing,” Kian sighed. “The day is half over and we have to start heading back to the Valley soon, if we want to be home before dark. I guess we wait for tomorrow.”
“That works for me,” Kaya said, relieved. She hadn’t wanted to go on the mission in the first place.
The twins trotted back to their team and resumed the hunt. Above, thick clouds covered the sky from horizon to horizon. Their dreary gray turned to an ominous slate. Kian and Kaya could smell a storm in the air; they knew the feel and smell from their time out on the ice with their mother. The wind picked up and a frigid chill bit through their fur. Elder Lathrop put his nose in the sky and sniffed about until he was standing as tall as he could on his hind legs. Then he dropped to the ground and let out a warning roar.
The three cubs rushed to his side.
“We have to go!” Elder Lathrop shouted to the trio. “This storm is blowing in quicker than I expected.” He hurried to the sled and slipped into the harness. Within seconds, he was gone, leading the way with great, bounding strides. The three cubs struggled to keep the pace. They were scared. They’d never seen Elder Lathrop disturbed by anything, and they’d certainly never had to keep up with a fully grown bear moving full speed across the ice. They were learning what it was like to be Bears of the Valley, and it was only their first day.
Kian’s fur stood on edge as they journeyed through the menacing landscape. In his year of traveling through the north with Kutaa and Kaya, he’d never seen a storm like this. The dark night cycle clouds blotted out the sun. Heavy snowflakes began to fall and the wind picked up even more. Ice lashed their faces. The wind was so strong it was almost impossible to run in a straight line, so they leaned forward and staggered along, fighting to keep the glowing Elder in their sights.
The clouds blew wildly, alternating between light and dark, and seemed to reach all the way to the ground. The snow came in clumps, not flakes. When they reached the edge of the spruce forest, it was barely recognizable. The fresh snow was already knee-deep, and even deeper where it was blown against the thick tree trunks. Kian dug all four paws into the white powder to propel himself forward, nose to the ground. Snow pelted his face ferociously as he pushed through the heavy white haze. The freezing air made his eyes tear up and the harsh sting of the wind hurt his nose. His thick fur was matted to his hide. He closed his eyes and kept pushing. All he could hear was the roar of the wind, but then, suddenly, a much louder noise pounded in his ears.
He opened his eyes and saw a bright white flash crackle through the sky, followed by a tremendous boom which shook the very ground he stood on. Ahead, barely visible through the driving snow, Elder Lathrop stopped in his tracks. He turned and yelled to the three young bears, “It’s a thundersnow! Stay close and keep away from the trees!”
An electric bolt shot down from the dark sky above, illuminating the entire forest. A thunderous clap followed immediately as the lightning struck a tree not fifty feet from where they stood. The ground shook violently. Elder Lathrop whirled around to see where the lightning hit. Several trees were on fire, the orange flames threatening the trees nearby.
“This way!” Elder Lathrop ordered.
Siku had scurried up to the front of the line, just behind Elder Lathrop. Kaya was next and Kian brought up the rear. The wind whipped through the forest chaotically, spreading the fire in unpredictable directions. Elder Lathrop tried to find a safe route past the blazing trees but they were thwarted at every turn. Green branches spewed thick, black smoke as they burned. There was a loud crack directly above them, and a thick, flaming branch dropped onto the sled Elder Lathrop was pulling. It only took seconds for the whole thing to go up in flames.
A grim look crossed the Elder’s face, and he shimmied out of the burning harness. The cubs looked at him, dumbfounded.
“We have to leave it!” he yelled over the howling wind.
They proceeded on without the day’s catch.
Kian heard a crackling noise. He looked up and saw a burning tree begin to fall—right on top of Kaya. He leapt forward, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her toward him just in time. They tumbled backwards just as the tree gave way and went crashing through the forest. It started a chain reaction and they watched in awe as flaming tree after flaming tree fell around them.
They were trapped. They called for Elder Lathrop, but heard no reply. They ran this way and that, but couldn’t find a way out. Fire surrounded them on all sides. Finally, through the intense heat of the flames, they saw Elder Lathrop and Siku on the other side of a burning mass of fallen trees and branches. They were running in the opposite direction. Kian called out to them, but they didn’t hear his cries. He looked at his sister. Terror filled her bloodshot eyes. Sooty rivulets ran down the clean white fur of her face, and he was sure he looked the same: the thick black smoke was everywhere, and it burned his eyes, causing them to tear up.
He lifted her to her feet and they set off in search of an escape. The wind had died down and the air was thick with black smoke. It was almost impossible to see, much less breathe. The smoke stung his eyes and burned his nose. He lost sight of Kaya as he became lightheaded and dizzy. His legs felt weak and shaky. The trees around him grew blurry and everything began to spin. He stumbled haphazardly, then stopped still in surrender. He couldn’t run anymore. He needed a second—just a second—to regain his thoughts and gather his strength. He tried to catch his breath, but the smoke was still too thick. He closed his eyes. He never wanted to open them again. It felt good to be still. More peaceful than running. At least Kaya made it out, he thought.
The intense heat made his body pulse. The embers around him burnt and crackled as tree limbs dropped to the ground just inches from his nose. The branches sizzled and steamed as they hit the cold, wet snow. Then, faintly, through the raging inferno, he heard a familiar voice. It was soft and far away, like a dream. It was…Kaya? Yes, it had to be. His twin sister was calling his name. He saw her face clearly in his mind. He focused on her face. Slowly, her voice grew louder and louder. He heard footsteps crunching through snow and underbrush—then something tackled him to the ground and his trance was broken.
He opened his eyes, and there she was.
“Kaya,” he rasped in relief. He tried to sit up.
“No,” she said firmly. “Stay down.” She pressed his nose into the snow. It was refreshing. He took a long deep breath and felt energy spread through his body as cool, fresh air filled his lungs. The clouds left his eyes and his mind cleared. He was out of his stupor. He tried to lift his head again, but she wouldn’t let him
“Kaya, I’m fine now. You can let me up,” he whined.
She smiled, and the tension fell from her body. “I thought I lost you,” she said, squeezing him in a tight, quick hug. “Follow me, but keep your nose down. That way you’ll be able to breathe.” She spun around and crept low along the forest floor, burrowing a tunnel through the snow beneath the smoky fumes.
Kian wasn’t able to get as low as his sister, but he mimicked her army crawl as best he could. She was right: he could breathe fine down in the snow. Ahead and above, he could see the smoke rising through the remains of the charred forest. The blackened trees reached to the sky like skeletal fingers. Wisps of flame clung to their ruined trunks. They kept their noses down and burrowed to the edge of the forest. The air finally cleared enough to breathe, and above them, stars twinkled in the night sky. They lifted their heads and looked around. Tree trunks steamed and hot smoke curled around the few remaining branches. Thick dollops of soot-colored snow dropped down, hissing angrily as they hit the scorched ground.
It was eerie.
They kept moving. When they finally cleared the forest and emerged into the fresh air, they dropped to the ground in exhaustion. Kian took in huge gulps of air as he lay on his back, staring up at the welcome sight of the night sky. Kaya did the same, but she regained her energy more quickly. She rolled to her feet and looked at Kian.
“Kian!” she exclaimed, “your fur!”
“What?” he answered, lifting his paws in the air so he could see his forelegs. “Oh!”
Their pearly white coats had turned charcoal black. Kaya rolled in the fresh white powder to clean herself, but Kian just lay still. He was too tired to move, and didn’t care about his fur right at that moment. Kaya finished and plopped back down next to him. They rested there for a while in silence.
The moonlight cast a silvery sheen over the wide-open snowscape around them. The snowflakes danced and glimmered as they reflected the starlight from above. It was a very different scene than the eerie one they had just barely escaped. Kian’s head finally cleared and he found the energy to speak.
“Hey, how did you know there was clean air under all that smoke?” he asked.
Kaya looked at him and burst out laughing. Kian’s face wrinkled into a scowl; he was confused. But her joy was contagious and he began laughing, too—even though he didn’t know why.
“What’s so funny?” he demanded.
“You didn’t clean your face off. You have two black eyes.”
“Is that all?” He scooped up a pile of snow to rub the soot from around his eyes. “Geez, I thought I was missing an ear or something.”
They rolled back to the snow and laughed until their sides hurt. The intensity of their near-death experience had made them giddy. They were still a little shaky, but they handled it the way they always handled tough things: they leaned on each other and laughed.
Kaya gathered herself and said, “I could feel it.”
“What do you mean you could feel it? All I could feel was heat,” he paused, “it was everywhere.”
“Everywhere except your paws, right? Because they were in the snow. So, I figured if we dug into the snow it would pass right over us.”
“Wow. I didn’t think of that. I lost you and I thought—” he paused, still shaken by the event. “I thought I wasn’t going to make it.”
She looked at him with an expression of concern. “You didn’t think I’d leave you, did you?”
“I have no idea what I thought,” he said earnestly. “I couldn’t think straight. The smoke got to me. Everything was a jumble. I just remember being happy, though, thinking you had made it out safe.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have left without you,” she said honestly. “Do you think the others are okay?”
Kian knew she needed to hear that they were, so he said, “Of course. Elder Lathrop can handle anything, and Siku was practically hanging from his tail.” He chuckled at the thought.
“You’re right. If we made it, I’m sure they did, too. Anyway, I think we better get back. Are you ready?” Kaya stood and looked at the filthy black snow where she’d cleaned herself off.
Kian sat up in a flash and blurted, “Kaya! I just realized something. We did it!”
“Did what?” She said confused. “Survived? I know, and now we have to get back to the Valley before they’re worried sick about us.”
“No, you don’t get it. We’re finally alone. We can head south like we planned!”
“No way, Kian. Not after everything that’s happened. They’ll think we’re dead!”
“No they won’t. Listen. It’s perfect. We can go ahead with our mission. Then when we come back we can say we got lost and accidentally found the man—and he agreed to help us with the device. It’s an even better plan than before.”
“But Kian, we can’t do that to Elder Lathrop. He’ll think we’re dead.”
“No he won’t. He’ll come looking for us. He’ll see the trench we dug to get out of the forest and then he’ll find this.” He gestured to the black snow beside them, then spun in a circle with his arms spread wide. “He’ll know this was us and that we made it out.”
Kaya knew he was right. Elder Lathrop would track them back to this spot as soon as he could, and he’d figure it all out just like Kian said he would. “Okay. In that case, we better get moving. I don’t want to be around if he catches us walking south.”
“Don’t worry. He has to get Siku to the Valley before he comes back for us. We’ll be long gone before then. Let’s go!” He started walking out over the snow, then stopped abruptly. He looked across the frozen, moon-dappled expanse, then curled his nose and squinted his eyes. “Hmmm,” he grunted. He was disoriented. The forest fire had him completely turned around. He looked up to the sky, then back out over the snow. He turned around in circles, trying to suss out which way was south.
“You have no idea where we’re going, do you?” she said.
“No, I do,” Kian lied. He bent his neck back and searched the sky again, this time more carefully. “I just need to find the Great Bear”
Kaya snickered. “The Great Bear? You still remember that?”
Kian glared at her. “Of course I remember. Mother taught it to us for a reason.”
“I know. I just could never see it, though.”
Kaya wasn’t as visual as Kian. She was a paws-on bear, and took better to activities like sparring. No matter how many times Kutaa pointed it out, Kaya had never really seen the Great Bear in the stars. Kian, on the other hand, saw it instantly. He remembered the night she’d showed them. It was his favorite thing to do as he drifted off to sleep, that first year out on the ice: he’d gaze up at the stars and trace the outline of the bear in his mind. He loved to find it as they traveled. It made him feel important, like his mother needed him to help navigate, and she always praised him for his keen eye.
Kaya sat quietly as he searched the stars. The storm clouds had blown away quickly and the sky was clear. He soon found it. He counted all seventeen stars to be sure. He raised his paw to the sky and traced a line from the middle of the bear’s back to the star they needed most—the North Star.
“Kaya, I found it. Let me show you!” he said, excited.
She moseyed over to where he stood and he pointed up into the black, star filled sky. She tilted her head back and tried to follow the movements of his paw as he spoke.
“Those four stars there make up the head. See? And if you follow the head back you get to the tail—those three stars, there. It’s a funny kind of bent tail. Now, those two stars there in the middle, in between the head and tail, see them? They’re the most important ones. They point up to the North Star. That bright star right there. Got it?” He looked down at her, still pointing at the constellation.
Kaya strained her eyes. She’d lost him somewhere after “Those four stars…” Frustrated, she looked away and said, “I just can’t see it. It all looks the same to me, Kian, just like when Mother pointed it out. All I see is a bunch of random stars.”
Kian could see her frustration, so he tried to comfort her. “You’re right. It doesn’t even really look like a bear, anyway. I don’t even know why I can see it; I just can. It’s kind of stupid really, but it helps.” He turned and faced south. “Anyway, we should go that way, and keep the North Star behind us.”
Kaya stayed close to Kian as they walked through the night. He kept the Great Bear at their backs to guide them. The atmosphere turned spooky: the wind whistled in their ears, as if speaking to them in voices just out of earshot, and the moon cast long, shifting shadows as its light crept over the snowbanks.
“Maybe we should dig a den for the night,” Kaya said.
Kian saw the worry in her eyes. They’d never roamed the wild alone, especially at night.
“We can’t stop now. We’ve got to put more distance between us and Elder Lathrop. He’s probably already tracking us.”
“I’m tired, Kian,” she groaned.
“C’mon, Kaya. We can do this. We have each other.”
She managed a feeble smile and they trudged ahead. They walked until the sun rose over the eastern horizon. What started as a subtle gray glow slowly changed to light blue, then pink, then orange—and suddenly the land was bathed in beautiful daylight. Kaya had never been so happy to see the sun in her life. The fresh powder shimmered in the light and the snowbanks glistened as the sun reflected off their gentle slopes.
Their march south had led them back out onto the ice, into the area where the Bears of the Valley frequently hunted. The fresh snow covered the tracks, though, as well as all the breathing and dive holes. The land looked pristine and untouched. Kian’s stomach rumbled at the familiar smells of sea and seal. He realized he was tired and hungry. The realization caused him to change direction unconsciously, drawn toward the prospect of a meal.
“Where are you going?” Kaya asked.
“I’m starving. We need to hunt.”
“We can’t hunt here, Kian. I’d rather sleep, anyway. And besides, this is right where Elder Lathrop would look for us.”
“Here? Why?”
“We haven’t even made it past the hunting grounds.”
Kian looked confused. He turned in a circle. “I’m not so sure about that, Kaya.” The fresh snow made it all look new to him. “How can you tell?”
“Kian, look around. We’ve been hunting around here all daylight cycle.”
“No, the daylight cycle ice wasn’t thick enough for us to come way out here.”
“I can just feel it, Kian. We were here yesterday. I’m sure.”
He didn’t exactly trust his sister on this—he was the navigator in the family. Her insistence annoyed him, but he relented. “Okay, then. We can walk along the ice floes and hopefully catch something as we walk.”
“No, we can’t do that, either. He would expect that. We have to go inland.”
Kian’s stomach growled angrily. This was the first time he’d missed a meal since coming to live in the Valley. The thought of abandoning their only chance at food was unsettling. He thought for a moment, then had an idea that might make them both happy.
“Okay, I’ve got an idea. You’re tired, right?”
“Obviously,” she said.
“So, you take a nap and I’ll go hunt.”
Kaya shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Kian, you’re missing my point. We don’t have time to hunt right now. Especially not right here.”
“But I’m starving,” he groaned. He kicked the snow. Sometimes he hated how stubborn his sister could be.
Suddenly Kaya’s eyes lit up. “I just remembered something!”
“What?”
“I hid a seal out here.”
“You did what?” Kian’s eyes went wide. His stomach turned flip-flops and his mouth began to water.
“I caught another seal yesterday."
“No way.”
“Yes way. I caught it halfway through the hunt, when we were the furthest out. I was alone and no one saw me. I stashed it in a little crevasse near here, just in case we needed it when we started on our mission. And I was right! We need it.”
“Kaya! I can’t believe you thought of that.” He was elated. His sister could be maddening, but sometimes she was smart, too.
“We have a problem, though,” she said, and Kian’s face dropped.
“What?”
“With all the fresh snow, it’s not going to be easy to find.”
Kian’s shoulders dropped and he plopped down in the fresh white powder. His elation changed to dejection, but he was determined to find food. “We have to at least try. Do you recognize anything at all?”
Kaya scanned the area, thinking. “I know I was pretty far from the edge of the water when I caught the seal. I think if we walk inland, we’ll be able to smell it. I don’t smell anything right now.”
“I don’t know, Kaya. Sounds like a longshot.”
“What else can we do? We need to get away from the water, or Elder Lathrop will find us.”
“I guess you’re right.” Kian clambered to his feet and took the lead. They walked inland, still heading south. What felt like hours passed and snow flurries began to fall from the sky. This time, though, the snow was welcome: there was no ominous dark gray storm rolling in, just the occasional snow cloud. They walked in silence until Kaya slowed to a stop. She looked around and smiled.
“We’re getting close. The sun was right over those mountains when I caught the seal.”
They split up so they could cover more ground. Kaya snaked right and Kian veered left. They slipped into full hunt mode, sniffing the air fiercely until they each detected a pungent odor in the air, and followed it to its source. Soon they were back side by side, noses to the ground. Kaya led the way as they zeroed in on the hiding place. The seal was so close they could taste it. Kaya saw the crevasse, yelped in delight, then skipped over to the edge.
“Oh no!” she cried. The crevasse was empty. Something had gotten there first. Whatever it was had left an untidy pile of snow a few feet away.
Kian let out an exasperated sigh and snapped, “Great hiding place.”
“Well, thanks, Kian,” she quipped back, sarcastically. “It’s not like you caught anything for us.”
“I’m sorry,” he moaned. “I’m just starving. It was a good idea, hiding it there in the first place. Maybe we should—”
“Wait,” she cut him off, “there’s a trail.”
Kian looked down at the snow. She was right. A distinct furrow led from the crevasse and disappeared out of sight around a snowbank. They both had the same thought at the same time.
“It has to be close—” Kaya began.
“—because we can still smell it,” Kian finished.
Kaya took off along the furrow with Kian on her tail. They rounded the bank and found two mangy looking snow foxes busy chowing down on their meal. Kaya charged and the scavengers ran, flittering quickly out of range of her dangerous claws, scraps of seal dangling from their sharp little teeth. They watched from atop a snowbank, their beady amber eyes smug and mocking, then ran off into the distance.
Kian looked down at what was left, which wasn’t much. Just scraps. Hardly more than skin and bones. Kaya came to his side and they sat and polished off what was left. She looked at Kian smugly.
“Go ahead, say it.”
“What?” Kaya said and hid a smile.
“I told you so.”
“Well, I did,” she laughed. “It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing. Hopefully it’s enough to keep you from whining until we get back to the coast.”
Kian smiled at her, a little embarrassed. He knew he’d been a pain in the hide, but he also knew he was lucky to have a sister who tolerated him.