Seekers #6: Spirits in the Stars Read Free Page B

it, even through all this snow. I—
    His thoughts were cut off by a startled yelp from Lusa. The black bear fell through the surface of the snow and vanished; a moment later her head popped up, and she shook snow out of her ears.
    “Not another drift!” Toklo exclaimed. “Honestly, Lusa, I think you’re doing this on purpose.”
    “Oh, yes, because I love the snow!” Lusa replied crossly. “Get me out of here, Toklo.”
    The big grizzly waded through the snow and gave his friend a push so she could scramble onto firmer ground on the far side of the drift. She’s doing her best, he thought , but she’s still fighting off the longsleep.
    The short delay had given Ujurak and Kallik time to catch up, trotting in Toklo’s footsteps. Toklo headed off again, toward the top of the hill at the center of the island, as Ujurak had suggested. He pictured again how the cormorant’s glossy black feathers had shrunk away as his friend’s body swelled and took on the familiar shape of a brown bear.
    Funny, Toklo mused. I’m so used to Ujurak changing shape now, I can hardly remember how shocked I was when he first did it.
    Abruptly he halted. A new smell had drifted into his nose; it had been so long since Toklo had smelled it that he felt stunned for a moment.
    Prey!
    It wasn’t fish, or seal, but warm, furry prey—and it was just ahead.
    “Stay back!” Toklo hissed with a glance at his companions. Crouching low, he crept forward, guided by the tantalizing scent. But however carefully he scanned the snow-covered hill ahead of him, he could see nothing. The moon had appeared, washing the slope with silver light, and nothing disturbed the smooth sweep of snow.
    Where is it?
    The scent grew stronger as Toklo advanced, pawstep by careful pawstep, but there was still no sign of the animal. His gaze swept across two small black dots, and he focused on them sharply as the dots twitched.
    Yes!
    Now that Toklo realized what he was looking at, he could make out the shape of an Arctic hare. Its pelt was completely white, hardly visible against the snow-covered hill, except for the black tips of its ears. It had been burrowing into the snow, but as Toklo bounded forward, it fled, its paws skimming across the frosty surface.
    With a growl of hunger Toklo pounded after it, forcing his legs to pump faster and faster. For a few frustrated moments he thought the hare would outrun him, but then he forced himself into a final, massive leap, and let out a triumphant bellow as he felt his claws sink into the hare’s fur. He dispatched it with a swift blow to the neck.
    “Great catch, Toklo!” Kallik exclaimed as she and Ujurak ran up to join him.
    Toklo’s pride was warring with disappointment: The hare’s fur was thick, but the body underneath was small and skinny. At least it’s real prey at last, he told himself.
    “Come and share,” he invited the others.
    Kallik and Ujurak settled down beside the prey, but there was no sign of Lusa.
    “Where’s Lusa off to now?” Toklo demanded, looking around, hiding his worry with a show of irritation. “If she’s disappeared into another snowdrift, she can find her own way out!”
    Gazing down the slope, he spotted Lusa snuffling around excitedly in the snow where he had first seen the hare.
    “Hey, Lusa!” he called. “Don’t you want your share?”
    “I’m looking for my share,” Lusa replied. “The hare dug down through the snow, and I can smell leaves!”
    She scraped vigorously, and Toklo saw a sparse, small bush emerge from the powdery snowbank. Lusa bit off a whole twig and chewed happily.
    “Delicious!” she exclaimed, her voice muffled by the mouthful. “You are clever, Toklo!”
    Toklo snorted. “How in the world can you prefer eating sticks to warm hare?” he demanded.
    Busy chewing, Lusa didn’t reply. Toklo shrugged. At least she’s pleased.
    When they had finished eating, they set out again toward the top of the hill. As they climbed higher, the slope grew