River of Lost Bears (36 page)

Kallik shoved Yakone forward, and he hurled himself at the firesnake's back. Kallik flung herself after, landing beside Yakone a bearlength from Lusa.

“Come on, Toklo!” she bellowed.

Toklo leaped.

Pain shrilled through his pelt as teeth sank into his rump. He flailed wildly. A snarling coyote was dragging him backward. Bodies jostled against his flanks. Jaws snapped beside his ears.

Spirits, save me!
Toklo tore free, blind with fear, and hurled himself at the firesnake's back. He slammed against it with a thump that knocked the breath from his body. His paws hung over the side, the wind dragging at them as the firesnake rocked beneath him.

“I've got you!”

Teeth clamped into Toklo's scruff. Splinters grazed his nose as Kallik hauled him up. Her warm, fishy smell washed his muzzle as he rolled onto the firesnake's back. Gasping, he lay limp and stared at the sky.

We made it!

Something thumped down beside him. A snarl sounded by his ear.

“Watch out!” Lusa wailed in terror.

Toklo scrambled to his paws. A coyote faced him, jaws dripping, eyes wild with rage. Toklo staggered as the firesnake swayed beneath him. The coyote leaped. It hit him with such force that he fell backward. A sharp wind snatched him and flung him aside as the coyote sank its teeth into his neck. Pain seared though his body and the SilverPath blurred as his head dangled over the edge. The coyote snarled at his throat.

“Help!” Toklo was fighting for every breath now. His vision began to fade.

White fur flashed above him. With a yelp, the coyote disappeared.

Toklo stared as Yakone loomed over him. As the white bear grabbed his scruff and hauled him to his paws, a hideous wail screeched below. Toklo glanced down and saw the SilverPath below turn red. Blood smattered the stones, and far behind, six coyotes raised their howls to the sky.

“Toklo!” Kallik and Lusa clustered around him.

Toklo staggered to his paws, weak with fear. The firesnake swayed beneath him. His rump stung like fire. Kallik gazed at him with wide, frightened eyes while Lusa pressed against him, trembling. Yakone sat down heavily. His injured paw was wet with fresh blood.

“We made it,” Toklo breathed.

“I thought you were going to die!” Lusa's voice choked.

Toklo blinked at Yakone as the white bear caught his breath. “You saved me! You
all
saved me!” He stared at his friends as the forest slid past. They were on their way to the mountains, riding a firesnake, and heading home.

ERIN HUNTER
is inspired by a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior. She is also the author of the bestselling Warriors and Survivors series.

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Book One: The Quest Begins

Book Two: Great Bear Lake

Book Three: Smoke Mountain

Book Four: The Last Wilderness

Book Five: Fire in the Sky

Book Six: Spirits in the Stars

RETURN TO THE WILD

Book One: Island of Shadows

Book Two: The Melting Sea

MANGA

Toklo's Story

Kallik's Adventure

Cover art © 2013 by Wayne McLoughlin

River of Lost Bears

Copyright © 2013 by Working Partners Limited

Series created by Working Partners Limited

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-0-06-199640-5 (trade bdg.)

ISBN 978-0-06-199641-2 (lib. bdg.)

EPub Edition © NOVEMBER 2012 ISBN: 9780062202994

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First Edition

LOOK FOR

Toklo is overjoyed when the four bears reach the mountains where he spent his cubhood. But with Yakone still gravely injured and aggressive wolves driving them away from their temporary den, Kallik, Yakone, Toklo, and Lusa are forced to part ways for the first time since their journey began. While the white bears gravitate toward the snowy mountaintops, Lusa tries to help Toklo establish a territory of his own, until he encounters a figure from his past—and quickly realizes that he may not be welcome in his former home.

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