know who you are,” the bear snarled.
“You do?”
“You’re one of those who can speak to animals.”
“I am?”
The bear exhaled heavily and poked at Haibu’s chest with one of his large claws. “It’s a bit obvious, don’t you think, human?”
“I don’t know. I-I-I’ve never really tried, I guess.”
The bear roared, “That’s because your kind doesn’t care! It’s a good thing only a few of you can talk to us!” The bear roared even louder. Then he turned and began to move away from her, back toward the fish.
“I’m sorry for whatever humans have done to you or your family,” Haibu called. She was sincere. She believed in being happy, being friendly, and being family.
The bear stopped short. His head drooped and his low rumbling growl grew louder. He swung around to face Haibu again. “What would you know about my family?”
“N-n-nothing,” Haibu stuttered.
“No, you wouldn’t understand, because you probably still have your family. How would you feel if I took your family from you?” The bear leaned right into Haibu’s face. His breath was so hot she could barely keep her eyes open. “I lost both my cubs to a human like you,” he said.
“W-Why?”
The bear leaned within an inch of Haibu’s face and gave the loudest roar yet. “So the humans could stay WARM!”
The bear raised his paw high in the air once more, and this time Haibu knew it would be the end. There was no more trying to talk her way out of it. She had to act fast. As the bear swiped, Haibu ducked and rolled under its paw. She dashed to the sled and grabbed the spear. In one motion she spun around and crouched, with the spear pointed towards the bear.
“GO AWAY! I’ve done nothing to you!” she yelled.
The polar bear leaped closer to Haibu. “I won’t give you the chance!” he growled.
Kanuux looked back at Haibu and, with a sad face, dove into the water.
Using every ounce of courage, Haibu started swinging the spear to keep the bear at bay. The size and strength of the polar bear was beginning to set in. It stood tall and let out a deafening roar, then lunged again, striking Haibu in the arm with razor-sharp claws.
“Please stop!” Haibu screamed. “I’m bleeding!”
The bear continued to growl and inch closer and closer to her. “I wonder if my cubs had a chance to say please.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Haibu noticed the Shookia on her wrist. It reminded her of her strength. I can do anything I believe I can do. I can be anything I believe I can be. I can achieve anything I want to achieve. I am Haibu. She looked the bear directly in the eyes and shouted, “Not today, nanuq! Today, I am going home and you can’t stop me!”
As the bear charged toward her, Haibu rolled under him and jabbed him the leg with her spear. The bear howled in pain. “Enough of this playtime! You’re finished, human!”
A cracking noise rose over the howling of the bear and froze them both in their tracks. The sound continued, getting louder and louder.
“It’s still going?” Haibu marveled. She knew that a cracking sound is the last thing any Mayok wants to hear while out on the shallow ice, away from solid land. Haibu knew she needed to get back to the mainland. The ice continued to crack.
“Stop!” Haibu cried. “You’re cracking the ice!”
She sprinted toward the land, toward the village, but she heard another crack, and another and another. She felt the ice shift underneath her. The movement caused her and the bear to fall down. Then the worst happened: the ice sheet broke off and separated from the land.
As quickly as the ice broke away from land, a fast current swept it up. It didn’t take long for reality to set in. Haibu was stranded on a chunk of ice with an angry polar bear and they were drifting toward the deep ocean.
Crawling to his feet, the bear snarled at Haibu, “I’m going to end this NOW!” He galloped toward her.
“I said, not today, nanuq!” Haibu sprinted toward the bear, full steam.
As if it were planned, they both jumped in the air, the bear roaring and Haibu yelling, “Aiyeeeee!”
Just as they were about to collide, Kanuux leaped out of the water. With one quick motion, he swung his tail flipper into the bear’s head, knocking him over onto the ice, into an uncontrolled slide towards the water.
“Kanuux!” Haibu yelled. “You saved me!”
Once in the water, the bear swam back towards Haibu and the floating ice. Haibu knew she couldn’t let him back on the ice, so she pointed her spear at the bear to keep him from climbing back on.
“I don’t want to hurt you! Go home, leave us alone!” Haibu yelled.
The polar bear tried to climb up, but Haibu slammed her spear close to his paws, persuading him to leave.
“I told you! I don’t want to hurt you! Swim back while you can!” Haibu shouted.
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