The Den of Forever Frost by Kathryn Lasky

Author:Kathryn Lasky
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

The cubs said good-bye to Akka. Jytte insisted on leading. She had been very impatient with Akka and her art, but Akka’s map was by far the best. It confirmed that they really could get to the firth where their father had come from.

The cubs felt a new certainty in their progress, and yet despite the colorful webs there was a monotony to the tunnel.

“I love Akka’s art,” Stellan said suddenly. “But you know what I would love even more?”

“What?” Third asked.

“To see night …” Stellan paused. “Or day. To know when it is night or day. To see real light and not just the shimmering colors of these spiders’ webs.”

“To see an ahalikki?” Jytte said. “Now that is art! And no creature made it!”

Froya tugged lightly on Third’s tail.

“What is it, Froya?”

“I’m hungry,” she whispered.

“Why are you whispering?”

“I don’t want them to know.”

“What are you talking about?”

“They’ll think I’m weak. I’m trying to be strong. I don’t want them to leave me.”

“They won’t. They know that you’re part of me. We’re together. But we’ve got to keep you fed!” Third said this with sudden urgency. He turned and called to Jytte and Stellan, who were several paces ahead. “Hey, we’re hungry! You realize we’ve only had two voles in the last—”

“You see, that’s the problem.” Jytte huffed. “We don’t know day from night. We can’t keep track of time.”

“My stomach can,” Froya muttered.

“How far until our next guide?” Stellan asked.

“Not far,” Jytte said. “Oh, cubs!” she shouted. “Good news.” They heard a resounding smack. “Vole in a hole!” she cried out gleefully.

Third and Froya scrambled to catch up. The cubs began swatting the tiny rodents with their paws and knocking them senseless. Even though Froya could only use one of her arms, she was quick.

“Good work, Froya!” Stellan said.

“Really?” It nearly broke Stellan’s heart to see how pleased she was. She was really just a cub like them. He must forget that she had once bullied her younger brother. He decided right then to tell Froya about their mission.

“Froya,” Stellan began.

“You’re not going to leave me, are you?” She had never heard Stellan sound so serious, almost severe.

“No, no, of course not.” Stellan took a deep breath. “Froya, you are part of a mission.”

“You mean to find your father, Svern?”

“Well, it’s really larger than that.” He glanced at Jytte. She nodded. He felt better. Go ahead, she seemed to say.

“You know about the Roguers, of course.”

“Yes,” Froya answered in barely a whisper. “They capture young cubs and take them away to serve at the …” Her voice dropped. “At the Ice Clock.” She could barely say the words. “They do bad things to cubs there.”

“Yes,” Stellan replied. “And that is our mission. To stop the clock and destroy the Grand Patek’s power.”

“How can you stop it?”

“Our father will help us. He’s a famous rebel who once came close to destroying the clock.”

All the cubs kept their eyes on Froya. She did not speak for a while but looked at her paws, studying them intently.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.