Chapter 2: Lyra

The journey north was long and filled with unanswered questions, at least it was that way for Lyra. When Iorek had gotten his armor back he had seemed to have put distance between himself and her as they traveled Lyra saw very little of the great bear and when she did it was an only a quick glimpse that lasted for only a few seconds at any given time.

The few time Lyra got to ask the alethiometer where or what Iorak was doing it would always say pretty much the same thing, that Iorek was hunting or scouting ahead for danger but recently its answer had changed.

he is thinking of you.

Before Lyra could ask anything else John Faa called for her to join him and the others when she did they all began to ask her questions such as how many were guarding the compound and what weapons they had, obediently Lyra asked the alethiometer while Pan cuddle close to her. The answers to each question filled her mind as she stared deep into the compass but as she looked deeper she saw an image of a dark cave at the edge of a nearby valley from what she could see it was only a few hours away and something inside of the cave was important...it was something she needed...

The answers to each question filled her mind as she stared deep into the compass but as she looked deeper she saw an image of a dark cave at the edge of a nearby valley from what she could see it was only a few hours away and something inside of the cave was important...it was something she needed...

"Lyra?"

Blinking out of her trance Lyra saw that John Faa and the others were staring at her in concurred, she quickly told them what they wanted to know and continued to answer questions, when it was over Lyra broached the subject of the cave which was quickly pushed aside.

When everyone was asleep, Lyra crept from her tent and made her way over to the small area that had been set aside for Iorek at first Lyra did not see him but after blinking a few time she saw that he was sitting with his arms folded in his lap, Iorek fur was such a pure white that he blended into the snow cover landscape and as Lyar stood there staring at the massive form that was Iorek she remembered what the alethiometer had told her.

He is thinking of you.

Shaking her head clear Lyra stepped forward and into Iorek's line of sight, his eyes locked onto her and while she couldn't read his expression clearly she thought a look of desire crossed over his face.

"Iorek...I need your help." She said and Lyra began to tell Iorek of the cave and her feeling of importance. "So you see I have to go there but if I go on foot it could take me days to get there...but if you took me we could be there and back before dawn."

Iorek said nothing for a long moment all the while his gaze never moved off her, Lyra held her breath and prayed to god he would agree because Lyra feared that if she didn't go tonight she would be missing out on something life-changing.

"Fine, I will take you where you need to go." He said and Lyra sighed with relieve as Iorek lowered himself down to the ground and Lyra paused. This she knew would be the hard part or at least it would be for her because over the long weeks Lyra's need to touch the Ice bear had only grown and now she would be able to run her fingers through his fur, feel him shift and move his powerful body.

Climbing onto Ioreks back, Lyra held on as he began to run in the direction she indicated.

The journey to the cave was long and as Iorek ran Lyra couldn't help but be impressed by the way he had no trouble running through the deep packs of snow, as he moved Lyra could feel every muscle in his body flex and shift while he ran. By her calcuations it was and hour later when Iorek stopped at the edge of a snow cover vally and in the distance Lyra saw the mouth of the cave.