The forest remained a distant memory now that the prairie sun left no way for anyone or anything. Let's go to the salmon run, they said ... Iorek thought sarcastically as the group walked in single file. Koda leading the group, Kenai in the middle and Iorek was last in the row.

Yes, let's go to the Run if I don't melt first!and although the temperatures in Alaska were still cold he was used to a different type of cold. A bitter, dry cold ... this had something sultry, as if creating a hood over them. A hood that certainly was not made more pleasant by the constant talk of Koda.

Right now he was dabbling in sneezing (caused by the surrounding pollen) and the beginning of an endless talk

"Actually, if you really want to know, how me and my mom got separated, I was saving this story for the salmon run, but I'll tell you. " Iorek stopped when he saw Kenai slow down and glance at the cub

"It was propbably the fifth of sixth most coldest day in my entire life." and as he said this he rubbed his arms as if to mimic the cold feeling.

"Trust me, you don't know what true cold is." muttered Iorek, shaking his head and tapping a nearby stem. Kenai, who just seemed to be in the world to have his say at all costs, intervened with an "Oh, this sounds good. You should definitley save it." and this sparked a happy reaction from Koda "really?"

"oh yeah! for your friends." and saying this he had hardened his tone as he marched on. "Well, I have this other story ..."

Iorek intervened in turn quickly "Koda, let's play a game ... the game of silence. Whoever doesn't speak longer wins!"

"okay ... then I'll sing!"

and that sentence was enough to send both bears into a chorus of "NO! " but it was already too late because the cub had already started hopping and singing very loudly

Tell everybody I'm on my way.New friends and new places to see.With ... blue skies ahead Yes, I'm on my way.And there's nowhere else that I'd rather be.

the cub's cheerfulness seemed unstoppable even for Iorek's severe and cold temper. The shushing, the 'shhhh!' were of no use just like plugging his mouth and putting him inside a trunk headfirst. Because Koda was still singing. Exasperated, Kenai covered his ears and Iorek groaned loudly rolling his eyes " if we tried to-" he tried to suggest looking at Iorek

"no."

"but-"

"whatever it is I don't want to hear it." and he started walking, resuming the path

"get him out of there right away!"

Kenai looked back, erected on his hind legs and he noticed that Koda was still inside the trunk. Only the legs of the cub could be glimpsed jogging up and down playfully, as if Koda was enjoying being there.

"do I have to ..?" on other occasions, Iorek would have laughed at the face that Kenai showed him.

But on that occasion he ordered a: "MOVE!" And Kenai rolled his eyes "okay, okay!" Iorek snorted contentedly, but also slightly annoyed by Kenai's stubbornness.

He checked him until he saw Koda with his paws on the ground and trotting towards him, it was clear he wanted to play fight or something by looking at how he tried to headbutt Iorek's leg. The white bear was quicker and he nosed him forward with a swift movement of his head. "walk in front of me, both of you."

Obviously Kenai couldn't help but say what he thought

"I'm not a cub! I don't need you to check on me!" Despite being talkative, Koda was quite obedient when Iorek ordered him to do something. Because that was what Iorek did: he certainly had no time to waste with a cub who could not keep his mouth shut and a bear who must have been an adult but behaved even more immature than Koda did.

"walk and shut up." ordered the white bear and Kenai gave him a grim look to say the least and muttered something softly. Iorek didn't care much, so as they walked Iorek could look around to see if there were any dangers. There was no risk and so he concentrated on a much more fun scene that he should have interrupted, but it was really too comical. Koda was delighting in imitating Kenai in the gruff expression on his face.

Even more gruff than Iorek's relaxed face was, and seeing Koda imitate him was absolutely laughable. "He-he's imitating me!" Kenai complained in a shrill voice. Iorek shrugged "none of my business, solve it yourself." he commented coldly.

They stopped in a grove as soon as Koda became hungry, and Iorek took the opportunity to lie down in the shade a little. The two did not spare themselves shots even in that case, because Kenai drew a dividing line between him and Koda which the cub encircled in less than a second to continue talking. Kenai looked at Iorek as if to insult him, the white bear pretended not to see him and turned directly to Koda

"the road is long and it is already almost sunset." the cub nodded by letting go of a sprig of fruit in his paw "I'm ready, I'm done!"

"good. Kenai?"

"Mrrrn."

"I take it for a yes, move."

Iorek sneezed without being noticed when q day later they crossed a prairie with allergenic pollen everywhere and in which Koda dived without asking anyone anything...or at least tried to before the older bear snatched him away "we are just passing through."

"Oh, come on!" exclaimed the cub looking at the lawn with an air of longing and then of new Iorek with the same look. "pretty please?"

"mhph ... just a second-"

"YAY! ' and without having to repeat it several times Koda sprang like a spring among the gifted flowers rolling and laughing loudly, that laugh that transpired only innocence, kindness of heart and desire to enjoy something.

A quality that Iorek had long lost ... yet for how much he was cynical, that snatched a lightning smile from his hard-featured scarred face...those scars had made him lose that innocence.

All that disbelief was interrupted by Kenai's sneezing sound ... for the rest the journey maybe it wasn't like that as bad as Iorek would have imagined.

He was aware of the cub affection that Koda needed to demonstrate, but gradually It became less and less annoying and more bearable. Slowly Iorek got used to letting him sleep with him and in turn to shelter him from the rain ... but he did not give in to any kind of cuddle or frenzy.

The weather turned out to be nothing short of stormy in the following days when they crossed a wet swamp that walking would take them higher. Kenai's footsteps were heavy, annoyed by the rain that wet his fur and slowed him down. Iorek knew that Koda could not have walked fast enough in the midst of all that slush, so even if unwillingly he had taken him quickly from the scruff (even in the least delicate way), but Koda seemed now accustomed to the abrupt ways of the two. He was trying to catch the raindrops with his tongue, it was rainwater. It wouldn't hurt him.

The slope was so low that they could easily see the muddy bottom of it. It didn't seem too steep, but the wind was terribly inconstant and leaves that floated with it often ended up falling on the mud below as soon as the wind stopped howling.

"look here!" Koda headed towards it and in an unexpected movement opened his arms ... it was the wind that did all the work, supporting the cub from below without letting it fall. Koda's bust was therefore supported by the wind. Iorek lowered an eyebrow, unconvinced

"and is it safe ...?" the disheveled little head of the cub turned to look at him, fur moved by the wind that was blowing "my friend Buck taught me! it's fun!"

and another gust supported him again, though doubtful Kenai imitated him: he was as tall as two Kodas put together, and when he opened his arms an expression of happiness appeared on his face. It was an emotion he had never seen on Kenai, he had to be honest. Seeing them having fun like that was a cure-all, in a way ... they had gone from not being able to bear to binding almost immediately "be careful, you two!" he intimated them, for once pretending to be severe and directing them that kind of fake scolding look.

"Iorek, come on too!"

but he shook his head "No thanks. I'm not able to do this- HEY !!" clearly annoyed, it was Kenai who dragged him into the fray by his scruff. "come on! Let go!"

let go of what? The thought of wanting to find a home? wanting to start living?

Iorek wasn't sure about this, but if there was something that he felt could give him security right now it was the presence of Kenai and Koda ... maybe meeting them had not been so bad. Or maybe it was only the fresh wind that was clearing his mind: the white bear leaned his head forward, closing his eyes and deeply inspiring that wind. "it's an east wind. The zephyr."

"How do you know it?" Koda asked "how did you understand that? can you teach me to identify the winds?"

The twinkle in his gaze.

That twinkle that could turn any defeat into a battle, which could end a war with a twinkle. For the first time Iorek smiled "when you grow up, maybe." At that exact moment, the wind stopped

"oh no."

with the same cry all three fell into the mud through the short slope ... the scene was truly a comedy worthy of the name: three bears immersed in the mud, one of them of a different color before being submerged and the other two with hairstyles caused by it which only gave way to hilarity.

They looked at each other, looked at the mud and then began to roll with laughter, all three so different from each other but united by the same interest. The fact that they were starting to enjoy each other's company, and not for convenience

"I'LL GET YA!" Koda exclaimed this when with a leap he could barely reach Kenai's ears to claw them playfully. The three had started a run for an ascent, never ceasing to laugh and play with each other. Kenai nibbled Koda's back playfully and Iorek tipped him to the ground.

"tickle monster!" he exclaimed before tickling Koda, catching a deafening laugh in his ears and a paw on his muzzle.

But it didn't even scratch him,Koda's claws were too small and thin for that.

They couldn't cause one of those scratches that remains pink on your skin. In fact, those tiny paws wandering through his muzzle did no harm to him. Kenai also joined the "tickle monster number two" attack.

"NOOO!" Koda exclaimed in laughter "you'll pay for this! HAHAHAHAH" but then a sound of fast hooves added to the sound of their paws joined by two voices that Iorek did not recognize, but Kenai did.

Two moose were running towards them at full speed leaving a fuss behind and shouting things like "Hold on! Wait up!" Iorek's severe facade re-emerged accompanied by a bit of mistrust towards the two: he read them quickly while at last the two herbivores stopped.

Behind them.

Using Kenai as a shield in the flesh, letting his hooves fall over his side and trying to shield himself from who knows what "How's it going, bear boy?" said the darker moose to Kenai. So they knew each other. The two looked alike ... maybe they were brothers. Iorek made his gaze wander among the three until the elk became aware of Koda's presence and his "and little bear and other ... white bear."

"I'm sorry, do we know each other?" Iorek asked suspiciously. Kenai cleared his throat "um, these are Rutt and Tuke. Rutt, Tuke, these are Iorek and Koda"

Tuke caressed Koda's head "aww how cute, I didn't know you had two brothers!"

"we're not-"

but the two moose weren't done talking "OK, there's this hunter, following us, and I was-- we was thinking. If we could maybe nust kind of hang out with you guys ..." Tuke pitted all of this in a only sentence said quickly as if in a hurry, so quickly that the three bears looked almost stunned

"... are you talking about the same hunter we saw?" Kenai asked "we lost him in the glacier ..."

Rutt lowered an eyebrow looking over their shoulders "So, you don't think he'll follow those?" the three bears had, in effect, left quite evident footprints.

"...Oh." said Koda, looking down. Iorek frowned, thoughtful "it's not at all convenient in fact ... absolutely not."

Tuke jumped on the spot nervously "here I knew it! We'll all end up eaten! From the first to the last!" that kind of hysteria in his voice could only be to attract attention as it could be true.

The fact is that Iorek looked at him all the time with the gaze of those who do not intend to attend any dramatic theater "no one will be eaten." he said in a neutral tone. "And what do you know, eh?"

Iorek sighed, but thank goodness Kenai's silence served something "I have an idea ..."

"this is weird ..." The mammoth under Koda advanced with swaying and heavy steps following what was supposed to be the herd leader and who led the march towards the most remote part of the prairie, where they would then have to climb for a short distance. Despite the initial fear due to the height of that animal, Koda was having enough fun especially to gather other animals to join in the journey with them.

Kenai was the safest of the three on the back of ad mammoth, he knew how to handle every move and how not to fall off the back of it.

He had a totally different sense of balance on his back, as if he had always ridden a mammoth. Iorek was a little more uncertain, which was strange about him. He always seemed confident, and now with every slightly abrupt movement of the mammoth he clung onto dear life muttering things like : "tell my mother I made a brave end."

this sent Koda in a series of giggles in his direction as he moved over the mammoth's trunk. Iorek then smiled a little in that direction, signaling the mammoth to lift his trunk. Koda barely had time to cling before being raised "WOAH!"

At that point it was Iorek who laughed in the direction of Koda, who showed him his tongue in a playful way. The reason the mammoths were lifting their trunks was because they were crossing a lake, so they kept them raised so they could breathe. Even the mammoth that Rutt and Tuke were on kept their trunk raised and they tried with all their might not to fall. At that point they were all up, some on the back, some on the head and some on the tail, but all were turned to look at the sky.

Koda felt happy.