Different worlds

Chapter 1

Kallick and Lusa silently walked to the den of the healer that was healing Ujurak after he swallowed the fishhook. Lusa was able to open door, Kallick was nervous as bears don't normally go into flat-face dens.

Inside though, it smelled like herbs and meat. They found Ujurak in the form of a human sleeping buried under pelts.

"Do you think he's strong enough to come with us?" asked Kallick whispering.

"He's got to be," replied Lusa. She raised a paw and shook Ujurak's shoulder. "Ujurak, wake up! We have to get out of here."

She shook his shoulder again.

Ujurak's eyes fluttered open and he gazed at the polar bear and black bear cubs like he didn't know who they were.

He can't have forgotten us Kallick thought in dismay. She remembered Ujurak couldn't talk to them in human form.

But then Ujurak seemed to recognize them as he started rubbing Lusa's fur with his hand. He muttered something, he voice sounded hoarse though so they couldn't understand.

"A big metal bird landed here," Lusa spoke up. "Some new flat-faces got out, and now they're having a gathering in one of the big dens.

"We need to leave now," added Kallick. "Something's going on and it's not safe here anymore."

As they spoke Ujurak started to hear them talking and his memories of with his friends began to come back.

"Yes, I remember" he said.

He stood up and got off the bed and put on the pelts and walked unsteadily out with his friends.

Lusa faced towards the valley and then looked back to see Ujurak facing back towards the flat-face dens.

"Go ahead and wait for me" he whispered.

Before either Kallick or Lusa could stop him, he headed off towards the dens.

…

Ujurak slipped into the big den where the gathering was being held. People were sitting at the benches and a raised platform where Tiinchuu the healer who had looked after him was with some of the other villagers and some wearing black pelts.

He listened to them talking about things he didn't know like money and oil. Some of the villagers seemed interested in the offer. But to his relief more of them were against the offer.

The man Tiinchuu called the senator seemed determined to drill for oil and declared to use force if they had too. Ujurak could tell he would destroy the wild.

"Save the wild!" Ujurak called hoarsely.

The people started arguing demanding that they left. The visitors were walking towards the door. They noticed Ujurak curled up in the corner. The senator noticed and softened his look upon seeing him.

"Who's this?" he demanded.

"I found this boy unconscious on my doorstep," explained Tiinchuu. "I've treated his injuries and he's getting well. I'll take him back to rest now."

"This is nonsense!" exclaimed the senator shoving him aside. "This boy is seriously ill; I can tell by that just by looking at him. He needs urgent medical care."

"He's getting all the medical care he needs" said Tiinchuu his voice edged.

"I mean proper facilities," the senator sighed. "The kind you don't have."

Ujurak let out a cry of terror as the senator picked up and carried him outside.

"As for the rest of you," declared the senator. "It's time you woke up and joined the real world."

Ujurak looked around as he was carried to the metal bird for Kallick and Lusa.

"Kallick! Lusa! Help me!" he called out in a voice to soft only he could hear, stretching his arm out.

But he couldn't see them anywhere.

He watched as the flat-faces climbed aboard the metal bird with him bundled with them as he slowly started to drift into darkness.

…

Kallick and Lusa waited anxiously outside the village.

"You think he'll back soon?" asked Lusa.

"I don't know" replied Kallick.

The two bears looked to see the metal bird flying away.

"It looks like they're leaving" said Lusa.

"Good," declared Kallick. "The flat-faces who live here we don't have to be afraid of. But I don't trust these new ones."

They walked back to the village and looked around as quietly as they could. But they couldn't see Ujurak anywhere.

"I think those flat-faces took him!" cried Lusa.

"We might never see him again!" added Kallick.

"Come on Kallick!" cried Lusa. "We've got to go after them!"

"It's no use Lusa," sighed Kallick. "They're too far."