Stars littered the sky, shimmering like morning frost on the scarce vegetation. The Guard stopped for the night and began to set up camp, such as it was. Bears needed only a place where the ice was thin over the frozen sea to make camp at. They need no wood for fires because they neither cooked, nor needed it's warmth. Duties were spread out among the members once they stopped. Forgeron, Soren and Dramoro widened the hole in the ice and, after removing all of their armor, slipped without so much as a ripple under the water, in search of supper. Kasatka tended to the cubs, inspecting their feet and washing them with her tongue. Modomnoc continued his scouting in the surrounding area, to ascertain that there were no threats in the area, no cliff-ghasts to wake them early with their incessant cries, yowk yowk!! Meanwhile, Rolvaag, Solange, Nineveh, Rue and Pyree inspected the fire-hurler which they hauled along with them meticulously. Every rivet, every bolt, hose and connection was checked and touched, the fuel tank checked for it's level, the cache of sulfurous stone refilled if necessary.
By this time, Forgeron, Soren and Dramoro, accompanied by Modomnoc, finished with his scouting, returned with four fat seals, or perhaps a walrus or two. Everyone ate and afterwards, all armor was inspected as meticulously as the fire-hurler was. Blubber was packed in between rubbing plates, all rivets were tightened and it was packed away for the evening. As they settled in and made their hollows in the snow, building walls up to block the biting wind, the two cubs crowded near Kasatka. "Tell us a story, Mother Bear!" Helleri cried as the shy Dohai looked up with shining eyes of hope. "Okay, little ones. What story shall it be this night?" "Tell us the Before Time story!" Sighing softly, Kasatka settled more deeply into her hollow, next to Forgeron. Most of the others crowded around as well, or turned their great heads to listen.
"Long ago, before man knew what he was, before the cities, the towns, the electricity and the lights. Before even the bears had armor, bears lived far above the earth, in what was called the upper world. At this time, we bears were greedy, selfish animals...one particularly greedy she-bear stole the warmth of summer from the earth! She and her fellow bears carried it away to the upper world and there they lived in perpetual warmth and ease. Meanwhile, down below on earth there was a long winter. Three years long! At last, a council of the animals was held. They were starving to death, in this frozen world. It was decided that they would have to send some one to bring back the warmth the bears had stolen.
"This would be no easy task, for the entrance to the upper world was as narrow as a crack in the mountainside. Who would be sent to retrieve the warmth? The wiser animals drew up a list of requirements for the seekers of the warmth.
The seekers of warmth should not be too big.
The seekers of warmth should have sharp teeth, for defense if they were discovered.
The seekers of warmth should be quick and silent.
"At last, a group of animals was chosen to go and steal back the warmth. They were Lynx, Fox, Wolf, Wolverine, Mouse, Pike, and Dogfish. Together, the friends braved the arduous journey north, to the upper world. Once they arrived, Pike and Dogfish were the first through the opening. They wriggled through with ease, and Mouse followed close behind. Next came Wolf, but he was so big, he got stuck! Lynx, Fox and Wolverine had to push and push, and Pike, Dogfish and Mouse had to pull and pull, but finally, Wolf tumbled through.
"Once the troop was in the upper world, they stopped to rest and enjoy the warmth. How warm and dry it was, up here; how soft and green the trees and grass and bushes were! Silently, they crept up to the camp of the bears, a cave in a massive cliff, with a cooking fire cracking at the entrance. Two bear cubs were sleeping next to the fire, and Lynx walked up and gave one a gentle nudge."
"Eat 'em!" Helleri snarled loudly, batting the air with her razor-clawed paw. "Ssssshhh!" Dohai hissed fiercely, and turned raptly back to Kasatka, who continued...
"'Wake up!' whispered Lynx. The little bear groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes before he woke his brother with a swat. 'Who are these strange creatures?' he asked his brother. But before the other could answer, Fox interrupted him. 'Where is your mother?' she asked silently, in case the great she-bear was nearby. 'She went a-hunting.' said one. 'But she'll be back soon!' warned the other. Wolverine and Wolf, being the biggest, peeked inside the cave. There, near the back hung four full bags. Quickly, they called for the others to come and bring the two cubs.
"'What's in the middle bag?' Wolf asked, point toward it with a paw. 'That's where mother bear keeps the wind.' answered the cub. 'And that one?' asked Lynx, nodding to the one on the far left. 'That's where she keeps the rain.' said the second cub. 'And this one, what about this one?' asked Fox, placing her paw on the smallest bag. 'That's where she keeps the fog.' replied the first. 'How about that one?' Wolverine asked, nudging the roundest, fattest bag. The two cubs shook their heads vigorously. 'No no no, we cannot say. It is a secret and mother would be very angry.' said the cubs in unison.
"Sly and soothing, Fox placed her paw on the shoulder of the biggest cub and said, 'She won't ever find out, we wouldn't dream of telling.' The cubs, lulled by Fox's smooth and comforting voice, smiled shyly and said, 'Well, okay. That is where mother keeps all the heat.' Fox led her friends to the edge of the lake outside of the bear's cave. 'Well, what will we do to steal those bags?' she asked her friends. After and moment's thought, Lynx said, 'I shall change myself into a deer and run around to the other side of the lake! The cubs were hungry, and when she returns, the mother bear with come and hunt me!' They all nodded in agreement. 'Excellent, she will have to use her canoe to cross the lake, that will take her a long time.' said Dogfish. 'Even longer, for I will gnaw a hole in her paddle!' exclaimed Mouse."
"Why doesn't she just swim across the lake, it would be a lot more faster." Pyree said ponderously. By this time, all the bears were crowded around Kasatka, listening with their full attention to the story. Helleri and Dohai both turned and held a claw to their lips, shushing her loudly. Pyree looked hurt, and lowered her head back onto her forepaws, pouting.
"As I was saying, Mouse declared she would chew a hole in the mother bear's canoe paddle. 'Very good, little Mouse!' said Pike. 'Now, the rest of us will hide, and be ready to jump out and steal the bag back to earth when the she-bear goes to hunt Lynx.' Wolverine said. While the others found places to hide themselves, Lynx magically changed himself into a deer and followed the path to the far side of the lake, while little Mouse gnawed a deep cut in the paddle.
"It wasn't long before mother bear returned, and as soon as she was in sight, the eldest bear cub cried, 'Mother! Mother look, there is a deer on the other side of the lake!' The hungry cub pointed to Lynx and jumped up and down excitedly. Seeing the fat deer there, calmly munching on the berries of a mulberry bush, mother bear smiled and said, 'What a fine feast we shall have for supper!' and leapt into her canoe. As she paddled her way across the lake, faster and faster, SNAP!! SPLOOSH!! the paddle broke and fell into the water.
"Quickly, the great bear tried to grab the paddle before it disappeared beneath the surface but in doing so, upset the canoe and THUD!! KER-SPLASH!! tumbled out after it. From the shore, the cubs cried out in fear for their mother, while the animals cheered, for their plan had worked!
"Those hidden in the undergrowth quickly went into the cave and cut the rope which held the bag full of heat. It was so heavy! They had to take turns pushing and tugging it to the exit to the earth. Being the strongest, Wolf and Wolverine both heaved at the bag, but soon both tired, so Fox joined them in pushing, pulling and struggling for the exit. 'Look!' Pike cried, 'The she-bear has almost reached the shore, she'll soon catch our deer!' The friends were worried after Lynx, but no sooner had the mother bear touched the land, did he change back into himself and sped away.
"Now, the huge she-bear was loping after Lynx and toward them. Pike and Dogfish now were heaving at the bag, inching it nearer and nearer to the slit that led home. Just when it seemed that the mother bear would kill them all, Lynx tumbled into the group and shoved the bag through the hole, where when it hit the earth RIIIP!! WHOOOM!! all the heat rushed out and melted the snow. When the land was dry, all the animals danced in joy and taunted the bears, who were now trapped up in their frozen world with only wind, fog and rain which became snow, because it was so cold. This is why we bears live in the north with the cold and wind and snow, and why we always will. Now, it is time for children to be going to sleep for it is very late!"
The cubs groaned but parted for the night, Helleri cuddling between her mother and father, Dohai returning to his brother, Dramoro.