by StacyPlays
Stacy looked up from the ground to see that she and Noah had reached the bank of the river. Noah gracefully dove into the water, immediately cleaning off all the mud, while Stacy sat on a flat rock near the shore. She reached into her satchel and pulled out her journal and a blue ballpoint pen that Miriam had given her. When she told Miriam about the quill and ink bottle she used in the cave, Miriam had whipped the pen from behind her ear and insisted Stacy take it right then. Stacy was grateful for it and dreaded the day it would inevitably run out of ink. Stacy loved writing about her rescue missions in her journal, but now that she had the ballpoint pen, she had begun writing more about her life in the taiga. Today she was planning to write all about Milquetoast. She wanted to keep a record of all the nice memories they’d had in their first week together—like the first time he curled up on Stacy’s chest to sleep or how quickly he had become at home in the cave, playing with Molly and keeping Addison company as she baked, angling for scraps.
But something was troubling Stacy and kept her from journaling. She kept thinking about what Miriam had told her about Dr. Berg and his research team. Any day now, they’d be coming into the taiga (or possibly even flying over it in a helicopter!) and attempting to put GPS collars on wolves. Stacy knew it was with the best possible intentions. But she also knew that she couldn’t risk one of her wolves getting collared. They needed to leave the taiga—and they needed to do it fast. Stacy couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Page, Molly, and Milquetoast behind, but she knew that they’d slow the pack down significantly, and they needed to get far away from the taiga as quickly as they could. They’d only need to be gone for a couple weeks most likely, if the information Miriam had given Stacy had been correct, and that made Stacy feel slightly better about leaving her pets alone in the cave.
Stacy looked up to see a family of river otters scampering down the riverbank and plunging into the cold water. Otters were one of her favorite animals aside from wolves and dogs (and now cats). She loved how playful they were. A sudden pang of sadness washed over her again at the thought of leaving this magical place, even if it was only temporarily. She closed her eyes and tried to think of something positive. It would be nice to explore other biomes surrounding the taiga. The last time she left they got to see the mesa biome. It was unlike anything Stacy had ever seen, with stunning red and orange rock formations and flat swaths of sage and cactus that stretched as far as the eye could see. The idea of discovering a new biome was really exciting to Stacy. And of course, she’d be happy to do more animal rescues in whatever biome they found. How do I go about discovering a new biome? And, if I do find a new biome, what type of animals will we encounter there who need our help?
Stacy thought about which direction she’d take the wolves. Obviously, they couldn’t go west. She didn’t know what terrain was past the village, but she knew they wouldn’t be able to get around it easily. There were farms and neighborhoods all around the village, so heading west was out of the question. Everest would never allow it. They’d gone south last time and discovered the mesa, but Stacy knew there wasn’t much there to eat or see. She longed for adventure. She thought about going east. She knew there was ocean that way. Noah would love to visit the ocean, but it was still too cold this time of year for Stacy to swim. Wait! They should go to the north! Stacy had no idea what lay over the tall mountains to the north of the taiga; she had never summited them. It would be challenging, but it was the right time of year to do it, and she knew the wolves would be excited to try. She wouldn’t have to talk them into the trek—and Everest had already read her thoughts and knew what Miriam told her. He was resolved that they needed to leave.
North. Stacy thought about it again. It would be cold, but she had the coat from Miriam. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. Of course, it wouldn’t be cold for the wolves. Their coats were made to keep them warm in temperatures even lower than the coldest winter nights in the taiga. They were Arctic wolves, after all. They must be from the north originally, or at least have distant ancestors there! A thought occurred to Stacy that sent shivers down her back. If they went north to where the wolves were from . . . maybe they’d encounter other wolves of their kind—other wolves with special abilities. Maybe they would even be able to track down the secret as to why they had powers!
Stacy peered over the river’s edge at Noah, who was swimming gracefully among the romp of river otters. Their bodies were dark brown and sleek, gliding effortlessly through the cold water. The otters expertly dodged and weaved their way around Noah, who seemed thrilled to be in the company of other mammals who loved the water as much as he did. Stacy watched them for several minutes, none of the animals needing to come up for air. Her decision was made. If there was even a chance Stacy could learn about her wolves’ origin in the Arctic, then that was where she wanted to go.
“Noah!” Stacy shouted so the wolf could hear her underwater. “Catch a bunch more . . . we’re going on an expedition!”
Six
STACY TOOK A few steps out of the cave and peered around, looking for any signs of wolf researchers. Instead, she only saw an elk grazing in the distance and an owl perched high up in one of the towering spruce trees that surrounded the cave. The snow was melting everywhere now, sending streams of water trickling down the ridge above the cave.
“Come out, everyone,” Stacy said loudly. “The coast is clear.”
One by one the wolves and dogs sleepily filed out of the cave to tend to their morning business and sniff around. Only Everest and Basil were alert—everyone else appeared half asleep, particularly Molly, who took an extra-long time to exit the cave.
Stacy had stayed up late making their final preparations to set off on their expedition to the mountains. Everest had read Stacy’s thoughts the minute she and Noah had returned from fishing and had agreed that her plan was the best course of action to keep the pack from being discovered by Dr. Berg and his research team.
With the entire pack awake now, everyone walked back into the cave and went to work on their assignments. Noah and Addison were preoccupied with feeding the pack for the trip. Noah filled the wolf saddlebag with all the salmon he’d caught, while Addison was cooking a huge pot of pumpkin soup and individual salmon potpies for everyone to eat before they took off. Wolves don’t need to eat every day, and so a hearty meal would sustain them for several days. Stacy liked that plan, given that she had no idea what type of food situation or sleeping arrangements they would find themselves in once they got into the mountains.
Tucker was doing everything he could possibly think of to make sure that Page, Molly, and Milquetoast would be comfortable while the pack was away. Tucker cuddled all three of them, making sure they got extra snuggles to make up for the nights he’d be away. Earlier, he had hidden little treats—dog biscuits that Stacy and Addison had baked, along with dried fish skin—all around the cave for Page, Molly, and Milquetoast to find while the pack was gone. He’s so sweet to do that, Stacy thought. He even made sure to give Fluff a large pile of seeds and left a cut-up apple near Milo the bat’s perch.
Wink was fast asleep by the fire. It was getting almost too warm for fires now, but Basil wanted the cat and dogs to be cozy when they left, so she had gathered lots of wood for them and created the most impressive fire Stacy had ever seen the slender wolf make. It was sure to keep burning for hours, possibly even a full day, before it would die out.
Stacy and Everest were in the back of the cave, examining a map Stacy had of the region. The plan was to head due north, bearing slightly toward the east once they entered the mountain range. Everest had helped Stacy pack her satchel full of the survival equipment she had from their journey to the mesa biome—her binoculars, a utility knife, climbing rope, a compass, Stacy’s flint and steel, and some kindling—and a few other odds and ends she’d found in the taiga since then, including a small penlight and a whistle. Stacy also made sure to pack her notebook and ballpoint pen, along with several granola bars Miriam had
given her a few weeks prior. These should sustain me if there’s a snowstorm and Basil can’t make us a fire to cook with, Stacy thought.
Everyone enjoyed one last meal together as a family, gorging on the potpies and pumpkin soup until they were all full. “We should only be gone for a week or two at most,” Stacy said to her pets. She knew they wouldn’t fully understand, but she also knew how perceptive Page was. Page was clued into the fact that Stacy and the pack were leaving. And that she wasn’t coming, a detail she seemed annoyed with. Stacy had considered bringing Page. The little dog could surely hold her own among the wolves in terms of athleticism and stamina. Page also loved the snow. But Stacy knew that Molly was much too delicate to survive a trek through the mountains, and Page would be good company for Molly here in the cave. And although Stacy could not explain this to Page, the little dog seemed to understand and was resigned to her fate.
Stacy retreated to the back of the cave and began to layer what little clothing she had. First, she put on two pairs of socks; next, a pair of long johns underneath her worn blue jeans; and finally, her blue-and-white-striped long-sleeve shirt with a navy blue wool sweater on top and the coat from Miriam on top of that. Hopefully this would keep her warm enough during the days on the expedition. She knew that at night she would be plenty warm, nestled among her wolves with their thick white fur. Speaking of white fur, Milquetoast had come to the back of the cave and was purring and walking in between Stacy’s legs, rubbing his head just above her leather boots.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” Stacy said, bending down and scooping up the small cat in her arms. “Please don’t eat Fluff while I’m gone.” The cat looked back at Stacy with a curious expression. Stacy gave him one last squeeze and set him down gently on her desk. She walked over to the cave’s entrance and peered outside. The sun was just beginning to rise. If they left now, they’d make it to the mountains by midmorning, probably with enough time to summit their first small peak and make camp before night.
“All right, everyone,” she said, addressing the wolves. “Let the expedition begin!”
Stacy and the wolves raced away from the cave, through the taiga to the forest’s edge, heading north toward the low mountains in the distance that gave way to higher, more rugged peaks. When her legs got tired, Stacy hopped on Wink’s back. It was a good thing he had conserved so much energy by going back to sleep while the other wolves were preparing for the journey. With Stacy riding on his back, the pack picked up their pace, and they were traversing the low mountains in what seemed like no time at all.
Stacy closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild with the possibilities of what biome she and the pack would discover on the other side of the mountains. This much she knew: this mountain range could stretch for hundreds of miles. On the other side could be a completely different type of biome. She thought of every type of environment she could remember from the books she’d read in the cave. Forest, plains, beach, jungle, savanna . . . to Stacy, they all seemed equally exciting to explore.
Suddenly, Stacy felt herself slipping off Wink. She jerked her head up, opened her eyes, and tightened her grip on the thick fur at the nape of Wink’s neck. They were running nearly vertically, climbing up a steep slope. There was snow on the ground now and the pine trees had tall, skinny trunks without any needles. The wolves were expertly weaving in and out of them. Stacy realized they were at an altitude higher than she had ever been before. She took in a deep breath of the thin air and looked back at the vast taiga in the distance—her home. Good-bye. I’ll be back soon, she thought wistfully. She looked back toward the direction the wolves were running. Stacy couldn’t believe it—they were about to summit the peak they were climbing! Everest had wisely chosen the lowest of the peaks for them to ascend.
Suddenly all the wolves stopped running and stood still. They were standing at the top of the mountain, the taiga stretched out behind them, and in front of them was white as far as Stacy’s eyes could see. She realized at once what type of biome she and the pack had discovered.
Tundra.
Seven
STACY COULDN’T BELIEVE what she was seeing. All the years she’d lived in the taiga and stared up at the very mountain range that she and the wolves were now currently standing atop . . . a giant tundra biome had been beyond the mountains. Is this where my wolves are from?
Stacy looked at Everest, Addison, Noah, Tucker, Basil, and Wink. Their expressions were like her own—surprise and shock mixed with curiosity and wonder. The seven of them stared out over the frozen terrain. It was virtually treeless; it was too cold for trees to survive. The tundra was untouched and pristine—just waiting to be explored.
Maybe Everest read Stacy’s thoughts or maybe they were all thinking the exact same thing. Either way, without any words being exchanged, Stacy and the wolves began to make their way down the mountain toward the tundra. A small snowshoe hare scampered away from them as they descended the craggy cliffside to the foot of the mountains.
“Is everyone okay?” Stacy asked once they were all on level ground. She looked at the wolves and then to the flat snowfield that lay in front of them. Basil was pacing back and forth, nervously twitching. Wink’s head was moving around rapidly, taking in all the sights. Tucker was stretching. Addison was adjusting Tucker’s pack for him. Noah’s tail was wagging wildly. And Everest was taking deep breaths, as if he couldn’t get enough of the tundra air. What’s going on? Suddenly, a thought occurred to Stacy. They want to run. Stacy looked at her wolves, lined up at the tundra’s edge. Their instincts must be kicking in. They want to run! Stacy jumped on top of Basil and gave the okay. With the mountains now directly behind them, Stacy and the pack set off across the vast tundra. She couldn’t believe how expansive the biome was. As she bobbed up and down on Basil’s back, Stacy marveled at how the white ice kissed the gray sky. The horizon stretched out for what Stacy imagined must be a hundred miles.
My wolves seem to love it here, Stacy thought. But they also act like they’ve never been here before. Or maybe they just haven’t been here in a long time. Either way, they all seem very happy to be on the tundra.
Everest let out a loud bark of agreement. The pack was now running faster than Stacy had ever seen them run. Even though it was white and snow-covered, something about the tundra reminded Stacy of the mesa. It was open. There were no trees to dodge, rocks to jump over, or bushes to go around—everything was flat and wide open. The wolves were charting a course north, and Stacy was happy that she didn’t have to worry about making sure they knew how to find their way home. Everest was an expert navigator and always seemed to know the way back to the taiga regardless of where they were.
The pack ran for an hour, stopping occasionally for short water breaks. Tucker would use his body heat to melt a small patch of ground to a puddle of crystal-clear ice water for everyone to drink from. Stacy filled her canteen and sipped the cool water, impressed by the use of Tucker’s ability. The sun was directly overhead at this point, so it wasn’t too cold for Stacy, even when she was riding on Basil’s back. Stacy figured they must be fifty miles north of where the tundra began by now, and they had yet to see any other signs of life aside from the snowshoe hares and one ornery marmot that wanted nothing to do with them.
Stacy glanced up and noticed they were approaching a bright blue pond. This could be a nice place to camp, Stacy thought to herself, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Could it be? Everest, hearing Stacy’s thoughts, quickly veered to the right.
“Polar bear cub!” Stacy shouted to the rest of her pack, who immediately changed direction and followed Everest. The cub was standing on the edge of the pond, peering down into the sparkling water. If it’s orphaned, we will have to take it in, Stacy thought. Her mind started to race as Basil carried her the couple hundred feet toward where the cub was standing. What do polar bear cubs eat? Could the cub keep up with me and the pack on the rest of our expedition? Would we bring it home to the taiga? Would it be oka
y in the summer months when the taiga was slightly warmer than the tundra? What would happen when the cub grew up? How would it fit in the cave with the others? Would it want to eat Page and Molly?
All these thoughts flew through Stacy’s mind in the thirty seconds it took for them to reach the cub. Now they were just a few dozen steps from where it was standing at the water’s edge. Stacy looked closer—the cub couldn’t have been more than a few months old. Its fur was fluffy and white, and it had the most adorable tiny ears and black button nose. Its paws were much too big for it, but it would certainly grow a lot over the next year. Stacy hopped off Basil and reached into the satchel on Tucker’s back, pulling out one of the large salmon Noah had caught before their trip. Holding the salmon in her outstretched arms, she began to slowly walk toward the polar bear cub. The cub looked up at her inquisitively and took a step closer to the water. The wolves stayed back, except for Wink, who was just as curious as Stacy.
“Hey, little one,” Stacy said in a soft tone. “Where’s your momma?” The cub made no move toward them, but instead inched even closer to the pond. Suddenly, a massive adult polar bear leapt out of the water and onto the snow, protectively standing over its cub. Water dripped from every inch of its muscular body. Its huge yellow teeth held a dead fish in its mouth, which it dropped at Stacy’s feet so that it could let out a deafening roar. The noise blew Stacy’s hair back and sent a shiver down her spine. This moment might have been the most scared she’d ever been in her entire life. Stacy looked at Wink, who was equally terrified, and then back up at the mighty bear, who looked like it was deciding whether to attack Stacy or Wink first.