by StacyPlays
Stacy breathed a massive sigh. She didn’t realize she had been holding her breath. Basil stopped running and turned around as the other wolves caught up to her.
“Is Noah okay?” Stacy asked the entire group, hoping that one of them knew the answer. Everest nodded, pointing with his nose northeast, where the water was much calmer. Noah and Norman were there, bobbing up and down in the water. Stacy and the group ran over to them. Now that the danger of the ice shelf breaking apart was over, Stacy and her wolves had a surge of adrenaline rush over them.
“That was so cool!” Stacy exclaimed, running up to the edge of the ice and patting Noah on the head. “Mother Nature sure is powerful, huh?” She looked at Norman and wondered if narwhals had the same kind of feelings humans did.
“Don’t worry, fella,” she said to Norman. “You didn’t cause that with your tusk. Part of the ice breaking off like that and forming a giant iceberg is something that would have been years in the making . . . maybe even decades.” The narwhal had no change in facial expression. Stacy wasn’t surprised, but she always liked to assume an animal could understand her just like her wolves could, especially an animal as magical-looking as a narwhal. Why did the ice shelf break off like that though, she wondered. Was it too warm? Will this disrupt the lives of the animals who live in this remote part of the world? Stacy thought about the narwhal pod, the polar bear and her cub, and all the snowshoe hares they’d seen. It made her sad thinking about whether some of them might have had homes in the path of the destruction.
“Listen, Norman,” Stacy said. “I know you can’t understand me, but I hope you keep swimming north and can find your pod. And I hope we see you again sometime.”
Stacy was positive Norman could not understand, but the narwhal gave her and the pack a sort of bow in the water and swam away. Stacy and the wolves watched as he glided gracefully under the water.
“Listen, guys, I know we’ve rescued a lot of animals,” Stacy said with her arms around Everest and a very soggy Noah. “But that had to have been our coolest rescue yet.”
Eleven
STACY AND EVEREST walked behind the other pack members. Several hours had passed and Stacy had been thinking a lot about the markings in the ice that she had seen Addison reading.
“Okay, so these . . . runes . . . if that’s the right word for them,” Stacy whispered before remembering she didn’t need to speak for Everest to hear her. You knew she was reading them? Everest nodded. And you can read them too? Everest shook his head no. Stacy considered this for a moment. Addison knows a language that Everest doesn’t. But how? Everest shook his head at that thought as well. And does she know where they’re leading us? Everest shook his head. Another no. Stacy thumbed through her journal as they walked and found the page where she had scrawled the runes. She looked at the symbols carefully. They were unlike anything she had seen in any of the books back home on her bookshelf in the cave. Of that she was certain. And that meant that Addison had either instantly been able to read them or that she had learned how to read them before Stacy had come to live with her in the taiga. Both possibilities were equally puzzling to Stacy. But whichever it was, Stacy understood that Addison trusted the runes for some reason. And that’s why she was leading Stacy and the others in the direction they were telling her to go. But where is that? And what will we find when we get there?
Stacy noticed the others had stopped walking. She and Everest caught up to where they were standing, each of Stacy’s wolves looking out across the tundra. Stacy followed their gaze and let out a small gasp. In the distance was a large patch of brown . . . Is it an island? Stacy looked harder and rubbed her eyes. Can I really be seeing what I think I’m seeing? The large brown mass wasn’t an island. It was . . . reindeer. There must be hundreds, congregated in a giant herd on the tundra. She looked back at her wolves. Everest’s face bore a troubled expression, as if he was already working something out in his head. Basil looked tense. Wink looked excited. Stacy felt the same. She had never seen reindeer before and guessed Wink hadn’t either.
“There are so many,” Stacy said in wonder. Everest nodded seriously and Stacy suddenly understood the reason for his concern. These reindeer were resting—most likely stopping to eat and sleep as part of a long herd migration. If any of them saw a pack of wolves, the reindeer would panic, and chaos would erupt on the tundra. The thought had occurred to Stacy that they could encounter other Arctic wolves on their expedition, but meeting a herd of reindeer on the way hadn’t crossed her mind.
“We’ve got to go around them,” Stacy decided. Addison nodded in agreement. Stacy turned to look at Everest, but he wasn’t there. She looked around at the other wolves—Tucker, Basil, Addison, Wink, Noah . . . Everest had been with them seconds before. Where did he go? Stacy surveyed the tundra all around them. It was so flat. She should be able to still see Everest even if he had, for some reason, left the pack to walk somewhere else. She turned back around and realized she was staring directly at Everest, who was looking down at himself with a shocked look.
“Everest, you’re back!” Stacy exclaimed. “Where did you go? It was like you disappeared.”
Everest looked at Stacy, his silver eyes uneasy. He motioned for Stacy to look down at his paws. She followed his gaze and stared at his snowy white paws on the tundra snow. Suddenly, and yet somehow slowly, Everest’s fur started to shift around and he began to blend in with the tundra. First his paws, then his legs and underbelly, then his chest and head, and finally, his tail. Stacy’s jaw dropped as she stared at the icy ground where Everest had been standing. Up close, Stacy could still make out the outline of the large wolf. And his piercing silver eyes were still visible. But the rest of him was perfectly camouflaged with the snow—almost like a chameleon taking on the color of whatever rock it was lying on.
“You . . . you did disappear,” Stacy gulped. Slowly, Everest came back into focus. “Have . . . have you ever done that before?” Everest moved his head back and forth very slowly. Stacy got the distinct impression that not only had Everest never camouflaged himself before, but he also didn’t know he could.
The other wolves stared at their alpha in disbelief. Everest began to walk slowly in a circle around them and suddenly they all began to take on the extreme camouflage. Stacy stared in wonder at the six wagging tails that remained visible until they, too, blended in with the surroundings and the only traces left of Stacy’s wolves were their different-colored eyes and the fish-filled pack Tucker was wearing, which looked as if it was hanging in midair.
Stacy stretched out her hands. She felt something soft—so soft—Tucker. And then another wolf passed by her. This one was taller . . . Everest. And then a slobbery wet tongue touched her hands. Wink. Stacy spun around in circles, in disbelief that all her wolves were now practically invisible around her.
“Everest, I don’t know how you’re doing this,” Stacy whispered. “But this is so cool. Is the plan to walk through the reindeer?” Everest’s head reappeared and he nodded yes to Stacy before becoming camouflaged again.
Stacy considered Everest’s plan. She was pretty sure reindeer would still be able to smell the wolves, but without seeing any wolves around . . . maybe Everest’s idea would work after all. “All right,” Stacy said softly. “Let’s go then, but please do not bump into any of them and cause a stampede around me. I’m looking at you, Wink. Except . . . well, I’m not actually since you’re invisible. But you know what I mean.” Stacy felt Wink’s wet tongue kiss her cheek.
They set off across the tundra in the direction of the reindeer, with six sets of pawprints appearing in the snow alongside Stacy’s. She was exhilarated by Everest’s newfound ability, but panic bubbled up inside her as she approached the first reindeer on the edge of the herd.
Can Everest keep all the wolves camouflaged for the entire length of time it will take to walk through the herd? Will the effect wear off after a while? What if the reindeer smell the wolves? Will they get startled and run?
Th
e reindeer had impossibly large hooves and soft-looking silver-brown fur. Their antlers were tall and narrow. One reindeer looked up at Stacy but didn’t seem to mind her being there. Stacy gulped and slowly walked by, carefully selecting a route that would get her through the herd quickly and quietly. She counted the reindeer as she passed by them. She lost count around seventy-two, though. Some of them did seem startled at the sight of a human girl walking toward them, but their reactions were nowhere near as worried as they would have been had they looked up to see six large Arctic wolves coming their way.
It took Stacy almost ten minutes to walk through the entire herd. When she reached the final few reindeer, she started to run on the open tundra. She got a good distance away from them and turned to see the wolves begin to reappear, one by one.
“We did it!” Stacy exclaimed, throwing her arms around a still reappearing Everest. A euphoric sense of relief washed over Stacy and she was sure the wolves felt the same way. “That could have been so bad. Everest, you saved the day with your new power.”
Everest was beaming with pride and Stacy felt so happy for the alpha wolf. Not that his ability to hear Stacy’s thoughts hadn’t been extremely useful, but it wasn’t the . . . coolest power of the pack. Invisibility, on the other hand, was right up there with Basil’s speed. Basil also had the power to light fires. Up until now, Basil and Tucker (who could heal wounds and increase his body temperature) had been the only ones of Stacy’s wolves who had multiple abilities. It made sense though that the pack’s leader would also have multiple powers. Will Addison, Wink, and Noah get new powers too? What caused Everest to suddenly have a new ability?
Stacy was tired from hours of walking and the suspense of the trek through the reindeer herd, so she climbed on Wink’s back so the pack could run as Addison recharted a course for them to the northwest. Addison seemed so confident in the direction she wanted the pack to run. Stacy wondered what the runes said and if she’d ever be able to read them like Addison.
After hours of running, the sun disappeared, and the pack stopped and made camp for the night. Stacy could barely keep her eyes open as she tried to finish the fish filet Addison cooked her. Not only was she exhausted, but she was cold. Freezing, in fact. The air was much colder on the tundra this far north, as the sun wasn’t up for as long during the day. Stacy fell asleep before she could wish her wolves a goodnight, but they made sure to position her closest to Tucker, who raised his temperature slightly to keep Stacy warm all night long.
It wasn’t until the dim morning light came and Stacy awoke and saw the ominous shapes looming in the distance that she realized they had been sleeping on the edge of an entirely new and mysterious biome: ice spikes.
Twelve
STACY SURVEYED THE ice spikes in the distance as she sipped on the piping-hot cup of huckleberry tea Addison had prepared for her. Does she want to go through them, Everest? The large wolf nodded, and Stacy noted a slight sense of trepidation in his movements.
The ice spikes looked . . . dangerous. They were impossibly large, craggy ice crystals that extended thirty or forty feet into the sky and looked as if they could break off and fall on them at any moment. There was also no way to see what dangers might await them once they entered the icy biome. It wasn’t like the open ice plains of the tundra where they had room to run to safety if there was another crack in the ice or if they stumbled into the den of a polar bear. They’d essentially be trapped in an ice maze. Stacy trusted Addison, but she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t worried.
“I’m just not sure it’s a good idea, Addi,” Stacy said as Addison walked up and sat in front of her. Tucker, meanwhile, came up behind Stacy to comfort her. He rested his nose on Stacy’s shoulder and Stacy reached up to pet him. Tucker could always sense if she was upset or worried about something. And he could always make her feel better.
“Where are we going anyway?” Stacy continued. “And why are we going there? You know something that you aren’t telling me, but I know it’s not your fault you can’t explain it.” Stacy desperately wished there was a way that Addison could communicate with her and tell her why she was leading them so far north. Stacy was beginning to wonder if it would have been better to set up camp somewhere for the duration of their time on the tundra instead of continuously running farther north—farther away from the taiga . . . and farther away from Page, Molly, and Milquetoast. Maybe that’s what is really bothering me? Maybe I’m homesick for the cave and my pets? And it’s upsetting that we keep traveling even farther away from them.
Addison took a long stick from the fire Basil was tending to and used the hot end to draw in the snow. She spent several minutes carving an intricate series of symbols, only a few of which Stacy recognized.
Stacy, Everest, Basil, Noah, Wink, and Tucker all gathered around the runes Addison had drawn into the snow. Stacy looked at them for a moment and then turned to survey the wolves’ expressions. Everest was studying them intently, desperately wanting to understand. Basil’s eyes darted around wildly, but it didn’t look to Stacy like she could read them either. Tucker and Noah looked equally perplexed. Wink appeared downright baffled.
“Addi, we can’t read this,” Stacy said softly, not wanting to hurt Addison’s feelings. “I wish we could, but only you can.”
Addison looked at Stacy earnestly and Stacy put her arms around her. “If it’s really important to you that we keep going, we will,” Stacy said. “We trust you, Addi.” Addison nodded.
“Okay, everyone,” Stacy said, turning to the rest of the wolves. “We’re going into the ice spikes. Everest and Addison will lead. Tucker, you take the rear so you can see if anyone needs help. Wink and Noah, you guys can walk on either side of me. And Basil, I’d prefer if you didn’t scout up ahead. We don’t know what kind of danger there will be, and I think it’s best that we don’t get separated. If we stick together, we can face any obstacles we encounter head on . . . as a pack.”
Basil and the other wolves all nodded and took their places around Stacy as she started off in the direction of the ice spikes. Stacy looked up as they approached the first spire, in awe of the towering blueish obelisk. She scanned the horizon and counted sixteen other tall crystals surrounding them. And that was just what she could see right now. Soon, they were all around her as Stacy and the pack left the tundra behind and immersed themselves into the new territory.
Do animals really live in this frozen biome? Stacy wondered. And for that matter, has any human ever been here? Am I the first to explore this Arctic region? The notion that Stacy could be the first human to step foot in the ice spikes made her lose her breath for a second. Stacy had never really given much thought to what she wanted to be when she grew up—her situation was unique since she lived with wolves in a forest instead of going to school like other kids her age. And she already had the job she always dreamed of, which was to be an animal rescuer. But if she had to choose another profession, explorer certainly seemed like a good option. She wondered how many places on the earth were still unexplored.
Everest and Addison led the group farther and farther into the ice spikes until they reached a clearing to rest for a while. Basil, Noah, and Wink were still full of energy, though. They began sprinting around the ice spikes, playing a fun game of tag. Everest and Addison seemed to be consulting each other on which direction they’d head next. Only Tucker seemed inclined to rest. He lay down on the ground and Stacy sat with her back leaning against his belly, watching as Basil, Noah, and Wink ran circles around them.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Stacy caught a glimpse of movement that was not one of her wolves. Peeking out from behind one of the ice spikes was something tiny and white . . . a wolf pup? No! An Arctic fox! Stacy didn’t make any sound so she would not startle the small fox. She looked to Tucker, who had fallen asleep, and then to Addison and Everest, who were focused on a small map Addison had drawn in the ice. The others were still playing at the opposite end of the clearing, so Stacy got up
and began slowly inching her way closer to the fox.
The fox was really small; it only came up to Stacy’s shins. It was impossibly white and impossibly fluffy. It had deep black almond-shaped eyes and a black nose and whiskers that stood out in striking contrast against its white fur. Its tail was long and bushy with glimpses of a darker undercoat. Of course, Stacy thought. You’re exactly the type of animal who could live in this freezing biome. The fox remained motionless as Stacy approached it. She crouched low to the ground so as not to appear threatening and avoided making eye contact with the small mammal.
Stacy couldn’t help but be reminded of Page. She thought back to when she and her wolves had rescued Page and how Stacy initially thought Page was a fox based on her size, pointed ears, and her bushy tail. This fox looked just like Page, but white. Stacy reached her hand out and touched the top of the fox’s head. Its fur was ten times softer than she imagined it would be.
“Hi, fella,” Stacy cooed at the fox. The fox closed its eyes and leaned into Stacy’s hand, savoring the affection. All of a sudden, the fox had a burst of energy and began darting around Stacy playfully.
“Oh, you want to play, do you?” Stacy said with a smile. She stood up and began chasing the fox, who eagerly ran back and forth between Stacy’s legs and looped around the ice spikes. Stacy turned in circles, trying to keep up with the fast fox. Minutes passed and Stacy, now winded, stopped spinning and looked around. All at once she was filled with dread because she realized she had no idea which direction she had come from when she followed the fox. All the ice spikes looked the same and the sky was an overcast gray—she couldn’t use the sun to figure out which direction she was facing. The fox was ahead of her and seemed to be beckoning her to follow him. Stacy hoped he knew the direction back to her wolves.