Back in her cabin Cory unzipped her parka and stuffed it into her backpack. After resolving to accompany Amos, she had tried to telepathically connect with her mother, father and brother several more times. None responded. Her tears overflowed.
“I have to find mum,” she said in the most determined voice she could muster. “I need to get to that radio to call someone who can reach Dad, and the only way I can do that is to trust Amos Argyle.”
Fingering her favourite gold necklace, that she never took off, she undid the clasp and held it in the lamp’s light. It sparkled. Her mother had CORY engraved on the tiny golden heart that hung from the chain. I’m coming Mum.
After putting the necklace safely in the small zippered pocket of her backpack, she stripped off the rest of her clothing and stuffed them into the main compartment as quickly as she could. Standing completely naked in the centre of the room, and shivering almost uncontrollably, she closed her eyes and focused on changing into a polar bear. She felt the stretch of her limbs and torso, the prickling of fur sprouting and growing, completely encasing her body in warmth. The soles of her feet toughened, as did her palms; she no longer felt the cold air and frigid floor. Amos’s recollection of a polar bear he’d been convinced had been Maheetek killing a walrus crept into her mind. There was a pull at the corners of her mouth. The familiar tingling of transformation passed. She looked down at her massive bear paws glimpsing long white tusks in the process.
She groaned. Concentrate Cory! Don’t think about more than one animal at a time.
Sitting down, she raised her front paws to the sides of her mouth then ran them down the length of the tusks that descended to her chest.
She looked at what she could see of the rest of her body.
Good. At least I’m mainly Bear.
She then ambled over to the kitchen sink and pulled open the shutters to see her reflection in the window.
ARGH! Bear…with walrus tusks. Never mind, they might come in handy. Grabbing her pack in her teeth, she pushed the door open and left the cabin to join Amos.
Amos stepped backward when she approached.
Catching his thought about her tusks, Cory growled and pushed her thoughts into his mind. “I’m Maheetek, and I can look anyway I please!”
She then threw her pack to him. “You need to carry this.”
Amos shrugged, gathered her backpack and headed into the darkness. “Even the gods need a little help sometimes,” he muttered.
Cory’s strides equalled several of Amos’s. She didn’t slow her pace; he trotted to keep up. After a few minutes she turned back to look at the cabins. They were barely visible in the darkness, looking more like shadows than structures.
They walked in silence for a long time. He had said it would take a couple of hours but she felt that they had walked longer than that. Her nose picked up the scents around them: a hare was in the distance, a fox close by. Caribou had been through this way some time ago. There was the aroma of salt water, seals and walrus in the distance. The boat hire, and more importantly the radio, would be in that direction.
On they walked, trudging across the frozen ground. Cory picked up the scent of muskoxen and wolves but that of walrus and seals grew weaker. If we’re going to a boat hire, shouldn’t that smell be getting stronger?
“Where are you taking me?” she asked Amos telepathically.
Amos jerked round to face her. “It’s this way,” he said with a slight warble in his voice.
They carried on but the smells of the sea continued to weaken. The scent of wolves grew stronger.
“Good thing you can see in the dark,” Amos chuckled, “’cause I can’t see a thing.”
Cory snarled, planting her thoughts again in his mind, “Why didn’t you bring a torch?”
“Don’t need one,” he grumbled. “I got you to make sure we don’t walk off a cliff.” Amos stopped. “Or get ourselves eaten by whatever that is.”
Cory knew exactly what it was. She’d heard the shuffling and smelled the wolves but hadn’t expected them to get so close. A lone wolf was no threat to a polar bear, not even two wolves would be successful in attacking one.
Cory looked nervously around. The strong scent identified that there were more than just a couple. A pack could kill a lone bear and could easily kill a man.
“They’re stalking us!”
Amos smiled. “Lucky I got Maheetek to protect me! Let ‘em come!”
Cory wished her mother was here now! Together they could deal with wolves but alone…could she?
In only a few breaths four large white wolves came into view, their glistening teeth bared.
“Do something,” Amos hissed frantically.
Cory roared, charging through the pack, knocking one sideways and sending the other two running, tail between their legs. She ran swiftly, powerfully, feeling confident that the wolves would not be able to catch her.
Steam rose from her open mouth. Panting, she looked behind her. No wolves. No Amos. Only darkness in her wake.
She stopped and honed her hearing for the sound of footsteps, heavy breathing, or any sound of life. There was only the sweep of wind against the icy ground and the pitifully lonely music of the island. Heart thumping, breath coming in gulps, she cautiously retraced her steps, hoping to see Amos.
“I am thirteen years old,” she screamed out loud, “…stuck on an arctic island in the middle of winter trying to find my mother who has been kidnapped by…demons?” Her growls echoed off the ice. “This is impossible!” She shuffled along. “Why didn’t I go on the ski trip? Why was it so important for other people to think I was special? Maybe I’ll be special when they find my frozen body buried in the snow. Not exactly the way I’d like to be famous.”
She looked around. She was alone. Frightened. And annoyed. Where is that man? And where exactly was he leading me? We were walking away from the sea! Good riddance if the wolves got him! What am I saying? Guilt added to her emotions.
An image of Amos’s terrified face rose in her mind when she heard the haunting cry of a man.
Cory headed towards the sound. Another howl-like cry followed by another that was louder than the last. She stopped dead, wondering if it was still possible to help Amos.
I can’t just leave him!
She loped forward. An oppressive silence followed. The thumping of her pulse in her ears was all she could hear. With every step, images of Amos being torn to pieces seeped into her mind.
The scent of wolves was growing stronger, she knew she was going in the right direction. She picked up an unrecognizable stench and stopped. Her legs planted in place, unwilling to move even though she felt the need to make them.
Yelps and growls broke the silence. She shuddered. They’re fighting over their kill. She shook her head to dislodge the thought…the image.
The sound of rapid footfall approached. She braced for the attack, preparing to transform to escape if she needed to. The wolves ran past. No signs of blood on their bodies or muzzles.
Maybe Amos is alive, maybe he fought them off. The lingering scent of Amos was only a short distance away.
Steam rose from her open mouth. Seconds later her back legs collided with her front as she skidded to a stop. An enormous white animal came into view. It stood upright, scattered clothing at its feet.
The beast turned its massive head in her direction.
It had a build like a giant white ape, but that was where the similarity ended. Standing on its hind legs, it was bigger than a polar bear. Huge dark eyes bulged out from its giant head that seemed much too big for its body. Jagged teeth stuck out from the lower jaw defining a mouth that looked big enough to swallow a man…whole.
Her parka lay at the beast’s feet, along with her boots, Amos’s torn clothing, his hat, his pack….
Cory stared in disbelief. Is that a yeti? A real yeti!
The monster turned its entire body to face her, eyeing her for several seconds. It raised its huge hairy arms, shaking them threateningly then screeched the most ear-piercing sound that Cory had ever heard.
She was frozen in place, her gaze searching for Amos.
The monster rushed towards her.
Cory ran backwards until the creature stopped. It was close enough for her to see the drool cascading out of its mouth, a piece of cloth stuck to its claws…a piece of Amos’s jacket. Sick rose from Cory’s stomach. A new level of fear consumed her.
She knew that a polar bear would be no match for the beast, not even one with walrus tusks. What am I going to do? A bird could fly away…but in the darkness? Looks like I have only one choice.
Concentrating on the yeti’s build, its sound…teeth…arms…feet…Cory began to transform. Her skin tightened when her body expanded. She kept her focus even when her rocketing height made her light-headed. Her tusks receded; her mouth expanded painfully with dozens of razor-sharp teeth cutting through her gums. The unpleasant stench of the yeti became tolerable and her eyesight was even sharper, her peripheral vision broader.
Her change complete, she trembled but not from cold. She prayed that the yeti would leave her be, thinking that she was one of its own.
The real yeti showed its teeth…all of them…there seemed to be hundreds.
Cory did the same, thinking that this might be the way yeti greeted each other.
The creature roared. “This is my territory!”
“I didn’t mean to be here,” she said in the grunting, growling language of a yeti.
Steam clouds exploded from the yeti’s nostrils. “Then why are you?”
Cory hesitated then said the first thing that came to her mind. “I…I…I’m trying to find my mother.”
The yeti snorted. “This is the land of my kin…and only mine!”
Cory’s breath caught.
The creature lowered its head, not taking its gaze away from Cory. Opening its mouth wider than before, the yeti let loose a roar that shook the ground and sent splashes of saliva into Cory’s face. “I kill all who trespass!”
“I’ll go! I promise I’ll go and I’ll never come back!” Cory turned and ran.
“And I’ll make sure that you don’t.” The yeti charged after her.
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