As the dawn approached Kaelin pulled on his heavy topcoat and climbed out of the shattered doorway. The world outside was white and alien, and unnaturally silent. Cocking the musket he moved out into the open and scanned the trees. The tracks of the bear headed off towards the north. Kaelin edged round the hut. By the wood store was a sled, about five feet long, neatly made with polished runners. He had seen Basson and Feargol playing on it last winter. Sadness touched him, and he glanced at the tree to which Basson’s dead body still clung.
Returning to the cabin Kaelin helped Feargol to dress, placing a wool-lined, hooded coat over his clothes and finding him two sets of mittens. Outside once more he pulled the sled clear of the wood store, placing his pack inside it. The rope handles were frozen, but he brushed the ice clear and dragged the sled out onto open ground. It slid easily. Returning to the cabin he fetched out the spear and Finbarr’s pistol and musket. These he also placed in the sled, the spear jutting out over the rear. Finding his snowshoes he strapped them on, and called Feargol. The little boy peeked out, then ran to stand alongside Kaelin.
‘We are going to take the sled,’ Kaelin told him. Feargol was not listening. He was staring horrified at his brother in the tree.
‘Basson!’ he called.
‘Shhh!’ said Kaelin, dropping down to kneel alongside the child. ‘We must make no noise.’
‘He won’t come down!’ wailed Feargol.
‘Listen to me, little friend. Listen to me. Basson is dead. He can’t be hurt any more. We must get you home. Then I’ll come back and look after Basson.’ Feargol began to cry. Kaelin drew him close and kissed his cheek. ‘Be brave for a little while longer. Now climb in the sled.’
‘Basson says he’s frightened of the bear,’ said Feargol. ‘Tell him to come down.’
‘He is safe where he is, Feargol. The bear cannot get him. I’ll come back for him when I have you safe at Ironlatch. I promise. Now get into the sled.’
The boy slid in alongside his father’s musket. ‘Hold on to the spear,’ said Kaelin. ‘Don’t let it fall out.’ Carrying his own musket over his shoulder, Kaelin took hold of the rope with his left hand and began to drag the sled towards the long, downward slope, glancing back constantly to see if the beast had returned. After a quarter of an hour they reached the crest and Kaelin stopped. Ahead was a steep dip of around half a mile, ending in the frozen river. Removing his snowshoes Kaelin wedged them into the sled. He glanced back.
The bear was at the cabin. Around his head, and his sagging lip, the fur had burnt away, giving him a demonic look. He reared up on his hind legs, and saw the distant man and boy. With a savage roar he dropped to all fours and began to run at them.
Kaelin pushed the sled forward onto the slope. The snow was thick, and the sled did not begin to slide. Grunting with the effort he pushed harder. He did not dare look back. The sled began to move. Leaping onto it he grabbed for the ropes, losing hold of his musket, which fell to the snow. The sled slowed, then picked up speed.
Kaelin risked a glance back. The bear was closing fast, sending up great sprays of snow as it bounded towards them. The ground dipped more sharply and the sled gathered pace.
Then it was away, skidding and slithering towards the river below. Twice it hit hidden rocks and almost toppled. Kaelin wrestled with the rope guides, desperately trying to keep the sled upright. Halfway down there was a another dip, and a rise. The sled left the ground. The spear started to fall, but Feargol grabbed the haft, holding on tight. ‘Good boy!’ shouted Kaelin.
They closed on the river at terrific speed. Kaelin realized the sled would strike the ice with great force. If the surface gave way they would be plunged into the water, and swept below the ice. He tried to turn the sled and slow it, but to no avail. It hit the river bank, sending up a huge spray of snow. Finbarr’s musket and pistol flew out. Feargol was hurled back into Kaelin, who grabbed him. This time the spear also fell clear. The sled rose into the air, landed on the ice and spun wildly. Kaelin and the boy were thrown out. Kaelin held tightly to Feargol, and managed to turn himself so that he struck the ice on his back, shielding the child from impact. They slid across the frozen river, slamming into the far bank. For a moment Kaelin lay still, his head spinning. Then he pushed Feargol to the bank and rolled to his knees. Far above on the slope he could see the bear. It was padding along the ridge, and making no attempt to follow them down.