Haibu Lost in New York. Blake Freeman

“I wonder if my cubs had a chance to say please.”

      Out of the corner of her eye, Haibu noticed the Shookia on her wrist. It reminded her of her strength. I can do anything I believe I can do. I can be anything I believe I can be. I can achieve anything I want to achieve. I am Haibu. She looked the bear directly in the eyes and shouted, “Not today, nanuq! Today, I am going home and you can’t stop me!”

      As the bear charged toward her, Haibu rolled under him and jabbed him the leg with her spear. The bear howled in pain. “Enough of this playtime! You’re finished, human!”

      A cracking noise rose over the howling of the bear and froze them both in their tracks. The sound continued, getting louder and louder.

      “It’s still going?” Haibu marveled. She knew that a cracking sound is the last thing any Mayok wants to hear while out on the shallow ice, away from solid land. Haibu knew she needed to get back to the mainland. The ice continued to crack.

      “Stop!” Haibu cried. “You’re cracking the ice!”

      She sprinted toward the land, toward the village, but she heard another crack, and another and another. She felt the ice shift underneath her. The movement caused her and the bear to fall down. Then the worst happened: the ice sheet broke off and separated from the land.

      As quickly as the ice broke away from land, a fast current swept it up. It didn’t take long for reality to set in. Haibu was stranded on a chunk of ice with an angry polar bear and they were drifting toward the deep ocean.

      Crawling to his feet, the bear snarled at Haibu, “I’m going to end this NOW!” He galloped toward her.

      “I said, not today, nanuq!” Haibu sprinted toward the bear, full steam.

      As if it were planned, they both jumped in the air, the bear roaring and Haibu yelling, “Aiyeeeee!”

      Just as they were about to collide, Kanuux leaped out of the water. With one quick motion, he swung his tail flipper into the bear’s head, knocking him over onto the ice, into an uncontrolled slide towards the water.

      “Kanuux!” Haibu yelled. “You saved me!”

      Once in the water, the bear swam back towards Haibu and the floating ice. Haibu knew she couldn’t let him back on the ice, so she pointed her spear at the bear to keep him from climbing back on.

      “I don’t want to hurt you! Go home, leave us alone!” Haibu yelled.

      The polar bear tried to climb up, but Haibu slammed her spear close to his paws, persuading him to leave.

      “I told you! I don’t want to hurt you! Swim back while you can!” Haibu shouted.