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and wove through the grog tree, making everything seem to shimmer.
Where the ice meets the sky,
where the trees never grow,
where the water is locked,
so still, forever slow.
Where the wind scours the land,
carving bridges, spires, and peaks,
listen closely, my friend,
and you’ll hear the ice speak.
It speaks of times gone by,
creatures frozen in the deep.
Of a place where time grows still,
a place of long eternal sleep,
where the ice never melts
and the trees never grow.
That is where I long to fly—I have ice crystals in my soul.
The last notes had hardly floated into the air before the three owls had taken wing.
“Phew! That was a close one!” Phineas sighed as he felt the sweet billow of a warm thermal curl under his wings.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Theo Pushes On
T he polar bear sat on her haunches and regarded the Great Horned Owl. He was an honest fellow if there ever was one and, though this spying business did not appeal to her, she knew it was for a good cause. Her loyalty to the memory of Siv required that she do everything in her power to support Siv’s son, the young king who seemed so good. “Theo,” she began, “I will keep an eye out for you here. But the bear you really need to meet is Svarr, the father of my cubs. He lives up near Lord Arrin’s stronghold in the eastern side of the Firth of Fangs. He knows a lot. He might know where to find this spotted owl, Emerilla, whom you seek.”
“Where is this stronghold of Lord Arrin?”
“When you leave this inlet, head north and continue flying up the Firth of Fangs. It will grow narrow, then widen again, and just before it reaches a large lagoon, it narrows a second time. At this second set of narrows, fly east, following a tickle.”
“A tickle?”
“Well, a firthkin is a small firth, and a tickle is even smaller than a firthkin. Polar bears call it that because when we swim such narrow passageways, it is barely wide enough for us to pass through and it tickles our sides sometimes.”
Theo blinked. He had never thought of these enormous creatures with their thick fur and tough hides as being ticklish.
“Then at the end of the firthkin where the ice piles up, there is a cave. That is where you can find Svarr.”
“And you say it is close to where Lord Arrin has his stronghold?”
“Yes. But it’s not the closeness. It’s the smee holes that are important.”
“Smee holes? Why are they important?”
“We polar bears love smee holes. We love the hot steam that comes from them and the lovely thermal baths that surround them. Svarr especially loves them. He’s getting on a bit and has a touch of stiffness in his shoulders. The hot water helps. Anyhow, a long time ago, polar bears discovered that smee holes conduct sound very easily. Svarr is a nosy sort of fellow and he found it interesting to listen in on various conversations, if indeed any were going on while he was soaking. I went to visit him myself several moon cycles back on behalf of Siv to learn what LordArrin was up to. Svarr will be able to help you.” She paused. “And, by the way, give him my best and tell him that in two years we can meet up again. Same time, same place.”
Theo thanked Svenka and spread his wings. Just as he was about to loft himself into the air, he heard the cubs. “Mum, can we swim with him just to the end of the firthkin?”
“Oh, all right, but don’t you dare go out into the big firth. Promise?”
“We promise!” they chorused.
Theo flew low and the cubs, swimming on their backs below, babbled on the entire time.
“Don’t you think it’s unfair that Mum won’t let us see any battles?”
“Yeah, she never lets us do anything except sit at seal holes and bash them when they come up.”
“It was fun at first, but then it got boring.”
“Have you ever fought in a battle, Theo?”
“Well, yes, and I didn’t much like it.”
“How come?” Rolf asked. “Were you scared?”
“Of course I was scared. You’d have to be
Where the ice meets the sky,
where the trees never grow,
where the water is locked,
so still, forever slow.
Where the wind scours the land,
carving bridges, spires, and peaks,
listen closely, my friend,
and you’ll hear the ice speak.
It speaks of times gone by,
creatures frozen in the deep.
Of a place where time grows still,
a place of long eternal sleep,
where the ice never melts
and the trees never grow.
That is where I long to fly—I have ice crystals in my soul.
The last notes had hardly floated into the air before the three owls had taken wing.
“Phew! That was a close one!” Phineas sighed as he felt the sweet billow of a warm thermal curl under his wings.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Theo Pushes On
T he polar bear sat on her haunches and regarded the Great Horned Owl. He was an honest fellow if there ever was one and, though this spying business did not appeal to her, she knew it was for a good cause. Her loyalty to the memory of Siv required that she do everything in her power to support Siv’s son, the young king who seemed so good. “Theo,” she began, “I will keep an eye out for you here. But the bear you really need to meet is Svarr, the father of my cubs. He lives up near Lord Arrin’s stronghold in the eastern side of the Firth of Fangs. He knows a lot. He might know where to find this spotted owl, Emerilla, whom you seek.”
“Where is this stronghold of Lord Arrin?”
“When you leave this inlet, head north and continue flying up the Firth of Fangs. It will grow narrow, then widen again, and just before it reaches a large lagoon, it narrows a second time. At this second set of narrows, fly east, following a tickle.”
“A tickle?”
“Well, a firthkin is a small firth, and a tickle is even smaller than a firthkin. Polar bears call it that because when we swim such narrow passageways, it is barely wide enough for us to pass through and it tickles our sides sometimes.”
Theo blinked. He had never thought of these enormous creatures with their thick fur and tough hides as being ticklish.
“Then at the end of the firthkin where the ice piles up, there is a cave. That is where you can find Svarr.”
“And you say it is close to where Lord Arrin has his stronghold?”
“Yes. But it’s not the closeness. It’s the smee holes that are important.”
“Smee holes? Why are they important?”
“We polar bears love smee holes. We love the hot steam that comes from them and the lovely thermal baths that surround them. Svarr especially loves them. He’s getting on a bit and has a touch of stiffness in his shoulders. The hot water helps. Anyhow, a long time ago, polar bears discovered that smee holes conduct sound very easily. Svarr is a nosy sort of fellow and he found it interesting to listen in on various conversations, if indeed any were going on while he was soaking. I went to visit him myself several moon cycles back on behalf of Siv to learn what LordArrin was up to. Svarr will be able to help you.” She paused. “And, by the way, give him my best and tell him that in two years we can meet up again. Same time, same place.”
Theo thanked Svenka and spread his wings. Just as he was about to loft himself into the air, he heard the cubs. “Mum, can we swim with him just to the end of the firthkin?”
“Oh, all right, but don’t you dare go out into the big firth. Promise?”
“We promise!” they chorused.
Theo flew low and the cubs, swimming on their backs below, babbled on the entire time.
“Don’t you think it’s unfair that Mum won’t let us see any battles?”
“Yeah, she never lets us do anything except sit at seal holes and bash them when they come up.”
“It was fun at first, but then it got boring.”
“Have you ever fought in a battle, Theo?”
“Well, yes, and I didn’t much like it.”
“How come?” Rolf asked. “Were you scared?”
“Of course I was scared. You’d have to be
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