Elias froze. The bear’s breath steamed in the cold. Her claws clicked on the ice. Henrik stood tall, palms out. “Easy, girl. We’re helping. That’s all.” Another gust of wind hit them, and in the distance, thunder cracked—sharp and close. The storm had arrived.
Chunks of ice began to creak and shift underfoot. Elias felt it—the pressure building. The floe wouldn’t hold much longer. “Now,” he hissed. Henrik gripped the rope and pulled. Elias lifted from beneath, muscles straining.