• The bear lifted his head off the glacier and growled through chattering teeth. The howling wind seemed to calm a little. Covered in snow he got to his feet and began walking the direction he believed was north hoping he would make it back in time. Out of the distance a different white lump was approaching.
    “Your highness sir, the queen her cubs are to come soon sir. You must hurry.” The smaller bear turned and guided the king to his birthing wife.
    Once inside the crowed ice den the other bears started to bow out to make room for their king. On the ground lay his mate. She slowly lifted her head to look at him.
    “Zenrok, you’ve made it. I thought you might have gotten lost in the storm,” she said warmly.
    He laid a fish near her face. “Nadia, you need your strength to birth our cubs. Rest and eat,” he growled softly.
    An elderly, matted-hair bear pusher some powdery snow towards Nadia’s snout.
    “Thank you, Corel,” Zenrok said.
    She nodded and left to get more.
    “I’m glad you made it back, Zenrok. The others were growing restless. The teller has been to see me seven times and every time asking if I felt pain. The only pain I felt was your absence,” she whispered.
    “My lord, I feel it is time and you must leave the den until I send for you,” Corel said entering with more fresh snow.
    “My love, I’m naming the son Zaden,” Nadia said still in a whisper.
    Zenrok smiled lovingly at his mate. He growled and everyone but Corel left the shelter of the ice den to wait in the blizzard for their future. It was two nights and a day before Zenrok was allowed to see his wife again. The wait had been a long one, but it was more than worth it. He entered gradually and unaccompanied. In between Nadia and Corel were three gray cubs squirming to find dinner. Zenrok couldn’t help but smile at them.
    “What are they?” he asked.
    “The small one is a boy, born first, and the two are girl, Gaylen and Rysel,” she said softly.
    “They’re beautiful,” he said awestruck.
    Zenrok left the den to allow his childhood friend to have a look at the cubs along with the teller.
    “Nadia, how did you make such gorgeous cubs?” Bayen asked.
    Nadia laughed softly. “Alex, record the birthing day and names of my cubs in your tellers’ memory. I want you to become their mentor. Tell them every story you know, and answer as many of their question as you can. I’ve known you since we were cubs, but the knowledge of all tellers greatly surpasses any other bear. And I deeply respect that,” she said.
    Alex proudly bowed his head. “Thank you, Nadia,” he said.
    “No, thank you,” she said bowing her head.
    That night the storm was stronger so the pack of eight packed into the small ice den to keep the newborn cubs warm. The howling wind didn’t let up until morning. Zenrok, Alex, and Bayen watched over the cubs the next day so Nadia and Corel could go hunt. Alex insisted on telling the cubs stories even though Zenrok and Bayen told him constantly they couldn’t understand. Gaylen had tried several times to get up and walk, but every time she both slipped and fell or bumped into a wall.
    Upon Nadia and Corel’s return all the cubs could at least stand up. Alex had stopped telling stories and took to laughing at the three slipping and sliding cubs. The day was a fun one until another storm hit. Zenrok decided that as soon as the cubs could walk properly, they need to move to a safer location. If not, they risked freezing to death. At first, Nadia disagreed, but when another storm hit the next day they settled on a move.