River of Lost Bears by Erin Hunter

hindpaw and knocked Toklo flying. He fell, sprawling, in the dirt.
    Lusa yelped. “Why’s she doing that?”
    Ujurak answered softly, “She doesn’t believe she can keep Toklo safe anymore.”
    â€œThat’s not true!” Mothers always kept their cubs safe.
    â€œShe lost Tobi even though she did everything she could to help him. She’s scared she’ll lose Toklo, too. She’d rather chase him away than go through the pain of another loss.”
    â€œBut isn’t chasing him away the same as losing him?” Lusa didn’t understand.
    â€œNo,” Ujurak told her. “She’ll be able to imagine that he’s still alive. She can’t do that with Tobi.”
    Sadness swept through Lusa’s dreamworld. She could feel grief like a breeze rippling through the grass and making the leaves shiver. “Oka told me she’d driven Toklo away, when she was in the Bear Bowl. But I didn’t realize how awful that must have been.” She gazed back at Toklo as he circled the clearing, keeping a wary distance from Oka, his eyes clouded with sadness and confusion. “Poor Toklo!”
    â€œAnd poor Oka,” Ujurak added. “She’s in so much pain. And she feels helpless to stop it from happening again.”
    Lusa couldn’t drag her gaze from Toklo. “Is that why he’s so protective of me and Kallik? Because he’s scared of losing us like he lost Tobi and Oka?”
    â€œHe blamed himself for Tobi’s death. It had to be his fault, otherwise Oka’s anger made no sense.” Ujurak pressed against her. “But that was just the start. Toklo has lost so many bears since. With each loss, he’s blamed himself more. He feels responsible for everyone.”
    Lusa blinked. “Including Chenoa!” She understood now. “If Chenoa joins us, she’ll be his responsibility. And he’s terrified of losing another bear.” She turned and stared at Ujurak. “Is that why you brought me here? So I’d understand?”
    Ujurak was starting to fade, the trees showing through his hazy pelt. “Yes.” He turned and began to pad away.
    â€œWait!” Lusa tried to spring after him, but the dream dragged her back. “Please!” She wanted to tear free and race after him, but her paws wouldn’t move. “Come back!” Heart aching, she watched as Ujurak merged with the grass and the trees and became part of the forest.
    She blinked open her eyes and found herself awake in her nest of bracken, beside Big River.

CHAPTER NINE
Toklo
    Toklo dozed. He could half hear Kallik and Yakone splashing while Lusa fidgeted in her nest. He was trying to hide from the dull ache he’d had in his belly since leaving Chenoa.
    Toklo! She called to him in his dreams. Help me, Toklo!
    â€œI don’t have time.” Toklo growled, half-awake. “I have to get home!” He rolled over, tucking his nose under his paw and squeezing his eyes tight shut.
    A paw jabbed his ribs.
    â€œGo away.” Toklo screwed his eyes tighter shut.
    â€œToklo.” It was Lusa.
    â€œI can’t help you.”
    â€œYes, you can.” Lusa’s paw prodded him again. “We have to talk.”
    â€œI don’t want to talk, I want to sleep.”
    â€œToklo!”
    Grumpily, Toklo sat up. “What?” Purple clouds streaked the sky. The day was drawing in. Upstream, Kallik and Yakone lay in the shallows, letting the cool water stream around them.
    Lusa gazed at them. “Don’t they ever get cold?”
    â€œIs that why you woke me?” Toklo glared at her. “To ask if white bears get cold?”
    â€œNo.” The breeze lifted Lusa’s pelt. Toklo realized that it carried the chill of the Melting Sea even here. “I just wish they liked being warm,” Lusa said. “Then I wouldn’t feel guilty, wishing for sunshine.”
    Toklo pictured walking beneath the wide blue