For all the friends I've had the pleasure to know.

Prologue

Her heart beat in her chest loudly. She felt like the whole world could read her thoughts, her thoughts of worry. And the possibility that they might not make it out before they came.

    "Take a deep breath," Snow whispered to herself. It didn't calm her nerves. But she had to know that the other polar bears were safe before she could ease herself.

Chapter One

Blue sighed and dipped her quill into the little inkwell. "How marvelous is it to have qualities of human," she said aloud. Then she laughed. Of course, the humans didn't know that the bears could do everything they could do.

    Three knocks came from the door, and Blue walked over to open it. It was her mother, the Elder. "Come in, come in," Blue greeted. Secretly, she hoped she would never have to be the Elder once her mother passed away. It was a heavy responsibility that Blue would never be ready for.

    Blue gestured to the couch, and her mother sat down. Blue took a seat across from her in silence.

    Her mother cleared her throat. "I've got bad news," she finally said. "The military is closing in on us. Someone's controlling them."

    Blue wasn't surprised. A few days ago, she saw a curious soldier peeking through her window. But she said, "We have to take cover. Gather the rest up, Snow."

    Snow nodded and left Blue on the couch. She was grateful for the silence now that her mother had left. Inside, she was 

afraid. She was scared someone might find out her secret.

    Outside the window, a little flurry was starting up, and a few cubs were playing in the snow on a little ice drift. Blue sighed and turned back to the scroll. If only they knew the troubles in this world.

Chapter Two

Ice knew that something was up. There were problems-like how her grandma Snow hated her-and there were bigger problems, like how her mother was acting strange.

    "Don't worry about it," her mother would say timidly when Ice asked, but Ice knew that it was her call to worry. And Ice liked to fix things up.

    Ice asked her mother if she could go play outside. "Sure," her mother called. "Just come back before lunch!"

    Ice ran through the thick snow as fast as she could, feeling