Arctic Storm

by Frieda Wishinsky

  Chapter 5:

  Moon Dog

  “Look!” said Matt.

  One of the dogs was barking and pulling at his rope. He looked like he wanted to head toward Arthur.

  “That’s Moon Dog,” said Arthur. “He’s a great dog.”

  “He’s a great nuisance,” said Rob. “He barks more than any other dog here, and he always wants you to pet him. What kind of sled dog is that? Our lead dog, Bruno, doesn’t beg for attention every minute.”

  “Moon Dog and Arthur are good pals,” John told Matt and Emily. “I think Moon Dog senses that Arthur isn’t feeling well.”

  “Could you bring him over here, Dad?” Arthur asked.

  “Don’t do that,” said Rob. “That dog’s getting spoiled. Even if Moon Dog is not the lead dog, he’s here to do a job. These are sled dogs. Not lap dogs for kids.”

  “Come on, Rob. Have a heart. My son isn’t well.”

  “Look, I don’t want your son to be sick, but I’m warning you about that dog. Don’t complain to me if he doesn’t perform when you treat him like a poodle in a queen’s court,” said Rob.

  John shrugged and walked over to untie Moon Dog.

  “Where did he get that name?” asked Matt.

  “He was born during a full moon,” said Arthur as Moon Dog crouched beside him.

  Arthur patted the big dog’s head. Matt and Emily patted Moon Dog, too. Moon Dog licked Emily’s hand.

  “Moon Dog reminds me of Tiny,” Emily whispered to Matt.

  “Tiny and Moon Dog both like you, that’s for sure,” Matt whispered back.

  “Having Moon Dog here makes me feel better,” said Arthur.

  Just then the wind began to howl, and snowflakes began to swirl around them.

  “We’d better hurry inside. This storm is kicking up quickly. Everybody grab some food and get into the tents,” said John. “Matt, can you give me a hand with Arthur?”

  “Sure,” said Matt.

  Matt and John helped Arthur stand up and hobble into the tent.

  The snow was falling harder. The wind was churning up stronger and louder.

  The kids helped Arthur off with his boots. Everyone huddled in the tents. Arthur, his father, Emily, and Matt shared the larger tent. Sam and Rob camped in the smaller one.

  The tent shook as the wind slapped against it. “That wind sounds like a pack of hungry wolves,” said John.

  “I hope our sled is okay,” said Matt. “I tied it to the tent pole.”

  “It should be fine. These are strong all-weather tents, and the poles are sturdy. I’m sure the wind will die down soon,” said John. “Have some more soup. We all need to keep our strength up.”

  “Thanks for helping us. And thanks for the food,” said Emily, sipping her soup. “I don’t know what we would have done in this storm if we hadn’t found you.”

  “Luckily this is a large tent, and you kids are dressed properly for the weather. We forgot our compass, but at least we brought two extra sleeping bags.”

  “Do you think the storm will blow over by morning?” said Arthur.

  “I’m sure it will,” said John. “And the guides are sure to find us with the morning light, too. Don’t worry. Try and get some sleep.”

  Arthur closed his eyes. His breathing was heavy. His face was flushed, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

  Chapter 6:

  Howls in the Night

  John swallowed hard as he looked at his son. Emily and Matt knew that John was worried.

  They were worried, too. What if the storm lasted for days? What if help didn’t come in the morning? And how sick was Arthur? What if he was so sick that he needed a doctor?

  Matt gulped. Suddenly he wasn’t hungry. He put the soup down beside him on the ground.

  “Finish your soup, Matt,” said John. “Don’t worry. We have enough food for at least another day. It might not be steak and french fries, but it will keep us going. I just hope Arthur’s condition doesn’t get worse.”

  “Maybe the dogs know the way to the lodge,” said Matt, spooning up some more soup.

  “If the guides don’t find us in the morning, we’ll have to rely on the dogs to show us the way. Our lead dog, Bruno, is tough and experienced. The guides promised us that in a pinch he’d take us to the lodge. But I didn’t want to chance it in the dark and especially not in a storm. Let’s try and get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us.”

  Emily and Matt crawled into their sleeping bags with everything on except their boots.

  It felt strange sleeping in so many clothes.

  But it was cold and getting colder by the minute.

  Soon, Arthur was breathing heavily and John was snoring loudly.

  “He sounds like my dad,” said Emily. “I can’t sleep when someone is snoring like that. It sounds like a truck roaring down the highway.”

  “Well, I’m going to try to sleep,” said Matt. He closed his eyes and was soon snoring softly.

  But Emily couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned as the wind blew harder and fiercer and John snored louder and louder.

  Then, over the wind, she heard howling and barking. She tapped Matt on the shoulder. “What’s that?” she whispered.

  Matt rubbed his eyes. “What’s what?”

  “That noise. It sounds like the dogs and some other animals.”

  Matt sat up. “You’re right. It sounds like there’s a fight going on.”

  “Let’s peek outside and see.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea? There could be wolves out there.”

  “We can just have a quick look. We don’t have to go far. I can’t sleep anyway,” said Emily.

  Emily and Matt slid out of their sleeping bags. They slipped on their boots and inched toward the flap of the tent. They lifted it up and peered out. There was a big snowdrift in front of their tent. They scooped snow away from the entrance with their hands. Then they crawled outside.

  The snow and wind had slowed down but it was so dark, they could only see shadows. It was strangely quiet now, too.

  “Maybe the fight is over,” said Matt. But before he could say anything else, the barks and yelps started again. They were louder and fiercer than before.

  Matt and Emily tried to see through the darkness, but they couldn’t. Then the moon peeked through. In the dim light they could see the dogs yanking at the ropes that held them to the stakes in the snow.

  “Look!” said Emily, pointing to a clearing beside the trees. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “Yes! It’s a caribou, and it’s running away from some wolves,” said Matt.

  “But it’s not running fast. I bet it’s hurt. I bet the wolves will get it. I can’t look!”

  Chapter 7:

  Where Is He?

  Emily turned and hurried back into the tent. She covered her ears. She didn’t want to hear the yelps, the howls, or the barking any longer. It sounded like the animals were ripping each other apart.

  A few minutes later, Matt popped back inside, too. “Rob heard the noise and looked out. But the moon hid again and neither of us could see anything anymore,” he said. “The wolves and caribou must have disappeared into the woods. But I bet that caribou is hurt—or worse.”

  Emily shivered. “Let’s not think about it. We can’t do anything to help that poor caribou. Let’s try and sleep. It’s quieter now outside, even though it’s still noisy inside with all that snoring. I can’t believe everyone else slept through all the animals barking and yelping outside.”

  Matt and Emily kicked off their boots and crawled back into their sleeping bags.

  “At least it’s cozy in here,” Emily whispered as she snuggled into the sleeping bag. “And I’m so tired. Goodnight, Matt.”

  But Matt didn’t answer. He’d fallen asleep as soon as he slid back into his sleeping bag.
>
  Soon, despite the snoring, so did Emily.

  The next thing the friends heard was a booming voice shouting, “Where is he?”

  “Where is who?” asked Emily, opening

  her eyes.

  “Is it morning already?” asked Matt, yawning and stretching. “I feel like I’ve only been asleep for five minutes.”

  “What are we supposed to do now?” shouted the person again.

  “Where’s John?” asked Matt, looking around the tent.

  “And Arthur?” asked Emily.

  The friends slid out of their sleeping bags and pulled on their boots. They lifted the tent’s flap. Someone had dug a real path through the snow. Emily and Matt stepped outside.

  The snow was piled high everywhere. It covered the sleds, the hills, the trees, and the tops of the tents. Everything was white except the sky. The sun was starting to poke through the clouds.

  Emily and Matt hurried over to the group. John and Rob were cleaning off the sleds, while Sam was crouched down, picking up some wrappers from their food that were strewn in the snow. Arthur lay down in a sled, bundled up in layers of clothes.

  “Bruno was our only hope,” said Rob. “The guides said he was the best dog to lead us back. And now he’s gone. How did he get untied? Where did he go?”

  “Calm down, Rob,” said John. “He may come back. And we have other dogs.”

  “What happened?” asked Emily.

  “Bruno has disappeared,” said Sam. “We were counting on him to lead us if we needed help returning to the lodge, and we do. He must have gotten loose last night. Rob says there were wolves and caribou around here. We saw tracks in the snow this morning.”

  “We saw the caribou and the wolves last night. After everyone went to sleep, we heard noises. So we peeked out and saw the caribou being chased by some wolves. But we didn’t see Bruno take off,” said Emily.

  “Maybe his rope was loose or he yanked himself free. He could be anywhere now,”

  said Sam.

  “Or dead,” said Rob.

  “We have to forget about Bruno now. The clouds are thickening. We may be in for more snow. Let’s ready the sleds with Moon Dog in the lead,” said John.

  “That pooch is a pussy cat. Not a dog. We’ll have to stop and pet him every few minutes,” said Rob. “Look at him. He’s licking your

  son’s hand, John. How can we rely on a dog

  like that?”

  Chapter 8:

  Mush

  “We have to rely on Moon Dog,” said John. “Come on, Matt. Help me check on our supplies. Then we can pack up and go.”

  John and Matt ran toward a spot behind the tents. “Look!” said Matt.

  “Oh no. I don’t believe this,” said John.

  A pole was lying on the ground. There was no sign of the supplies that had been hung from it.

  Matt and John looked everywhere for the supplies. But they only found a few bits of food scattered in the snow.

  “It’s all gone!” cried John.

  “What’s gone?” asked Rob as John and Matt hurried back to the group.

  “Some animal has gotten into our supplies. I packed everything up carefully last night. At least I thought I did. I stored it all high on two poles. The wind probably knocked one pole down in the storm. And now the food has been devoured by animals.”

  Rob rolled his eyes. “What else is going to go wrong? This trip is turning into a nightmare.”

  John took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about this.”

  “It’s nobody’s fault,” said Sam. “We have to get out of here fast. That’s all. And we have to trust our remaining dogs, especially Moon Dog. We have no choice.”

  “Moon Dog will get us back. You’ll see,”

  said Arthur.

  “Are you feeling any better, Arthur?”

  asked Matt.

  “Not much, but I’ll be okay.”

  Matt glanced at Emily. They both knew that Arthur was still trying to act brave so no one would worry.

  “How much food is left?” asked Rob.

  “A little soup. Some trail mix. Water,” said John. “We should be fine for a day or so. Let’s get going. That’s all we can do.”

  They all helped pack up the tents. As they loaded the three sleds, it began to snow again. John stood behind Moon Dog’s lead sled.

  Matt squished into Rob’s large sled with Emily, the magic sled, and a load of supplies. Sam stood behind his smaller sled.

  They were ready.

  John rubbed his son’s back.

  “It’s not going to be an easy ride, Arthur,” he said. “The ground will be bumpy even with the snow.”

  “I’ll be okay, Dad,” said Arthur. “Don’t worry.”

  “Then let’s mush,” said John. He yanked the reins, signalling the dogs to run.

  Moon Dog took off like a shot.

  “Well, he’s certainly enthusiastic,” called Sam, as he and his dogs followed John’s sled.

  “But for what?” called Rob. “He could just be taking us on a wild ride into nowhere.”

  “Let’s think good thoughts,” Emily said. Rob rolled his eyes.

  “Oh, no! Look!” Rob slowed his dogs down. “Poor beast!” he said, pointing to a spot near the trees. John and Sam slowed their sleds and looked back. They all stared at what remained of a dead caribou.

  Emily gulped. “It was probably the one the wolves attacked last night,” she murmured.

  Sam shook his head “Not much is left of that creature after those wolves had their fill. Maybe the caribou was already hurt. Wolves will attack the weakest caribou. We certainly saw that when we followed the herds.”

  “But where’s Bruno?” asked Rob.

  “I hope he survived meeting the wolves,” said Matt.

  “Let’s go,” said John. “There’s nothing we can do here.” He signalled his dogs to mush.

  For the next hour no one said anything. The dogs panted as they flew across the swirling snow.

  Then Moon Dog started barking.

  He stopped running.

  Chapter 9:

  Gone Crazy

  “Come on, Moon Dog. Mush!” said John.

  But Moon Dog refused to budge. He barked and barked.

  “Has he gone crazy? I told you this dog doesn’t know what he’s doing or where he’s going. Why is he stopping here?” asked Rob.

  “He hasn’t gone crazy,” said Emily. “I think he was limping!”

  John hopped off the sled and hurried over

  to Moon Dog. “You’re right, Emily. There’s a piece of a pine needle stuck in his paw. That can

  hurt like crazy. Let me see if I can get it out.”

  Everyone waited as John bent over Moon Dog. “Got it!” he said. “He should be fine now. Ready, Moon Dog?”

  Moon Dog gave a quick wag of his tail.

  But before all the sleds took off, Sam pointed to a clump of bushes under a thin blanket of snow. “Cloudberries!” he said. “I wouldn’t mind a handful of those.”

  Everyone except Arthur hopped off the sleds. They picked cloudberries off the bushes.

  Matt popped some into his mouth first. Then he scrunched up his nose. “These are sour,” he said.

  “They make great jam,” said Sam, smiling. “But they are a little hard to love uncooked.”

  “They make my eyes water,” said Emily.

  “They’re good for you and they grow in the cold,” said Sam.

  After everyone had eaten a few handfuls of berries, John said, “Let’s go.”

  He stepped back on his sled. Everyone else jumped on their sleds, too.

  “Mush, Moon Dog!” said John. Moon Dog raced across the snow. The rest of the dogs and sleds followed.

  Emily and Matt looked for signs of a lodge as they bounced across the
snow-covered ground. But they couldn’t see anything except the snow falling around them. They sledded on and on. They seemed to be sledding for hours, but there was still no sign of a lodge or people.

  Finally John signalled for the sleds to stop. “Let’s have some soup and give the dogs a rest,” he said. “It’s late afternoon already.”

  Emily and Matt hopped off their sled. They hurried over to Arthur. His face was flushed. He took deep breaths and held his stomach. He seemed to be getting sicker by the minute.

  “Are you queasy?” his father asked.

  Arthur nodded.

  “I hope it’s not his appendix,” said Rob. “If it is, this is a real emergency.”

  John took a deep breath. “We’ll eat something quickly and keep moving. That’s all we can do.”

  Everyone ate a bowl of hot soup except Arthur, who could only manage to sip some water.

  “We don’t have much daylight left,” Emily whispered to Matt.

  “I know. I hope we’re not going to have to sleep in the tents again,” Matt whispered back.

  Matt and Emily looked at the others in the group. The look on each man’s face as he peered up at the sky was the same.

  The adults were worried, too.

  Chapter 10:

  A Tumble in the Snow

  “Mush!” said John, and Moon Dog and the other dogs took off again. For a few minutes the sleds flew over the snow. Then Moon Dog slipped. His legs buckled as he fell into a drop in the ground. He tumbled into a snowbank.

  “Ow,” groaned Arthur as John and Arthur fell into a snowbank, too.

  The other sleds stopped. Everyone hurried to help.

  “Are you hurt?” asked Matt.

  “I’m okay, and so is Arthur,” said John, shaking the snow off his parka and pants. “Luckily, Arthur fell into soft snow and on top of his thick blanket. But it looks like Moon Dog sprained his leg.”

  “What do we do now?” asked Rob.

  “Help me lift the sled up and put Arthur back in,” said John. Sam, Rob, Matt, and Emily helped lift the sled and then placed Arthur gently back into the sled.