Berry the Bear was excited to be back at the seas after long months of summer on land. The time away from the sea was lonely, sad and scary for Bear. He really missed his friend Sassy the Seal. The first thing he did when he got close to the ice was to wonder around looking for his friend Sassy the Seal.

"Sassy!" shouted little Bear, but Seal did not seem to be around. "Sassy!" little Bear shouted again as he saw something that looked like his best friend from afar.

It was Seal! Bear ran closer "Seal, I am back!" he shouted louder but seal looked busy with something. She was looking at her reflection on water. She liked doing this. Ever since Berry left she had found it to be fun. Every day she noticed something she never noticed before about her appearance.

"Seal, you'd better pay some attention because this time we heard that the ice is going break three weeks earlier. The time that we have together is even shorter than we had last time." Seal abruptly stopped and looked up at Bear sadly.

"What do you mean Bear? Where did you hear that from?" asked Seal.
Bear looked away from Seal, suddenly regretting telling her the truth about his and his families' situation. Seal was not one to give up. "Tell me Bear what is going on," Seal asked again.
"We met the two legged creatures," said Bear in a little sigh.

"They are very cruel and selfish. You know they are the ones producing the poison that makes it too hot, making the ice break up earlier than it used to. Not only that, they also want to kill us for our skin when we show up next to where they live looking for food," said Berry, his voice intense with sadness.

Shock and horror was written all over Sassy's face.
"Oh my goodness really?" Seal paused for a moment. "Wait Berry, how do you know about all of this?"

"I heard the two legged creatures talking, some of them are against producing any more of the poison and killing us for our skin, so I guess there is hope. I also heard them talking about someone called Climate Change."

Seal got quite for a while and then blew a long cold breath. "At least staying on land longer allowed you to have all this information."
She got into the water, turned around to look into Berry's eyes.
"You do not understand Sassy, do you?" said Berry looking right back at her.

"I do, now we know what is going on. What were they saying about Climate Change and who is he?"
Berry's lips quirked in what resembled a smile. "What makes you think it's a he?"
They were quiet for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Well, who is he or she?"
"From the way they were talking about him…or her, I think it's closely related to the poison they are producing," said Berry.

After a while, Sassy asked,
"What are we going to do Berry?"
"What do you mean?" Berry asked back.
Berry did not like the where this conversation was headed.

"I mean what are we going to do?" Sassy asked with a firmer voice this time.

"What are you talking about? This is my problem and I don't think your family will approve of you helping me with this," said Bear.
Before he could regret it, Sassy snapped. The tension between their families was a very sensitive issue.

"Do NOT bring my family into this. You know their hate towards your family is justified because your grand dad did eat all of my father's family. Hear me well, Bear. I don't condone their hatred but I do think it's justified," said Seal, her voice laced with little anger.

Berry's Grandfather ate all of Sassy's dad's family out of desperation. The ice was breaking and they had to leave the ocean. He had not had enough fat to last him for the summer. Sassy's dad's family was the only thing resembling food that was close enough.
Sassy's dad survived because he was out swimming and when he came back he saw the ordeal and hid. Despite all of that, Berry's grandfather did not survive the summer because the two legged creatures captured him.

They never found out what really happened to him. That still haunts Berry's family till this day but it is even harder for Berry because he cannot talk to his friend about it.

"I hear you and I understand, which is why I do not think they will want you anywhere near me and my family. Even worse if you are trying to help us!" Bear responded calmly.
"Okay, you know I don't like talking about the tension between our families," Seal was also calming down now.

"I know," said Berry. Berry offered to carry Sassy as they went for a walk.

Seal laughed and hopped on Berry's back.
Bear looked around and saw other seals looking at them, he heard their hateful chatter. He hoped Seal did not hear them and quickly jumped into the water to distract her.

"Don't mind them. You are my friend. They are not, and whatever they are saying is not true."
"Is it not?"

"You said you heard the two legged creatures talking about helping you. So there is hope."

They got out of the water.
Bear sighed, "Seal, you know the two legged creatures only help if it benefits them and they did not sound hopeful. In most of their talks, polar bear is always followed by the word, extinction. That is not hopeful."

"Whew! It's hard, my friend, but I am sure they will find a solution."
"What if they take me, Seal?"
"Take you where?"
"Sometimes their idea of helping is locking us up and making others pay to come and see us."
"They can do that?"
"They did it to my dad's cousin!"
"They know that if we try to fight back they can just kill us," Bear said sadly.
"Cruel!" said Sassy angrily.

"I wish I could swim like a fish," Berry thought.

"Let me go and hunt, Seal, before it is too late," said Berry.
"Good luck my friend!" Seal tried to be cheerful.

The END.