The Melting Sea

This is the page about The Melting Sea, the second book in the Return to the Wild arc. For the location named The Melting Sea, see The Melting Sea (location).

"She felt as though her heart was breaking; she couldn't believe that everything had gone so wrong. White bears turning against one another. The Melting Sea turning to water before Burn Sky had even begun. What else had changed?"

— Kallik on how the Melting Sea had changed, in The Melting Sea, page 198

The Melting Sea (book)
Series:	Return to the Wild
Book Number:	2
Author:	Cherith Baldry
Date Released:	Hardcover - June 5th, 2012 Paperback - June 4th, 2013 eBook - June 5th, 2012
Additional Information:	The Melting Sea Cliffnotes Characters Chapters Cover Gallery Sample Seekers Map
Chronology
← Previous	Island of Shadows
Next →	River of Lost Bears

The Melting Sea is the second book in the Return to the Wild arc. Yakone is featured on the portrait. Below are all four Seeker bears exploring the land beside The Melting Sea.

Summary

Toklo, Kallik, Lusa, and their newest companion, Yakone, press onward in their quest to return home again—where they can continue to spread the word about saving the wild. As they approach Kallik’s former home, Toklo and Lusa struggle with the idea of separating from Kallik and continuing their journey without her. But when the foursome arrives at the Melting Sea, they're shocked to encounter the group of Polar Bears who terrorized the black bears at Great Bear Lake—and are horrified to discover that Kallik’s brother, Taqqiq, has joined them. Can the bears convince Taqqiq to come back to the right side? Or will Kallik’s family stay torn apart forever?

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The second book in this spectacular new story arc is packed with an epic adventure, high-stakes decisions, and great danger for the bears. The Melting Sea will leave readers hungry for more from the New York Times bestselling world of Seekers.

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Toklo, Kallik, Lusa and Yakone trek onward toward The Melting Sea, battling the elements and struggling to move quickly as the ice begins to thaw. Kallik is anxious to reunite with her brother, Taqqiq, and the rest of the bears at her old home - but Toklo and Lusa can't imagine continuing their journey without her.

 As they cross the Melting Sea, the foursome encounters Shila, an injured white bear who tells them that a vicious gang of bears is terrorizing others for food and land. Kallik is horrified to discover that her brother has joined these fierce bears. Can the Seeker bears convince Taqqiq to come back to the right side?

 The future of the close-knit team is uncertain. As the bears face separating for the first time since their quest began, they struggle with the difficult choice between returning home or remaining with the companions who have become their true family.

Detailed Plot Summary

The four bears are still trekking through the snow in the search of Kallik's home; the Melting Sea. While walking through the snow the bears come to a herd of caribou and they hunt and kill one. Later, while they were in a blizzard, Lusa gets lost and tries to find her way back. She hears a caribou coming and thinks its come to get revenge. But, it turns out it's Ujurak in the shape of a caribou. He leads her back to the group and Lusa tells them how she saw him. 

Later the bears meet a she-bear named Akna and her cubs Iluq and Kassuq who were dropped off by the Metal bird. They stay for a while to help her and her cubs. After Kallik goes hunting with Akna they say their good-byes and leave.

While the bears were resting Kallik started digging at the snow and uncovers the metal of the firebird that Nanuk died in. They continue on to the building where Kallik met Nanuk when a firebeast crashes into it and the building catches on fire. Kallik and the others go inside to rescue any bear inside. But, it was Ujurak in the shape of a flat-face who rescued two unnamed young male polar bears. While the Seekers rescue the unconscious young she-bear Shila from the firebeast.

After Shila wakes up and is away from the flat-faces, she tells them how she got there and the others follow her to the ice. While there the bears are surrounded by Salik, Manik, Iqaluk, Taqqiq, and two unnamed bears. The bears are chased off by Salik and his gang and Shila tells them that they have been causing problems with the other white bears and that she has to get back to her mother Sakari and her two young brothers, Tonraq and Pakak. Shila takes them to their den but finds it empty with white bear fur and blood. Salik and the others catch up to them. Furious Shila attacks Salik but the other males gang up on her and attack. Kallik is furious and attacks Taqqiq and tells him she hates him. They leave Salik and his gang but Taqqiq follows them and tells them he knows where Shila's family is. 

When the bears find Shila's family they try to find a way to get rid of Salik and his gang. Finding other bears to help, Toklo teaches them how they will fight them. Taqqiq goes and gets Salik and his friends when they are ambushed by the other bears with the help of Taqqiq. 

After Salik and his gang leave Kallik to ask Taqqiq to come with her and her friends. But, he decides to stay with Shila. Kallik and Yakone decide to stay with Lusa and Toklo until they find their home.

Characters

Polar Bears

• Kallik
• Yakone
• Taqqiq
• Salik
• Manik
• Iqaluk
• Akna
• Iluq
• Kassuq
• Shila
• Sakari
• Tonraq
• Pakak
• Tartok
• Olikpok
• Nukka
• Two unnamed bears in Salik's gang
• Two unnamed young male bears saved by Ujurak

Black Bears

• Lusa

Grizzly Bears

• Toklo
• Ujurak (mentioned/referred to)

Grolar Bears

• Nanulak (mentioned)

Trivia

• The scene in which Lusa teaches Tonraq and Pakak battle moves are similar to Warriors: The Darkest Hour, where Sandstorm teaches Sorrelkit, Rainkit, and Sootkit battle move in case BloodClan got them. Coincidentally, this was also written by Cherith Baldry.