The Lost World

Northern most Alaska. The Ursa Majors are making their way past a glacier near the town of Barrow.

"These things never cease to amaze me." says Yukon

"I agree, most impressive." says Kiska

"Yeah, but do we have to walk all the way to where we're going?" says Chiniak "Can't we find us some transportation?"

"Like what?" says Togiak "I doubt any vehicle is big enough to accomidate us."

"Mmm, maybe your right."

"Besides, what are you complaining about?" says Iceberg "Would you have rather stayed as a normal bear and have to walk wherever your going anyway?"

"Forget I said anything." sulks Chiniak.

"Don't worry, I already have." says Katmai.

Adak, sitting on Yukon's shoulder, stifles a chuckle. Chiniak glares at him.

"I say, could any of you help me out?"

They all turn to see a man in arctic gear, skis, poles and a large backpack heading for them.

"You must be the Ursa Majors I've heard about. Jolly good I found you."

"A Brit all the way up here?" says Yukon.

"Name's Owen Harper, arctic explorer. I wonder if you lad's would be good enough to help me find a legendary land hidden underneath a glacier."

They all look at each other.

"Why not." says Iceberg "We got nothing better to do.

"Wonderful! I have special transportation we can use to get to my cabin. It's not far from here."

Owen turns around and heads away, the Ursa Majors follow him.

"I doubt what you got can carry us." says Iceberg.

Over a rise they spot Owen's transportation. A modified bus on gigantic wheels.

"A Tundra Buggy!" says Yukon "How'd you get ahold of that?"

"A what?" says Kiska

"A little further south along the Hudson Bay is a town called Churchill" says Yukon "A lot of polar bears congregate around the town and during the tourist season, vehicles like this one take people out to view them, live and up close."

"Too right lad." says Owen "And I happened to procure one that they were going to retire. Come on, get in. I'll take you to my cabin where I can tell you all about it."

The buggy is big enough to accomadate all of them as Owen drives the vehicle towards a cabin. The inside is like any hunting cabin, sparse and rustic.

"Make yourselves at home. I'll cook up some salmon steaks."

"That's not nessessary Mr. Harper." says Iceberg

"Nonsense! Its my pleasure."

Several hours later the Ursa Majors have eaten enough to feed a battalion. Owen cleans up in a makeshift sink.

"Mighty kind of you Mr. Harper." says Yukon

"Not a problem. Not then....."

Owen dries his hands then goes to a chest and opens it. He takes out an animal hide, puts it on the table and opens it up to reveal pictures of crudely drawn animals, geographic symbols and a form of writing.

"What's this?" says Iceberg

"A preserved ancient Inuit map." says Owen "It shows the location of the hidden land I mentioned earlier."

"Some of these animals look like prehistoric mammals." says Adak

"They are." says Owen "That's what's hidden there."

"My god!" says Yukon "Iceberg, do you realize what this means? Prehistoric mammals still living in a hidden world! Can you imagine if we found it! The scientific community would go nuts!"

"What about the hide itself Mr. Harper?" says Kiska.

"I had it checked when I found it. It's from a wooly mammoth."

The Ursa Majors react whith shock and amazement

"Do you know where it is?" says Katmai

"Not yet, but I'm convinced its below the glacier you passed today."

"What are we waiting for?" says Togiak "Let's go find it."

"But should we?" says Iceberg

"We have to!" says Yukon "Just think of the publicity it will generate!"

"Let's do it." says Kiska.

"I agree." says Chiniak

"Count me in." says Adak.

All eyes turn to Iceberg. He sighs then nods.

"All right. Let's find this "lost world" of yours."

"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would be proud of you gentlemen." says Owen.

"What about the writing on the hide?" says Kiska.

"I've had it translated."

In the land of glaciers, look for the icepatch of midnight. Break through and you will find the Hidden World.

"Let's get going, then." says Yukon

Back in Owen's tundra buggy, they search the glacier for any black patches. After two days of searching they spot it. They gather in front of it.

"Stand back Mr. Harper." says Iceberg

Iceberg brings his paws together and ignites his energy sword.

"And here I thought only the Road Rovers had superpowers."

"We work for them, actually." says Adak "We went though the same process of humanizing they did."

"Impressive."

Iceberg slashes at the glacier making several deep cuts then backs away extinguishing his sword. With a kick he sends the loose ice crashing in. The first thing they notice is the heat coming from the opening.

"I knew it!" says Owen "This is it! Come my friends, let's explore this hidden land!

With Owen in the lead they all go down an incline of ice.

"This passageay is smooth." says Iceberg "How is that possible with the heat we're feeling?"

"This must have been created by minds far superior to ours." says Yukon

"You mean aliens?" scoffs Chiniak "You can't be serious!

"Why not?" says Togiak "It fits with what we're seeing."

"There!" says Owen.

They come to the end of the tunnel, where the snow and ice end and grass begins. Several hundred feet above them is a ceiling of ice nearby are heated pools that give the land its heat. Some distance away, a herd of wooly mammoths make their way across a plain.

"Yes! Yes! I knew it was true!" says Owen. "My friends, we have just made history!"

They all look around in amazement and shock.

"I have several packs still on the buggy that I'd like to get for scientific purposes." says Owen "Some are too heavy for me."

"We'll be glad to help Mr. Harper." says Iceberg "Come on."

The Ursa Majors turn back into the passage; Owen take out a tennis ball sized device, activates it and tosses it at the entrance of the passage. They are immediatly enveloped on all sides by a force field. The Ursa Majors are stopped in their tracks and begin to protest.

"Amazing what you find at an army/navy surplus story, what?" says Owen

"Mr. Harper, what are you doing?!" says Iceberg.

"I'm afraid I have a confession to make. My name is not Owen Harper, arctic explorer, its Lord Braden Stroud, big game hunter."

Braden takes off his backpack and pulls out a high powered rifle with a scope, used in hunting.

"And I will regain my status as the worlds greatest hunter!"

"Braden Stroud?" says Yukon "You are nothing but a petty criminal! Selling his services for the highest price to eliminate man-eaters!"

"Correct. But you see, I've moved up from hunting man-eaters to prehistoric mammals. The big game hunting community will be in awe of my prowess! Now if you'll excuse me, I have hunting trophy's to catch."

Braden runs off leaving the Ursa Majors behind in the forcfield.

"Do army/navy stores really sell forcefields?" says Kiska.

"No." says Adak "He must have gotten it from the black market."

"We can't let him get away with this!" says Yukon

"Still want to open this land to the world?" says Katmai

"If trophy hunters like him converge on this place, then no."

"Then I suggest we find a way out of here." says Iceberg "Stand back."

Iceberg ignites his paw sword and drives it into the floor of the passage, but the forcefield stops him.

"Adak, I'm hoping to create a hole in the field for you to slip through. Can you also do your trick with ice?"

"Of course."

"Good. Hang on."

Iceberg puts more pressure into it and begins to break through.

"Now!"

Adak steps forward and disppears into the ice and reappears outside the field, and turns off the projector.

"Now then, let's find Stroud and stop him." says Yukon

"Your attitude has changed." says Togiak

"I don't like being duped."

"Likewise." says Iceberg "Let's go."

Braden has taken cover within a cospe of tree's as a herd of mammoths passes by. He raises his rifle and begins to take aim. He's suddenly startled by a loud yell. He turns and finds cavemen running towards him, shouting. The mammoth herd turns and runs away as Stroud aims at the cavemen and shoots. Nearby the Ursa Majors here the shot and the shouting.

"Cavemen, here?" says Iceberg

"You sound surprised." says Yukon "I was kind of hoping there were."

"Look!" says Adak.

A band of cavemen are taking Braden away. He's struggling to free himself but its no use.

"Maybe we should leave him to his fate." says Togiak

"We can't do that." says Katmai

"He's right. Let's go." says Iceberg

Soon, Braden finds himself tied to a pole. The cavemen are discussing among themselves about what to do with him. An elderly woman comes up and looks Braden in the eye.

"When Iget out of this your going to regret having survived in this world!" shouts Braden

The wise woman raises her hands to the ice ceiling and begin to chant as the men place sticks and logs around him. One stands nearby with a torch. Braden struggles frantically to get loose. The ritual is cut short when a young woman of the tride shrieks and points. The Ursa Majors are walking towards the village of cavemen and they all scatter in fear.

"About time!" says Braden "These barbarians were going to sacrifice me!"

"Give us one good reason why we shouldn't let them!" says Yukon

"Get me out of here you bundles of fur!" rages Braden

Iceberg rakes his claws on his bindings then hauls him up by the collar. Yukon grabs the rifle the cavemen dropped and cracks it over his knee, breaking it in half.

"Your coming with us, Stroud."

They begin to walk back to entrance.

"Fools! I'm going to tell the world about this discovery! You can't keep it secret!"

As they near the entrance, Braden becomes frantic.

"Wait! We can make a deal! I'll share the credit of finding this place with all of you! We can be celebrities!"

"Do you really think the media will make you a celebrity?" says Kiska.

Braden becomes angry and slides a knife from out of his boot and prepares to stab Iceberg in the back.

"I don't think so!"

Yukon twists Braden's arm back and the snap of bone is heard. Braden howls in agony and Iceberg drops him to the ground. Yukon puts the knife into the pocket of his overalls.

"Thanks for the souvenir Stroud. Maybe we will leave you here."

Iceberg shoves him down the passage and he lands in a heap at the bottom, his arm still smarting. Togiak and Chiniak toss their energy weapons at the entrance and tons of ice crash down and block the entrance. Braden runs for it as more glacier ice comes down the passage and effectivly seals the entranceway.

"No! Don't leave me here!"

He stops when he hears growling. Slowly, and in fear, he turns to find a pack of sabertooth's surrounding him. Braden screams in terror and runs for it. The cats easily overtake him.....

Back up top Iceberg has relayed what has happened to the Master.

"Fascinating. A lost world of prehistoric mammals and cavemen. You did the right thing, considering the circumstances. We will not speak of this matter again, and hope no one finds out about it."

"We still have the preserved hide that brought us here. What do we do with it?"

"I'd burn it. There must not be any record of this lost world anywhere. Let it remain hidden. Mission Control out."

Inside the lost world, a pack of sabertooth cats lazily lounge near a spring while a herd of mammoths munch on nearby trees. The Lost World, remains lost to modern civilization.

The End