“It’s us or Eli.” Squizzle falls silent. He might fight with Nellie, but he clearly likes Eli

Nellie doesn’t like animals, and she likes Squizzle even less. But when an angry polar bear comes roaring at the squirrel, she snatches him up and runs, tucking him under her arm. Because she’s nice.

And because Squizzle is totally not, he nips at her arm through her coat and then runs up to huddle under her hood. “Stop that!” she snaps at him. “I’m saving your life here!”

There is still way too much snow around them, and the polar bear bares its teeth and races toward Nellie.

“Hey!” Eli shouts, drawing the bear’s attention. “Over here!” He throws a snowball, then a second one. One of them bounces off the side of the bear’s enormous body, but the other one hits it in the nose. The polar bear lets out a cry of outrage and rushes at Eli.

Nellie’s turn. The treehouse had given them coats, but she’s still in her loafers, and they slip and slide as she runs across the ice. “Follow me!” she calls to the bear.  “I have fresh squirrel for you!”

Squizzle hisses in her ear. “Oh, be quiet,” Nellie whispers furiously at him. “It’s us or Eli.” Squizzle falls silent. He might fight with Nellie, but he clearly likes Eli.