The wind wisps over the baron frosted land, collecting freshly fallen snow and flinging it back into the sky. On the horizon is the faintest of glows. Moving closer, the light intensifies and voices are heard coming from a small dome made of ice. Within the warmth of the dome is a family of Inuits camped around a fire. Yet something was not quite right. The Inuits are known to be the happiest of people and love to laugh and joke. But this family was somber, emotionless.

The Elder of the family slowly looks up from the magnetism of the fire. With an unusually sad look in his eyes he says “Someone must go… we have been hungry for days and there is nothing left to eat. Someone must travel south and bring back a whale for the family. Otherwise we may not survive the blizzard season.” Then there was a moment of silence, only broken by the voice of a young boy. “I'll go” he said. The family looked up in surprise. The name of this boy was Akna. “I can do it. You are all weakened but I still have enough strength.” Akna said. A disapproving murmur went up among the family. “Very well Akna, you are right. You shall leave on sunrise” pronounced the Elder.

That night Akna tossed and tuned in his sleep. He knew he wanted to get the whale for his family for he loved them all dearly. Yet the sound of the blizzard whistling past the igloo struck fear in his heart. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he knew that his family was relying on him to complete the task.

Early that morning, Akna was packed and ready to go. The Elder wished him well and gave him a gift to help him along his journey. It was a husky with a sleigh. Akna was delighted to receive this bequest. He named the husky Tootega. It was not long before they became the best of friends.

As the sun beat down on the bright white ground Akna mounted the sleigh with Tootega at the reins. After saying their goodbyes, together they took of into the great white unknown with much speed and haste. It was not long before their home was swallowed by the endless horizon and Akna knew he was well on his way.

The pair traveled all day without respite. When the sun came to rest Akna dug a crevice into a wall of ice to spend the night. As he slept the blizzards once again cropped up from the deep skies above. Akna held tight to Tootega and waited patiently for sunrise.

As the winds subsided and the skies cleared, the sun shone through. Coming out of his crevice, Akna rubbed his weary eyes and looked up. This time he did not see the white space that he expected but an open blue ocean. Suddenly he realized that the ice he was sleeping on had broken off in the blizzard and was now an iceberg sailing out to sea.

In a panic, Akna looked around to find he was alone. Distraught, he collapsed on the iceberg and cried.

After spending two days on the iceberg Akna was ready to give up all hope. Then suddenly he could hear a familiar sound in the distance. He ran to the edge of the iceberg in great anticipation to see Tootega with the sleigh. The iceberg was floating back into land. When he got close enough, Akna jumped off the iceberg and embraced Tootega with the biggest of hugs. “I thought I had lost you!” cried out Akna. Tootega replied with a big lick on the face.

Interrupting this joyous moment was a big splash in the water, very close to where the pair was standing. “It's a whale! This is our opportunity” shouted Akna. Quickly he grasped a spear and long piece of rope from the sleigh. Tying one end of the rope to the spear and the other end around his waist, he ran down to the waters edge. With determination in his eyes, Akna thrust the spear at the whale with all the strength he could fathom. The spear sunk deep into the whale's torso. In sheer pain the whale dived down, pulling Akna into the freezing waters with it. Struggling for breath and fraught with fear, Akna desperately tried to untie the rope from around his waste. The cold water piercing his skin like a thousand needles made his hands inoperable. Suddenly the whale surged back up to the surface. Akna was able to take a gasp of air and squirmed his way out of the rope. Dazed and confused, he tried to swim to the edge but was hampered by his soaked jacket. Then out of nowhere he found himself being pulled up out of the freezing depths. Tootega had a grip of Aknas jacket and pulled him to safety. Then with great concern, Tootega curled up beside Akna to warm his little frozen body. Together they lay until Akna could gather his strength.

An unknown time later, Akna felt warmth upon his face. It was Tootega licking him gently, almost to encourage him to get up. Slowly rising to his feet Akna looked up and could not believe his eyes. The whale he had speared lay motionless upon the ice. Without hesitation Akna ran over to inspect his reward. He then tied the whale to the sleigh and with Tootega at the reins, they headed homebound.

Tootega summoned all his strength to pull the whale but was feeling weary. Akna got off the sleigh and helped pull the mighty whale. Pushing into a strong head wind, the pair pressed on. For many days Akna, and Tootega resisted the harsh elements.

When the pair thought they were nearing the homelands they were abruptly interrupted by a polar bear that was attracted by the dead whale. This polar bear was not going to pass them by. This polar bear was hungry. Clasping to his spear, Akna stood firm in the ground. He had come a long way and was not going to let this bear destroy his prize. But the bear was not going for the whale but began charging at Akna. Then springing out from behind his back was Tootega. With a fearsome snarl exposing all his sharp teeth, Tootega took hold of the bear's neck. In a ruthless and bloody battle, Tootega and the bear fought to the death. Akna could only watch in horror… Overwhelmed, the bear limped away. Akna ran over to see Tootega lying motionless in the snow. He picked up his body expecting a lick on the face. Except this time, Tootegas body dangled limp in his arms, lifeless. Laying him back on the ground, Akna stood over his body as the snow slowly covered it.

Within the igloo, the family is starved. It has been months since they have seen Akna and are convinced that he is dead. Then as they wept, a small shadow was cast from the igloo door. Akna had returned with the whale.