“Aldo,” Spencer whispered, taking his eyes off B.D. for the first time in what felt like hours. The moon was high above the Caves, casting just enough light into B.D.’s enclosure for Spencer to see the bear. He hadn’t moved from the mouth of his cave since Spencer and Aldo had left him. Even when the zookeeper had come to clean the space and leave food for B.D., the bear had stayed put, swatting the ground angrily anytime the worker got too close.

Aldo stirred on the branch beside Spencer. They had stayed in the tree and taken turns standing guard all afternoon and evening. During his last shift, Spencer had heard the manicurist say good-bye to Pam and let herself out, and then he saw Pam and Dora leave together soon after. They had returned an hour later, during Aldo’s shift, while Spencer rested. Now, after hours of keeping watch from the tree, finally, B.D. was rising onto his hind legs in his own enclosure, giving the signal Spencer had been waiting for.

“Time to go?” Aldo asked. His ears and snout twitched, gathering information.

“Yes. Look,” Spencer pushed a leafy branch aside, clearing a space for Aldo to see B.D., who stood unsteadily on his hind legs. Spencer pulled the flashlight out of his mission pack and aimed it toward B.D. in the Caves. He turned it on, then off again quickly, signaling to B.D. they had received his message—Pam had gone to bed. The coast was clear for Spencer and Aldo to go to Dora. B.D. dropped back to all fours.

Aldo climbed down from the pear tree without wasting a second, but Spencer hesitated. The last time they were close to Dora, she was viciously attacking B.D. He wasn’t exactly eager to see her again, but according to this plan, the sooner he did, the sooner he would see Mom and Dad.

Spencer carefully climbed out of the tree. Once he joined Aldo on the ground, they crept out of the grove toward Dora’s enclosure. As they got closer, Spencer realized enclosure wasn’t the right word for Dora’s home.

Glass sliding doors made up an entire wall of the small building, and now those doors stood open. Dora could come and go as she pleased. The rest of the structure seemed to be an imitation of Pam’s own large home. Parts of the small square building were hidden from view with wood and iron walls, and portions of the glass walls were covered by enormous velvety gray curtains, but most of Dora’s home was completely transparent. Dora padded into view. She bowed her head to drink from a crystal clear stream that ran through the middle of her home.

Spencer and Aldo stepped onto the path that led straight through the open glass doors to Dora. Here we go, Spencer thought. He knew how important it was for this meeting to go well. If Dora attacked them, the mission would be over, and his chances of rescuing everyone would be gone.

Dora lifted her head from the stream. Her ears flicked in the direction of the open doors. Aldo didn’t stop walking. Dora huffed and rose onto her hind legs, facing the door.

Spencer cast an anxious glance down at the Caves. He could tell that B.D. was watching them, but if things didn’t go well between Dora, Spencer, and Aldo, then B.D., locked in his cave, wouldn’t be able to help. Spencer hoped that his teammates knew what they were doing, sending them here to walk right into Dora’s home with no protection and zero backup …

Pop! Dora’s warning stopped Spencer in his tracks. Aldo kept walking.

“Maruh,” Aldo growled to Dora, as “hello” translated through Spencer’s Ear-COM. Dora didn’t answer. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Aldo and Spencer. “Maruh, anbranda,” Aldo said, adding the bears’ word for “friend” to his greeting. He continued to approach Dora.

Spencer waited for Dora to warn them with the jaw-popping sound again. When she didn’t, he took a step forward, falling in behind Aldo on the path. Dora huffed, but Aldo didn’t stop when he reached the open glass doors. He crossed the threshold into Dora’s home. Spencer wished he could reach for his jade bear now, to muster some courage. I just have to be brave enough without it, he told himself firmly and stepped inside after Aldo. Dora huffed again.

“We’re coming to you as friends, Dora. We are here to help you, and we need your help,” Aldo said. “We only mean—”

Dora dropped to all fours and cut Aldo off with a jaw pop. She stepped toward him, showing her teeth.

“Aldo,” Spencer said. “Maybe this isn’t such—”

Dora’s eyes flicked to Spencer. Pop! She stepped forward and thrust her face into his.

“Yi hu aro valu,” Spencer blurted out the phrase B.D. had taught them. Dora froze. “Yi hu aro valu,” Spencer repeated, his growls coming out as gasps.

Dora looked at Aldo. She dropped back a few paces, moving away from Spencer.

“With you I am home,” Aldo said. “B.D. asked us to relay that message to you. He hoped it would show you we are friends of your family. We just need to talk to you. We have something that can help us all communicate. It’s safe—I’m wearing one in my ear now. If you’re willing, Spencer can give you one.”

Dora’s head was bowed, but she seemed to be listening. She growled back at Aldo, but Spencer couldn’t understand her. Dora swung her head in Spencer’s direction, grunting, then began to pace the length of her indoor stream.

“Yes, he is a Plain, and he’s loyal to bears. You can trust him,” Aldo growled. A moment later, Dora turned and charged at Spencer.

“Aldo!” Spencer hissed. He put both hands up to hold off the bear, but it was too late, Dora had reached him. She headbutted him in the stomach with another grunt.

“She wants the Ear-COM,” Aldo said, stepping closer as though to protect Spencer if Dora changed her mind.