I wrote this after seeing BB2. If you like the Kenai/Nita pairing, and plan to flame this, then I would advise not reading this. Also, I do not hate Nita. She is a pretty cool character. I just don't support her paired eith Kenai...So without further ado, I give you "Forever & For Always".
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"I can't do this!" A white and brown sow cried, looking down at the river.
A slightly smaller cinnamon furred bear sat down beside her. "What do you mean, Kia?" she asked softly.
Kia jumped and turned in surprise. "Oh..It's just you, Nita.." The white sow sighed and looked back down at the clear, blue water.
The cinnamon colored bear put a paw on the furred sow's shoulder, and looked into her warm brown eyes. She looked troubled.
"What's the matter, Kia?" Nita asked. "I thought you would be more excited about this.."
Kia heaved a sigh, too lost in thought to answer.
Just a few weeks ago, she had met Nita at the Salmon Run. Kia had been devastated when she learned that Nita was Kenai's mate, and had run off in tears.
She'd disappeared for a few days, before Nita had gone searching for her, with something important to say. She had finally found her on a cliff, crying, and gone over to her. She had said that she did not want to be with Kenai, who had never mentioned to her that Kia was to be his mate, so she had broke up with him.
Not long after, Kia and Nita had become pretty good friends. Nita had even helped Kia get back together with Kenai, and soon afterwards, Kenai had asked Kia for her paw in marriage.
Now here Kia was on her wedding day, and she was too nervous and worried to be happy!
Nita splashed some water on Kia's snout then, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Kia?"
Kia jumped slightly. "Oh! Sorry Nita...It's just...I..I don't know if I can do this.."
Nita smiled reassuringly at her friend. "Sure you can, Kia! It's just a wedding!"
Kia tried to smile, but soon it faded into a worried frown. "But-but- what if something goes wrong. like what you told me about when the Spirits wouldn't let you get married?"
Nita chuckled softly under her breath. "That only happened, because when we were young, Kenai gave me an amulet, that meant more then a normal gift. It joined our destinies together as one."
The cinnamon bear paused, as she ran her claws through Kia's fur, smoothing it down. "No boy ever gave you a gift, did they?" Nita looked thoughtfully at Kia.
"No," Kia said, shaking her head, "I've never gotten any gift, except for this totem, and that was from Tanana."
Kia glanced down at the bear shaped totem that hung around her neck. She ran her long claws over the details that had been carved onto the totem.
Nita, who had finished working on Kia's fur, spoke then. "That's not the kind of gift that will interfere with you and Kenai being wed. So don't worry anymore! This is your wedding day! You're supposed to be happy!"
Nita gave her shoulder a playful shove. "Now get out there! Kenai is already waiting for you!"
Kia laughed and got to her paws with a nod, but then looked back at Nita over her shoulder. "Thanks Nita. You're always watching out for me. And you're right...I should be happy!" She smiled.
The cinnamon furred bear returned Kia's smile with one of her own. "Hey, that's what friends are for!" She motioned for Kia to go on. "You shouldn't keep Kenai waiting any longer."
Kia smiled again and walked off. Nita watched her for a minute, to be sure the sow wouldn't bail, then hurried to join the group of bears that had gathered to watch the wedding.
A broad smile was spread across Kia's face as she walked past all the bears who had come to see her wedding. She grinned as she spotted Nita up ahead with Koda.
Then she made her way over to Kenai, and stood before him. Kenai greeted Kia with a warm smile, and she smiled back, feeling her heart do a little flip.
Nita approached then. "We are all gathered here today to bear witness to the binding of our dear friends, Kenai and Kia, through marriage."
She glanced up at the Northern Lights above them. "We hope that this pleases you, Great Spirits." Kenai and Kia joined paws, smiling at one another.
All of a sudden, the Spirits whirled around Kenai and Kia, lifting their totems. Kenai and Kia watched curiously, never letting go of each other's paw.
Then all of a sudden, the Spirits latched the totems together, symbolizing the uniting of Kenai and Kia in marriage.
Kenai smiled tenderly at Kia. "I guess the Spirits approve." he said softly.
The lights and spirits around Kenai and Kia faded, and returned to the sky. Kia smiled back at Kenai and nodded.
Nita grinned at the two bears. "By the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife."
Nita stopped speaking, and all the bears cheered as Kenai and Kia rubbed their noses together and nuzzled each other.
"Kenai!" A small voice yelled. It was Koda! The little bear ran towards his brother, shouting at the top of his lungs.
Kenai started to go to his brother, but he was suddenly jerked back to Kia, having forgot their totems were still stuck together, and he smacked into Kia, muzzle to muzzle!
The two bears pulled apart, laughing awkwardly as they unlinked their totems.
"Oopse.." Kenai said, looking down at his paws in embarrassment.
Kia licked Kenai's muzzle. "It's okay, Kenai." Kenai and Kia laughed.
Then Kenai picked his brother bear up off the ground and gave him a noogie.
Kia turned to Nita and smiled. "Thank you Nita...I couldn't have gone through this without you..I'd have been too nervous!"
Nita grinned. "I had to do something..That rift that formed between you and Kenai was entirely my fault! Marrying you two together was the least I could do!"
Kia's smile faded a bit. "So..um..are you going to stick around? I know that you only changed into a bear to be with Kenai, but...umm..you should still stay..because.."
As Kia paused, tongue tied, Nita laughed. "Of course I'm going to stay a bear! Kenai's not the only guy at the Salmon Run, silly! I'll just find somebody else. Besides, somebody's gotta help look after those cubs you and Kenai will be having!"
Kia blushed, and it was noticeable under her white fur. "Oh..yeah, cubs..hehe.."
Nita glanced behind Kia then, and she smiled as she spotted Kenai creeping up behind the white and brown marked sow. Kenai winked at the cinnamon colored sow and she nodded, winking back.
"Hey Kia, your mate wants you!" she said to her friend.
"Okay!" Kia turned around, just in time to be tackled onto the ground by Kenai!
"Kenai!" Kia shrieked, causing Nita and Kenai to burst into a fit of laughter.
Still laughing, Kenai helped his mate up off the ground and nuzzled her. As he did so, his totem became entangled with Kia's again, forcing the two bears close together.
Kenai and Kia laughed, and nuzzled each other again. Then they walked off by themselves, to be alone...
Later that night, Nita joined Kenai and Kia with Koda, and together, the four grizzly bears watched as the Great Spirits streaked across the nighttime sky in a flash of rainbow colors.
Kenai had his paw around Kia protectively. he didn't want to let anything hurt his new mate; He loved her!
Kia smiled warmly at the boar and snuggled up beside him, content.
Things may have gotten messed up before, with Nita, but that was all in the past. Now she had a new best friend, and she was married to Kenai, the bear of her dreams.
No matter what happened, they would be together forever and for always.
The End