Disclaimer: I do not own Brother Bear. I do not own any characters in this story.
It was night, a few weeks after Kenai had chosen to become a bear and stay with Koda. Kenai was in his den with his adopted brother curled up beside him. The night was getting deep. The two bears were warm and cozy in their den. It had been a long day, gathering food to prepare for the winter hibernation. Koda was already snoring. Kenai smiled and was too on the verge of sleep when an unfamiliar smell reached his nose. Frowning, he lifted his head up to get a better sniff.
Suddenly, from the mouth of the den, there came a bright flash. The sudden light momentarily blinded Kenai. As his eyes adjusted, he made out the silhouettes of several humans, all holding sharp spears. Some of them were holding torches, which was the source of the unnatural light. Kenai hurriedly stood in front of Koda.
"What do you want?" Kenai asked, just out of instinct. He knew that the humans could not understand him. He let out a deep growl and bared his teeth menacingly. The humans raised their spears. Kenai backed away slightly, to give them a chance to escape. They may have wandered into his den by mistake, maybe on a hunting trip, although the den was far away from any human residence except his old home, and the people were strangers. He did not want to fight them.
"We'll distract the big one. You get the cub."
The words of the man in the centre, apparently the leader of the group, reached Kenai's ears. Kenai frowned as he tried to understand. The man's accent was very strange, so that the words almost seemed like a different language. So by the time he realised what the man had said, it was too late. A spear was shot at him. He dodged, rolled over, and tried to get to the still-sleeping Koda. More spears blocked his way, however. He reared on his hind legs and lashed out his paws. A few spears broke, but more came in their place. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man creeping towards Koda and tying his mouth closed with some rope. The young bear finally woke up, and realising what was going on, struggled with all his strength. The man struck a blow on Koda's head with a stone he was carrying. Koda's eyes crossed, and he went limp. Bellowing in rage, Kenai broke free of the ring of spears and charged towards Koda.
Pain seared through his stomach. Looking down, he saw the tip of the leader's spear protruding from his fur, which was rapidly turning red. Kenai's head spun. He tried to make his way towards Koda again, but another spear landed in his flank, just beside the first one. He cried out in pain and fell over. He had never been so wounded before, both in his human form and as a bear. His body refused to move. His sight became blurred, tinted with red.
"I've got the cub! Let's get out of here."
"Seems a shame to leave the big one. It's as weak as a baby."
"Be sensible. How are we to carry that thing all the way to our village? Let's just take the cub and go."
"Fine, fine…"
Kenai heard the sound of footsteps, getting further and further away. He tried to stand, but he was losing blood. His mind wandered. He should have protected his brother with his own life, like Sitka had done so long ago on that glacier – how long ago was it? Not so long, when he thought about it. It seemed to be a lifetime away. He should thank Sitka. Not only for saving his life, but also for giving him a new one, as a bear. Giving him Koda. Koda. He had let Sitka down. Sitka would have expected him to protect Koda.
But I couldn't, Kenai thought. I've failed. And now I'm going to die. Like Sitka…
Soft wing beats broke through his rapidly fading consciousness. He felt feathers embracing him. Then they turned into hands. Big, strong, yet gentle hands. He felt another gush of pain as a spear was pulled out of him, and the second as well. He heard a voice echo through his mind. Sitka's voice.
"Remember that you are not alone, Kenai. Brothers are always together."
His body felt strangely light. The pain decreased. Every sense dulled and faded as Kenai drifted into unconsciousness.
Bright sunlight streamed through the mouth of the den. Kenai let out a low moan as he woke up. He shook his head and blinked a few times. For one moment he thought – he hoped – that it was a dream, but the blood-coated spears on the ground proved him wrong. He winced and put a hand to his stomach. Although the pain was much better than the night before, but it was by no means gone. His hand came away stained with fresh blood.
Kenai stared. Hand! Not paw, but hand! He looked at his body. He was human again. He was human again, in the middle of autumn, completely naked and with a wound in his stomach.
Kenai started to shiver. Without his fur coat, the den was very cold. Why did Sitka turn him back? He wondered. Was he punishing him for failing to protect Koda? Then he remembered Sitka's words. "Remember that you are not alone. Brothers are always together." Kenai decided to trust Sitka. He sat on the cold floor in a ball, trying to ignore his stomach wound.
Denahi stood on the edge of his compound, greatly troubled. Stories about a foreign tribe, roaming the woods, capturing and wounding the wild animals without any reason that anyone could see, had reached the village. It was wrong to harm any creature of the wild unless it was either to protect oneself from harm, or to feed oneself and one's family. What the strangers were doing was not right. As he was deep in thought, he saw an eagle perch on a log, not far from him. Denahi frowned. Eagles normally did not come so close to humans…
"Sitka?"
The eagle let out a short cry and took wing. Denahi followed it, stumbling in his hurry. The eagle was flying very fast, although it took care that Denahi did not lose sight of it. It led him through the forest until they came to a small cave. Having arrived at the spot, the eagle shot straight up into the air and was lost among the clouds. Denahi was still for a couple of seconds, trying to make sense of the whole experience, when a small moan reached his ears. Tracing the source of the sound, he made his way into the den.
A young man lay on the ground, wearing nothing but blood. Denahi rushed over to him and shook his shoulder.
"Are you oka…"
The question died as the man lifted his head. Denahi recognised his younger brother's face.
"Kenai? Is… Is it really you?"
Kenai nodded weakly. Denahi realised that his lips were blue, and he was shaking like a leaf. Denahi quickly took off his coat and draped it Kenai's body.
"I'll ask questions later. We have to get you home… Are you hurt?"
Not waiting for an answer, Denahi removed Kenai's hands from his stomach. He frowned as he took in the wound.
"That's a nasty cut… Don't worry, Tanana will get it fixed in no time."
Denahi stood up and offered his hand to Kenai. Kenai took it and tried to stand, but he was too weak. Denahi offered his back to him.
"Come on, up you get… You're heavier than you were, but I'm stronger than I was, eh?"
It bothered him that Kenai didn't strike up a fuss. He tried to hide it, but Kenai's state worried him greatly. He did not want to lose his brother again.
Getting Kenai through the forest was hard work. Although Denahi was a fit man, carrying another person almost the same weight as himself over uneven ground was not easy. However, Denahi somehow managed to get themselves to the village without falling once. It was now noon, and most people were in their compounds, eating their midday meal. Denahi managed to arrive at the shaman's house without meeting anybody. The old woman looked surprised to see Kenai, but she too asked no questions.
"Lay him on the skins." She ordered. Denahi set his brother onto the animal pelt that was used as bedding. Tanana brought out more skins, which she placed on Kenai's chest and legs, exposing his stomach.
"Let's see. We'll first cleanse this cut. What caused it?"
Denahi was about to say that he didn't know, when he remembered the bloodstained spears on the ground.
"I think it was a spear."
Tanana raised an eyebrow.
"Someone used a spear against a person? No, of course not. It must have been when he was a bear. But it is still a great sin to wound an animal that did not attack first. Who did this?"
Before Denahi could say anything, Kenai's eyes flew open. His breathing grew shallow and laboured.
"They… took Koda! I have to… get him back…"
Denahi grasped his brother's flailing hand and squeezed it tight.
"Who took Koda, Kenai? Tell us."
"I… don't know… There were people... people with strange accents… They attacked me and took him away."
"What happened after that?"
"I… My head hurt… Then Sitka was there. He changed me back and told me… to remember that I was not alone. That brothers are always together."
Silence fell over the small group. Tanana cleaned the wound with a clear liquid she said was a potion made from several herbs. Kenai winced as the potion touched the wound but made no noise.
"It must have been the foreign tribe."
Tanana paused and turned to Denahi.
"The foreign tribe?"
"The people rumored to capture and wound wild animals."
Tanana nodded. She had also heard the stories.
"I'll go track them down. They won't escape me. I tracked Kenai all the way to the place where the lights touch the earth. I'll find them, wherever they are."
Tanana nodded. "There is no doubt that you are the best person for the job. I wish you luck. Do not worry about your brother. I shall take care of him."
Denahi nodded and was about to leave the house when he felt a hand tugging his clothes. Kenai had opened his eyes again, and had grabbed Denahi's clothes.
"Take me with you."
Denahi shook his head.
"No, Kenai. You have to rest."
"But Koda is my brother. I have to protect him."
Denahi was about to refuse again, when Kenai lifted his head to look straight into his eyes. Underneath the pain, Denahi saw the determination of his brother.
"Do you remember when Sitka sacrificed himself to save us? That was because we were his brothers. Do you remember when you chased after me, across all those hardships, just to avenge me? That was also because I was your brother. Koda is also my brother. I have to protect him, like you and Sitka did."
Denahi was silent for a while. Then he spoke.
"Tanana, how long will it be before Kenai can move?"
"The herbs I used will heal him by tomorrow morning. But I do not think it is a good idea to take him with you, Denahi."
"I wish that I could leave him, but he's right. Sitka took me with him when we went after Kenai, when he went to challenge the bear that took our salmon. He knew that my life would be in danger, but he still took me. So I must take Kenai with me, for brothers are always together."
Kenai gave Denahi a smile. "Thanks, brother."
Denahi smiled back, but he was feeling uneasy. Was his decision the right one? Kenai was so weak, so young. What if he died? It would be his fault. What would Sitka say? But he had to trust that he was right. He had to trust Sitka.
"We leave first thing tomorrow morning. If you're not ready, I'll leave you here. Okay?"
"Right! Don't worry, I'll be up on my feet in no time."
Denahi stepped out of the shaman's hut. A shadow passed over him, and he raised his head just in time to see an eagle fly off towards the distant forest. Slightly reassured, Denahi went to check his store of weapons. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Another day dawned fresh and cold. When Denahi arrived at Tanana's house, Kenai was fully dressed, waiting for him. Denahi handed him a bag of dried meat and a thin wooden rod.
"What's this?"
"It's a blowpipe. In there are stings poisoned with a sleeping drought. You blow on this end, and the stings come out here. I don't want you in direct combat with anyone, that's why I'm giving you this instead of a spear."
Kenai was about to protest when Tanana spoke.
"That is very wise, Denahi. It is a weapon that will not kill. You must never kill a man, however guilty he may be."
Kenai threw a resentful glance towards Denahi, but otherwise accepted the blowpipe without complaining.
"Come on then, let's go. Unless you'd rather stay?"
"As if!"
Denahi smiled and made Kenai lead the way to his den. When they arrived, Denahi found human footsteps leading away from the den. There was also a long drag mark.
"They dragged Koda away, as if he was a thing…"
Kenai's voice shook with rage. Denahi placed a hand on his arm to comfort him.
"Don't worry. We'll find him and get him away from them."
Kenai nodded. As they set off through the forest again, Denahi kept a close eye on his brother. Kenai's rage was not helping his wound, which still seemed to be bothering him, even if it was not bleeding anymore. It also made him an easy target to anyone- or anything - that may be nearby.
There came a rustle from the bushes to their left. Denahi pulled Kenai behind his back and raised his spear. Out of the bushes came out a group of men, armed to the teeth with various weapons. Denahi heard Kenai gasp.
"Denahi, those people, they're the ones that took Koda!"
"Are they the ones that wounded you?"
Kenai nodded. Denahi could tell that he was trying to hide his fear, but it shone up clearly in his face. Anger surged through Denahi, alarmed by his own reaction. He could not let emotions cloud his decisions. He had to be wise, like his totem indicated.
The leader of the group stepped forward. He spoke in a menacing tone.
"What business do you have here?"
"We have come here to ask you to free the animals you have captured."
The man laughed without humor. "Why should we do such a thing?"
"It goes against the laws of the ancestors, to take advantage of the wild in such a way. Or are the animals you have captured necessary for your survival?"
"In a way, they are. Very well, I shall tell you. Our tribe has been chased out of our land by a stronger tribe. We want our land back, but our warriors are not strong enough to fight them directly. Therefore we are capturing young beasts and training them until they obey our every will. When they are grown up, they will become a frightful army, and we shall fall upon our enemies. They won't know what hit them!"
Denahi could feel Kenai bristling with anger beside him. Desperately he attempted to calm the atmosphere down.
"How many are your people? Our village can accommodate a decent number of people. You would be welcomed there. Abandon this abominable practice, and come join us."
The leader cocked his head slightly to the side.
"What are you saying? There is accommodation plenty for us in the area. We are not lacking in any basic needs."
"Then why are you attempting to reclaim your land, when you are already satisfied?"
At the question, the leader shouted out in a booming voice.
"Revenge! No one challenges our tribe and gets away with it. When our enemies are chased out of our land, we shall use our beasts to claim their land as well. Every tribe will live in fear of us!"
Denahi was momentarily speechless at the words. To use the animals for such a violent purpose was an evil he had never imagined. Before he could put himself together, Kenai spoke up.
"How can you force the poor animals to kill for you? They are not your tools!"
A bemused look appeared on the leader's face.
"What do you mean? They are but dumb beasts. They don't think."
"You're wrong!"
In a flash, Kenai snatched Denahi's spear out of his hand and lobbed it straight at the leader. The leader smashed it off course with a swift stroke of his own spear.
"Anyone who defies us shall suffer!"
The leader stepped sideways, and a member of the group who was not seen before revealed himself. He was holding a loaded bow in his hand. The tip of the arrow glistened unnaturally. He aimed the bow at Kenai and let go.
"No!"
With surprising speed, Denahi threw himself towards Kenai, pushing him out of the arrow's range. The arrow found its mark in Denahi's shoulder with a dull Thunk! Denahi screamed as the metal entered his flesh. He hit the ground heavily. Panicking, Kenai let out a cry and knelt down beside his brother.
The leader gave a sneer. "Let that be a warning to you. I won't be so forgiving next time."
He and his group disappeared back into the forest, leaving the two brothers alone.
"Denahi! Are you okay?"
Kenai tried to pull out the arrow, but the wood snapped, leaving the arrowhead in the wound. Denahi lifted his uninjured arm to stop his brother from digging the stone out.
"I'll do it. If you don't pull it out properly, the stone can leave a bigger cut. I've got more experience at treating these wounds than you."
Denahi winced as the rock came free. Kenai pressed his hands upon the wound and tried to stop the blood.
"I'm sorry, Denahi! I should have listened to you. You didn't want me to use a spear…"
Denahi managed a smile. "Well, now you know, don't you? Always listen to your brother, for he is as wise as his totem suggests."
Kenai laughed in response. "I didn't know that eagles were wise, but I'll make sure that I listen to Sitka!"
Denahi chuckled and batted his brother's head. Kenai ducked away, and Denahi lifted his body up to get a better angle at him. He fell down again, however, as pain streaked up his arm.
"Denahi!"
Denahi let out a moan. It felt as if fire was spreading through his veins, from the wound to all around his body. This isn't normal pain, he thought. No arrow wound felt like this.
Poison. As he realised the arrow must have been poisoned, the fire in his body grew so intense that he rolled over, grabbing his shoulder with one hand.
"Denahi! Are you okay? Denahi!"
Kenai grabbed his brother and forced him to lie on his back. He placed his hands once again on the wound, but Denahi shouted hoarsely.
"No! The arrow was poisoned! If you stop the blood, the poison stays inside the body."
Horrified, Kenai flinched back for a moment. But then he pushed his brother's fingers out of the way and latched his mouth onto the wound.
"Wha… What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm trying to suck the poison out!"
"Stop it, you idiot! You'll poison yourself!"
"I don't care!"
Denahi lifted his free arm and, with considerable effort, pushed Kenai off.
"I said, stop it. It's too late anyway – the poison's spread already."
Denahi winced as a spasm of pain rolled down his body. He did not want to worry Kenai, but he could see from his brother's face that he was worried already.
"What can I do, Denahi? Tell me, I'll do anything!"
Denahi tried to think of a way to stop the poisoning. He could think of none.
"We'll just have to wait until it gets out of my system. I don't think this will kill me… Get me some water, Kenai."
"O, okay!"
Kenai got out a water skin from the bag he was carrying and lifted it to Denahi's lips. Denahi drank fitfully. He was aware that he was being a hindrance to his brother, while the cub, Kenai's adopted brother, was facing unknown horrors somewhere.
"Kenai, you should leave. Follow the footsteps of those people, track them to their lair, and get Koda out. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
A pained expression appeared on Kenai's face. "I can't do that!"
"Come on, Kenai. Koda needs your help."
Kenai bit his lip and frowned. After what seemed to be a fierce inner struggle, he spoke decisively.
"So do you. You're my brother as well."
Denahi opened his mouth, but Kenai spoke over him.
"Last time, I chose Koda over you. But I need you, as much as I need Koda. I can't leave you here, Denahi, not when you are like this!"
Denahi still wanted to argue, but Kenai seemed so determined that he gave up. He made Kenai build a fire and heat some water, with which he cleaned his wound. Or, at least, he tried to do it himself, but every movement of muscle sent ripples of pain down his body. In the end, Kenai had to do it for him. Denahi didn't like the state his body was in. It would take a long time for him to heal, he thought. And there was no time. He knew that his brother begrudged every moment spent away from chasing Koda's captors.
So he came to a decision.
"That's enough, Kenai. I don't think I'll need that much hot water. Take a rest."
Kenai looked up from his task of building up the fire gratefully.
"Are you sure you're going to be fine?"
"Of course. I'm not a weakling like you."
Kenai smiled and sat with his back leaned against a tree. He let out a huge yawn. No wonder, thought Denahi. It had been a long day, and the sun was starting to set. Before long Kenai's eyes were shut. Denahi waited until he was sure his brother was fast asleep before making his move. Forcing his limbs to move, ignoring the agonised screams of his muscles, he dragged himself away from his brother, trying his best to cover his tracks. Hopefully, when Kenai found out he was gone, he would go rescue Koda. Denahi believed that his brother would be happier that way. He honestly did.
Kenai dreamt of the time when he was travelling with Koda to the Salmon Run. He was crossing volcanic country with the cub, when Denahi came out of nowhere, chasing the two with a spear. Kenai ran across the log that acted as a bridge over a deep fissure in the ground with Koda dangling from his mouth. They made it across. Koda was safe.
Denahi, however, wasn't. Kenai could do nothing but watch his brother fall down the deep chasm, to, as he thought at the time, his death. Kenai woke up screaming Denahi's name. It was about an hour or two before sunrise. The fire was reduced to glowing embers, and Kenai stood up to rebuild it.
Then he realised that where his brother had lain the night before, there was nothing but grass and leaves. Kenai walked in a large spiral around the fire, calling out to Denahi, his steps getting faster and faster as his search got longer. He started to panic as he broke up a cold sweat, and his shouting became frantic, until it became pleading.
"Please, Denahi, answer me! Where are you? Denahi!"
Kenai tried to calm himself down. He took a couple of deep breaths, and tried to think logically. When something moved in the forest, it left traces. He returned to the fire, and sure enough, there was a trail leading away from Denahi's sleeping place. It seemed to be disguised, but not so well that Kenai could not see it. He followed it at a run, the memory of seeing Denahi fall down that dreadful chasm fresh in his mind. He hoped – he prayed – that he would be okay.
A black shadow on the ground caught his eye. Kenai rushed over to find his brother, unconscious, sprawled on the ground. Kenai put a hand to his face to find that despite the cold night air, Denahi's body was burning. The poison must be giving him fever, he realised. Not knowing what to do, he lit a new fire beside Denahi, and wet his brother's clothes with water in the hopes that it would help bring down his temperature. The sun started to rise. The area was flecked with early morning light when Denahi finally opened his eyes.
"Kenai…?"
"Denahi! What happened? How did you get here?"
Denahi blinked a few times. When he got sense of his surroundings, he said to Kenai:
"Why are you still here?"
Kenai momentarily panicked at the question.
"Why… to help you, of course!"
"You should have helped Koda. He's your younger brother. I am your elder. It is my duty to sacrifice myself for the two of you, like Sitka did."
Kenai shook his head. "Sitka gave his life so that we could live. But Koda's not dying. He's suffering, yes, but he's not dying. You are dying, though. Also," Kinai added, seeing that Denahi was about to say something, "I chose Koda over you too often. You are as important to me as he is, Denahi."
Denahi recognised the sincerity in his voice. He tried to hide the fact that he was deeply touched.
"Okay, thanks, Kenai. I appreciate it. But you really have to go. It's daylight now, and I doubt I'll drop dead in a few hours. You can find me later."
Kenai shook his head. "Denahi, I… I don't think I can do it by myself. I've already proved that I don't make wise decisions. That poisonous arrow would have been in my heart if it hadn't been for you. I need you, Denahi. Please be with me."
Denahi let out a sigh and relaxed, wincing at the pain. "I suppose that's true. I'll try my best to get well."
Denahi insisted that they leave at noon. He was by no means well, but the poison was working itself out of his body. He still had a slight fever and his muscles ached, but the worst part was over.
It took a decent while to retrace their steps to find the place where they had originally camped the previous night. The day-old trail of the foreign people was harder to track, but Denahi managed to keep them from being lost. Finally they came to a small village. Cubs of wild beasts – wolves, bears, and other predators – were tethered to stakes in the ground by strong rope. Most of them bore signs of harsh treatment. Kenai let out a hiss as he took in the sight.
"How can they do such a thing…"
"I know, but there's no time to just sit here. The people seem to be out. Let's find Koda and get out of here."
Kenai nodded, but his troubled eyes did not leave the animals as they made their way through the village. The animals were too weak even to cry out at the sight of strangers. They merely cringed away from the humans.
Strange sounds came from one of the huts in the village. The sound of a whip being struck repeatedly, and the high-pitched whining of an animal in pain.
"There are people in there! Hurry, Kenai. Have you found him yet?"
"He's not here! I can't see him!"
Suddenly, from the hut, came a shout.
"Why don't you obey, you ignorant bear! Why can't you learn that disobedience will lead to pain!"
"Have patience. That cub was only brought in the day before, remember? It doesn't know what's what."
"Hmph! I don't know about that, if it doesn't do what I say, I'll flog it to death!"
Denahi turned to see Kenai's face turn deathly pale.
"They've got Koda in there!"
He tried to run towards the hut, but Denahi grabbed his arm.
"They've also got a whip in there. Probably other weapons too. Rushing in won't help Koda."
"But we can't do nothing!"
"I didn't say we would. Do you still have that blowpipe?"
"Wha… Oh! Yes, I've got it… Here."
He offered it to Denahi, who shook his head.
"I can't be as agile as you, thanks to this poison. I think there're no more than two people in there. So I want you to look for a gap in the walls, locate a person, and shoot him with the blowpipe. Take down the second as well, if you can."
"What if I can't?"
"Then I'll take care of him."
Kenai looked worried, but he nodded. Denahi grabbed his spear and positioned himself just outside the door, while Kenai went around to the other side. Denahi concentrated on the sounds coming from inside the hut.
"This thing's still resisting!"
"You've got to give it some time. It's a dumb beast; it doesn't understand what we want."
"Well, it's going to learn, or else!"
There was the sound of the whip being applied again. Then there came a quiet swoosh, a cry of pain, and someone dropping to the ground. Denahi didn't wait for the second shot, but threw his weight onto the door. It gave way quite easily. The second person – the one without the whip – turned to him in surprise, and went down as Kenai's dart pierced his flesh. Kenai forced his way through the makeshift wall of the hut and came to stand beside Denahi. His eyes were fixed on one thing. Koda was in the middle of the hut, tied to a wooden post with his mouth tied shut. The ropes were so tight that they drew blood. Multiple whip marks crossed his small body. Kenai hurriedly stepped towards him, but the cub flinched away from him, a growl resonating from his throat.
"It's me, Koda! It's Kenai! Don't worry, I won't hurt you!"
The words had no effect, however. The cub fought to get as far as possible from Kenai. The ropes bit into his flesh, and a strangled moan escaped his bound muzzle.
"Koda, please listen to me! It's Kenai! I'm trying to help you!"
"It's no use."
Denahi straightened himself as he finished tying the two men's hands and feet together with the whip. He threw a pitying glance at his brother.
"He's been treated so harshly that he cannot recognise your face. Also, normal animals can't understand human language – you must know that."
Kenai stared at Koda with a hollow look on his face. To see Koda in this state, to have Koda fear him, was almost too much to bear. Isn't there anything I can do? He thought. Sitka, help me, Sitka!
There came a sudden gust of wind, and the roof of the hut was blown clean off. Denahi, Kenai and even Koda looked up at the sky in surprise. An eagle was flying, so high up that it seemed to be no more than a black spot against the cloudless blue sky. It circled once above Denahi's head, once over Kenai's, and a final time above Koda.
Then it disappeared. The wind died. The three stared blinking at the sky, and at each other. Kenai took a tentative step towards Koda, but stopped as the bear jumped back yet again. This time, however, Kenai realised that he could understand Koda's growls, stifled by the rope, but certainly words.
"Get away from me! Stop hurting me, please…"
"Koda! Can you understand me?"
Koda hesitated, his eyes locked onto Kenai's face for the first time.
"It can't be… Kenai?"
"Koda! Stand still, I'll cut you free!"
Kenai turned to Denahi. From Denahi's bemused expression, Kenai could tell that his brother had understood Koda's words as well.
"Denahi, do you have a knife or a dagger?"
Denahi stared wide-eyed at Kenai for a few seconds, then shook his head sharply, the spell broken.
"I didn't bring one, but I bet those bastards would keep a few."
He reached towards the belt of one of the fallen men, and threw a sheathed dagger at Kenai. Kenai grabbed it, threw the sheath to the side, and started to cut the ropes off. When the last ropes fell off, Koda jumped into Kenai's arms and clung to him. Kenai stood up with Koda in his arms.
"We've got to do something about the other animals here."
Denahi nodded assent. "We'll free them. We'll stay here as long as it takes these people to give up, and set free every cub they bring."
"But that's not enough! They should be punished for what they've done!"
"No. Their act of sin is punishment in itself. They will grow to bitterly regret their doings. But it is not our job to punish them. If we do, we become just like them. They wanted revenge, and see what happened. We must be careful not to copy them."
Kenai was about to argue when Koda spoke up, in a weak voice.
"I… I think he's right, Kenai. I don't really know what's going on, but…"
Kenai momentarily tensed his muscles, and then relaxed.
"Thank you, Denahi. If it weren't for you, I would have done something stupid again. Come on, let's free those poor animals."
As they set the last cub into the forest, they heard the men return. They were greatly battered, although none were seriously injured.
"I think they failed to capture one this time." Koda whispered, once again in Kenai's arms. Kenai nodded and signaled to him to be quiet, as the leader of the group saw the disappearance of the animals and cried out in rage. Denahi waved a hand to Kenai and Koda, and the three quietly went into the forest until they were out of earshot from the village.
"What are you going to do from now on, Kenai?"
On Denahi's question, Kenai's face grew thoughtful.
"I don't know. I know that I have to stay with Koda – " he gave the cub a little pat " – but I can't live in the den as a human."
"We could go back to the mountain, where the lights touch the earth," Denahi suggested. Kenai shook his head.
"To tell the truth, it's more than that. Koda's my brother, and I love him more than my own self. But the problem is, you're my brother as well, Denahi. You're so much wiser and older than me. I still need to learn from you. And… I love you as well, Denahi. I don't want to be away from you. But I don't want to be away from Koda, either. So I don't know what to do."
Denahi frowned. "There's one thing I've been thinking about. Why did Sitka give me the ability to understand Koda, when only you would have been enough? Also," he addressed Koda directly, "you understand me as well, don't you?" The cub nodded.
"So maybe, Sitka wants the three of us to stay together, as one family. Three brothers, like the old days."
Kenai still seemed troubled. "But we can't live in the forest, and if we live in the village, Koda will have to give up so much."
"I don't mind," piped up Koda. "Kenai gave up everything he knew to stay with me. So I can give up my old life, to stay with him. To stay with you two. Besides," he grinned, "It'll be fun! A new experience, huh? And when we get bored with it, maybe you two can try living in the den. It could work. Who knows?"
"Who indeed?" Denahi gave a low chuckle. "All right, Kenai?"
Kenai nodded slowly. A smile spread on his face.
"It could work."
An eagle flew out of the forest, into the high skies. If anyone were there to see it, they would have said that it looked as if it was smiling.