Chapter 2 Bonding
It was now the next morning as Loveheart and Joaquin had just woken up. When Joaquin arose from out of the tent, Loveheart greeted his friend.
"Good morning." Loveheart said as he stretched out his arms.
"Morning." Joaquin said as he stood up and stretched. Shortly after he got gone stretching, his stomach began to growl from hunger.
"Hungry?" Replied Loveheart with a smile.
"A little." Said Joaquin till his stomach roared again from hunger.
"A little huh?" Replied Loveheart bear with a smirk. Joaquin only smiled back. Joaquin reached into his back pack and realized he did not take off with any food.
"Uh-oh, this isn't good." Joaquin stated plainly.
"What's wrong?" Inquired Loveheart as he ran over to him.
"I forgot to pack some food away for this trip." He stated plainly.
"That's okay." Replied Loveheart bear as he directed him to sit. "I have food. Just sit tight and I'll make you some along with mine." The bear said with a smile as Joaquin sat down a nearby stump. After Loveheart bear went to work from his own supplies, he had made two belonga sandwiches and stuffed them full with meat before he handed one to Joaquin.
"Thank you." Joaquin said as he took the sandwich from his paw.
"Your welcome." Loveheart said back as he sat next to Joaquin as they began eating together. "So Joaquin, are you sure you want to come along with me? Its not too late to turn back if you'd like."
"Why do you ask me that?" Joaquin said a bit defensively. "I thought you said we were going together remember?" Joaquin said narrowing his eyes with worry at Loveheart.
"Whoa, calm down there friend. I never said anything about making you go back. I just want to let yo know that the road up ahead is very tough and dangerous with the path I follow and I don't want to put you at risk." Loveheart said as he took another bite out of his sandwich.
"Loveheart bear, I made that decision a long time ago and I'm not looking back." He said sternly and with firm conviction. Then out of Loveheart's back pack, Kero shot out of it.
"That's what I like to hear!" Shouted Kero as he stood up. "Because where we are going there can be no indecisiveness." Kero said as he closed his eyes and nodded his head proudly.
"Kero's right," Stated Loveheart plainly. "The road up ahead is very dangerous for me, so are you sure you want to come along with me? I won't look at you any differently if you do." He said while eying Joaquin.
"I want to come with you! Unless yo don't want me to come along anymore." Joaquin said as his voice trailed off. Loveheart seeing that this conversation was discouraging his friend, placed a gentle paw on his shoulder.
"Of course I want you to come along with me! Besides it would be nice to have some company for once. My journey get's very lonely at times." Loveheart confessed. "Please don't be so upset. I just wanted to make sure this is what you want to do." He said as he took his paw off of Joaquin and returned to eating his sandwich.
"It is what I want to do." Joaquin said looking directly into Loveheart's eyes with no flinch of hesitation.
"Then come with me you shall!" Loveheart said with a smile. "Welcome to our team!" Loveheart said as he looked Joaquin directly into the eyes. "I promise I'll take good care of you!" Loveheart said as he placed a gentle paw on his shoulder once again. "Also, can I ask you a few other questions?" Joaquin smiled back at Loveheart.
"Sure." Joaquin said as he began eating his sandwich again.
"Is there anything else about your past that you need to tell me? I'd like to know as much about you as possible." Loveheart replied.
"Other than what what I told you last night, I don't have anything further." Joaquin lied. He just didn't want his friend to worry about his past so much since he'd soon rather forget it.
"Are you sure?" Replied Loveheart. Joaquin sighed deeply. "I think there's more you do have, your just not wanting to tell me huh?" Inquired Loveheart as he sensed that lie a mile away.
"Look Loveheart. Its not important okay?" Joaquin said a bit irritated.
"Okay. But if you want to talk about it. I'll be here to listen." Loveheart said as he took the last bite from his sandwich. Joaquin relieved that Loveheart let it go continued eating his sandwich till he ate it all.
After they had finished eating together, Loveheart packed up his tent along with the rest of the belongings.
"So, where are we headed to do now?" Joaquin inquired as he looked to Loveheart for a answer.
"Hmm. Since I'm new hear to this area, do you have any suggestions?" Loveheart asked looking at Joaquin who was caught off kilter by his question.
"Well ahh, there's Kiabab lake we could head to." Joaquin said pointing west. "I hear there's some nice fishing that takes place over there." Joaquin said hoping that Loveheart wouldn't make fun of him. But to his surprise.
"Then Kiabab Lake it is then! Let's go!" Loveheart said as Kero ran back into his back pack just in case somebody saw them. They walked across the purple cindered dirt road with very few trailers and homes in sight. Joaquin new it would take them all day to get there by foot, so he decided to talk with his friend to by pass some of the time away as they walked together.
"So Loveheart, what other magical abilities can you do?" Joaquin asked hoping he wasn't annoying the bear with so many questions.
"Well elemental manipulation is the primary power of mine and I can use either my staff or sword to manipulate the cards I captured. I mostly use my magic to capture the Clow Cards in order to make sure they don't cause problems."
After Loveheart got done explaining everything, a vehicle was speeding right towards them. Joaquin turned and immediately noticed it. It was his dad's vehicle and he was speeding right towards them. Joaquin grabbed Loveheart real quick and carried him over to the side of the road as the speeding vehicle nearly hit them. Joaquin figured out real quickly that this was indeed his dad by the driving and new he was drunk. He gently placed Loveheart bear down.
"Thanks." Said Loveheart bear. "That was close." But Joaquin paid no attention to his friend as his teeth began to chatter as fear now took him over as he saw his dad come out of the vehicle stumbling drunkenly till he finally saw them behind his blue ford bronco. Loveheart bear recognized him at once and tensed up ready for action.
"So there you are Joaquin. me and your mom have been worried sick about you. Where have you been all night?" he said with a slurred speech. Joaquin was too scared to even respond so Loveheart decided to take control of the situation.
"He was in the woods with me last night!" Loveheart bear said narrowing his eyes at him. "And he's decided to come along with me and he's not going back with you!" Loveheart bear said stepping in front of Joaquin.
"Let the boy talk for himself!" Henry said as he stepped forward. But Loveheart made sure he stayed between Henry and Joaquin ready to take action.
"Dad I want to go with Loveheart!" Joaquin shouted above Loveheart's left shoulder which caused the dad to stopped in his tracks. As if he was looking sad, he replied.
"Are you sure that's what you want boy?" Henry said in a unusually soft tone.
"Yes!" Joaquin said more clearly.
"See! He doesn't want to come along with you!" Loveheart pointed out. "Now why don't you just go back into your vehicle and leave!" Loveheart said as he watched the man's body language.
"Alright," Replied Henry. "If that's what you truly want, then I'll leave you alone." He stated softly. "But first, I have a few things for you to take with you." He turned around and opened up the back of the bronco. "Here." He said plainly as he got out a black rolled up sleeping bag. "Your going to need this if your going to be traveling like this." He tried to step past Loveheart to hand it to Joaquin, but Loveheart stepped up.
"Give it to me then," Replied Loveheart. "I don't trust you to hand it to him." Replied Loveheart testily.
"Very well." He said as he nonchalantly handed it over to Loveheart as the bear watched his every movement to make sure it wasn't a trick. Loveheart grabbed the sleeping bag from Henry. "I also have a few other items I'd like to give you two." He then turned back to his vehicle and got out a few canned items of sorts and placed them on the ground near Loveheart. "Goodluck." Henry said as he turned back to his vehicle and opened his door then paused. "You know Joaquin, your mom is really going to miss you." Joaquin looked away from his dad and away from Loveheart. "Will miss you boy." He said as he jumped into the vehicle, reversed, and drove away.
"Nasty man!" Replied Loveheart still a bit tense from the encounter. "But at least he gave us some food," Loveheart said as he picked it up and placed it inside his pack. "And you gotta much needed sleping bag!" Loveheart said as he picked it off of the ground and handed it over to Joaquin.
"Yeah. I guess." Joaquin said in an unenthusiastic tone as he took the sleeping bag and placed it around his back pack so that it could now stay onto his back along with his back pack.
"Is something wrong?" Inquired Loveheart as he looked up to his friend in concern.
"I don't want to talk about it." Joaquin said looking away. Although Loveheart wanted to talk to him more about it, he thought it best to leave that subject alone for the time being.
"Very well. Why don't we continue to this lake of yours?" Loveheart said with a smile trying to lighten up the mood a bit. Joaquin walked beside Loveheart with nothing being said till Kero randomly walked out of his back pack.
"Hey what's going on here?" Kero inquired.
"Hey Kero." Loveheart responded. "Where headed to a place called Kiabab Lake.
"Really? Sounds good to me." Kero said as he turned and faced Joaquin who looked really sad and depressed by his facial expressions. "Hey Joaquin? Something wrong?" Joaquin did not respond as he shot Kero a sad look and returned his eyes to the purple cindered road ahead. "Hey Joaquin! I'm talking to you!"
"Kero, I don't think now is the best time for you to ask him anything right now." Loveheart warned the guardian of the clow cards.
"Why? Cat caught his tongue?" He inquired with a smile.
"Kero?!" Loveheart said as he turned around shooting Kero a warning look.
"What? I'm just asking." Kero said smiling showing his teeth smiling at Loveheart bear.
"My dad just stopped by us alright!" Joaquin shouted unexpectedly as Loveheart and Kero both now turned his attention to him. "I just had a difficult time with the last words he just said to me. My dad never never used to be that nice to me till..." Joaquin's voice trailed off as his eyes were now tearing up. "Now you know you happy now Kero!" Joaquin shouted as he turned and ran ahead of them. Kero shuttered by the tone he took with him. Loveheart threw Kero a nasty look.
"Hey! I was only trying to be nice!" Kero said innocently as Loveheart bear shook his head.
"See what you've caused? Now I've to chase him down all over again!" Loveheart said as he began to run after Joaquin. Kero shot back into the back pack as Loveheart casted a spell. "Oh Key of Clow, Power of Magic, Power of Light, Surrender the Wand, the Force Ignite, Release!"
After he caught up with Joaquin and landed just in front of him, he held his paw above his head. "Joaquin! Please stop! Where friends aren't we?" Loveheart said preparing himself just in case Joaquin ran past him again just like before. But to his surprise, he didn't run past him, insetead he took hold of Loveheart's shoulders and hugged him smothering his face right into Loveheart's chest and now began crying into Loveheart's fur. "Ug! Its okay Joaquin. I'm here for you." He said as he hugged him back.
"Why do things have to be so difficult for me Loveheart!" He said as he sobbed. "Why does my father finally show me compassion now that I'm leaving him! Its not fair!" He shouted as Loveheart didn't know what else to do but just held him close. Kero then popped out of the back pack and onto Loveheart's shoulder.
"Joaquin, I'm, I'm sorry for any pain that I caused you." Kero said as he watched the boy cry. Joaquin looked up to Kero.
"Its not your fault." Joaquin stated plainly as his sobs now turned into mild tears. "You can't help that I'm so sensitive." Joaquin withdrew himself from Loveheart. "I'm sorry for running away like that." Joaquin said to Loveheart.
"Ah, don't sweat it! Your my friend," Loveheart said with a smile. "But you gotta stop running away from me like that! What if something happened to you?" Loveheart said as his smile now left his face and looked at Joaquin with a serious look. "I can't protect you if you keep on doing that you know." Loveheart said.
"I'm sorry." Said Joaquin now looking down to the ground. Loveheart walked over to him and gently put his paws on his shoulders.
"Its okay. Just please stick close to me from now on okay? I don't want you to get hurt." Loveheart said gently but firmly.
"Yes sir." Joaquin said while managing a weak smile.
"C'mon on," Replied Loveheart as he turned. "We have a long ways to go before we get to that Lake." Joaquin and Loveheart bear moved right along with no one saying a word as Kero munched on some candy that Loveheart bear had given him shortly after.
It was now mid day and the two were still walking along.
"Hey Loveheart," Joaquin said as Loveheart turned and faced his companion. "I'm hungry. Can we please take a small break to eat some of those canned foods?"
"Sure." Loveheart said as they wondered off the trail a bit and found a nice grassy spot in the cedar forest. As Joaquin sat down from exhaustion, Loveheart took off his back pack and got out some of the canned foods and opened them up with a can opener. They were both stew cans of huge sizes. "Here you go." Said Loveheart as he handed it over to Joaquin.
"Thank you." Joaquin said as he took it.
"Oh, you'll also need some of this so you don't dehydrate." Loveheart replied as he took out a silver water canteen and handed it over to Joaquin. Joaquin took it, opened it up, and took a nice swig from it then started in on the stew.. Loveheart sat down next to him and did the same.
After they finished up and properly disposed of the cans, they put there back packs back on and continued on there way.
"So how far away is this lake that your talking about?" Inquired Loveheart bear as he looked over to Joaquin as they continued to walk together.
"It should be about five more miles down this road." Joaquin said as he kept his eyes on the road.
"That's not too far." Loveheart replied as they continued to walk along the way.
The two walked together for about two hours at a slow pace since Joaquin was not used to long trips yet. It was now about 3 P.M. As Joaquin looked at his watch as the two reached the lake.
"Here's Kaibab lake." Joaquin said as they approached it.
"Whoa! She's not the biggest lake I've seen, but I will admit she is a decent size and not too bad looking." Loveheart replied as they walked up to the lake with no one in sight. Kero climbed out of Loveheart's pack and also took a look at the scenery.
"This isn't bad!" Kero said as he looked around taking in the whole view. After a moment of looking around, they walked around the edge of the lake and eventually found a spot that they were looking for to camp out for tonight.
"This looks like a nice spot to camp out." Loveheart said as he unloaded his back pack and relaxed sitting down near the lake. Joaquin sat right next to him as he also unloaded his back pack and took off his shoes and rubbed his feet.
"Oh, my aching feet." Joaquin said as he rubbed them down for a bit till he put them back on and got out his sleeping bag and began preparing with Loveheart to set everything up for camp.
It was now night time, around 6 p.m. and Loveheart and Joaquin were fishing together with some sticks they found that were just the right size for fishing. They sat down side by side, and fished together and talked quietly.
"Hey Loveheart I think I got one!" He said as he grabbed his line and tugged vigorously at it with Loveheart observing. The fish continued to struggle with the hook in its mouth. While Joaquin pulled back on it.
"This must be a big one!" He said till his line cracked and the fish got away. "Oh man!" He said a bit disappointed. "I was never good at fishing!" Joaquin said a bit frustrated.
"Don't give up, I used to suck at fishing too, just keep at it and like anything in life; you'll get better."
At that moment, there was a tug on Love HEart's line,
"Ooh, I got one," he said as began to play it and rell it in carefully.
"Do you have another line?" He asked.
"No, I but I can fix it later, hang on," he managed to carefully pull the fish n, it was a decently big one, "heh, look at that."
Love Heart dropped the fish in theur catch bucket, "I'll clean it later, now let me see your rod." Joaquin handed his rod over to Loveheart. Love Heart checked the line, "I can replace that, just give me a few minutes," he pulled a roll of fishing line from the tackle box they were using and began to fix the line for Joaquin.
"So, is there anything you want to talk about," Love Heart asked
"Well, how long have you known Kero now? Also, can you till me a bit more about your dad?"
"Well, I've known Kero for a couple years," he glanced over at the guardian beast who was sleeping, "as for my father, he was a wise man and a skilled warrior. He was a bit strict in his training but despite that he was a kind man. It hurt a lot when he died but he was old and we both knew he had little time left
"That sounds tough," Joaquin replied. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine life without a dad. But at least you have Kero as a friend." Joaquin said with a smile. "I just hope I won't be too much of a burden to you." He replied.
"You won't be, as long as you can keep up and listen to what I say," he finshed on the line, "there you go, that should be good."
"Thanks," He replied as he took the line. "Speaking of which, where is Kero?" He said looking around for him. "Also, you mentioned the clow cards. What kind of cards do you have and how do you control them?"
"Well I have quite a few, and I use the Clow Staff and sword to control them. As long as I have my name written on them they are bound to my control."
"Is there a chance you could ever lose control of them?" Joaquin inquired curiously.
"Yes, but only if I try to use three or more at the same time, which I will never do"
"Well, I minus tell you about my past," Joaquin said taking a deep breath as he threw his line out to fish. "Ever since I was younger, I always got picked on just because I looked like the odd ball." Joaquin stated. "And one time I got beat up by three other kids when I was five. When I went home crying to my parents, my dad took a belt and swatted me on my bottom and said to me, 'Don't yo ever come crying to me again or I'll whip your..." Loveheart stopped him before he could say it. "Sorry. But that's how my dad treated me and was never a real father to me. My mom on the other hand, always treated me with gentleness and kindness." He said with a smile. "I'm going to miss her." He said as he focused on the lake and on his pole.
"I see, don't worry, I'm sure you'll see her again someday." Love HEart said, casting his line again
"Even if I don't," Joaquin replied. "I have no regrets in the decision I made to come along with you." He said trying to lift his spirits up.
"Thats good to hear," Love Heart said.
"Looks like the fish aren't biting tonight," Joaquin stated plainly. "Maybe we should snack on some of the snack food items." He stated plainly as he got up to the pack that contained the food.
"Sure, one fish should be good enough for now," he reeled in his line and set it aside. After they were both done with there meals, Joaquin sat down in his tent tired from the day's events. "I think I'm going to turn in early." Joaquin said to Loveheart.
"Right, that might be a good *SPLAT* Love Heart was cut off by a stray newspaper page being blown into his face. He pulled it away and muttered, "litterers," and was about to throw it away until he saw the article
"Here, Joaquin, Look at this," he passed the newspaper to Joaquin, as he pointed out the article he had seen, Joaquin took the paper from Loneheart. "Hmm," Joaquin said as he read it over. "This poor raccoon was abandoned when she was just a cub and she's like you!" Joaquin said turning towards Loveheart.
"I've never seen another being like myself, and it says she's at an orphanage in Flagstaff, and she's on the verge of being turned over to the state because of her age," Love Heart narrowed his eyes, "I think we have our new destination
"I know how to get there," Joaquin said. "Well, we better get to bed early so that we can get up early tomorrow and get there by nightfall." He replied. "Nite Loveheart."
"Good night Joaquin, see you in the morning."